so fucking proud of you, Zo,” he growled in my ear.
At that, I turned in his embrace and reached up to enclose on his neck. Right away, I noticed the glint in Stenton’s slanted eyes under his black fedora. His smile was unguarded and his posture inclined to me, something I hadn’t experienced in what felt like forever. We hadn’t been intimate since Christmas, but his expressions were never of sheer joy like this one. Stenton seemed more than happy…exultant perhaps. It loosened my expression, too. I let it all hang to share that moment with him.
“You look…proud,” I shouted in his ear, trying to speak over the music.
Stenton lowered himself into me as he took me in by the small of my back. “I’m fucking ecstatic. My best friend…number one lady is a Princeton alumnus.” He pulled up from my ear to observe my regard.
My cheeks had begun to smart from the mile long smile plastered on my face.
“I knew you were happy for me, but you weren’t this...celebratory at the graduation or earlier at the BBQ,” I indirectly inquired.
He returned to my ear. “That’s because we were around the holy people, and Michael. Here, I can be almost as over-the-top as I want.” Then his eyes returned to mine again. That’s when I saw a flicker of…more than pleasant words being expressed. I understood the satyr-like coquetry in his words.
I didn’t want to pay too much thought to that possibility, but was happy to have him with me. It felt right. I knew he had other obligations—
“Aren’t you supposed to be in California tonight?” That reminder almost interrupted my welcomed buzz and tipped off my stalking of his girlfriend. He said earlier his flight was scheduled for this afternoon.
Stenton didn’t answer right away with his mouth, yet his eyes held more of an explanation than his words could ever give. He deliberately missed Erika’s event to be here…with me.
“I’m not done celebrating. I pushed back my flight to a redeye.”
“Thanks, Stenton,” I hoped he didn’t hear the cry I swallowed.
“Thank you for persevering. I’m so proud of you, Zo. Not that I ever doubted you, but you’ve once again inspired me. The night belongs to you,” he professed as his arms unraveled from my waist, leaving me feeling bereft. His touch and words sent me adrift that instantly. That quickly, I’d gotten caught up in Stenton’s all-consuming presence. “Which round are we on?” he yelled over my head to no one in particular.
“The last one!” I pivoted and saw Tynisha in Alton’s embrace.
“Where’s the waiter? We need to get this last one in for the graduate! Make sure she never forgets this celebration.”
“Yeeeeeah, bitches!” Alton screamed. “My girl, Zoey, gon’ run for fucking President of the U.S. and get us them reparations we was promised after all!”
The section went up in laughter. Soon the tray went around again and Stenton grabbed two shots for us.
“To my smart as fuck baby mother! It’s her time to take on the world…and I’m scared as shit to see it all go down!” He shouted with his glass feet above my head and his left arm over my shoulder. “Zoey Barrett for president!”
“Zoey Barrett for president!” The group parroted.
It meant a lot to hear those words of affirmation from Stenton and Alton. Did they really think that highly of me? My heart nearly exploded from the pride I felt. It was so much that I didn’t blink at the baby mother reference that I typically found myself repulsed by.
Stenton gestured with his chin for me to toss back the shot, to which I obliged. I don’t think I’d ever drank so much, but my happiness superseded caution. I just wanted to live in the moment for once, and I did. Stenton got rid of my glass and his. I couldn’t believe when he took me at the waist and danced with me. I’d seen him move before, but no more than a two-step. He held me close as we swayed from side to side. Being so close to him brought back
At that, I turned in his embrace and reached up to enclose on his neck. Right away, I noticed the glint in Stenton’s slanted eyes under his black fedora. His smile was unguarded and his posture inclined to me, something I hadn’t experienced in what felt like forever. We hadn’t been intimate since Christmas, but his expressions were never of sheer joy like this one. Stenton seemed more than happy…exultant perhaps. It loosened my expression, too. I let it all hang to share that moment with him.
“You look…proud,” I shouted in his ear, trying to speak over the music.
Stenton lowered himself into me as he took me in by the small of my back. “I’m fucking ecstatic. My best friend…number one lady is a Princeton alumnus.” He pulled up from my ear to observe my regard.
My cheeks had begun to smart from the mile long smile plastered on my face.
“I knew you were happy for me, but you weren’t this...celebratory at the graduation or earlier at the BBQ,” I indirectly inquired.
He returned to my ear. “That’s because we were around the holy people, and Michael. Here, I can be almost as over-the-top as I want.” Then his eyes returned to mine again. That’s when I saw a flicker of…more than pleasant words being expressed. I understood the satyr-like coquetry in his words.
I didn’t want to pay too much thought to that possibility, but was happy to have him with me. It felt right. I knew he had other obligations—
“Aren’t you supposed to be in California tonight?” That reminder almost interrupted my welcomed buzz and tipped off my stalking of his girlfriend. He said earlier his flight was scheduled for this afternoon.
Stenton didn’t answer right away with his mouth, yet his eyes held more of an explanation than his words could ever give. He deliberately missed Erika’s event to be here…with me.
“I’m not done celebrating. I pushed back my flight to a redeye.”
“Thanks, Stenton,” I hoped he didn’t hear the cry I swallowed.
“Thank you for persevering. I’m so proud of you, Zo. Not that I ever doubted you, but you’ve once again inspired me. The night belongs to you,” he professed as his arms unraveled from my waist, leaving me feeling bereft. His touch and words sent me adrift that instantly. That quickly, I’d gotten caught up in Stenton’s all-consuming presence. “Which round are we on?” he yelled over my head to no one in particular.
“The last one!” I pivoted and saw Tynisha in Alton’s embrace.
“Where’s the waiter? We need to get this last one in for the graduate! Make sure she never forgets this celebration.”
“Yeeeeeah, bitches!” Alton screamed. “My girl, Zoey, gon’ run for fucking President of the U.S. and get us them reparations we was promised after all!”
The section went up in laughter. Soon the tray went around again and Stenton grabbed two shots for us.
“To my smart as fuck baby mother! It’s her time to take on the world…and I’m scared as shit to see it all go down!” He shouted with his glass feet above my head and his left arm over my shoulder. “Zoey Barrett for president!”
“Zoey Barrett for president!” The group parroted.
It meant a lot to hear those words of affirmation from Stenton and Alton. Did they really think that highly of me? My heart nearly exploded from the pride I felt. It was so much that I didn’t blink at the baby mother reference that I typically found myself repulsed by.
Stenton gestured with his chin for me to toss back the shot, to which I obliged. I don’t think I’d ever drank so much, but my happiness superseded caution. I just wanted to live in the moment for once, and I did. Stenton got rid of my glass and his. I couldn’t believe when he took me at the waist and danced with me. I’d seen him move before, but no more than a two-step. He held me close as we swayed from side to side. Being so close to him brought back
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