Becca
Movement stirred me out of my sleep. I realised my head wasn't on a pillow, but on a firm chest instead. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and peered into dark brown ones.
Kayden stroked my arm. "Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you."
"It's alright. Morning."
"Morning." He puckered his lips and I gave him a quick peck. His hand shifted to my back and trailed his fingers in gentle circles. "You sleep okay?"
I nodded. "What about you?"
He shrugged. "Got a couple hours in."
"A couple?" Kayden sat up and stretched. I thought he was naked but saw the grey boxers as he stood from the bed and flexed his taut muscles. My eyes zeroed in on his abs, and suddenly I forgot the conversation.
"We're working the same shift today, init?"
The question snapped me out of my trance. "Aren't you still on compassionate leave?"
He shook his head. "Nathan said I can come in today for stock take."
I frowned. Kayden's barely had enough time to grieve properly. Did he really want to return to work so soon? "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. No point staying here getting pissed off all over again. I need to keep myself busy."
He had a point; sometimes being alone with your thoughts was more dangerous than anything else. I collapsed back on the bed. "I don't wanna go to work."
Kayden smiled. It was a genuine smile, as if the old him was back. I didn't think I'd see his chin dimple again so soon. "It's gonna be a calm day. Just count stock then we can leave."
I brought the covers up to my neck. "Your bed's comfy though." I felt weight on the bed and a rush of air as Kayden pulled the covers back.
"It's almost 12. You need to get up."
"Gimme 15 minutes."
"Or we can shower together."
A tingle shot straight to my stomach at the thought of us in the shower; our lips clashing and bodies entwined beneath the steamy water as Kayden's hands skimmed between my legs...
"No thanks. I'll go after."
"Cool. You've got fifteen minutes."
"Twenty."
His brows furrowed. "Ten."
I tutted and rolled over once he moved off the bed. He grabbed his towel and flung it over his shoulder as he left the room. I couldn't help the smile on my face as I watched him leave. There was a massive difference in Kayden's attitude compared to yesterday. I wasn't sure what had happened, but I wanted his good mood to last. Maybe he was right, keeping himself busy at work would do him some good...
Stock take wasn't as simple as Kayden made it seem. We shut the store early and gathered the items by category, then tallied the amount so that we could account for the next stock delivery. I'd never counted so much in my damn life, not even in maths class.
Most of the staff were in for a change, bar Stacey. I noticed employees I hadn't seen since my first day. We all took turns to calculate the items and made a note on the spreadsheet.
Kayden seemed to get on well. He took a more senior role and assisted Herman with the operational side of things. Seeing him in his element was refreshing; he would make a great supervisor.
I saw Nathan in the staffroom on my lunch break. He was eating food and watching football highlights on his phone.
I inhaled the wonderful smell. "Ugh, I love jollof."
Nathan laughed and took a spoonful. "When's the last time you had some?"
"Ages ago." I grabbed my leftover pasta from the fridge and warmed it in the microwave. "I had it all the time at my friend's house back in primary school." When my food was ready, I joined Nathan at the table.
His eyes narrowed. "Ghanaian or Nigerian jollof?"
"Nigerian."
He high fived me. "Correct answer."
I laughed and looked to the empty seat beside me. I missed gossiping with Stacey on my lunch breaks. We hadn't spoken for a while—we only communicated at work, after all—but I still cared for her.
"You know where Stacey is?" Nathan shrugged, which seemed odd considering they were up each other's backsides. "I know you know where she is, and I know you know she knows I'd know you won't tell me."
His face went blank. "What?"
"She's secretive, but I know she tells you everything. Is she alright?"
Nathan looked like he was debating the answer. "She's in Manchester."
I raised a brow. "She's originally from there, right? Is she visiting family or something?"
"Nah, as in she's moved there."
My eyes bugged now. "Since when?"
"A couple months ago now."
The shock stopped me from eating. Now her constant lateness made sense; even the fastest train from Manchester to London was over three hours. It surprised me she would keep a job here when she could easily transfer to her hometown.
"So that's why she's not in today?"
He nodded and had another spoonful of food. "I told her to take today off. Her train was delayed anyway."
