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For the Love of Him
Chapter 2
L.A. Sparx Night Club
9:55 p.m.
Adrienne and Raheem made their way toward the front entrance of the infamous night club in Los Angeles. A long line of people stood outside in the cool air, awaiting their admission as the bouncer stopped anyone from going in. Adrienne knew that if she was alone or came with someone else, besides Raheem, she would have been at the end of that line. But, fortunately, she was skipping with the best of them.
A group of girls, wearing skimpy shirts and dresses, walked ahead of them, reaching the bouncer. Adrienne noticed the “head” girl—a tall, beautiful brunette—rested her hand on the bouncer’s shoulder and whispered something in his ear. The bouncer smiled and nodded accordingly as the girl slipped a one hundred dollar bill in his front pocket. The brunette backed away, letting the bouncer unhook the red rope and allowed the group of girls to walk in the club.
“Why do rich people get away with everything?” asked Adrienne in a surprising annoyed tone.
“Because we’re rich.” Raheem chuckled, reaching in his wallet for his ID. “Did you remember to get your fake ID?”
Adrienne searched in her purse then flashed the laminated card in his face.
“I never leave home without it.”
Raheem smirked. “Good girl, I knew I raised you right.”
Adrienne just chuckled as they made their way toward the bouncer.
“Hey, Miguel,” Raheem replied, now in front of the red rope, “pretty packed tonight, huh?”
Miguel nodded and said in a deep, raspy voice, “You two have ID?”
Adrienne and Raheem showed Miguel their ID, and he gave them a sign of approval. The bouncer removed the red rope, but put a large hand on Raheem’s chest, blocking his entrance before he could even move.
“Would you like to make a little donation to the Bouncer Society?”
Raheem knew there was no such thing as a “Bouncer Society”, but he also knew that Miguel was looking for a tip. He pulled out a fifty dollar bill and handed it to him. Miguel quickly stuffed the money in his pocket and tended to the next people in line—like nothing had happened.
Once inside, loud music greeted the both of them. “Hey, Baby” by Pitbull and T-pain was blaring through the speakers. The crowed seemed to be really into, grinding against each other and singing along.
Hey baby girl what you doing tonight?
I wanna see what you got in store (hey, hey baby)
You’re giving it your all when you’re dancing on me
I want to see if you can give me some more (hey, hey baby)
You can be my girl, I can be your man
And we can pump this jam however you want (hey, hey baby)
Pump it from the side, pump it upside down
Or we can pump it from the back and the front (hey, hey baby)
Oooh baby, baby lalalalala
Oooh baby, baby lalalalala
Oooh baby, baby lalalalala
Oooh baby, baby lalalalala
Adrienne noticed all kinds of people moving, in sync with the song, creating a mass of colors and figures. Strobes lights of blues, reds, purples, and yellows danced along the walls and the faces of everyone on the dance floor.
“Hey, do you want something to drink?” Raheem yelled over the booming music.
“I can’t drink.”
Raheem chuckled. “Sure, you can. You’re twenty-two years old, remember?”
Adrienne rolled her eyes. “Yeah, says my fake ID.”
“Oh, come on, Ade! Have a little fun once in a while. Isn’t that why I brought you here?” Raheem replied. “We’re supposed to be partying.”
Adrienne sighed. She knew drinking was terribly bad for a person’s health, and she didn’t have room to risk doing something stupid like getting drunk.
“I don’t need a drink to party. Now, you go find a girl to grind up against and have your fun, I’ll be fine.”
Raheem shook his head. “No way am I leaving you alone. I don’t want you getting into any trouble, Missy. Plus, the girls here are ugly as hell, anyway.”
Just then, a gorgeous redhead in a shimmering, silver party dress walked by, catching Raheem’s lingering gaze. She gave a flirty wave and urged him to follow her.
“Umm, on second thought, I’ll be at the bar if you need me.”
Raheem dashed to the redhead’s side and wrapped his arm around her slim waist. Adrienne watched them disappear in the crowd of people and smiled to herself.
Typical Raheem, always the girl chaser.
Now that she was by herself, Adrienne decided to make her way toward the dance floor. Her favorite song, More by Usher, was playing louder than any scream or shout that came from the crowd of people. The song was urging her to dance along with its rhythmic beat and pop sound—Adrienne wasn’t about to ignore its strong plea. She maneuvered her way through the thick crowd, her hips swaying to the music. The group nearest to her was fist pumping, and she joined them, jumping up and down. Adrienne’s arm flung everywhere. Her hair danced crazily around her face as her head bobbed to the beat.
In the middle of the song, a pair of hands suddenly slipped around Adrienne’s waist, pulling her closer to its body.
