For the Love of Him

Prologue:

“Catch me if you can!” Adrienne shrieked to her friend Tiffany Dawson.
She darted behind a big oak tree and waited for her friend to come find her. The girls had been consumed in a serious game of hide and seek;Tiffany had been “it” for at least ten minutes. Sweat accumulated Adrienne’s brow as the scorching July sun berated down on her and everyone else in Central Park. She wished Tiffany would hurry up and find her, but a sudden shout from Tiffany’s mother left her with no hope.
“Tiff’! Sweetheart, it’s time to go.”
Tiffany quickly gave up her search for Adrienne and raced into her mother’s opened arms. Mrs. Dawson picked up Tiffany and said, “Did you have fun, Sweetie?”
Tiffany just nodded as they both went off into the distance. Adrienne came from behind the tree and watched as they walked away, leaving her by herself. She frowned at the thought that there was no one left to play with now that Tiffany was gone.
Adrienne slowly began to make her way back her parents, but she soon realized that no trail or direction seem familiar. She and Tiffany must have been too distracted by the game that they both had wandered off far from their usual allowed play area. Tiffany was lucky enough to have her mother find her, but Adrienne was all alone and terribly lost. Everywhere she turned, there were only trees, empty benches, and smiling families, though none belonged to her.
Adrienne became overwhelmed with panic and worry as she searched helplessly for her parents.
“Mommy! Daddy! Where are you?” She called as loud as her shrill voice would allow. But no one returned her frantic calls.
Adrienne wandered farther in the park in hopes of finding her parents awaiting her return. Instead, all she found was disappointment and fear. Adrienne soon stopped at a cemented bench and wearily took a seat. She tried her best to choke back the tears that were fighting ever so hard to escape her eyes. But she wouldn’t let them. Adrienne was a big girl and she wouldn’t allow herself to cry over something so silly.
Unfortunately, after a while, Adrienne stopped fighting back and she let the shameful tears fall freely down her plump cheeks. She hiccupped as she began to cry harder.
There’s nothing else to do but cry, Adrienne thought to herself. I’m so lost.
Then, suddenly, a warm hand grasped her shaking shoulder and a soft voice spoke.
“Hey, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
Adrienne looked up and her puffy, red eyes met those of a slightly tanned boy who could be no younger than eleven years old. He had golden brown eyes and dimples deeper than the Grand Canyon.
She fiercely wiped her wet eyes with the back of her hand and stared at the unfamiliar face.
“I can’t find my mommy and daddy.”
The boy took a seat by Adrienne and studied her with a kind and knowing look.
“Well, what’s your name?” he asked
Adrienne swallowed. “Adrienne Estella Torrez.”
The boy smiled. “That’s a beautiful name. I’m Raheem Kapur. Do you want me to help you find your parents?”
Adrienne nodded excitedly. “Please, help me. I’m so lost.”
Raheem took Adrienne’s small hand and guided her off the bench.
“Where’s the last place you saw them?” he asked her.
“Well, I think I left them sitting by the playground on the west end of the park.” She answered.
“Do you know where West is?”
Adrienne shook her head. “I just read it on a sign.”
Raheem nodded. “I think I might know where that sign may be.”
He led her down a paved pathway that opened up to reveal a play area with various jungle gyms, sets of swings, benches, basketball courts, and picnic areas.
Adrienne’s solemn expression quickly lit up at the sight of the familiar place. Her ears opened up with alertness when she heard her name being called repeatedly in multiple shouts.
“Adrienne! Adrienne! Ade, Honey, where are you?”
Raheem smiled down at Adrienne as he pointed toward a couple scurrying about in a pursuit to find their daughter.
“I think that’s them.”
Adrienne released Raheem’s hand and raced to her parents who welcomed her with relieved sighs and a scolding for running off without warning.
“Oh, Adrienne, baby we were worried sick about you! Don’t you ever scare Mommy like that again. Do you hear me?” Mrs. Torrez replied, rocking Adrienne back and forth in her arms.
“Don’t worry, Mommy. Raheem took good care of me,” said Adrienne.
“Who’s Raheem?” asked her father.
Adrienne lifted her hand and pointed towards Raheem who stood watching from afar by the water fountain. Her parents walked over to him and smiled proudly.
“Thank you, young man for getting our daughter back to us safely,” Mr. Torrez replied, so grateful that he had Adrienne back.
Raheem lifted up his hands in an attempt to downplay his heroic act. “It was my pleasure, sir, really.”
Adrienne jumped down from her mother’s arms and sprinted to Raheem’s side.
“Can I play with him, Mommy?” She urged eagerly.
Mr. Torrez and Mrs. Torrez exchanged glances.
“I don’t see why not,” her mother replied.
“Go ahead, Pumpkin. Have fun, just don’t wander off again. You two play near the jungle gym and nowhere else,” Mr. Torrez said sternly.
Raheem and Adrienne raced off to the jungle gym together. Adrienne turned to him when they reached the Monkey Bars.
“Let’s be friends.” she offered, holding up her pinky.
Raheem linked his pinky with hers and promised, “Yeah, Best Friends Forever….”

