“Where’s the waiter? We need to get this last one in for the graduate! Make sure she never forgets this celebration.”
“Yeeeeeah, bitches!” Alton screamed. “My girl, Zoey, gon’ run for fucking President of the U.S. and get us them reparations we was promised after all!”
The section went up in laughter. Soon the tray went around again and Stenton grabbed two shots for us.
“To my smart as fuck baby mother! It’s her time to take on the world…and I’m scared as shit to see it all go down!” He shouted with his glass feet above my head and his left arm over my shoulder. “Zoey Barrett for president!”
“Zoey Barrett for president!” The group parroted.
It meant a lot to hear those words of affirmation from Stenton and Alton. Did they really think that highly of me? My heart nearly exploded from the pride I felt. It was so much that I didn’t blink at the baby mother reference that I typically found myself repulsed by.
Stenton gestured with his chin for me to toss back the shot, to which I obliged. I don’t think I’d ever drank so much, but my happiness superseded caution. I just wanted to live in the moment for once, and I did. Stenton got rid of my glass and his. I couldn’t believe when he took me at the waist and danced with me. I’d seen him move before, but no more than a two-step. He held me close as we swayed from side to side. Being so close to him brought back familiarity of intimacy, but I fought myself to remember Stenton and I were no longer partners in that manner. He was with someone else, and I was…well, a horny, unemployed, single graduate.
When his scent and proximity became too much for my now drunken state, I excused myself for the bathroom just to break our embrace. I could no longer deal with my hands being limited to his waist. While it felt good to feel his abdomen pressed into my chest, I could have easily gone south and felt his hard glutes up on the dance floor. I was drunk and recognized it. It was time to break before he reminded me that all I was feeling when he was against me now belonged to another woman.
When I returned, there was a cocktail and bottled water waiting for me next to Karen, who was engaged in a conversation with one of Tynisha’s friends. She noticed me taking my seat.
“Stenton ordered that for you,” she informed then went back to her conversation.
I combed the area and found him sitting, his long legs spread with a tumbler in his hand. He appeared more subdued than earlier when we danced. His eyes were stapled to me, like a ravenous predator. Suddenly, I so badly wanted to play the prey. I went to the water first and couldn’t miss his nod of approval.
“Girl, I see you got the piss runs, too,” Tynisha pushed out while sitting next to me.
“Huhn?”
“I saw you come running into the bathroom when I was coming out. You didn’t even see me.”
I hadn’t seen her, and didn’t exactly have a full bladder.
“Oh, yeah.” I glanced over her shoulder. “Where’s Alton?”
“He’s downstairs taking pictures and spreading the word about his documentary.”
“Oh. I thought he didn’t want the fanfare, hence the curtain.”
“Nah. That’s for StentRo. He prefers privacy. I’m surprised he came out tonight. When I heard he was coming, I damn near spit out my drink. That man is so damn happy about your graduation, Mascot. He wanted to see your entire ensemble before buying it. Can you believe that shit? He turned down two concepts before approving this one!” She shook her head then pulled her phone from her purse.
He picked out my clothes? I chanced a glance over at Stenton who was now talking with another gentleman who arrived with him and Alton. What was his angle? Why was he here for me? Once again, I was thrown askew by this frustrating man!