Tanisha hurried home from her after-school babysitting job. She knew she would only have an hour with Daryl. His mother was picking him up for a visit with an out-of-town aunt. 

Sure enough, he was there on the steps of her apartment building, reading a magazine. 

"Hey, baby," she called out. 

He looked up and gave her a huge smile. "Hey, beautiful," he said. He stood up and waited for her to come into his arms. 

"Mmm. You smell good," he whispered as he pulled her close. 

Daryl's eyes were the color of pecans, his skin a deep shade of cocoa. He had thick, curly hair, and a low, sweet voice. She never got tired of looking at him. Or hearing him call her beautiful. 

They had met the summer she turned fourteen. He was a year older and working in an ice cream shop where she hung out with friends. From the first time he asked for her number, she had been love. They met for a movie, and after that night, they were together like superglue. They talked and texted twenty times a day. Even his friends called them Taryl, as if they were one person. 

Three years together had only brought them closer.

Tanisha pulled Daryl down to sit on the steps with her. 

"So what are you going to be doing while I'm bored to death at Auntie's this weekend?" Daryl said as he made a face. 

"I'm meeting up with Shayla and Alec tonight for dinner," she said. 

Daryl's eyes got darker. He moved his face closer to hers. "The same Alec who was in your math class last year?" Daryl asked. 

Tanisha felt a sudden rush of panic. "I hardly know him," she said. "He's Shayla's friend, really." 

"You're not going." Daryl's jaw was tight. 

"What do you mean?" Tanisha couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I already said I would meet them." 

"If I'm not there, you can't go," Daryl said.  

Tanisha's head began to hurt, and she felt her stomach knot up. Now she was mad. 

"I AM going," she said. 

Daryl grabbed her arm. "You want to be with him? You want him?" 

Tanisha pulled her arm away. "No, I want you. I love you." She leaned in to kiss him, but he turned his head. 

Daryl's face looked like stone. "Give me your purse" he said. His voice was low and even. 

"What for?" Tanisha pulled the purse tightly to her stomach.  

"I want your phone. I bet you've been texting him. Give it to me." 

Tanisha stood up. "I don't even have his number," she yelled. 

Daryl stood and grabbed for her purse. "You're a liar! You're seeing him!" 

Tanisha felt something thump against her cheek. For a second, she wondered where the rock came from. Then she realized what it was. He had slapped her. 

Tanisha dropped her purse and sat down hard on the steps. 

Daryl knelt before her and took her hands in his. "Oh, God, baby. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that. I would never hurt you. You know I would never hurt you." 

Tanisha looked at his scared eyes and wished she could say something. No words would come out. A rusty green four-door sedan pulled up to the curb. 

Daryl's mother honked three times sharply. 

Tanisha found words. 

"You better go," she said. 

Daryl jumped up and pulled her to her feet. 

"I'll call you from Auntie's he said. We'll talk. Don't worry. Everything will be fine." 

He leaned in and lightly kissed her mouth. 

"I love you," he called out as the car pulled away.