— i recommend listening to the song (angel — massiv attack) durning the chapter.

Up close and personal he looks a lot more dangerous. When he was on stage performing for the crowd, I was transfixed on him. But now? I am completely lost in wanting to know him more. My nerves in my stomach swirl as I watch him walk past us again, disappearing into the crowd and stopping to talk with several people and the twisting only escalates when I see his intoxicating smile break out across his face.

I visible swallow, wetting my lips as I watch his veiny hand run down his exposed arms from his ripped leather jacket, his choker was visibly glistening with a few droplets of sweat, coating his adams apple like an invitation to come and taste.

"No way you are actually checking him out that bad. What did I give you?" June's voice startles me and I whip my head to the side like a deer in headlights, the cup taken out of my hand as she downs the liquid to be as drunk as she assumed I was.

"What–no! I just, I uhm..' I fumbled, trying to raise my voice over the music.

June breaks out into a knowing grin, shoving my shoulder whilst taking another puff of her blunt and talking around it. "You totally were!"

"No!" I hissed out, embarrassed.

She moves her head, looking through the people around us until her eyes fall on Hobie. Her brows lift and the corners of her mouth dip down in an approving 'not bad' expression.

A wicked look breaks out over her face before she's turning and grabbing Blaise's attention, he's one of the reasons why she agreed to come tonight. I briefly saw him at work now that I see his face, I wouldn't forget his god awful buzz cut.

It became my duty to know a little bit about everyone when it comes to my competition, but Blaise was strictly off limits up until now. I know briefly his family owns a label company that has signed a decent amount of talent, June is no singer; but Hobie and his band is. This makes all the pieces stick together.

June leans into his ear to say something which has Blaise looking over his shoulder, and then to me, then back to June with the same smirk she had on her face just before.

Blaise turns and makes his way through the crowd of people while June turns back to me, now grinning as she leans down to my ear. "Hobie and Blaise are friends from school, at least from what I was allowed to know, he's gonna bring him over."

I visibly pale, my whole body going stiff as I pull back and gape at her. "You what?! June, what the hell!" I squeak out, smoothing out whatever wrinkles formed on my shirt and smooth out my hair.

She turns her head and then looks back at me, a smug look on her face. "Too late princess, he's coming over. I think his band is coming, too. This is a good thing! Deja talked about getting some ideas for our project."

"Yeah, at work!" I yelp, my eyes bulging out of my head as I whip it to the side, watching Blaise walk towards us with his arm around the shoulder of the man that had my throat feel like it was being tightened by his large hands. He was intoxicating on stage, but this took the cake.

The man's lips pull into a crooked smile at something Blaise mumbled into his ear, his eyes stayed transfixed on the floor before he lifts them up and catches mine. Time seemed to freeze around me when we locked eyes, feeling completely bolted to the floor under his stare as the two men approached us fully.

I clear my throat, my breathing becoming erratic while my eyes never once leave his, completely overwhelmed like a fangirl. I wouldn't lie and say after the concert I had put on some of his music while lounging in my room, just casually letting the tunes play as background noise. I know I said I would stay away from him if I ever got the chance, but that was before I knew I would casually just run into him at a party. 

When the two reach us, June gives me a 'Fucking say something' look to which I just stare with my bug eyes. I shuffle behind June, her taller frame hiding my embarrassed look as I spot Deja sucking the air out of two different people.

There goes my only escape plan.

I try to ignore the fact that he just watched me purposely hide behind her like some crazed person, standing sideways and trying to pretend this somehow makes me invisible. This isn't my proudest moment, but I had no other option than to make myself look a fool.

I wonder if this will make him cringe and turn away, I know nothing about him and who knows, he might find this attractive and I just fucked myself over even more.

June suddenly dips with Blaise to the opposite side of the floor and the two head towards the bar, leaving me standing sideways as his band members disperse after they read the room between the two of us. I'm stuck standing sideways, the cup tightly held in my hand as I stare at him out of the corner of my eye and pray I somehow turned invisible.

