Free The Pledge by Chandra Sparks Taylor

ten-thirty when I hung with my friends and Aunt Dani would be there for part of the night, but I figured she would at least let me stay out until midnight since it was homecoming and my first date.
    I thought about saying something, but Allen took my hand and squeezed, telling me to let it go. “Not a problem, ma’am.”
    â€œCourtland, do you have that stuff I gave you?” Momma asked. It took me a second to realize she meant the twenty dollars, and I nodded.
    â€œGood,” she said, kissing me. “Y’all be careful and have a good time.”
    Momma and Daddy stood in the doorway until we pulled away in Allen’s father’s Mercedes.
    â€œWhere’s your car?” I asked, looking around as though his Ford Explorer would appear. He had gotten it shortly after he had started coming to visit me when his other car broke down, but I had yet to ride in it since Momma wouldn’t let Allen drive me home from school. Hopefully all of that was about to change now that we were on our official first date.
    â€œI figured we needed something a little more special for this occasion,” he said. “You don’t like this car?”
    â€œMan, are you crazy? It’s beautiful,” I said. “Thank you for making this night special for me. If I forget to tell you, I had a wonderful time tonight.” I had heard Julia Roberts say that in the old movie Pretty Woman, and I decided to claim it as my own.
    â€œAnything for my baby,” he said, and I smiled.
    â€œSo where are we going?”
    â€œDon’t you want to be surprised?”
    â€œNot really,” I said, although I loved surprises. “I’ve been trying to think of where it could be since Daddy said we could go out.” I looked at Allen and grinned. “We’re on our first date. Can you believe it?”
    He smiled, and his dimple, appeared. “I’ve been dreaming about this day for months,” he said.
    â€œReally?” I said. “That is so sweet.”
    â€œNo, you’re so sweet.” He grabbed my hand and kissed it, then we held hands all the way to the restaurant.
    When we arrived at the Empire Club, my mouth fell open. “Are you kidding me?” I asked. The restaurant was one of the most expensive in Birmingham. Momma had told me one time that they printed the menus without prices, and that if you had to ask how much something was, you couldn’t afford to eat there.
    Allen laughed. “You know I had to make sure I did this thing right. Come on.” He grabbed my hand after he gave the valet the keys, and we headed inside.
    There was a man who looked vaguely familiar standing at the front entrance. Allen walked over and shook his hand, then waved me over and introduced me.
    â€œCourtland, this is Miles King, the head coach for the Atlanta Sentinels.”
    â€œNice to meet you,” I said, shaking his hand. “I knew you looked familiar. I’ve seen you on ESPN a few times.” I didn’t add that Allen had told me he was interested in signing with the Sentinels. I vaguely remembered hearing players weren’t supposed to deal with coaches when they were being recruited. I looked at Allen with a question in my eyes, but he just smiled.
    â€œSo what are you doing here?” Allen asked.
    â€œRandy’s mom was rushed to the hospital, so he asked me to come here tonight in his place.”
    â€œWho’s Randy?” I asked.
    â€œHe’s a trainer I met this summer during camp,” Allen explained. “I didn’t know you guys knew each other.”
    â€œHe’s my frat brother,” Miles said. “I hope it’s okay that I came. I don’t want to get you in any trouble. I can assure you that I’m not planning on talking about basketball at all tonight. I can’t wait to see the young lady you have to introduce to me.”
    I breathed a sigh of relief that Allen hadn’t known about Miles