Reminiscence

4721 Words
Tori did not have me convinced. Arms across her chest, she was staring out the car's windshield, looking to the time on the map shown on the driver console. Filtered through the perception of many, Tori might be perceived as even-tempered, but I'd personally been acquainted with her true disposition when riled. Patience wasn't considered a virtue in her book, and she was very accustomed to getting what she wanted. Her expectations were high. For me personally, it was connected to the fact she was raised so incredibly wealthy. Programmed to the idea of instant gratification. What she was currently displaying could be labeled a fit; it wasn't yet a tantrum. Although I'm sure if I pushed the subject of her Mother, it would evolve into such. I would concede for the moment, but I fully intended to bring it up later. If we were to continue this dynamic, I needed to be verse in defusing this emotional trigger. This was not the first time Tori's behavior and mood had taken a swing for the worst when involving or mentioning her Mother. My mind taking a jog backward, I'm brought to memory. Tori and I on a brunch date. She'd been relatively chipper and talkative. She'd started filling me in on a revelation she'd made in therapy. I remember finding it remarkable how readily she shared the session's goings with me; she'd kept most of her progress to herself. I took it as a sign that we were becoming more intimate with one another. My heart doing a backflip; I'd taken notice of how expressive she was with her hands while talking. It made me smile now on visualization. She was getting to the point of the whole session when she abruptly got a call. She'd frozen just at the sound of the ringtone, her entire mood flipping. She answered only using one-word answers in a monotone voice as replies. When she hung up, she was there, but I knew she wasn't really. Her face had gone entirely blank, and it was as if she were staring past me. I spoke up after the silence grew to be unbearable for me. I'd said her name, and she didn't respond; instead, she stood up, grabbed her belongings, and walked out without so much as a see you later. I first went to follow her to her car, make sure she was okay to drive. I was worried. But she'd gone so fast I didn't catch her in time. The next day I called to talk to her about it, and she claimed not to remember any of it. It was disturbing, and it made me fear that she'd been doing this far longer than she was aware of. I never mentioned it again, but I'd said that if I were to experience it again with her, I would suggest bringing it up to her doctor. I was aware that it was her parents paying for her therapy. I was also aware that Tori dealt with severe panic disorder and had an episode at her parents' house a year ago. She never told me what triggered it or what even happened, only that the paramedics were called, and she was forced to stay in a mental health facility for a good chunk of that month. She never shared her experience, not while in the facility, but I did remember citing bruises up and down her arms. She claimed to have fallen while heavily medicated, but with the way her eyes searched while stating the claim, I'd sensed she was lying. I never made it my job to push Tori to share more than she was willing to. I wanted no resentment to bleed its way into our friendship. If and or when she shared something, I made it a point never to overreact. I never played white knight either, no matter how desperately I wanted to. I consider myself an empath. My past riddled with me trying to deserparetly fix and save those I was close to. There were times that I took on the emotions of those around me. I did not know how to filter those emotions out to decipher which ones were mine. I would end up in depressive states and have horrible intrusive thoughts involving self-worth. I'd joined the Marines at 18, trying to impress my father, which was exceptionally hard for me. Even worse when the bastard went and died before I was even through my first year. While enlisted, I was determined to live my life the way I pleased when discharged. I held so much resentment towards those I felt I had wasted my energy on, especially my Father. I became obsessed with the idea of turning it all off and living carefree. I did just that once I was free from the confines of the military. I was out by the time I was 25, and the deployments not only took a toll on me physically but mentally and emotionally. I did exactly what I said though, and I lived my life like a whirlwind. I was the definition of a runaway train gaining upon a portion with no track available. Did that stop me? No. Not at all. I came to terms with being bisexual, and my body count doubled. I was reckless; it was only by a miracle that I had not gotten a girl pregnant or contracted some type of sexually transmitted disease. The universe really was kind to me. I fell into some dark