Clubs were never really my thing. The act of being in an overcrowded room smooched between hundreds of people like sardines as germs hover over both myself and my drink has never really got me off. But tonight I chose to make an exception. I refused to allow my roommate, Milan to out-due me.

Some kind of new age retro music poured from the club's speakers as skinny model types and preppy looking men, black and white pranced around, danced , and talked loudly over every song the DJ threw on the turntable. Not one single true hip hop song would get any airplay up in here as far as I could tell. There was no way in hell I could ever see myself getting used to this futuristic sounding crap.

My eyes scoured the entire club from the dance floor to the bar repeatedly as I made my way throughout hundreds of people for nearly half an hour until I finally saw Milan standing at the bar with her friends. I walked up behind her and tapped her on the back. As she turned I could see Jazmine choke on her drink when she got a look at the dress I was wearing while Mia only eyed me silently from head to toe.
 

"Zaria," Milan said, with surprise. Her eyes quickly ran from my weave to my heels.

Jazmine whispered something to Mia and they both begin to laugh. It was probably something slick, but I was a hard-core girl and would beat them both at the same time if needed. I ignored their ignorance with everything inside me, though I just wanna spaz out on both of their prissy asses. Undoubtedly I looked fabulous. And they hated me for it. That's all.

"What are you doing here?" Milan asked, still surprised.

"A girl can't go out sometimes?" I countered, smiling.

"Of course. I just didn't know you were coming."

"Yeah, cause you left me, purposely" I spat, then took a step back and placed my hands on my thick rounded hips.

Both Jazmine and Mia began laughing again.

Milan smiled and hit me with phony talk, "You...You look great."

Suddenly a handsome guy walked over. “Milan, I didn't know you had a sister," he said out of the blue. Milan introduced me to her date.

"Marcus, this is Zaria."

Marcus extended his hand and shook mine. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Zaria."

"You too," I returned with a smile.

"So you guys are sisters?" he asked, assuming we were because I’d decided to wear the same dress that Milan wore. She was obviously irked by it. Her girls thought it was super funny.

Jazmine and Mia laughed again in my face trying to clown me.

Inside, I pondered ways to torture and kill them both.

"No," Milan said quickly. "We're just roommates."

Why couldn't she lie? Was she trying to say I wasn’t cute enough to be her sister? I had to admit, my feelings were a little hurt. My brown skin had always made me feel ugly no matter how hard I tried to front. Some folks considered me to be light-skinned, and just a little bronzed but not me. I wanted that skin like Milan, almost white. "Are you here with someone, Zaria?" Marcus asked me.

"No. I'm not," I spat, obviously heated.

"I think I can fix that."

I watched Marcus wave someone over to the bar. Within a few seconds a man even more handsome than him walks over.

"Damon, this is Zaria… Zaria, Damon.".

"Hey, Zaria," Damon greeted with a bright smile and extended hand. "How are you?"
"I'm good now" I returned with major sex appeal. With the heavy flirting, my anger at Milan disappeared for a moment.

He chuckled. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"A Corona would be nice. I'm not a heavy drinker."

"That's no problem." Damon softly placed his left hand on my arm. He waved for the bartender and ordered my drink.

I couldn’t help but give him a few sly once overs. He was gorgeous: Goatee, pearly white teeth, well dressed, well spoken, muscular, and chocolate like a Hershey bar.
"Do you mind if we sit at a table?" Damon asked after I got my drink. "I've been on my feet at the office all day."

He has a job. Shit! That's always a plus.

"Sure," I responded softly.

Before I knew it the two of us were bunned up at a booth in the corner of the club trapped in conversation like we were the only two people in the club. I loved the feeling even though I hadn’t planned on meeting a man tonight. I simply didn’t want to be at home alone just in case there was another break-in in our apartment.

Within just a few hours I felt his body wanting me. And I wanted everything about him to be mine: his smile, the soft touch of his hand when it brushed against my own, and the smell of his cologne. I could feel it. And I didn’t need months or years to realize it like most women.

