Accepted Fate

by Charisse Spiers

  "What are you talking about, you're tiny." Londyn has silky black hair and big, slightly slanted, chocolate brown eyes, lined with thick black lashes. She has pouty, full lips and a small beauty mark above her top lip. She is petite like me, but she is leaner like Adalynn without the height to be a model and she is naturally bronzed all three hundred and sixty five days a year. Her dad is American and her mom is Asian so she has the best of both worlds. The girl is absolutely, devastatingly beautiful.

  "Yeah well I don't have all that perfectly hard muscle and curves." She pulls out her costume and begins pulling her white, skin tight dress over her head. Londyn is the sailor girl tonight. The bottom hem of her dress and sleeves is blue and white strips outlined in red with red anchors and bows in sporadic locations of the dress and the collar is also outlined in thick red stripes.

  She inches the dress down her body. Like Breyson is going to be the one mad. From what I hear Briar has been after Londyn for over a year. "Okay hot stuff, look at you. Briar is going to be the one guarding his goods."

  She smiles as she sits down to pull on the matching thigh high tights. "I know and I can't wait because that means he's going to peel if off of me later. I don't think I will ever get enough of that boy. I can't believe I didn't give in to him earlier. He is hot." She begins panting the more she talks about him. I guess he waited so long he figured he better make it count.

  "Save it for later girl. We have a lot of work to do with hair and makeup. This is a once a year thing and I've been waiting for this all year. We're going all out." Adalynn decided she was going to be cupid this year. She said it fit since she was able to talk some sense into me about Breyson. She is still convinced she was the factor that brought us together. I let her run with it. Who am I to kill her aspirations of being a match maker? Braxton needs to get his crap together. The girl has a serious overload of passion suppressed inside that needs to be freed. Maybe she can sink her cupid teeth into him tonight and he will have a wake up call.

  Her costume consists of a short piece of white lingerie in a mono style nightie with the entire right side cut out in front and back. I guess it looks more like a two piece connected on one side. There is a piece of bright red velvet draped across the waist of the bottom and the breasts of the top, tying in a bow on the end that is connected at the hip. Instead of a matching head piece like me and Londyn, she has a set of red, feathery wings that attach on her back.

  A burst of adrenaline soars through my body at the sight of the three of us dressed out and we aren't even finished with our face and head yet. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I pull on my moccasin calf length boots and secure my beaded necklace in place. Once straightening my curls out, I part my hair down the middle and braid each side. My makeup consists of cream colored eye shadow and thick black liner with mascara and clear gloss. Finally, I finish my costume off with the fringe suede arm piece and the headband that matches the band of the pants. Lastly, I insert my feather earrings into my ears.

  "Are you nervous?" Londyn paints on bright red lipstick to match her outfit and places her sailor hat on top of her now curled hair along with her royal blue pumps.

  "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. No matter how hard I try, I can't picture Breyson dressed up as a cowboy." Breyson and I are the cowboy and Indian, Braxton is wearing a toga and Briar the male version of a sailor.

  Adalynn walks up beside me, pulling her wings in place. "Oh girl… Those boys in Wrangler's are unforgettable." She looks at me and grins. "Just wait until they start helping their grandfather again and you get to see him on a tractor! If you ever thought it was impossible to have an orgasm without being touched, it's not." She begins fanning her face and I can't help but to keel over in laughter. I'm laughing so hard my abs are hurting, causing me to place my arm over my stomach.

  "Your ass may be laughing now, but just wait. Hottest sight you'll ever see. True story. I swear it," she says and holds up her hand as if she's about to swear on a bible. She is towering over me now that she has put on bright red pumps to match her wings.

  Standing side by side in the mirror, we link arms. This is going to be fun. The doorbell sounds across the house. "They're here," Londyn squeals.

  "Showtime." Adalynn adds.

  I let out a nervous breath. Why do I feel like I'm about to see him for the first time in six months? I've seen him every day for the past two months. "Let's do this."

