A test of Love - Navaura Campbell (best management books of all time .txt) 📗

his head profusely, putting a frustrated hand over his face, "No, I don't want you here. I don't want you anywhere near me."
Carrine shook her head, that ever present grin of denial on her face. "You don't mean that."
"Yes, I do." Jordan stated, his expression irritable. "Look, I love Denise ok. I love her, I want to be with her. She's the one I want. Not you." The look in his eyes were full of luster as he spoke his heart. His voice softened, "I've waited a long time for this moment, Carrine. A very long time and I am not going to let you mess that up. Now, you're either going to leave me alone and leave her alone or I am going to the police."
"I haven't done anything, Jordan. All I did was show her the truth."
Jordan raised a brow. "Show her the truth? Carrine, I don't know who the hell that man is in those pictures but I can guarantee it's not me. He may look like me, but he's not me."
Carrine laughed, "Why are you in denial about us? Why can't you accept it?"
It was then Jordan realized that no matter what he said, she wasn't going to listen. She wasn't going to hear him.
"I don't know what your problem is Carrine, but you need to get help. I've never seen a girl so obsessed about a lie."
Carrine narrowed her eyes, "There's nothing wrong with me, Jordan. I know what is reality."
"Reality to you doesn't exist." He stated, his tone becoming harsh.
Carrine licked her lips. "She's the one coming between us. She's the reason you're doing this."
"What?"
"She's getting in the way of us, Jordan." Carrine stated, her tone now cold. This threw Jordan off. First she was giggly like a little girl and now she was cold. Crisp.
He stared, not saying anything. He watched her eyes go dark, "You better do something about her before I do." She stated.
"Are you threatening Denise's life?" Jordan inquired, feeling angry now.
"I'm simply stating that I don't like to share and I won't share. Not with her, not any girl."
Jordan swallowed, "You're crazy. If I catch you anywhere near me or her I am calling the police. I will tell them what you just said."
Carrine laughed nastily, "Like they'd believe a man over a woman."
Jordan stared at her, not really believing what he was witnessing. Was this the real Carrine?

Denise threw the photo album at the door. She'd been staring at that album for hours. All of those pictures. Although she wanted to cry, she didn't. She was so confused. She felt like the album was a lie, but there was no way for her to prove it. These pictures were too much for her to ignore. Sighing, she stared up at the wall, on the brink of tears but being unable to release them. Glancing down at the ring that still rested on her ring finger after three weeks of disputing those pictures. She knew what was in her heart, that he wasn't in those pictures, but what she saw and what she felt were two different things. The only other possible explanation for these pictures was that they were either him or someone else who looked a whole lot like him. She didn't know which one and wasn't sure, therefore, she just waited.
Carrine followed Denise with a scowl on her face. The girl's daily routine consisted of class, going to the library and then going into town for some free time. It was amazing that she hadn't noticed that Carrine had been following her for two days now. Sighing, she followed after Denise as she went into the mall. She watched the girl go to the food court and sit down. A book was taken out. Carrine rolled her eyes. Of all the nerve.
Denise felt the girl's presence before she saw her. Glancing up from her book, Denise looked into a sullen face. Raising a brow, Denise inquired, "May I help you?"
"What's the name of the book?"
"Friend or Foe." Denise stated, staring up at the girl curiously. How did she know her? As if sensing this question, the girl cleared her throat, "I work at Victoria's Secret, remember?"
Denise's eyebrows shot up in recognition, "Oh yeah, how's it going?"
"Pretty good." The girl took the seat in front of her. She just stared at Denise, a blank look on her face. Denise narrowed her brows, "Um...are you ok?"
The girl shrugged, "I'm sure I'll be fine."
Denise's eyes slowly strayed to her book.
"Well...actually..." The girl started.
Denise glanced up from her book. Unsuspecting brown eyes on her unknown enemy.
"I was wondering if you could do me a favor." The girl's vision found hers once again. This time, allowing Denise to see the bold coldness in them.
"I want you to leave Jordan Williams alone." The girl stated, glaring at her.
Denise raised a brow. "Who the hell are you?"
The girl leaned forward, her face inches from Denise's. "Remember those pictures that Neema showed you?"
Denise felt her insides turn to butterflies. Now she remembered. Denise licked her lips. "How am I getting in the way of you and Jordan?"
"He's with me now and you need to back off." Carrine stated, her tone fierce.
Denise raised a brow and held up her hand, displaying the diamond band around her ring finger. "That's sort of ironic, since I'm the one he gave the engagement ring too."
This seemed to cause Carrine to turn three shades darker than her already cream colored skin. "What ever, it won't last long." She snarled. Leaning even closer to Denise, so that she was directly in her face, she said, "I'm only going to warn you once. Stay away from him, because if you don't, there's going to be a lot of hell going on."
Denise cleared her throat, grabbed her book and left the table, not commenting on what Carrine said. Carrine stared after her with a hatred to the core for her.

