Dari's Delights

5

I  showered and put on a soft pink baby doll dress that clung to my chest but flowed loosely down the rest of the way and had sleeves covering my bicep before getting my sneakers on. I headed to the club once more. I went to the dance floor and lost myself in the music. I could feel eyes on me from all around the room but simply ignored it until the girls I was dancing with started freaking out about a guy again. I took that as my que to go to the bar. I sat down in front of Ryan once more. He produced a water bottle and placed it in front of me. We talked as he worked as the seat next to me was taken once more. "Dari?" I heard, causing me to look over and see Ace. "Hi, Ace," I said before continuing to talk with Ryan and finishing up my water.

Getting off my seat and heading for the dance floor once more. I found another group of three girls and started dancing with them. It didn't take long for them to get boy crazy so I left with a pout heading to the bar. Ryan saw me sit with a pout and washed a sippy cup in front of me before opening a new jug of cranberry juice as the seat next to me was taken once more. As he passed the filled cup to me, he asked, "Boy drama?" "Yes," I pouted. "Why does it matter if they look at you? They are ruining my fun. Do you know how hard it is to find three or six people to dance with?" I said petulantly. "I have no clue. I'm usually working and not on the dance floor." Ryan responded. "If I had any sense of gaydar I'd dance with those men, but even with growing up with my fathers, I'm hopeless at telling." I said, pouting more before drinking the sippy cup handed to me. "I bet Ace would be happy to dance with you. I know he could make a group of three for you." Ryan offered, glancing at the person next to me. I turned to see Ace sat beside me, and I found myself asking, "Are you gay?" I slapped my hand over my mouth mortified. "I'm sorry that was rude. It's not my business." I squeaked out embarrassed before taking my cup and disappearing in the crowd.

I danced in the crowd as I finished my cup before placing it on a servers tray and heading to the bathroom. This time, I noticed a bouncer in the bathroom hall. I went back to the dance floor and just decided to dance by myself. I frowned when a guy decided I needed a partner and started to grope me. I instantly walked away and went to the safety of the bar. To my utmost disappointment, the touchy guy followed me. It was worse when he ordered a drink for me, placing his hand on my thigh, which I immediately pushed off. Ryan glanced at someone behind me before a large arm wrapped around me. "Ace, what do you and your girl want?" He asked as he placed the two drinks in front of the touchy guy. The touchy guy downed the two shots and left with a glare. I tapped Ace's arm three times, and he removed it from me. "Thank you," I said when he sat next to me. "No problem, Dari. May I buy you something to drink?" Ace asked with a friendly smile. "No, thank you. I think I'm just going to walk to work. My fun here has been ruined again." I said. "May I walk you there, at least? The city isn't exactly a safe place at night." He asked. I looked at him confounded before saying, "Why? You barely know me." "I'd like to know more about you. You don't have to talk to me or even walk next to me if you don't want to. I just want to make sure you get there safely." He said in a slightly pleading voice. I found myself caving as I nodded my head yes.

We left the club together, but he fell a few steps behind me on the street. I rolled my eyes before turning to him, saying, "I've had enough stalkers behind me in my life already. If you are going to walk me to my coffee house you can at least walk beside me." He fell in step with me muttering quietly, "You've had stalkers." I don't know if he intended for me to hear it or not, but I answered, "Of a sort, yes. My dads are very protective of me. So I'm used to having a watchful eye on me at all times. That's why my pops and Nonna are stuck here with me and not back home." "Where you from?" He asked. "Seattle area, I moved out here for college and decided to stay." I answered. "You're a long way from home. Don't you miss it?" He questioned. "Yes and no. I miss my family, but I also love being in New York. I love being surrounded by people here. It's refreshing after being stuck home with private tutors growing up. I have siblings, but I was more of an only child given the age difference between me and the twins." I answered. "What's your family like?" He asked. "Overbearingly protective between my fathers and brothers, no one would come near me. What about you? What's your family like?" I asked in return. "It's just me and my two brothers now. Our parents passed away almost nine years ago, and we were left the family businesses to run." He said as we stopped in front of the coffee shop. I rested my hand on his arm lightly as I said, "I'm sorry for your loss."  "Thank you for letting me walk you, Dari," he said with a small smile on his face as he glanced at my hand. I got the key from my shoe before unlocking the shop, saying, "Have a good night," before I entered the shop.

After I fixed my hair into a hair net, having forgotten a hair tie, I set to work prepping for the day ahead. Today, I decided to make cranberry and brie puff pastries bites along with a cranberry lemonade. Paris worked with me for half the day before Marie took over for me. The shop would be closed tomorrow, so I went home and took a short nap. I showered and got ready for the night. I was taking advantage of being guard free for the first time in my life. I pulled out the more revealing dresses I had and stared at them in a debate on which to wear tonight. I decided on the black dress that had scalloped sheer lace sleeves and neckline that showed my entire cleavage. The sheer lace was embroidered with black flowers. At the bottom of my breasts sat a black ribbon tied into a bow. It was very short, only coming a couple inches below my butt. I left my hair down in its natural loose red waves. I put my sneakers on and headed out to the club for the night.