“I like the way you move, Torezz,” a deep, slurred voice whispered in her ear.
Adrienne whipped her body around, facing the owner of the mysterious voice. Her gaze met a pair of emerald, green which belonged to a face that resembled, somewhat like, a Greek god. His blonde, tousled hair contrasted well against his tan skin and brought out the green in his dazzling eyes. The devilish grin that spread across his face, revealed a set of pearly white teeth.
Oh My God. Adrienne thought. It’s Jonah Catstele.
Jonah had a reputation of being the hottest guy at Los Angeles High and getting whatever or whomever he wanted. No one said no to Jonah; he was just cool like that. And any girl would be more that lucky to be blessed with his presence, let alone have his arms wrapped around them.
“Jonah, what are you doing here?”
He chuckled. “I should ask you the same thing, Torezz. I didn’t think this was your scene.”
“Well, it isn’t…not really, anyway. My friend insisted that I’d come,” she replied, “and my name’s Adrienne.”
Jonah nodded, running his hand through his messy hair. “Oh, who’s your friend?”
“Raheem Kapur. You don’t know him, he’s older.”
“So, you like older men?” He teased, slurring his words.
“No, he’s just a friend,” Adrienne answered, looking down at her shoes.
“Well, if he’s just a friend, would you care to dance?”
Adrienne looked up, stunned. “Umm, I—I don’t think I should.”
“Oh, come on, Tore—I mean, Adrienne. Have some fun once in a while,” Jonah wobbly extended his hand and grasped her, pulling her body closer to him. “I promise I won’t bite.”
She sighed. That was exactly the same thing Raheem had told her. Was she really that much of a party pooper?
“I can have fun.”
Jonah smirked. “Really? Well, show me then.”
Adrienne stared at his haring expression and felt quite uneasy. Being so close to him made her feel more uncomfortable than usual. She smelled the sweetness of alcohol that stained his breath and wondered just about how many drinks he had already consumed that night. Her guess—too much.
“Well….I’m waiting, Torezz.”
“Fine, I’ll dance with you,” Adrienne replied, “but do I have to remind you every time that my name is Adrienne?”
Jonah chuckled. “I’m Sorry. I’m just not all that great with names.”
Or you’re just too drunk to remember them. Adrienne thought to herself.
But she pushed her thoughts aside and began to sway smoothly to the music while Jonah’s hands rested on her hips.
“I love this song,” Jonah yelled in her ears. His hot breath sent chills down her spine
“Me too.”
Jonah smirked and suddenly turned Adrienne around, her back facing him and her bottom rubbing roughly against his pelvis. He slowly grinded on her—in sync with the music. Adrienne raised her hand to his neck and brought his face close to her bare shoulder while Jonah held onto her hips, tighter, and rocked side-to-side. He lightly kissed the exposed spot of her shoulder and ran his hands lower down her body. Adrienne smiled to herself and began to dance more sensual, feeling something hard push up against her bottom.
“Well, I see you’re having fun.”
Adrienne hastily unhooked her arm from around Jonah’s neck and stared, surprised, at Raheem.
“Oh, don’t stop on my behalf,” he replied chuckling.
“I thought you were at the bar?” Adrienne snapped.
“I was but Cherie turned out be a bisexual, and I didn’t want to get in between her and her girlfriend—too much drama.”
Adrienne smirked. “Well, that’s a first. I would’ve thou-”
“Umm, hello! I thought we were in the middle of something here, Torezz,” Jonah cut-in, interrupting their conversation. “Who are you, anyway?”
“I’m Raheem.”
Jonah frowned. “Oh, you’re Adrienne’s friend.
“Yeah, what’s it to you?” Raheem sneered.
“Nothing, I was just making sure,” Jonah said quickly, backing away from Adrienne.
Adrienne shot Raheem an angry scowl.
Cool it, Raheem!
He took a hint and faked a smile. “Well, I’m glad you two are having fun.” Raheem looked Jonah onceover, frowning with distaste. “You know where I’ll be if you need me,” he whispered into Adrienne’s ear as he passed by.
“Wow! That was awkward.”
Adrienne just nodded and wrapped her arms, once again, around Jonah’s neck, getting back to the way they were before Raheem interfered. She was having a great time with him and was more than glad that Raheem had invited her. She wasn’t really used to letting go and being carefree, but with Jonah, it was easy—even if he was drunk and might not remember anything the next morning. It was still great to be out and have fun.
Saturday, October 13th
1:23 a.m
After the party-- Raheem’s bedroom
“That was the best party in the history of parties!” Raheem exclaimed taking off his shirt and making an attempt to the throw it in the hamper but failed. “I’ve never danced or drank so much in life.” He replied slurring slightly as a result from the many shots of Tequila.