But sometimes not every prayer gets answered, because I watch as his figure leans down into my view, an amused smirk pulling tight on his dangerous lips. "Hiding from something?"

His face is close enough to mine that I can hear how rich and rough his voice is, the difference in tone from him singing on stage to now only adds to how frantic I am.

I flick my eyes around to scan his features, heat spreading over my cheeks and I am so god damn relieved the lighting in here is a deep red otherwise I would be looking like an even more idiot. I was (Y/N), I was quick with the insults and knew how to defend myself back in my old hometown; so why now? Why was he making me feel like a shy school girl?

I straighten up immediately, he follows my actions, standing in front of me now as he looks down at me with his tall shadow that engulfs me from the top view.

"Maybe." I shortly respond while mentally patting myself on the back for not letting my voice crack.

He nods at my answer, acknowledging it while also entertained by it. I watch him eye me with the same amusement, dragging his eyes down to the drink in my hand before wrapping his fingers around the plastic body of it and with no shame, he finishes the last bit of it.

"I remember you." He says suddenly.

I arch an eyebrow, visibly confused by his comment.

"You were at my concert. Front row. You came with three other people."

I almost felt proud that I left a lasting expression if he could remember me out of a thousand people, but I was front row and close to the stage; but it still made me feel good about myself and boost my ego.

"I was forced to come," I start off without realizing how rude it sounds coming out of my mouth. "I never heard of you guys before you up until that night."

"Did you like what you heard?"

"Ask me in a week when the music settles in my music box of a brain."

A loud laugh rumbles out of his chest, it's deep and rich like dark chocolate and it's only adding to the other feelings racing around my mind and body like a freight train. "Are you implying you want to see me again?"

I pause, looking away from him again and realize the trap I walked myself into, but then I remembered who I was and immediately glance up at him again. "Who said I wanted to see you? I just meant if I happened to run into you again at a random party I want you to remember that question and ask me how I felt about what I heard."

He lets out another deep chuckle before leaning down to be face to face with me, reaching around to my back pocket to slip out my phone to see it never had a lock on it and typing in his number. "Just in case I don't see you in a week, I am not one to break a promise."

For the first time since I've been around him, I look properly into his eyes in the light, they're an intense shade of earthiness that reminded me of the painting "Doni Tondo" framed by his thick eyelashes, the magnetic pull causing me to want to sit and study them for hours, pick apart the art and never let it go.

He sends himself a text so he automatically has my number before twisting the phone in his fingers to hand back to me. I take it, shoving it into my back pocket before he pulls out his own. "And what do I have the pleasure of calling you?"

I narrow my eyes and think of a fake name that doesn't sound like a lie, but also looks like... Well, my name, but I can't lie that well and it pains me to try when I am on the line of sobriety and drunkenness. "(Y/N), but people call me snips."

"Why?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Now I understand."

"Enjoying yourself?" I look up to see Deja blessed us with her presence with a different man leaning over her shoulders. I stumble into her arms, her little laugh echoing around us before I nod my head.

Despite wanting nothing more than to get out of here, I'm relieved to see a familiar face. "Uh.." I look over at Hobie whose attention is facing towards the little stage that is dead center of the room before turning back to Deja. "Can I get back to you on that?"

Deja lets out a laugh and wiggles her eyebrows at Hobie before grabbing me by the arm. "I hate to take your date away, Hobie, but I need her. You are still performing?"  She hooks an arm through mine and all Hobie does is acknowledge us by lifting the cup slightly up in the air before she turns us around with an impressed look.

"I didn't think you had the balls to talk to Hobie." She squeals out, walking us away towards the corner she was previously locking lips with a random person five minutes ago.

