Boy Pussy

Boy Pussy 4

Chapter 4

I'm crying. It's raining outside. I look pathetic but what else is new? I've always been pathetic. I wasn't good for anything but drawing a dress on a piece of paper. I could make gorgeous dresses for women. Dresses that I would never wear. I could hardly even sew them together. Needed Cupid for that. Just designs. But I designed a damn good dress. Dresses that made women like Tempest look good. That was my role in society. I was one of the people who made other people look good. Never myself.

A car pulls up. It looks familiar. An old 2000 Kia Optima pulls up.

"Get in."

"Leave me the fuck alone."

Malachi drives up to the end of the block and jumps out the car. He runs me down annoyingly. What are cousins good for? They are so annoying. My cousin doesn't seem to care that we are stuck in the rain. He just holds me there for a few minute staring at me with this hard look.

"Cupid told me that you just ran away from the club. He said he was worried about you. I've been driving around Midtown Atlanta for the past 3 hours looking for you."

"I'm fine."

"You don't look fine. You look like you just got your heart broke."

"Why didn't you tell me you sold drugs to Tempest?" I ask.

"You know about that?"

"The reason Storm was being cool with me is because of you. They want drugs."

I feel dumb. I have a reason to feel dumb. This whole time I thought Storm really cared about me. This whole time I thought I was at least making a friend, even though every inch of me thought that Storm was my soulmate. Right now I just feel like a fucking idiot.

"Damn cous. I'm sorry man. I should have warned you about the Underwoods. They use people to get what they want and then they throw them away. That's what they do. They've gotten away with it for years."

"Well they aren't getting away with it anymore," I state.

Malachi raises an eyebrow. He doesn't understand how mad I am right now. He doesn't understand how embarrassed I was in that club when Tempest put me on blast in front of everyone. The moment you really trust someone and watch as they tear you down is the worst moment ever. It happened in public. It happened in the worst way possible.

Malachi shakes his head, "I'm sorry you were hurt, cous. I really am. But maybe this is all for the best. You don't belong with those beautiful people. You don't belong in that world. C`mon, cous. I'm going to take you home."

Malachi was using the same argument that Tempest used. I couldn't possibly be good enough to be in Storm's circle or a part of Storm's life. No matter how much we clicked there was no way in hell Storm would have honestly wanted to be around me if he didn't want my cousin's drugs.

According to everyone, I should have expected this.

According to everyone, this was my fault.

"Give me the pills."

"What?"

"They want to play with people's lives. It's time that they got a taste of their own medicine. I want the pills."

"Wait. There is something you should know about my relationship with Storm."

"Tell me."

He hesitates.

"I don't think he's a bad guy. I don't want you to blame me for not telling you that. He might be a good person. It's just when we fell out...we really really fell out."

"What happened between you two?"

"We both loved the same person. It caused our friendship to end."

I'm confused.

"What does this have to do with me and the pill?"

"Um...I don't know how to tell you..."

He's hesitating. I'm annoyed that he's all of a sudden trying to spill some big revelation about the pill. Where was the big revelation before I took it the first time? Now all of a sudden he was concerned. I had the feeling my cousin just didn't want to end up getting a hard on and us to ending up having sex again. That had to be the only reason he was trying to reveal something right now.

I'm not going to let my cousin do that. I'm not going to pretend like there is something there when there is probably just his embarrassment.

"Is it going to kill me?"

"No."

"Then give it to me. I don't need to know anything about the pill."

"Is it that serious?" he asks, "Just forget about them. Just let it go."

Malachi was making it sound so easy. Just let it go. Just let it go.

"Have you ever had your heart broken Malachi..."

"Of course Cous."

Malachi turns into the rain. He's probably thinking about his own heartbreak, whatever it is. He's probably remembering that moment. Right now I need to explain it to him. I need him to see it vividly.

"Then you know how it feels. You know what happens to a broken heart Malachi? Do you? Someone rips your heart out your chest, they cut it, they stomp it, they kill it and they leave it out in the rain to rot. Do you know what happens to a broken heart Malachi? It starts to rot. It starts to smell. It attracts the most foul vultures. They descend on these dying pieces. They eat them up. The heartbreak is only the beginning Malachi. It doesn't get better. Unless I do something about this feeling---it's only going to get worse. So no. I can't let it go. I can't forget this."

Malachi pauses.

My cousin looks at me in the rain.

"I'll give you the pills..."

I can't help but to jump into Malachi. I hug him. I squeeze him tight at that moment.

"You're going to have to learn how to be Lady. You're going to have to learn how to be a woman..."

I knew just the person who was able to teach me...

~

Time has passed. I would have thought Storm would have reached out and apologized at least for how he treated me.

That didn't happen.

