"Gyal me just wan fi hold yuh, put mi arms all around yuh, gyal yuh give me..."
The sound of Gyptian filled my ears as I walked in and my waist immediately began to snake, "Ayeeeee!" I looked at Nadine and we began wildin out as we heard 'our song'
"Ayo Gyptian tell 'em fi gwan!" We screamed in unison, gun fingers in the air as we began reciting Nicki's part in the corridor. The boys standing around began laughing, most of them our friends and used to me and Nadz's antics. Chanel and Radi stood around a bit absent, when me and Nadine got together sometimes we were in our own world. Private jokes, songs etc we didn't mean to exclude anyone… that's just how it was, she was my best friend.
"Shall we go into the garden, it's too bloody hot." Nadz complained and I followed lead as I nodded at her.
She was in a black crop top, high waisted jeans and black wedges, once again we were semi matching and we didn't even plan it. "Twinnys!" We had exclaimed when we saw each other, we always used to joke that we had twin telepathy because we often said/wore/did the same thing. Despite the fact she was 5'7, mixed race and curvy whilst I was more petite at 5'5 and brown skinned we were very similar.
The cool breeze was welcomed against my clammy skin, we'd only been in the house for a couple of minutes but I was on the verge of sweating. There were too too many people to properly enjoy, although the atmosphere was amazing and that carried on into the garden, which wasn't empty either. People stood around in their various friendship groups, the girls cackling loudly and showing off to the boys stood around with stern expressions smoking weed.
It was well lit so I could still see everyone well, I greeted people I knew and caught up with old acquaintances all the time conscious of him. I had spied him in the corner of the garden the second id walked in. His stance strong and his eyes piercing, his boys were standing round cracking jokes etc but he was just silent, his expression so serious it was almost scary.
"Oi Mali!"
I turned round to see my cousin Omar standing next to Ibz beckoning me with his hand. I wanted to ignore him but I knew that wasn't a wise idea. Hesitantly I walked over, "what?" I asked, looking out of the corner of my eye I could see Ibz was engaged in a conversation paying no mind to us.
"So you want to be out partying, who said you could come out? In these shorts as well, if I even see you whining on any man I will drag you like a dead goat, shame you up in front of everyone and take you home." I rolled my eyes so hard I was surprised they didn't get stuck. "Okay MarMar" I replied over my shoulder as I walked off.
Nadine was laughing as I walked over knowing exactly what Omar had called me over for.
2 hours later and we had been joined by Janae and Yinka, two black girls from school whom I tolerated but never really liked that much. "Oh my days you know Ibz yeah, I cannot stand that nigga can you imagine he threatened me. This little fuckboy threatened me talking about I run my mouth too much, does he know who the fuck I am?!" Yinka ranted, rolling her neck and speaking loudly. I hadn't heard the first part of her story so I was confused, I looked up towards his corner as he looked over and our eyes locked for a second. Quickly looking away I laughed nervously and pulled Nadine in to dance.
"OUT. EVERYBODY OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW. IF YOU CANNOT BEHAVE AND ENJOY NICELY EVERYBODY GET OUT... JOJO GET YOUR BASTARD FRIENDS OUT NOW!" Jojo's mum screamed as everyone started sniggering. "Nah for real everyone get the fuck out my yard, don't disrespect my mumzy and ignore her are you lot dumb?" His older brother Quincy chimed. We all began to drag our feet and leave the house, this was the second time this had happened tonight and it was getting annoying, no doubt in ten minutes Jojo would have everyone back in.
I sighed deeply, watching Janae and Yinka screech loudly and show off as usual. I walked over to Nadine where she was having a conversation with two black boys. One average and one very very good looking. He wasn't very tall but his dark chocolate skin was smooth and even making his diamond nose stud stand out even more. His almond eyes were shining brightly and his straight white teeth glinting as he cheesed at something. I took in his slim, lean physique and almost drooled. I walked in on their convo and giggled as they discussed Nadine's ex boyfriend who she hated speaking about. "So you're not together?" Buff boy asked Nadine, "for fuck sake no we haven't been together for like a year." She replied getting more and more annoyed. Buff boy and his friend turned their attention to me, "where are you from?" He asked as he studied my face "are you African? you don't look like you're African" I pulled an extremely confused face. I hated that comment, what exactly does an African person look like? "Yeah I am." I replied ignoring his stupid remark, "where are you from?", Nadine had wandered off at this point leaving me with buff boy and his average friend. "I'm Zambian still." He replied,
"oh swear? I don't think I've ever met a Zambian."
"Yeah there's not many of us."
I laughed in response and studied his face taking in his beauty. We carried on speaking and I found out his name was Zayn, as well as being good looking he was extremely funny and him and his friend Akeem had me in stitches. Nadine rejoined us as I was bussin jokes with Zayn before he joined us. Nadz and Zayn were making fun of my height as he walked over and slung his arm round Zayn in a brotherly manner.
"I'm really actually not short at all so I dunno why you lot are coming like I'm a dwarf." I retorted huffily
"You really actually are though." His deep voice responded just calmly joining in our conversation.