“It’s a good thing I drove,” Adrienne replied while putting her shoes in his closet. “God knows what would’ve happened if you got behind the wheel.” Even though her fake ID said she was twenty-two, Adrienne wouldn’t allow herself to do something so dangerous, anyway.
Raheem smiled to himself “So you’re actually staying?”
Adrienne looked up from her shoes. “You say it like it’s some big surprise to you or something.”
He smirked and walked toward her in the closet. “It just that you haven’t stayed over in a while, I thought you were staying with someone else…I thought you forgot all about me.”
Adrienne smiled. Now, he was in his sensitive mood. “I’ve been busy-“
“With who?” Raheem interjected.
“With schoolwork.” Adrienne continued, “You know finals are in two weeks and I need to be ready. My parents I’ve been slacking off my work lately”
Raheem chuckled. “Slacking off? ‘Ade, you have straight A’s! Quintuple straight A’s. What are your parents talking about?”
“I don’t know. They’re crazy!” Adrienne exclaimed, “I hardly have any time to myself with all the schoolwork, softball, choir, and being on the prom committee… It’s ridiculous.”
Raheem’s smile faded and became serious. “Adrienne, don’t you think you’re putting too much on your plate? I mean you’re only seventeen, how can they expect you to do all these things? You need some to yourself.”
Adrienne frowned slightly “Well, not all of us can have millionaire parents who give us everything and anything we want or need. College costs a lot of money, and if I don’t get a scholarship to anywhere, I probably won’t go at all. My mom and dad expect me to be this big-shot doctor and excel at everything I do. I can’t disappoint them, Raheem.”
Raheem sighed deeply and didn’t say anything for a while. He knew money was pretty tight with Adrienne’s family; sometimes they could barely afford to pay mortgage or insurance. But he really never cared about the differences in their social statuses or how far up he was above her in the system. The only thing that he cared about was if she was okay and he that he saw her at every given chance possible.
He stared helplessly as Adrienne began to undress and put on his favorite t-shirt that she always slept in. “So….about prom…who are you going with?” Raheem asked changing the subject.
Adrienne neatly folded up her dress and placed in a draw of one of the mahogany dressers. “I don’t know, I don’t even think I’m going.” She replied.
“What? You’re not going to prom?” Raheem asked astonished.
Adrienne shrugged her shoulders. “It just doesn’t seem important to me right now”
Raheem felt like strangling her. “‘Ade, you’re on the Prom Committee and you’re not even going to prom? That makes no sense! Aren’t you guys supposed to persuade people to go? If you’re not going yourself—you’re a hypocrite. I mean everyone knows you’re supposed to go to prom.”
Adrienne ignored his statement and walked toward his giant king-size bed. She jumped on top of it and the soft, smooth texture of the golden comforter and black silk sheets delightfully welcomed her. Adrienne wished that she could stay in this peaceful state-of-mind, but Raheem was soon by the bedside- hovering above her.
“Are you seriously not going to prom? Is it because you don’t have a date?” He instigated.
Adrienne felt her face get hot, and she blushed turning a deep shade of red. Even though, the prom really wasn’t one of her top priorities at the moment, she couldn’t help but realize that no one had actually asked her out. “N-no, it’s not that. I could care less about prom is why.” She replied matter-of-factly.
Raheem gave a haughty smirk before flopping himself on the bed, also. “Come on, Adrienne. Prom’s supposed to be the best night of a teenager’s life. It’s supposed to be perfect. Just because you don’t have a date doesn’t mean you have to miss out.”
Adrienne sighed exasperatedly. The last thing she wanted to talk about was her lack of a social life outside of school. “Can you please just drop it?” she asked. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”
Raheem just nodded in response. He leaned back against the massive pillows that were strewn all over the bed and yawned, stretching and contracting every muscle in his upper body. Adrienne sneaked a quick glance at the scene and licked her suddenly dry lips.It took everything in her willpower to keep from pouncing on top of him and going wild. She wished more than anything that he knew how much she was in love with him. But no matter how many times Adrienne worked up the guts to tell him, a small voice in the back of her mind always reminded her of how wrong it was and all the consequences she would have to face. Was it really worth destroying their friendship to ease her selfish pain of keeping the secret for so long? Or was it finally time to take things to the next level?
“God, what I wouldn’t do to be sixteen again.” Raheem sighed randomly to the ceiling. “Those were the days. Especially high school….”
His words were still terribly slurred but Adrienne understood every word. “I swear, Raheem, it’s like from a completely different planet. What high school did you attend, because, I want to enroll!” She replied sarcastically.
He yawned again. “John Burrows Preparatory School in California, it was as crazy as prep schools get.”