"That's sweet of you." I shot him a suggestive smile. He shook his head.
"Don't start."
"You two make a cute couple. When's it official?"
Nathan laughed. "We're just friends, man."
I hummed. "That's what they all say."
"Nah, for real. She's going through some things at home so I'm taking a step back." He shrugged and bit into his chicken. "Stace already knows the deal, anyway."
Nathan was so serious I felt like I couldn't tease him any further. He seemed confident that things would work out between the two of them, and that assuredness was really endearing. He clearly liked Stacey a lot; I wished them nothing but the best.
Sucks that it'd be long-distance though.
Things died down after lunch and stock take was officially over. Some staff headed home, while the rest of us who started later on in the day stayed behind to clear the store. I wheeled a skip of junior trainers into the stockroom and saw Kayden on the stepladder shoving a box back into its slot.
"Where am I putting this?" I asked him.
Kayden turned to me and his expression softened. We'd barely spoken today, too busy with our own tasks. He climbed down the steps and approached me.
"I'll put it in the cage for you," he offered. "You got the key?"
I pulled the key from my back pocket and placed it in his palm. "You're such a gentleman."
"That's my middle name." He grabbed the skip and wheeled it to the back door, then he pressed the exit button and left the room.
I looked around for something else to do to return the favour. I spotted a box labelled 'accessories' that still needed to be put away. Grabbing the box, I climbed the stepladder and placed the items back on their respective shelves.
Kayden soon entered the stockroom again. I felt his eyes on my back as I finished my task.
"Thanks for that."
I turned to him with a grin. "Scratch my back, I scratch yours."
He hummed and lifted me from the ladder without warning. I squealed as he spun me around and planted me on the floor with ease.
"Kayden!"
The genuine smile was back on his handsome face. "Why are you screaming?"
"You scared me!"
"Shh. Not so loud." He held my chin and guided my face closer to his. With no words, he kissed me. I shut my eyes and felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders. Kayden's kisses were therapeutic; slow, sensual and intense. It was as if he was conveying his rawest emotions from the past couple of weeks in this gesture alone.
I reciprocated, slinking my arms around his neck. Excitement prickled in my gut when he hooked his finger in the waistband of my trousers and pulled my groin into his. My mouth opened in a sigh and he caressed my tongue with his own.
His hands shifted to my bum and squeezed. I moaned into his mouth, my rationale slowly slipping. Kayden eased me against the wall, his large hands fondling me as his lips crushed mine desperately, possessively.
I turned away to break the kiss, gulping in air. "Someone might come."
Kayden didn't respond. His lips latched onto my neck, sucking and biting. I swallowed hard and whined when he angled his hips into mine. Then his fingers found my zipper. He dragged it down slowly.
"Later," I whispered, hoping it would stop him. As much as I wanted him, I couldn't risk getting caught and losing my job. But Kayden was so consumed by lust he didn't seem to give a damn.
He pulled back, his lips plump and wet. The carnal look in his eyes told me he would hold me to that promise. With a single nod, he pulled away completely, grabbed a stray accessories box, and headed out the back.
I took a few seconds to compose myself before going to the shop floor. There, I saw Mohammed pricing some items by the till. I joined him and helped to finish the outstanding tasks. We engaged in general chit-chat, but I noticed Mo was glancing at me sideways the odd time.
"What?" I asked.
"Your fly's open."
Shocked, I glanced at my zipper. I'd forgotten to fix it after Kayden tugged it down in the stockroom. I pulled the zipper back up and coughed nervously. Mohammed sniggered.
My shift was finally over. After changing in the staffroom, I said my goodbyes to everyone, Kayden included, and walked to the bus stop. My phone rang as I stepped on the 35 bus.
"Hey Shubdi."
I heard Drake smile through the phone. "What's good, Punjib? You at work?"
"Just left. We shut early today."
"Damn. Was gonna pass through."
I took a seat on the top deck and the bus pulled away from the kerb. "Why, what's up?"
"I'm going to a motive tomorrow and I need a new hat. Need to stay drippy, you feel me?"
