Page 1 of Aug
ONE
Darkness coated nearlyevery corner around us, but still, I could see her as clear as the blue skies after a rainy day. Because, somehow, they had more in common than I’d ever imagined. They both symbolized hope, new beginnings, a miracle in spite of a mess, peace, and calm to chaos.
An extensive inhale filled my lungs with air as I observed the ringlets of her curly hair bounce each time her body moved. With a small glass in her hand, she met the others above the table, right in the center. A hand pressed against her chest as her head lowered, and her hips swayed to whatever was playing on the loudspeakers. I could only hear her. Only heard them.
“To Roulette and Israel!” Royce yelled over the music.
“To Roulette and Israel!” They all shouted.
Lazily, I blinked to rewet my eyes. My eyelids hadn’t sealed to moisturize my orbs in the last four minutes or more. Missing even a second of her beauty was unacceptable. I mourned the time I lost as my eyes reopened.
The small glass was empty. She slammed it against the table with the others. My eyes shifted to the beauty beside her. They complemented each other so well. A sharp thorn deepened in my heart.
Failure had never been an option in my head, but I felt like I’d done just that to Balle. My job was to protect her, even if that meant sacrificing myself. I was fully prepared to and would happily perform as a human shield to make sure she continued to wake up, breathe, and live, because that was her truest purpose.
But–
When her body went crashing to the ground on that stage, so did my sanity. Somehow, I believed her attempted demise was solely my fault. The weeks following her incident, I ran my body into the ground, desperate to keep my eyes on the prize. Sleep was an afterthought, if a thought at all. Rest wasn’t my priority. Safety and protection was. Life was. Balle’s life was.
“I love youuuuuu!”
“In every lifetime, love.”
The exchange between the best friends reeled me back into the moment. Into her. She was easily the softest place to land. And though I hadn’t quite made it to the runway that seemed to stretch for miles to accommodate my extensive past and troubled heart, I knew it was the perfect strip.
Carved with the softness of a cloud after the rain had drained and the molecule collection had just begun again. Smoothed with the hands of a woman whose delicacy convinced me to wait until my edges weren’t as rough to approach her. Pursue her.And, give her the kind of dick that transcended her belief system. Her expectation. And, any experiences with men before me.
Red.
It should’ve been criminal for it to be against her brown skin. Another inhale rewarded me with more patience and gratitude for the view. However, my gaze was confirmation that the two lightweights were far beyond their limits.
Balle was a goner.
Tiana–
My Tiana was right behind her.
I lowered my shoulder, leaning into Koen. His eyes were fixed on our subject, never leaving her. Not even for a few minutes unless it was to inspect our surroundings to ensure her safety.
“It’s time.”
Koen nodded, agreeing with my analysis of the situation. Having Balle sloppy in public was never going to happen on my watch. It increased the risks and lowered her credibility. She was the Prima Ballerina of Clarke Theater. The theater of the city. Eyes were on her. Eyes would always be on her. And, for good reason.
Beyond the stage, she was a Childers. She had a reputation to uphold. It was about time to cap their night and usher them to the cars as best as we could without puke or dizziness hindering our motion.
“She’s making a call,” Koen informed me.
I observed as Balle crouched near the sofa and placed her hand over the bottom of the phone as she spoke into it. That wouldn’t help. It was loud and her voice would be difficult to track regardless. Still, I watched, reading every word from her lips.
“It’s Sac–” I paused as I continued to digest what she was saying, “She’s told him to come get her.”
“Good.”
A few more minutes, I concluded, placing both hands behind my back and lifting my chin. I knew Balle’s fiancé like a book, now. I’d studied him well. When she called, he came running. His excitement and genuine happiness to spend the smallest moments with her is what had my eyes locked on the woman beside her.
I wanted that.
I wanted her.