Adrienne smiled and leaned against the pillows beside him. She looked into his stunning, deep caramel-like eyes and almost got lost. Black flecks dotted his irises making his eyes seem more intense than before. They were a honey, golden brown which meant he was calm and content. She continued to stare until he interrupted he gaze with a simple question.
“What?” He asked in curious manner.
Adrienne blinked herself out of the daze. “Umm…nothing, I was just thinking.”
“About what?” Raheem shifted his body to face her completely and urged her to reveal what was on her mind.
“Well, I was thinking about that if I were to ask someone to prom…it would probably be you.” She answered slowly waiting for his reaction.
Raheem’s happy expression hardened to dreadful scowl and his golden, brown eyes instantly darkened to a black oblivion. He sat straight up in bed- glaring coldly at Adrienne.
“‘Ade, we’ve been through this a million times already.” He replied knowingly. “I’m twenty-one years old! What the h—l would I look at a high school prom? Seriously, Adrienne, do you ever think?” He shouted loudly.
Raheem stood up and walked toward the large bay windows that offered a beautiful scene of the busy city. His back was turned to her and she could tell that he was upset. Adrienne regretted telling Raheem anything.
“I’m sorry, ok. It won’t happen again.” She mumbled feebly.
Raheem turned around with a soften expression. “Look, I know it’s going to happen again, Adrienne. It’s no big deal, really. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up. I’m sorry, but it has to be this way…”
Adrienne looked up at and glared at him. How could Raheem be so cruel? One minute he was kissing her and acting all friendly and then he would just push her away--shutting her down. The way he acted just made Adrienne feel so confused and lost.
Raheem looked down innocently at Adrienne’s glare. His highlighted brown bangs fell in front of his face covering his sharp, yet, delicate features. The truth was, he didn’t want to push Adrienne away every time she practically threw herself at him. He didn’t want to make up excuses of why he couldn’t do something with her, and he most definitely didn’t want to make her feel angry or depressed. Adrienne was his girl and he wanted to be her guy, but he could never bring himself to do it.
Adrienne had broken her mean stare and was now toying with the loose fabric of his t-shirt that she wore. Raheem could tell that she wasn’t wearing much under the thin shirt. Probably a pink, laced Victoria’s Secret bra or panties but never both. His mind ambled at the thoughts of which one, but he quickly stopped himself because it was getting too far, and his jeans were beginning to get a little tight.
Raheem walked back to his bed and sat down beside her. “You still want to stay?” He asked. Raheem knew that whenever Adrienne was upset or angry she didn’t want to be around anyone.
She just nodded and didn’t look at him. “I already called my parents and told them I was staying over.”
Raheem could tell by the tone of her voice that she was still pissed and he loathed making her feel bad. “Well, do you want to sleep in here? I could fix a bed in one of the guest rooms of you’d like.” He silently prayed that she would chose to sleep with him.
“Raheem, seriously, what would your parents think if they found me half-naked in your bed?”
“They’re asleep, and trust me, they wouldn’t dare come in here and wake me up in the morning,” he replied.
Adrienne sighed. She had never slept in the same bed with a guy before, and the fact that the guy was Raheem made it more uncomfortable than expected.
“No, that’s ok. I’ll sleep on the couch. They’re pretty comfy.”
That wasn’t quite the answer he wanted to hear. “No, Ade, I refuse to let you sleep on a couch. Now, come on, either here or the guest bed?”
Adrienne sighed. She wasn’t really the one to turn down something new and how bad could sleeping with a guy be?
“I guess here.”
Raheem smiled but was cut-off.
“But it’s only because I hate to sleep alone in such a big room,” she finished, but it was a good enough reason for him.
Adrienne pulled back the golden comforter and slipped into a black sea of silk sheets. She didn’t know what she was thinking by suggesting the couch. And it looked like Raheem was extremely eager to have her sleep with him. Sleeping over wasn’t really a big deal at all because they did it all the time, ever since they were little kids. Raheem would always be allowed over to Adrienne’s house to play or stay for the night, and Adrienne was allowed the same. Even though Raheem was richer and older, he never minded having Adrienne around. She was his best friend, always has been, and he never wanted her to leave him.
Raheem stood up and unbuckled his belt and slowly slid down his pants. Adrienne tried to make it seem like she wasn’t looking, but she couldn’t help but take a quick glimpse.
“No peeking.” He teased catching Adrienne’s sly eyes
“I—uhh…. I wasn’t trying to look at you.” She quickly snapped. “You’re blocking the window, and you know how I like to stare out into the night.”
Raheem frowned slightly and just slid himself into bed. He could’ve sworn she was looking at him. But he really didn’t feel like worrying about that, so he forced his eyes shut and soon drifted off to sleep.
