Impossibly True (Impossibly Duology) (15 page)

CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE

Branden

  
When Moya told me
where she and Vanessa wanted to go for New Year’s Eve,
I knew what that meant.
Club 207
was nestled right in the middle of Baltimore’s
Collegetown, but if you wanted to get in, you had to look sharp.

  
I decided to wear my blue shirt over dress pants with a pair of black shoes. I
even had a haircut earlier today so my appearance would look worthy of standing
next to Moya, who was surely going to be all dressed up tonight. I looked
forward to seeing her.

  
Receiving a text from Warren saying he was almost at my house, I grabbed my
leather jacket from the closet and treaded downstairs.

  
Mom was lying on the sofa, snuggled up in grandma’s blanket as the light from
the television emanated the dark living room. It felt strange seeing her like
that, curled up with something of sentimental value.

  
I paused at the front door, watching her, wondering if I should even utter a
word to pull her out of whatever misery she’d drifted into. By the lost
expression on her face, I knew she wasn’t watching TV.

  
Mom peered up as the headlights from Warren’s car blared through the beige
curtains overlaying the two story windows. She appeared frazzled, confused, and
lonely at the same time.

  
“I’m going now,” I called out to her.

  
Her head snapped around. Slowly she rose from the sofa and walked over to me.
“Oh…I thought you were staying home like your brother.”

  
Baffled by what she’d said, I glanced up the stairs as I confirmed, “Ashton’s
home on New Year’s Eve?”

  
When I met her eyes again, they appeared sunken, dark circles beneath them.
“Are you okay, Mom?”

  
She shrugged and feigned a smile as she answered, “Never been better.”

  
Not in the mood for this, I slanted and lowered my hand to the door handle.
“Warren’s waiting for me. I gotta go.”

  
“Happy New Year, Branden,” she said with an empty look on her pale face.

  
“Are you trying to stop me from leaving?”

  
Mom wrinkled her forehead. “No. Why’d you think that?”

  
“Because of the way you’re acting, and how you look.”

  
She touched her face. “How do I look?”

  
“Tired.
Sleep deprived. Sad…” my voice drifted as I
thought of another reason, the one that could be the meaning behind her
depressed mood.
“Like you miss Dad after all.”

  
She stiffened. “I absolutely do not miss that—”

  
“Please don’t. I’m tired of hearing you call each other names. It makes me feel
horrible, and I don’t want to feel like that tonight. So don’t.”

  
Mom pressed her lips shut, biting her tongue. She gazed up at me with pitiful
eyes. They almost convinced me to stay, until my cell phone buzzed inside my
jacket. Taking it out, I saw Warren had called.

  
 I looked back at her and said, “Sorry, but there’s someone waiting for
me. Someone who makes all this…disappear.”

  
She parted her lips to speak, but then turned around. “Have fun,” she muttered
instead over her shoulder.

  
“Thanks.”

  
I walked out the door, eager to put it behind me so that I could have fun
tonight with my friends, and the girl I loved.

  
“Hey man, what took you?” asked Warren when I treaded down the stone entrance
towards his Dodge Challenger.   

  
“You don’t want to know,” I replied, hopping inside the car. We agreed earlier
to take only one since Downtown Baltimore would be hectic tonight, where
parking was concerned. Leaving mine behind would be less of a hassle, and I
liked his so I thought, why not?

  
Warren took off right away, heading to Berlin Heights to pick up the girls.
When he pulled up outside Moya’s house and we walked up to the front door, my
jaw dropped when she answered, wearing a body-hugging black dress with matching
sheer tights. It showed off her curves more than ever. Not to mention her hair
was put up into a sexy bun, displaying her cute gold earrings, with a few curls
dangling in the back. She was also wearing the bracelet I’d given her for
Christmas.

  
I cleared the tightness in my throat to compliment her, “You’re beautiful.” My
voice came out hoarse.

  
Moya grinned knowingly, shattering my cool even more when she replied in a
sultry tone, “Thank you.”

  
Vanessa appeared behind her, looking just as nice in a red dress. I glimpsed
Warren at the corner of my eye to see his reaction. He was as dumbstruck by his
girlfriend’s attire as I was of mine.

  
“Ready to go?”
Vanessa asked, putting on her coat and
handing another to Moya.

  
“Sure thing,” Warren replied.

  
She stepped outside and walked down the front steps with him, I waited behind
for Moya to lock up.

  
“Your mom’s out?” I asked when she finished and turned around.

  
“Oh no, she’s over by Vanessa’s house. She usually watches the ball drop with
Patricia.”

  
“I see. Hope they weren’t mad you girls are going out instead of staying home
with them.”

  
“They’re not,” she shook her head. “Momma used to let Vanessa drag me out with
her and Calvin. She’s actually more excited than we are that I have a boyfriend
now to hang out with on New Year’s Eve, instead of being a third wheel.”

  
I smirked. She hit me lightly on the arm. “Don’t laugh at me.”

  
“I’m not.”

  
Reaching the car, I opened the backdoor so she could climb inside, hopping in
beside her. Vanessa was already settled in the front seat. Warren drove off the
moment I closed the door.

  
The entire time I couldn’t keep my eyes off Moya. How wonderful it was to be
with such a beauty. She picked up on me watching, turning to glance into my
eyes as if her feelings compelled her to.

  
Not a minute later, she snuggled up to me, leveling her head on my shoulder for
the remainder of the drive. She smelled as good as she looked; the floral scent
of jasmine was soft, refined, yet it managed to set my senses on high.

  
I wasn’t sure how much longer I could bear, but it’d definitely be hard trying
to keep my hands off her tonight.

CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO

Moya

  
In no time, we
arrived at Club 207
in downtown Baltimore. The
valet took Warren’s car to park it once we were granted entry.

  
There were quite a few people inside already. Good thing we decided to show up
three hours before midnight, hence we’d be turned away at the door. By the end
of the night, the club would undoubtedly be packed.

  
“Ooh, let’s sit over there,” Vanessa pointed to an empty table at the far right
corner of the room.  

  
We walked up some steps, crossed the gleaming, marble floor and headed over to
the table. The guys took our coats as we made ourselves comfortable on the
cushioned black, leather stowaway chairs. Branden sat on the one next to me.

  
“This place is pretty cool. You ladies come here often?” asked Warren, draping
his arm around Vanessa.

  
“No,” she shook her head. “This is our second time on New Year’s Eve. Besides,
Moya doesn’t do clubs.”

  
“Me neither,” Branden chimed, flashing me a grin. “Want anything to drink?” he
asked.

  
I replied, “Shirley Temple.”

  
“Same here,” Vanessa eyed Warren.

  
“Cool.” He got up along with Branden and they both made their way over to the
bar.

  
“Girl, doesn’t my boo look fly tonight?” she gushed, trailing him with her eyes
in a hungry fashion. “Mmm…Me and him gon’ be talking Spanish later tonight.”

  
Chuckling, I shook my head and glanced over at Warren. He didn’t look too bad,
dressed in a khaki green shirt and black pants. But my man had the majority of
attention in this place. Girls had their eyes on him since we entered the club;
some even appeared jealous realizing that he was taken.

  
Bad for them.
Great for me.

  
As the night progressed, more people started to arrive at the club. The DJ
switched from mellow openers to up-tempo dance mixes. Vanessa and I rocked
along to Pitbull’s
Feel This Moment
until the guys led us out to the
dance floor.

  
Moving with Branden gave me a sense of freedom. I could dance freely with him,
like no one else was around even though the floor was clustered. The flashing
laser lights created blue effects on everyone’s body, intensifying the
atmosphere. The attitude of revelers inside the club was super turned up with
fist-pumping, roars, and out-of-tune voices singing along with the DJ’s songs.

  
My attention was only on Branden. We were in our own world. Our warm bodies
glided close together as the music flowed through our veins, like the intense
emotions we felt in our hearts.

  
I locked my fingers around his neck and rested my head against his chest. In a
split second, I glimpsed Vanessa, dancing just as close with Warren, a broad
smile on her gorgeous face as she grooved along with him. It gave me joy seeing
my best friend as happy as I was. What a great way to start the New Year.

  
Soon after, we returned to our table to catch our breaths.

  
“Whew,” Vanessa blew out, wiping sweat from her forehead.

  
I looked over at the dancers still going hard, shaking my head at them. “I
don’t know how they do it.”

  
“Oh come, ladies. You gotta keep up with us,” Branden joked. I nudged his arm
lightly.

  
Warren asked, “Want another drink?”

  
“I could use some cooling down,” Vanessa replied.

  
I glanced at Branden and said, “Just water, please.”

  
Watching them make their way back to the bar, Vanessa bumped my knee under the
table.

  
“Is this the best New Year’s Eve or what?”

  
“Yes, it is,” I reached over and squeezed her hands. “I’m anticipating the
countdown so bad, girl.”

  
She laughed, “How come?”

  
I shrugged and glanced over at Branden, gawking at him. He and Warren were
coming back to our table with our drinks. “I feel like it’s going to be a
really good year,” I added.

  
“You’re so cheesy,” she teased, taking her drink from Warren.

  
Branden placed the water bottle on top of the table, but instead of sitting
down, he took my hand and said, “Let’s go back out there.”

  
Following his lead, we walked out to the middle of the room. The DJ had slowed
the night down with a few ballads upon the crowd’s request.

  
Unexpectedly, Zedd’s
Clarity
started to play. It was the first song we
slow danced to.

  
I smiled up at Branden. “You did that?”

  
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in closer, whispering only an
inch from my lips, “I did that.”

  
We swayed to the alluring melodies of the piano, with our gaze fixed at each
other’s eyes. I felt his hands move slowly up my back, embracing me deeper.

  
“Tonight’s perfect,” I said in a near whisper.

  
White light played across the room, revealing his mesmerizing shades of blue.
Lowering his head, Branden’s soft lips brushed mine. Only the kiss got
interrupted as the song came to an end, and the DJ started to yell into the
microphone.

  
“All right people, here we go! Ten, nine…” everyone joined in with the
countdown.

  
I smiled in my excitement, peering up at Branden,
then
I glanced around the room for Vanessa. She and Warren were standing a few feet
away, already engrossed in a passionate kiss.

  
I brought my attention back to Branden, counting along with the crowd.
“Five, four, three, two, one!
Happy New
Year!”

  
The room burst into celebration. Partyers hugged, laughed, and danced in their
happiness. But Branden and I were simply kissing. Long, hard, and voraciously,
we kissed.

  
Most of the people had left the dance floor when we stopped. I started to move
away as well, but he pulled me back and kissed me again. This time he went
slower, making it last even longer.

  
Later on in the night, the partying died down, and we left the club with
Vanessa and Warren. It started to snow as we waited for the car; light flurries
drizzled from the sky.

  
“Did you have fun, girl?” asked Vanessa, clutching my arm.

  
I gazed over at her, nodding. “I had a blast.”

  
When the valet brought Warren’s car around and we all hopped inside out of the
freezing cold, Branden and I kissed again. We continued to do so on and off the
entire drive back to my house, and after walking me to my doorstep, he gave me
the sweetest one to close off the night. The kiss that spoke three words
without him having to say it:

  
I love you.