Come Fly With Me

Sparkle cleared her throat as she tugged at the hem of her blazer. "Um, actually, Trent, I was just about to grab some food with Xavier here. We'll have to catch up some other time."

The two guys sized each other up for a few seconds before Trent gave a curt nod. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I'll see you around. Maybe."

Xavier had a satisfied smile on his face as he watched his paler rival walk away. Sparkle turned to him and gently pushed him. "You don't have to look so smug," she said.

He chuckled innocently, holding onto his arm as if he'd been deeply wounded. "I have no idea what you mean. I'm the most humble guy I'm know."

Sparkle rolled her eyes. "I suggest you feed me within the next thirty minutes before I change my mind."

Xavier's smile got even wider as he ushered her to his parked car. "How does Chinese sound?"

Sparkle pondered as she eased into the passenger seat but was distracted when she watched Xavier walk in front of the car to get to the driver's seat. He really was hot. It must've had something to do with his preppy style and how his button-up shirt tapered against his slim torso and his jeans hugged his ass and thighs perfectly. Or maybe it was just that damn smile. He was wearing it as he started up the car.

"Chinese sounds good," she finally replied.

Soon, they were off and Sparkle realized that they were leaving Long Island City and going into Manhattan. In her time in New York, she hadn't managed to get out much and it would be her first time into the famed city. The view going over the bridge wasn't exactly as magical as the movies had always portrayed it to be but the music Xavier played in his car created a thoroughly enjoyable atmosphere. The skyscrapers were tall and imposing and it made Sparkle's head spin thinking about how many people around the world flocked to this city in hopes of a better life. Hell, she couldn't believe she was one of them.

Driving in the city nearly gave Sparkle a stress ulcer but they made it to their destination with only a few profanities thrown between Xavier and other drivers. The parking garage he'd chosen was only a block and a half away from the restaurant, thankfully, since Sparkle hadn't thought to change into flat shoes back at the hotel.

"I hear Chinese in New York City is comparable to the authentic thing," Sparkle said absentmindedly once they were seated.

Xavier looked up from his menu. "It's true. Nine times out of ten, other places have Chinese people working in the front but, like, Latino people working in the back. Weird, right?"

Sparkle chuckled before looking at her menu. "So what's good here?"

"Literally, everything. Do you eat pork?"

She shrugged. "Yeah, I eat pretty much anything."

"My kind of girl," he said with a smirk. "So we'll do pork buns for an appetizer if that's okay."

Sparkle nodded and, as if she'd heard them from across the room, a waitress appeared with a note pad in her hand.

"Hello, good evening," she said with a thick accent. "To drink?"

"Water and hot tea," Xavier said, looking to Sparkle for confirmation. She nodded again. "And can we also do an order of pork buns for an appetizer."

The young waitress scribbled on her notepad. "Ok, be right back."

Xavier looked across the table intently at Sparkle, causing her to chuckle self-consciously. "Do you have something you'd like to say?" she asked.

"The night we met, we didn't really talk much... Or, if we did, I can't really remember much. I wondered if we could start all over?"

"You mean pretend we haven't seen each other naked or that I don't have documented evidence that you're familiar with me in the biblical sense?"

Xavier's laugh was loud and came from his chest. "Well..."

Sparkle cracked a smile. "I'm just giving you a hard time. I, honestly, still can't remember much of that night either so... I'm Sparkle Lewis, from Atlanta, Georgia, aged twenty-three."

"I'm Xavier Collins, originally from Raleigh, North Carolina but I moved here in high school. Aged twenty-six. It's nice to formally make your acquaintance."

"Likewise," Sparkle said as they shook hands across the table. They carried on with their conversation and even as they were just getting to know each other, it felt like they were old friends. Xavier had a way of disarming Sparkle and their dialogue just flowed. Sparkle learned that Xavier had three older sisters- it made sense. His mother had moved back to Raleigh a few years ago and his eldest sister had followed her with his niece. Watching him talk about his family made Sparkle a little weak at the knees and she was glad she was sitting down.

She also learned that they'd been listening to his mixtape in the car. She smiled slyly at him. "Isn't that awfully self-indulgent? Listening to your own mixtape?"

Xavier chuckled and poked at his shrimp fried rice with his chopsticks. "I was trying to expand your musical horizons. I think what you mean to say is 'Thank you, Zay.'"

"So you're into music and the whole starving artist thing?"

"Do I look starving to you?" he asked, gesturing to the table.

"Mm, I guess not..."

"I'm basically a CPA at a private firm in the city. Music is just a hobby right now but I usually spend my every free minute working on it."

Sparkle sipped her water. "Oh, I see. Well... you should keep at it..." She averted her eyes in an attempt to appear nonchalant. "You sounded good or whatever."

Xavier laughed. "I appreciate that. Maybe I'll invite you to one of the open mics I do some time."

"Really?" she asked, sitting up straighter in her chair.

He shrugged. "We'll have to see."

The pair kept up their flirty banter until it was time for the restaurant to close. Neither of them realized how late it had gotten and Sparkle was completely flustered that she'd stayed out past ten the night before she had class.

"Relax," Xavier said as they speed-walked back to his car. "We're only twenty minutes from the bridge and, from there, you're home free."

"I have a reputation to uphold," Sparkle said. "Not only do I have the highest overall average in the class, but I'm known for being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed every single day."

Xavier stopped in the middle of the parking garage and pulled Sparkle to him. Their lips crashed together and Xavier's hands were firmly anchored on Sparkle's waist and neck. She brought her hands up and wrapped them around his neck. She may not have remembered much from their initial drunken encounter but his lips were so familiar- plump, soft, and warm.

Sparkle staggered forward a bit when Xavier finally broke the kiss. She blinked up at him. "A car could've totally hit us just now."

"Would've been worth it for me," he said, taking her hand for the rest of the walk to the car.

Once back at the hotel, they kissed once more but gentler. It was for the best since Sparkle was sure she would forego precious hours of sleep to sit in that car and kiss that brown skinned man.

"Call me later," Xavier suggested as Sparkle stepped out of the passenger seat.

"I will."