9:55 p.m.
Adrienne and Raheem made their way toward the front entrance of the infamous night club in Los Angeles. A long line of people stood outside in the cool air, awaiting their admission as the bouncer stopped anyone from going in. Adrienne knew that if she was alone or came with someone else, besides Raheem, she would have been at the end of that line. But, fortunately, she was skipping with the best of them.
A group of girls, wearing skimpy shirts and dresses, walked ahead of them, reaching the bouncer. Adrienne noticed the “head” girl—a tall, beautiful brunette—rested her hand on the bouncer’s shoulder and whispered something in his ear. The bouncer smiled and nodded accordingly as the girl slipped a one hundred dollar bill in his front pocket. The brunette backed away, letting the bouncer unhook the red rope and allowed the group of girls to walk in the club.
“Why do rich people get away with everything?” asked Adrienne in a surprising annoyed tone.
“Because we’re rich.” Raheem chuckled, reaching in his wallet for his ID. “Did you remember to get your fake ID?”
Adrienne searched in her purse then flashed the laminated card in his face.
“I never leave home without it.”
Raheem smirked. “Good girl, I knew I raised you right.”
Adrienne just chuckled as they made their way toward the bouncer.
“Hey, Miguel,” Raheem replied, now in front of the red rope, “pretty packed tonight, huh?”
Miguel nodded and said in a deep, raspy voice, “You two have ID?”
Adrienne and Raheem showed Miguel their ID, and he gave them a sign of approval. The bouncer removed the red rope, but put a large hand on Raheem’s chest, blocking his entrance before he could even move.
“Would you like to make a little donation to the Bouncer Society?”
Raheem knew there was no such thing as a “Bouncer Society”, but he also knew that Miguel was looking for a tip. He pulled out a fifty dollar bill and handed it to him. Miguel quickly stuffed the money in his pocket and tended to the next people in line—like nothing had happened.
Once inside, loud music greeted the both of them. “Hey, Baby” by Pitbull and T-pain was blaring through the speakers. The crowed seemed to be really into, grinding against each other and singing along.
Hey baby girl what you doing tonight?
I wanna see what you got in store (hey, hey baby)
You’re giving it your all when you’re dancing on me
I want to see if you can give me some more (hey, hey baby)
You can be my girl, I can be your man
And we can pump this jam however you want (hey, hey baby)
Pump it from the side, pump it upside down
Or we can pump it from the back and the front (hey, hey baby)
Oooh baby, baby lalalalala
Oooh baby, baby lalalalala
Oooh baby, baby lalalalala
Oooh baby, baby lalalalala
Adrienne noticed all kinds of people moving, in sync with the song, creating a mass of colors and figures. Strobes lights of blues, reds, purples, and yellows danced along the walls and the faces of everyone on the dance floor.
“Hey, do you want something to drink?” Raheem yelled over the booming music.
“I can’t drink.”
Raheem chuckled. “Sure, you can. You’re twenty-two years old, remember?”
Adrienne rolled her eyes. “Yeah, says my fake ID.”
“Oh, come on, Ade! Have a little fun once in a while. Isn’t that why I brought you here?” Raheem replied. “We’re supposed to be partying.”
Adrienne sighed. She knew drinking was terribly bad for a person’s health, and she didn’t have room to risk doing something stupid like getting drunk.
“I don’t need a drink to party. Now, you go find a girl to grind up against and have your fun, I’ll be fine.”
Raheem shook his head. “No way am I leaving you alone. I don’t want you getting into any trouble, Missy. Plus, the girls here are ugly as hell, anyway.”
Just then, a gorgeous redhead in a shimmering, silver party dress walked by, catching Raheem’s lingering gaze. She gave a flirty wave and urged him to follow her.
“Umm, on second thought, I’ll be at the bar if you need me.”
Raheem dashed to the redhead’s side and wrapped his arm around her slim waist. Adrienne watched them disappear in the crowd of people and smiled to herself.
Typical Raheem, always the girl chaser.
Now that she was by herself, Adrienne decided to make her way toward the dance floor. Her favorite song, More by Usher, was playing louder than any scream or shout that came from the crowd of people. The song was urging her to dance along with its rhythmic beat and pop sound—Adrienne wasn’t about to ignore its strong plea. She maneuvered her way through the thick crowd, her hips swaying to the music. The group nearest to her was fist pumping, and she joined them, jumping up and down. Adrienne’s arm flung everywhere. Her hair danced crazily around her face as her head bobbed to the beat.
In the middle of the song, a pair of hands suddenly slipped around Adrienne’s waist, pulling her closer to its body.
“I like the way you move, Torezz,” a deep, slurred voice whispered in her ear.
