Chapter 34 #5
Imanio enveloped me in his strong embrace, his muscular arms circling my waist as he leaned in, our foreheads softly touching.
The warmth of his skin against mine felt comforting, yet bittersweet.
“I really don’t want you to leave me,” he confessed, his voice low and earnest, 'but I understand why it’s necessary. I mean... you are wearing white.”
I let out a light chuckle, biting my lip as I met his eyes.
“H-here’s a little piece of advice for next time: maybe opt for b-black. It’s your favorite color, after all,” I suggested playfully.
"Definitely,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with affection, momentarily lifting the weight of the moment.
After placing a soft kiss on my forehead, Imanio straightened his jacket, adjusting it with a touch of formality that contrasted our intimate moment.
“I’ma have Dess to drop you off at home. I’m sure she’s ready to go. She hates these events just as much as I do, but she always show up to support.”
I nodded silently.
“Come on,” he said, his tone shifting to practical.
“H-how long do you plan on staying here?” I asked as we headed back to the ballroom, voice still shaky but trying to stay upright.
“After you leave, I’ma shake a few more hands, put on a few more fake smiles for the crowd, and I’ll meet you at home in an hour.”
I nodded again, grounding myself in that.
Just an hour.
Imanio leaned down to speak with Dessign, who had her purse in her lap and was looking two minutes from rolling out with or without Chi.
“I need you to take her home,” Imanio told her. “You’re probably ready to go anyway.”
Dessign flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Been ready since you gave your heartfelt, yet threatening speech.”
We all laughed together.
After telling Chi she was leaving and me and Imanio shared a kiss, Dessign and I made our way toward the exit—moving fast enough to be intentional but not rushed enough to look like we were fleeing.
Dessign glided beside me, wheeling smooth and steady. Whereas, I walked out with what was left of my pride tucked in the folds of my ruined dress.
And that’s when we passed her.
Aaliyah.
She was posted with her little entourage of mini-clones, fake laughing and sipping whatever new glass of wine she’d conned from the bar. She spotted us and tilted her head with that same smug smirk.
As we walked past, a tic punched through my chest at the perfect time—loud enough for her and her whole row of label-dependent sidekicks to hear it.
“I hope that karma you ordered comes with a side of diarrhea!”
Dessign smiled in approval. “That’s my girl.”
As we drove away from the gala in Dessign’s high-tech car—custom everything, touchscreen dash, wheelchair-adapted pedals—I was still blotting at my dress like I had hope, grumbling under my breath. I couldn’t sit still. Every time I looked down at that deep red blotch, I had an outburst.
Dessign glanced over at me with one hand steady on the steering wheel, as the car cruised down the winding road.
“You good?” she asked.
I let out a frustrated sigh. “Yeah… just a lil' irritated. W-what she did was intentional. I just know it.”
“Oh, I know ,” Dessign commented with her eyes focused on the road.
Dessign said that a little too confident.
“How so?” I asked, eyeing her skeptically.
Without answering, she abruptly pulled over on the side of the road with precision, hit the hazard lights, and shifted in her seat the best she could to face me.
“Sis,” Dessign said, locking eyes with me. “Let me tell you something about Aaliyah. She’s one of those women who ain’t never healed from being replaced.”
I raised a brow.
She continued. “Imanio used to mess with her… about two years ago. But she still acts like she’s got another chance every time she breathes the same air as him.
Tonight? That shit she did wasn’t clumsy; that was a chess move .
Trust me. She did that because you,” she pointed at me, “already won . Naji, when insecure women can’t compete with your presence, they’ll try to stain your image … literally. ”
Dessign leaned in a little and added, “ But never stress over the next woman when you’re the one wearing the crown. Queens don’t flinch for court jesters. ”
I let out a slow breath and nodded, my tics softening to little flutters under my skin.
“She’s lucky I don’t c-c-carry a Super Soaker full of lemon juice and holy water,” I grumbled, chuckling.
Dessign howled , slapping the dashboard. “Girl! I love you!”
“I love you too,” I replied and meant it.
She put the car in drive and we drove off into the warm night air.
The lights of the street flickered past us as I hesitated, searching for the right words.
“So… your brother and I finally, um…” I started, my voice trailing off as a wave of heat flushed my cheeks.
A quick jerk in my shoulder warned me that the inevitable was coming.
“Deep sea dolphins—oooh!”
I flinched at my own sudden exclamation.
“What I was trying to say is… we finally did it.”
"Did what?” she asked, a playful smirk dancing across her lips, her eyebrows raised knowingly.
“You know… did it.” My voice dropped to barely above a whisper.
I pressed my thumb hard against my palm, hoping to control the nervous tic I felt crawling up my throat.
Dessign's expression shifted instantly, a mixture of surprise and amusement washing over her face.
“Ugh! Naji! Sis, I’m glad you experienced some soul-swinging dick or whatever, but let’s not forget he’s my brother. I absolutely do not need those visuals! My brain is still recovering from a childhood filled with accidentally walking in on stuff.”
We burst into laughter. Doing so eased the tension I had built up inside.
“Besides, I’ve already heard enough from girls who’ve been there… Aaliyah being one of them.” She rolled her eyes theatrically. “You just joined the choir, sis.”
Her wink was playful, injecting a lightness into the air.
I giggled. “I… I wasn’t about to go into details ! I was just letting you know it happened.”
And just like that, I felt lighter than I had all night; as if my earlier embarrassment had evaporated, leaving only warmth and camaraderie behind—wine stain and all.