Storm never came back around to see if I was OK after that night. He never cared to even send me a "Hey Dog, you still alive." After that night, Storm completely disappeared out of my life. He had played his game. And he was gone. Just like that. Poof. Vanished.

And now all I had left was the pain.

All I had left was the urge to even the odds.

And now I was going to get even.

"Don't let the high heels intimidate you. Envision a straight line in front of you. Keep your shoulders upright and back. Remember. Men walk with their shoulders, but women walk with their hips. Always walk with your hips."

Cupid's instructions are loud echoing through the store. I walk back and forth. Malachi and Cupid are watching me. Walking in heels are intimidating whether I want them to be or not. My strides are short. My movements are less sharp.

"You should do a little butt wiggle," Malachi says, "Shake that ass, cous."

"You staring at his ass?" Cupid asks.

"Not like that...where is your mind at..."

"Not to bring up old shit but the two of you did have something going on," Cupid acknowledges.

Malachi's face gets beat red. Cupid doesn't miss the chance to bring up the awkward thing that happened between Malachi and me. I had come into the shop to practice being a girl once again. Malachi wanted me to bring out my feminine side a little bit more before he gave me the pills. Truth was I was masculine. I was probably way more masculine then a majority of the straight guys I knew. I had to turn the butch down a little bit if I wanted to really be able to make a believable Lady.

"Let it go," I shut Cupid down almost immediately.

I throw something at Cupid before grabbing my coat.

"Whoa...where you going?" Malachi asks me.

"I have a business meeting with Tempest's boyfriend," I state.

"I thought you weren't talking to them."

"I'm not talking to Storm. Or Tempest. Her boyfriend Gunner needs help with his line however so why not?"

"Why are you helping them?" Malachi asks, "They embarrassed you. All of them did."

Malachi had a point. Gunner was right there. He probably knew what his girlfriend was going to do. He didn't stop her. He just sat there in his phone allowing the most embarrassing moment of my life to go down. At the same time I was grown ass man and so was Gunner. If I couldn't protect myself then why would I expect Gunner to? No. I wasn't mad at Gunner. I was mad at myself. I was the one who trusted Storm and I was going to make sure I got my own justice.

I shake my head before leaving, "I'll be fine. However I wanted to give you something, Cupid."

I hand Cupid a paper. It's on pink paper.

"What is this?" Cupid asks.

"A sketch."

"I can see that. Why the hell are you giving me a sketch of this dress?"

"I want you to sew it. I have the measurements in there. I have the fabric already cut in the back. I just need you to sew it together. It's already patterned out."

Malachi raises an eyebrow, "Is it for Lady?"

I nod.

"Yes."

"It's gorgeous," Cupid says staring at my sketch.

It better be. I'd been working on the perfect dress night and day. I hadn't gotten any sleep. I needed it to be sexy and provocative but still classy. I needed to own everyone's attention when I took that pill and walked into that room. I was going to turn heads.

I expect Malachi and Cupid to be excited for me. Cupid was all smiles but Malachi just crosses his arm. I can see the worry and concern written all over his face.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Malachi asks me.

"No. I'm not."

Malachi sighs a relief, "Good. I think you need to practice more."

"I'm not ready. But Lady is," I interrupt his relaxation, "Have the pills ready for me. The show is tonight."

With that I exchange my heels for boots and walk out of Cupid's bow, leaving my cousin riddled with concern about what the fuck I'm getting myself into. Maybe I should be just as worried as Malachi. The first time I took the pill I had done something that I could never take back. Who knew what would happen this time? Still, to get even with Storm this was a risk that I was willing to take.

~

Gunner's workshop is in Decatur which about 10 minutes east of downtown Atlanta. I hop out of the Uber and end up taking a good look at a bunch of people frantically running around. I'm assuming this is where the fashion show is going to be because everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off.

"Hello...excuse me? You don't belong here!" a gay guy says snapping at me as soon as I walk in the place.

Why is there someone always telling me where I belong? This time it happens in record time. Goddam it. Just like always. You belong here. I belong there. Don't cross that motherfucking line. That's how I hear it when someone says it.

I stare at the guy as he approaches. He clearly has an attitude. He's one of those gay guys who probably spends way too much time in the gym. There is no reason someone should be that muscular and yet that feminine. It's kind of crazy to tell the truth. He probably works out to make up for the fact that he is a queen. Someone gave him a little bit of power and he takes it to his head. He has his fingers painted black and almost immediately calls me out even though the place is packed with people.

"How do you know that?" I ask.

"Look at you. Of course you don't belong here," he responds looking me up and down.

