“Fuck you, Duke. Don’t act like you don’t know what’s going on. Because of you, I never had a chance with her.”
My jaw drops, “What? I told her to go out with you.”
Taylor shakes his head, “You don’t even see it, man. She’s in love with you and you’re too fuckin’ stupid to even notice it. She’s always loved you. You think she came for me? Think again.” He walks away and avoids me for the rest of the night.
I peek at the dance floor and still see Melanie, Raya, and Rob dancing together. As the song ends, Melanie whispers to Raya and then circles to head to the restroom. Rob’s ego finds him the nearest slut, leaving Raya alone on the dance floor; but not for long.
Duke
I stroll up to Raya, grab her hand, and twirl her around to face me. “Care to dance?”
She giggles, “Of course, I’d love to.”
The crowd fills the dance floor just as Suit & Tie from Justin Timberlake starts to play and Raya screams, “I love this song!”
I agree and grab her hips as we swing and groove to the smooth sensations of Timberlake and Jay-Z. I glance around the dance floor to see couples grouped together, dancing wildly as one. Raya’s arms wrap around my neck and my hands move along her bare back and I feel sweat start to drip down my forehead. Before I know it, we have danced through four songs straight. With her, the world around us disappears and all I see is her. Having her in my arms is the greatest feeling in the world and I will do anything to keep her there. I need to find Melanie.
Once the song ends, I let go of Raya’s hands and whisper, “I need to talk to Melanie. I’ll be back.”
A small smile appears, “Okay, I need a break anyway.”
I give her a quick hug and head off to find Melanie and see her talking to Rob. Walking up to them, I nod to Rob. Melanie turns to face me and tears fill her eyes. Shit, she knows.
Rob downs the rest of his drink and pats my shoulder. “Good luck,” he says and stalks off to find his next conquest. I breathe deep while running my hands through my hair and place my hand on her back to guide her out into the halls.
Her tears threaten to spill down her cheeks, but she catches them with her finger just in time.
I mumble, “How long have you known?”
She turns to face me, “I’ve seen the way you look at her ever since she arrived at school. Honestly, I think I’ve known all along. I was just hoping that you’d pick me.”
“Mel, I never meant to hurt you. You know that, right?”
She laughs it off, “Well, you did. But, you know what the funny thing is…I’m not even mad at you.”
My breath catches, “You’re not? Why?”
She lets out a deep breath and stares out at the marina, “I know you may have struggled with your feelings for her. I know you’ve always cared for her and I’m glad she opened up to you. She needs you, Duke, and you need her. I won’t stand in the way of that.” She turns back to me and hugs me lovingly, “I will always love you, Duke, but I’m not the one for you and I think you know that.”
She gives me a quick peck on the lips and I wipe a tear off her face, “Thank you, Melanie.”
She laughs and nods her head over to the table where Raya is sitting, “You still have to get the girl.” We laugh together and walk back into the ballroom. Melanie sits next to Raya and whispers into her ear. Raya’s face fills with shock
as she gasps. Melanie then pulls her into a hug and I see tears fill her eyes once more. They let go of each other as Melanie gets up and heads off to the bathroom.
I sit down next to Raya, “What did Melanie tell you?”
Her beautiful, bright blue eyes sparkle, “She said to make you happy.”
I grin widely and take her hand in mine, “Well then, the only way to make me happy at this moment, is to dance with me for the rest of the night.”
She hesitates, “You’re not tired?”
I chuckle softly and pull her to stand, “Raya, I will never be tired of you.”
The next song, Latch by Disclosure, starts to blast from the speakers and I pull her onto the dance floor. I whisper in her ear, “This song is perfect for us.” She giggles against my chest and I pull her in closer. My arm reaches down to grab her hand and my other arm embraces her hip as we sway and grind to the song. With our bodies tangled around one another—her dress waving and her hair flowing—everything feels amazing.
This girl has completely caught me off guard and I all I want to do is lock her in forever and never let go. Her embrace feels perfect and I’m so enamored; it’s hard to breathe. My heart slams against my chest and I suspect she can feel it. Her hands stroke my arms, causing my hairs to stand up, and I get goose bumps. The rhythm of the song intertwines us and I look deeply into her captivating blue eyes. My hand reaches up to embrace her cheek, while my other hand runs along her smooth and silky long hair.