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“You don’t think the make-up’s a bit too much?” I check for the fifth time since she applied it.
“Shaniya, you're wearing mascara and lip gloss. I don't think RuPaul will feel threatened.”
“Whos Ru Paul, will she be there?” Jesus, I hope Troj hasn’t got an ex coming to the party, I’m nervous enough as it is.
Rogue doesn’t answer my question, she just throws her head back and laughs at me, as her red stiletto presses harder on the pedal.
The flames of the firepit dance taller than the people standing around it, and there are so many people here, all of them drinking from bottles or plastic cups. I see no sign of Troj but I do spot Jessie standing at the BBQ, a cigarette hanging from his lips as he flips over the meat he’s cooking. He greets me and Rogue with a nod as we pass him and head for the bar.
“Wow, Maddy has a lot of friends,” I say to Rogue as we squeeze through all the bodies gathered in the foyer to get to the door that leads into the bar. “These aren’t really Maddy’s friends, they’re just hangouts. When the Souls throw a party it usually gets like this,” she explains.
“Lookey, Lookey.” The one they call Squealer blocks my path, his eyes scanning over me, and Rogue defensively steps in front of me. “Beat it, Squeal, we’ve both been warned by Jessie,” she reminds him.
“He only said I couldn’t hit on any of Maddy's friends, he never said anything about—”
“And he told me I’m not allowed to hit anybody at all, don’t make me break my promise,” she threatens in the sweetest tone I’ve ever heard, grabbing my hand and moving us on.
When she locates Grimm, she instantly drops my hand from hers, throwing her body onto his and straddling his waist. I watch her swipe the front of his jet-black hair over to the side before she attacks his lips in such an intimate way, I feel like I should look away. So, I scan the room looking for Troj. There are too many bodies, almost all of them way taller than mine, and I nervously twiddle the braid Rogue agreed to let me keep the feather in. She liked it, said it gave me individuality or something like that. I just wanted to keep it because I liked the way Troj touched it this morning.
“Shaniya.” I turn around and I’m greeted by Maddy, and when she lunges at me for a hug she unexpectedly puts all the weight of her body onto me, and we both stumble a little. “I told Troj to invite you and you came.” She beams, looking dopey-eyed at me as she speaks. “He likes you, ya know. He told Jessie, who told me, but I’m not allowed to say anything.” She screws up her nose.
“There you are.” Jessie appears through the sea of bodies, managing to grab Maddy before she stumbles again. “Grace said you just went shot to shot with Screwy.” He fakes a smile at her as he takes the weight off her body.
“Screwy doesn’t say a lot,” Maddy turns her attention to me and whispers, giggling as she presses a finger over her lips like she’s just let out a huge secret.
“Come on, darlin’. Let’s get ya some water.” Jessie takes Maddy’s arm and wraps it around his shoulder.
“I love you, VP.” Maddy looks up at her boyfriend dreamily as he starts moving her toward the bar.
“If you’re looking for Troj, he just got back. He’s outside,” Jessie tells me over his shoulder, before he gives up and lifts Maddy into his arms and carries her.
I decide to go find Troj, the air in here is even stuffier than usual, and everyone’s eyes seem to be on me, staring at me like I don’t belong here.
I make it through the foyer and out into the open, but there are still so many people around. Nyx has taken over the BBQ, and I’m about to ask him if he knows where Troj is when I manage to spot him myself. He’s on the other side of the fire pit, and his eyes are lit up by the flames glowing between us as he stares across at me. He’s wearing black jeans, and a white T-shirt with his cut and he looks incredible. I debate if I should wait for him to come to me, or make my way over. I can’t read anything from his expression, maybe he doesn’t like my outfit, or he regrets asking me to come. Maybe his ex is here after all?
Troj starts moving, walking around the fire pit to get closer to me and I remain rooted to the ground, the same way I had that first day I saw him. That day feels like so long ago now. Back then I could never have imagined being here, among these people. Troj was just a fantasy, a nameless man who was out of my reach.
I keep my eyes focused on him, wondering if he’s gonna take his off me, but he doesn’t. Not even when he’s standing right in front of me.
“Hey,” I stare up at him, wetting my lips with my tongue when I think about kissing him the same way Rogue kisses Grimm. I have the urge to wrap my legs around his body and climb him too. Our bodies pressed so tightly together like that would surely cure the constant ache inside me to be close to him.
What’s wrong with me these days?
“You look different,” he tells me, his voice low and husky. I want to ask him if he means good-different but I’m too afraid of his answer.
“Sorry, I got held up with Prez, I would have called but…”
“It's fine. Rogue took care of me.” I look down at what I’m wearing.
“You had something to eat yet?” he gestures his head toward the BBQ.
“Not yet.”
“Then let’s eat.” Troj gives me a smile that warms me from the inside out, and with his hand pressed against my spine, he leads me over to where Nyx is still manning the huge BBQ.
“Troj, you think you could take over? I want to check on Ella.”
“She okay?” Troj furrows his brow, looking concerned.