There it is again. The feeling that I wasn't good enough. It fills me up. He's staring at my clothing. He's staring at my swag. He's staring at everything and basically telling me that I wasn't good enough to be around. I wasn't worth his time. I wasn't worth his effort. These people in Atlanta Hollywood definitely didn't care about anything but image. Within a matter of seconds he had judged me as being `lesser than'. Just like with Tempest, it hurt.

I wonder how I should respond. I wanna tell this bitch to fuck himself. I wonder if I should get into a confrontation or just turn around, tuck tail and leave. I am considering the latter when fortunately I am interrupted by Gunner.

"You made it!"

Gunner sees me come in. He is sex. That is the only way to describe it. His long dreadlocks fold over both of his shoulders. They have been freshly retwisted. I can smell the shea butter from here. His deep dark eyes pierce me as he approaches. He's tall, probably about 6'2", a little shorter than Storm but still blessed. He's domes over me and as he approaches I notice his shirt is unbuttoned all the way to the bottom. I can see his bare chest underneath it. The Lord definitely took his time when he designed this one.

"Gunner. You know this?" the gay guy says.

The way he refers to me as an object rather than a person is so disrespectful. I guess I should be used to it in Atlanta. In Atlanta if you didn't fit someone's mold then you definitely weren't worth their time. Maybe I needed to go to the gym a lot more. Maybe I needed to spend more time keeping up with the latest trends.

"Felix, this is the guy I told you about. The one who designs women's clothes. Demarco, Felix is my assistant."

Gunner's assistant Felix definitely doesn't seem impressed with me. I find it curious that Gunner has a gay assistant that is obviously flamboyant. On one hand Gunner is in the fashion industry but on the other hand Gunner is just so popular that I would have assumed he would have had some pretty female working for him instead.

"You know fashion?"

"I don't know it. I just have...a point of view," I explain.

Felix crosses his arms. It's not just Felix either. I can't put it all on him. There are others who are looking at me. They look at me as being dressed down. They don't think I know anything about fashion. Maybe they are right. I don't follow these fashion rules. I don't fit in. I don't wear fancy clothing. I'm basic. I'm basic as fuck but it's just who I am.

"I'd love to preview the clothes for you. I can set up a private runway show right now. Just for you..."

"You'd do that?" I ask, "I don't want you to go through the trouble..."

"You're the one helping me. I'd love to get some insight on what you think about styling the models for the show."

He was being nice to me. I had learned my lesson from Storm though. This guy dated Tempest. How nice could he possibly be? What did he want? Malachi wasn't going to give Tempest the drugs. He wasn't going to sell them to her. If he was being nice for the same reason Storm was then he had another thing coming.

"I doubt there's much I can do to help someone like you."

"I think he has a point," Felix immediately interrupts us.

"Felix. Prepare the show."

Felix gives me a hard look. I can tell he has an attitude but he goes and does what his boss asks him to do none-the-less. I can tell he's going to be trouble but there's nothing I can really do about it. I just force a smile and pretend like he doesn't bother me.

The pre-show starts relatively soon with models walking out just for Storm and I. The men's clothing comes out first and then towards the end of the show the females clothing start coming out.

Mid-show I'm surprised how Gunner leans into me.

"Listen. That thing that Tempest did to you at the hookah party...man, that shit wasn't cool. I told her that before you left."

"Well I didn't know her. I'm not upset with your girlfriend. Storm was the one who put me in that position in the first place."

"Yeah things got heated after you left."

"Heated?"

"Yeah. Storm was tripping out on his sister. I guess he was mad about how things went down," Gunner states, "I don't blame him. Honestly Tempest was really taking some digs at you. I mean you know it's a low blow when she lied."

"What she lie about?"

"When she said you weren't that cute," Gunner responds.

I stare back at Gunner. He leans back in his chair. He licks his lips slightly. Was this guy flirting with me? If this was a normal guy and this was a normal situation I would have thought he was, for sure, but this was Tempest's boyfriend. This was Gunner. There was no way in hell that he was flirting with me. I turn back towards the show thinking I'm just imagining it.

By the end of the show I take notes on a few pieces. I hand them to Gunner.

"It's amazing."

He smiles. Gunner's smile is sexy as fuck truthfully. It just seems to light up the entire fucking room. He raises an eyebrow at that moment, "You think? I googled some of your work and really liked it. I figured maybe I was doing a little too much."

"Well..."

There is silence.

"You didn't like all of it did you?" he asks, "You can tell me the truth."

"Some of the pieces were a little over-styled. I think simpler is better sometimes. It's cleaner. Sometimes you don't have to bedazzle everything to make it look expensive. Sometimes it's good to be basic."

"Did you just call my shit over-styled?" Gunner Gravely asks, "My shit is invited to New York's Fashion week every year. No one has ever called my fashion overstyled man. What the hell?"

"I didn't mean to..."