I was so deep into Damon that I didn’t notice him wave to a passing waitress. "Could you please bring her another Corona, please?"

My eyes caught her give him a lightning fast inspection, thinking that I hadn't seen her. “I can't believe this bitch.” I said in disbelief. Letting her get away with that shit was not an option.

"I don't appreciate that," I stood and said sharply.

"Excuse me?" she responded sassily, like I was some fool.

"Zaria, what's wrong?" Damon asked me with creases in his forehead.

"She knows what's wrong," I said lunging forward. I looked the big breast waitress directly in her eyes. "That was very disrespectful, hoe!"

"Miss, what are you talking about?"

Damon stepped between us just as Milan rushed over.

"What's going on?" Milan asked, followed by Jazmine, Mia, and their dates.

"This bitch right here!" I shouted, pointing my finger in the waitress' face. "She just tried to make a pass at my man!"

Several club goers turned to see what had kicked off.

“Bitch, do you think I’m a fuckin joke?” I asked, anxious to show her I was not the broad to test. Before I knew it, I’d kicked my heels off.

The waitress was still trying to lie, “I never said…”

Before she could say another word I grabbed Damon’s glass from the table and slung Vodka in her face.

Just like that, the DJ cut the music and shouted for security, turning the entire Club’s attention in my direction.

The waitress lunged at me attempting to retaliate.

I ducked her lousy punch. Little did she know I had a past where I always had to fight. “Don’t lie about it!” I screamed. “Be a woman, not a mouse! Admit what you did!”

"Zaria, Calm down," Damon said, with his eyes beyond wide.

I got even more pissed. Why was he protecting her? Were they fooling around before I got to the club? I’ll bet she sucked his dick in the bathroom stall just before he came and talked to me. FUCK THAT SHIT!!! I'm nobody's fool. I grab the empty Corona bottle by the neck, intending to tear his muthafuckin head off. But before I could swing, security had me by my arms and drug me outside while I kicked and screamed like a lunatic.

Dumped onto the street, I see people outside pointing fingers and wondering why I got thrown out, but then reality disappears in an instant. The club is gone. The bouncers are no longer carrying me. Everyone around me is gone.

I found myself standing outside on a very dark night holding a bag full of my clothes with rain pouring from the sky, drenching my body, lightning and thunder nearly deafening me. Why am I here? Where is everyone?

Footsteps come quickly from the distance, splashing water underneath them. They’re getting closer and closer quickly with each step. Something inside me knows they’re coming for me. Something inside me knows they’re coming to hurt me. I look into the night to see a tall shadowy figure dashing up the street towards me, the sight of him scaring me more than the site of the devil himself.

I run to the nearest house and begin to beat on the door, feeling that I belong there. I’ve been there before hundreds of times. I can feel it. It feels like home. Someone here will protect me for sure.

“Please let me in!” I scream, turning to see the stranger quickly getting closer. “Please help me! I have no place else to go and I need help!”

Tears fall from my eyes. Why won’t they help me? Even over the rattling of thunder and lightning their voices can be heard inside. Why are they ignoring me? Why don’t they love me anymore? What did I do to make them leave me out here to die?

The stranger’s hand grab’s my shoulder.

"Zaria!" Milan shouted, snapping me from my daze.

Current reality surrounds me again just as quickly as it disappeared before. I’m outside the club with the bouncer standing in front of me.

“Sweetheart, you might’ve had a little too much to drink,” he said. “You really need to go home before I call the police.”

“Hit him!” Hit him now.” That voice was back and he wouldn’t stop. “You’re such a punk, Zaria. Either hit him or go home.”

“Zaria!” Milan called out again. She got close enough to touch me and offered some encouraging words.

I turned away from her and the bouncer and hopefully that annoying voice. With the quickness, I stormed to my car, with one shoe in my hand , and the other lost. I hurried into my car and slammed the door, hard.

“Zaria!” Milan yelled again, hoping to catch me before I started my Honda.

It was too late… nothing left for her to see now but my taillights and the invisible horns on my head.

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