by Blue Saffire
There were a lot of boys from school. The whole basketball team was there. They were all checking the three of us out. Alexis and Aliyah giggled and whispered about who came looking nice and who should have stayed home or spent more time getting ready.
The other girls eyed me, whispering things of their own. A lot of the girls at school look at me funny when Alex walks with me in the halls. Alex can be a ham sometimes.
To get the school talking, he likes to throw an arm around me and pretend he is whispering things to me, when he is saying nothing at all. It’s funny, a few girls stopped talking to me over it. It helps to know who your real friends are.
I caught Aunt Tali eyeing me across the room. I watched her sigh at my outfit and shake her head. I know it must be hard for her to have another girl in the house. Especially one as developed as me.
I looked down at my dress and nervously smoothed the front down. The heels I had on made me look more pigeon toed then I really am. I tried to straighten my feet hopelessly.
I heard everyone start to clap and I looked up. Victor and Alex had entered the room. They both looked great.
Victor was wearing a yellow dress shirt that was hanging loose over his black dress pants. The top buttons were loose, showing off his muscular chest. Alex was wearing a pale blue shirt tucked inside his white dress pants, his top buttons loose as well. I laughed to myself. They thought they were so cool, but so did all the girls in the party.
The girls to formed lines to greet them both with hugs. I decided to get on line as well. I stood on the line that lead to Alex as the girls squealed about how good they both looked. Aliyah stood beside me, rolling her eyes and laughing. There had to be like twenty girls on each line, if not more.
I had to be about two girls away from Al, when Victor stepped away from his line to pull me over to him. He wrapped his arms around me tight in a hug. I was stunned as he kissed my cheek and squeezed his arms around me. I wrapped my arms around him to hug him back after the initial shock wore off.
“Happy birthday,” I chimed as he hugged me.
“Thank you. You look gorgeous, Meliyah,” he whispered in my ear. My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t want him to let me go.
“Thank you,” I replied shyly.
He let me go and I turned back to hug Al who had a big grin on his face as he checked me out. I hugged Al and wished him a happy birthday before making my way to a group of girls I hang with at school.
The music started and people were starting to dance. Suddenly, I was a little worried about my heels. I wasn’t sure they were meant for dancing.
As I stood with my back to the dance floor talking to my friends, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Victor smiling down at me. He placed a hand on my waist and leaned to whisper in my ear.
“Do they teach hood rats how to dance?” he teased and chuckled in my ear.
“I’ll dance you under a table,” I teased back.
“We’ll have to see about that.”
Victor led me to the dance floor by my waist. Before I knew it, we were spinning around the floor. I couldn’t believe how good a dancer he was, but I was keeping up with him. I watched his face as we danced and he scanned my body. His frown was nowhere to be found tonight. He had a huge smile on his face.
As the music pulsed through the room, Victor spun me around then pulled me into his chest. He placed his hands on my waist and held me tightly against him. We were rocking our hips together with the music.
He was so close I could hear him breathing in my ear. The more we bounced together the tighter his grip got on my waist. I looked up at him to find him looking down at me biting his lip, watching my hips rock with his.
It felt like the music was surging through us. I placed my hands on top of his. Victor laced his fingers with mine and gripped me even tighter.
I was so caught up in him being so close to me, I barely realized when Uncle Alex walked over. He placed a hand on Victor’s shoulder and patted it. “Take it easy, Poppa,” Uncle Alex chuckled at Victor.
Victor loosened his grip, then spun me to face him. He placed his hand on the small of my back and pulled me back to him. He looked me in the eyes like he was searching for something before he leaned to whisper in my ear.
“You like me, don’t you?” he panted in my ear.
I looked up at him, biting my lip as the butterflies rose in my stomach. “Yes,” I answered and nodded my head.
He smiled and laughed. Vic let go of me and walked off. Just like that, he left me in the middle of the dance floor feeling like an idiot.
