Brad made his way to the table, followed by Nia, who held his hand. Seth studied the room for a minute then set out in pursuit of a girl. The twirling lights of the club bounced off the wall and the loud rhythm reverberated in his head.
Not really in the mood to party, Brad had agreed to go dancing with Nia because he knew she'd find trouble if he didn't. Besides, he couldn't resist the opportunity to see her in that short skirt and revealing halter top that bared her midriff. Her long hair was in a high ponytail, and she wore a little make up, but she looked fresh and beautiful, just the way he liked her.
Music pounding, she dragged him onto the dance floor.
Seth quickly convinced the hot brunette to dance with him and as they were getting close, he spotted his brother and friend. Both were absorbed in their own little world, unaware of the erotic moves they danced, their bodies pressed close together. When would they clue in?
***
Brad sat at a table drinking water. Sometimes he thought he was too old for this. Nia could dance all night, and he loved to watch her lithe figure. So did other men, and he had spent the last ten minutes watching her change partners.
Seth had vanished somewhere into the crowd, but Brad wasn't too particularly worried. They always made sure they dressed nothing alike, and though Seth had his hair pulled back and Brad's was down, being mistaken for each other by a girl had happened many times before and wasn't always pleasant.
Brad glanced over to check on Nia and realized she was gone. Then he spotted her, near the door, struggling with an overly amorous suitor. The man was trying to get her outside and it was clear she didn't want to go.
On his feet and moving through the crowd, Brad hurried to reach her.
"Get off me!" Nia punched the guy and he stumbled backwards.
“Why you ‑"
Brad stepped in and threw the man back, sending him crashing into empty bar stools.
"The lady said to leave her alone." he snapped.
Nia wrapped her arm around Brad and they returned to the table.
“Thanks." Nia grinned.
"No prob. Of course now no woman will look at me, they all think I'm with you." he said jokingly. Nia grinned.
"Ah. I'll just go find someone else to dance with."
"Hey, be careful!" Brad called as she headed back to the dance floor.
***
"I must be losing my touch." Seth moaned as they rode home. Brad glanced at his twin in the rearview mirror. Nia was half asleep next to him up front.
"Why?"
"I didn't get a single phone number."
"Maybe they recognize you. They know what you're really like." The younger brother smirked. Seth grinned.
"Well, you didn't get any numbers either, so that makes me feel a little bit better."
***
Nia was leaving the newspaper office where she had just left her most recent column. Not watching where she was going, she turned a corner too sharply and collided with someone.
"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, looking up. Her books had fallen from her arms. Instantly, her heart raced. It was Kevin.
"I'm not. Been wondering when our paths would cross again." He smiled. Nia smiled back. The tall man picked up her books but didn’t give them back. .
"You dropped these."
"Thanks." she blushed. "I was in a such a hurry, I wasn't watching."
"Where's the fire?"
"Oh, I have to get to practice." she couldn't stop smiling. In his hand, she noticed he carried a History of Film book. Film major. Interesting.
"Can I walk with you?" he asked.
"Sure." Nia felt her knees weaken. Kevin still had her books.
“So are you from here?"
"Yeah, I grew up in this town." Nia made an exaggerated expression.
"What made you decide to come to this school?"
"Well, it's a good one, I can live at home. I travel a lot during summers so it's nice to have a place where I can come home and rest." she explained.
As they walked, neither saw Brad, who was on the other side of the parking lot. Brad had seen them, though, and did not look happy as he watched them walk towards the soccer field.
***
"Where is your head tonight?" Crystal, her teammate and forward partner, asked when the whistle blew. Nia shook her head. The team was in scrimmage; returning to their standing positions.
"I don't know. I can't concentrate on anything." Nia sighed. Kevin had left once they arrived at the fields, but he had asked for phone number.
"Sounds like a new man." Crystal grinned. Nia blushed.
"Maybe."
"That tall, dark, hunk of beef that walked you over here?"
“Maybe." Nia felt her face getting redder.
"I'd like a roll in the hay with that man." Crystal laughed as they resumed their positions. "He looks like he knows how to please a woman."
"Yes, that he does." Nia tried to push Kevin out of her mind and focus on the soccer ball.
It didn't work and within seconds she lost the ball. Shaking her head, she looked up at the sky. Why her?
The coach's whistle broke into her thoughts. The team came together in the center. Half the girls had yellow vests over their practice clothes for their scrimmage game.
"Nia, when you decide to return to earth, please let me know." her coach snapped. Nia nodded.
"Sorry. I'm just. . .really distracted." she murmured. The other woman glared at her.
“I suggest you get rid of the distraction before Friday's game."
"I will." Nia promised, smiling weakly. Not likely! she thought of Kevin’s lucious mouth and what it could do.
***
Later, Nia was working on her senior project, a novella, when the phone rang. Disgruntled by the disruption, she let it ring a couple more times before she reached over and answered it.
"Make it snappy." she growled into the phone, still typing.
"Well, I was hoping you'd be a little more cheerful. But I suppose I could cheer you up." the smooth, deep voice said. Nia almost dropped the phone and grabbed her caller id box. It was Kevin.