"Overstyled!" Gunner shouts out of no where still in disbelief at what I said, "Felix. He says my shit is overstyled. Can you believe that shit?"

Felix is standing there shaking his head.

"Do you know who you are talking to?" Felix asks me, "You giving style tips to Gunner, THA GOD, Gravely."

I should have just kept my fucking mouth shut. I didn't understand how I was getting in this situation in the first place. People like Gunner didn't really want feedback. They wanted people to praise them and tell them just how great they were. They wanted people to kiss their ass. Guys like Gunner probably had their asses kissed all their lives. They had assistants like Felix who wanted to be accepted by the ideal straight, attractive straight men around to tell them exactly what they needed to hear to make them feel like they had everything figured out.

"Look I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes," I admit at that moment, "What do I know? I'm basic as fuck..."

I get up. Once again it is becoming clear that I have overstayed my welcome. Somewhere else that I don't belong. It's clear that Felix is offended and I think by how silent Gunner has gotten he's kind of offended as well.

I put my notepad down and start heading towards the door.

"Wait..." Gunner says out of no where. I turn and see Gunner holding my notepad. He's reading over my notes and then silently whispers, "Show me."

I spend the afternoon re-styling all of Gunner's models. It starts with a female. Pairing a dress with a nude pump or taking off earrings. Instead of the wild hairstyles we pull all the models hair into a sleek tight ponytail. I instruct the make-up artists to give all the models mute faces. We even take out some of the fabrications that were actually handsewn into some of the dresses.

Before I know it I'm sitting in the back literally making alterations to a skirt that Gunner has in his collection. I'm surprised when he comes up behind me.

"I didn't know you can sew," he tells me.

"I don't. Not really. I mean I know how to a little, but my passion has always been the concept," I explain to him.

"You single-handedly perfected my entire line from styling to makeup to hair to fucking set design. One of the guy literally said you were helping him with set design. What the fuck? You confuse me."

"Why is that?"

Gunner hovers over me. He's close. He's real close. He's standing over my work table. He's actually sitting inches away from the sewing machine. His long hair keeps getting in the way but he doesn't bother to move it. He leans over and whispers as though we are talking some major secret. The backroom is dark and intimate. It's the moment when he leans over that I realize we are alone in the room. All day people have been running in and out of the room but right now it's just Gunner and I. It just so happens no one is bothering us right now.

Did he instruct his staff that he wanted to be left alone?

Specifically that he wanted to be left alone with me?

"If you have such an eye for fashion then why do you always look so..."

He stops.

"It's OK. You can say it."

Gunner hesitates. I know what he is thinking. It's the same thing all guys like Gunner think. Storm thinks it. Tempest thinks it. Felix thinks it. There are a ton of people who think the same way Gunner is thinking right now. I want to say it doesn't hurt because I've heard it so many times, but I'm human. It still hurts knowing Gunner is looking at me with the look he is looking at me right now.

"Why do you always look so lame and...you know, wack?" Gunner asks me.

I'd heard lame before. Wack was a new description of me. It fits the narrative though. I had been boring, basic, lame, homely, cheap and many other things.

"I just don't like dressing myself. I've always just like styling other people. Making them look good."

"So when does Cinderella get to show up at the ball?" he asks me.

It's a weird question. I look up at the table at Gunner.

"No such thing as fairy godmothers and glass slippers. No such thing as magic.'

"No?"

"Naw..."

"Well let me give you some motivation," he says.

I don't get what Gunner means until he reaches down and lifts me up by my fucking collar forcefully. He grabs me up. He scoops me until I have to balance on his thighs to keep from slamming right into him!

He kisses me.

At first I'm confused at how random it is but then it hits me. GUNNER GRAVELY is kissing me. Our tongues run into each other. Wet saliva smacks on his lips over and over. There is so much fucking passion that my heart is beating fast.

"What's going on?"

"You helped me out. Now I'm helping you out."

I push Gunner away, "Listen I'm not really sure about this."

"You don't trust me, because of Storm."

It's not a question. It's a statement. Did i wear my feelings on my sleeves that much? No wonder Storm was able to play me out so easily.

"What?"

"Admit it. He told me how you always look at him. I know you're gay. He told me. He also told me that you were pretty much in love with him."

My mouth drops open.

"Storm told you that?" I ask at that moment.

It was true I had feelings for Storm. It was also true that before the hookah party we had talked every single day. We had talked all day. But it wasn't just one way. Storm was doing the same fucking thing.

Why the fuck would Storm share that?

"Listen, I know you've been hurt, but don't back away from me. You can trust me."

"I'm not in the trusting mood right now."

"I'm actually a good guy," Gunner says.

A good guy?

Dating someone like Tempest.

"I don't know..."

"Trust me. I'm a good guy. Let me show you," Gunner says.

