Page 1 of Blake University HBCU Chronicles: Archer & Destiny

ONE

Destiny

Destiny sat quietly in the backseat; her copper-brown coils bobbed gently with each bump in the road.

The sound of her parents’ bickering made her anxiety shoot through the roof of the car.

It always started and finished with the topic being about her.

Destiny was happy and scared shitless about starting college.

Happy, because for once, she wouldn’t feel like such a burden on her parents.

Henry and Kourtney Davis had been married for over thirty years.

Both of her parents were successful. Henry Davis was a co-founder of a multi-million-dollar Cybersecurity company.

Kourtney Davis was a successful web developer.

The two were high school sweethearts that got married at the tender age of eighteen.

Since they were both always so busy, they agreed to give birth to only one child.

Kourtney had several miscarriages and felt ecstatic that she carried Destiny full term.

The couple relocated from California to Georgia when Destiny was two years old.

Through ups and downs, Destiny is who brought them closer and carried them through the test of times.

Destiny hated the way most of their arguments revolved around her. She looked down at her hands that rested in her lap, today they were slightly swollen from morning stiffness. It wasn’t as bad as usual, so to her, that was a sign that today would be a good positive day.

The car crept through the gates of Blake University HBCU.

It was her dream school; to her, it was freedom, and a fresh start never looked so good.

The college looked like a post card or a pinterest photo.

Destiny marveled at the bright green lawns and red brick buildings.

Students walked in groups, laughing with excitement in their eyes while they carried bins full of their personal belongings.

Destiny couldn’t wait to be a part of it all.

“Kourtney, did you make sure her meds were packed in the overnight bag? She needed those pain patches and?—”

“I packed it all, Henry.” Her mother cut him off.

Kourtney eyes were still fixed on the road ahead, avoiding her husband’s anxious glare.

“I double checked the pill box, the backup bottles, and the emergency stash in her purse.” Kourtney added.

Destiny let out a quiet sigh, her eyes focusing back to the window.

Not wanting to be a part of her parents’ bickering, she continued to take in the campus.

Don’t be weird, Destiny. Be outspoken for a change, meet new people, have fun…

you’re only twenty-four years old… She told herself with sadness swirling inside of her mind.

She couldn’t even be mad at her father for pushing back her initial start for the university, which was years ago.

She cried for several nights, not understanding why he was so scared to let her go.

Henry reassured his daughter that he would get her enrolled for ‘Next Act Blake U’ which was a program designed for students that missed their opportunity to go to college after high school.

She read all about it and loved the fact that the program assisted people over twenty-five to get back on track and into higher learning.

Next Act also gave students the opportunity to have the options to take night or day classes.

They could also live in designated dorm rooms if they chose to do so.

Destiny wanted to experience that, so she begged her dad.

Henry pulled major strings and greased important people’s pockets to let his only child into the program.

Her birthday was next month in September, so they overlooked the fact that she was twenty-four.

Destiny worried about her physical health.

Her mother helped her pick her academic field.

She agreed to do education and social work because she wanted to do work that mattered.

She always enjoyed volunteering at her high school library.

Her father also signed her up to become a student tutor.

A lot of kids that she helped reminded her of herself.

They weren’t just statistics in need like her, they were vivid and held lots of dreams.

It made her feel like she had a purpose when she was helping others. So, when her mom mentioned education and social work, she was all for it. It was something that demanded compassion and understanding. To Destiny, that was something that a lot of people in the world didn’t have.

Destiny had been struggling with severe arthritis since she was diagnosed as a teenager.

She struggled with confidence; her low self-esteem weighed her down at times, but she still found a way to think positively.

Because of all the different health issues she went through since ninth grade, she was from doing the things that she truly wanted to do.

She wanted friends, and to feel accepted somewhere other than her household. Destiny’s parents were very wealthy, they sheltered and spoiled her with no regrets. She was their miracle baby, their only child.

“I tell you what, Destiny…if one of these assholes disrespects you, I’ll come up here quick! This is why we moved close to campus, just for you, baby. A lot of these dumb fucks don’t know what the fuck ambulatory wheelchair users are! I wish the fuck?—”

“Henry, please! You already started this day off negative. Her nerves are already bad and you just making shit worse.” Kourtney rolled her eyes hard.

“How am I making shit worse? I’m just telling my daughter that I got her back and front. Mind your damn business.” Henry spat.

He was already fired up from thinking about all the what if’s and what his daughter might endure.

She had been through enough since high school.

From school bullies to people just making her feel insecure and offended.

His mind went back to the awful night all of their lives were turned upside down.

Destiny went out with so-called friends when she was in the ninth grade and got shot.

Doctors claimed that she would never be able to walk again.

She proved them wrong year after year. Destiny was determined to walk again.

She had gone from not being able to feel anything from the waist down to gaining feeling.

She could even stand and waddle from side to side, she just couldn’t do it for long periods of time.

Her muscles would spasm severely, or she would fall down if she pushed herself too far.

Now that she gained feeling back from the waist down, she experienced pain like no other.

Some days, it would put her in a depressed mood; she would either cry throughout the day or be highly medicated to not feel half of the pain that traveled throughout her body.

She picked up an eating habit then gained most of her weight by the time she turned seventeen.

Henry put Destiny on a diet, but it still didn’t stop her from sneaking to eat whatever it was that she wanted — thanks to her mother, Kourtney.

Food became her comfort; Destiny was beautiful but couldn’t see beauty in herself.

She was five foot six and weighed a good two-hundred and sixty pounds.

Her weight wasn’t sloppy, it was well proportioned.

Her deep, doe-shaped, brown eyes and deep-dish dimples that sunk in whenever she talked or smiled made her look like she had the face of an angel.

