When freedom strikes

XIV

Excitement fills my body on my flight home. I haven't seen Bella in two weeks, her daily photos not giving me what the in person energy would. The flight attendants come around and ask everyone to buckle up because we are about to land.

The traffic on the ride home was horrible to say the least. My plans for when I get home is to shower and then spend the rest of the night with my newfound person. It's truly crazy how much you learn about a person in a month. Bella's personality is unlike anyone else I've ever met, she's always happy and smiling, she's open to trying new things and meeting new people. There's nothing about her that I'd change.

When the hotel parking lot comes into view I feel myself become nervous. I hope she likes the gifts I bought her from the Amazon. The ride up to the apartment only making me antsy, I can't wait to hold her in my arms again. I unlock the door only to be met with darkness. "Bella?" She doesn't answer, I shut the door behind me and set down my stuff. The lights pop on and I'm met with confetti in the air. "SURPRISE!" Bella, Chacha, Jorge, Damion and Charlie were all spread out around the house with giant smiles on their faces.

Bella runs up to me and jumps in my arms. "I missed you koritsi mou omorfo." Her scent intoxicating after being away for so long. "It's about time you got here. We wait for like two whole hours." Chacha says as she attempts to act nonchalant. "Traffic was so bad." I give her a side hug before turning to dap up Jorge. "Now that your finally here boss, let's get this party started!" He shouts. Music starts to play through out the apartment. I watch as Bella takes my stuff into my bedroom, her body looks even better than I remember.

"Kairo we took it upon ourselves to make sure this is one of the best nights of your life. We have until 7:45 to get absolutely wasted." Chacha places a drink in front of me. "We also had everyone make a fall "cocktail" just for the occasion. I hope you've eaten." She waits for Bella to come back before she announces what drink it is she provided for us.

Bella appears from the back hallway with her hands behind her back. "Hurry bitch I'm excited!" Jorge rushes her and I'm silently thanking him because I wanted to do just that. She scurries over but not before placing whatever she had on the side of the counter so I couldn't see. "Okay, now that we are all here. I would like to present my drink of the night, this is the ginger pear bourbon." Natacha raises her glass in the air and we all do a cheers. My tastebuds scream for more after I taste her drink, the bourbon smooth on its way down. "This is great! Usually with drinks like these the alcohol overpowers everything else." Damion comments before taking another sip.

Once we all finish Chachas drink she clears away the cups and I have to say I'm starting to feel the liquor. I haven't eaten but I didn't want to ruin the party. "Kai I have something for you." Bella's voice catches my attention, turning to look at her I notice her setting a box down on the counter. "It's just a thank you for everything so far." She slides the box over to me and I happily accept it. Pulling the tape off the sides I feel like a child at Christmas. Inside of the box is a shirt that has a picture of Bella and I on it, I remember this night all too well. She had on that pink dress with the black strappy heels, her face glowing even in the picture.

"I love it." Setting the shirt back in the box I turn to face her with my arms open. She melts into me, the feeling of her body against my own turning me on instantly. I think she notices because she turns so her back is towards my front and wraps my arms around her waist. "Okay now it's my turn." Jorge jumps down from the stool and makes his way over to the fridge. "May I present to you all, the pomegranate gin or in my words, 'the bloody bitch'." His name for the drink earns a laugh from Chacha and Bella, most likely an inside joke. Everyone takes a sip exclaiming aloud about the taste. The honey pomegranate juice mixing together for a sweet taste. Where the hell did they come up with this idea?

Four drinks later it was finally Bella's turn. Charlie made 'Apple cider sangria', maple old fashioned was Damions choice. That one is my favorite so far. "Everyone! The brown sugar fig bubbly." I take the first sip and marvel at how the brown sugar mixes with the bourbon so elegantly. I'm clearly already drunk but everyone is cheering everyone on about finishing. Bella's drink wasn't something you just drank up, it was supposed to be savored but it's already 7:30. I finish off the drink and place the empty cup down on the counter. Bella's small hand running up and down my back bringing goosebumps to the surface.

"Alright guys! Let's go wait in the lobby for our ride!" Bella grabs her purse along with both of our phones. She grabs my hand and leads me out of the apartment, into the elevator and then out into the lobby. Our conversation loud and over the top. Chacha was telling us about the time she got absolutely wasted at some bar back in her home town, Jorge laughs obnoxiously while Charlie and Damion still seem alert as ever.

"ITS HERE!" Bella shouts and speed walks over to the entrance. A bus pulls up and you could hear the bass that was coming from inside it. "A party bus?" My words slightly slowed down from how much alcohol I consumed in the short hour I've been home. Bella's hand finds mine and I smile down at her, her face holds nothing but joy. We climb into the bus and instantly I feel alive. There's music playing and a strobe light. The driver greets us with a smile before telling us we could play whatever we wanted.

The six of us make our way to the back of the bus towards the fully stocked bar might I add. "Shots bitches." Chacha grabs a bottle of bourbon from the shelf and begins to pour everyone a shot. I look over at Bella who's having the time of her life as she sways to the music and think about the fact that I haven't ate. I don't want to ruin her good time but I also don't want to throw up. I make my way over to her and pull her close to me. "Bella." She hums in my ear. "Can we stop and grab something to eat? I'm on a empty stomach." Her hands run all over me, from my head to the tips of my fingers. "Yea baby." She attempts to walk to the front of the bus but finds the task harder to do in heels. She kicks the shoes off before going up to the driver to ask him to stop somewhere so I could eat. I was definitely drunk and having a great time but Im also starting to feel nauseous.

I can feel the bus come to a stop and I quickly stand and rush to the front. I wait outside the bus in the brisk fall night. The wind helping cool me down, the alcohol definitely catching up to me. I look up at the restaurant and notice we're in front of a Caribbean restaurant. "Great choice." Damion compliments Bella as they exit the bus on her place of choosing. She walks over to me and grabs my hand, she smiles up at me helping ease my already racing heart. "So what she we get?"  The menu hangs from the ceiling holding so many options. I can hardly see straight so I ask Bella to order for me.

I take a seat in one of the booths and lean my head against the cool glass window. I can hear someone coming over to me but I don't open my eyes to see who it is. "Hey man. I've been there too, try this it should help." The cook from the restaurant is stands at the foot of the table with a styrofoam cup. "What is it?" He slides the cup across the table along with a straw. "Pear ginger smoothie." He leaves me at the table so I stick the straw in the cup and take a sip. "That's good." I say aloud to myself.

Bella joins me at the table and slides me a plastic container. "It's rainbow rice, Ropa Vieja and Caribbean cornbread." The smell invading my drunkness. "Eat Kai."

Make sure you vote! This chapter is 1515 words long😩
-Kayla