I think about resisting. Gunner was in a relationship with Tempest. Then I really think about it. Why the fuck would I care about Tempest? What the hell did she mean to me that I would think twice about this?

Gunner bends me over the table. My pants fall to my ankles. This is happening. I don't notice it until it actually starts happening.

"Holy fuck..."

There is a small breeze that whistles through my asscheeks. I realize that it's Gunner. He's blowing. He purses his lips together in an O shape and sends his soothing warm breath into me, preparing me for something. My dick hardens so much I hit the table. He is teasing me and it's working. My dick is so hard I'm oozing precum. I'm so ready. I'm so prepared for what is going to happen.

"Stand still. You know you want it," Gunner tells me.

I'm breathing. Deep. He starts eating me out. His tongue enters my asshole. it's so moist. He licks separating my ass cheeks at that moment. He gets deep in there. pushing me up against the table at that moment. He tastes everything. I let out a deep sigh as he does it. Fuck it feels good.

I pant.

"Yes...oh yes..."

"Shh...quiet. You ready to take this dick?" he asks.

"Yeah..."

I don't know what I'm doing by the time I see Gunner rip out a condom, put it on his dick quickly, lube it up and stick it in me. He does it in record time. He does it so quickly that i wonder if Gunner walked around with this stuff or if he actually was planning to do this to me. My mind is suspicious but my body doesn't give a fuck at that moment.

He begins stroking me.

Gunner fills me. He has a long stroke and holds onto my waist with one of his hands. I haven't been fucked in so long that I find myself running from him. He pulls me back. He grapples me into place. He braces me in the position that he wants me. He keeps me there pressing me firmly against the table. BAM, BAM! BAM! His strokes are desperate and strong.

"That ass is good..."

He sounds surprised by that. He slaps me hard. His big dick goes deeper thrusting into me. He gets deeper and deeper. That's when for some reason I notice a light.

I stop him, pushing him out of me.

"What is that?"

"Oh this?" he asks.

He has a light and then I realize that it is on his phone. Is he video recording?

"Yeah. What the fuck are you doing?"

"Nothing."

This motherfucker was recording something on his phone.

I grab his phone away from him. He is on Facebook live. I'm shocked. He was LIVE STREAMING us at that moment. Specifically he was live streaming me bent over on a desk getting banged out! That is when I see the name of the group that he is sharing the live video with.

Charity Fucks.

Charity Fucks!

"What the fuck is this?"

"Listen I'm not gay but you know...I'm charitable," he explains to me at that moment.

I think I'm in the fucking twilight zone when Gunner is talking to me. There is no way in hell this guy is telling me what I think he is telling me right now.

"Please tell me this isn't really happening?"

I'm not sure I'm talking to Gunner. No. Not Gunner. I'm talking to some karmic force in the world. I"m talking to God. I'm talking to anyone that is out there listening. This shit cannot be motherfucking happening to me right now. How low can I go? Goddam it. Right when you hit rock bottom you realize that you there is a basement level. Suddenly the room opens. That is when Felix walks in. Felix has some lube in his hands.

"You need more lube sir?" Felix asks.

"Give us a minute Felix," Gunner states.

Felix leaves the room. He didn't even seem to care that Gunner's dick was out. He didn't even seem shocked to know that my pants were at my ankles. Felix seemed to almost expect it! He seemed to be used to what the fuck was going on in this room. All of a sudden it was very clear why no one was coming in this room when they'd been in and out of the room all day.

"What the FUCK?" I ask getting sweaty, "Charity fuck?""

"Listen, I can explain," Gunner explains, "I've been blesssed with these good looks. I've been blessed with this money and this talent and this height and this body. I felt bad that I was given all these things. And then there's people...like you...."

I'm shocked.

"Excuse me?"

"You're just not on my level," Gunner explains, "And I feel bad. That you lame guys are out there with no one to love you. That's how I came up with my charity group. It's unique huh? Not all poor souls need money. Some people need other things. Being so blessed, I wondered how I could give back. And that's why once a month I have a charity fuck. I bless people like you: guys, girls, whoever, with this dick. For one night I make them feel special. I make them feel like they really matter."

I almost expect Gunner to laugh. It would have still been cruel, but it would have been a joke. It would have been a fucked up sense of humor. The laugh never comes though. Gunner is dead serious. He doesn't even see how this is offensive. He is completely unaware.

"You fuck ugly people and post it on your facebook group to make yourself feel like you are giving back?" I ask him.

"I told you. You aren't ugly. Just. You know. You're not me..."

"Don't fucking patronize me."

"There is no shame being a charity fuck," he says walking over to me, "Come on. Bend back over. You helped me out and now I want to help you out. You know you want it."

I don't know what comes over me.

I punch him. I punch Gunner right in the fucking face.