  We walk downstairs and stop in front of the large, heavy, wooded front door. The glass is frosted; therefore, all you can see is the shadowed silhouette of one of the guys. "Here we go." Adalynn lets out a breath of her own and it almost looks like she is nervous too. Now why would she be nervous? I thought she didn't have any feelings for Braxton. Ha! She is such a bad liar.

  What I see as she opens that door, I never expected in all of my eighteen years. Holy guacamole! Now I know the meaning to that country song Save a horse, ride a cowboy by Big and Rich. He is magnificent. I just want to lick him and I haven't even seen the rear parts yet. Every one of those wash board abs are glistening in the light. I don't even notice the other two because my eyes have been glued to Breyson the entire time. I don't even think I'm breathing right now.

  He is standing before me like a stallion, wearing a pair of dark blue, tight Wrangler jeans covered in chaps and cowboy boots. He has on a long sleeve western style, snap up shirt left unbuttoned and a cowboy hat. He's actually wearing a cowboy hat. He has a red bandana tied around his neck like a western movie and he has a holster with a prop pistol around his waist. My eyes trail him up and down. The thoughts processing through my mind right now are so very wrong. When my eyes meet his and the rather large cocky smirk across his face, I can tell I must obviously look like a blushing school girl and I don't even care or try to hide it.

  His eyes now look over my costume. As they scan my body, his eyes darken in a lustful gaze. What I wasn't expecting was what comes out of his mouth. "Hell no Kinzleigh, you are not wearing that!" I scoff. Come again? There is one way to truly and absolutely piss me off. One. What way is that you may ask? Tell me I'm not going to do something and see what happens. It seems my little Breyson Abercrombie needs to be reminded that I will do what I want.

  He comes stalking towards me like a child that didn't get the toy he wanted. Grabbing me by the waist, he pulls me closer. Just one touch and I feel like jello. I melt into his touch. It's pathetic what he does to me. "I won't watch people gawk at you all night. I know what they will be thinking. No one is going to undress my girl with their eyes and mentally screw you right in front of me. I need you to go change."

  If I weren't as stubborn as I am I might consider it, but I am, so he's about to learn where my buttons are. "I will not change. It should be good enough that I'm on your arm. This is what I chose and this is what I'm wearing." I look him in the eyes. "Whether you like it or not."

  His face turns bright red and his jaw tightens, showing his sudden mood change. It's just too bad I don't care. I begin moving backwards out of his grasp. He follows me. "Then we will just stay here." I begin shaking my head.

  "Breyson you need to chill the fuck out before you regret it," Braxton says from across the room beside Adalynn. Smart boy.

  Breyson turns to him, "Now would be the time to mind your own damn business Braxton. Meet me at the truck." Braxton and Adalynn look back and forth between the two of us before making their exit out the door; Braxton shaking his head because this is all completely ridiculous.

  Once the door closes, he looks back at me and grabs my hand. The raging waters are starting to tame. "Baby…Will you please change? You're smokin' hot and your body is to die for, but I don't want others seeing what is mine." He places his lips against mine and traces my lips with the tip of his tongue. Oh my..."These are mine." He cups my breast and travels down my body stopping on my derriere. "This is mine."

  I wrap my arms around his waist, pulling him against me. The skin to skin contact is fabulous, sending a sudden volt of heat through my bod
y. The friction of our bodies rubbing together sets off a charge of energy that flows between us. "You know Simon wants you and seeing you like that is going to make it worse." Just like that it's like someone dumped a cooler of ice cold water all over me.

  Placing my palms on his chest, I push him back. "That's what this is about isn't it? It's about your jealousy over Simon and your lack of trust in me." I'm furious and the scowl on my face shows it. His eyes widen in realization he just screwed up. "Simon is just a friend. He's always just been a friend. He knows his place because I've made it clear that you are what I want. If you trusted me, this wouldn't be an issue."

  "Baby..." he begins to speak but I'm officially done with this conversation.