I laughed. "You could always go back tomorrow."
"Gonna have to now." He sighed. "You wanna come to this ting?"
"Not really."
"Aw, why?"
"I have no idea who or where it is, I'm not just gonna turn up."
Drake laughed. "Good point. My boy's celebrating coming out of hospital. It was a close call."
Having a general celebration of life sounded fine to me. I considered it for a moment. "Hall or house?"
"Hall."
I hummed. "I'll think about it. I've got coursework."
"Obviously I want you to get good grades and all that but, like, fuck the coursework. Live a little."
A laugh slipped out. Drake had a knack for making you believe your issues were inconsequential if you weren't enjoying life to the fullest. It was the best advice I'd heard in a while. "I'll call you."
"Fo' sho'. Catch you later, sexy."
"Later handsome." I hung up and looked to the streets below. The sky darkened as the sun made way for the night. It was coming up to 8pm and I was feeling tired, but I had to get this visit out of the way.
Ten minutes later, I rang the doorbell and waited. Tyreece opened the door with a small smile on his face.
"You made it."
"Are you surprised?"
"A bit." He stepped aside and let me through. I entered the flat and he shut the door. His woody scent clouded my nose as he stepped behind me and helped me out of my jacket.
"What a gentleman," I teased.
Ty laughed and hung my jacket on the coat hook. "Want a drink?"
"I'm alright. Just wanna get this work done."
He nodded. "Let's go."
I followed Tyreece to his room and noticed the rest of the flat was silent. "Zion's not home?"
Tyreece laughed humourlessly. "He's never home."
Probably too busy making a home between a girl's legs.
Tyreece asked me to visit him this week, and I mentioned my impending coursework deadlines. To kill two birds, he suggested bringing my work with me so he could help. I had no idea Tyreece also studied Business Administration, and since he was a year older, he had the knowledge and practice to put things into perspective.
I'd chosen the course at the last minute, not really interested in anything else other than Media and Sociology. Now I was behind, and I had to play catchup while trying to meet my other deadlines.
It wasn't long before we were sitting on Ty's floor, my textbooks, pens and highlighters sprawled on the carpet. Tyreece was very helpful, explaining things I'd long forgotten and referencing passages that gave my answers more depth. I noticed he'd say something with his head bowed, almost as if he were avoiding eye contact. This was how he earned the nickname Shy Ty; he used to hate when Shanay and I called him that back in primary school.
He paused in reading over my first draft and tapped a word on my laptop screen with his index. "Wrong word."
I read the sentence. "What's wrong with it?"
"It's supposed to be stakeholder; you put stockholder."
"What's the difference?"
He raised a brow, finally giving me eye contact. "You didn't learn this in year eleven?"
"I skipped that class a lot. My teacher was a bitch."
Ty chuckled. "It's implied in the name, to be fair. A stockholder is the holder or owner of stock in a corporation. A stakeholder is anyone that has an interest in the corporation."
I watched him blankly. Despite his explanation being clear as day, my brain had been overworked, and it all sounded like gibberish to me at this point.
Tyreece smiled gently, sensing my brain fog. "The stockholder controls the stock, and the stakeholders are interested. Stakeholders can be anyone; employees, their families, suppliers, customers, the community..." He cocked his head a little. "You understand?"
"Yeah, that makes sense. Thanks." I rubbed my face. "I think my brain is melting though."
He laughed and shut my laptop. "Let's take a break." He hopped up before I could respond. "I'll put on some pizza and we can watch something if that's cool?"
I nodded, grateful that he'd put an end to my suffering. Ty left the room and I cleared up my work and shoved it back into my backpack. I used Ty's laptop to access my favourite movie streaming website and selected The Call. Once it loaded up and the laptop was connected to his TV, I waited patiently.
Soon enough, Tyreece entered the room with two drinks in hand. I thanked him as he joined me on the bed.
"Alcohol?" I asked with a smile.
He laughed. "Not until you're eighteen."
I rolled my eyes and took a sip of the blackcurrant juice. "I've found a film."
Ty hummed. "Is this The Call with Halle Berry?"
