Through the Fire (a Les Twins fanfic)

Chapter 10: Crash

Gabby hovered behind Laurent in the bathroom watching him get dressed for the party at Ludacris' house that night.

He tied a patterned scarf on over his neck muff and cut his eyes at her in the mirror.  "How do I look?"

"Why do you ask me that when you always look good?"  She moved up behind him and kissed his back through his black tank.

Laurent bit his bottom lip and smiled.  She slid around between him and the sink, sat on the countertop, and hugged him around his waist.

"I could go with you if you want."

"You don't have to.  I thought you and Shauna were hanging out tonight."

She stroked his chest and looked up at him.  "We are, but I'm just saying...if you want me to go I can.  Me and Shauna can hang out anytime."

"No, that's okay."  Laurent put the finishing touches on his hair, pecked her on the cheek, and went into the bedroom to find his shoes.

Gabby's eyebrows puckered disapprovingly.  She didn't care much about missing the party, but she did care that Laurent hadn't asked her to go with him in the first place.  Why doesn't he want me there?

****

After Larry and Laurent left for the party Gabby and Shauna were piled up in her bed in their pajamas preparing for their sisters movie night.  Shauna stared glumly at the huge TV screen on the wall.  She pushed the buttons on the remote control aimlessly scrolling through movie titles with one index finger and wrapped a lock of her hair around the other sulking.

Gabby nudged her in the arm.  She guessed correctly that her sister had unsuccessfully begged Larry to take her with him.  "Hey, don't feel bad.  I got dumped for the night, too."

"It's not fair." Shauna pouted, then the expression on her face suddenly changed from disappointed to determined.  "Forget this pity party.  We should go anyway.  Let's crash it!"

"Oh, uh-uh.  Not a good idea."

"C'mon, sis.  You know you want to.  Aren't you wondering what they're doing right now this minute?"

"Well...," Gabby waivered.  She toyed with the popcorn in the bag she was holding.  Honestly, it was killing her to know what Laurent was doing.

Shauna saw an opening and pounced.  "And don't say you don't have anything to wear because I already thought about that."  She disappeared inside Gabby's closet and came back out holding a black leather corset top.  "Remember this?"

"That top?  It's tiny."

"Exactly."

An hour later they had dressed and done each other's makeup.  Shauna adjusted the straps on a tight white mini she snagged from the back of Gabby's closet.  Then she snapped the last big steam roller out of her head, and they were ready to go.

Gabby knew the way to Ludacris' house because she'd been there before.  One of the first assignments Patrick gave her when she got hired at Trend Magazine was covering the hottest sets in the city.  That was over three years ago, but she still remembered the way.

The party was in full swing when they arrived.  Luda's sprawling acres of private land meant he could basically do whatever he wanted as loudly as he wanted and he was taking full advantage of the benefit.

The inside of the house was all white everything, from the walls to the furniture.  A live DJ mixed on the second floor landing overlooking the massive open downstairs area as A-list and B-list celebrities in the music industry mingled everywhere dancing and networking.  Outside, guys played full court basketball and model chicks in bikinis lounged around a pool and hot tub the size of a small lake—all with a never ending flow of drinks, smokes, and food.

Gabby didn't have to think twice about where Larry and Laurent were.   A commotion from the middle of the floor downstairs led her and Shauna straight to them.

Larry was balanced on one leg dutty winding his heart out to a Jamaican song with Luda, Laurent, and half the other party guests cheering him on when they approached.  Within a few minutes Laurent spotted them from across the dance circle and did a double take.

He made his way over and pulled Gabby to the side in a quieter area beneath the stairs away from the crowd.  "Baby, what're you doing here?"

"I thought I'd surprise you."  She held up her hands.  "Surprise!"

Laurent took in her leather bustier, skin tight barely-there skirt, and stilettos and opened his mouth to say something when Ludacris interrupted.

"Gabby! Is that you? Daaaaamn, girl you clean up nice!  All this time I can't never get you to come through the spot anymore.  Guess all I had to do was bring the twins, huh?"

He eyeballed her from head to toe.  "Real talk I need to get you in one of my videos."

She put her hands on her hips playfully and gave him her best disinterested face.  "Nah, you couldn't afford me."

Ludacris cracked up laughing.  "You prolly right!"

Laurent stood there watching silently.  He fidgeted with his neck muff looking thoroughly unamused.  His thoughts were jumping all over the place.  Anymore?  Did his girlfriend used to hang out at parties like these all the time?  And where did she get that itty bitty outfit?

Ludacris felt the tension and made his exit.  "Well, I know when I'm the third wheel.  Imma go out back and put some money on this hoops game if anybody needs me."  He went out the sliding glass door leaving them alone.

Gabby sidled up to Laurent and intentionally pressed her tits against his arm. "I think I need a drink."

He looked down at her cleavage and the expression on his face softened.  She did look sexy as hell.

"Okay.  I'll go get it."

"I'll come with you."

"Nooo," Laurent did a mental check of all the thirsty guys in the room who'd be watching her walk by.  "You stay here.  I'll be right back."

Gabby propped against the stair rail swaying to the music while she waited.  She could see Shauna laughing and dancing up to Larry in the middle of the floor and the shocked look on his face when she turned around and dropped it on him.

Someone touched her elbow.

"Whoa. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Tarik?"  Gabby couldn't hide her surprise.  "Don't tell me you got an invitation because I know better.  Did you sneak in here?"

"No, I didn't."  He laughed and stuck his chest out clowning proudly.  "Patrick sent me to cover the party.  It's my first assignment, thank you very much."

"Okay, alright, well I guess I should be saying congratulations then."  She extended her hand and teased him.  "I thought you were one of the scurred interns who quit."

"Me?  Quit?  Never."  Tarik grasped her hand and locked his eyes on hers, moving closer.  He lowered his voice.  "You don't scare me. And for the record I'm a grad student finishing this year.  I'm about the same age as your...um...so-called man who left you over here in this corner."

Gabby blinked, caught off guard by his blunt flirtation.  Laurent returned with her drink and she immediately dropped Tarik's hand and took a step backwards.

"Tarik, I think you know of Laurent.  Lau, this is Tarik.  We work together."

The two men nodded at each other wordlessly.  Gabby fidgeted with her glass.

"I'll see you in the office, Miss Lady."  Tarik rubbed her elbow again and walked off.

Laurent looked at her and held out his arms questioningly.  "What was that?"

"What was what?"  Gabby answered his question with a question and tried to look innocent sipping her drink under his accusing eyes.

In less than thirty minutes she was already starting to regret coming to this party.