We had to leave the party early because of Darian's stank ass attitude. How you get mad and let someone else ruin your good time? All because you don't like them and they keep following you? Ain't that what you wanted?

Scratch that. I'll be honest, this Ryker guy keeps popping up out of nowhere and that's a little uncomfortable. However, that's not too serious for her to do what she's doing. She doesn't have to go off on them every time she gets. The fact that this is what she basically wanted but she's acting like this doesn't make sense to me.

The crazy thing is we were the only two to leave the party all because I didn't want her to be by herself. Ruin my good time and shit but, hopefully, this will come back to reward me soon. What do they call that? Karma?

Here we are, leaving the bar as Darian complains about bumping into Ryker in the car. "Can you believe those bitches? They come on the trip with us and stay for some lame ass beach dick. I don't understand that. They following us because they want to be stalkers and shit. Why give into their plans all to give them what they want?"

The complaining continued as we sat in the car for a while. Something was telling me different. The more she criticized everything, the more Ryker kept popping up in her rant. There's a deeper problem than just the guys following us. Somebody wanted the sausage and didn't want to show it. But....that's what you wanted!

"Anyway, thank you for coming back to the beach house with me since the other two are too stuck on the penis to come with me. Angie just threw the key at me while chomping on some crab claws and talking to one of them toxic assholes. Hungry ass."

Could you blame her though? If you were Angela, you'd probably have a crab leg in your mouth too. You can't find this food anywhere back home. It's usually fried chicken, southern food, or fast food. Angie's favorite food is down here which is why they have her traveling all the time. That and her job requires her to travel everywhere to find people to work with us.

"And Cassidy! Her hoe ass is with this Connor, or whoever that Hulk-looking punk is. He won't be the only one she messes with though. Does she do this when you both spend time together back home?"

Yeah, she does but she admits that she's getting pleasured. She'll let me know that's what's going on and she can't see me. In a way, she did that tonight. Cassidy warned us by telling us her goal for the night.

I don't get mad at her either. For what? She's actively looking for some loving and fun in her life so who am I to judge? Not my life, not my problem. I can't help but agree that she needs to be careful. Cass is like cupid in the office.

See? Now that the gears are turning a bit faster in my mind, maybe we should have stayed with them because that seems dangerous. We don't know those boys and don't know what will happen to the girls. At the same time, we were already on the road and halfway to the beach house. I grew conflicted but one of them had to have their phones on them.

"And who the hell is this guy that keeps following you? Does he not get that you want to be left alone or is he just like Ryker? A stalker?"

Is it normal to feel the way I did in that moment? People don't do all of this when they're alone, do they?

Either way, I was offended and bothered. She didn't have to come for Tripp because his friend didn't want her. Plus, he was an alright guy. The frustration built up the more she shot daggers at Tripp and the words just came out on their own.

"Girl, shut the hell up! Look, Darian, Tripp is not like Ryker, okay? He's not a stalker or a big-headed asshole. Sure, he may not be my man or anything but that doesn't mean I'll tolerate you talking about him like that. What I'm saying is watch your mouth and stay complaining about the man you really want. Leave everyone else's alone."

The rest of the ride home was silent after calling Darian out. The alcohol couldn't be to blame here since this was going on since we first met these guys. We came here to have a great time and, so far, I've been annoyed with Darian's antics. Nobody wants to hear her whine all the time.

Anyway, as soon as we got to the house, I walked up the stairs, with the key in hand, and went up to my room just to wonder what I should've been doing. Dari ruined our time at the bar and fucked up my mood in the car so all I could do was eat and finish off that book.

Then there became a third option I completely forgot about.

There was a piece of paper sitting in the back pocket of my jean shorts and I remembered that it was Tripp's number. My mind went back and forth with this decision but I came to the realization that talking to him seemed more exciting. Especially since Dari and I weren't talking to each other.

After dialing his number on my phone, I heard the first ring go off and grew nervous. Normally, I give guys my number and they don't call me most of the time. This better not be a fake number. If it is-

"Took you long enough, girl. You and your friend flew out of the place. Please tell me why you both left so soon."

His sweet but curious deep tone passed through the speaker and hit my eardrum. What was supposed to hurt didn't bother me at all. Did he really want to know the answer to that question?

