Right place wrong time

"Are you coming tonight?" Kiesha finished applying her red sex me lipstick before turning in my direction. This was the twentieth time she asked was I coming with her tonight. "I wasn't planning on it." I responded as I scooted back on my bed until my back and headboard met. "Oh come on!" she begged, it'll be fun, when have I dragged you along anywhere and you didn't have fun?" She flopped down beside me and formed her mouth into a pout. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaassssseeeeee" don't make me beg she laughed. Instead of answering I asked, "what would I wear?" Kiesha shreiked and gave me a squeeze, she hopped up and ran to my closet pulling out dresses and different tops for me to try on. After trying on nearly everything in my wardrobe, I decided on a black sequin dress that I've only worn once to an office dinner party, it shimmered with silver glitter, sleeveless and it fell to my ankles, there was a long side split that rose up to my thighs. I matched it with black heels and silver accessories. Kiesha's eyes sparkled when she complimented me. "Girl! You look goodt! You're definately going to have all eyes on you." We were going to a poetry slam night in downtown Richmond at a local night club called 'Jazy's Spot', It might not sound like much but that's the hotspot and on Tuesday night's, they open the mic's for creators to share their talent. Songs, poems, or art.

"Oh I forgot to tell you," Keisha began, Marco and his cousin Jante probably meet us there." She took quick glimpses of me as she continued to drive off. I rolled my eyes, "I knew you was over selling that compliment, why you ain't just tell me?" "Look Candy I would have told you, but you know how you get, I know I didn't tell you but I wanted it to be a surprise too because Jante's ya type." She raised her eyebrows repeating "ah... ah" more than a few times to get me on board. "Plus you really do look the bomb.com girl, I wasn't over selling." Kiesha was my girl and I know she means well but from time to time, the girl can get impulsivein the love department.

When we arrive, there's not much of a line at the door. The bouncer's a tall darkskin guy who looks like he body builds on his day off, he's checking I.D's and reminding people that guns, drugs, and disrespect is not tolerated inside or on the premises. Inside there was already a poet performing. Kiesha and I grabbed a table a few seats away from the stage. The sound of jazz softly played as the poet spoke her heart. The waitress walked by carrying a tray filled with wine glasses, I grabbed two, one for me the other for Kiesha.

"Girl this spot is dope!" I told Kiesha as sipped some of my drink. "I told you, you was gonna like it." She nudged me and smiled. Two men approached our table, they smiled as they walked up to the two empty chairs. "Hey Kiesh." He reached out for the hand she outstretched to greet them and kissed it gently. I could see her cheeks flush with red, the giggle was a bit over the top, but she pulled it off. They both sat down, Kiesha introduced me to both Marco and Jante. Marco was the color of dark chocolate, his teeth were polished white his eyes were hazel, muscles pushed through his shirt. He eased into his seat and scooted closer to Kiesha. Jante on the otherhand was the color of hazelnut coffee, heavy on the cream. He had gold fronts on the bottom row of his teeth, his lips were lucious and dangerous. His hair looked freshly bushed and oiled, waves crisp. Freckles lay under his eyes. He smiled at me as he sat down, head cocked in admiration. He licked his lips before speaking, using his eyes to scan me from head to toe, "nice to meet you, I'm Jante and you look fine as hell, damn!" He giggled and held himslef back from dapping up his cousin.

The announcer comes on stage and introduces the performer:

"Alright coming to you now, give it up for my main man, my ace, give it up for my soulful brotha, Jaaaaannnteeeee!!" The spotlight hovers over our table and the room cheers in different ways, some with snaps, others with claps, from the back you could hear verbal encouragment. "alright now, what he gone hit us wit tanight" an older lady spoke loudly to her crowd of peers. Jante placed his fist in his right hand and smiled back at me. His walk was sly, full of swag and confidence. He hopped onto the stage, acknowledged the announcer and crowd. Once he grabbed the mic it was like the night club transitioned into the space of his mind where his words were formulating. His eyes were closed as he gently spoke his words. "I'm cruisin all around the world, searching places for a special girl the half of me disappointments left me in agony, its strange I know but I feel things deep, like me and you in the night deep into the depths of your sea, I swim and penetrate your walls deep into the waves of the tides, don't elude me with your eyes, locked. legs locked, body rocked intimately running my finger up your body, elxploring places forbidden to others but not foreign to me." He opened his eyes and shyly looked up with a grin. "Gaaaaddammn, I think you got every woman in this joint hot! give it up for my brotha my main man Jante!" The crowd cheered louder than they did when he first got on stage. He smiled and hopped off the stage and headed for our table. I could feel my lady in panties pulse with excitement. I gently crossed my legs and let out an unexpected exhale that Kiesha gave a side eye too.

"So what'd you think?" Jante looked me directly in my eyes and I could feel the magnetic pull of his body pulling mine closer. I smiled, raised an eyebrow and said, "you definately surprised me." For the first time tonight he laughed, his teeth were magnificent, dimples deep in design and the sound of his laugh was very sexy and contagious, I found myself laughing with him before knowing exactly what was funny. "What's funny?" I giggled. He looked as though he was lost in my eyes, then asked, "would you say you're open minded?" He ate a few fries from his plate but eyes never left mine. I shrugged, I hadn't been asked a question like that before, so I wasn't sure how to answer. "I guess I am, maybe depends on the topic." I answered as honest as I could, then looked for his reaction or response. He sat back in his seat, ate more of his fries then said, "that's alright."

