After bidding farewell to her parents and promising to stay in touch she wasted no time in driving drive to Brixton that only took a whole day. Though she could have opted to fly to Swanson Peek she didn't mind the long drive where she was left with her thoughts whilst taking in the vast countryside.
Soon she was back in the metropolitan city known to be dressed in a veil of decadence that had most falling prey to it, back in her apartment where she wasted no time throwing her body onto the bed feeling spent. Releasing a satisfied sigh she stretched taking in the soft feel of the mattress underneath her body whose muscles popped blissfully after being in one position for so long. Closing her eyes she groaned into the silence at the sound of her device ringing, pulling out her phone from her pocket keeping her eyes sealed shut she answered, "Hello."
"You sound like shit," Monique chuckled after taking note of Raquel's usually husky voice coming out rather groggy. "In as much as I cherish these conversations was there something you wanted?" she yawned shifting position to lie on her back. "Forgive me for wanting to know if you had a nice time and if you got home safe."
Her brows scrunched at the sound of Monique's voice she could already picture her throwing her arms every which way in a dramatic manner, "Despite Katherine being there I had a nice time," she replied only to hear a string of curses from her friend's end. Despite the women being level headed in the face of conflict, she could admit Monique was always more willing to get violent if the occasion required her to. "I had a nice time despite everything so…"
"You already said that, so tell me how you really feel," Monique stressed and although she had been doing her best to maintain composure she let out the first thing she could think of, "I wanted to fucking kill her."
"THERE IT IS! Look at you embracing the dark side," Monique snickered, the melodious sound of it infectious to the point she began laughing herself grateful that Monique was there.
Closing her eyes, the flash of deep brown eyes appeared behind the lens and a small grin developed on her lips. It was silly at best that she was thinking about a man she spent such a small amount of time around. But there she was conjuring up silly images in her head of his smile that caused flutters in the pits of her stomach. She had done a decent job of suppressing her need of thinking about him for as long as she could but as she listened to Monique complain about a case she had been working on she couldn't help herself anymore and allowed her imagination to roam free.
"I really need a break this weekend, let's go out," her friend suggested causing Raquel to sit up ready to refuse, "before you say no, pleaaaasssee consider it. When's the last time we let loose?" Monique asked. Admittedly it had been a long time since she had gone to a club but she honestly didn't see the appeal of going out to places like that. In college she hadn't minded going to parties or clubs back when she was better at holding her liquor. Such that she wasn't so sure she was willing to deal with waking up with a hangover. "I don't know, Moni."
"C'mon, please. When was the last time I ever asked you for anything?"
"Just last week you borrowed my dress, which I still haven't gotten back by the way."
"Okay fair point, but stilllll. Besides you can't spend the rest of your life just cooped up in your apartment, there's still a lot to do in this life, babe," she whined causing Raquel to roll her eyes at the request. Though a part of her was completely against it another part of her knew Monique was right. Regardless of what happened in the past she had a right to find the positive side to life and truly relish in it.
Thus she decided to take a chance and agreed.
***
This had been a bad idea, Raquel thought trying to withhold the need to cringe at the music blasting in the club. When she had pictured celebrating her anniversary with Terry she thought they'd be off somewhere basking in the glow of love. Instead she was stuck moving past bodies, some of which were partially covered with sweat that night. Eventually she was able to breathe as she took a seat on a couch in a portion of the club that granted her a decent view of the place.
Tugging on the dress that reached mid-thigh she felt out of her element, she never did like the club scene but Monique had insisted it was better for her to go out than be hurdled in her blankets in front of the TV coughing down ice-cream whilst binge watching silly rom-coms. Ordering a drink she quickly unlocked her device and immediately felt her blood boil at the message her friend sent her way informing her that she had to work late on the case. Mumbling a low profanity under her breath she gripped the device tightly ready to bash it in annoyance against the table when her friend insisted she stay and still enjoy the night.
Yet it wouldn't be easy without Monique there to help her let her guard down. Secretly a small part of her had hoped that maybe the night would end on a good note but now armed with the knowledge she would be alone, the hope that had blossomed inside her bosom grew dim. Deciding to head out after finishing her drink she decided to keep her focus trained on her device and began scrolling through it absent-mindedly. Landing on the pictures she had been sent from the anniversary party she chuckled lightly at the image of her parents acting goofy on the dance floor. It was only when she came across an old picture that stood as proof of the life she once had that her smile dropped. The smiles flashing on the screen depicting a tale of a couple who once adored each other, once again she felt silly for being so gullible and if she could travel back in time to warn herself – she really would.
"You know the whole point of being in places like this is to escape the prison our phones hold us hostage in," a deep voice said. Looking up the sight of obsidian eyes watching her, reluctantly she felt compelled to inspect the rest of the man's face to note the features he possessed would naturally fit him into the category of what society would deem handsome. And in as much as she was about to tell the stranger she wasn't in the mood to entertain having a conversation with him, her eyes dropped to the old picture stirring up the feeling of anger inside her.
That may have been the only adequate reason why she stuffed the device away and leaned forward, "Forgive me if I'm not up to date with club etiquette."
"I can get you up to speed, I'm James," he said reaching out his hand in search of hers. She chuckled lightly taking it despite herself, "Is that really your pick up line, James?" she asked watching him eye her profile.
"What's your name?" he asked completely disregarding her initial question and though a part of her was apprehensive, telling her not to talk to him another more sinister part dying to be reckless took control in response to the fracture in her heart that stung from that photo. And as she introduced herself placing her hand into his the rest of the night transcended past space and time as the scenes unfolded of two strangers merely acquainting themselves only to find her body being hauled against the bathroom wall in one of the stalls.
His kisses were fevered with nothing but heat as he moved to suckle on her neck. With her legs wrapped tightly around his waist, all caution was tossed aside the more he ground his hips into her clothed bottom half eliciting a moan out of her at the feel of his appendage begging to escape from the confinement of his pants. And she was just about ready to give in to the need to have a warm body pressed against hers that night. To have all her troubles momentarily pushed aside to have her hunger quenched only for him pause in the kisses he laid to say, "I bet you taste amazing Rocky," and just like that, a flip had been switched releasing a bucket of icy, cold water down her body making her freeze at the nickname Terry used. Before she had any chance to control it a sob broke out into the atmosphere already dense with tension. Pushing him off of her, Raquel wasted no time rushing out of the bathroom in a haste manner blurring out his calls the more the tears blurred her vision. She felt ridiculous at best at thinking she'd be able to have some fling and be able to not have her ex affect her so much. But even after all the time spent without him to the point she was convinced she had erased the very essence of his touch she was back to square one just from hearing that name.