Hoodwinked

by Desiree Granger

  “She’s the boring one, not me---.”

  “She don’t know that. That’s why she’s here tryna sleep with the first nigga that come at her. Body craving for a nigga to run through it and everybody in here got they eyes on her because they see she’s easy…” He said in a low voice. My eyes never left hers.

  “She probably don’t even know who the fuck you are right now bruh,” the left of me spoke as Jasmine, and I made eye contact briefly. Seeing her shyly turn away with a small smile while sipping her drink. Whatever look she just gave me turned every off button, on. Every sensory, every pulse waking in my body just at that small gesture. The entire club began to jump with people moving wildly as one like a riot to the song as the three of us stood still. I took another sip of my drink with a determined nod, forgetting whatever reason I came here in the first place.

  “Don’t give her your real name,” the left voice said. “You go, we’ll follow up behind you to get at her friend. That’s who we really after anyway.”

  “What am I left with?” The right voice complained. “Why am I always left with nobody.”

  “Because you got other shit to do nigga, that’s why,” the right voice snapped before clamping my shoulder again. “We got a room nearby already paid for, you smoke?”

  “Yeah,” I nodded, reaching for another glass as the girl walked by with the passing tray of drinks. Just in time, always just in time when I finished mine. “She’s going to know who I am. I don’t want her to be upset with me that I followed her---.”

  “She won’t know who you are unless you tell her who you are,” the left voice said in a convincing voice. “It’s her friend you gotta worry about. If the friend sees through you, you’re fucked.”

  “Yeah,” the other agreed as I watched Jasmine stare back at me with a smile. I slowly, weakly smiled back. Watching her look behind her as if I couldn’t possibly be looking at her. Then she leaned into her friend, whispering with a point in our direction.

  “Got her,” the right voice said as he leaned in. “Don’t give her yo real name. Ever. You not Percy Milton tonight, you’re somebody else. In here, you can be whoever you wanna be. Whatever you wanna be at any time and girls will latch on to that shit. This is a place where the imagination is let loose, and guards are let down,” voice drawing further away as I slowly made my way through the crowd towards her. Eyes only for Jasmine who stood like a model, playfully sipping her drink through the straw with her head tilted to the side at me. I leaned in, not even bothering to pay any mind to her strange friend, and took advantage of the fact that she had no idea it was me.

  I felt like a new person, and I intended to show her I was anything but boring.

  “You know you made a mistake coming here tonight!” I told her against her ear before pulling back to smile as she looked me over in a flirty manner. Tongue slipping teasingly between the straw, I had to catch myself before my knees buckled before her.

  “Why is it a mistake?!” She asked over the loud music. Dark eyes with a certain twinkle in them, I leaned in.

  “Because I know your fiance is probably at the house going crazy thinking about all of the things you’re about to get into tonight!”

  Her eyes widened in surprise. Head straightened up to stare at me, and I grinned. She had no idea! Looking directly at me, and had no idea it was me.

  “You’re too beautiful not to be tied down. What’s your name for the night? Girls always give fake names in the club, so what’s yours?” I asked, feeling my vernacular change. Wanting to sound cool in front of her. Almost mimicking my dumb brother, and his lazy way of talking.

  “Imani!”

  Her middle name, careless. She would never last in the real world.

  “Yours?!” She asked. The first word that came to mind, a title of a love poem I wrote back in high school for an assignment.

  “Tsul!” I declared with a smile. Lust spelt backwards.

  One drink later, and I felt her body almost give out on the dance floor along with her friend who latched on to her like a bad rash. Refusing to part from her, but I was beyond logical thinking, rational thought or even common sense at this point. Not when she was like this…

  “That’s my best fran! That’s my sistaaaaaaah!” Her friend yelled as I greedily stood behind Jasmine with my hips pushed forward while she backed everything she had up against me in a wild dance. Never seen her like this. Dress was so short, showing everything while I held on to her waist for dear life. I could feel the left, and right voices egging me on. Clamping my shoulders down in encouragement.

