Finding Love In All The Wrong Places

The Night We Met

Chapter 1.

"Today is going to be a good day" I say to myself while looking in the mirror. Doing my morning affirmations has helped with my depression a lot. I just moved to a new city for this great job opportunity but don't have any family around so I get a little lonely..... we'll maybe very lonely. I do have a friend Maeve from high school who moved out here a couple of years ago. She hit me up to go out for drinks tonight and meet some of her friends so I can feel a bit more at home.

New York City... whew, this is so different than back home in Raleigh, North Carolina. Here the people are rude, everyone is in a hurry and the streets stink so badly. I definitely miss home especially my mom and my 2 sisters but this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to move to NYC and become a fashion editor *sighs*.

I am very excited for tonight though, it's gonna be my first night on the town since I moved here a month ago. I'm also excited because Maeve is like me, part of the LGBTQ + community. So hopefully she has some cute friends for me to flirt with cause my bed has been very empty. Giggling to myself while I look at my unmade bed. My cat Prey jumps on it and gets comfortable. I have the urge to crawl into bed right next to her but I know if I do I won't make it to work today.

After a great shower I get dressed in my best fashion editor attire. I have a rose pink pant suit on from Macys that I have added jewels on it to make it pop more with a white turtle neck crop top. We can't forget the red bottoms....but don't get me wrong they are definitely replicas. I dream to be a fashion editor but right now I'm an assistant to a editor for a food magazine..... stepping stones right?
Still adjusting my outfit, I look at how big my curly hair is and know for a fact I won't have enough time to straighten it. I put as much gel as I can hold in my hand and give myself the slickest ponytail I can achieve. Finally putting myself together I add my signature rings on both hands, grab my purse and run out the door.

Running out my small studio apartment in the Bronx I try to get an Uber to Manhattan praying I'll get to work on time. I wait about 5 mins and the Uber pulls up, I ask him if he thinks I will make it to Manhattan by 9 and he looks at me "you aren't from here are you" he replies while rolling his eyes. Irritated I don't reply and just look out the window and pray that God does not let me be late on my first week of work for the 5th time. Damn maybe I really need to start taking the train....

I get to work with about a minute to spare and greet everyone at the office. I get weird looks for my outfits all the time but today was the worse maybe because it was jeans and t shirt day and I'm the only one with heels on. I get to my desk and let the work day rush past me, I enjoy the coffee runs and errands because it allows me to really explore NYC.

5:00pm comes around and I am ready to clock out when this older black gentleman knocks on my already opened door. "You are Selah right?" He says intrigued. "Yes who is asking" I reply scared I'm in trouble for something. "Im asking" he chuckles as he looks at me hungrily. I reply "oh well yes I'm Selah and you are?" "I'm Anthony... Anthony Johnson. I've seen you coming in here everyday this week looking fly as hell and I wanted to see if you want to go out for drinks with me?" He says while playing with his beard. Uncomfortably I reply "awe you are super sweet but I already have plans with a friend sorry". All I could think to myself is please let him back off! Why is he approaching me at work? What will my co workers think of me?

I look around and see everyone has exited the building and it's just me and this buff older gentleman who is blocking my only way out of this office. A bit on edge I grab my mace in my bag that my bestie bought me before I left Raleigh. Anthony sees that I'm a bit tense and backs off "well that's a shame, have a great weekend and I'll see you Monday! Hopefully we can get those drinks next week" he smirks and walks away. I take a big deep breath and pack the rest of my things to get the f*** out of this office.

Finally back home I jump in the shower for a quick rinse off before getting ready for drinks with Maeve and her friends. Feeling refreshed and getting the ick of the male gaze off of me I start my makeup. In the middle of me blending my concealer and rapping pop smoke at the top of my lungs I hear my phone ding.

Maeve 😇: hey boo, hope your work day was wonderful! We are going to Las Lap in the lower east side! Addy: 74 Orchard st New York, NY! Can't wait to see you boo be there by 8 😛

Reading the text I roll my eyes once I see the location. Ugh I wish I understood the train more cause I do not want to pay for another Uber in all this Friday night traffic. I text Maeve back to let her know I will be there but I don't really know if I'll make it by 8. She knows I've been having a hard time navigating in this city. Scared she is already annoyed with the fact that I'm new to the city I get another text alert.

Maeve 😇: lol girl I understand it was hard for me when I first moved here too. I got a friend who doesn't live too far from you, is it cool if I tell her to pick you up. Her name is Kai she is really cool, you will be in great hands.

I see the text and with great relief I text her right away "hell yeah friend please text her my number". I finish up my makeup and look at my slick ponytail... it's starting to look a little too professional for tonight's attire. Right as I'm about to take my hair out of the ponytail I get a text from a random number

718-334-2325: wassup Selah, it's Kai. Maeve sent me yo number and addy I'm bout 10 mins away.

Shocked that she is so close I look at my hair one more time and decide I'm definitely taking out this ponytail. I take the ponytail out and grab my spray bottle spraying some of the gel out my hair, my curls become huge but I keep the front of my hair slicked on each side. While looking in the mirror I text Kai back that I got her message and will be outside waiting for her. Adjusting my low rise faux leather pants I look in the mirror to see if I can shake my ass in them. I paired the pants with a distressed big tee that I cut up to be more of a crop top with some doc martin boots and a chain around my waist and stomach area.

Finally loving how I look I run down my stairs and as I open the door a black 2022 Audi A5 coupe with the darkest tints I've ever seen pulls right in front of the apartment complex. As I stare in awe at such a beautiful car, the window rolls down and I hear "You Selah" in a raspy New York accent. I reply yeah are you Kai as I laugh to myself thinking who else would it be. She looks at me and freezes a bit, then hops out the car to open the door for me. I'm taken a back because it didn't seem like she was gonna open the door for me when she asked if I was Selah. Once she walks to my side of the car I freeze for a bit taking all of her in. She was 5'9 lightskin with long curly hair that was still wet. She was wearing a plan white tshirt with chains around her neck and the cleanest distressed black jeans on that sat right under her butt. She opened the door for me and looked at me while I was frozen. "You ok ma?" She questioned snapping me out of my trance I replied "yes I'm good, let's go get drinks" we both chuckled awkwardly.

We are in the car on our way to the bar listening to one of her playlist of known New York rappers. I look down at my phone and text Maeve "girl why didn't you tell me Kai was fine as hell. I damn near passed out when she got out the car". Giggling to myself I get Kai's attention. She looks over and says "who making you smile so pretty like that". "Myself" I say with a sharp tone, trying to make it known I wasn't talking to anyone. Kai smirks happily and turns away so I can't see her face. I ask her if she can put city girls on cause I'm not tryna hear this music, we both laugh and I get a text.

Maeve 😇: girl lol I knew you was gonna say something but beware.... She comes with a lot of drama and baggage. Hate to say it but you deserve better than her!