THE LAST DANCE

Five

AJ?

Allen Johnson?

Adam Johnson?

Alton Johnson?

I text back.

Who is this? ~Alisha

There's only one way to find out. Come to that event tonight. ~AJ

This is not cute at all, you know? ~Alisha

Sooo dramatic. It's Allen. Duh. ~AJ

How do you have my number? ~Alisha

Technically, I'm your boss. I can easily access your phone number. That shouldn't be so hard to figure out. ~AJ

Of course ~Alisha

That's the first time I'm sensing sarcasm in a text. What are you wearing tonight? ~AJ

I'm working tonight, and even if I wasn't, I wouldn't go anywhere with you. ~Alisha

And why not?~AJ

Oh let's see. We've known each other for like ten hours.~Alisha

Eleven hours to be precise. ~AJ

I snort.

Yeah. Eleven hours. ~Alisha

I swear it'll be worth it. Just come with me, and I'll show you a world that you didn't know existed. ~Allen

You sound like a hopeless romantic, and that's totally not my type.~Alisha

That means I'm making an impact. Come on, Alisha. Don't over think it. ~AJ

I have to work. ~Alisha

I'm the boss. I'll have the manager get someone to cover for you. ~AJ

The answer is still no. How do I even know for sure that's it's you behind these texts? I know at least three people with the initials A.J ~Alisha

Give me a second.~AJ

I sigh when I hear a light thud on the balcony. Seconds later, he walks in with a stupid smirk on his face.

"Do you believe that it's me now?"

I sink into the pillows.

"Did you really have to show up my in bedroom?"

"Yeah. Nice bedroom by the way. I'm a bit disappointed that there's no pink stuff."

"Pink? Really? You're such a girl, Allen."

We both look at his chest before we burst out laughing. That's the exact scenario we had last night.

Now that the mood is lighter, he walks to me and flops beside me on the bed. He turns to fully face me. I want to move away, to create some distance between us, but I can't. I'm paralysed by that stupid bewitching smile.

His teeth sink into his bottom lip just as his dimple sinks on his cheek.

Shit.

He's doing this on purpose.

"You were saying?" He asks me when I keep staring at him.

"I hope you don't have your shoes on."

"Um..?"

"No shoes on my bed, Johnson."

He rolls his eyes.

"Fine."

He tugs his sneakers off before he lies beside me again.

"No shoes on the bed. See? I'm a good boy. Now the least you can do is come with me tonight."

"Why do you even want me to come with you?"

"I need a date. Plus, I thought about the conversation we had last night. Look, I get it. I think I do."

"You do what?"

"Your father, who is a bit of a jerk by the way-"

"Hey!"

"Fine. I won't say that. So your father had you locked away your entire life and you barely had human contact. You've never seen the world, Alisha."

"And I guess you're the Knight with a shining armour who will show it to me?"

He grins.

"Do you want me to be?"

"Hell no. I barely know you. I don't even know your middle name for crying out loud. How do you just assume that I'll be tugging alongside you everywhere you go?"

"Scott."

"Excuse me?"

"My middle name. It's Scott. You're being a little bit dramatic. I'm only asking you to come to the dance. Nothing more."

"Why should I come with you?"

"Because I need a partner."

"You don't necessarily need to go with one."

"So I'll be dancing all by myself? That's kinda weird and I'm not that weird. You're the only person i know in this building other than Alton, and I can't dance with him for obvious reasons. Last night, I promised to make it up to you after Adam sabotaged our little date, plus I find you interesting. That's why I want you to come with me."

"Interesting? Is that even a compliment?"

"Do you want it to be?"

"Allen, I'm hungry and I need to brush my teeth."

He sniffs around.

"You don't have morning breath."

"Is there any particular reason you're yet to figure out that I'm simply kicking you out?"

"I'll only leave once you agree to come with me."

"I'll only come with you if you explain what you meant when you said that I'm interesting."

"Oh that's easy. You work in a bar yet you don't drink. You wear makeup yet you hate it, you hate violence yet you threatened to punch Adam- don't look at me like that. Of course I read the texts. It was so refreshing to see you standing up against him. He's usually very cocky."

"Cockier than you?"

"I'm not cocky. I'm good looking. Big difference." He spares me a cocky smile. "A deal is a deal. We'll leave at six. I'll ask Tanisha to help you shop if you don't mind."

"I have enough dinner dresses to clothe half the girls in our college. You don't have to worry about that."

"You need jewellery-"

"My father hosted more parties than anyone else in this state. I have all that."

"Okay then."

I tense when he reaches for a curl of my hair and rolls it around his finger.

"What are you doing?"

"Your hair is so curly. What did you do to it?"