"FUCK YOU!"

I didn't know I had it in me. Gunner was way taller and stronger than me. He could really beat my ass if he wanted to. The way he looks at me I think he is about to, but the shock is setting over him. No one has probably ever hit him in the face. His usual charity fucks would probably just shrug, bend over and thank god they are getting fucked by Gunner Gravely because they would never fuck with a guy his caliber again.

"Yo what the hell? What the fuck is wrong with you!" Gunner is saying, "You ARE ugly. You piece of shit. To think I was going to nut in your mouth, too. That's what I get for being a good guy. I'm the best looking nigga that's ever fucked you, you dumb, jealous piece of shit. Tempest was right about you----"

I storm out. Felix is waiting for me at the door with a box of wet wipes. This is really a THING that they did. Gunner was really trying to make himself feel better about being this beautiful fucking person!

These people were the devil. Some knew they were and some of them honestly thought they were being good people. There was no way to escape them. There was no way to put yourself above them. Now I learned my lesson. I knew better now.

If you can't beat them. Join them.

~

It's the night of Gunner's fashion show. I feel so much anger from earlier in the day. My hands are still shaking. I am trying to calm down but I can't. I'm in the car with my cousin. He drives me to the front of the fashion hall. It costs 100 fucking dollars to get into this event. It just showed Gunner's ego again. He just assumed he was the top man in charge.

I'm staring from the car across the street when he gets out of the car with Tempest. They are holding hands. The cameras go off. Lights. Camera. Action. You could hear flicks wherever they went. Everyone wanted to be them.

"The top couple," I state.

You had Jay Z and Beyonce. You had Bill and Hillary. You had Kanye and Kim. You had Will and Jada. You used to have Brad Pitt and Angelina. And now you had Gunner and Tempest.

"Not too sure about that," Malachi says, "Storm showed up with Savannah Washington tonight. They might be the top couple."

"Their world is going to come crashing down..." I state.

Malachi gives me a hard sigh.

"You don't sound like yourself."

"Look at me," I tell Malachi, "Do I look like myself?"

Malachi finally turns to look at me. I wasn't Demarco. I was Lady. I had taken the pink pill four hours ago. As soon as I took the pink pill I had gone to get my hair done. Then I got my makeup done. Then I ended up going to get the dress that Cupid made for me. He'd been working on it all day. It was perfect.

Lady has on a red dress. It's the color of romance. As I step out of the car I see my reflection in Malachi's car. I don't recognize myself at all. I have a plunging V neckline on this racerback. sleeveless gown. My waist is cinched in and my hips flair out like some sexed up pop cartoon. A leg comes out of the daring front slit. Malachi watches me from inside the car. His eyes trace my A-line silhouette.

He can't take his eyes off of her.

He can't take his eyes off of me.

"Wait...Demarco."

"Malachi. I'm Lady now."

Malachi sighs, "Whatever. Just. Remember. Remember whose in control."

"I won't let Storm and his friends control this situation."

"It's not Storm and his friends that I'm concerned about," Malachi tells me.

I'm not sure what Malachi is talking about. He stares at Lady as though concerned about her. I don't get it. It was Malachi who told me I was Lady. Lady was me. Of course I would be able to control this body. Why wouldn't I be?

I find myself walking out into the street. I've been working on my walk forever now. I lead with my hips.

Side to side.

Side to side.

I was striding just like I had practiced. I felt my pussy purring with each step. A man in a car is the first to notice me. I make eye contact. I test my femininity by batting my long eyelashes at him. Once. Twice. By the third eye bat he damn near crashes his car swerving out of the way. Purr, says the Kitty Kat. Purr....

"WATCH IT IDIOT!" someone else screams from there car at the guy.

There is a little bit of chaos. No worries though. One of the valet guys comes out of no where to help me across the street.

"Ma'am. A girl like you should be careful walking out here. These idiots don't know how to drive," the valet says.

I bet.

"I'll be fine. This event must be huge," I realize, "This line goes around the corner. Do I really have to wait?"

The valet looks at me. He stares at my lips. He stares at my breasts showing slightly from my plunging neckline. He stares into my eyes. At that moment he's hypnotized. He might as well be under a spell. He walks me to the front.

"Right this way ma'am," the bouncer says.

Were straight men that gullible? I'm not surprised when no one asks any questions. No one complains that I'm skipping the line. I look like I'm the type of girl to skip the line. I look like I'm the type of girl that you didn't charge 100 dollars to. I look like the type of girl who just strolls into the event.

I wasn't like Demarco. I looked like I belonged here.

