Trials and Consequences of Love

Chapter 22

Get me bodied (extended mix) – Beyonce.

"My love is like a rocket, watch it blast off, and I'm feeling so electric, dance my ass off and even if I wanted to, I can't stop. You want me, I want you, baby. My sugarboo, I'm levitating, the Milky Way, we're renegading. I got you (yeah), moonlight, you're my starlight I need you all night (all night), come on, dance with me (let's go) I'm levitating (woo)" – "Levitating" Dua Lipa.

***

🦋Valentina-Rosa🦋

"Just one more time" Aria giggles pulling me off the couch in Alexandre's office.

"Guys, my feet hurt" I groan as I let Aria pull me behind her to our impromptu dance floor.

"Just dance with us one more time" Teresa laughs waving a wad of cash from the heap on the floor that the guys threw at us earlier while we were 'dancing' earlier.

"Alright, alright; just this once" I laugh letting my limbs fall free from my mind to be held captive by the riddim of the music and bass of the speakers.

I allow the music to move me starting with my head then my shoulders all the way down to my waist, hips and feet; the other girls start moving around me as the music from the speakers pierce our ears, earning us whistles from the guys and cash being thrown at us for our 'show'.

I don't think any of us are ourselves tonight; in fact, I think we are all better than the persons we project ourselves to be. I think tonight as Alexandre, Alia, Aston, Aurora, Carter, Kyle, Teresa and I are all batshit drunk; Emily and Aria high off our collective energies -as a result of Emily being unable to drink because of her pregnancy and Aria refusing to drink for some unknown reason- we are the projection of who we truly are. We're happy and we're free from the troubles of the world. Here in Alexandre's office situated above a beautiful red strip club, we are free from the burdens of the world, we are free from most of our responsibilities and we are able to be who we want to be and not who society insists that we are to be.

"Dance with me" I stretch my two hands out for Alexandre to hold and he grabs them gently, standing to his feet and pulling my back towards his front moving his hips against mine to the upbeat song blasting through the speakers. A gust of wind invites itself over the threshold of the open balcony door sending chills all over my body as it snakes its way up the exposed skin on my thighs, back and arms causing me to sink even deeper into Alexandre's warmth.

"Thank you for inviting us tonight "I slur as low as I can for it not to be too loud but loud enough to be heard above the blaring music.

"Thank you for coming," he says snaking his hand around my waist and planting a kiss on the top of my head. This should've been awkward and Lord knows it should have been uncomfortable; the two of us, drunk out of our minds slow dancing to an upbeat song as our friends behave like crackheads and strippers around us. But it is neither awkward nor uncomfortable; in fact, if I were asked to define perfection, I would recite the happenings of tonight to the requester.

Tonight has been perfect from the very start; the moment I decided to slip on the cowl neck backless wine-red sequin mini dress I knew tonight would have been one to remember. I was even more convinced that tonight would've been good when after being in the hallway of Alexandre's house complimenting the girls on their fits Aurora walked out in a navy blue bodycon spaghetti strap mini dress with an opening right below her breasts and a pair of black ankle-strap heels uttering the words "y'all really stupid if y'all thought I was going to let you guys leave me here alone tonight".

My heart swelled with pride at her words and it nearly burst open when Emily sauntered out into the hallway in a black maxi bodycon ruched dress with a split starting a few inches below her right knee and a pair of black sandals uttering similar words to Aurora's. We took our time in the hallway despite knowing that we'd get an earful from the guys for making them 'late' -as if anyone can be late to a party especially when arriving with the host in our midst-. We took our time to tease Teresa about looking like a bride in her white thigh-length bandeau ruched dress and a pair of scarlet red ankle strap heels. We gushed over Alia in her spaghetti strap royal blue velvet dress and clear heels and Emily threatened to steal Aria's gold solid cowl neck drawstring satin dress.