I was furious with him and myself. I fought back the tears that were threatening to embarrass me some more. Before I could get too far into my pity party, Alex popped up and took me by the hand to dance with me.
Alex was a really good dancer as well. As usual, Alex was able to bring a smile to my face just by being Alex. He always tried to keep me laughing. Sometimes I wish he was the twin I had the crush on. Things would be so much easier.
I couldn’t help looking around for Victor. I wondered if he went off to dance with and torment some other girl. Or maybe he went to dance with a girl he actually liked.
I didn’t see him. He had gone off and gotten lost in the crowd. The party had gotten more crowded as time passed.
Alex kept me dancing until I was thirsty and needed to sit for a minute. I made it to the refreshment table and got something to drink. That’s when Jose came running over to my side and tapped me on the arm.
Jose was the one kid that looked like Aunt Tali had absolutely nothing to do with him. He looked just like Uncle Alex. The others had her eyes or eyelashes or even a complexion closer to hers. Something that said she was their mom, but Jose looked like Uncle Alex spit him out on his own.
“Melilyah, will you dance with me please?” Jose asked.
“Sure,” I smiled. Jose is a such cute kid and extra quiet, it was a leap for him to ask me to dance.
All of Uncle Alex and Aunt Tali’s kids are tall. Jose is my height and he is only eleven going on twelve. They were playing a slow song now and as Jose placed his hand on my waist, he started to blush.
I reached to ruffle his hair and smiled at him. He gave me a big smile back then peeked across the room nervously. I turned to see what he was peeking at. That’s when I spotted Victor across the room watching us dance.
Shelia, the brown skin girl from chemistry class, was all in his face talking to him and smiling. However, for once Victor wasn’t looking at her and talking back. His eyes were glued on me. I was confused as I looked back at him. I sighed and turned back to dance with Jose.
When the song was over I really wanted to sit down. I gave Jose a hug and went straight for the first chair I could find. As I sat down, TJ appeared with a cup of punch and handed it to me with a smile.
I took the cup and drank. TJ took the seat beside me and started telling jokes about some of the girls. That is one thing about my new family, they love to laugh.
I was having a good time laughing with TJ when a boy from my art class came over to where we were sitting. TJ stood up quickly and blocked the way to me. He held out his hand and took a bow as he smiled.
“Meliyah, will you dance with me?” he asked.
“Okay,” I answered as I gave him a curious look. His eyes scanned the room quickly and I noticed him nod. I looked in the direction of his nod and once again I saw Victor.
I was extra curious now. I wondered if they were being over protective as brothers or something. Had Victor started this being the oldest?
I remember the day I heard him outside the library. I was like a sister to them all, but they were not all over Alexis, Aliyah or Liz like they were me. TJ kept me on the dance floor for at least three songs.
By the third song, Alex was back. I was just about to give up dancing to go change my shoes when Uncle Alex made an announcement for Victor and Alex to go outside.
Alex’s face lit up, this was what they had been waiting for. He gra
bbed my hand and dragged me along with him. He pushed his way through the crowd, out to the courtyard. I tried to keep up. I think I was as excited for both of them as they were. They had passed the road test the other day. Tali let them drive one of her cars yesterday and today.
When we got outside there were two cars parked facing each other. One with a yellow bow on it and one with a blue bow. The boys’ favorite colors.
Alex had a huge smile plastered across his face. Victor was already climbing inside his brand new black Jaguar as Alex pulled me along to his white one. I watched as they both started their new cars and beep their horns.
Victor was already blasting his stereo. Shelia and Benita, the girl from school with the curly ponytail, were at Victor’s car jumping inside with him. I just stood by Alex’s door as he checked the car out.
“Meliyah, get in let’s go around the block,” Alex crooned as he revved the engine.
“Okay,” I shrugged my shoulders and went to get in the passenger’s side of the car. Victor pulled up alongside me as I got to the door.
