Casting Down Imaginations (4 page)

I
laughed, then straightened my face, trying to be serious. “Yes sir, Daddy.”

We
pulled up to the bus station. From the car we could see the bus driver loading
the last of the luggage into the storage compartment at the bottom.

“We
gotta hurry,” Daddy said. He snatched the keys from the ignition and ran out
of the car to stop the bus driver. I laughed as I watched him scurry over,
begging the driver to wait for his daughter to get on.

I hopped
out of the car and got my suitcases from the back seat. Daddy came over and got
them from me and walked me over to the bus. This was the last time I was going
to see him for a long time.

“Alright,
Baby Girl,” Daddy said to me, handing me my carry-on bag. I packed it earlier
with my bible, CD player and CDs to keep me busy during the long drive. More
tears were forming in his eyes.

I
reached up and gave him a long hug. People on the bus were watching, but I
didn’t care.

“I can
stay home and take care of you, Daddy,” I whispered in his ear. “I don’t have
to go.”

He
chuckled. “Nawh, baby. You got to go. Go on ahead and get your education. Go
make something of yourself.” He sighed deeply. “I want you to know that I’m
proud of you. And I love you.”

We stood
there hugging until the bus driver interrupted us.

“Okay,
Dad, let her go,” he said. “I need to keep my job.”

Daddy
let go of me and I got on the bus, still crying. I found my way to the back and
watched him as he stood there. I knew he was going to stand there and watch the
bus until he couldn’t see it in the distance anymore.

“Bye,
Daddy,” I mouthed and waved to him.

“You’ll
be alright,” the bus driver called out to me from the front. “Everybody has got
to leave the nest some time.”

I
watched Daddy as the driver started the bus again and waved to him as we pulled
out of the station. More tears fell from my face, and I knew they wouldn’t be
my last.

four

ANAYA

Damn,
Anaya. You gon’ hurt somebody.

I stood
in front of my closet door and stared at my reflection in the attached
full-length mirror. I looked good. And everybody at that party will agree with
me when I walk in there dressed like this. My hair came out perfect, as if I
went to a professional and got it done. Make-up… perfect. Now all I needed were
accessories.

I
retrieved the pair of heels that I purchased two days ago to match this outfit.
I slid them onto my feet and also put on my matching necklace, earrings,
bracelet, and ankle bracelet. After giving myself one final review in the
mirror, I came to one conclusion: I was sexy, and anybody who tried to deny it
was out of their mind. With my full breasts, flat stomach, curvy hips, and
round behind, I had all the essentials to catch any man that I wanted. And
tonight I was going to do just that.

I
grabbed my purse from my desk and made sure I had my ATM card, tube of lip
gloss, student ID card, cell phone, powder— just in case my face got oily while
I was dancing, and my car keys tucked inside. Everything was ready for me to
have fun doing me.

I went
around the room and straightened the little bit of disorder that I made as I
was getting ready. My roommate and I really didn’t have much to say to each
other, and I didn’t want to give her a reason to open her mouth by leaving the
room in disarray.

After I
finished straightening up the room, I left and drove across town to the party.
There were cars parked up and down the blocks leading up to the house where the
party was held. I managed to squeeze into a small spot three blocks away. I
wanted to find somewhere closer, but I was lucky to be able to get in where I
did. I made a mental note to myself to be sure to leave around the same time
that a large group of people did to lower the chances of someone snatching me.

I walked into the house and immediately felt all eyes land on
me. With the confidence of a movie star, I surveyed my audience, seizing the
opportunity to captivate the spotlight for as long as I could. Every girl in
the room wanted to find her man and hide him from me. If she was smart she
would. Tonight it was all about me, and I could care less about any type of
relationship that anyone may have been involved in. It was so obvious that so
many wanted me. Like paparazzi to the latest tabloid fiasco, their lenses were
on me, their photographic memories working in overdrive to capture every curve
of my body. They were all wondering who I was. “Where did this little beauty
come from?” I was sure they were asking. “Who is she with? Would she take the
time out to get to know a dude
like me? I wonder if I
can get her phone number.”