I raised a brow. "You've seen it?"
"Thriller and suspense films are my bag. I've seen them all."
"Damn." I moved to change the movie but Ty's firm grip on my wrist stopped me. Goosebumps surfaced on my skin at the sudden contact.
"I don't mind watching again," he said. "It's a good film."
Nodding slowly, I sank back into the mattress and got comfortable.
We were an hour into the film stuffing our faces with pizza. I was so engrossed I didn't realise Ty had been feeding me at certain points.
"Morris Chestnut is so damn fine." I sighed, ogling him in a scene with Halle. "They don't make men like this anymore."
Ty laughed and shook his head, sporting a wonderful smile as he bit into his pizza. My eyes trailed his figure and I mentally took back what I said. Okay ... maybe God wasn't done crafting beautiful men just yet.
"Should you even be eating pizza? What about training?"
Tyreece shrugged. "I can have a cheat day. All in moderation, init."
"Fair." I leaned over and bit into his slice. Ty flashed a playful glare and I grinned back.
Once the film had ended, with a lot of unnecessary commentary from both of us, Ty stood up and flexed his muscles. I couldn't help but ogle his packs peeking from beneath his shirt. He sat back on the bed and cringed.
"What's up?" I asked, noticing his discomfort.
"I pulled a hamstring at training and it still hurts a bit."
I frowned. "Why didn't you say before?"
He smiled sheepishly. "It's minor."
"No, it isn't. Did you use a cold compress?"
"At the beginning, yeah." He massaged the back of his thigh. "It'll be fine by next week. I just can't run until then."
"Aww, poor thing. Want a massage?"
He stiffened, looking mildly confused. "What?"
"You gave me one last time. Let me return the favour."
Ty laughed and shook his head. "It's cool, you don't have to."
"I want to." I repositioned myself on the bed and told him to scoot closer.
"Beccs–"
"Shh." I rolled his Nike shorts up to get a clearer view of his leg. "Where does it hurt?"
"Just the back."
"Turn over then."
Looking somewhat timid, Tyreece flipped over, presenting the back of his knee and thigh. I grabbed some baby oil from his dresser and got to work, massaging it into his firm muscle. Ty released a deep sigh and rested his head on his crossed arms.
"Does that hurt?"
"A little," he muttered.
I kneaded circles into his thigh, applying enough pressure on his hamstring. Despite Ty's obvious suffering, I couldn't help but admire his firm legs and bum. I shook the thoughts from my head and cleared my throat.
Silence befell us. I allowed Tyreece to relax as I did the work. Part of me was genuinely concerned for his wellbeing, and the other part was thrilled by the small grunts of pain Ty made whenever I rubbed particularly hard.
"Any updates on Olivia?" I asked.
He shrugged. "Last I heard she was in hospital."
I bit back a chuckle. "Why, what happened?"
"She got beat up, apparently. Zion told me."
"Ah, that's crazy." I was glad Tyreece couldn't see the smile on my face. Olivia deserved everything she got, and then some.
"Mm. She's not my problem anymore."
Ty's statement seemed final. He'd gone from doting boyfriend to apathetic ex in the blink of an eye. Olivia had him wrapped around her finger for the longest time and he finally saw the light and escaped her clutches. It seemed like Shy Ty was growing up.
"You're good at massages."
My ears picked up at the faint voice. I smiled at the compliment. "Rating out of ten?"
"Hm. Nine."
"Good enough." I squirted more oil onto my palms and rubbed counterclockwise, kneading the firm muscles under smooth, stretched skin. "I've had some practice, to be fair."
"With your man?" he asked.
I shrugged. "Yeah, but..."
"But now you're single."
There was a deafening pause. My hands slowed as the sentence sank in. The way Tyreece spoke was almost like a setup. He wanted me to confirm or deny; he was practically holding his breath waiting for my response.
"Yeah. Exactly."
He suddenly rotated, resting on his back so he could watch me. "You're too beautiful to be single."
My first instinct was to laugh. I lightly tapped his chest. "Which film did you get that from?"
"I mean it, Beccs."
