5. Abril
I slid my freshly pedicured toes into my clear sandals, grabbed my pineapple purse, keys, and phone, and headed out of my apartment to the elevator.
My apartment complex was hosting a social mixer so that the residents could get to know one another better.
It was a combo of a mixer and a speed dating event.
Our apartment complex was comprised of six five-story buildings that formed a horseshoe shape around an Olympic-sized outdoor pool. There were plenty of amenities, including a community room, café, coffee house, gym, cleaners, indoor and outdoor pools, and a bookstore.
Every building had its own gym, indoor pool, and community room. The other amenities were found in my building but shared among all the buildings.
“Hi, I’m Abril Severs.” I greeted the hostess when I arrived at the community room.
“Hi, Abril. I’m Harmony. Welcome to our dating game.
Tonight’s event is called Sight Unseen,” she explained, handing me a clear package containing a blindfold.
“Your attendant will guide you to each table. You have three minutes to ask your questions and three minutes to answer your partners before you move on. There will be twelve men. You will have two rounds with those twelve men before you choose your last two partners. During the last ten minutes, you will get time with your two top picks before you make your final selection. If you strike a match, we will pair you up. Then everyone’s blindfolds will be removed.
Think you can handle it?” she asked, handing me a tag that read 516.
“Yeah.”
She introduced me to my attendant, Farrah, a dark-skinned, curvy girl with sultry eyes and red pouty lips, who wore a burgundy and black wig.
Farrah led me to a table, and anxiety filled me until the games began fifteen minutes later. The first man had a sensual voice, but I didn’t like his energy. He answered the questions just fine, but something was off.
The second man was charming, but it felt forced.
The third man had the perfect answers, too perfect, in fact.
The fourth guy was just my speed, and I enjoyed chatting and flirting with him, but it was over all too soon.
The same thing happened with the fifth guy.
I didn’t care for the sixth guy at all and found myself counting down the time.
The second round was pretty much the same, and I narrowed it down to the final two.
“What do you imagine a girl’s dream date would be?” I asked man number four from the first round.
“First date, going someplace to grab coffee and dessert so we can talk and chill.”
“Not the movies?”
“Nah. I’m not trying to get her in the dark to feel her up. I genuinely want to get to know her personality, her preferences, her intellect, and see if we have a vibe.”
“Second date?”
“Something fun and adventurous. Maybe snorkeling.”
“Whoa! Straight into the deep, huh?” I laughed.
“Maybe. Or maybe something chill and still adventurous like skating.”
“What are major turnoffs for you?”
“Liars.”
“Same.”
We talked a while longer, and then I had to interview man number five.
“Dream date with a girl. Where would you take her and why?”
“To church.”
My eyebrows lifted.
“Okaaaayyy.”
“She has to be spiritually in tune with me. If she doesn’t vibe with my parents and family, and if my pastor doesn’t see that special something in her, then I know she’s not right for me.”
“First date, though?”
“Yeah. Second date would be the movies and dinner.”
I mentally checked out and was thankful when the buzzer buzzed. How could I have been wrong about him from the jump?
“Okay, who do we have?” Farrah asked.
“I really enjoyed 615.”
Farrah chuckled. “Interestingly enough, you both have the same number in reverse.”
“I hadn’t noticed that.”
“Okay, let’s get you to the line,” Farrah stated and helped me out of my chair. I nervously followed her lead, praying that I wouldn’t stumble.
Once everyone was in place, Harmony began to partner people up based on whether they had a match or not. My palms were sweating, and my belly was tight as I worried that I wouldn’t be matched with my guy. It sounded like several matches were made tonight, but my number still hadn’t been called.
Just as disappointment settled inside of me, and I felt weighted down, Harmony called the last set of numbers. “And 516 and 615 are a match!” I felt myself being moved by Farrah, and I knew that my partner was too. We would be across from each other when our blindfolds were removed.
I clapped my hands, but then fear set in. What if he wasn’t attractive? I wasn’t a shallow girl by any stretch of the imagination, but I did want to be attracted to a man that I was going on a date with. I prayed that it was the attorney from the second floor.
“You may now remove your blindfolds,” Harmony announced.
Trepidation filled me, and I was scared. What if he didn’t like what he saw when he looked at me? What if he were rude or said something that made the others laugh? I hated that I was second-guessing myself.
Ever since Devon had married another woman without telling me, I was careful to exercise self-preservation to protect my heart, my spirit, and my mind.
“You can take it off now,” Farrah whispered gently from behind me.
I slowly removed the mask and then peeled one eye and then the other one open. I stared as my mouth dropped in disbelief. I looked to my left and right as the other couples were all pairing up.
That smirk couldn’t dampen my attraction to the man, no matter how much I wished that it would.
Those sleepy, bedroom eyes were more hooded than normal as he sauntered toward me.
His full, thick beard that was a perfect throne for my pussy glistened even more tonight than normal, and his lips looked like they were primed for sucking.
Oh damn! If it weren’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have any at all. The diamond studs in his ears twinkled brightly like the silver chains around his thick neck. My eyes went to the full sleeve tattoos on both of his arms, shown off by the olive-green shirt that he wore.
“Surprised to see me?” he asked when he stopped in front of me.
“Hell yeah!” I snarked rudely.
He chuckled and replied, “Shouldn’t be. I recognized you immediately from that baby voice of yours.”
“I don’t have a baby voice,” I argued, folding my arms over my breasts.
He tugged at my arms, forcing them apart. “Can I at least get a hug?”
“Hell no.”
“Can we please start on the right foot?”
“Your little nasty ass stood in your window, completely nude, scaring the hell out of my girls and me. You’re a freak.”
“You wanted my attention, and you got it.”
“He was definitely standing at attention,” I mumbled.
He chuckled. “Wouldn’t mind introducing you to him.”
“No thanks,” I replied dryly.
“What is it that you have against me? You’ve been mean to me since day one, and all I tried to do was pick up your cans . . . and tampons.”
My face flushed. “The way you treated your baby’s mother.”
“What?”
“The day you moved in. I heard you two fighting next door. Then you kicked her out and kicked her things. No one should be treated that way.”
His face hardened, and he dragged his hand down his face.
“I don’t talk ’bout my personal life, and I don’t owe anyone an explanation.
But since we’re neighbors, I’ma straighten this shit out one time and one time only.
She’s not my baby mama. She’s my ex-fiancée who played in my face for a year, got pregnant by her ex, and tried to play the baby off as mine.
She showed up at my place uninvited just to show her ass and front for the homies. Damn straight I have no words for her.”
His voice was wracked with pain, and his words reminded me of what Devon had done to me. I felt his pain.
“I’m sorry. I had no right to judge you.”
“Now, can we start over?” he asked with a beautiful smile.
“Sure. I’m Abril Severs,” I introduced, extending my hand and finally sharing my name.