places, though, and situations I wish I could wipe clean from my memory. I wasn't always the best at making choices. I got to a point I didn't see myself as worth anything more than a good night, and I stopped believing I would amount to much more than some older woman's last fantasy before biting the dust. Suicidal and draining my disability checks each month, I just continued to try and drown out the pain, at least till that night. Breathing through my nose, I exhale through my mouth. I take my hand and shove it into my pocket, and clutch it around the chunk of obsidian I carried with me everywhere. I needed to think about something else. We only had about two minutes till we were at the address I'd given Bobbie. Who was currently jamming out by herself? She was mouthing the words of the song booming from her system. Tori was asleep again. I should have suggested some caffeine before leaving her apartment. Hopefully, she had the energy for the rest of the night. I was excited for her to meet my friends. She knew Anthony already; he was mutual between us. Anthony was a very well-known creative type who ran with a lot of artists in the Tampa area. I'd met him after one fateful night 4 years ago. He'd approached me while out at a club about modeling for some music video. His hair was cut in a short afro at the time, and he'd been sporting a go-tee. So glad he opted that thing out. He'd said I had the look an artist he was recruiting for was looking for. He asked me to fly out to Miami to meet her and audition. I had never modeled before, but I'd been approached several times in the past. I decided the hell with it and agreed to the offer. I was not disappointed. Anthony, who later told me to call him Ant, introduced me to several wealthy and connected individuals. I made good money for a while in modeling. It wasn't a passion, but the money was good, so I stuck with it for quite some time. My personality carried me just as far as my looks. Being socially intelligent, I knew how to carry a conversation and draw in others easily. Ant recognized this quality and eventually started taking me along with him to recruit other models or talent.  Over time we became a team, and it was my main source of income to this day. I was doing very well for myself, and I was grateful to Ant for taking me under his wing in the industry as he did. We became best friends, and I would even say I considered him to be a brother. The messes he would get us in, though. Ant was a hothead, and I had to defuse more than a few fights at clubs. I shake my head, thinking about some of his wildest episodes. But I still loved him despite. He was loyal and actually had a huge heart. The night Tori and I met, Ant told me we were to attend a penthouse party that sat on a beachfront. There was an underground artist who grew to be well known. Ant managed to get the invite through other connections and was enthusiastic about the opportunity to get him to collaborate with another artist we were working with. I wasn't feeling up to a party, but partying was apart of the job. Arriving at the penthouse, I could tell right away it was a night to keep a close eye on Ant. So I stayed close or at least kept him in view. Ant wasn't aggressive by nature, but when drinking, he became easy to disturb. He expected a certain level of respect being who he was. We both were in our 30's him at 33, and I at 31 at the time, so it was always some young kid who tipped him off. I wasn't thrilled that the penthouse was filled to the brim with what felt like to me to be children. The oldest only looking to be 24, and the majority looked 21. I would not have been surprised to find there had been teenagers attending. Definitely, a night to do an age check before flirting with the abundance of young women. At the time, I was not inclined to be looking. Relationships were not at the forefront of my mind; I focused on making as much money as possible. I partook in meaningless flings and even had few one-night stands, but even that became pointless to me. I was not too fond of the exchange of energy and always ended up feeling robbed. So I was focused. It definitely assisted in climbing the social ladder. I'd become coveted amongst not only women but men too. Labeled as hard to get, I was hit on with what felt no reprieve. It was exhausting. Ant, to my surprise, was fairing well; then again, he'd also been cutting down on the amount he drank over the past few months before. Proud of him, I'd felt free to wander the penthouse halls. I wasn't sure which rooms were off-limits, but my curiosity usually always won out over any form of reasoning. Opening doors and peering in, I was disappointed to find that most of them were, in fact, empty. I concluded that the penthouse was just used for the space for events such as the one I was attending. After checking the last room at the end of one of what felt like a dozen halls, I'd turned to make my way back only to realize I was lost. "Shit." Going to my phone, I shot Ant a text. He did not reply. I could then only assume he was either balls deep in a conversation or in something much more relative to the term. I wandered the halls for what felt like a good hour before happening on a Tori. She was doing what I'd been doing moments before. Opening doors and peering in, she would close the door and go to the next once, only seeing emptiness. "Good to see I'm not the only person being a total creep." Tori had yelped and jumped. Her body flailing, she hit the wall opposite of her hard enough to make a thumping sound. I had not meant to startle her and instantly felt guilty. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Tori bent down to hold her knees. She didn't respond right away. I jogged to her side. "Hey, are you okay? I am so sorry." She slowly regained composure. Made a motion as if she were dusting herself off and said, "Who me? Oh no, I'm fine. That's how I always say hello back." And it was in that moment with that very comment that Tori could have asked me to be hers, and I would have gone to one knee no questions asked. And when she lifted her head and made eye contact? I was toast. Something within my body ignited, and I decided I wanted to learn everything there was to learn about the woman standing before me. Her amber eyes were like flaming orbs set in alabaster, her lips were full and bright pink in color even in absence of lipstick. She'd been wearing all black with a beanie that had cat ears sewn to it.  Writing in the center, that read "Mew." Which, of course, was all kinds of f*****g adorable to me. She had not blushed when making eye contact. I asked first, "What is your name?" Tori went to look behind her then back down the hall behind me. "What's yours?" She asked. Taking out her phone and peering at the screen. I hadn't been sure what she was searching for, but I decided to ignore the suspicious behavior as I was more concerned with finding out who she was first. "I'm Brent," I said, offering my hand. Tori looked at it but made no move to shake it. "Got a last name, Brent?" I couldn't help but laugh. She was something else. "Jung. Brent Jung. Your turn, kid." I'd removed my hand from the space between us and leaned against the hall's wall. I could already tell she needed a stronger hand. Images of me bending her over my knee coming to mind. Her face flushed and tears welling in those flame-colored eyes as my hand flys down hard on her plump well-shaped backside. I'd gotten a good eye full as she'd been opening doors. "Kid? I'm aware I may look young, but I will have you know I am 23 years old, sir." The word sir off those lips had almost made me come unglued. She was right though, she'd looked younger than 23. Didn't change the fact that I wanted to dominate her.   "Could have fooled me." That was all I could manage in reply. Thankfully Ant had impeccable spidey senses, and my phone began to ring. I did my best to conceal my relief as I wasn't sure how much longer I could withstand, wanting to slam Tori against the wall and thrust into her until she was good and used up. There was something about her that had really made me want to own her. Her energy was practically palpable to me, and every cell of my body wanted to penetrate it. Ant was talking slow, and it sounded like he was talking through his teeth. From what I could make out with the background noise, he was trying to tell me he was at the poolside, and the artist himself was a d**k, and he was testing his patience. Taking a look around me, I try and spot a window hoping I could see a view of a pool or at least some hint of where I was in the house. "Alright, bro, keep it chill and try to avoid him. I'm not sure where I'm at at the moment. I will find my way to you, and we'll dip." Typically Ant could keep his manner cool when it came to business, so the guy must have been a complete asshole. We didn't like working with those types, so the job itself was over. Hanging up, I look to Tori, who was looking at the screen of her phone again. "You got any clue where we are?" Tori looked up and smiled. "You're lost?" I could see she was enjoying the idea of her being my only hope. I rolled my eyes. "Yes, I'm lost. Do you know where the pool would be located?" Tori looked at me for a moment, and I could see the wheels turning behind those eyes. Thinking back, I realize now she was deciding whether she would help me or lead me on a wild goose chase. She chose to help me and personally lead me straight to the pool itself. Once among others, though Tori's demeanor changed. It was like she flipped some switch. She pulled the hood of her light jacket up over her head, and her walk became distinctly more masculine in nature. Using her shoulders, she would move people out of her way as she made it through the crowd. Some would move out of her way, and that's when I started to put it together