  “Ain’t she beautiful bruh?!” The right one yelled close to my ear as I just watched Jasmine in her wildest moment dance. No rhythm whatsoever. She swung her arms around like a white girl in a black club and twirled her hair. Dancing offbeat on her own with her friend hyping her up. The rest stood around watching, laughing and pointing but she didn’t care, and neither did I.

  “Aye, she can’t dance for shit though!” The left voice laughed.

  “Hell nah! Off beat like a mothafucka!” The right voice added as Jasmine turned to look at me with a point, wanting me to come back to her. She dragged her hands down her hair to her body with a sway of her hips to a song that made no sense, but I smiled and shrugged. Ignoring the jokes as I grabbed two small glasses of red shots off a passing tray.

  “She may not be able to dance, but she’s the prettiest girl here, and has more money than either of you could ever imagine!” I bit back before coming towards her on the dance floor, handing her a shot. I watched as she started to lose her balance after taking the drink, but laughed it off while holding on to me as I chugged mine back.

  “This is the craziest night I’ve ever had!” She yelled over the music, arm wrapped around my waist as she attempted to stand on her toes in the heels to reach my ear. “It’s so loud in here! I can barely hear myself talk! Can you hear me?!”

  I pulled back and nodded, watching her mouth move as the sweat beads decorated her forehead like tiny raindrops. One trailed down the center of her nose while another trickled down her chest, just in the center of her breasts. Her black hair slicked to the sides of her face like black paint swirling her skin when her eyes began to lower. The same way my body began to feel heavy against hers.

  “Another drink?” A small, almost delicate voice came through over the loud ruckus as another girl with a tray of drinks passed by.

  “Aye, we got the room ready. Come on. I think ol’ girl finna pass out from the heat in here,” the right voice said against my ear with another clamp of my shoulder with his hand.

  “Yall ready?!” The left voice yelled. I grabbed Jasmine to keep her from falling as she looked around in a daze.

  “Let’s go!” I let out to the two voices with a nod, naturally taking the lead. Anxious to get her to a room, any bed will do. The pulse traveling down the lower half of my body was doing the talking and lacked patience when we were trying to figure out who had the key to what, and where. What hotel room had what, and how long we would stay until I found myself blurting out,

  “Forget the hotel, we can just go back to my place! No problem! I got my own spot, we don’t need a stupid hotel room!”

  The more Jasmine began to show she wanted me, the more I was anxious to show her what she’s really been missing. She thought I was boring? She thought I was some nerdy attorney with no experience, she had no idea the type of things I was really into, but she was going to find out tonight.

  “Tsul wait,” she whispered, eyes barely open. I stared at her dark brown lips, the way they curled, and folded out in the perfect puckered shape. Like the finest piece of chocolate was right there, inches from my face. She smiled, seeing I was studying her mouth in detail.

  “Kiss me again,” she told me again. Holding her neck out for me, I instead cupped her chin this time, and claimed what was already mine from the beginning only this time… I felt her gasp in my mouth as my entire body relaxed against hers. She was timid at first, but I t
ook control. Afraid to scare her off, but knew to apply enough pressure and dominance where she didn’t have to worry about a thing with me. I was going to make sure she was satisfied with pleasure in every sense, and I made sure she knew that with this kiss… She pulled back, eyes fluttering open in confusion as we stared at each other.

  “Ohh,” was all I could manage as she hid her smile, folding her lips in.

  “I’ve never been kissed like that before,” she admitted without looking at me, but I moved her hair back from her face, and kissed the side of her mouth possessively once more, enjoying her reaction. She didn’t coil or cringe at the sight or feel of me. She enjoyed my presence, and it felt good to know that for once, Jasmine didn’t look or think of me as some weirdo man forcing himself to be with her.

  The left and right voices suddenly came up behind with a low laugh.

  “Yall save that for the honeymoon, we got all night,” the right voice said, clamping his hand on my shoulder. “Come on, and open this door open up man. Handle yo business.”

