“Ima come find you, girl.” He winked at me before going over to his boys. I had a full D1-college football player as my man, and I felt so indecisive about our future.
“Krishna, come help with these drinks.” My mother had a yard full of testosterone and out of all people to help her with the drinks she just had to ask me.
It was right on the tip of my tongue to call her mom, but I forgot that I couldn’t in the presence of other people. To my friends and anyone else who asked, she was my long-distance aunt. Weirdest shit ever. One look at her and me and you’d know that I came out her coochie. “Aunty Clo, why you ain’t ask…” No way. Ain’t no way in the hell my eyes were seeing what I think they’re seeing. “Just cause it’s your party doesn’t mean a damn thing. Help Amell take these to fill up the cooler.”
“He came. He was here.”
Nine hundred and thirteen days since I last witnessed God’s greatest and most perfect creation. He looked the same since I saw him two years ago. The same wide shoulders and muscular arms that stretched the black V-neck shirt he wore. He grew out a beard. A nice beard that connected into a full bushy piece that hung nice and chinny from his chin. His eyes, dear god, his eyes were so beautiful under the California moonlight. They were so dark and piercing. Dark and mysterious. Dark and hunting. Dark and scary.
“Onyx coals.”
Before when I first saw him he wore a jacket that covered his arms but this time, geesh I needed a drink of water. My throat went dry taking in his creamy dark brown skin covered in ink. Early this morning at twelve Beck and I went to a tattoo shop. It was my first time and I wanted it to mean something. Something that I’d never forget.
“A crown.”
“A crown with a red rose weaved in it for love.”
A unisex crown, so if asked they would never think that it was for him. My father would kill me and probably him if he knew that I was crushing on one of his men, but Amell wasn’t just an average man. Dear god, no. He was special. A rarity of his time. Unique in every way possible.
Most wouldn’t understand my attraction. Probably might call me possessed. Call me attention-seeking. Call me whatever they wanted but the fact remained, that tattoo on the side of my left rib cage by my heart, he’s the first man to ever make it stop. The first to ever make me believe that fairytales could possibly be real.
My crush was dangerous, yes. He’s a full-grown man but my goodness, he ingrained himself into my world and my heart by just one meeting. And the crazy part, he didn’t even say anything.
“Mind blowing.”
“Staring at me won’t move these drinks to the cooler and if that ice melts, your little ass is going to the store to get more.” Flat-freakin-line. He spoke. My gasp wasn’t because of how he spoke to me, I loved it. It came from hearing the sound of bears wrestling with silk – deep velvet.
Taking in his large stature and full height. He had to be well over six feet because the vaulted ceilings weren’t too far from the crown of his head. My mom’s snickering snapped me out of my love haze. “Lead the way, Amell.” I expected a smirk or something.
No. I got a groan of frustration and a head shake. “Come on,” he muttered with four cases of soda in his arms.
Just as we made it over to the coolers the DJ started playing Uncle Luke and the twist in my hips switched like they were on a money-making mission. We were side to side filling up the coolers and I decided to put on a show. I may not have been raised in Florida, but I was born there so that juke’n vibe ran through my veins.
“Get it, Krishna!” Someone yelled and that just made me pop my booty even more. At this point I had that arch perfected and tooted the cheeks just right. Still, Amell’s eyes were on those damn sodas
Being more daring I decided to start dancing around him. Amell tensed and stood up straight. He made no attempts to touch me. Only thing he did was stand there like the rest of the guards on the yard except he had anger flashing in his eyes.
“Move your little ass on somewhere.” He tried to move around me, but I jumped in his way. All I wanted to see was a smile. “Stay in a child’s place and go on about your business.” His words kinda wounded me but hearing his voice again was the reward.
I stared at his back, watching the muscles move with each step he took back towards the house. Even his ass and legs were fine. The way he walked made me think of a man on a mission to battle. Large steps but dipped hips for the swag in his walk.
“The sexiest thing I ever seen.”
All night I did any and everything to catch his eye and nothing worked. Absolutely nothing. I even danced with Gavin hoping to make him jealous and once I did that, I felt extra stupid because this man felt nothing at all for me and here, I was putting on a show.
When it was time to sing happy birthday, everyone gathered around while a large cake in the shape of the number eighteen was rolled out to me. Everyone began singing and my eyes were glued to his face. He probably was only looking this way because my mom was standing next to me, but I didn’t care. Once they stopped and asked me to make a wish, I held his eyes and blew them out.
I almost melted to the ground when he gave me what I labeled as a half-smile and shook his head. I wished for him and me to be together in another life or years down the road. By then he’d probably be married with some kids, but a girl could only wish.
For the rest of the night I partied with my friends. Gavin surprised me when he heard my favorite song, My My My by Johnny Gill, and grabbed me to dance. I tried to focus on being in the moment with him, but it was so hard with Amell on the other side of the yard.
It was well past three in the morning when everyone left. My feet hurt and I ended up falling asleep on the couch. Of course, my dreams were of him. Amell was carrying me and I laid in his arms knocked out. Once he laid me down, he kissed me. A simple lingering peck but it felt like a celebration. Like the fourth of July exploded on my lips.
“Krishna, I know you’re tired but get up and bathe.” I groaned hearing my mother’s voice. She knew how to ruin an almost wet dream.
“Ma, I’ll shower in the morning.” I turned over and jumped up. “Ouch. What the hell?” It felt like needles poked my cheek. On the other side of my pillow laid two roses: A red and black rose, love and death, with a piece of torn paper.
“Be careful what you wish for.”
That’s it. That’s all it said. It wasn’t signed by anyone but when I took a deep breath to regulate my breathing, I smelled him. The cologne he wore lingered and I jumped up and ran down the hall.
“Ma, who put me in my bed?”
Glancing at me over her shoulder, she started chuckling. “Who do you think?”
“Amell was in my room?” I’m sure my eyes were big as day, but I needed clarity.
“Yes. I asked him to. You’re welcome.”
Amell carried me.
I was in his arms.
Was that kiss real?
Amell
There are a lot of things I’ve done in my life that I’m not proud of and right now listening to Clover and entertaining her plea for her love-struck daughter was at the top of the list. We’ve been out in Cali for over a week before Krishna knew her parents were here. Watching her walk across the stage and look around like she was searching for them, that was sad to see. Hearing Clover cry because she couldn’t express how happy she was only made the mood more depressing.