Taj POV

He still had no idea what he was doing after graduation. The job prospects were bleak. That graduate school idea seemed like a good idea. He talked to Jossie about it one day when she took him out to lunch.

"A higher degree will always be better than one."

"I know but...does that guarantee I will get a nice paying job? And what about paying for graduate school? I barely can afford these four years. And what about-"

"Now you know I got you, lil big head boy. I take care of my people."

He grinned, liking the sound of that. "Can I still work here?"

"You know I already have a graduate assistant, but Taj, you can get any other GA position on campus. I will see what will be open for you next year. I think the Panhellenic will need a GA, or maybe Residence Assistance GA. Something that can work with your major."

The Panhel GA position would be perfect. Then he would still be at school and can spend time with Faye. Although he still was unsure about things with her. After her crack about his fraternity and Greek Life in general, he still felt some way about things.

They argue about it for a day, but then she apologized for being insensitive to something that he cared about. When people were not Greek, they would never understand the work fraternities and sororities put in. Never. They only knew from the outside looking in and that was not accurate.

Besides what Epsilon Upsilon did in Bloomington-Normal, he looked at what Black Greek organizations did worldwide. Bad talking what they did was downplaying the role of hundreds of prominent Black figures over the last hundred-plus years. Like those people were slackers or something. Maybe she only knew what they did on college campuses and did not see them as a worldwide entity for the progress they made over the years.

No, she was smarter than that.

"What else do you know about Faye? Like when you interviewed her, what was she like that made you want to offer her the position?"

"Boy, you're the one sleeping with her."

"I am not..." He smacked his forehead. "It is not like that. We're dating, but that's it. We're taking things slow."

"Oh, that's what you call it? Boy bye!"

"For real. We haven't...anyway, I asked a question."

Jossie took a moment while she dug into the chicken alfredo that sat in front of her, his chicken parmesan sat untouched.

"Faye had all the right answers, she said the right things, had great grades, and the fact that she was a single mother, I guess that's what tugged at my heart."

"So you gave her the position because she had a kid?"

"I'm not saying that. She's just a good person. And I know people."

Taj wondered if she knew how she felt about Greek Life. It was not his place to run his mouth about it to Jossie. Queen of Greek Life as far as he was concerned. Besides, he was still trying to get somewhere with Faye.

"You two good?" she asked him.

"Sure, we're fine."

"Eat up then boy, stop with the mopey face. "

Jossie just didn't get it. Maybe times changed a lot since twenty years ago when she was his age.

"I want to get married."

Jossie almost spit out her food, she gagged and couched. He jumped up and patted her back.

"You okay?"

She grabbed her water, sipped it, and seemed fine. "Boy, who are you proposing to?"

He chuckled at her as he went back to his chair. "No, no, not like right now. I just...I want to get married one day."

"Okay?" she said with hesitation. "I'm not sure what you want me to say. Last year you were ga-ga over Sherry, so much so you were the one who told her ole' boy was cheating. You had to know that would not end well. And then you and Temira...don't think I don't know. And now, you're with Faye, and all of a sudden, you want to get married."

How did any of that have anything to do with what he wanted for himself? Not dating just to date. He wanted something that a lot of people in the world wanted. A wife, some kids, a home, a family. All of the things he did not feel he had growing up. A father not in the picture, never in a safe home, a mother that tried her best but was never enough.

He had to get this part right in his life. Find someone that wanted the same things as he did so they would never split the family up.

"None of that has anything to do with why I want to get married. I always wanted to get married one day."

How could she possibly know what happened between him and Temira anyway? The Sherry thing, yes, he told her, but she had a right to know. Never mind the fact that he wanted her for himself. Not in a million years did he think Sherry was the type of girl that would cheat on him. He was nothing more than her rebound fling.

He loved her. It still hurt sometimes.

"Boy, slow your roll with these girls. I think you have no idea what you truly want. You don't even know the type of girls you like, just out here slinging your thang."

"Slanging my-" He stopped himself and held in a laugh. Jossie was his mentor, and he valued what she had to say, but sometimes she said off-the-cuff things.

If nothing else, he knew his type. Sherry was his type. Faye was his type. That's what he wanted. Only thing, would Faye fall in love with him?

Did he love her?

When he got back to campus, he had some time before his next class so he headed to The Quad to hang out with some friends. He was cool with a couple of the fraternity guys from other organizations. They were not his typical crew but he liked to stay friends with a diverse selection of people. Cory was an Alpha, but he was a dog on campus. Bad reputation for cheating on his off-and-on girlfriend, Trinity.

Then Billy and Jeff, brothers that were Kappas. Pretty boys that liked to break girls' hearts. Neither ever had girlfriends but neither was short on having girls on standby. Romelo was a Phi Beta Sigma, a senior like him and they were cool since freshman year when they were roommates, even after they pledged two different organizations.

All the guys wanted to talk about was the girls on campus that they were running through. It was sickening. It was not funny to him nor did he want to celebrate their "achievements."

"I have this mad hot shorty I'm linking up with, but she trying to get serious and be wifey or something," Romelo said with a chuckle. "I don't love these hoes. Fuck em and leave them."

He shook his head at his ex-roommate because he could not even call him a friend right now.

"All these girls do is come to college and think they gonna find a husband," Cory said. "I ain't the one."

"What does Trinity think of that?" he asked Cory.

"I don't give a fuck what she thinks. I said I ain't the one."

A girl sticking around with one guy, for over three years, through all his cheating, the break-ups, and the make-ups meant she expected more out of the relationship. It hurt his hurt because Trinity was good people. She also was in a sorority and was very pretty and popular. All of that did not matter to a guy that was leading her on.

He felt like he should say something to her, but it was not his place. He stepped into an Alphas business last year with Donte, he learned his lesson.

"I have a couple of honies on the side when my girl is in one of her moods or I'm not feeling her," Romelo said. "But she is my main girl, I like her that much."

"Just can't be faithful, huh?" he said to him, sick to his stomach hanging with them.

Bad enough Brian was like he was. When would the fellas learn to be respectful to women? This was why women would rather stay single. Or why there were so many single mothers. Why most gave up on men.

He did not blame them quite honestly. All he could do was be a better man himself.

"I need to get going," he said to the guys, ready to go on about the rest of his day.

Soon as he started to head off, he saw Temira headed his way. He saw her off and on but they did not talk much after their ordeal.

"Hey Temira," he said to her.

"Hey, Taj." She walked right past him, and over to the guys...and into the arms of Romelo. "Hey, baby."

"How's my girl." Romelo gave her a kiss and Temira was all smiles.

He had to tell her that boy was up to no good. She deserved better than that.

A/N: Taj is...a good guy, but he needs to stay out of other people's business as well as mind the business he is in. Things are not that great with him and Faye, he needs to focus on that relationship and not others.