Four Months Ago
Friday Night
"Hey, Money." I lean on the bar, bored out of my mind. "Loving that purple hair."
Makeup flawless as usual, Money preens his pixie. "It's lavender grey and lilac. Thank you ma'am."
"Looks damn good on you. What's your night looking like?"
"Slow," he deadpans. "Something or other going on downtown. We'll bounce back tomorrow night."
I survey the club, and I don't see him anywhere. Since last month, Phoenix has made an effort to be here every Friday night. Sometimes he's with his boys, other times he's with Kim, and still other times, he's shown up with a random girl I've never seen before but he's always here and when he is, the night is always fun. His absence makes me yearn for him to walk through the door. Where is he?
"Now, I know he wants me. Look at him." Money points to a hottie in the crowd. "He keeps looking over here! I'd flip him quick. His girl ain't getting it right." Money sucks his teeth. "Let me hit that! Once you go gay, you never turn away." He cracks up at his own joke as he pours maraschino cherries into the condiment caddy.
Stealing a cherry, I snort at his overconfidence. "You're crazy you know that? Is that what goes on in that filthy mind of yours?" I tease before tossing the sweet treat into my mouth.
Of all the people I've met in my life, Money shines with the brightest of them. He's beautiful, bold, and honest. His brazen personality is like a flashlight in a blackout. Everyone is drawn to him.
"What! Every man is a little curious. Trust and believe, I know these things. I've flipped quite a few men." Money cocks his head to the side. "They all like a nice hunk of meat every now and then!"
Laughing my head off, I smack his arm not believing all the details of that little confession.
"What?" He rubs his arm, smirking.
"You are so bad, Money!"
"That's what they tell me!" He blows his nails and shines them. "I don't know what it is. Maybe the thrill of the chase? But I love me some straight men."
"So, do I, girl! So, do I." We high five each other and bust out laughing.
I turn around to a tap on my shoulder. A familiar face.
"Hi. Aria, is it? Can I talk to you for a second?"
Looking around for Phoenix, I agree. "Sure, what's up?"
"I'm Kim, Phoenix's girl," she whispers, looking around suspiciously.
"I remember you."
"Girl, I need your help with something. You know we girls need to look out for each other."
"What can I help you with?"
"I just need to know, have you seen Phoenix tonight? Has he been in here?" She looks a little deranged. She stares in my eyes as if she's trying to see if I'm lying.
"No, I haven't seen him." I'm confused. Why is she asking me? I back away a little.
"Hmm. Well, has he been here with other girls?" She grabs my wrist and pulls me closer. "What about a tall girl with long weave? He been here with her?"
Being fearful of what she'd do next and not wanting to get in the middle of their mess, I shake my head. "No."
"You got a pen?"
I pass her a pen from a table nearby.
She grabs a napkin and snatches the pen out my hand. "If he comes in tonight, would you mind giving me a call?"
"Sure." Girl, if it takes all that, he's probably already long gone.
"Thank you. You know, you can't trust men these days. I know I'm not perfect. May have done a thing or two, but does it really deserve him falling off the face of the earth like this?"
I fold the napkin. "I have to get back to work." I point behind me.
"Oh. I understand." She turns and leaves. Sticking close to the wall, like a spy trying not to be seen, she tiptoes out of the door.
Barely able to contain myself, I return to the bar. "Money! Did you see that girl? She came in here looking for Phoenix."
Laughing hysterically, Money raises his eyebrow. "Scandalous. Just scandalous, honey. She's just trying to keep that paycheck close."
"Paycheck?"
"Yes! The last time I checked he was worth like nine figures, on his way to ten and that was a few years ago. Imagine what he's worth now."
"Huh. I had no idea. I mean I know he's successful and all. But I didn't know it was like that. Billionaire status?" I whip out my iPhone. "Let's Google him!" When I input Phoenix Prescott, his company website comes up, a few press releases and a few articles pop up. Forbes, Business Insider. I scan them. "You'd think there'd be more out there about him. He's so successful." I scroll down the screen. "You're right. His net worth is ridiculous!"
"Told you, honey!"
"I wonder what she's on? Creeping around like that."
Money admires his nails. "She's ratchet. Something's not right. Stay out of that, girl."
What happened to Phoenix? Why isn't he here tonight?
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Four Months Ago
Saturday, Early Morning Hours
"So, what do you think?" I do a 360 in a floral summer dress.
Sebastian gently coaxes me out. "Come on, step out of the dressing room, so I can get a good look."
Timidly, I walk closer.
"Damn, it looks good. You should get it. Matter of fact, I'm getting it for you. Wrap it up, let's get out of here."
Sebastian looks lovingly in my eyes. While standing at the register, checking out, he gets down on one knee. Every girl in the store swoons.
"Aria." He puts his hand in his pocket as he stares at me. "I've fallen in love with you. Since the first time I saw you, I knew you were the one." He takes my hand.
