You Before Me [dave east]

| six

Xiomara;

I slip a pair of denim shorts over my bikini bottoms, just about getting it up over my ass as I shuffle and jump around. I was leaving my hair as it is, this way cutting the time I used to get ready short since Dave is already waiting outside for me.

"Alonzo!" I call out while trying to decide if I want to wear a t-shirt over my bikini top or not. I'm struggling to see the point since I'm already overdressed in these shorts alone compared to enough of the bitches that will be at the party tonight.

"Fuck it," I whisper under my breath, throwing the crop top across my room as I search through the mess on my floor for my purse. I didn't wanna keep Dave waiting so I'm in a rush. I find the purse under a sweater on my floor and quickly slip my feet into a pair of slides, heading out.

"You ain't hear me calling you?" I snap at my little brother, popping my head in the living room. I see him roll his eyes as he removes his headphones. "I'm heading out. Food's in the fridge." I say, walking away only to backtrack a couple steps again. "And don't leave the house this time, okay? I might not be a parent but that don't mean I'm stupid."

He shakes his head and I finally head out, getting in Dave's car. "My bad I kept you waiting," I say, a little out of breath.

"It's coo'. You got the address?"

"Mhm." I put the address in his car gps and then he starts driving. I start adjusting my bikini top, maybe trying to get Dave's attention a little but it only seems to make him stare harder at the road, making me laugh. "You act like an innocent high schooler." I mumble, pulling out my phone since he isn't trying to have any fun.

"For real? You do that a lot?"

"Do what?" I ask and tilt my head.

"The whole seduction thing you got going on. Could get somebody in a lot of trouble." He shakes his head.

I smack my lips, remembering what he went through. I decide I'll cut him a break and leave him alone as I put my attention in my phone. Dave doesn't even know that I know about his whole exoneration. No wonder why he moved all the way to California to get a fresh start.

We pull up at the nice house and I'm about to get out when Dave starts shaking his head. "What?" I ask him.

"I ain't even a people person like that." He says, looking at the people at the front of the beach house like he's now only remembering that he's not sociable. You know the party's packed when there are people standing around the front.

"You gon' tell me you look like that and you don't do parties?" I raise an eyebrow, not believing him. "You shy?" I ask, wondering if he's introverted.

"I ain't been to a party in eight years, shorty." He shakes his head again and cuts off the engine from running. "Ain't nobody shy. This just ain't my scene no more."

"Well I know we didn't drive all the way to fucking Santa Monica just for you to decide you ain't tryna have fun. C'mon, you'll be okay."

He kisses his teeth and mumbles something under his breath, getting out of the car with a glare on his face.

I smile and get out too, meeting him at the walkway up to the house as I grab his hand. "You ain't gotta be all nervousss." I chuckle teasingly. "Don't worry, I'ma make you feel comfortable." I lead the way into the house. Honestly, I just wanted to hold his hand to show these bitches here that this fine ass man right here is mine.

We wander outside to the backyard and you know it's a black pool party when there's hardly anybody in the pool. Most of us just came to show a little skin, get drunk and lose ourselves, I guess.