I was strung for words slightly and my heart immediately began to race. 'Composure Mali' I thought to myself, looking him straight in the eye with a flirtatious smile I raised my eyebrow and replied "well thats rude". His deep laugh filled the space around us whilst Zayn and Nadine were discussing something, none of them aware of how this moment, how HE was making me feel.
"Cool Nadine?" He nodded in her direction, everyone knew Nadine she was so bait.
"Yeah I'm good, you ok?"
"Yeah yeah I'm blessed. What you saying? You still with Olu?"
I chuckled as I felt her frustration before he even finished his sentence.
"Oh my fucking god how many times do I have to tell people I'm not with him!" She groaned frustratedly, he looked in my direction and his face mirrored my amusement mixed with some confusion.
"Oh swear? Why what happened?"
Nadine rolled her eyes and explained the story of how Olu's devout Christian Nigerian mother found about his leggy, half Jamaican, non-believing girlfriend and went crazy. My chuckle turned into hysterics as I loved this story so much. He and Zayn began laughing, "What the fuck man? Olu's like the same age as us why is his marj still bare strict?! Oi Zayn remember he was never allowed out and shit." We all laughed as we shared stories about poor Olu and his strict upbringing.
Radi and Chanel joined us, easing their way over but not participating much. I know Chanel felt outside of her comfort zone here, she didn't go to 'black parties' often and she definitely wasn't used to being almost sober on a Friday night.
"So what's all your names?" Ibz asked as we all stood in a circle.
"Chanel"
"Radi"
He pointed his finger in Radi's face, "Ay don't you hang around with Coco and them lot."
Her face crinkled in confusion "No that's Reema, not all Indian girls are the same you know." We all laughed at her response.
"What about you?" He asked me as my heart sped up just a little but composure surprisingly remained (slightly).
"Maliya... Mali" I corrected myself, no one hardly called me by my full name. His eyes lit up and his facial expression changed "OHHH so you're Mali! I have you on Facebook init, do you remember me? I know you remember all this sexiness." I giggled I wanted to exclaim that of course I remembered him how could I not! But I didn't instead I feigned ignorance "umm... Yeah I think so."
"Yeah yeah do you know some girl called Lola? She chats bare about you apparently she goes to your college or suttin…"
"Lola? Nah I don't think so, I'm shit with names though so maybe if I see her I'll know her. Is she on fb?"
"Yeah she is."
We continued to ramble on about shit for a bit and I was surprised at his friendliness & the enthusiasm he possessed when he engaged in a conversation. It was like he was giving you his full attention and it was nice.
"You're actually really nice." I thought out loud. His face creased in amusement, "what do you mean? Don't I look nice?" He asked me.
"Nah you look quite scary to be honest."
"Omg Mali you're so rude" Nadine took it upon herself to chime in, he chuckled deeply.
"Oh my days I can't believe you just called me scary? Are you tryna call me ugly on the sly?"
I laughed "No I'm just saying like you don't look approachable like I wouldn't just say hi to you if I didn't know you."
He feigned being offended and laughed as I dug myself deeper in a hole and just gave up in the end. We spoke a bit more for a bit then he went to speak to his boys for a bit. Nadine threw me a knowing look as we locked eyes from a distance, I laughed and carried on trying to make Chanel feel a bit more comfortable.
He returned about ten minutes later, we were thinking of going home, we were still stuck outside and the vibe was slowly becoming more and more dead. "Oi what you lot saying after this?" Ibz directed the question at all of us but was looking straight at me. Nadine looked at me and we both shrugged "I dunno, why?" I asked, "My boys having some people round his, like a gathering shit. It's gonna be live you coming?" I looked round at the girls and Nadine shrugged, "you on it?" I asked, everyone said yes except Chanel who said she was tired and she had work in the morning so she wanted to go home. I couldn't help but feel a flush of irritation towards her, here I was with an opportunity to spend time with him and I couldn't go. I couldn't go because no matter what she was my friend and it's always going to be chicks before dick so that meant if my friend was tired, I was tired too.
"Nah we'll give it a miss then" I smiled apologetically at him and he nodded back understandingly, "nah it's calm".
So that was that, we phoned a taxi and waited around outside as people began to drop off one by one.
"Bye Lewis" I waved at my cousin and his boys as they started to walk off. Ibz took off in their direction, "Bye" I called at him smiling as I walked towards the taxi a couple of steps behind Nadine and the girls. He crossed over the road and walked towards me "Ay, laters yeah. I'll see you about." I nodded as he stood right in front of me his eyes searching mine, "I still can't believe you called me scary" he remarked shaking his head in disbelief as my lips curled in amusement and I started to laugh. "Sorry yeah, I dunno maybe you need to smile more." I responded giving him a wink.
"Oi Ibby let's go fam" his boys called from across the road, he acknowledged them and turned back to me.
"Take care ok, make sure you get home safe b."
"Yeah I will, see you later grumpy." I replied smiling and attempting to saunter off without looking dumb and breaking my ankle.
So that's what it was like the first time I met him.