Then he does something baffling. He pulls me past him and over to the side. He takes the ring box out of his pocket, points it towards the cashier and opens it. "Would you do me the honor of being my wife?"
The cashier comes from behind her register and accepts. "Yes! Yes, I will!" She jumps up and down in elation.
Have they even met before this?
Heartbroken, I look down and notice I'm wearing rags. Dirty, torn clothes, and shoes that barely qualify as footwear. Everyone in the store points at me and starts laughing. I run out, totally embarrassed, wondering how I could have ever left the house like that.
Suddenly, I'm standing in line at a movie theater. Sebastian is next to me. We buy tickets and find our seats inside the theater. Sebastian lifts the armrest, turning our two seats into a loveseat. He wraps his arm around me.
"Hey babe, I forgot to get us popcorn and drinks. Be right back." He kisses me passionately before stepping out.
I feel amazing. We're together and I couldn't ask for anything more. I'm so glad we worked it out.
Moments later Sebastian returns. He doesn't have popcorn or drinks. Instead, he has an "uh-oh" expression on his face. He looks like he has something to tell me.
As the movie previews play in the background, Sebastian sits softly on the edge of his seat.
Why isn't he taking his seat? He's sitting as if it's temporary, like he's getting ready to go somewhere.
"Aria, I'm sorry but you've got to find your own way home. I found someone new. She fine. Way prettier than you. Better than you in every way. We met in the lobby. She's everything I ever wanted. She's not you. She's perfect." He gets up, drops our ticket stubs in my lap and walks away leaving me alone in the dark theater. Unable to catch my breath, I'm stunned. Words can't begin to describe the devastation I feel before he vanishes around the corner.
Now I'm sitting at a dinner table in a grand dining room. I look at the end of the table and there he is, waiting for me. There's a lavish spread on the table. I've spent all day preparing it for him and I'm eager to sit down and watch him enjoy it. There's a nacho bar, lasagna, chicken parmesan, salad, rolls, chocolate cake made from scratch, sweet potato pie, and homemade vanilla ice cream.
"You made all this for me!"
"Yes, baby. I made all your favorite dishes from scratch."
He fixes a big plate for himself. "I can't wait to try it all." Sebastian takes one bite then a funny look comes over his face and he grabs his belly. He projectile vomits over all the food.
He wipes his mouth. "I don't have the stomach for this or our relationship anymore." He gets up and walks out, leaving me to clean up the disgusting mess.
I'm ruined. I feel utterly abandoned and alone.
I wake up, to whimpering and crying, only to realize it's me. It's me that's sad, confused, and balling my eyes out. Slowly the fog lifts. It felt so real. Taking in my surroundings, the espresso microfiber couch I'm lying on, the framed vintage movie posters on the wall, the retro coffee table and the cream shag rug, I realize I have fallen asleep in my living room again. I fell asleep and slipped into a nightmarish hell, drifting from one horrifying breakup to the next. I'm so relieved it's over!
Sitting up too quickly causes my head to throb. I rub my temples to ease the tension.
Wow! He's on your brain like that?
"I've got to get him out of my head! I need closure. I have all these questions and no answers."
Girl! Let go. He's not worth your time!
Glancing at my iPhone, my palm starts to itch. I should call Sebastian right now and get closure. I'd do anything to get this failure of a relationship out of my mind. It's been wracking my brain for two months now.
What happened to make him so cold?
My nightshirt is soaked and I'm so thirsty, my throat feels like it's covered in sandpaper. Stumbling into the kitchen, I rush to the sink, drinking cold water straight from the faucet until my thirst is quenched. Shivering from being cold and wet, I look down at myself.
"This nightshirt." I arch my right eyebrow in disapproval.
I usually feel sexy and empowered wearing the "Potent Pussy Power" nightshirt from my T-shirt line, but now I just want to get out of it into something, anything warm and dry. If anything, my pussy was too powerful. Soaked my whole nightshirt.
I snort at my own dirty little mind.
Amused, are we?
Only mildly. I roll my eyes.
Sighing out of frustration, I'm full of questions that only Sebastian can answer. The only way I can wrap my head around this is to talk to him. No one else knows what was going on in his mind, but him. He's giving me no choice but to call him. He's practically begging me to call him right now.
Is he really? Are you sure you want to do that?
My heart thuds loudly as I grab my iPhone and scroll through the call log. He's near the bottom of the list. I make the bold decision to touch his name. Once again. His smiling face pops up, reminding me of old times and giving me a false sense of encouragement. The phone rings and rings. No answer. Another call. Again, no answer.
Five calls later, I'm shaking my head in disgust at myself. "This has to stop now."
Out of nowhere, the doorbell rings.
Who's at my door at this late hour?
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A/N: Hey Guys and Gals! We reach the end of chapter 14. What do you think? Is Phoenix's (ex) girl rachet? :-) And who could be at Aria's door this late? Give me your thoughts and please remember to Vote!!!
I'm dedicating this chapter to @Darkangelalways27 for being such a die-hard, opinionated reader. I loved our conversations! :-)