  Oh, I intend to. Smiling at Jasmine who simply looked amazed at the thought of me having a place like this, in a high rise building such as this one. I coolly slipped my own house key in the lock to open the door to the place we shared. One arm possessively around her waist, I leaned in for one final kiss on the mouth, suddenly loving the feel of her lips against mine before everything grew dark around us.

  Pia Milton

  “I can’t believe I lasted this long!” I yelled over the loud music towards Nevaeh as we nursed our drinks through the small red straw. Small roll of my hips to the beat of the music, everyone seemed to fill the lounge with good vibes. Wasn’t as wild, and chaotic below my feet where we could feel the floors shake, and vibrate. The lights were low to the point where we could only see shadows and circled the entire space where each table had a small orange light that glows dimly in the dark. Intimate setting nonetheless. Ben was sitting on the side enjoying his hookah with a few other people at his table while Delilah stood on the other side of me swaying from side to side in her heels. Pregnant stomach barely noticeable unless you were looking hard enough. Occasionally she would glance at Ben who watched her like a hawk, making sure she was okay, but for the most part, gave her space. “I really can’t believe I lasted this long here without thinking about my daughter or Dre!”

  Nevaeh smiled, giving me that side grin before she leaned in.

  “You’re doing it again Pia! Just enjoy yourself! I’m sure my brother has everything under control! Plus?! Dre is a fool!” She let out before taking my free hand and attempting to spin me around. I laughed before clumsily dropping it to the floor like it was hot, hearing my knees crack as Delilah laughed.

  “Pia get up! It's never that serious!” She laughed.

  “I’m not even that old!” I argued, standing back up with the soreness before pulling at my tie-dye flared leggings. “I’m flexible when it counts!”

  “I’m sure,” Delilah waved off as the lights grew darker. I’m looking around the ceiling seeing small specks of light, like tiny stars. Like we were looking directly up at the sky when I pointed.

  “You see that?! Look how beautiful that is!”

  Violet would love to see something like this, almost started to take a picture when the DJ’s voice came through.

  “Alright, all my fellas with their dates tonight! Come step out to the dance floor. I got something special for y'all. I’ma help y'all out! Ladies! Don’t put it on em too bad!” The DJ laughed as the beat dropped. I could see the floor stir as girls all around me began to change, and bodies swayed to Freak Me by Silk. I looked at Nevaeh who was already holding her phone out with the camera facing us as she danced. Whipping her locs around while Delilah walked over to Ben who sat with his legs wide open in the chair with the hookah in one hand, and the other on his thigh. Waiting on her to give him a dance, and a show.

  “Dance Mama! I know you got the freak in you!” Nevaeh laughed. “Dance!”

  “All my ladies, some of y'all a lil too young in here to know about this, but we bringing that old school sexy back! Ladies! Let’s skoooo!”

  “Lemme lick you up and downnnn!” The song went as I threw my arms in the air, eyes closed trying to block out everything, but the song and just enjoy myself. “YASSS MAMA! WORK IT! HOW YOU GOT THAT BABY!”

  “By my damn self! What man?! I don’t need that!” I let out, facing the camera as Nevaeh laughed, slowly blending into the crowd growing around like shadows in the dark with the light only on the DJ.

  “Lemme plaaaay, with your body baaaby! Make you reaaaal hot!”

  “Somebody grab thick tie-dye in the center! Niggas standing around like y'all don’t know how to jump on it!” DJ yelled as I felt a nervous set of hands coming up behind me, waist as small as my knee come up behind me trying to hold on, but I bumped him out the way before slowly winding down. Licking my lips before gently patting the center of my thighs to come back up.

  “LETS SKOO! My future wife in the tie-dye got y'all niggas scared! Ladies take notes! You know she a freak! Lemme turn it up!”

  “CAUSE TONIGHT BABY! I WANNA GET FREAKY WITH YOUUU!”

  I laughed when I felt a few bodies attempt to get behind me, and in front of me. One man trying to take my hand but I snatched it back, opting to dance for myself. If I couldn’t dance for Dre, I wasn’t dancing with or for anyone but myself.