I walk in the venue. It has been completely transformed from earlier in the day. It's beautiful. The stage is in the middle of the floor. There are rows of people going up and down. That's when I notice them. Atlanta's High Society. They are sitting in the front row on the other side of the stage. Savannah is next to Tempest. I notice the twins two seats down. Gunner is missing in action but I doubt he would be sitting during his own show. I do see Storm though. He's next to Savannah. Yes. I notice Savannah's hand on his lap. Storm is definitely with Savannah.

"I got you a front row seat."

It's the Valet guy.

"You still here?"

"Of course," the valet guy says, "Listen. I know this is a long shot but I was wondering if maybe I could. I don't know. Get your number or..."

"Sorry hunny. I'm not here for that."

He doesn't even seem surprised when I turn him down. He's a good looking guy but he seems to have expected to be let down. I make my way to my seat. It's in the front row.

Right across from me are my enemies. They don't notice me right away but people are beginning to stare. Slowly and surely people are whispering wondering who I am. I'm a bitch with a slit sitting in the front row in red. I look like murder. I look like I'm about to make a killing in the best way possible. I run my hands through my hair clearing it away from my face. My hair is long and styled sleekly. I press my long nails through my locks.

Eyes are turning.

More eyes.

"Ma'am. Can I buy you a drink?" a guy walks up to me and asks.

"I don't think she wants to be bothered man," the guy next to me says, "Besides I was just going to offer to buy her a drink."

I ignore both men. I'm not here for that. I'm not here for them.

I was here for one thing.

I was here for one man.

And finally right when the show is beginning to start I see his eyes lock on mine. Seeing Storm Underwood again all these feelings come back. All these feelings I wanted gone. I wanted to play him and hurt him but instead I'm just confused on how someone I connected with so well could have been selling me down the river. My eyes lock on his. I squint at him.

Storm. He sees me. His mouth parts a little bit. He swallows.

I part my lips. I exhale. Deeply, running my nails down my chest. He watches.

The show begins, but Storm doesn't take his eyes off of me. I can't help but laugh. I'm annoyed when I snort a little bit. Luckily no one notices. I should have practiced a more feminine laugh. Regardless of what comes down that runway Storm's eyes stay on me. There are beautiful things coming down the runway as well. I see that Gunner has taken all of my feedback. He's kept every last detail that I made. I play sly watching the show, clapping when I need to clap but realizing that people are staring at me instead. They are wondering who designed my dress.

By the time the show is over I'm surrounded by people. It's not just men who are attracted to me too. Women have gathered around. I guess these are women who want to look better than they are. Maybe they just want to make it seem like they are part of the in-crowd. I just don't get it. No one has ever done this to me when I was Demarco.

"I love your makeup," one girl says.

"Thanks."

"You're beautiful,"

"I'm OK..." I state.

"Ok?" a voice says.

That's when I see him. Storm. He's snuck up from behind me. He stands there. Not too close. He stands a few steps away. He has a drink in his hand. His hand tilts. His eyes squint. He's a hunter and I'm a feminine gazelle in the wild. My sexy hunter glares are me. He's tall. I can smell his cologne from here. His muscular scent is calling me. I can't resist. I'm trying hard to play coy but this is Storm.

In the distance I can see Savannah, Tempest and the twins. They have all gathered in a circle. No one is talking to them. Everyone is over there by me...including Storm.

I look at the expression on Tempest's face when her brother comes to talk to me. She is bothered. She is highly bothered by something. I'm getting under her skin. I didn't even expect this sort of reaction. I thought it would have been more slight. No. There was nothing slight about this. This was obvious. She was pissed.

I flip my hair towards her way as though brushing her off. If she was mad that I was getting attention, she'd be really mad by me addressing him back.

I turn to Storm, "What do you expect me to say?"

I talk over a raised shoulder.

"Say who designed your gown."

"It's a secret," I respond.

"There's this guy named Demarco who works at Cupid's bow. He designs dresses. I wonder if it's his," a random nosy girl interrupts Storm and I.

I'm shocked someone knows my work.

Storm clears his throat. Maybe he doesn't want to talk about Demarco. Maybe he doesn't want to acknowledge the fact that Demarco is the guy that he played and left out to dry. He just stands there seeming to go into his own thoughts at that moment.

"Darling where did you get those shoes?" a woman asks.

"My glass slippers?" I ask shrugging playfully, "I don't know. I guess I'm feeling a little like Cinderella tonight."

A group of people laugh. It wasn't that funny but I'm pretty so followers laugh at everything that pretty people say. I'm not concerned about them. There's only one person I'm concerned about. Storm. I try to break through the crowd to catch his eye again.

Storm steps back a little bit. I wonder if it is the comment about Demarco that caught him off guard. He doesn't stop staring though. The tease is amazing. Having someone like Storm having to wait for his turn to talk to me was amazing. I was going to take full advantage of him too. I was enjoying every second of this. I was going to make him wait while all these people attempted desperately to get attention. Storm wasn't the kind of guy who waited for anyone. Not even a beautiful girl. This was definitely some real humility right now.