With my
head held high I walked past my fan club and into what looked to be the living
room. Mostly everyone was dancing and grooving on the hardwood floor. Just
about every person had a drink in their hand, no doubt filled with alcohol of
some sort. There was a staircase on each side of the room that led to the third
floor. People were dancing on these floors as well, giving the DJ much respect
for keeping the party going.

“What’s
your name, Sexy?” someone asked, pointing a video camera at me.

I
smiled, a little irritated, but decided to play along with him anyway.

“Cindy,”
I answered, remembering one of my first party rules: Never use your real
name—especially on camera. You could end up on somebody’s website and would
have no way of explaining that it was just a look alike.

“Cindy,
huh? Dang Cindy, you sho’ is fine.”

“Thanks.”
I smiled and entertained the camera.

“Where
you from, girl?”

“Houston,” I lied.

“How old
are you?” he asked. The camera was already going up and down my body. I stood
to the side so he could get me at a good angle.

“You
legal, ain’t you?”

“Twenty,”
I lied again.

“Will
you dance for me?” he asked. The alcohol from his cup was

revealing
itself through his speech.

I looked
at him like he was crazy. “Dance? Nawh. I don’t do the ‘Caught on Camera’
thing.”

He
laughed. “It ain’t like that, Mama. I just want to remember you, that’s all.
That’s why I’m recording you. I’m the only one that’s gon’ be watching this.”

“Whatever.
I ain’t no fool.”

He
laughed. “Alright, then let me get your booty on camera.”

I rolled
my eyes and covered my behind with my purse as I walked away. Some guys just
didn’t get it.

Even
though I was feeling everything the DJ was playing, I couldn’t start dancing
yet. I had to finish working the place. A few more fellas stopped me to talk
and asked me for my phone number. After lying to them that I had only come to
dance and hang out with some friends, I started working my way through the
dance floor. I got several eye rolls from females and four different people
took it upon themselves to grab a handful of my behind. It was all good. That
was probably the only action they would ever get from someone like me, so I let
them have their fun.

Once I
got to the third floor I took a seat on a couch in the corner. And that’s when
I saw him. Across the room stood a creation from God that made my knees quiver.
He was chocolate, about six feet and four inches tall with slick waxy black
hair. I got a glimpse of his pretty white teeth and hoped they were as straight
as they seemed from this far away. His shirt hung off his chest like the
fashion designer created it with him specifically in mind. His dark denim jeans
were creased down the middle, just the way I liked, and I loved his sneakers. A
man that fine that could dress like that was just what I liked to call my
forte. And he was watching me. I smiled at him, then directed my attention
elsewhere. I didn’t want him to know that he got to me, but he did. There was
something about him. His sexiness was irresistible. I had to have him.

I looked
at him again. He was still watching me. When our eyes met he gave me a nod.
Damn. Now he knew I wanted him.

I stood
to my feet and made my way back down the stairs. I had to play a game of chase
to see if Mr. Irresistible really wanted me. When I got to the second floor I
turned around to see where he was. Still in the same spot, eyes still on me. I
was doing good. I had his attention. I felt my nerves tingle while he checked
me out.

I
continued down the stairs, every few steps glancing backward. He was playing
the game with me, watching intently, waiting for his chance to advance. The DJ
exchanged the song that was playing for a slower, more sensuous groove as if he
knew what was going on between us. I motioned a challenge for him to join me on
the dance floor. He seemed surprised by my gesture, but I wasn’t moved. I
wanted to show him what I was working with. Any guy who thought he was going to
get a chance with me needed to know upfront what he was getting himself into. I
wasn’t just some ordinary girl.

Still
watching him, I slowly backed my way into position. Some cleared the way for
me, eager to see what I was about to do. The music from the speakers called for
slow gyrating and hip popping, and I wasn’t about to let the songwriter down. I
ignored the jealous stares of the females around me wishing they had the guts
to do what I was about to. I couldn’t be concerned with them at the moment. I
had to focus on the delicious piece of candy that I was about to conquer.

