FOUR YEARS LATER:

Charmaine walked into the room and felt eyes on her. Feeling a bit insecure in her low cut dress, a dress that her friends insisted that she wore, she hurried to the table where they were waiting. Taking a seat that faced the dance floor she said to all, “Sorry to keep you guys waiting. The traffic coming was horrible.”

Jessica, who was often late more than early, smiled dismissively, “Don’t worry about it, as long as you’re here now.”

A waiter came with a tray of champagne in flute glasses and bent to offer her one. Taking the one closest to her, Charmaine muttered a “Thanks” but the smile that she bestowed on him had the waiter moving clumsily backwards and almost crashing into another waiter.

Jessica giggled and winked at Tavia, “Didn’t I tell you that Charmaine could have men falling all over with just a smile.”

Charmaine was accustomed to Jessica’s teasing but it always made her feel uncomfortable to be described in that way. Laughing off at Jessica’s comment, she retorted, “You’re the one who has a long list of guys waiting to woo you.”

Jessica shrugged it off, “It’s because they think they have a chance, which a majority of them don’t. For starters, my boyfriend must, and this is a big must, have money. All those suitors don’t even have a dime to their names so I’m not even going to waste my time on them.”

Tavia sipped her champagne and looked at Jessica curiously, “Is that all you want in a boyfriend? That he has money? What if he’s old and ugly but has tons of it? You would still go out with him?”

“Why not?” Jessica asked casually. “Looks don’t matter to me as much as having money does.”

“Liar!” Charmaine and Tavia screamed out simultaneously. The people in the surrounding tables turned and stared at the three of them with disapproval which only made the girls dissolve into a fit of giggles.

Tavia straightened in her seat. Fighting back a wave of laughter, she sternly said, “Let’s try to behave tonight. It took a lot of effort for me to convince Michael to give me these tickets.”

Jessica’s interest perked at the mention of his name, “Will he be here tonight?”

Tavia slid next to Jessica and gently bumped her shoulder with hers “Why? Do you want him to be?”

Ignoring Tavia’s knowing look, Jessica fumbled with her purse, pretending to look for something inside. “I was asking since he gave us the tickets. If he came, I would want to thank him.”

Tavia looked at Charmaine, who was biting her lips in an attempt to keep from blurting out what the both of them have known for some time: Jessica had a crush on Michael. “You just want to thank him and nothing else?” Seeing the color rise in Jessica’s face, Tavia said, “If you would only admit it then I could help you out.”

Jessica looked at Tavia and croaked, “Admit what?”

Charmaine winked at Tavia before responding, “That you’re interested in him.”

“I am not!” Jessica said forcefully and a bit too loudly piquing the interests of the people at a table to her right.

Tavia covered to muffle her laughter. When the spasm has gone, she looked sincerely at Jessica, “I’m only trying to help. My god-brother is extremely attractive and a lot of women would kill to be with him.”

Jessica sat up in her chair and lifted her glass of champagne, “For the last time I am not interested in Michael!” Jessica hoped that she sounded convincing but by the smirks on Tavia and Charmaine’s faces, she knew she didn’t succeed.

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Raymond pressed his foot hard on the brakes causing the wheels of the car to make a loud screeching sound as he made a sharp right before the car came to a complete stop. The odor of burnt rubber flowed into the car through the vents. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles white from the force of his clutch. Ron, who sat in the passenger seat, looked at Raymond with wide frightened eyes. The two remained in the car, catching their breaths, trying to make sense as to what just happened. Through the front windshield, traces of smoke seeped from the hood of the car. Raymond released his grip on the steering wheel and slowly got out of the car. His knees felt wobbly so he held onto the frame of the door for support. Wiping the sweat off his forehead with his free hand, he swaggered to the rear of the car and looked into the distance. He can barely make out the tail lights of a car moving fast and steadily away. That car almost collided with theirs. Raymond was still shaken by the near fatal close call and yet the other car seemed aloof to it. Walking back to the driver’s seat, Raymond bent and peered in, “What do you think?”

Ron, who had his head turned facing the back also caught a glimpse of the car speeding away. Facing forward again in his seat he spoke quietly, “That was intentional. No doubt about it.”

Raymond nodded in agreement and got behind the wheels. In a low voice he growled, “If they want a fight, then they’ll get one.”

Rubbing his face with his hands, Ron shuddered, “They almost killed us.”

Raymond turned to look at Ron and his eyes took on a cold flint, “But they didn’t. They wanted to give us a warning.”

Ron re-buckled his seat belt, “Let’s get going or we’ll be late.”

Pulling his seatbelt across his body, Raymond took one last look in the rearview mirror. “Don’t mention anything about this to Michael.”

Ron was surprised by the request and looked searchingly at Raymond, “Why not?”

Raymond reversed the car then shifted the gear to drive as he maneuver the car onto the smooth road ahead. Only when they were on their way again did Raymond speak, “Did you see who was in the car?”

Ron looked at Raymond, a suspect forming in his mind and although he didn’t need to ask he did, “You saw him?” Raymond smile, the answer in the twinkle of his eyes. Ron felt adrenaline course through his body at that simple smile. He knew Raymond enough to know that when he smiled like that, he was up to no good. Ron often compared that smile to a predator when he was about to take its prey.

Suddenly Raymond chuckled, “I can’t wait for the fun to begin.” Turning to see the anticipation in Ron’s face, he said, “Joe would regret the day he messed with us.”