The flock of admirers doesn't end. My dress. My shoes. My hair. My makeup. They were running out of things to compliment me on so they started saying the dumbest things.

"You look like a good person."

I just smile at that. Who fucking says that? I could be a raging bitch but because I was pretty that meant I looked like a good person. That comment almost makes me sick when a random guy says it.

More people come out of the woodworks. I don't know them but you would swear we had come together. These people are weak. They are all followers. I see right past them. Normal people would love the fact that everywhere I go these people are just following me around trying to make small conversation and seem like they know who I am. They are popularity vultures.

Just at that moment I see him.

Gunner.

He's not too far from me. He's talking to some other people and I overhear what he's saying.

"Yeah I decided to dress it down tonight. The idea came out of thin air. I was just motivated, you know. Basic is best," I hear Gunner saying.

Thin air.

I start fanning myself at that moment. Thin air? Really? He couldn't even give Demarco any credit for the help? These people were the scum of the earth.

"You alright?" a guy asks me, "You're sweating."

Three guys pull out handerchiefs to hand them to me. I take one of them and dap my face. Sure enough, I was sweating. Seeing Gunner just got me...hot.

I was getting really hot.

"I'm so glad you went that route because my editor was forcing me to write a story about how your pieces are always over-styled," the person talking to Gunner states, "I'm glad you toned down the styling this time. It's genius."

"Well you know I've always been something like a genius," Gunner states.

What?

I'm hot.

So hot.

Gunner turns around probably feeling my eyes glaring holes into him. I walk away before he stares too long at me. I can't hide my facial expression. I'm disgusted. Also I'm hot. I'm so fucking hot.

"Hey...hey you!" Gunner says.

I keep walking. I'm ignoring him. I head over to the bathroom. I almost go to the men's bathroom by mistake but turn and remember to run into the women's. Fuck I'm sweating. Demarco wants to come back. Why does this keep happening? Why does Demarco keep fighting me? I needed more time. Why am I speaking about Demarco like he is someone different?

I get to the bathroom.

I run a napkin under the sink and begin to dab my boobs.

That's when I see the door of the bathroom open. A bunch of people walk in. At first I'm confused but then I realize who these people are.

It's Storm, Gunner, Savannah, Tempest, the twins and Miles. They are staring at me for some reason. This is weird. It's more than weird. It's awkward. Did they somehow know my plan? Did they know I was here to fuck with their lives? How could they possibly know that?

Keep your cool Lady.

I mean, keep your cool Demarco.

They couldn't possibly see through your disguise.

"I thought this was the girl's bathroom," I state, looking at each one of these people through the mirror. I turn on the faucet as not to seem too awkward. It's clear they are here to confront me though. I can tell.

"You really thought you could get away with it?" Storm asks.

What?

No. He knew! He knew I was Demarco! How the fuck is this possible?

I get hot. So hot! Demarco is coming out. I'm strugging. I'm scared. I'm changing. I can almost feel my bones expanding. I can feel the lightheaded emotions I feel when I change back into Demarco.

"I...don't know what you're talking about..."

"Lady. Lady Richardson," Tempest states.

I stare back at them. This time directly at them not looking in the mirror but turning around dramatically. They have come closer. Real close. I push up against the sink. My ass keeps backing into it. That's when I notice the stares they are giving me. Some of them are horrified. Some of them are intrigued. Some are happy. All of them are curious. I don't understand what is going on at this moment.

"How do you know that name?" I ask.

No one knew my name. It's impossible.

"Are you serious? You don't recognize us, Lady?" Storm asks, "Lady. It's me. Storm..."

Storm takes a step closer to me.

I slide down the sink away from him. I slide right into Miles who is blocking me off from escaping.

"We are your best friends. How can you not remember us?" Tempest says.

What? What the fuck are they talking about?

It's Storm who shakes his head, "Lady. We thought you were dead. We were so sure. The night you disappeared. People said it was murder. I knew you were still out there though. Somewhere. I never gave up on you. I knew you were still alive."

Disappeared? Murdered? What is going on? What the hell is going on?

Tempest disagrees, She stares at me and crosses her arms. While Storm seems so intrigued she just seems a little annoyed to say the least.

Tempest shakes her head, "Really? Because I was pretty sure Lady was dead."

It's at that moment it all makes sense. Malachi told me the idea of the two-spirits. The thing I never paid attention to was the use of the word spirit. The second spirit in my body literally was a spirit.

Somehow Malachi had captured the spirit of a dead woman in that pill.

Lady Richardson used to be alive...

To read the next chapter in advance go to www.crushedcrown.com