II. It's just you and me tonight.
“You didn't have to do this to me. Now my foot hurt.” he mutters as they leave the party area.
“Then stay back and send someone else to direct me.”
“You know I won't do that. Actually, I have something in mind right now and except until it's fulfilled before I'd be at peace.”
Myla halts her steps in the corridor and faces him feeling frightened by his words.
“You won't dare do anything to annoy me right?” She threatens.
He smiles broadly. “No promises. Remember what I told you? It's just you and me tonight.”
She blinks her eyes trying not to understand his statement before walking ahead.
“Why don't you wait for me to take the lead? I'm supposed to show you this house and not the other way round.”
She rolls her eyes, stops and waits for him to walk past. He makes a few feet away and they arrive the guest toilet.
He opens it for her and she looks through and around her before staring back at him.
She points two fingers in her eyes and directs it to his. “You better watch your back.”
He chuckles. “Tell that to yourself.”
She squints her eyes as she goes backwards and into the open door.
Once she's in she closes the door gradually as she peeks to be sure he's not going to do something.
She eases up on the toilet pot, her mind ruminating about what Jamal could be doing behind the close door.
As soon as she's done she washes her hand in the sink and encircles her palm over the knob.
She trust open the door but it fails to move. She tries again immediately and nothing happens.
Her heart sinks. And just one word leaves her mouth. “Jamal!”
He doesn't respond. She screams again. “Jamal! I know you're there. Open this up.”
She waits and gets no response. She sighs looking around her. This place is very inconvenient for her to be in here for so long.
“Jamal stop teasing me already. I know you're trying to get back at me for what I did. Stop this child's play of yours. It's so aching.”
She tries to open the knob again and nothing works. Instead, the lights go off.
“Arrgh! Jamal I'd kill you.”
The door opens up and due to the darkness he gets in and closes the door afterwards.
“Who's that?” she tries to detect by searching around her. Her hand finds the knob of the door again, as tremor possesses her instantly. She needs to get the fuck outta here!
“Are you searching for me?” his deep octave voice breaks in the silent room.
She screams and he closes her mouth with his open palms.
She can only feel his body over her as she presses her back against the door.
She struggles to speak through his palm but he's holding her too tight. Or maybe she just can't get out of his cage.
“This is the time for you to pass out.” his breath hits her face as she tries to stare into his eyes.
She thinks of hitting his groin but she doesn't want to hurt him that much. She smashes him for the third time today.
He sensed it already so he keeps his feet apart. “No, no. You can't do that here. Why not just give up? This act of yours won't take you out.”
She hums over his palm and he let go of her mouth.
“How dare you!?”
He presses a finger over her lips. “Shush. Stop yelling. Except if you want me to close that tiny mouth of yours again.”
She gulps. “Before I answer your question, I want to know what I should do for you to forgive me.”
She frowns. “Are you crazy? Let go of me.”
He chuckles and passes his hand over her hips. She freezes and his smile widens.
“This is better.” his hand is wrapped around her to pin her unto him.
“I'd ask you one more time. What should I do to be forgiven?”
She swallows thickly. “Will you let me out if I tell you?” her voice is muffled.
He grins softly. “It depends.”
Her forehead crease. “On?”
“Whether or not your response is . . . suiting.”
“It's not supposed to suit you is it?”
“Yes, it does.”
“No, it doesn't.”
“Then you're ready to sleep here with me.”
She pauses her lips. “Someone will definitely come looking for us so I don't mind.”
He tightens his hold on her and a moan leave her lips uncalled.
She places her palm over his crate for support. Her eyes grow a little wide when she feels his heart beat. They've never been this close.
She shift her palm so that she wouldn't feel that strange battle in his chest but that goes worse. His torso is hard and . . . that feels good to her.
Her guilty mind scream within her head. What is wrong with her?
“J-Jamal I'd forgive you. But right now we're too close. Maybe if you give us a little space, we'd talk things out.”
