Black Panther Shorts

Fear of Rejection

You reached down to pull your shorts to an appropriate length. Your bottom lip tucked between your teeth as your face turned into a slight grimace.
You dragged your friends to a college beach party hosted by some rich kids who owned a house on the beach. You never met the kids but you thought it was a great way to get out and mingle. You were so tired of being single.
But as you silently chastised yourself for choosing today of all days to be adventurous with your bathing suit, you were also beginning to regret your decision. Your gorgeous friends flanked your sides their confidence was infectious and you could only hold your head high when the biggest part of you wanted to hide.
Taylor, your best friend giggled in delight as her eyes danced along the sea of scantily clad dancing and mingling bodies.
"Let loose today Zola." You felt her grab your hand and hold on tightly. "We came to have fun. Right Ade?" Taylor turned to speak to your other friend flanking your other side.
Ade took a sip from the water bottle that she filled with tequila and thrusted it towards her friends.
"We definitely came here to party!! Zola don't you dare fuck it up! You look great, and nothing can change that." You snatched the bottle from Ade and took a long sip.
"Shut up." You snarled at them and took another sip. "You guys always treat me as if I'm some prude. I'm not."
Taylor gently pried the bottle out of your hands and poured the rest of the clear liquid down her throat.
"Uh yeah you are. But don't worry. We are here to help you get rid of that permanent bitch face you seem to keep around."
You rolled your eyes and pulled at your shorts again. Ade swatted at your hand.
"Would you stop doing that... you look fine." Ade's eyes brightened as she looked at the shoreline.
"I wanna throw this ass back tonight. Come on I need someone to hold the poor guy up. And another to hold on to!!" Ade lead the two of you through the white sand closer to the crystal blue water and onto the makeshift dance floor.
The three of you formed a semi circle and danced with and on each other. Hands in the air you tried so hard to let go of your inhibitions until you felt eyes on you. Immediately your bitch face settled back on as you glanced around to people watch. Your feet continued to shuffle to the beat, and you bob you head too. Your eyes drop back down to your two friends in front of you, who are having the time of their lives and you just can't seem to let go.
You roll your eyes at your anxiety and turn to watch the water. Then you see him. Surrounded by three other guys next to one of the tiki torches, you make eye contact with a man who's eyes make your heart stutter. The intensity of his gaze send butterflies through your stomach. His brown eyes illuminated by the flickering light run over you. Through you can't see it his pupils widen in lust.
He licks his lips, then finally brings his eyes to meet yours. With his locs braided out of his face you have a clear view of his full lips and thick eyebrows. His eyes squint, trying to gauge your response to him. When your face gives nothing away he turns back to his friends and joins the conversation with ease.
The corners of your lips pull into a small frown.  It was clear he was interested, why didn't he approach you? Why did he turn away? The more time you have to analyze the situation the more you realize that he couldn't have been interested.
A guy like him goes after what he wants. And why in the world would someone like him want someone like you? You shook the thought off, you promised to never let the negativity cloud your mind again.
Turning back to your friends you begin dancing the night away.
***
"Let's get a drink guys, I'm so thirsty." Taylor fanned herself and draped her body in fatigue onto Ade's back. 
"Get your sweaty ass off of me." Ade shrugged Taylor's small body away from her and stalked off towards the 'bar' area, without a glance behind her. You and Taylor looked at each other and rolled your eyes and headed towards the drinks.
Ade shoves a drink into your hands and gives you a look. You roll your bottom lip into your mouth and take a sip while looking around.
Your eyes fall on the man from before and he's not looking at you so you watch him interact with his friends. He's the second tallest one in the group but you can tell his presence makes up for his height. He observes more than he speaks, but when he does speak he has the attention of everyone around him. You envy that about him.
Tingles run down your spine when you see the gold slugs on his bottom teeth as he laughs loudly at a joke a man that somewhat resembles him said. His eyes fall on you and his smile falters, You make eye contact again with the attractive man and choke on the juice alcohol mix that Ade thrusted into your hand. You quickly look away from the alluring stranger and wiped the juice liquid that fell to your chin. You turned to your friends.
They glance in the direction you were just looking at and smiled.
"Damn, they are fine. Especially the one with the locs." Ade spoke loudly. Your heart dropped. You scooped him out first, but if Ade wanted something she got it.
Ade stood there and watched them smiling at the handsome group of men. You glanced at them slowly. Your heart racing when you made eye contact with him again. You bit your lip and looked away.
"You know him, Zola?" Ade asked curiously. You quickly shook your head.
Taylor glanced at you with growing concern.
"Ladies!" A voice boomed behind you. You turned to see one of the guys standing behind you. The one with the locs was not with them.
"This M'Baku and I'm T'Challa. You guys enjoying our party?" T'Challa spoke to all of you but his eyes remained on Ade. While M'Baku stared adoringly at Taylor.
You rolled your eyes. As a bigger girl, this always happened, it never failed it didn't matter who you were with or what you were wearing. Or if you were feeling your best. Guys never approached you, especially if someone else was there.
You watched as your friends became wrapped up in the handsome males, you tried to chime into the conversation a few times. Just so you wouldn't seem like a bad sport.
Eventually you grow tired of looking like a third wheel, you head towards the water to watch the waves crash against the shore.