"I took a shower. Water makes the hair curl. Maybe you would know that if you took showers more often."

My aim is to offend him, but he laughs instead.

"I'll see you tonight."

My eyes widen when he leans towards me. His fingers release my hair and he moves ever so slowly, his eyes on my face, his lips slightly parted.

My heartbeat quickens.

_Push him away, dumbass!_

My subconscious yells.

"Alisha?" His voice is a husky whisper.

"Mh?"

He waves my phone in my face.

"I was getting your phone from behind you. I want to make sure that my number is saved."

I want to slap that stupid smile from his face. I bet one smack and his ass would be on the floor.

But I don't. Instead, I smile right back.

"Please make sure you save it as trash because that's exactly what you are."

"Speaking of trash-"

"Good morning sunshine!" Karina yells from the living area. Before I blink, she throws the door open and walks in. "s**t I was so high last night I- um... Am I interrupting something?"

"Yes."

"No!" Allen and I say simultaneously.

Karina takes in our position in one swift glance. Allen's arm is practically around me and our bodies are so close.

"Um... I'll be in kitchen. I'll leave you two to finish whatever that is."

"Rina-"

She's long gone. Some best friend indeed.

"I assume that's our cue to finish whatever this is?" Allen whispers jokingly as he leans closer.

Finally, I push him off my bed.

****

"Hey?" I says a bit nervously the moment I walk into the kitchen.

"I bet she's in a good mood." Karina says in a sing song voice as she starts the coffeemaker.

"Can you at least knock next time? Please don't barge in like that again."

"Are you worried that I might run into you in a nasty and awkward position? I'd give one of my kidneys to see that so I don't think I'll be doing any knocking around here.

"I'm serious, Rina. By the way how come you're not mad at me? I had boy in my bed."

She laughs.

"You promised to be on good behaviour so I know that you won't disappoint me. You are allowed to mess around as long as you don't cross the limits. I still won't knock on your door though. I'll be walking right in. Who was that boy anyway?"

"Allen Johnson, Alton's cousin."

"Tell me more."

I stare at her. How the hell am I supposed to know 'more' about him? Anyway, I come up with an answer.

"He is a vegetarian, he paints his nails bright red, he likes his lipstick matte like everyone else, he is a fan of Justin Bieber, he leaves the toilet seat up and his favourite colour is pink."

She blinks once.

Then twice.

"What?"

"You should have seen your face just now. That's the same face I made when you walked in on me and Allen. Next time please knock. Is that too much to ask for?"

"No. Of course not. So, Allen, did he spend the night here?"

"What? No! He came in the morning."

"I assume that your stomach is full of butterflies right now?"

I grin.

"Maybe."

"Really? I mean he is very good looking but that was a bit fast. I'm assuming that you met him last night?"

"Yeah. He is funny and he listens. Somehow. And he has a nice smile."

"And? That's it?"

"I'm not trying to date him so it doesn't matter."

"What are you trying to do?"

"We're going to a charity event tonight. He asked me to go with him. I'll wait until the slow dancing part when the lights are dim, then I'll kiss him."

She chocks on saliva.

"What?"

"Rina, I've been deprived of male company all my life. Dad died and I sank into alcoholism for half a year and afterwards, I was locked away at the rehab. Now that I have freedom for the first time in twenty years, I'm finally going to kiss a guy. Twenty is too late even for me."

"There are no deadlines; no milestones to having your first kiss."

"Says you. You're the one who has been teasing me all this time and now that I finally have the freedom, the courage, the guy and the opportunity you expect me to just let it go?"

"Does Allen even want to kiss you?"

"Well, I guess that there's only one way to find out."

"You'll basically be molesting him if you kiss him against his will."

"These men are cheap as f**k. They don't know how to say no."

She laughs.

"True as f**k. Coffee?"

"No. I need to take a shower first. I have community service in an hour."

"Okay."

Community service is trash, literally, but I don't have a choice. I have to do it for the next two months. That was my therapist's idea when I was leaving the rehab. He just assumed that i wouldn't drink if I was busy collecting trash with my fellow recovered alcoholics.

If my dad found out that I was sentenced to handling trash, he'd roll in his grave. He never wanted me to lift a finger. People were always serving me around the clock.

Maybe that's why I'm such an awful human being.

I turn at the door to look at Karina.

"Blake is always invited to the Maxfield's charity events. Aren't you two going tonight?"

"He is not invited this year. He came back from jail a couple of months ago so his reputation is tarnished. The Maxfields don't entertain such kind of crap."

"Sorry but he deserves it."

I leave the kitchen before she says anything. I'm being salty, but how exactly am I supposed to treat Blake? He had one job, to protect me as his little sister, but he went ahead and shot my father dead.

And he made me watch.