Adrienne whipped her body around, facing the owner of the mysterious voice. Her gaze met a pair of emerald, green which belonged to a face that resembled, somewhat like, a Greek god. His blonde, tousled hair contrasted well against his tan skin and brought out the green in his dazzling eyes. The devilish grin that spread across his face, revealed a set of pearly white teeth.
Oh My God. Adrienne thought. It’s Jonah Catstele.
Jonah had a reputation of being the hottest guy at Los Angeles High and getting whatever or whomever he wanted. No one said no to Jonah; he was just cool like that. And any girl would be more that lucky to be blessed with his presence, let alone have his arms wrapped around them.
“Jonah, what are you doing here?”
He chuckled. “I should ask you the same thing, Torezz. I didn’t think this was your scene.”
“Well, it isn’t…not really, anyway. My friend insisted that I’d come,” she replied, “and my name’s Adrienne.”
Jonah nodded, running his hand through his messy hair. “Oh, who’s your friend?”
“Raheem Kapur. You don’t know him, he’s older.”
“So, you like older men?” He teased, slurring his words.
“No, he’s just a friend,” Adrienne answered, looking down at her shoes.
“Well, if he’s just a friend, would you care to dance?”
Adrienne looked up, stunned. “Umm, I—I don’t think I should.”
“Oh, come on, Tore—I mean, Adrienne. Have some fun once in a while,” Jonah wobbly extended his hand and grasped her, pulling her body closer to him. “I promise I won’t bite.”
She sighed. That was exactly the same thing Raheem had told her. Was she really that much of a party pooper?
“I can have fun.”
Jonah smirked. “Really? Well, show me then.”
Adrienne stared at his haring expression and felt quite uneasy. Being so close to him made her feel more uncomfortable than usual. She smelled the sweetness of alcohol that stained his breath and wondered just about how many drinks he had already consumed that night. Her guess—too much.
“Well….I’m waiting, Torezz.”
“Fine, I’ll dance with you,” Adrienne replied, “but do I have to remind you every time that my name is Adrienne?”
Jonah chuckled. “I’m Sorry. I’m just not all that great with names.”
Or you’re just too drunk to remember them. Adrienne thought to herself.
But she pushed her thoughts aside and began to sway smoothly to the music while Jonah’s hands rested on her hips.
“I love this song,” Jonah yelled in her ears. His hot breath sent chills down her spine
“Me too.”
Jonah smirked and suddenly turned Adrienne around, her back facing him and her bottom rubbing roughly against his pelvis. He slowly grinded on her—in sync with the music. Adrienne raised her hand to his neck and brought his face close to her bare shoulder while Jonah held onto her hips, tighter, and rocked side-to-side. He lightly kissed the exposed spot of her shoulder and ran his hands lower down her body. Adrienne smiled to herself and began to dance more sensual, feeling something hard push up against her bottom.
“Well, I see you’re having fun.”
Adrienne hastily unhooked her arm from around Jonah’s neck and stared, surprised, at Raheem.
“Oh, don’t stop on my behalf,” he replied chuckling.
“I thought you were at the bar?” Adrienne snapped.
“I was but Cherie turned out be a bisexual, and I didn’t want to get in between her and her girlfriend—too much drama.”
Adrienne smirked. “Well, that’s a first. I would’ve thou-”
“Umm, hello! I thought we were in the middle of something here, Torezz,” Jonah cut-in, interrupting their conversation. “Who are you, anyway?”
“I’m Raheem.”
Jonah frowned. “Oh, you’re Adrienne’s friend.
“Yeah, what’s it to you?” Raheem sneered.
“Nothing, I was just making sure,” Jonah said quickly, backing away from Adrienne.
Adrienne shot Raheem an angry scowl.
Cool it, Raheem!
He took a hint and faked a smile. “Well, I’m glad you two are having fun.” Raheem looked Jonah onceover, frowning with distaste. “You know where I’ll be if you need me,” he whispered into Adrienne’s ear as he passed by.
“Wow! That was awkward.”
Adrienne just nodded and wrapped her arms, once again, around Jonah’s neck, getting back to the way they were before Raheem interfered. She was having a great time with him and was more than glad that Raheem had invited her. She wasn’t really used to letting go and being carefree, but with Jonah, it was easy—even if he was drunk and might not remember anything the next morning. It was still great to be out and have fun.
Saturday, October 13th
1:23 a.m
After the party-- Raheem’s bedroom
“That was the best party in the history of parties!” Raheem exclaimed taking off his shirt and making an attempt to the throw it in the hamper but failed. “I’ve never danced or drank so much in life.” He replied slurring slightly as a result from the many shots of Tequila.