Friday, October 12th
9:35 a.m.
Raheem’s backyard

“C’mon ‘Ade, are you trying to make us late?” Raheem hissed to Adrienne from across his massive backyard.
“I’m coming! Can you give me a second? My shoes are coming off!” she snapped stumbling over a small hole in the ground. The dewy grass made it even harder for her to get a grip on the hard ground, and she nearly fell face-down in the sea of green lawn.
“Well, can you come faster? The party starts in twenty minutes.”
Now by his side, Adrienne smirked, “I thought being ‘fashionably late’ was your thing?”
The crisp autumn wind caressed her long, jet black hair and whipped it across her round, tan face. Her big, brown eyes widened at the anticipation and excitement that was building up inside her.
Raheem frowned in the darkness and didn’t reply. He reached In his gold-accented Gucci jeans for his car keys. After a few seconds of blind searching, his fingers grazed over a hard, cold piece of metal in his front pocket -the keys to his Porsche.
A smile crept upon his perfectly chiseled face as he pulled them out and unlocked the brand new car. Adrienne’s blush-red stilettos clinked against the concrete driveway with every step she took until she reached her destination.
“Ade, seriously, could you be any louder?” Raheem fussed. “You do know the whole point of sneaking out is to not get caught, right?”
Adrienne ignored his unnecessary comment and grasped the semi-cold handle of his car. She opened it and slid herself into an elaborately made leather seat.
Her senses were overwhelmed by the smell of the brand new car, the sight of genuine Italian leather, and the feel of the smooth fabric beneath her. She knew it wasn’t a big deal at all for him to have such nice, expensive things anytime he wanted. In a matter of fact, she was quite use to. It also didn’t surprise her that he was sneaking out, once again behind his parents’ backs to go to some insane party. But she couldn’t lie to herself. She enjoyed going on crazy escapades late at night, getting expensive gifts, and most of all… getting in trouble. As long as she was with Raheem, it didn’t matter. Nothing mattered.
“Are you sure your parents are asleep?”
He turned to her, “Of course I’m sure. They have to be at the office extremely early tomorrow morning; anyway...They won’t even know I’m gone.”
Adrienne sensed hint of sadness, or wait, was it disappointment that flashed across his face just as fast as it had came? Adrienne knew why Raheem was always snappy and agitated all the time. He hardly ever saw his parents, and even when he did, they were either too busy to converse or trying to sleep for the next hectic day at work. Even as a child, Raheem’s parents rarely spent any time with him. It was either maid after maid, butler after butler, or servant after servant, that tended and cared for him.
He had no siblings, so he was often lonely as a child and never really knew what it was like to be loved and cared for by a parent figure. Adrienne always let his nasty comments and smart remarks slide pass her, because she knew that he didn’t mean them. She knew he was a sweet, vulnerable, and sensitive guy when he wasn’t peeved about something, and right now he was peeved.
“What’s wrong, Raheem? I haven’t seen a smile on your face all day. What’s up?” Adrienne asked extremely concerned.
“Nothing’s up,” he murmured trying to stick the key in the ignition, but Adrienne quickly forced his hand away and glared. He sighed heavily and glared back. “What?” he asked in annoyance.
“Something’s wrong and we’re not leaving until you tell me.” Adrienne replied sternly while crossing her arms over chest.
Raheem took a quick glance at his silver, Rolex watch. 9:47 p.m., about twelve minutes until the party started. He knew the style of this party was exclusive and no one got in after 10:05. If he wanted to make it to the party on time, he had to tell Adrienne what she wanted to hear.
Raheem looked up at Adrienne and smiled sweetly. “Look, ‘Ade, I’m just a little Irritated about my parents right now, ok. I don’t really want to talk about it so don’t ask. All I want is to have fun tonight. Let loose and fun is all I want. Will you please let me have that?”
Adrienne smiled faintly. “Sure, I can give you that.”
Raheem smiled widely and quickly kissed her on the lips. Adrienne’s head began to swirl and she felt dizzy - a good dizzy. A dizzy that made you want to fall, but fall into the arms of your love. It was the kind of dizzy that leads to warmth exploding all inside you, fulfilling the emptiness that was left without it. His kisses made her want to swoon and made her feel loved and wanted. Even just a peck on the cheek leads her to feeling this way. She couldn’t help but to be crazy in love with him, but the awareness of the fact that it was wrong calmed her hormones to point at which she could withhold her feelings for him.
Raheem inserted the ignition and the car started up with a sweet, quiet purr. He put the car in drive and they sped off into the night, heading to the party of the season.