that she was known. Clues such as when she passed other girls, they would begin to whisper into each other's ears. Guys would only check her out after she'd already passed them. I remember wondering who the f**k she was at that point. She definitely had a story, and I wanted to know what it was. "Ant, I found your guy." Tori had yelled up over the music. Ant was standing literally at the pool's edge, a cigarette in hand. He didn't smoke, so the guy really must have been trying hard not to blow. "Thanks, Victoria. I figured you'd find him in the halls. Curious little shit." "Wait, you were looking for me?" I was shocked. She was really good at acting! It all made sense, though, now, checking the rooms, looking at her phone, being such a pain in my ass. But why had she been looking down the hall even after she'd found me? "I didn't find the other guy, though. He must have dipped." I guess that answered that question. "There was another guy?" I looked to Ant. "I sent a guy to look for you, even sent him a photo of you and $50 for his time. When he didn't return my texts, I asked Victoria here to go look for you since this is one of her Dad's properties." I then looked to Tori, who wasn't seeming to be paying an ounce of attention. She looked to be nervous. "Ant, I've told you a billion f*****g times to call me Tori. Call me Victoria one more damn time my foot is going to make contact with your nut sack." Ant winced at this comment but laughed. "My bad, Tori. You staying for the performance?" Ant takes a long pull of his cigarette. "No. The guys a dickhead. I just came to make sure the property was being respected. It's one of my Father's favorite properties." Ant looks to Tori and nods, "Yeah, he isn't going to be much for long with the way he speaks to those who could get him better places than this. Shame. He had potential." He says, going to flick the cigarette but then looking to Tori and notes it might be better to pocket it. "Nah, his potential ended when he talked to my Father the way he did. Number one reason he sent me to check-in. Word will get around, and he will lose credibility, and he won't be able to rent properties for his performances anywhere in the state of Florida period. So you dodge a bullet." Tori spoke each word with confidence. "Damn." It came out of my mouth before I could think to say anything more intelligible.  "Yeah. Anywho, I'm getting out of here." Tori was already looking for a route out. "We'll follow you." Ant says and nodding at me. Starting to walk behind Tori, I ask Ant, "How long have you known her, and why have I never seen her before?" Ant chuckled lightly before answering, "Her father owns a s**t ton of properties throughout Tampa and along the beaches of the Gulf. Which I'm sure you caught on to. So she's filthy rich, well her parents are, that is. She doesn't get out a lot and usually doesn't make an appearance unless her Dad asks her or needs her to. She isn't the social type, and from what I hear, she has many issues. Funny how the rich girls are the craziest." Ant finished pulling a small pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He must have bummed it off someone at the pool. "Well, she is something," I'd said absently. "Don't get any ideas, Brent; she is not easy to impress. I know you, you would jump hoops like a circus dog, and she would just sit back thinking it's to be expected. You're better than that."  I'd taken that advice to heart. I made a strategy right then and there. I was not going to be Tori's lapdog or a generic knock off brand of the other men she'd dated. I wanted to make a foundation as her friend. A true friend. I used discernment and placed boundaries for myself. And here I was now in the back of an Uber with her fast asleep on my shoulder. Sure it took a couple of years, but it was very much worth it. I didn't stop dating or talking to other women. I, in truth, made it a point to. It wasn't easy; there were times I'd wanted to go knocking on her door and just tell her about the way I felt. But I knew it was all about timing. "We're here; you want to start directing me where to go from here?" Bobbie's voice distracting me from my prior focus. "Oh, yeah. s**t. Sorry I wasn't paying attention." Pulling out my phone, I look at the map Ant had sent me.  "So you're going to go up a couple of blocks here. There is a wooded area that has a drive up. You'll just follow it till you see lights, and that's the event." I finish looking up to see Bobbie nodding. "Got it. You might want to wake her up; better to have time to wake than trying to walk in the dark." She says, putting her car back into drive. Shaking my shoulder lightly, I wake Tori. Eyes fluttering, Tori looks around while sitting up. "Holy s**t. How long was I out?" She questions, stretching her arms above her head. "Yeah, that was quite the power nap." Tori looks at me and smiles. It was good to see her mood had improved. Perhaps a nap is just what she'd needed. "We're almost there; it shouldn't be more than 3 to 4 more minutes," I add, positioning myself so that she could get a good view of my body again. She was a lot more affected than I even predicted she would be. Such a visual woman; I loved it.  "Stop teasing me, Brent. Please." She whines, clenching her fists. I couldn't help grinning at her. She was adorable in her reaction to my physique. It amused me. Sighing, she unclenches her fist and puts them in her lap. "I want to try what you offered back at my place." I wasn't able to comprehend exactly what she was talking about right away. It was so random. Then I remembered I'd offered her ecstasy. "Yeah?" My voice showing genuine surprise. "Yep, I want to shut off for a minute. Just focus on having a good time." Tori's hand shoots out palm up. "Woah, hey. Calm down, Princess. Let's wait till we get to a stop." I laughed, slapping her outstretched palm and then pulling her in with it. Giggling, Tori throws me off and sits on me in a straddling position. The warmth of her on me exciting me instantly. I can't help myself and grab a handful of her ass with both hands. Tori leans in, and I can sense she wanted me to kiss her, but I was holding out on that still. I wanted to wait till we were alone. I planned on kissing her as she'd never been kissed before in her entire life. I wanted it to be etched into her memory. I wanted it to be so deep she felt like she'd drown, and I wanted her to thirst for my lips every time she thought back on it. Making her wait, it would make the memory stick. I'd already fallen through on s****l contact. She'd been so f*****g needy at her apartment, and all I desired at that moment was to bury my face between her thighs and have her flood my mouth with her ecstasy over and over. It took everything in me not to rip that precious onesie of hers off and have her quiver as I brought her to that place she so needed to be. I took pride in my abilities and planned on putting them to good use on Tori.  "I'm going to kiss you, Princess. I am. And when I do, you'll feel it everywhere, and you'll remember it. You'll think about it, dream about it, and you will wake to the need for it every single day. So be patient. It's going to happen. I promise." I whisper in her ear, letting my hand massage her ass and slowly grinding her against me. Whimpering, Tori's legs tighten around mine. I loved how reactive she was to the sensations I was able to give her. It made me want to keep going till she busted on my lap as she'd done on my knee. But there was a time and a place, and as kind and tolerant as Bobbie seemed, I didn't want to offend her and or assume she was okay with us dry humping in her backseat. Leaning into Tori's ear, I whisper, "Alright,  Princess, be a good girl, and settle down. I'll take care of you once we're alone." Tori nods silently and climbs off my lap and back to my side.  "We're here," Bobbie announces. We were parked in the middle of what looked like pitch blackness, but ahead you could see the glow of thousands of lights. "Awesome." Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my wallet; leafing through the cash, I pull out a 100 dollar bill and hand it to Bobbie. She naturally went to grab the bill but hesitated once she saw the amount. "I think you gave me the wrong bill." She says, going to hand it back. "No, I didn't. Go home and enjoy your night. You shouldn't be out this late in this area. I am sure that will cover the rest of what you would have made tonight." I say, going to open the door. "Yeah, go get some well-deserved rest girl, you were awesome. We will be sure to give you a glowing review." Tori says, adding another 100 she must have had in her fanny. Say what you wanted about Tori she was far from stingy. She was very generous.  "You guys, this is too much!" Bobbie says, trying again to hand it back. "Girl, shut up and take it," Tori says, laughing. "You guys are amazing, thank you. That just paid for my car insurance." Bobbie says, looking close to tears. Tori takes out her phone and hands it to Bobbie. "Put your number in my phone. I'd love to hang out sometime. You're good people." Bobbie takes Tori's phone and puts her number in, and hands it back. "I like your energy too. I would love to link up and see what kind of stuff we could get into." Bobbie says, looking genuinely excited. "No doubt!" I take this as the perfect moment to slide out of the car. "You have a blessed night Bobbie, we will all get together soon," Tori says, sliding out behind me. "You too, Tori!" Bobbie says before Tori closes the door of her car.  After Bobbie pulls away, I take Tori in my arms. "Would you look at that? We're alone. Do you know what this means, Princess?" My voice was low and full of intent. "Y-y-you're gonna kiss me?" Tori asks, eyes wide. "Yes. I'm going to kiss you." I say, slowly leaning in... 
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