“It’s a good thing I drove,” Adrienne replied while putting her shoes in his closet. “God knows what would’ve happened if you got behind the wheel.” Even though her fake ID said she was twenty-two, Adrienne wouldn’t allow herself to do something so dangerous, anyway.
Raheem smiled to himself “So you’re actually staying?”
Adrienne looked up from her shoes. “You say it like it’s some big surprise to you or something.”
He smirked and walked toward her in the closet. “It just that you haven’t stayed over in a while, I thought you were staying with someone else…I thought you forgot all about me.”
Adrienne smiled. Now, he was in his sensitive mood. “I’ve been busy-“
“With who?” Raheem interjected.
“With schoolwork.” Adrienne continued, “You know finals are in two weeks and I need to be ready. My parents I’ve been slacking off my work lately”
Raheem chuckled. “Slacking off? ‘Ade, you have straight A’s! Quintuple straight A’s. What are your parents talking about?”
“I don’t know. They’re crazy!” Adrienne exclaimed, “I hardly have any time to myself with all the schoolwork, softball, choir, and being on the prom committee… It’s ridiculous.”
Raheem’s smile faded and became serious. “Adrienne, don’t you think you’re putting too much on your plate? I mean you’re only seventeen, how can they expect you to do all these things? You need some to yourself.”
Adrienne frowned slightly “Well, not all of us can have millionaire parents who give us everything and anything we want or need. College costs a lot of money, and if I don’t get a scholarship to anywhere, I probably won’t go at all. My mom and dad expect me to be this big-shot doctor and excel at everything I do. I can’t disappoint them, Raheem.”
Raheem sighed deeply and didn’t say anything for a while. He knew money was pretty tight with Adrienne’s family; sometimes they could barely afford to pay mortgage or insurance. But he really never cared about the differences in their social statuses or how far up he was above her in the system. The only thing that he cared about was if she was okay and he that he saw her at every given chance possible.
He stared helplessly as Adrienne began to undress and put on his favorite t-shirt that she always slept in. “So….about prom…who are you going with?” Raheem asked changing the subject.
Adrienne neatly folded up her dress and placed in a draw of one of the mahogany dressers. “I don’t know, I don’t even think I’m going.” She replied.
“What? You’re not going to prom?” Raheem asked astonished.
Adrienne shrugged her shoulders. “It just doesn’t seem important to me right now”
Raheem felt like strangling her. “‘Ade, you’re on the Prom Committee and you’re not even going to prom? That makes no sense! Aren’t you guys supposed to persuade people to go? If you’re not going yourself—you’re a hypocrite. I mean everyone knows you’re supposed to go to prom.”
Adrienne ignored his statement and walked toward his giant king-size bed. She jumped on top of it and the soft, smooth texture of the golden comforter and black silk sheets delightfully welcomed her. Adrienne wished that she could stay in this peaceful state-of-mind, but Raheem was soon by the bedside- hovering above her.
“Are you seriously not going to prom? Is it because you don’t have a date?” He instigated.
Adrienne felt her face get hot, and she blushed turning a deep shade of red. Even though, the prom really wasn’t one of her top priorities at the moment, she couldn’t help but realize that no one had actually asked her out. “N-no, it’s not that. I could care less about prom is why.” She replied matter-of-factly.
Raheem gave a haughty smirk before flopping himself on the bed, also. “Come on, Adrienne. Prom’s supposed to be the best night of a teenager’s life. It’s supposed to be perfect. Just because you don’t have a date doesn’t mean you have to miss out.”
Adrienne sighed exasperatedly. The last thing she wanted to talk about was her lack of a social life outside of school. “Can you please just drop it?” she asked. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”
Raheem just nodded in response. He leaned back against the massive pillows that were strewn all over the bed and yawned, stretching and contracting every muscle in his upper body. Adrienne sneaked a quick glance at the scene and licked her suddenly dry lips.It took everything in her willpower to keep from pouncing on top of him and going wild. She wished more than anything that he knew how much she was in love with him. But no matter how many times Adrienne worked up the guts to tell him, a small voice in the back of her mind always reminded her of how wrong it was and all the consequences she would have to face. Was it really worth destroying their friendship to ease her selfish pain of keeping the secret for so long? Or was it finally time to take things to the next level?
“God, what I wouldn’t do to be sixteen again.” Raheem sighed randomly to the ceiling. “Those were the days. Especially high school….”
His words were still terribly slurred but Adrienne understood every word. “I swear, Raheem, it’s like from a completely different planet. What high school did you attend, because, I want to enroll!” She replied sarcastically.
He yawned again. “John Burrows Preparatory School in California, it was as crazy as prep schools get.”