“I thought you would want to ride with me,” he called out of the window with a smile. I looked at Shelia and Benita sitting in the car smiling like they won some prize, and frowned.
“Your car is crowded,” I grumbled and pulled the door open to get in with Alex.
“She’ll be safe,” Alex called over to Victor.
“She better be,” Victor growled as his famous frown set in. I totally don’t understand him.
I put on my seatbelt and nestled into the seat. Alex turned on his radio and turned the car around to follow Victor out. We took a quick spin around the neighborhood and returned to the house.
Alex told me about the car in detail, the horsepower, engine type, and a bunch of other stuff I just nodded at because I had no clue what he was talking about. I just knew it was a really nice car and it smelled brand new.
When we got back to the house, Victor had pulled in first and hopped out to hug Uncle Alex and Aunt Tali. Alex parked and ran over to hug Aunt Tali, spinning her in the air. I didn’t know he was that strong.
Aunt Tali is not fat, but I wouldn’t have guessed that Alex could lift her. Uncle Alex gave Alex a bear hug as he released Aunt Tali. They all looked so happy.
The crowd that had come out to watch had started back inside. I didn’t want to get trampled, so I hung back to let everyone go in. I turned to look at the cars the boys had just received.
I wondered what mine would look like. If it would be brand new too. I wondered if my dad would have given me a car for my birthday if he was still alive.
I started back inside the house after the crowd was gone and the last few people were entering the house. Uncle Alex, Aunt Tali, and the rest of the family had already gone inside the house. I wanted to go up to my room and change my shoes before my new brothers got all over protective again.
As I got inside to head upstairs, I felt an arm around my stomach and a hand covered my mouth. I was pulled backward, then pushed into Uncle Alex’s study. It was so sudden, causing me to panic.
I turned around as the arm released me and the doors closed behind us. I was ready to defend myself. My breathing became heavy and I could feel the panic running through me. It had happened so quickly, I didn’t have time to think. I turned to see Victor looking at me anxiously. I realized how I must have looked to him and I took a step back to try to relax.
“Meliyah, are you okay? I didn’t mean to scare you,” Victor said anxiously.
“Um, I’m okay,” I murmured as I looked at the floor.
“Sorry,” he said softly and stepped closer to me slowly.
“It’s okay. You didn’t know,” I started.
“Didn’t know what?” Victor asked as he slowly reached for my waist.
“Nothing,” I whispered.
Victor placed his hand under my chin and lifted my head. He looked into my eyes, searching. Vic slowly ran his hand over my cheek and pulled me closer to him.
I was frozen in his gaze, I didn’t know how to react. Without a word, he leaned in and kissed me. At first it was a light brush of his lips to mine. Then he kissed me like it was something he had been longing to do. His fingers dug into my sides as he gripped a hold of me, clutching me to his chest. My shoes made it so I only had to tip my head upward to meet his lips.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and he kissed me deeper. I couldn’t believe he was kissing me. However, the moment I felt the smile spread across his face, I was sure it was happening.
I wanted to pull away and leave, the way he had left me on the dance floor, but I wanted to kiss him more. His lips were so soft and his kiss was demanding, but gentle at the same time. His lips moved with mine like they knew their shape perfectly.
He placed his hand in my hair and pressed his thumb to my face to pull it closer to his as his tongue probed my mouth for some answer he was seeking. He pulled away to look in my eyes again and softly kissed my lips.
“I would never hurt you,” he breathed.
“I thought you hated me,” I said in almost a whisper.
He bit his lip, shaking his head. “No, I want you,” he said then kissed me again. “You’re my girlfriend, Meliyah.”
He laughed and kissed me again before pulling away, pressing his finger to my lips. He looked at me to ensure I understood our secret, then he turned and rushed out of the study leaving me behind.
I was in shock. I had to pinch myself to start to process what just happened. He just said I was his girlfriend. I jumped up and down like the girls in the movies that just had the best date of their life.
