ESSENCE

08

Alessio

I was mesmerized, to say the least, and from the gazes she caught, I wasn't the only one. The whole club's attention was averted to the seductress making her way down the stairs.

I won't deny the jealousy I felt at the moment. All the men in the club were staring at her with lust-filled eyes, gazing at the beauty that could have been mine, had I not messed things up she'd have been in my arms right now.

She was now talking to the bartender from earlier and all I could do was watch as she laughed at something the girl said. 

"If you keep staring at her you might catch a cockeye," Giano said with a laugh. "Am I that obvious?" I asked scratching my neck.

"Bro, you're practically drooling right now, but I get it. If we weren't family I'd probably be looking at her like everyone else is." 

"Wait, you two are related?" I asked in complete shock.

"Not by blood but she's my grandad's adopted daughter, he took her in when we were younger but we weren't really in touch with each other for quite some time."

"Oh, is that why you guys are so close now?"

"Yeah, I guess you can say that Essence is big on loyalty and family, the first time I came here was to see if I could remember her but I guess I didn't. She did though and she's been making sure I'm straight since then." Giano finished.

"Wow." was all I said because my attention was quickly averted back to Essence, she was having a conversation with KJ and it looked like she was enjoying it. 

KJ snaked his hands around her back and they began to dance to the song that was playing. The way she held on to him as they danced together looked so intimate. 

They danced three songs together and all I could was watch and get mad at myself for denying the chance of something, everything with Essence. 

KJ was about to lean in for a kiss and that's when I decided to intervene, there was no way I was going to let him or anyone for that matter take a go at my girl because that's who she was, my girl.

It all happened so fast, one minute I was walking towards them to stop KJ, and then the next minute he was on the floor with a burst lip.

"The dance was nice but I said no." Essence said as she walked straight past me and toward Giano who had his hands in his jeans laughing at the situation.

She went up to him and they hugged then sat down and she took his drink and downed it.

I didn't know what to do so I helped KJ up who was still ass flat on the floor, touching his lip in shock.

"Shawdy sacked me." He said in wonder and all I could do was laugh.

"That ain't funny man, lil mama got a mean right arm."

"KJ I thought you'd learn by now, that you can't just kiss any girl that's nice to you." 

"I thought she was feeling me," He argued back in a sad tone. "Imma tell my momma about this." He pouted and then we went back to the booth where Giano and Essence were.

When we got there Giano and Essence were laughing at something on his phone and you could tell they weren't finished but when she looked up and saw me her whole mood changed.

"We'll catch up later." She said as she got up to leave. I didn't want her to leave, does she hate me that bad? I thought.

Giano looked at me with the 'do something before she leaves' look and I just brushed him off because what if I did and it made her hate me even more?