My laughter died down as quickly as it had erupted. Ty's perfect brows furrowed, his lips a soft line and his eyes boring into mine with earnest. It was the expression of someone unwavering and genuine. This was the most serious Tyreece had ever been.
The air grew heady, threatening to suffocate me if I didn't shift away from such piercing eyes. I leaned back. Ty followed my lead, slowly sitting up so that his face stayed close to mine. We regarded each other silently. Seconds felt like minutes, which rolled into hours as Tyreece analysed my face. His eyes fell to my lips.
Then he kissed me.
It was a gentle peck, brisk and light, but the shock made the weight of his lips feel heavy against mine.
I craned my head back and cleared my throat.
"We can't," I muttered.
He studied me for a moment before nodding and backing away. "Sorry."
Now there was a distance between us, the atmosphere foggy with tension. I crossed my legs on the bed and tried to get us back on track.
"How's your leg feeling?"
Ty's hand instantly flew to his thigh. He gripped it and felt the muscle by the back of his knee. "Better. Thanks."
I offered a smile. "You're welcome."
Kayden
"What kinda shit have you got into, bro?" Fazer quirked a brow as he watched me handle the strap.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I analysed the grooves of the strap and switched the safety on.
"Try me."
I wrapped it in my Nike hoody and stashed it in the bottom of my duffle bag. I hadn't even been at Fazer's yard for 10 minutes and he'd already supplied me with enough shit to take on an army.
"Marik."
Fazer chuckled. "Nah, but for real, who?"
"Marik."
The realisation that I was being serious settled into his features. Fazer shot forward from his slouched position on the sofa, rizla sheets fluttering from his lap to the floor. "Fuck. You're tryna bring heat to Marik?"
"I don't have a choice, Faze." I wound my neck, feeling stiff from lack of sleep.
Fazer dragged a lighter from his pocket. He lit up his zoot and took a pull. Then he exhaled, shaking his head and watching me as if I were a man on death row. "Tempz, man ... always involved in some shit."
"That's what started this, fam. Said I want out and he's sending threats. I'm not a prick."
Fazer hummed. "I hear you. That guy's fucked." Another exhale. "That's why you won't catch me doing all that dodgy shit."
"I'm not on it anymore. Just want peace in my life, man." Anger bubbled within the more I pondered my situation. I wasn't a gangbanger—just a naïve guy who got roped into dangerous business at a young age with no way out. Last thing I wanted was to have an all-out war with a drug kingpin, but I couldn't stay backed in a corner without an exit plan. I wasn't raised like that.
I soon left Fazer and drove back to mine. Slow music floated from the kitchen; I kicked off my trainers and followed the sound until I came across Mum sat at the kitchen table. The stereo played smooth soul while she flicked through an old photo album.
She greeted me with a sad smile.
"You alright?" I asked, sliding into the chair next to hers.
Mum nodded. My heart cracked. She clearly wasn't alright, but she masked her pain with a brave face. It didn't make a difference though; I saw through the cracks.
"Did Zaine go to school today?"
"No, he said he'll go next week." Mum sighed and shook her head. "It's hitting him hard."
"We're all feeling it," I reasoned. "But he'll be fine."
She made a grunt that told me she didn't agree. I really felt for Mum. She'd lost a twin who was essentially half of herself. I remember the night before the funeral, Mum said she felt like she would never be whole again. It pissed me off, knowing that this wasn't something I could fix. Healing would take time, and even then, nothing was certain.
I pulled her into a hug. Mum sank into me, and she released a heavy sigh as if she hadn't been able to breathe until now.
"Did you cook?" I asked. She shook her head. "Should I?"
Mum nodded, and I got to work.
In the end, I made some corn beef and rice and dished it onto four plates. Dad would come home from work soon and Zaine was napping. Mum and I ate at the kitchen table, and we had a long chat as we went through the album—one that I hadn't seen before.
"Is that me?" I pointed to a small boy with long auburn plaits holding onto a Spider-Man toy.
Mum's smile was bright as she eyed the picture. "Of course. You don't see the dimple in the chin?"