"There were some issues that happened at the party and we just couldn't stay. Hopefully, we'll be back to party with you all on better terms," I tried to get around the fact that Darian ruined the vibe.

"But your friends could stay? Let me take a quick guess. If I get this correct, you owe me a date somewhere. You choose. Deal?"

We were not betting on our friends and I'm not going on any dates unless it's safe to go on. My friends would be going with me. Did he say that he'd let me choose though?

"Fine but I'm sure you won't get-"

"One of your friends, I'm guessing it was Darian, threw a fit over Ryker because that's just how Ryker makes women feel. Women do that over him all the time...except they don't act defensive against him like Darian so that's strange. Anyway, am I correct?"

My jaw dropped at the thought of him getting that on the dot. "First of all, I'm sick of you and these psychic abilities you have. You need to chill out or I'm cutting you off because that's scary."

We both chuckled at our thoughts as he continued the conversation with "I can't seem to help it. It just comes to me. No, but seriously, I'm just guessing most of the time. This situation, however, was predictable. You could see Darian holding your hand in anger and dragging you out of the door. Something about the disappointed look on your face just gave me an idea of what was going on. I felt bad but didn't seem to have your number to tell you that."

Smart guy for someone with not-so-smart friends. However, he better not take a jab at me again. Scratch that. His friends just don't care.

"You don't think I was putting up a front there? What makes you believe that I was disappointed? You shouldn't just assume the worst." I went on to say.

"Now, you're really trying to play with my mind and it's not working. You can't change my mind about that no matter how much you try to deny it. It was evident."

After he said all of that, there was an awkward silence that fell between us and I wondered where he could be right now. It didn't sound as if he was still at the party. He better not be having this conversation around his buddies.

"You better not be talking around your little friends. This conversation is mano a womano. You got me?" I commanded.

"That would be 'mujer', if I'm not mistaken, but I got it."

"Don't play with me boy. Speaking of friends, do you happen to know where my co-workers are?"

While changing into my nighttime clothes, I put him on speaker and waited for an answer. Since he was so observant at the bar, I figured he'd know where my friends went.

A quick chuckle from him later and "Why would I be joking about that? That's the real translation but how dare you assume I talk like this around my friends? If only that were possible. Anyway, I know where your other friends are and, let me just say, they won't be at y'all's place later. Cam-"

"That's all I needed to hear, Tripp. You don't have to get into detail."

The last thing I should hear is what my friends are doing in the bedroom. The thought of it alone makes me shiver. Congrats to them for getting some good shit but I don't care to hear about it. As long as I know where they are and who they are with, that's all that matters. Knowing that they're safe makes me feel better.

Another awkward silence fell between us as I hopped on the bed until he started another conversation. "Have you been to a poetry event before? Like Open Mic night or something?"

I wondered why he asked me that. "Yeah, we have to go to a few to review different popular writers. Is there reasoning behind your question?"

Hopefully, he'd ask me the question he really wanted to. Be bold about it, you know?

"Well, that doesn't sound too thrilling, Journee. You 'have to go' as if you're forced to go and never enjoy it. I asked because-"

"There you go assuming about me again and, this time, you're wrong about it. Plus, how do you adopt that idea and I was reading a choreopoem hours ago...out of enjoyment?"

A quick pause fell over the phone and a sigh later, "Maybe you're right. I'm sorry I judged you but I asked because there's an Open Mic night at a local pub downtown tomorrow. I was wondering if you and your friends could make it."

A grin surpassed my face, thinking of his invitation. I wanted to go but Angie may have plans for all of us, Cass may not come back home for the rest of the week, and I'm not talking to Dari right now. What was I supposed to say?

"Send me the location and I'll think about it." 

****

What's up, everybody?

I'm so excited because I have a ton of treats for you all but...

Please tell me if certain things do not make sense. Like I do go behind myself and read the chapters most of the time but tell me if something doesn't sound right. I can barely see with glasses on too.

So, tell me your thoughts on the chapter.

Do you feel that Darian went above and beyond with her rant?

Do you think Journee's feelings are changing for Tripp?

I'm getting there the best way I know how. I'm no expert on romance and I'm trying to make it different from your regular "bad boy, good girl" or speedy love so give me a minute. Lol

Anyway, I'll see you all in a minute because I'm giving more chapters!

Love ya!