He doesn't respond to her statement so she looks up though she wouldn't see his face. But his eyes sparkle in the dark.
His hands twinkle her back and her grip on his right arm tightens as she impulsively squeezes his shirt.
“What if you run away.” he replies after a few seconds.
“I won't.”
“Prove it to me.”
“I can't. What about you catch me if I try to run.”
He smirks and frees her. She stays stiff for a moment due to the sudden space then arranges her dress.
At one point she feels awful for telling him to give her space because she wants to be just as close as they were.
“I'm still waiting.” he shoves his hands into his pocket.
“Why don't you put on the light because I feel really terrified in the dark.”
“Well, I'd love to. But the switch is outside. And I don't trust opening the door.”
She sighs. “Ok. So uhh . . . as I said earlier in the party. Your apology is not acceptable.”
He folds his eyebrows. “Why not?”
She wipes her palms on her dress as a nervous act. Though they're in the dark her while rope is very visible so he sees her action.
He takes a step close. She takes one back, but only ends against the door again.
“We had a deal Jamal. Not too close.”
He nods. “Sure. Let's get this quick. What do you want me to do in other so I get pardoned?”
“You need to take back all the times you . . . made me cry.”
He blinks his eyes. “Are you serious right now because I think you're heating up.”
She growns her Jaws. “I'm fucking serious. I promised never to shed a tear for any man. But you made me break that promise. Besides, I'm just asking for this simple thing. What about if I asked you to bring Eliz to life. Would ya do it?”
He shrugs and she proceeds. “No right? So common if you do this I'm going to forgive you.”
He takes another step towards her that bides the little gap between them.
She holds on her dress harder. His wiff engulfing her in his arms as he jerks an arm to rest it against the door she leans on slightly above her head.
“I can't resist your deal. Sorry I can only be this close to you before I'm ok.”
She doesn't know what else to say. “What do you mean?”
She thinks of taking her words back only after it comes out.
“We've been away from each other for so long and this proximity is enough. Myla I've never hated you. You must believe that I'm just as stubborn as you are. I hated to see you leave but I needed it for a while. After all you choosed to leave first.”
“I wasn't ready to leave you Jamal. And you know that. I just wanted you to accept my offer in my upcoming project. But I still supported your desire for managing your company. I'm not selfish. I care for you.”
“I know you do. But that's not what I want you to understand. The movie industry is not like music. It's gross and secretive. They tell you to do the things you didn't sign for. Even if you refuse them they make you do it. Is that the type of life you want?”
“What are you talking about Jamal? It's not what you think it is. Is that why you said all those things back then in the concert? You made me feel chip and humiliated. You have no idea how those words hurt me.”
“Of course I know how they hurt. I just couldn't look at it that way because I was more than wounded too. You've gone a long way that you can't see how slowly and deeply you're gaining popularity and loosing who you truly are. You don't have to be around those people. They're different and you're a goddess. A daughter of God. Remember?”
She shakes her head. “Is this you talking? What do you know about what I am. This is my life. Besides, I'm not doing anything bad. Wait a sec-do you minimize those of the world because you think we're better than them. How then can you save such people if you don't show them the love they deserve? I'm sorry I don't expect you to understand this.”
“I understand what you're saying. Maybe I'm not who you've always known me to be. Maybe we're still just getting to know each other. I can't force you to do what I want. But I can tell you what I think is right. The truth. It hurt they say.”
She rolls her eyes. “You know . . . I've seen you doing this thing you just did a number of times and I haven't molded you for that yet. I promise to do that if you do it again.”
She stares up at him and bits on her lower lip. “Jamal”
“Myla. In all the times we've not been together I've understood so much about you. Did you think I'd never come back for you? Well, actually I didn't. But I had plans to. I don't want to see you be used out there. I'm not going to give up on you this time around. Untill you understand how important you are. And that you can give so much to the world than just acting, modeling or singing.”
To be continued...