I pulled myself together and slipped out of the study back into the party. I was a lot more jealous now as Shelia and Bonita hung all over my boyfriend. Victor smiled in my direction and I frowned a little. A smirk hit his face and he said something to the two girls then winked at me as he walked away.
I wanted to squeal with excitement. He was my boyfriend. I didn’t care that we had to be a secret couple. I was just happy we were a couple.
As the night went on I realized that Alex and the rest of them weren’t being over protective brothers. Victor had told them to make sure no other boys got close to me. Whatever reason he gave them for it, I knew the real one. I was his girlfriend and he didn’t want anyone next to me.
We dance together once more before the night was over, but Victor kept his distance as we did. Aunt Tali was watching us like a hawk as we danced. He whispered in my ear a few times how pretty he thought I was.
I was trying so hard not to burst into a huge smile. Victor told me kissing me was his favorite birthday gift. I couldn’t hide the smile with that one.
Alex came to cut in after a while. I figured it was for the best because I really wanted to kiss Victor again. I was just upset that Shelia ran over to dance with him the minute he let me go.
Victor pressed his lips and rolled his eyes over her shoulder to show me it didn’t mean anything to him. I was happy with that. I just couldn’t wait to be in his arms again. Suddenly, living here had become perfect.
chapter thirteen
West Wing
Uncle Alex let Victor and Alex drive us to school on Monday. Al had Alexis and Aliyah ride with him and I rode with Victor. Victor had gone back to ignoring me around the house, which I didn’t mind anymore.
Once we were in his car he talked to me nonstop. He drove slower than Alex intentionally. We had time before we had to be to school, so half way there he pulled over so we could pretend to get ice coffees.
Vic ordered the coffee through the drive thru window, then turned and leaned to kiss me. Victor placed his hand on my face as we kissed until the lady at the window cleared her throat as she held our order.
Victor pulled away with a big smile on his face. I reached to wipe my lip gloss from his lips. He got our order and headed for school.
We didn’t hold hands as we walked in the school, but he was right at my side. He playfully nudged me a few times and reached
to lightly hold the back of my t-shirt. I felt so normal.
This was nothing like being Pedro’s girlfriend. I felt like I was living in a fantasy. I had no idea how well Victor knew my schedule until he showed up at each of my classes. Sometimes he only showed up to watch me go to my next class, because Alexis and Aliyah were in the habit of meeting me in between classes to hang out between bells.
He would just walk by and brush his hand against mine, or he’d hit one of the twins to have a reason to hit me too. Only he wouldn’t really hit me, so much as lightly tapping me and letting his hand linger a second longer than a real hit would. I chased him up the hall a few times just to get some distance from everyone. We just stood together and looked in each other’s eyes before turning back to meet the others again.
I was disappointed when lunch came and Victor wasn’t outside my class. It was the first time all day that he wasn’t. When I got to the cafeteria I saw him sitting at our usual lunch table with some of his friends. I got my lunch and went to sit with our group.
It was no secret that a few of the boys on the basketball team liked me. I just wasn’t interested in any of them. After the party weekend over the weekend, I’d received more stares than usual.
As I walked up to the lunch table a couple of the boys started to nudge each other and turn to gawk at me. I’d become used to it over the months I’ve been here. It didn’t help that I was in my jeans with the frayed knees, one frayed thigh, and a tight fitted t-shirt.
Victor’s face tightened and he through a fry at Robert, one of his friends that happened to be drooling the most. Robert didn’t stop looking, instead as I walked pass him, he leaned back to watch my butt. I’d been going to sit next to a couple of girls I talk to at lunch, but Victor’s reaction to Robert stopped me in my tracks.
“Stop looking at her,” he growled at Robert.
“You’re acting like she’s really your sister,” Robert laughed.
“No, I’m not, but that will get you punched in the face too,” Victor hissed at him.
“Relax, man,” Robert chuckled.