"I, uh. . .was working. Didn't mean to sound so grumpy." she laughed, grateful he couldn't see how red her face was.
"Working? On a beautiful night like this?" he asked.
"I hadn't noticed." she admitted.
"Look out the nearest window." Nia did so, puzzled. "See how quiet the sky is? A few clouds drifting by, but the sky is silent. Even the stars are holding steady, not twinkling. Perfect to walk in the moonlight, under their sparkle." he said softly.
Nia's heart was racing and she knew her body temperature had just risen a few degrees. How could this man have such an effect on her?
"How do you feel now?' he asked with a chuckle. Nia reached over and tuned her desk fan on.
"Much calmer." she replied with a smile, absently twirling a pencil in her hand.
"Good. Do you have plans for Saturday night?"
"Not at the moment." she said calmly, afraid he would hear her pounding heart.
"I'd like to take you out to dinner and a movie Saturday night."
"I think I would like that." she grinned at her reflection in the window, tapping the pencil against the desk.
"I'll pick you up at six, then?"
"Sounds perfect."
"Till I see you again, then."
"Bye."
Nia hung up the phone and leaped out of her chair, dancing around the room before she flung herself on the bed. Her feet rested on the floor, the soft, deep blue carpet tickling her bare feet.
"He asked me out!" she shrieked to no one. Grabbing the phone she dialed the twins. She had to get Brad over here.
***
"He's so gorgeous! and he asked me out for Friday night! what should I do?" Samonia demanded. Brad shrugged. "God, it only took him two weeks."
"Dunno."
"Oh, come on. You're a guy. Advise me already. You have before."
"This is different." he said.
"Why?" she asked, lying back on her bed. He shrugged. Sitting up, she frowned. For once she had made her bed, pulling the light blue satin comforter up. Her sheets were darker blue satin, the pillows both shades. At eighteen Nia had redecorated her entire in room in blues, painting the walls light blue, and hunting pictures of roses to decorate them with.
“Bradley, what's wrong?"
"Nothing." he muttered.
"Don't lie to me. I can see it on your face. You've been weird ever since you and the Queen broke up. Don't tell me you miss her." Nia moved into her closet, rummaging through clothes.
"Not really." he shrugged.
“Is it Queen related?"
"It's a long story. I don't want to talk about it." Brad lay on her bed, propped up on her immense pillows. His eyes fell on a picture tucked into the side of the mirror on her vanity table, of the two of them; taken in a booth at a mall a few years before.
"Okay, black and white or blue?" Nia stepped out holding two dresses. One was a short black dress with white piping that he knew would display a lot of flesh. The other was longer, more sophisticated, and would cover more.
"The blue."
"You think?"
"You want him to attack you on the first date cause you're flaunting so much?" Brad asked.
"Good point. That needs to be the second date." she grinned, not noticing her friend grimace. In the closet, she slid her shorts and tank top off and slipped the dress on.
"Can you zip this up? I haven't worn it in a while and want to see it how it looks."
Brad swallowed hard as he stood inches away from her, zipping up the navy blue dress, where his hands lingered, then rested, on her shoulders. Absently he began to caress the silken skin.
"Is something wrong?" she asked, turning.
Realizing how close they were Nia was stunned when impulsively, Brad kissed her gently, drawing her into his arms..
"What are you doing?" Nia pulled back from him, her eyes wide with shock.
"Nia, Edna broke up with me because she thinks I'm in love with you, and I think she's right." he murmured. Nia pulled away and she was shaking, her face red.
"It's kinda odd ‑ I realize that. . . " he said. “I mean, we know each other-“
"Odd? If this is some kind of sick joke you and Seth are playing it is *not* funny." Her eyes were darkening in rage. He shook his head.
"What makes you think this is a joke?" he asked.
"I told Seth days ago how I felt about you. If he told you and you two are playing some kind of sick game ‑"
"Nia, this isn't a game. I haven't talked to Seth, except to tell him how I feel about *you*."
"Brad, stop it right now."
"Stop what? I'm trying to tell you ‑"
"Where's Seth? Lurking outside on the trellis? Where's your tape recorder?" On her feet, eyes blazing she was ready to pounce.
"Nia, listen to me. I don't know what you told Seth. All I know is what I told Seth, and what he told me to do about it."
"Play a game on me?" she demanded harshly. He stood as well, towering over her.
"No."
"Then what? What did he tell you do?"
Pulling her into his arms, he kissed her. Her palm against his cheek sent him reeling.
“What the hell was that for? That’s what he told me to do!"
"Get out of here."
"Samonia ‑"
"Get out!" she yelled. "You are NOT messing with my head! Not you, too!"
"Samonia, I love you! How can you think I would hurt you?"
Seeing the book she grabbed, he paled and backed up.
"Fine. I'll leave. But this conversation isn't over." he warned her. Slamming her door behind himself, he heard the thump as the book hit the door.
Sobbing, Samonia fell on her bed. How could Seth tell Brad how she felt? And how could Brad, the one man she could depend on, be so cruel as to play such a horrid game?