  “Oh she a wild one! Yall niggas scared! Young boys! Where the real men at?! Cuz I know that pussy fye! Sheeeeiaaat!”

  “GO HOT MAMA!” Nevaeh yelled, still with the camera on me as I dropped back down with the beat, breasts almost spilling out of the cropped tied top when a tall figure stood a few feet away from me with his friends amping him up from behind. Playfully, he slid his hands together, yanked his pants up from each thigh like he was preparing himself.

  “We got a contender! We got somebody!”

  I turned around with my back facing him, inviting him to try it when I suddenly felt him come up behind me with dominance. Hand sliding up my spine to the back of my neck to bend me over as I closed my eyes, feeling him expand before I began to slowly wind with his hips. Okay this man knew what he was doing, not like the last few who were intimidated or had no clue. He jerked my hips back up against his, pressing himself harder against me as I leaned back up. Resting on his chest while his arms came around my waist to hold.

  “Lemme dooooo all the thinnnngs you want me to do!” The song continued as his lips came up to the side of my neck, kissing down on my shoulder like he was trying to be a gentleman, but even I heard that low animal-like groan. So dangerously low, I could feel the tiny vibrations against my skin, and the stretch expand in his pants against my lower back. Sent all the tingling sensations in my body to the right spot.

  “Beautiful,” I could barely hear him say as his hands caressed my body in a way like he was outlining the shape. I smiled, blushing so hard before rolling my hips on hips. Feeling like I was at my sexual peak as he gave me room to explore and dance on him. Only to come back up, and sway against his body. Looking up at the bright stars and multiple moons on the ceiling. Like an intricate galaxy that looked almost too real, the dark clouds seemed to fall, and hang while the moon cycle stretched from one end to another with the full moon in the center. He looked up along with me, and for a moment it felt like it was just the two of us standing in a field. Hearing crickets, smelling the grass, and even he stopped and stared. The cool breeze of air was fresh, and the salty ocean nearby on the coast whipped about.

  Suddenly his arms wrapped tighter around me as he held on, burying his head in my neck as I closed my eyes…. Unlike any other dance I’ve ever experienced, but I blamed it on this place. Esme Lounge.

  I looked over trying to find Nevaeh in the dark crowd but could see the bright light of her phone showing a shocked expression with eyes as wide as saucers at the two of us. She probably didn’t think I had it in me.

  “My nigga skrait’ up DAWG! Yu hear meh?!
DAWG!”

  “Yall looking real comfortable over there!” The DJ yelled. “Like y'all been with each other for a lifetime! Ain’t mad at chu. I seen her with the lights on, she’s gorgeous! Lemme hit y'all with the right song! Fellas, grab that special someone and come out to the floor! Lovers Hour!”

  Baby Face’s beat for Anniversary began to play as I held his hands close to my waist, keeping him behind me for just a few seconds longer. Feeling his head turn to look at his friends, he laughed.

  “Get her number Homer! Make sure you get the number or all of this is for nothing!”

  My body froze. Legs almost like blocks of ice on heels. My heart began to thump excessively as I tried to think about what I just heard. How many black men were named Homer in Atlanta?

  “What’s up?” Homer asked as I backed up, almost gagging. At the thought of even being close to him, let alone feeling his freaking peni….

  “Homer?!” I croaked as Nevaeh anxiously came over, grabbing my arm with the bright cell phone light. Homer’s wide eyes peered at me, getting a closer look before he snatched himself back.

  “The fuck!? Pia?! That was you?!”

  “Where is my child? Where…. Why are you…”

  “Homer what are you doing here?” Nevaeh asked. “What are any of you doing here? You’re supposed----.”

  “WHERE IS MY CHILD?!” I screamed, causing people around us to stare as the lights grew dim enough where we could see one another. There Homer stood, clear as black paint on a white wall. Red shirt with a thick gold watch like one of those scamming Nigerians at the car dealership who were ready to take you for everything you got. His wide nostrils flared, brows coming in as he looked around like this was some sort of prank.