My Virtual Photo Album

Marshall crammed himself into his car and sat there for a few minutes, trying to get a hold of himself. He hit the steering wheel hard and then cursed at the pain it had brought to his hand. The guys had been right. She hadn’t fucked him for the record deal, it was plain as day.

He would have preferred that she had just done that, it wouldn’t have made him so angry at her. He was angrier now that he’d come to terms with the truth, she didn’t care.

So why did he? How come every time she pushed him away, he wanted to get closer to her? Why did he give a shit about her when she didn’t even want to give him the time of day? When did he come to crave her hands on him all the time? Who was she to make him feel this way? What was it that he liked about her?

He’d fallen as hard as a head hitting a cement wall. With blood and brains splattered and confusion and pain ensuing.

Annoyed with himself he smashed the steering wheel again and was reminded of the first time he’d hit it. Fuck. Now he had to talk to her. And now she would never sign the contract because no matter what she’d think he was doing it to get back in Dre’s graces. In reality Marshall wouldn’t care if Dre ever spoke to him again over this stupid shit. It was the idea of Regina missing out on something that she deserved even more than he did.

Starting up his car, he resolved himself to going to her apartment and getting into a big fight. If that’s what it took, then that was what he would do.

He’d driven around town for four hours before he’d gotten up enough nerve to go back to her apartment. When he finally pulled up it was eight o’clock and she was coming down the steps with Ernelle, both with big smiles on their faces. They walked past his car without taking any notice.

Deciding it would be better to just follow her he watched them walk for two blocks before pulling up alongside them again. They sat at the local bus stop and waited a few minutes before the bus pulled up.

Forty-five minutes later he watched them get off and walk another block before going into a club, the Dragon. He valet parked the car and took the VIP entrance inside, realizing he was already nervous at just the prospect of seeing her again.

Panic seized him as he looked around at the crowd. It would be impossible to find her in here. As if in answering his question he spotted Ernelle at the bar. Thank god, she’d know where Regina was.

He parted through the dance floor and arrived at Ernelle’s end of the bar feeling distinctly awkward. With hands in his pockets, he chewed at his bottom lip before clearing his throat and saying Ernelle’s name.

“Huh?” she asked turning when she heard someone call her. When she saw who it was she stiffened and walked up to the bar and gave him a sober stare.

“Yeah, what?” she asked with pursed lips and narrowed eyes.

“Where’s Regina?” he asked with a sneer. Who was she to be acting like that?

“Are you blind?” she asked as if Regina was standing right beside her.

“Just tell me where she is,” he snapped pulling his hands out of his pockets and leaning on the bar. Ernelle rolled her eyes at him and motioned to her left before going to a customer and taking their drink order. He looked over to where Ernelle had motioned and had to control himself when he saw Regina dancing not even three feet from where Ernelle had been standing.

She was moving astutely to the music, hitting it where the beat demanded and making it her own anthem at the same time. He was hypnotized by her movements. She commanded the attention of the room, her long hair dripping over her bare shoulders, her hips swaying in tight denim. She kept her eyes closed as she danced, as if she were in her own world, dancing on top of it and those below her were her worshipers. She was a goddess.

He allowed his eyes to travel from the soft hair he wanted to tangle his hands in, down her constantly moving torso, to her thighs, framed beautifully in dark denim and then her calves encased in tightly laced red suede boots. With a reel in the music she threw her head back and spun on the small stage. For a minute or two she danced with her back to him and then spun again. Her eyes landed on him and she froze.

“Hi,” he said stupidly. God that did sound stupid! She walked up to the edge of the stage and squatted, her heels making her seem still extremely tall. He walked up to her and before he could say anything she said,

“What do you want?”

“We need to figure a couple things out,” he said looking up at her.

“I thought we concluded our business this afternoon. Look, I got to get back up there, I’m supposed to be working.” She said standing up again. She went to take a step back on the stage but he grabbed her ankle.

“Let go!”

“We need to talk Regina!” he hissed, not relenting on his grasp of her ankle. She pulled slightly and when she realized he wasn’t going to let her loose she crossed her arms in disgust.

“Reg, come on,” he said moving his hand farther up her calf.

“I get a break in a couple hours, you get five minutes, now get lost,” she said shaking him roughly off her leg and kicking at him slightly. Warmth spread through his body at her actions and he stepped back, watching her flow back into the music and the admirations of her worshipers at her feet as if nothing had stopped her. The more she abused him the more he’d want to come back.

He found a table where he could watch Regina and sat back to watch the show. A familiar stirring in his jeans occurred as he watched her dancing. Just like in her apartment he ignored the fact that there was anyone else in the room. He was intoxicated. He wanted to fist his hands into her hair and hold her lips to his. He wanted to run his hands up and down her legs and make love to her fast and slow at the same time.

His reactions to her were not only physical. He thought he must be insane. He wanted her to scream at him, push him away, throw things at him, even hit him. Anything would have been enough to show him that she hated him. The more she hated him the more he wanted her. He thought he was becoming obsessed. Soon he’d be following her everywhere she went. Taping her pictures to his wall. Calling her fourteen times a day. But it’d be one great fucking trip into insanity as far as he was concerned. Any bit of attention he got from her would be what he craved, what he asked for. In what had seemed to be two seconds after he’d sat down at the table, she was walking towards him with a bottle of water in her hand. She took a seat across from him, crossed her legs and starred at him.

“Talk, now, or I walk.”

“You have to come back and sign the contract,” he said before he could think of anything else. She glared at him.

“Why? Dre pissed at you or something?” she snapped.

“No, I was wrong. You shouldn’t miss out on something because I said that,” he replied.

“Oh, I see, so now you’re feeling guilty, and that’s supposed to what? Make me feel sorry for you? Make me run back there, to sign the contract so you don’t get in trouble with your boys, fuck you.” She spat taking a swig on her water.

“Look, I said that because I was pissed at you,” he said, his temper bubbling close to the surface.

“For what? I told you from the fucking beginning I wanted nothing to do with you. And guess what, I still don’t want anything to do with you. Do you understand that, or do you want it translated in a couple different languages?”

“I don’t give a fuck about you either Regina! So fuck you too, I only fucking came here to tell you I admit I was wrong! If you want the fucking deal, it’s yours! But I’m sick of pretending I give a shit what you think!” he shouted. This was the final straw, he’d had it with this girl. She hated him but he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. She smiled at him, it was an evil smile.

“Yes you do. You get off on it don’t you? The more I push you away the more you’ll come after me. You are so predictable,” she laughed. His face fell slack and he starred at her bewildered. She stood up and pushed the table back and away from him. Stepping gently between his legs she leaned down, a hand on each knee while she held her face in front of his.

“I could kick you down, throw you in the gutter and you’d still come crawling back for more, wouldn’t you?” she asked, her one hand going up to his neck and the other sliding up his thigh. He swallowed hard, starring into her eyes, daring himself not to blink. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t move. She glued him to the spot. She watched his facial expression as her hand moved lower and lower on his thigh until it reached its destination. She smiled at him and looked at his lips as her hand fondled him. She leaned in quick and forced his head painfully back as she attacked his mouth. His head flooded with confusion, between her hands grasping him tight and her mouth sucking at his, he didn’t know what to do or what to think. When he was gasping for air she let him up. He nearly choked on his need for oxygen and felt her hand squeeze him tight. She made him look her in the eyes as she said,

“Looks like you’re my bitch now.” She let go and walked away without another word.