  Holding my hand up to stop him, I finish this conversation. "I'm done Breyson. I will not be told what to do or what I can wear. Maybe you should realize who you're talking to. I'm not one of the little girls that has always followed you around, pining for your attention. I don't need anyone's consent for what I want to do. When you realize that, then we will have a discussion. I'm driving myself to the party. If you know what's good for you, you will leave me to myself right now. I need to cool off and I can't think around you. If you don't learn anything else about me, you'll learn this is a make or break with me."

  "Baby please, don't do this. Let's talk it out." He begins rubbing his hands over his face in a panic. The look in his eyes almost makes me cave, but he needs to know I won't be ordered around or this relationship will never work. I have never done anything to break his trust and I have to worry about just as many girls daydreaming about him. I have never once tried to tell him what to do or what not to do. It's not fair for him to be treated any different.

  "Bye Breyson." I turn on my heels and walk out the door, leaving him standing in the living room. My heart cracked a little seeing him almost in tears but he needs to learn a lesson. I really don't feel like I ask for much, but this is one of those things that I have to have. I will not give up my independence.

  I get in my car and start the engine. When I do, Adalynn comes running to the car. Opening the door she gets in the passenger seat. "What are you doing? Aren't you riding with Braxton and Briar? Londyn is going to be left out."

  I pull on my seat belt as does Adalynn. "I'm not leaving my best friend by herself. I told Braxton I'll meet him at the party. He's a big boy, he'll be okay. You're my best friend and it looks like you need some girl talk."

  When I see Breyson running out the front door, I take off out of the driveway before he can stop me. "It's fine, I just won't be told what to wear. Ever. By anyone. End of discussion. He needs to learn that now."

  "I think it's just a guy thing. Don't you think you may be overreacting just a little? Braxton wasn't too thrilled with my outfit either and we're not even dating." She speaks as if she knows she's treading on thin ice. Good, because I'm not in the mood right now.

  Looking at her, I narrow my eyes. "I also didn't see him call you out on it in front of everyone as if you're a child. I will never be that type of girl. The one that's submissive and dependent on some guy telling her, her every move. He knows how I am and he can take it or leave it. I will not conform."

  She holds up her hands in surrender. "You're right. He did take it a little too far. I think the guy just has it really bad for you. It tends to make him go to extremes. Until you, he never so much as gave a girl a second glance. You, my sweetness, have hit his love button."

  If I wasn't so mad I would laugh at her and her crazy talk. "I just need to have some fun. I think I want to drink tonight."

  "Are you sure that's a good idea? You just got out of the hospital for Pete's sake."

  I raise my brow as we drive down the road towards Lake Serene. "Adalynn...don't do that. We just got done with this conversation."

  "Stubborn stubborn girl. Would you chillax? You know I just care about you Kinzleigh." I really need to calm down. Tonight is supposed to be fun.

  "I know. I'm just aggravated. Just show me a good time okay? Within moderation..." She nods and we turn into the subdivision entrance. "Which house is it?"

  "Keep going and I'll show you where to turn."

  We pull my Range Rover into an empty space on the lawn and shut off the engine. I move quickly to get out of my car before Breyson gets here. I'm not ready to see him yet. I just want to be mad at him for a while before I come to my senses and cave. He always has a way of making me cave. The vacancy of his touch and presence is already having an effect on me.

  As soon as Adalynn and I walk in the house, I can feel eyes on us. The room is covered in costumes of various styles and theme; some scary, some sexy and some just plain silly. "Come on, let's go get a drink," Adalynn says pulling me off to the side.

  We get into the kitchen and the bar is completely stocked with different types of liquor and there are two full size kegs. I don't even know how a bunch of high schoolers got their hands on so much alcohol. Simon greets us by the bar. "Hey pretty girl. You drinking tonight?" I smile and nod my head. He always makes me feel at ease, kind of like a brother would. "What's your poison?"

  I shrug my shoulder and look to Adalynn for help. "I've never really drank anything other than wine here and there." He grins from ear to ear and hands me shot of amber liquid. I hold it to my nose and it smells wretched.