I took a closer look. It was a cool picture; I wore a full Adidas tracksuit, matching Originals and my face was scrunched in a cheerful grin as I played with the figurine in the corridor of our old home. The dimple was hard to miss.
We turned the page and a photo of me on aunt Tanisha's lap was next.
Instead of frowning at our loss, I smiled at the way she looked in the image. She had a glass of wine in one hand while she squeezed my cheeks with the other.
"How old was I here?" I asked.
"This was your sixth birthday. We took you to Chessington and you cried when we had to leave."
I chuckled. "Could've left that last part out, but okay."
"You were so cute back then." Mum analysed the image and sighed, a glum look darkening her features. "I need to tell you something."
Her serious tone caused me to look up. "What?"
"Tanisha wasn't my only sibling."
I raised a brow, unsure of how to react. "You have more?"
"Had."
I shook my head, confused.
"I had a younger brother called Shawn."
"What happened to him?"
Mum took a deep breath. Tears splashed down her cheeks. "He had an accident at the park and died when he was four."
I was stunned into silence. Mum wiped her face with a swipe of her hand, but more tears fell.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I whispered.
"I didn't want to relive it. It happened so long ago I keep it in the back of my mind. But seeing these..." She gestured to the pictures in the photo album. "It brings it all back. You looked just like him when you were his age." She sighed. "It hurts knowing they're both gone."
I pulled her into another hug. "It's okay." I kissed her forehead and rocked her as she cried.
Most of the evening had slipped away. After consoling Mum and making sure Zaine had eaten, I went to my room and put the strap away. Then I sat on the bed and exhaled, mind and heart empty.
I had too much shit going on at once; it was exhausting trying to stay on top of things.
My phone vibrated with messages, but I ignored them, opting to smoke instead. Didn't take long before I stood by the window taking my first pull.
Eventually, I felt light-headed and numb. I welcomed the sensation, and my thoughts drifted to Rebecca. Saw her a few hours ago at work, and even before then, she had stayed the night. We were spending more time together, and I missed her beside me already.
I grabbed my phone from the bed and called her. She answered on the third ring.
"Hi."
"You alright?"
I heard shuffling in the background. "Yeah, just got in."
"Where from?"
"A friend's."
That piqued my interest. Ree usually referred to her friends by name. "Which friend?"
"You don't know him."
I clenched my jaw. "Cool."
"What? You're not the only male friend I have."
"Clearly."
Rebecca laughed. "You're ridiculous. What're you doing?"
"In my room, thinking about how you owe me."
"For what?"
"You said we'd carry on later."
"Carry on–?" She paused when she understood what I meant.
Something had come over me at work. I was close to taking Rebecca in the stockroom, but she insisted on later instead. And I never forget a promise.
It took a while before she spoke again, "You can come over if you want. Not for that... I mean to chill..."
Her coyness made me smile. It was rare to hear Rebecca so nervous. "See you in ten."
I hung up and got ready, slipping on my NY cap and Air Max's before heading downstairs. I said my goodbyes and left, hopping in the car and taking off down the road. My head swam as I manoeuvred the lanes. Probably had too much crow, but it was too late for regrets.
Once I reached Rebecca's, I rang the bell and waited. Her older brother, Kieran, answered and nodded a greeting.
"You cool?"
"Yeah yeah." We spudded and I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me.
"She's upstairs," he announced before walking off to the kitchen.
I expected to greet her dad—who would usually occupy either the kitchen or the living room—but it was quiet today. There was no sign of him anywhere, so I went straight upstairs to Ree's room.
After two quick knocks, I opened the door to see Rebecca with her head deep in her backpack. Meanwhile, a little girl sat by the foot of her bed playing her Nintendo DS. She glanced up and her eyes bugged.
I smiled. "Hey, cutie." She looked bashful and recoiled slightly. I approached the bed and dropped down to her level. "What's your name?"
Suddenly she squealed, jumped off the bed and ran out the room. I heard a door slam shortly after.
"She must like you."
I turned back to Rebecca. She wore a fitted sports top and matching shorts. Her hair was no longer in a bun but falling down her shoulders in dark brown tresses. I rubbed my tired eyes and shut her bedroom door.
