Slap!
It was the slap heard around the world. I knew I was going to slap her and no one could stop me. It's like time stopped because everyone is still in the position they were in when I slapped Tori besides Tori. She was holding her cheek with bulging watering eyes looking between me and Mekhi with shock and hurt on her face.
"Mekhi, how could you let her do this to me," she manages to choke out innocently with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I don't have time for this shit, I'm leaving," I say shaking my head deciding that I'm too exhausted to deal with this drama.
"You're just going to leave without apologizing," Tori cries out.
"Absolutely," I say giving Mekhi one last look before I turn and leave.
As I move through the house, I hear the commotion pick back up and I block out my friends who are calling me. I just need to escape and clear my mind. I know that he didn't kiss her, but I can't get the image out of my mind. I knew that girl was trouble, I can't even leave Mekhi alone at a party if there's a possibility that she'll be there. When I reach the door and break through the crowd, I take a deep breath. I fold my arms across my chest and walk towards where we parked trying to clear my mind.
"Babe, Lena…hold on," I hear behind me.
I pretend I can't hear Mekhi calling me and stubbornly walk forward. I'm so upset and embarrassed I could spit fire. Feeling the burn of betrayal, tears sting my eyes as I try to swallow the lump that burns my throat. Trying to keep my composure, I didn't realize that Mekhi was walking with me. Once I get to the car, I lean against the door and rub my face.
"Baby, I'm sorry," he says wrapping his arms around me.
"How could you do that to me," I say to him as the tears are no longer threatening to fall because they are overflowing.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry baby. I didn't want to hurt you, I never wanted to hurt you. I had no idea that she would play that type of trick," he says consoling me.
"I know it's not your fault but I just can't stop seeing it, just take me to my car. I'm going home," I say stopping my tears long enough to talk and place my hands on his chest to move him.
"Going home? You're supposed to meet my mother tomorrow," he says looking at me with worried eyes.
"I don't think I'm qualified to meet your mother right now. After all, she's been chasing you for so long and has finally kissed you in front of so many people, I look like the outsider," I say in a dead tone.
"No, no we're not doing this here," he says hugging me.
"I'm not doing anything, I just want to go home. I'm tired," I say trying again to push him away.
"Okay baby, I'll take you home," he says and unlock the doors.
"No, take me to my car and I'll take myself home," I say to him.
"Baby can we talk about this please," he says holding my hands.
"Sure," I say and he opens the door for me.
"Babe, I…can I take you somewhere," he says as he gets into the car and start the engine.
"I guess, you're the one driving," I say with a sigh and sniff and he hands me tissue.
"It won't take long, I promise," he says reaching into his pocket and handing me a small bottle of water.
"Okay," I say accepting his water.
I open the water he gave me and take a few sips. He pulls away from the party and places his hand on my thigh giving me a reassuring squeeze. I close my eyes as he honks his horn at the party goers outside. With my eyes closed the last of my adrenaline rush dissipates and I truly feel exhausted. The last two days have been long and I've been riding on an emotional high for the last few weeks. I didn't stop to think about the descent from that high because I expected it to even itself out. Now I'm sitting in this car knowing that I don't want to leave Mekhi, but my pride is so hurt that I don't know what to do. As I'm wrestling with my thoughts, he leaves me alone. Not questioning me or pleading his case; he just leaves me in my own world until we get to the place he wants to take me.
"We're here, but could you keep your eyes closed," he asks me.
"Why should I," I ask him stubbornly with my eyes closed.
"Just…trust me okay," he says loosening the tight fists my hands are balled up in.
"Trust," I snort. "What's that," I continue in a whisper.
"Please baby," he says with a soft voice and my heart aches at the sound of his voice.
"Fine," I say keeping my eyes closed and loosening my fists.
"Thank you," he says kissing my hand and getting out of the car.
I take a deep breath as he walks around to my side of the car to open my door. I relax my nerves and calm my thoughts. Remembering that all of this craziness comes along with being with someone like him, I'll allow him to explain himself. Although he didn't initiate the kiss nor go looking for it, he should have never put himself in a position to be taken advantage of.
Mekhi helps me out of the car and guides me as we walk on what feels like a brick or cobbled walkway. With one hand protectively wrapped around my shoulder and the other tightly holding my hand he keeps me secured and balanced.
'Security. This is the feeling he gives me. I am mad as hell and yet I can't help but to feel secure in his embrace.' I think to myself as I start to hear water splashing and music playing.
He then pulls me into a long crushing hug and we rock from side to side. He doesn't say anything as we do this…dance I guess, for a while. I begin to relax and my body unwinds as I hug him back. Breathing a sigh of relief he kisses my forehead.
"There you are. Now you can open your eyes," he says relieved.
"Okay," I say taking a deep breath then opening my eyes to see that we are in the same park we came to after our first date.
"Feeling better," he asks.
"A little…why did you bring me here," I ask him as he walks me to the bench.
"Because it's peaceful and this is where you fell for me. I didn't want to take you to your car where you would've sat alone and cried until your friends came to cheer you up. Something I did made you upset so I have to be the one to right that wrong," he says as we sit on the bench.
"I know it's not your fault. She saw me as I was coming to find you and played her trick. It happened so fast that I couldn't stop her or warn you," I say to him looking away.
"Oh, wow. She had been hanging around for a while actually. She wasn't being her normal obsessive self so no one was bothered by her presence," he admits.
"You know, I ran into your old girlfriend as I was going to get water with the girls," I say to him.
"Old girlfriend…who," he asks confused.
"Camille, she told me that you were all snuggled up with another woman. I didn't want to believe her but she looked so confident in her statement that I did. So I decided to look for you and to my surprise the girl she had seen you with was fucking Tori! I was mad but then she played her trick and I was furious. I could have kicked her ass but I didn't want to cause too much trouble so I slapped her as hard as I could," I say to him instinctively flexing the fingers of the hand that slapped her face.
"Oh baby, I'm so sorry. I should have been more careful; I will make sure that she and I will have no more interactions after today. I can't ensure that our paths will not cross, however I will do my best to avoid her at all costs," he says sincerely.
"Although I would like you to do that very much, I can't ask that of you," I say to him shocked.
"You don't have to ask, it's done. I don't want to put you in any uncomfortable situations. This time it was my lack of judgement had I maintained the same behavior with her she wouldn't have been able to play that trick," he says with his hand on my cheek and I lean into it.
"I just don't want you to have to change your world because of me. I don't like her, but I don't want to things to change because of it," I say to him.
"No, I said it's fine. I should have been more clear and stern with her from the moment you met," he says.
"If it's what you truly want to do," I say to him looking him in the eyes to show my sincerity.
"It is, can I take you home now," he asks.
"Give me a few more minutes please," I say to him with a small smile.
"Okay," he says and he kisses me taking me by surprise.
First the kiss is slow and coaxing. Then it builds up to passion and I feel his apology and sincerity. I finally give in, kissing him back and letting him know that I'm alright. When we're finished kissing, he kisses my lips, my forehead, both cheeks, my closed eyes, and nose.
"I told you before that you are it for me and I will do all that I can to let you know that I mean it," he says holding my face in both hands.
"Okay, let's go home. We have to get some rest before we go to see your mom in the morning," I say to him with a smile.
"Are you sure you want to go home with me," he asks raising his eyebrows.
"Yes, I'm sure," I say feeling much better than I did before.
"Okay," he says and we stand then walk to the car hand in hand.