I let her lead me towards the area anyway, a group crowds around in a circle and the two guys in front of our view parts their bodies when Deja makes herself known. It makes me jealous that wherever Deja goes, people gravitate towards her and make a path whenever they hear her voice or sense her.

"Is there room for us two?"

One of the boys turns to flash her an easy grin. "Of course, beautiful." He extends his arm out for Deja to fit underneath like a missing puzzle piece, his dark orbs finding mine. "Hey, you're the next girl, right? I'm Rex."

I nod and say, "(Y/N)."

He switches positions so now I'm on his free side, he towers over me in a neutral way and keeps his loopy grin on his face. "You're Eliana's roommate, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Where'd you move from?"

"Washington."

"Ah, a rainy city girl. I like that."

I force a smile, and he takes a step closer, removing his arm from Deja's shoulders to rest a hand on my arm. "Are you enjoying New York?" 

"I haven't done much," I say, stepping away. "I'll let you know."

"Well," he says. "I've lived here my whole life. I'd make a pretty good tour guide if you want. Besides, I showed Eli around when she first got here."

I glance at Deja or June for support, both of the girls on either side of the circle, but they are too busy talking to other people. "That's fine, I am a pretty busy gal' and I got Google maps for a reason."

He smirks. "I could give you a private tour."

I roll my eyes and ignore him, shuffling towards Deja. After a few minutes, we venture towards the bar. Deja throws her arms around the neck of a guy she is talking to. In the distance, a beautiful girl is sat on one of the sofas, surrounded by a flock of people who are fawning over her. She tilts her head, her dirty blonde hair flowing across the front of her dress, and she lets out a loud, hearty laugh that sounds like it was plucked from an angel.

"That's Ivy," Rex says, and when he steps forward and puts his arms on my waist, I freeze. He moves his face towards my neck, his breath hot against my skin. "The princess around here, or so she thinks. She has all these guys bowing down to her on their knees. Wanna dance?"

I jerk my head to the side, recoiling from him. I learned early on that some men are just pigs. Nasty ass pigs. Usually guys back off when you say you have a boyfriend, but I refused to let a man intimidate me and have to use an excuse that I have a man. "No, now leave me alone."

It doesn't work. "It's just a dance," he insists. His grip is tight, my efforts to pull away leave little to no impact. "It isn't like you have a boyfriend?"

My patience runs thin. "No, but I have a cup."

"A cup?" he laughs.

I nod my head, reaching over to grab a random cup from a stranger and dump the entire liquid onto his head as gasps form around us. "What the fuck is your problem?!" he yells out.

"My problem is, I don't want to dance with you."

I push myself through the crowd and feel like the stairs are now ten miles away from me. My hands are in front of me as I ignore Deja and June calling for me, falling into the chest of an unknown person until we make eye contact.

"My fault." I mumble, pushing myself off of Hobie.

He says nothing, his face stoic but a clenched cup as he keeps a firm grip on my waist before releasing me altogether.

We spend a few seconds staring at one another before he lifts his head up a brief second to stare at Rex drenched in alcohol. He smirks, nods his head in approvement before blocking anyone trying to get to me so I can make my escape. I thank him with a nod, running up the steps and heading out the door without another word. June and Deja blow my phone up wondering where I am. I say I'm fine, need air and shut my phone off for the remainder of the night. It still has a lot of juice left, so if needed I can just turn it back on and call an uber.

While I walk down the sidewalk, the trees fly by, broken by the oversize homes with their landscape lawns. Audi's, Porsche and BMW crowd the driveways with more people passing out on the lawn like it was normal to have so many parties. The gated community reminds me of a hallmark movie, but just north of here is my apartment that is protected by a man who shoots webs out of his wrists.

Back home, there was always this sense of less freedom that came from knowing you could be anywhere you wanted in thirty minutes, but here, life was moving like a movie. There's always a weird rush to get anywhere, celebrities lining the stores and the sense of urgency or purpose radiates around me. A couple walks past me, their arms interlocked while they dress in a party outfit. I didn't know which one they were going to, but it seems they have many options for tonight.