Neema stopped outside of Denise's door. The last time she'd talked to Denise was at the beginning of December. Now, Christmas decorations littered every where, carrol after carrol was song, as well as movies up to the adams about santa clause being shown on television. She was constantly being reminded of what she'd done to Denise and Jordan. If she hadn't had those photos in her bag, they would still be a couple.
Sighing, she rapped on the door, three sharp taps. There was no answer. Another quick succession of raps. Still no answer. She sighed, not blaming Denise for not wanting to speak with her. Pulling her purse across her shoulders, she turned to leave the building. Just as she got to the stairs, Denise was coming into the building.
Denise stopped in her tracks. She glanced up at her friend.
"Hi, Denise."
"What do you want, Neema?"
"I wanted to apologize." She stated.
"Apologize? For what?"Denise folded her arms across her chest in defense.
"Apologize for showing you those pics. That was not my place."
Denise sighed, "You're right, that wasn't."
"But...I thought it was him in those pics, De. I really did."
"And..."
"And...I believe that I was wrong. I'm sorry."
Denise sighed, "Ok, I forgive you for that. Now, I'm going to my room, it's cold out here." Denise stated, pulling her coat around her waist. She side stepped Neema and walked up to the door. Entering the code, she waited for the buzzard to sound and then opened the door.
Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Five:

Jordan flickered his cigarette out and then threw it into the waste basket. He hadn't planned on spending Christmas alone, but over the past couple of years he'd grown accustomed to being alone during the holidays. This year would not be any different. That's what he told himself. Taking a deep sigh, he glanced around the park. He had grown up in this park. As he watched a woman nearby play with a young boy on a nearby slide, he was reminded of his own mother. His parents had lived in Hampton three years prior to giving birth to him. He imagined his mother grabbing a hold of his knee and taking a peek at it, to make sure that he hadn't suffered any damage from the slide he'd so carelessly slid down at one year of age. He could remember falling off off the monkey bars at seven, not only skinning both knees, but his elbows as well. He'd been shaking and crying. His mother had grabbed a wet tissue out of her purse and put it on his knees. She had then done the same to his elbows.
His eyes went from the mother who'd been watching her child come down the slide, to the swing set located on the eastern side of the park from where he sat adjacent to the slide. A man was pushing a little girl of about eight in one of the swings. Jordan smiled and for some reason was reminded of Denise.

A chunky Denise laughing and playing just like this little girl was, having fun. Conjuring up this thought, compelled him to pop open the locket he'd gotten a while back, when he'd just graduated high school. Right before Nicholas had been born. He'd gotten the locket when Denise had been seven months pregnant. Sighing, he stared at the photo that had captured a beautiful smiling girl. This photo had been his favorite. It had been taken during the last time Denise would smile. Ironically enough, she'd been so full and swollen then. This caused another smile to form. Her eyes had been bright and warm. Her hair had been put up in a ponytail away from her face.

In the other picture across from hers was a picture of the little boy she'd given birth too. A little boy who looked as pale as white bed sheets, with a soft sprinkle of freckles along his cheeks and nose. His brown eyes had been the same as his mother's. A beautiful coffee color. His eyelashes had been long and fanned his cheeks. He'd had a heart shaped face like his father, with his full lips to match. Tears welled up in Jordan's eyes as once again. He wondered if he would ever have a family. His mother had said before passing that she'd dreamed he and Denise would have kids and be happy, but he couldn't see that any time now.
He couldn't help but wonder why things were going horrible between them all the time. They'd been great their first year. After that, things seemed to get worse. He was even upset with himself for not leaving her alone. She was always out of his reach, yet close enough for him to wish for more. Standing up, he realized that they weren't perfect, not by a long shot. As a matter of fact, the only thing he was sure of was his love for her and her love for him, which made absolutely no sense at all, but was there.

Denise knocked and knocked on his door, but there wasn't an answer. Sighing, she pulled a pen and slip of paper from her purse. Scrawling, she wrote:
I need to talk to you, please:
Denise.
Sticking the note between the door jam, she turned to walk away.
"Why is it that every time I'm thinking of you, you show up?"