Wink's 'after hour's spot' is really his place-or rather the basement in his mother's house. It's just your standard basement, nothing fancy. Still unfinished. But Wink has made it his own space. He's got a TV playing music videos and a stereo system. Poster and stickers of different hip hop artists and radio stations line the walls. Chairs and a couch- which Future and I are sitting on currently.
It's spacious, enough room to fit a dozen of us. Sol is getting a lap dance from that chick who blew him and Future earlier at the club. Still can't believe that shit happened. Iz is talking to some girl about politics and social issues while Cheddar stands ogling all the chicks. And Future, next to me smokes a blunt. But mostly everyone's over on the makeshift dance floor.
I open a CD case, reading the track lists and trying- failing- to keep my eyes from going to Tessa. She is off on the other side of the room talking with her friends-Gabi and Hanna, I learned from Future who knows everybody- and moving her body to the music in ways that have me wishing I was somewhere alone with her right now.
I wouldn't have come here if it wasn't for her.
I saw Wink earlier today. He was talking to me again about some deal and being part of a franchise or whatever. I appreciated the help but until now I wasn't sure if I wanted to accept it- still annoyed at his comments about Tessa the other night. I'm just relieved to know she actually had nothing to do with him.
"You like?" Future asks me, and I know he's talking about Tessa. I am practically drooling over the chick.
"She's not from the D though, man." She doesn't have that same love for this city as the rest of us do, nothing tying her to Detroit. And that's important, 'cause outsiders don't typically last here without that. And she moved around so much already. She could leave just as swiftly as she arrived. She said it herself, she's just giving this place a try. I want more than just one night. Getting involved with her ain't gonna end well for me- I know it.
Pshh. Like that's gonna stop me.
"So? If anything that's a blessing." He says, nodding his head to the music, "You need something different than the chicks around here."
"Yeah...she's different." I reply just as she looks my way with that beautiful smile.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Tessa's POV
"That the guy?" Hanna asks, handing me a beer.
I tear my eyes away from Jimmy to look at her, taking the bottle from her hands, "Yeah it is."
"He's cute." She says, and I follow her as she goes to lean against the wall near the makeshift dancefloor.
"He is isn't he?" I smile.
"I remember him now. Seen him around with Future a bunch, but I don't know much about him." She says.
Gabi told me a similar story when we drove here from the club. She said she recognized him from around, but didn't know him well. Not that that's surprising. The two girls have always stuck to their own small group. The only one who seems to know him is Wink, and that just makes me uneasy.