I focused on my feet moving down the sidewalk, I had no idea where I was going. I remembered seeing a McDonald's right outside the gated area and down the road, so I plan to go there.

"You are a quiet walker," a voice behind me says, causing me to jump in place. "You good?"

I sigh with my hand on my chest, visibly startled and a smirk dances on his lips. "Did I scare ya', snips?"

Hobie is looking right at me, waiting for me to confess. "I mean, you are following me in the middle of the night." I say. "You can answer that question yourself."

He grins, and I'm surprised how calm it makes me feel. Like I have been around him before. Like I know he won't hurt me. "Touche." He says, walking next to me as we continue down the sidewalk and out the gates. "Y'know, no one usually stands up to Rex like that. He is a smooth talker."

A snicker erupts from my throat, crossing my arms one over the other as I roll my eyes. "Yeah, well, I hate smooth talkers."

Hobie side eyes me, a curious look on his face that doesn't go unnoticed as we walk further. We finally manage to get to the restaurant only for my hopes to be dropped when I notice it was past their closing hours and my stomach rumbles in my chest.

I turn and shrug, heading back towards the party whilst turning on my phone to ask if the girls were still there until Hobie's voice calls out. "I know a twenty four hour spot, it's a little bit of a distance in the town, but it serves its purpose."

I hesitate, debating if hanging out with Hobie Brown was a good idea or not, but I was already out here and my stomach growling didn't help whatsoever.

...

We spent ten minutes trying to hail a cab, our efforts falling short while our stomachs hurt from laughing so bad. One cab saw Hobie and completely missed their turn to get to us, his curse words echoing all the way from the freeway until they died out the farther he got away. Another was oblivious, most of them having no clue Hobie was hailing them down until our luck was still good and we were now standing outside the entrance of the restaurant he mentioned.

The smell was immaculate. Outside the hole in the wall spot was a Jamaican style restaurant with a few people sitting outside and playing the drums, the front entrance was too small for an outside dining area minus one bench, so they opted to put everything inside. A few neon signs were placed on the walls for decoration that said 'RUM' in red, 'REGGAE' in yellow and 'JERK' in green.

Inside there was a painting of a beautiful Jamaican girl with large hoop earrings, blue eyeshadow and her side portfolio that screamed 'Look at me!' when you walked in. And I did. The painting stood out to me the most because of how beautiful and captivating she was, as if I knew her my whole life.

"Oi! Hobie Brown, do ya' know how rude it is to leave an elderly lady here by herself?" The thick, Jamaican accent made me slightly jump in my place as I whipped my head around to an older woman resting a hand on her hip and a plate of food in her other hand. She had wrinkles on her face, many beaded bracelets and rings littered her wrist and fingers. Her long hoops earrings had me turning to stare at the portrait and wonder, was that her? She had a aura that reminded you of a mother nurturing her bratty child, she didn't take any shit and wasn't going to back down. The restaurant wasn't necessarily busy, but there were a few customers lounging in the booths or on the couches inside the establishment that kept her on her toes. With her long locs swaying as she wobbled over, Hobie took her into a tight embrace with their height difference not going unnotice.

"My fault, ma. Y'know how life gets." Hobie truthfully admitted, stepping back to flash a peraly white smile and for some odd reason that I never once notice, he had a very pretty smile. I suck in a harsh breath with my eyes going back to taking in my surroundings to help myself not feel like the elephant in the room.

"And who might you be?"

I give my undivided attention to 'Ma' smiling softly while sticking my hand out. "(Y/N), Hobie's friend."

Ma raised an eyebrow, passing the plate onto the designated table before turning to examine me. It reminds me of the day I wanted to be a model, the stares of judgement that I didn't belong there, comparing me to my friends that stood behind me wanting the same dream. Except, Ma's face breaks out into a grin and she places a wrinkly hand on my own while giving Hobie an approving look that I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "I like her, when will you two get together?"

