Four months later...
Brooklyn
My last summer in New York breezed by. I racked up all the hours that I could at my old job because I knew that finding something new out in North Carolina would take some time. Me and Anika ended up being roommates on campus only because of her mother's pull at the university. She was an alumnus, and at those large universities out of state, that meant something. Not to mention that she constantly poured donation money into the school. We had our dorm decked out too. It was kind of like a studio. We had two bathrooms and a kitchenette.
I haven't seen much of Monroe since we started school. He was in his most important year in college, the year where NFL scouts came out scouring for talent. He told me that us not spending time together was because of that, but I saw a couple of his frat brothers clowning him one day, and that raised my suspicions. The Money I thought I knew wouldn't have had that shit. I guess he came down to the south and got soft. Or maybe he wasn't really hard, to begin with. Honestly, it was a turn off for me, so just when I thought I was interested in him, I wasn't.
Anika was supposed to be showing me her neck of the woods. It was a party popping off that night, and we were going. Now, normally, I wouldn't dip into my savings, but I had to for this occasion. Down there in the south, they made a big deal about New Yorkers, so I owed it to my city to look good that night. Me and Anika drove to the mall in her new Lexus coupe. I was glad when her parents had finally given her the graduation gift that she was waiting for. Or should I say that we were waiting on?
After spending hours in the mall, I finally came out with something that I just knew would have all the heads turning my way. Me and Anika blasted trap music in our dorm while we twerked and did our makeup. It was something about 2 Chainz that made me beat my face to perfection. Two hours was all it took for us to be ready. I loved how the weather outside was nothing like New York. I wore a pair of acid wash ripped skinny jeans with a Bebe tank top. Normally I would have worn a pair of heels, but once Anika told me that the party was in a house, I settled for a pair of vans. Just in case a bitch wanted static, I would be sturdy in my kicks. I flat ironed my thirty-inch weave bone straight, so it fell right on top of my ass. I wasn't looking for anybody special that night, but I damn sure bumped into him.
***
I'm glad that I had a closure and not a leave out because, in that hot ass party, my natural hair would have puffed all the way up. Anika walked around, giving out hugs and shit like she was the mayor which made me feel awkward as hell, but I got it. That was her crowd. She was seeing people she hadn't seen in years, so I just fell back and watched her work the room.
If I had a dollar for every nigga that came up to me, I swear I would have made back the money I had spent on my outfit to look good just for that one night. I wasn't feeling any of the guys because they all looked alike. Dreads, gold teeth, and eyes that screamed fuck boy. Nope. I wasn't interested. So imagine my reaction when the very last dude to approach me gave me something different. I can't even say that he approached me. His introduction wasn't like the many men that stumbled into me before him. They all came with the hey shawty how you doing? Blah... blah... blah... He was peculiar. He more so demanded that I fuck with him, and I obliged.
I was holding up a corner in the party just lurking. I always stood by the exit just in case some shit popped off. I done been in enough Brooklyn house parties to know what to look for before shit hits the fan. I folded my arms across my breast and sighed because I was ready to go. The music was trash, and the niggas were annoying.
"I would have ah attitude too. This party wack as fuk they even turned the damn music awf. Ya man left you in this weak ass party by yaself?"
The whisper was so close that I could have sworn that his lips touched my ear when he spoke. His voice was deep and raspy, so even without seeing a face, it was turning me on.
