“You didn’t have to do that! Thank you,” I said, squeezing his arm.
His light skin blushed as he smiled down at me. We strolled to the edge of the pool. Ron sat down, trailing his feet in the water. I was about to follow him, when I heard a voice calling my name. My head snapped up and I had to bite back a curse word.
“Heyyyy, birthday girl,” Darrien McClemore’s greasy ass greeted me.
“Hey,” I said dryly.
Darrien was my classmate, but he was about two years behind. School was definitely not his focus, as shown by the way he was always leering at me and other girls. He got on my damn nerves. He was like a Carl in the making. I was glad that particular creep had moved out of the house next to Aunt Janine.
“You looking even better than usual, Farrah,” he said, his eyes glued to my chest.
“Hey! I’m up here.” I imbued the words with all the sarcasm in my plus-sized frame.
He chuckled, sounding as sleazy as ever. “I know that. How about I get you a drink?”
“I’m good,” I declined.
“It’s no problem. I can just?—”
“She said she’s fine.”
Ron had popped up to defend me. I smiled at him even as I eased my body between theirs. I didn’t want any trouble at my party. I shot Kera a frantic look and she immediately walkedover to me, abandoning the group of guys who had gathered around her. I didn’t even have to tell her what was going on. Darrien was a known jerk, and she knew I couldn’t stand him.
“Y’all good over here? Darrien, Lydia’s looking for you,” she said.
He yanked his eyes away from my cleavage to scan the crowd. “She here for real?”
Lydia was Darrien’s crazy ass, on-again, off-again girlfriend. I didn’t even know why he flirted so much—she would beat his ass quickly. He hurried off from me, and I gave Kera a grateful smile. She winked at me and walked closer to Ron. He turned beet red as she blinked up at him.
“Be a sweetheart and walk me to the snack bar, please?” she requested, her voice all low and seductive.
Swallowing, Ron nodded. I sighed my appreciation as once again, I was alone. I started toward the tiki bar, my mind set on a virgin strawberry daiquiri. A few steps shy of the line at the bar, something in my peripheral vision caught my attention. I whirled around to face the doors as Seth and Mekhi appeared. For a minute, my eyes were glued to Mekhi. The description “tall, dark, and handsome,” had been written for him. He was tall and solidly muscled, with flawless brown skin and a face God did some of His best work on. He reminded me of Wale because of his locs that were always in some intricate style.
Snap out of it, Farrah, I told myself.He still didn’t like me, and the feeling was mutual. I’d kept my promise not to talk to him and didn’t see myself breaking it any time soon. I knew they wouldn’t stay long—Seth was no doubt just checking on us. A party for teenagers was not his scene. He had hired lifeguards and security just so he didn’t have to deal with us. If I could just hide out from them for a few minutes, I’d have it made.
Forgetting about the drink I had been craving, I waited until they moved closer to the pool before I headed through the doorsand into the house. There was a bathroom near the exit, and I walked straight toward it. Ducking through the door, I locked it before sitting up on the counter. It was ridiculous to hide in the bathroom at my own party, but here I was, all because of a smirking asshole who took pleasure in making me feel small. With nothing else to do, I started to count slowly to six hundred. Surely after ten minutes, they’d be gone.
Sighing, I closed my eyes and leaned back against the mirror. Mekhi had this effect on me that made me run at the same time, wanting to get closer to him. I’d only seen him a few times over the last year, and he barely acknowledged me unless it was to make me feel awkward or way out of my league. I didn’t understand why he couldn’t just be nice like Seth. I added an extra hundred to my count just to be safe before jumping down off the counter. Making my way to the door, I opened it…
…and ran right into Mekhi Venzant’s hard body. I shrieked in surprise, my hand going to my chest where my rapidly beating heart had my breasts heaving.Great. They probablywillspill out now, I thought.
He looked down at me and shook his head, no doubt thinking I was being dramatic. My lips snapped closed, and I immediately began looking for an escape route. I moved left and he followed me. Thinking it was an accident, I moved right, only to have him mirror my steps.
“Wh-what are you doing?” I demanded weakly.
A half-smile tilted one corner of his sexy, juicy lips.
“Wondering why you walking around here with your titties on display.”
I felt the blush climb my cheeks as I crossed my arms over my chest.
“That’s not your business!”
“Oh, yeah? Whose is it, then?” he taunted.
“My man’s!” I said, snapping out the lamest answer ever, then wincing inside.
“Who’s your man, Farrah?”