"Was that your cousin?" I asked, walking towards her.
Rebecca nodded, still digging through her bag.
"What're you doing?"
"I could've sworn I put my coursework back in here. Now I can't find it." She tipped her backpack upside down, emptying its contents onto the bed. Then she leaned over and sifted through various sheets of paper.
Her bum swayed as she moved. I drank in the sight of her thick thighs, moving even closer to stand behind her. I held her round the waist, causing her to straighten up.
"You didn't say hi," I said against her skin.
She huffed. "Hi."
"Hi. I missed you." I kissed her neck and Rebecca loosened up.
"You stink of weed," she muttered.
"Mm. I needed it." My hands travelled up her stomach to cup her breasts. "Today's been stressful."
Rebecca's breath hitched when I massaged her gently. "Wanna talk about it?"
"No." I pinched her hardening nipples through her top. "Just let me make you come."
The skin on Rebecca's neck flushed red. "Not yet."
"You said later."
"Everyone's still awake."
"That another excuse?" I turned her around to see the blush on Rebecca's cheeks. "No one's coming in here."
"How do you know?" she challenged. The stubborn pout on her face turned me on even more.
"I just do." I eased her back onto the bed and rested between her thighs. "Relax."
"Okay, wait..." She grouped the sheets of paper and placed them on the windowsill. Then she glanced at me curiously. "Are you sure you don't wanna talk?"
I shook my head and leaned close to kiss the crook of her neck. Rebecca sighed and her arms wrapped around my shoulders, finally letting me in...
Becca
The frigid wind whipped through my hair. I shivered and rubbed my arms, regretting my decision to leave my blazer at home. Maybe I'd overdone it with the midi dress and platforms, but I wanted to at least try today.
Grace looked equally cold. She wore a teal patterned shirt dress and flat shoes, her mini shoulder bag flailing in the vicious gust of air.
Clearly, neither of us were prepared for the weather.
The sour expression on Grace's face was far more chilling, though. Chris still hadn't returned from wherever he'd run off to. It'd been a couple of weeks and no one had heard from him. The fact that he even ignored Gavin's calls was proof enough that he had no intention of revealing his whereabouts.
As his girlfriend, Grace had every right to be pissed off. I thought it would be a good idea to take her mind off her useless partner by dragging her out tonight, but it was quickly becoming a second regret of mine.
We crossed the road and headed down the dark path towards our destination.
"How far is this place?" she asked.
I checked the map on my phone. "Two minutes."
"And you don't know this person?"
"Nope, just Drake." I shocked myself that I'd agreed to come to his friend's hall party, but after the stress I'd endured over the past couple of weeks, I deserved to let my hair down and enjoy myself.
We approached the inconspicuous hall with a group of boys manning the entrance smoking. They spotted us and fell silent as we walked past.
"Fuck," one of them muttered.
I rolled my eyes. It was going to be a long evening.
Inside was lively, with music blaring and countless bodies dancing. I spotted the DJ by the workstation in one corner and food being served by a catering service in the other. It seemed like good vibes all around.
"This looks live," Grace said over the thumping tunes. We sauntered around the edge as I looked out for Drake. Considering he was over 6ft and had a unique dress sense, you think it would be easy to spot him.
"Grace?" We both whipped around to the source of the voice. A tall mixed-race boy with low-cut wavy hair smiled in our direction, his green eyes focused on Grace.
Grace returned his grin. "Oh my God, hi!" The hug they shared seemed intimate.
"You alright?" he asked her.
"Yeah. What're you doing here?"
"I came with my boy."
I leaned close to Grace's ear. "Who's that?"
She cleared her throat and gestured to him. "This is Harley, my childhood friend. Harley, this is my good friend Rebecca."
"Oh, so you're Rebecca." He flashed a cheeky smile. "I've heard a lot about you, still." He stuck his hand out and I shook it.
"Good things I hope," I teased. "Nice to meet you."
"Yeah, 'course. You too." His eyes slid back to Grace. Friend or not, Harley watched her with a sense of longing that was hard to miss. "Want a drink?"
