I flew out of the stall and over to the sink to observe my makeup once again before washing my hands. When I turned the corner for the door out of the bathroom, I saw the two weeping women that I’d heard from the stall. It was Dawn and another woman that I didn’t know. When Dawn laid eyes on me it was as if she’d seen a ghost. I was a bit shell-shocked myself. Her eyes were red and her mascara ran down her cheeks. She was panting out of breathing and her red stained lips were parted to assist with her breathing.
Without speaking words, our eyes communicated well. Mine told her I hated her for barking up my tree that was Azmir. Her eyes told me she resented me for being in the way. The other woman tried to follow our scowls, confused by it all. I walked out of the bathroom with no words for her.
Flustered from my run-ins of the night, I tried to remember which door I’d originally come out of, but nothing looked familiar. The music had stopped and I heard someone with a silken masculine voice speak over the microphone system. I figured it was time for the performance and had hoped they didn’t start locking doors for security reasons. There were several entrances I saw that led into the main room. I had to try one to start the hunt. I chose my door without hesitation. When I pulled it opened and started in, I immediately noticed that I was at the top of the room and had entered into the door closest to the stage. Crap!
I saw women with their hands raised eagerly and hopping on their toes like toddlers. What in the…? In a nanosecond all eyes flew to me, causing me to still in my tracks.
The sleek voice flowed throughout the room again and it crooned, “Daaaamn, baby! I remember you from the concert,” with a strong southern twang. “Look it here!” it continued. I followed it to discover it was none other than Trey Songz himself…and he was looking in my direction. I instinctively turned to see who he was speaking to and then heard him say, “Nah, baby, you in the gold. Is that gold?” he asked, straining his eyes, using his hand to shade his eyes from the lights glaring in his face.
A brolic figure standing next to the door that I’d just come through called out to me. “Miss, he’s talking to you.” My heart sped in my chest. I looked back up to the stage and pointed to myself.
“Yeah, baby, you. What’s yo’ name?” he smiled, very much aware of his charisma. His vanity was built into the slant of his eyes.
With hesitance I sputtered, “Rayna.”
“Hold up. Let me come down there to get a better look.” The crowd cheered and laughed, apparently enjoying the show. My mouth went dry. I was extremely embarrassed and wanted to crawl into a dark hole, but I couldn’t. I had too many reasons not to fold—namely three, and they were all females, vying for Azmir’s affection. Never let them see you sweat!
Trey made his way down and as he approached me, I fought harder to maintain my cool. “Daaaaaaaaamn!” he exclaimed, walking just a few feet away. When he got up so close that I could smell his cologne, I felt my legs chilling from nervousness. “You even better looking up close. What you say yo’ name is?” he asked as he slipped his arm around my shoulder.
He was quite the performer and his audience clearly loved it by their outbursts and chants. I chuckled ruefully, unfazed by his undeniable charm.
“Rayna,” I repeated.
“Oh, Rayna. That’s a sexy name for a sexy woman, baby.” He batted his long eyelashes.
I realized he was a lot taller than I gave him previously. I smiled. Trey, you don’t want it with Rayna, I flirted in my mind.
“Did you come alone? Please, god, say you came with ya’ girls!”
The room was filled with laughter. Even I had to chuckle at that one. He was good at this. I shook my head and gave a pouty lip to buffer the blow. I wasn’t alone although at least three women in the room wish I was.