Adrienne smiled and leaned against the pillows beside him. She looked into his stunning, deep caramel-like eyes and almost got lost. Black flecks dotted his irises making his eyes seem more intense than before. They were a honey, golden brown which meant he was calm and content. She continued to stare until he interrupted he gaze with a simple question.
“What?” He asked in curious manner.
Adrienne blinked herself out of the daze. “Umm…nothing, I was just thinking.”
“About what?” Raheem shifted his body to face her completely and urged her to reveal what was on her mind.
“Well, I was thinking about that if I were to ask someone to prom…it would probably be you.” She answered slowly waiting for his reaction.
Raheem’s happy expression hardened to dreadful scowl and his golden, brown eyes instantly darkened to a black oblivion. He sat straight up in bed- glaring coldly at Adrienne.
“‘Ade, we’ve been through this a million times already.” He replied knowingly. “I’m twenty-one years old! What the h—l would I look at a high school prom? Seriously, Adrienne, do you ever think?” He shouted loudly.
Raheem stood up and walked toward the large bay windows that offered a beautiful scene of the busy city. His back was turned to her and she could tell that he was upset. Adrienne regretted telling Raheem anything.
“I’m sorry, ok. It won’t happen again.” She mumbled feebly.
Raheem turned around with a soften expression. “Look, I know it’s going to happen again, Adrienne. It’s no big deal, really. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up. I’m sorry, but it has to be this way…”
Adrienne looked up at and glared at him. How could Raheem be so cruel? One minute he was kissing her and acting all friendly and then he would just push her away--shutting her down. The way he acted just made Adrienne feel so confused and lost.
Raheem looked down innocently at Adrienne’s glare. His highlighted brown bangs fell in front of his face covering his sharp, yet, delicate features. The truth was, he didn’t want to push Adrienne away every time she practically threw herself at him. He didn’t want to make up excuses of why he couldn’t do something with her, and he most definitely didn’t want to make her feel angry or depressed. Adrienne was his girl and he wanted to be her guy, but he could never bring himself to do it.
Adrienne had broken her mean stare and was now toying with the loose fabric of his t-shirt that she wore. Raheem could tell that she wasn’t wearing much under the thin shirt. Probably a pink, laced Victoria’s Secret bra or panties but never both. His mind ambled at the thoughts of which one, but he quickly stopped himself because it was getting too far, and his jeans were beginning to get a little tight.
Raheem walked back to his bed and sat down beside her. “You still want to stay?” He asked. Raheem knew that whenever Adrienne was upset or angry she didn’t want to be around anyone.
She just nodded and didn’t look at him. “I already called my parents and told them I was staying over.”
Raheem could tell by the tone of her voice that she was still pissed and he loathed making her feel bad. “Well, do you want to sleep in here? I could fix a bed in one of the guest rooms of you’d like.” He silently prayed that she would chose to sleep with him.
“Raheem, seriously, what would your parents think if they found me half-naked in your bed?”
“They’re asleep, and trust me, they wouldn’t dare come in here and wake me up in the morning,” he replied.
Adrienne sighed. She had never slept in the same bed with a guy before, and the fact that the guy was Raheem made it more uncomfortable than expected.
“No, that’s ok. I’ll sleep on the couch. They’re pretty comfy.”
That wasn’t quite the answer he wanted to hear. “No, Ade, I refuse to let you sleep on a couch. Now, come on, either here or the guest bed?”
Adrienne sighed. She wasn’t really the one to turn down something new and how bad could sleeping with a guy be?
“I guess here.”
Raheem smiled but was cut-off.
“But it’s only because I hate to sleep alone in such a big room,” she finished, but it was a good enough reason for him.
Adrienne pulled back the golden comforter and slipped into a black sea of silk sheets. She didn’t know what she was thinking by suggesting the couch. And it looked like Raheem was extremely eager to have her sleep with him. Sleeping over wasn’t really a big deal at all because they did it all the time, ever since they were little kids. Raheem would always be allowed over to Adrienne’s house to play or stay for the night, and Adrienne was allowed the same. Even though Raheem was richer and older, he never minded having Adrienne around. She was his best friend, always has been, and he never wanted her to leave him.
Raheem stood up and unbuckled his belt and slowly slid down his pants. Adrienne tried to make it seem like she wasn’t looking, but she couldn’t help but take a quick glimpse.
“No peeking.” He teased catching Adrienne’s sly eyes
“I—uhh…. I wasn’t trying to look at you.” She quickly snapped. “You’re blocking the window, and you know how I like to stare out into the night.”
Raheem frowned slightly and just slid himself into bed. He could’ve sworn she was looking at him. But he really didn’t feel like worrying about that, so he forced his eyes shut and soon drifted off to sleep.
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