You stand there for a moment then glance around to see if anyone else has ventured towards the water. Once you see you're the only one, you quickly rid yourself of your shoes and shirt then roll your shorts up to right below your cheeks.
You walk slowly into the water and jump back a little from the coldness of it.
"It's cold?" A deep voice rang from behind you. Whipping your head around fast, you saw the handsome stranger from before. His eyes roamed your body as you turned to face him.
"Yeah." You bit your lips and took the stranger in. His hair was still braided back, now that he was closer you could see the definition of his broad muscles chest and shoulders.
He looked like he could play football for the university, but you knew he didn't.
"It's not that bad though. My feet are used to it now." You spoke softly to the stranger. He walked closer to you after he took off his shoes and placed them next to your sandals and shirt.
You look up at him as he stares down at you a smile playing on his lips.
"What?" You smile back.
"You cute, you know that?" He said.
"I guess." You shrug and look out at the waves. "Thank you."
"What's your name?" You tell him your name. "But you can call me Zola. Or Zo. What's yours?"
"Erik. What year are you?"
"I'm a junior." Erik's eyebrows jumped.
"I ain't never seen you before."
"You got eyes on the whole student body?" You giggle and look back up at him. Your toes wiggle in the sand.
"Nah. But I've had my eyes on your body since you and your friends rolled up. So I'm confused about how I have never seen you before." He smirks down at you.
You blush and glance down at your feet for a bit then look back up at him. A smile breaks out across your face.
"You a cornball ass nigga ain't you?" You laugh and he laughs with you. 
"I might be a bit corny when in the presence of beauty." He replied.
"Corny ass." You mutter under your breath.
"Aye! Chill with that." He gently pokes you in the side. Your sides are ticklish so you jerk back and push him. He stumbled to the side, the surprise of the push knocking him off his balance.
He turned back to you eyes wide and teasing. He slowly advances towards you you step back unsure of the crazed glint in his eyes. He slowly reaches down to the water that was at your knees and splashes you.
You squeal loudly and jump back from him.
"Erik!! You got me wet!!" You shout.
He licks his lips at you and smiles. He wiggles his eyebrows at you suggestively.
"Wow. Corny and nasty. Anymore tricks up your sleeves?" You joke and splash him back soaking his shirt.
"Ion care if you get me wet." He winks at you. He then reaches to take his wet shirt off. His body is covered in scars. You watch in delight and wonder, your bottom lip tucked between your teeth. You decide to ask questions about the scars later as Erik advances towards you and picks you up. His grip is tight on your body. You latch on to his body in fear. Your one of legs wrap around his waist. Erik walks the two of you deeper into the water.
"For a shy girl you sure do stare at people a lot." Erik's fingers tucked gently under your chin and forced you to look into his eyes.
"I'm not shy. Just reserved." You smile at him.
"Now put me the fuck down before you drop me!!" The air is thick between you two.
"That's the point!" Your eyes widen when you feel his arm let go of you. You quickly wrap your arm around his neck and hold on, throwing the other leg around his waist.
His arm comes back around your waist to hold you his hand rested on the small of your back.
"Damn you really gripping a nigga." He laughs and holds you close.
"I didn't bring a change of clothes. I just wore this bathing suit because it's cute."
"It's cool I got some clothes you can wear in the house." His smirk grows bigger.
"I'm good. Walk us back to shore nigga. I'm too heavy for shit like this." You flick the side of his head. His eyes widen in a challenge. 
"Heavy? Nah." He bounced you twice in his arms. You held on to him tighter. Though you were a bit scared that he would drop you. You were more fearful that you felt so comfortable with him already.
You both gaze at each other's lips moving closer and closer until your lips brush softly against his.
You pull back quickly before the kiss continues.
"We shouldn't." You blush and look away. Erik begins to walk the two of you back to shore.
"Nah it's cool. Look just chill with me tonight? My boys are occupying your friends so we can just get to know each other." You smiled at his suggestion slightly surprised by he's words.
"Wait." You cock you head to the side. "Did you send your friends to talk to my friends?" Your feelings edging towards anger.
"Not really." His eyes slide over your body, quickly reading your body language. He sets you down and throws his shirt back on. Erik wraps his arm around your shoulder and leads you back towards your shoes.
"My friends saw that I kept looking at you so they knew I was interested. But I was in no way going to approach you without knowing if you were interested. Last thing I wanted was to get rejected in front of my friends and your friends. And you weren't throwing me any signs with your fine 'reserved' ass." He threw up air quotes. "Your friends were cute so they said they would talk to them while I spoke to you."
You slid on your sandals and glanced up at him.
"You were too nervous to approach me?" You asked incredulously. "You like exude confidence."
He bit his lip and watched you considering your comment.
"I'm confident yeah. But I couldn't figure you out." He stared down at you, his lips played a smile.
"Yeah well. I'm actually not interested so... I'm glad your friends weren't here to see this." You stare blankly at him as you watch his face fall. You turn around to go find your friends. You feel his hand grab your wrist and he spins you back to him. A smile evident on your face. His face quickly changes from shock to a blank stare.
"That wasn't funny Zo. I gotta fear of rejection."
You laugh in his face.
"Doesn't everyone?" He doesn't laugh with you. "Awe poor Erik." You caress his arm. "If you must know, I am definitely interested." You smile at him and take his hand. His eyes wander to your joined limbs and he smirks.
"Let me you show around."