Chapter 2

“Where is Charlie?” I directed the question to my mom as we took our seats at one of our favourites restaurants to go to every time she is in town. It holds most memories, out of the few, of the both of us happy. I fear however, today is going to be an exception.

“Oh honey, he had somethings to do and could not come.” Mother scanned the menu, not bothering to scold me for calling her husband, aka my father, by his first name.

The worst ones are always the one with the name Charlie.

“You mean he is out with one of his numerous ladies at a gambling pub?”

“Candice!” Her fist connected with the table, while her eyes swelled with tears, “your father is not cheating. He is a very loyal husband and a good father! He wouldn’t miss today because of something unimportant.”

“Mom, we both know how much of a lie that is.” I leaned back into my chair, “but since you want him to continue making a fool out of you, be my guest. Did he at least pay the debtor that broke into the house?”

She shakes her head no, eyes not longer glassy with hurt but now with shame.

At times I wonder why I was a born in a dysfunctional home. Instead of my parents helping me out with my expenses, I am the one helping them! It is not like they do not have money, they do. Mom is a nurse and dad a chemical engineer. Just that mom let’s dad spend their money on gambling and women while she spends it on alcohol to numb the pain. My happiness is always short lived with them. Just like today, I was extremely excited to graduate and when the certificate reached my hands I thought the world was smiling down on me. That is until I saw my mother, looking good but eyes empty like the sky on a sunny day. And when I went to hug her, I could smell the stench of alcohol swimming with her.

“How much is it again?”

“With the money you gave us last time, it reduced to $10000.”

“Here, I will try to cover the rest of it maybe next week.” I hand her an envelope containing $5000. My bursary really came through for me.

“Thank you Candice.” Her hand rests on mine, “I will let your fath-“

“Do not let him know yet. Pay the creditor then tell Charlie later.”

“Okay.” She placed it in her purse before ordering our favourites.

The meal was nice and our conversation was like a desert. We did not find something worthy to speak about which would not lead to an argument. And after dining, she took a bus home while I walked to my apartment. My day did not end in bliss at all.

Taking a shower and resting comfortably in my bed with a laptop on my thighs, I viewed my emails.

Congratulations Ms Hunter on graduating varsity. Indeed your performance met our standards and we are glad to have chosen you as a beneficiary to our bursary. Please do resume work tomorrow, I am positive that the internship you had been attending has helped you to familiarise yourself with the company and work as my personal assistant. Have a nice day.

“Yes!” The breath I had been holding escapes, I can’t really believe that I am a personal assistant to Delroy Zwide. I have never met the person and there are no, I mean no pictures of him on the internet only his father’s. And that man was fine! He came up to me during my internship, helping me to be at ease, sadly he passed away not so long ago. Now the company is under his son, I cannot wait.

“Why are you here, looking like that?” Rebecca peeped into my room, seeing me in my nightdress.

“Cause I have work tomorrow.”

“It’s five pm, there is lots of time to kill.” She occupied the vacant space on my bed, “things did not go well with your mom I presume.”

“Yep. I had to give out $5000 dollars as excepted. The funny part was that she told me that with the money I gave her last time, the debt reduced to $10000.”

“But…” she gave me a weird look, “but was it not $10000 when you gave her the money last time?”

“It was. I believe they either borrowed again, lied to me about the balance or they spent the money from last time.” My shoulders roll as I try to calm down.

“I am so sorry friend,” she hugged me, “but hey, do not let that ruin your mood! We need to get wasted and definitely need to get laid! Where is my game maker cause I am not seeing her anywhere.”

“She’s here!”

“Still don’t see her.” She pretended to be looking around the room.

I push the blankets off me and stood eye level with, “she’s here! Ready to make the night hers.”

“There you go!” We high-five each other.

Five minutes later, Rebecca was done with her shower. We both wore our black butt length dresses. Mine was off shoulder, with arms while hers had strings tied around her neck. We both chose black heels, let our hair down and sprayed a strawberry, well scented perfume. Dark purple lipstick was on point with our purple side bags.

“Shots?” Rebecca took out the bottle of vodka from the cabinet.

“Shots.” We each took sliced lemons and counted to three and prepared our throats for what was to come tonight.

The taste was bitter as always but gave the right kick to get us to a club and on the dance floor.

“I’m going to get a drink!” I shouted in Rebecca’s ear, her semi-wasted self nodded.

Pushing through the sweaty bodies was not a problem cause at this point, I’m sweaty too, “can I have two shots of vodka?” The bartender nodded and turned his back on me.

“I never took you as a vodka girl.” A familiar voice said and well well well, look who it is, Tom.

What did I say I was going to do to him if I saw him again?

“I am deeply sorry I stole your wine.” He said, closing the distance between us a bit.

“Screw you, Tom! You are so going to pay for that bottle. It was not cheap for your information, it costed me and my roommate fifty dollars!” I snatched my shots from the bartender, gulping the two of them with no break in between.

“Whoa, take it easy mami.”

“Again, screw you.” I raised my middle finger at him.

“I am sorry Candice, I was just mad that you kicked me out of your bed. I thought we had something special… look, I’m even here because I just can’t stop thinking about you.” He placed his hand at my exposed back, I forgot to mention that my dress showed skin at the waist.

“Read my lips, screw you!”

“How about I taste your lips?” He focused his eyes on my body which was not screaming at him like my mouth.

A tiny smile broke on my face, I do need to get laid and Tom is presenting himself as the perfect ploy.

“If it helps in a way, here is hundred dollars.” He took the money out of his wallet, “I’m sorry.”

“Screw you Tom.” I snatched the money, turned around and walked to the dance floor but deep down, I knew he was soon to follow.

Chris Brown, *under the influence* started playing and commotion broke down on the dance floor. Bodies were grinding against each other, even Rebecca was glued to some hot blonde guy.

On my side, like I predicted, it was not long before Tom’s hands held tight to my waist and pushed me to him, allowing me to take in his cologne.

“You are hot, you know that?” He whispered into my ear, biting it when he pulled away.

“I do.” I bent over, his hands grabbing tight my hair.

He let out a soft moan as I continued to torture him before turning my whole body to him, standing eye to eye. 

The alcohol mixed with the pleasure, blocked all my senses. I was a high human being, living in the moment.

I grabbed his face and placed our lips together, mixing everything we’ve consumed. I could taste tequila in his mouth with a strong hint of mint, his usual taste. The mixing does not matter at all to me, what matters is that Tom is a good ass kisser. Whoever trained this boy did well, he can get almost any girl at his legs with just a kiss, except me. I need more.

“Your place or mine?” He asked breathless, grabbing me tightly, knowing very well the answer to that question considering the events that I had occured.

“Yours.” I said, grabbing his neck for a kiss.

We stumbled into his place, making a lot of things fall and barely made it into his room. Clothes were already dangling on our legs when we entered. My body hit the soft mattress and his lips found mine again.

“Condom?” I paused him when his hands were already on his belt.

“Is it necessary?”

“Yes or there is not sex, at all.”

He nodded his head and searched the entire room until he found one.

Time to have fun.