Noelle.

ONE.

With a man who looks that good, who wouldn't? I kept my eyes on him, my little black dress rising as I stood from the bar stool and joined my friends for a dance. I could see his lips twitch into a smirk as I shifted my attention back to my friends. As someone who didn't grow up particularly confident and never saw myself as someone who was able to be "sexy," liquid courage was about as real as I thought the movies stretched it to be.

My hands roamed my own chocolate skin, from my arms, to my waist, up my chest and neck to my 4B Afro that I learned to manage and love early on. If I had to pick 3 of my favorite things on my body, it would be my 5'9 and a half chocolate legs, my dark brown, nearly black, eyes, and my hair. Oh how I love my hair.

Smizing was something that happened naturally for me when the liquid courage kicked in, it was only natural that I cut my eye to the giant brownskin who'd been eyeing me all night. He spoke to his group of friends, keeping that smirk on his full lips and his eyes on me as he threw back a shot, probably awakening his own liquid courage, as he sauntered through the crowd of people to make his way to me.

Just as he was making his way to me, Aria, my best friend, tugged my arm to drag me to the bathroom with her. Tipsy, the room spinning as the brownskin grew further and further away from me, until he was the distance that he started away from me yet again. I thought about protesting and had to gather myself cause I almost yelled at drunk Noelle to remind her of girl code.

When we made it into the bathroom, I got a good look at myself in the mirror and was able to identify myself as drunk. I poked at my cheeks and laughed at myself through the mirror. I was able to tune out the faded, muffled music, the chatter of drunk female conversation, and a few sobs of a few girls drunk crying.

"You are gorgeous, don't cry. Ever" I slurred, hugging a blonde to my left. "You're lirally-hiccup-literally an amazon warrior goddess" the blonde spoke, pressing a sloppy drunk kiss to my cheek, probably leaving her lipstick. "I don't know how, but I'm sure that was r-racist in some way" I spoke, the room silenced as Aria laughed loudly from her stall. "But I'll accept it cause you're c-cute" I slurred as everyone's chatter continued.

From what I can remember, she continuously apologized and reminded me that it's black history month and that she didn't mean it in that way. I assured her that drunk Noelle can be pretty political about literally everything and that she was okay and was not in fact a racist. Plus, I like making white people uncomfortable sometimes, just for fun, sober and under the influence.

When Aria made it out the stall I rounded all the girls in the bathroom up for multiple drunk pictures and probably made a total of 17 new friends. As we left the bathroom, arm in arm, Aria giggled and spoke in my ear as my eyes wandered for the brown skin, tuning my best friend out.

When my eyes finally found him, he was already looking at me and on his way over. Aria pointed out to me that he was eying me and I told her to be cool. When it's time to rein it in, Noelle is a natural, perks of having strict parents.

With his plump, pink bottom lip tucked between his white teeth, exposing a dimple in his left cheek, he nodded his head to me. Without introduction, I grabbed his hand and pulled him to the dance floor with me, a few feet away from my group of friends, and I told him what my words couldn't cause of how loud the place was.

We danced for what felt like hours without even exchanging greetings nor names, that just adds to the attraction and excitement. If there's one thing I love, it's a bit of mystery, and dancing like no one was watching. Something about his close proximity, the scent of his cologne, and the alcohol in my system, made me feel like being a tease.

"So are you gonna tell me your name?" He spoke, leaning down to my ear, despite me being fairly tall. This man had to be close to 6'5. Where has God been hiding him all my life? I leaned back, a small smile playing on my lips as I looked up at him, he was already smiling.

The rasp in his deep voice on top of his smile was enough to send drunk Noelle into a frenzy, but I kept my cool, thanking my strict parents in my head. My poker face was top notch. I pretended to think "If you guess correctly you get my number, how about that?" I spoke in a sultry tone that I didn't even know existed within my vocal cords.

"Damn" he spoke, still smiling, placing a hand over his chest in a feigning offense. I lifted a brow with a smirk on my face, I was all for playing games. I shrugged and turned on my heel, he didn't even allow me to do a full 180 before his arm wrapped around my waist and he pulled me closer to him, moving his head down to my left ear.

I grinned, proud of myself and a little too excited to be In his embrace. "Do I at least get a hint?" His voice boomed in my ear, turning my insides hot and sending goosebumps down my left shoulder. "It starts with a N" I spoke back, my chest pressed against his hard stomach. I could feel the rhythm of his breathing as he thought carefully. If he was drunk he was doing a great job at masking it, cause I was already gone before he approached me.

"Nikki, you look like a Nikki" he spoke, proud of his answer as I made a genuine face of disgust that left his mouth agape, causing me to laugh. He smiled at me as I laughed, his ego obviously bruised cause he said it with such confidence. "Just cause you made me laugh, you get another guess" I spoke, standing on my tip toes to reach his ear a little, one of my arms around his neck and his wrapped around my waist still, his full palm on the small of my back spread.

He thought even more carefully this time, I could tell he wanted to get it right, so I allowed him all the time he needed before he thought his answer was correct. "Nevaeh?" he spoke, this time with hope in his voice instead of confidence.

I shook my head, "Unfortunately no, but since you tried so hard, I'll let you buy me a drink" I spoke and he broke out into a smile and I grabbed his hand, leading him to the bar as I stood next to him. "What are you having?" He asked, leaning down to me again.

"Surprise me" I spoke, my tongue resting on the roof of my mouth as a smirk spread across both our lips. Boy was I having fun with this. Still drunk, I managed to keep a close eye on the bartender and him as he slid me a shot of Tito's, my favorite. I tried not to give him too much credit or it would boost his ego and we just can't have that.

We clinked shot glasses together then tapped it on the table, "Noelle" I said before I threw the shot back without him, as his eyes zoned in on me and he smiled, "Jeremiah" he replied, throwing his shot of José back. I could feel eyes on me, I definitely have the best looking guy in the building by my side, and I didn't know a damn thing about him and didn't plan on it.

I grabbed his hand and slithered my way back to the dance floor with him, his big hand in my hand, we danced sexily, our bodies pressed together as we swayed to the music in unison.
—————

I have no idea how, but we ended up in the back of an uber together on our way to Aria's place. She had a 2 bedroom that I paid half of the rent for. I wasn't exactly all the way moved in yet, but it was ready for me for when I gained enough courage to tell my parents I wanted to move out.

Our bodies were entangled in more ways than one. His hands skimmed over my body, his lips kissing all over my face, neck, and collar bones. We managed to make our way into the apartment complex and keep our hands off each other for two minutes, waiting for the elevator to open. As soon as we were inside and sure no one else would come running for it to be opened for them, our bodies found each other again, resulting in both of us to drunkenly laugh against each others lips.

I led him to the apartment, barefoot as he held my heels for me. I could feel my little black dress riding up with each step I took, emphasis on little. I repeatedly tugged on it, pulling it over my butt and thighs. I could feel his eyes on me as I stopped in front of Aria and I's apartment. I unlocked the door and before I could open it, in 2 swift movements, I was spun around to face the brownskin who was grinning, holding my silver heels, and his arm went around my waist as as lifted me into his stiff arms, my back pressed against the door but his arms holding my full body weight.

"Noelle." He spoke. That was my first time hearing my name off his lips, and I may have lost my cool for the first time in my life. "Now that I say it, you're more of a Noelle than a Nikki" he gave a goofy grin that did something to my insides. I pressed a kiss to his lips, our sets moving in sync as I held on to him, one arm hanging on to his neck, and used the left hand to open the door behind me.