As soon
as the beat dropped I began to work. I stood in a stance that accentuated every
curve from head to toe and began to sway my hips back and forth to the sound of
the underlying base drum in the song. I could tell that he was impressed, but
this wasn’t it yet. I was just beginning.

I put my
back into the move and then added some pelvic motion… Yeah… He and about every
guy that could see me were hooked. Two guys approached me. I kept dancing and
put my hand up to stop them. This dance was a solo, and it was dedicated to Mr.
Irresistible.

I moved
my hands up and down my body, enticing him to get a touch of what he wanted.
But he stayed in his place. This wasn’t going to be as easy as I though it
would. But I wasn’t scared. He wasn’t about to embarrass me in front of all these
people. I just had to turn the heat up a little bit. I swayed my hips a bit
harder, then threw my head back and popped my chest to the beat as well. I
twisted and turned in circles, giving him a full three hundred and sixty degree
view of what I had to offer. With that last move, I had to hold off a few more
of the guys around me. A good hunter knew how to hold out for the game they
really wanted. And I wanted Mr. Irresistible.

A little
bit harder… a little bit harder….and…. he was mine.

Mr.
Irresistible moved in and joined me on the dance floor. His eyes were already
sexing me, and he was enjoying every bit of it, too. We danced together for the
remainder of that song as well as the next one the DJ played. I was surprised
at how well he moved. When we got to the third song he took the lead, and
before I knew it the roles were reversed. I was suddenly trying to keep up with
him. It was a position that I wasn’t used to, but I decided to deal with it for
the time being. I enjoyed a good challenge every now and then. The more we
danced the more I began to realize that I definitely wanted to know what was up
with him.

After
the fourth song ended he stood still and placed his hand on my shoulder to stop
me.

“What’s
wrong?”

He
smiled, a bit embarrassed. “My knee hurts.”

I
smirked. “I knew you couldn’t hang,” I said to him and switched my way off the
floor over to the crowded bar that stood in the corner. When I turned around to
smile at him he was still standing in the same place with a goofy grin on his
face. I must have worked him right.

He
walked over and stood next to me. “Where you learn how to dance like that,
girl?” he asked.

I was
cool with my answer. “I been out a few times.”

He held
out his hand. “I’m Reese.”

I shook
it. “Anaya.” He was fine enough to know my real name.

“Anaya,”
he repeated. “That’s pretty. You go to school here?”

I
nodded.

“What
year?”

“Freshman.”

“Oh,” he
chuckled. “We got some fresh meat in the house.”

My face
scrunched. “Fresh meat? Is that what you refer to women as? Meat?”

He knew
he said the wrong thing. “Well… It’s more like an expression. It’s not meant in
a literal sense.”

I winked
at him to let him know I wasn’t really offended. “It’s okay.”

I let my
eyes drift back to the dance floor. I could own this party if I wanted to. The
music was jumping, alright, but I knew I had to be the finest thing in this
place. All the guys let me know it with their stares. But right now I had to
pay attention to Reese. He was too fine for me to let get away.

“What
year are you?” I asked him.

“I’m a
junior, business major. I’m gonna own my own record company.”

“You
rap?”

He
nodded.

I was
impressed, even though I was more of an R&B kind of girl.

“Wow,” I
said. “That’s a big dream.”

He gave
a modest shrug. “What about you? What you studying?”

I was a
little embarrassed that I didn’t have a plan like he did. Now that I thought
about it, I didn’t even really know why I came to college.

“I’m
undecided at the moment,” I answered.

“That’s
alright. You’re a freshman. You got plenty of time. So you wanna dance some
more?”

Dang, he
was fine. With those big brown eyes, I would have done anything he asked me to.

“Are you
sure you can hang?” I joked. “I mean, you’re the one with the arthritis knee
cap.”

He
chuckled. “You’re cute.”

“I
know,” I said, and led him to the dance floor where I broke him off again with
a few more of my moves. But this time I made sure I got everyone’s attention
while I did it. Some tried to sneak in and steal me away from Reese, but I
wasn’t feeling them.