She didn’t see what people saw when they called her beautiful.

She figured she didn’t have any friends, simply because people viewed her as a liability.

It was all frustrating to her, but she tried her best to remain positive about it all.

“I’m just saying.” Henry huffed. He adjusted his cap and glanced back at Destiny like he would catch her in the act of hiding one of her many flare ups.

He knew his daughter very well, and he admired her courage and ambition to take care of herself without help.

Henry wouldn’t see it any other way but to assist and help his daughter with whatever she needed.

“This ain’t like high school. I’ll admit that I’m nervous for my baby. If she misses a dose and her joints lock up, who will help her in the middle of the night or throughout the damn day.” He looked over at Kourtney.

“I know that.” Kourtney sighed.

“She’s not a damn child. She made it through the flare ups and spasms back in March on her own without telling us. Destiny is very mature and capable. We thought so many things, Henry. We thought in the beginning that she would never be able to even stand again when that bullet hit her spine and?—”

“Mom, please.” Destiny murmured.

One thing she tried to bury deep in the past was the trauma of that night.

It left a bitterness inside of her that she thought she would never overcome.

Destiny still couldn’t forgive the fact that her normal life was snatched away from her in one night.

She missed being able to run, stand, and walk long distances.

You never appreciate the little things that you don’t realize you enjoy doing in life until it’s snatched away from you.

“Dad, I got myself, I promise. Please don’t stress over me.” She said softly.

Henry didn’t answer, he just exhaled roughly and thought now would be a good time to admit to the expensive purchase that he made without telling his wife or his daughter.

“I won’t stress.” He smirked mischievously.

“I know your hands swell up and your arms get cramps from trying to wheel yourself around. This is why I had to invest; it was important, and it will help you.” He smiled confidently.

The women in the car inwardly shook their heads. Henry’s favorite line when he wanted to justify his actions of outrageous purchases was, I had to invest, or this was a good investment.

“What did you do, Henry?” Kourtney cut her eyes over at him. She silently hoped that her husband didn’t go overboard.

“I ordered her an electric wheelchair. It’s fully loaded.” He chuckled proudly.

Kourtney couldn’t even say a word, she felt the urge to smack him in the back of his head but knew not to even go there with his hardheaded ass.

She wasn’t upset that he got the electric wheelchair for Destiny.

It was more so frustration, because she asked him if they should get one for her around the time she first got shot to make things easier on all of them.

“Thanks, dad.” Destiny’s mood lifted.

She saw plenty of videos and pictures of Blake U and knew that the campus was huge.

She couldn’t wait to give her dad a big hug to express her gratitude.

Henry was always thinking ahead of time.

He always knew what she needed, and most of the time, Destiny didn’t have to fix her lips to ask for anything.

That was another thing Destiny was tired of.

Her parents took care of her fully. Financially, they covered everything for her.

Each month, her father deposited a hefty amount of money into her bank account.

She wanted to know what it was like to make her own money.

Destiny wanted to buy her parents gifts and prove to them that she was capable of being an adult on her own.

“You’re welcome, baby, it’s fly too.” Henry added with a big contagious smile plastered on his face.

Henry pulled right in front of the school.

Next, he was going to drive her over to Cove City, which was a popular suburb close to the school.

It had several apartment complexes and housing developments where Destiny would stay.

Henry already had a car service on call for his daughter.

He even offered to hire someone to help her on a day-to-day basis, but Destiny refused and reassured him that she could do it all by herself.

Destiny’s eyes landed on the Blake U Bear with the words, Fierce.

Focused. Fearless. Written in perfect cursive bold letters.

Henry got out of the car first and went around to retrieve her wheelchair from the trunk.

She turned around in her seat to watch him and smiled.

Her chest tightened when he came around to open her door.

“You sure about this, baby?” Henry asked as he locked the chair’s wheels and held out a hand.

Destiny nodded her head then slowly transferred from the car to her chair with practiced grace.

She hid her pain well, but today, it became excruciating all of a sudden.

Ache crawled behind her knees and the stiffness clinged to her legs.

She looked up at Henry and smiled weakly then pushed her shoulders back.

“I’m sure, dad; I’m fine.” She stated as confidently as she could.

Before her eyes started to well up with tears from the unbearable pain, she forced herself to think of something else.

It was mind over matter. Her pain tolerance was high, since she dealt with pain most of the time.

It was something that she was used to, although it still annoyed and frustrated her.

Students moved around everywhere, and music was playing loudly. Destiny could feel the excitement radiating off of everyone. She watched people walk fast and slow while others hit a light jog. This was everything she wanted and more — freedom.

“You got your water bottle, right?” He looked at her seriously before he started to wheel her.

“It’s hot as hell already, you know hydration is key when the meds kick in.” He added.

“I got everything I need, dad.” She reassured him with practiced patience.

“Okay, and I don’t want you taking your nighttime meds on an empty stomach. That’s why I wanted you to agree to having a chef come to meal prep for you every three days. You know?—”

“Henry!” Kourtney stepped out of the car, irritated with her husband.

“We still have to go get her settled into her apartment. You can say all of that there. Not in front of all these students. Just let her be and take her inside to get the rest of her paperwork.” Kourtney rolled her eyes hard in his direction.

“I swear, if we weren’t out in public?—”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! Just wheel her in and hurry up.” Kourtney got back in the front seat and slammed the door.

Destiny stifled her grin and put her head down.

She loved them both so much it hurt sometimes.

She loved the way her parents loved on each other and hoped that one day she could experience a love like that as well.

She also loved that she knew that their bickering wasn’t anger, but fear dressed as nagging and a bunch of noise out of concern for her.

It was an overbearing love that got her through her toughest battles.

It all made Destiny more determined to prove to them that she could do this on her own and make them proud.