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The club was thumping, lights flashing, bodies moving, and there I was at the bar, my crew urging me to down shots. It felt good to still be able to blend in for the most part, cause I knew it was just temporary—soon, everything was gonna hit the fan...
My boys kept insisting I knock back some booze, but that stuff made me queasy. Memories of that damn crash, the whiskey haze, they haunted me like a bad dream.
Rufus, always the instigator, wouldn't let up. "Come on, dawg! Live a little,...Loosen up, white boy!"
But fun was the last thing on my mind. Kim's face was all I could see, her calls unanswered, eating away at me. Sure, I was worried about her, but Hailie was my main concern. "But my daughter, man," I pleaded. "I gotta know if she's okay, if she's safe."
Deshaun shot me a look, trying to calm me down. "Em, I hear you, bro. But you gotta chill, forget about Kim for a minute. She's tough, she can handle herself. And I promise you, Hailie's straight."
His words hit home. Could I really let go, even just for a moment? Could I drown out the worry, forget about all the bullshit and just enjoy the moment with my boys? Part of me wanted to sit there and stew, let the shit eat me up. But another part knew I had to let myself breathe, have a damn good time...Kim would sort herself out, I'd move on from that damn crash and that chick...everything would fall into place. Just chill, Marshall.
After a bit of back and forth, I gave in, nodding as I reached for the shot glass. The burn of the booze dulled the ache in my chest, letting me relax a bit.
"That's my boy!" My crew cheered in unison.
As I knocked back more shots, I felt the warmth of the buzz spreading through me. Maybe shit wouldn't be so bad after all, you know?
As the night wore on, my crew hyped me up about my success, boasting about my album's rise.
"We're finna bag all the hoes!" Rufus boasted, setting off a chorus of cheers from the homies... But honestly, I was zoning out, not really paying attention to their hype. I was way too drunk by now...but at least I wasn't thinking about Kim anymore...for once, my problems seemed to fade away into the blur of the night.
My gaze was slower and fuzzier than usual, the taste of alcohol lingering in my throat. As I scanned the dance floor, searching for something or someone to help me enjoy the night...my body just wasn't feeling it.
But then, this girl caught my eye.
A straight dime piece amidst the chaos. Long hair flowing like a waterfall against her back as she danced on the dance floor, caramel skin that looked as soft as a cloud, and intoxicating and captivating moves that could straight hypnotize a mothafucka. My heart raced as I licked my lips, fueled by a potent mix of alcohol and sudden primal desire.