  "Here, let me show you. Simon hand me the salt and a lime." He does as she says and I watch her to see what to do. "This, my lovely is one of your four favorite men: Jose. The key to good tequila is cost. You can't go cheap or you'll hurl." She licks her wrist to wet it and sprinkles the salt to make it stick. I remember seeing this on one of those wild MTV shows once; Jersey Shore or something. "Watch closely." She holds the lime wedge in one hand and the shot glass in the other. "Rule number one, open the back of your throat and let it slide down. Lick, shoot, lime; in that exact order." She does exactly that. She licks the salt, pours the shot back and then bites the lime. Simple enough. "Here, now you try."

  Simon hands me another shot glass and a wedge. He grabs my hand, holding my wrist face up. Smiling, he looks me in the eye and licks my wrist before sprinkling it with salt. For some reason, that just doesn't seem as sexy as if it were Breyson doing it. Kinzleigh, stop it! You're supposed to be mad at him. Licking in the same spot he just did, I hold the salt on my tongue and bring the shot glass to my lips. Holding my breath and opening the back of my throat, I pour the glass back, swallow and bite the lime. The burn in the back of my throat makes me cough. I can feel the warmth run down my esophagus.

  Once I stop coughing Simon looks at me. "Another?" Already starting to relax, I nod.

  Just as I'm about to take another shot, the glass is pulled from my fingers. When I turn to see who it is, it's a very angry Breyson. He's blood red and looks like he's about to spit fire. What he doesn't know is I can hold my own. "Stop giving my girlfriend alcohol, Simon!" He looks at me, "What are you doing Kinzleigh? Are you really going to get drunk around him?"

  I pinch the bridge of my nose. He does not get it. "I thought we dealt with this earlier? I seem to remember saying I am done," I seethe. "Stop telling me what to do Breyson! Leave me be!" My voice has risen a few octaves at this point.

  He begins yelling right back. "I will not leave you to be taken advantage of with half your body on display! Not to mention intoxicated when you never drink! Fuck Kinzleigh, chill out, you know I'm only doing what's best for you! I love you!"

  The problem with this is, I despise yelling. It sets me off like dynamite. Why? I have no idea. I've been that way since I was a kid. Most people slither away like a scolded child, but I on the other hand have the opposite reaction. It brings out the beast in me. Also, to make it worse, that shot has just started to take effect in my system, making me brave. Placing my palms on his chest, I push as hard as I can. "If you love me then leave me alone!"

  Everyone is staring around us. Great, we seem to have become the focal point of the entire party. He bounces back and comes toward me, but Briar gr
abs him by the arms. "Dude, you need to leave her alone for a while or you're going to do more damage. Don't make her hate you. Let her cool off....Trust me." At least someone gets it. Breyson stands there for a few more minutes staring at me, pleading with me, but I won't budge. He owes me an apology if he wants me to listen. I am not some child. I'm his girlfriend, his equal and I will get respect one way or the other.

  He storms off and before Briar goes after him, he looks at me. "Please think about what you're doing. He really does love you, ya know."

  Turning back to Simon, he has a smile on his face that I kind of want to slap off. "I want another shot."

  "Whatever you want sweetheart." He winks at me and for the first time around him I feel uneasy.

  Three shots down and the liquid toxin is flowing through my blood. Adalynn and Braxton have been by my side the entire time. Braxton went after Breyson at first but came back shortly after. I'm not sure if it was for Adalynn or to watch after me. I'm completely relaxed and having the best time. It makes me wish I would have tried this before.

  Pulling on Adalynn's arm I whine, "Adi, come dance with me." I give her my pouty face and she begins laughing.

  "You don't have to use the pouty face, silly girl. It doesn't have the same effect on me as it does Breyson." Speaking of, I haven't seen Breyson since I told him to leave me alone. I'm not sure where he is, but at the given moment I don't care. I just hate that I upset him to get my point across.

  We get to the middle of the makeshift dance floor and the hip hop music is blaring. Adalynn is in the middle with Braxton behind her and me up front like a train. Raising my arms in the air, I let the music take over my mind and body. I think of nothing; just let my body sway to the rhythm of the music. I close my eyes and get lost in the sensuality of the words.