The night ended with Kiesha and Marco riding home together and Jante and me riding together. Me and Kiesha were roommates, but Jante invited me to his place and I agreed. We talked and laughed, turns out we have alot in common, his mind may be more open than mines, but we hit it off brilliantly. In the middle of laughing at his Rambo voice impressionation, he kissed me. His lips soft, he kissed me passionately and I joined in slipping my tongue into his mouth dancing it in his mouth his tongue rolled over mine as his mouth covered my lips. He pulled away and moved down to my neck and chest, I could feel the intense heat exchange between us then his phone rang and so did mine. Kiesha... "Girl a car hit us!" I could feel my heart squish and drop into the pit of my stomach. Kiesha is much more like a sister to me than a friend or roommate. We've known each other since we were kids and have been inseperable since middle school. "Are you ok?! Where are you?" She gave me the address, and Jante and I left immediately.

Thankfully Kiesha and Marco weren't hurt, the car's bumper was damaged. I hugged Kiesha, "thank goodness the car took all the damage." I spoke in her ear. "Yo! what happened? Jante asked walking up to his cousin. "Bro, I don't even know it happened so fast." Marco rubbed the back of his neck and recalled what happened. "Long story short, Kiesha yelled, some asshole ran a red light and slammed right into us! Look at my damn bumper! She stompped. "Then they didn't have the decency to slow down or stop!" We all got in the car, Jante dropped me and Kiesha off. Marco walked Kiesha inside, giving me time to talk with Jante a little more.

The sight of him was comforting and from the smile that drew across his face, he was thinking the same about mine.

"To be continued then." He smiled and stared me up and down. "Unfortunately." I leaned in for a kiss that he did not refuse. I pulled back and we stared intently in each other eyes. Marco walked out the house and toward the car, "so can I get your number or what, he giggled at his own thought before saying it out loud. "I maybe wanted to ask that before knowing where you live, but all the same, can I get your number?" I planted a kiss on his lips again then dialed my number in his phone. "Goodnight sweet Candy." He kissed my hand, and I bid him goodnight.

The sun blinded my vision momentarily, at the foot of the bed was Kiesha curled in the fetus position. I eased off the bed and into the bathroom. "Candy?" Kiesha called out sounding groggy. I finished up using the bathroom, Kiesha took zombified steps toward the bathroom. "ugh! I feel like sheit." "Smell like it too!" I called out jokingly. "Witch! Shut up! she laughed. So how did your date go last night?" I undressed into my bra and underwear, "a lady never kisses and tells." I said placing my finger to my lips. "Ah! I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." Kiesha came out of the bathroom after first washing her hands. I took her place and started the shower. "Soooo?" Don't be stingy feed me the deets." I stepped in the shower and told her all that went down, "but we didn't do anything besides kiss." I couldn't see her reaction but I heard it. "oooo, that's sexy! I told you, you wouldn't regret going and accidentally thanks to that asshole who hit my car, you got to be a hell of a hot tease. AHA!" She laughed with a loud clap, "ok ok let me tell you bout me and Marco, first of all he is smooth, can hold a conversation and he's interesting too. We talked alot before it got steamy, I had to feel him out you know. We was smokin and shit and started getting the munchies, so I gets up and he gets up and hold my hands, he told me how I make him nervous and girl him venting to me made my kitty purr hahahha, whoo! Which led to a kiss and foreplay, and giiiirrrrl! He had my legs shaking, my bed sheets soaked from squirting, I mean the brotha's mouth was on another level." I step out the bathroom in my towel mouth open with a smile, "did ya'll..." I began, she raised her eyebrows and made a face that gave it all away. "unapologetically, yes." "AAAAHHHHH hahahhaah" we both scream and laugh like we're middle school girls again. "So, are you going to see him again or..?" I questioned. "He texted me this morning actually, wanting to get breakfast." She shimmied her shoulders. "What about you and Jante? You two seemed to hit it off." "I gave him my number, so we'll see" I shrugged. "He'll be stupid not to call," she smiled entering the bathroom and shutting the door.

After a couple weeks and no contact, I felt obligated to drop the idea, he'd call or text. Kiesha and Marco were still going steady, it was good to see her happy. At first seeing him over the house was awkward because his cousin was my date who forgot to text me. I could have asked for his number, or interrogated him to find out what Jante's deal was but instead I pretended it was mutual and I was ok with him not calling. Kiesha pressed me when it was just us, but I put on a brave face, she's used to these things, I'm not. I assumed we had a moment and now it has consumed all of my focus and attention. "It was only a kiss, let it go." I whispered to myself in the bathroom mirror.

Almost a month later, I've fixated on painting, as a way of making money and keeping my mind from wondering about Jante. Tonight I'll be attending an art show with my ex co-worker Taylor. She knew the host and convinced him to let me show off my latest painting 'left unsaid' you can guess who inspired this. Kiesha said her and Marco would meet me here, with that in mind I'm not so uncomfortable with only knowing Taylor. "Okay girl, you're all set. Benny said he's gonna leave it to the audience to decide, but if you wanted to sell it they could have an open bid!" I hugged her tightly, "holy shit I think I love you." We laughed and sat at a booth close to the stage. There were men and women in creme colored and black suits walking around with drinks, I recognized one as; "Jante?"