Grace beamed. "Yeah, I'll have pink gin."
He nodded dutifully before turning to me. "What about you?"
I shook my head. "I'm cool. I'm gonna find my friend." I squeezed Grace's arm. "Look after her for me, yeah?"
He flashed a thumbs up and I weaved through the sea of bodies to find the only other person I knew in this place. Busy Signal's 'Shaker' began playing and the crowd went wild, bodies thrashing everywhere in time with the raucous beat.
I spotted Drake when I reached the other end of the hall. He was speaking to a boy wearing a puffer jacket way too thick to be indoors with, leaning against the wall with hands in pockets. Drake on the other hand wore a navy crewneck jumper, ripped black jeans and black and white Jordans. His Jordan bucket hat hooded his eyes, making him appear mysterious. Once again, he looked delicious.
His face lit up when he saw me, and he opened his arms. "Punjib!"
I smiled and walked into his arms, squeezing him tight and taking in his sweet cologne. "I was looking for you."
"Sorry, boo. Got caught up with something." He pulled back and nodded at the boy, who returned the nod before slinking away. Drake cooed and squished my cheeks. "You look nice."
"So do you. Whose girlfriend are you tryna steal?"
His tongue flicked over his teeth in a cheeky grin. "We'll see. Did you find the place alright?"
"Yeah, wasn't bad."
"Good. Lemme get you a drink. I don't want you sober tonight."
"Cool, so long as you look after me."
Drake grinned. "I got you, boo." He gestured me to follow him towards the drinks. "Where's your friend?"
"She's by the food, I think. She's good though." Drake nodded and held my hand, acting as a lifeline as he aided me through the crowd. "Is your boy a celeb or something?"
Drake sputtered a laugh. "What?"
"Look at all these people."
He waved his hand dismissively. "Friends of friends, init. You know how parties go. I ain't seen half of these niggas before."
"Where is he, anyway?"
He shrugged. "Probably out back smoking."
We reached the bar and Drake got to work, pouring me an unknown concoction. I took a sip and gagged straight away.
"What the hell is this?"
"Everything. Drink up, baby." He cheersed me and gulped down his beverage. I took a deep breath and said a small prayer, then tipped my head back.
I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but my head felt light, and my mood had lifted. Drake had given me back-to-back drinks and shots, then insisted I drank water in between to prevent throwing up. I was way past gone.
At some point, Grace had to leave because of a family emergency, so Drake and I walked her to the closest bus stop.
"Text me as soon as you get home," I demanded.
She nodded and gave me a hug. "Thanks for today, Beccs."
Once we saw her off safely, we headed back to the warm hall and carried on dancing. That was until I felt a vibration in my clutch purse. I held my finger up to Drake and left the hall, entering a separate room to take the call.
"Hello?"
"You alright?"
The voice sobered me instantly. "Chris?"
He sighed. "Long time, init."
"Don't give me that shit. Where are you? Grace is worried about you nigga."
Chris paused. "Are you drunk?"
"Answer my question. Where you at?"
"Away."
I kissed my teeth. "Is this really what you're doing?"
"Somethin' came up, init. Just tell Grace I'll be back soon."
The vague sentence was unsettling. "How soon?"
Chris swore under his breath. "Gotta go." Then he hung up.
I looked at my phone in disbelief and called him back. Number busy.
"Fuck," I muttered. I locked my phone and put it away, my skull throbbing from this revelation as well as the alcohol. There was clearly something going on with Chris; whether or not he was in trouble was unclear, but it didn't sit right with me either way.
At least now I could tell Grace that he was alive.
I heard the door shut behind me.
"I don't care what you say, I'm not drinking anymore," I announced, expecting Drake to argue straight away.
"Nah, I insist."
The voice stunned me to silence, his baritone entering my ears and coursing through my bloodstream. I craned my neck in his direction.
He stood there, one hand in his pocket while the other swished a dark brown liquid around in a red plastic cup. His expression was firm and his jaw rigid.
I took a few steps back until I hit the wall. My heart threatened to crash through my chest, and my throat closed; only one frightened word slipped out.
"Leon...?"