Hobie and I grimace at the same time, the thought of that making me blush but feel embarrassed because I was an intern and was secretly making him outfits. He was a famous singer that the world hated, we didn't fit at all.

Ma waved her hands in our direction in a universal 'Don't care.' before wobbling back to the counter. Despite her age and the time it was right now, she was flourishing. Calling out orders, snapping her fingers like an angry mother when a child ran around her restaurant. Why a child was up at this time, I wouldn't know or question. Sliding a pen out from behind her ear and grabbing her notepad, she started firing off options for us to eat—mostly me because Hobie apparently ordered the same thing here—and I couldn't register it all before Hobie cleared his throat to stop Ma from jumbling my mind.

It wasn't that I was still sobering up, her thick accent plus her assertive attitude had me listening in too much that I completely missed everything she said.

"Let me try your new Jamaican coco bread, let me get Snip's some oxtail and toss in some of that mac and cheess you was talking about last week." Ma nods, scribbling down our orders before ushering the both of us to sit down somewhere. Hobie places a hand on my lower back to guide me towards a table in the back, the lights are lightly dim and I softly laugh at how this reminds me of some first date.

My feet carried me to the table before pulling the chair out and sitting down, Hobie sitting in front of me and I waste no time shooting questions out. "Why did you follow me?"

His eyebrow rises, leaning back as he manspreads with his arms crossed. "What type of man would I be if I didn't make sure a lady got home safely."

"But I didn't get home, I'm here."

"You agreed and I did double check if you were comfortable."

"...Touche."

His cocky little grin appears on his face as he starts to shootnout questions towards me. "Why did you come to the party if you didn't want to come."

I sigh, that was a good question that I didn't have an answer to. I wanted to live a little, was one answer. I was told it was mandatory for another, and I was overwhelmingly, positively eagerly trying to fit in. "I was told I need to live a little even though I haven't been here for that long. Deja and June are heavy partiers when we aren't sitting in front of a white board trying to come up with designs." It was the truth, for once I wasn't fibbing.

Hobie just nodded and listened, keeping his same look and posture before the smell of food filled our noses and I perked up. The combination of flavors had my mouth watering without my taste buds tasting it. I grew up in a traditional mixed household. My mother was white and my father was full Nigerian, my sister got more of my mothers appearance while I took the appearance of my father. They met at a Jazz club late one night while my mother was bartending there, my father was playing the saxophone when he hopped down the stage to ask for help. Ever since then, they have been together ever since.

We tried to have a mixture of both white and Nigerian foods, but my mother was ... well my mother. She wasn't against the food, she just had a heavy thing for texture on certain foods. I never grew up eating my culture food, but today felt like a milestone in my life.

The table was cluttered in different varieties of food that Ma, and I quote, said I needed to eat to get a bit more food on my bones. I didn't feel offended by her comment, but if it was anyone else I would've just left. The plates were a bright color: dark blue, red, orange, dark orange, light blue, teal and so forth. I felt like I was being hypnotized to fall in love with the food. Ma knew what she was doing.

Hobie let me take the first bite first, watching me with the fork up to his lips like he was counting down in his head for how I would react to it. When the piece of oxtail rested on my taste buds and I chewed for a few seconds, eyes closed to savor every taste, every piece, every meat that fell off after I chewed before I covered my mouth to swallow, slowly staring up at him.

"This...is fucking amazing." I giggle behind my hand, a breath of relief leaving Hobie's mouth before we eat and talk, sometimes sit in silence as well.

...

By the time we finished, it's nearing 5am. My phone had been turned back on during our late night dinner and Deja texted in 'Fashion Killas' that work was canceled today because of her raging hangover and her being on the opposite side of town. I didn'g have to go into the diner until late that evening, so Hobie offered to call me an uber. When I told him the destinatio, he said he had a place to be on that side of town and with his charm of some words asked if he could make sure I get home.

The ride back was quiet, the soft melody of music from the front seat had my mind wandering towards sleepville. If it wasn't for Hobie's rough hands shaking me wake to let me know we arrived I would've completely missed it.

The sun barely broke the horizon when I stepped out, but my hand still shot up to cover my tired eyes from the glaring sun rays. Turning and bending down to peer into the window, I overheard Hobie telling the driver where to go next before his brown eyes found mine.

"Will I hear from you again?" I ask.

He leaned forward which caused me to lean back so he had room, his head popping out the window as he nodded. He barely looked like he was tired, as if he managed to get some sleep prior to this final moment. "Maybe, Snips. I'll keep you wondering."

Before I had a chance to respond, the window was rolled back up and the uber drove off. I let out a giddy laugh, I promised myself I wouldn't get involved with him if the chance ever came. But I didn't expect the chance to ever really come if I am honest. Something about him is dark and dangerous, inviting me in to his lifestyle. This type of likeness was like a fairytale, something you'd see only in movies or books; not real life. I didn't get my hopes up after I stopped the little laughs escaping my voice box. Turningnon my heels, I lightly jumped when Vanity appeared with a stoic look on her face and arms holding a basket of art supplies.

"I know I did not just see you get out of a uber with Hobie Brown." She had a deadpanned expression, no emotion of excitement or curiosity lingering on her tongue. "Like. The rockstar Hobie Brown."

I just nodded, helping her with some of the boxes that were leaning against her behind. I didn't even sense she was there or if Hobie saw and that is why he left so suddenly, but my expression had to be enough because she just sighed and replaced it with a smile. "That's so cool—what did you guys do? Where did you been meet him?"

I stared into her eyes to see if she was hiding anything, if maybe she was jealous because I have only been here for less than two weeks and I got to hang out and eat with Hobie Brown; but there was nothing. Not even a hint of longing to be in my place, I wasn't cocky. Not by a long shot. But her attitude shifted when she noticed him, she wasn't as inviting and I wondered if maybe she had an almost close encounter with him at some point.

"Some party I went to last night. My co-worker June had a friend who I guess knew Hobie from school, introduced us and then we went out to eat." Thinking back to last night and the food had my stomach grumbling, I almost forgot that I needed sleep and that Rex was still a sick. I hesitated on telling her anymore details and settled on just cutting it short. Vanity didn't push, which I'm glad, but I wanted to tell someone about this night and the only two I could think of was Sydni and Tiana.

After helping Vanity up the steps to our apartment and bringing the items to her room, I excused myself to a shower and throwing on silk pajama bottoms and a sports bra with my pink bonnet on my head. I shot the girls a quick summary about last night and sent various voice messages about how I tossed the cup on the dudes head, meeting Hobie, eating with him and sending them a photo of the food we had with his hands doing peace signs in the background, but no face. The texts went back and forth for anout twenty minutes while we all caught up on the drama or events I had missed out on. Sydni was at a convention and Tiana started a brand new job, I told them how I got another job and what Karl wanted us to do and more. While sending a few photos of my half-decorated room, a ding caught my attention as I moved across the room to grab my phone off the charger, a blush and a small gasp left my lips when the text message came through.

'hobie'
'you didn't die on your way inside your room did you?'

I had to do a double take and pinch my skin, no way did he really text me. Sure, I was fan-girling over him because of our late night adventures and anyone who was in my position would do the same thing. I laid down on my bed whole changing porting spots so my phone was closer and rolled onto my stomach, one leg out and the other tucked under my baby blue comforter. I deleted and typed a variety of different texts.

'yeah. thx.' Nah, too short.

'If you stayed, maybe you would've known.' Nah, too snippy.

'I did, I'm a ghost texting you right now.' It was stupid, but it would keep him texting back.

And it did.