Impossibly Forever: Two Books in One (Impossibly Duology) (30 page)

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Moya

  
In no time
, we arrived at Club 207 in downtown Baltimore. The valet took
Warren’s car to park it once we were granted entry.

  
There were quite a few people inside already. Good thing we decided to show up
three hours before midnight, hence we’d be turned away at the door. By the end
of the night, the club would undoubtedly be packed.

  
“Ooh, let’s sit over there,” Vanessa pointed to an empty table at the far right
corner of the room. 

  
We walked up some steps, crossed the gleaming, marble floor and headed over to
the table. The guys took our coats as we made ourselves comfortable on the
cushioned black, leather stowaway chairs. Branden sat on the one next to me.

  
“This place is pretty cool. You ladies come here often?” asked Warren, draping
his arm around Vanessa.

  
“No,” she shook her head. “This is our second time on New Year’s Eve. Besides,
Moya doesn’t do clubs.”

  
“Me neither,” Branden chimed, flashing me a grin. “Want anything to drink?” he
asked.

  
I replied, “Shirley Temple.”

  
“Same here,” Vanessa eyed Warren.

  
“Cool.” He got up along with Branden and they both made their way over to the
bar.

  
“Girl, doesn’t my boo look fly tonight?” she gushed, trailing him with her eyes
in a hungry fashion. “Mmm…Me and him
gon
’ be talking
Spanish later tonight.”

  
Chuckling, I shook my head and glanced over at Warren. He didn’t look too bad,
dressed in a khaki green shirt and black pants. But my man had the majority of
attention in this place. Girls had their eyes on him since we entered the club;
some even appeared jealous realizing that he was taken.

  
Bad for them.
Great for me.

  
As the night progressed, more people started to arrive at the club. The DJ
switched from mellow openers to up-tempo dance mixes. Vanessa and I rocked
along to
Pitbull’s
Feel This Moment until the guys
led us out to the dance floor.

  
Moving with Branden gave me a sense of freedom. I could dance freely with him,
like no one else was around even though the floor was clustered. The flashing
laser lights created blue effects on everyone’s body, intensifying the
atmosphere. The attitude of revelers inside the club was super turned up with
fist-pumping, roars, and out-of-tune voices singing along with the DJ’s songs.

  
My attention was only on Branden. We were in our own world. Our warm bodies
glided close together as the music flowed through our veins, like the intense
emotions we felt in our hearts.

  
I locked my fingers around his neck and rested my head against his chest. In a
split second, I glimpsed Vanessa, dancing just as close with Warren, a broad
smile on her gorgeous face as she grooved along with him. It gave me joy seeing
my best friend as happy as I was. What a great way to start the New Year.

  
Soon after, we returned to our table to catch our breaths.

  
“Whew,” Vanessa blew out, wiping sweat from her forehead.

  
I looked over at the dancers still going hard, shaking my head at them. “I
don’t know how they do it.”

  
“Oh come, ladies. You gotta keep up with us,” Branden joked. I nudged his arm
lightly.

  
Warren asked, “Want another drink?”

  
“I could use some cooling down,” Vanessa replied.

  
I glanced at Branden and said, “Just water, please.”

  
Watching them make their way back to the bar, Vanessa bumped my knee under the
table.

  
“Is this the best New Year’s Eve or what?”

  
“Yes, it is,” I reached over and squeezed her hands. “I’m anticipating the
countdown so bad, girl.”

  
She laughed, “How come?”

  
I shrugged and glanced over at Branden, gawking at him. He and Warren were coming
back to our table with our drinks. “I feel like it’s going to be a really good
year,” I added.

  
“You’re so cheesy,” she teased, taking her drink from Warren.

  
Branden placed the water bottle on top of the table, but instead of sitting
down, he took my hand and said, “Let’s go back out there.”

  
Following his lead, we walked out to the middle of the room. The DJ had slowed
the night down with a few ballads upon the crowd’s request.

  
Unexpectedly, Zedd’s Clarity started to play. It was the first song we slow
danced to.

  
I smiled up at Branden. “You did that?”

  
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in closer, whispering only an
inch from my lips, “I did that.”

  
We swayed to the alluring melodies of the piano, with our gaze fixed at each
other’s eyes. I felt his hands move slowly up my back, embracing me deeper.

  
“Tonight’s perfect,” I said in a near whisper.

  
White light played across the room, revealing his mesmerizing shades of blue.
Lowering his head, Branden’s soft lips brushed mine. Only the kiss got
interrupted as the song came to an end, and the DJ started to yell into the
microphone.

  
“All right people, here we go! Ten, nine…” everyone joined in with the
countdown.

  
I smiled in my excitement, peering up at Branden,
then
I glanced around the room for Vanessa. She and Warren were standing a few feet
away, already engrossed in a passionate kiss.

  
I brought my attention back to Branden, counting along with the crowd.
“Five, four, three, two, one!
Happy New
Year!”

  
The room burst into celebration. Partyers hugged, laughed, and danced in their
happiness. But Branden and I were simply kissing. Long, hard, and voraciously,
we kissed.

  
Most of the people had left the dance floor when we stopped. I started to move
away as well, but he pulled me back and kissed me again. This time he went
slower, making it last even longer.

  
Later on in the night, the partying died down, and we left the club with
Vanessa and Warren. It started to snow as we waited for the car; light flurries
drizzled from the sky.

  
“Did you have fun, girl?” asked Vanessa, clutching my arm.

  
I gazed over at her, nodding. “I had a blast.”

  
When the valet brought Warren’s car around and we all hopped inside out of the
freezing cold, Branden and I kissed again. We continued to do so on and off the
entire drive back to my house, and after walking me to my doorstep, he gave me
the sweetest one to close off the night. The kiss that spoke three words
without him having to say it:

  
I love you.

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

Branden

  
I woke up a little before noon
on Thursday. After showering and getting
dressed, I went downstairs to fix myself something to eat. Ashton was in the
kitchen, leaning against the island as he munched on Mom’s diet chocolate
cookies.

  
“Hey, bro,” he greeted.
“Happy New Year.
Had fun last
night?”

  
“Back at ya.”
I opened the refrigerator to get milk,
adding as I closed the door, “Yeah, I had a lot of fun. What about you? Last
night was the first time you spent New Year’s Eve at home since you were a
kid.”

  
He shrugged and moved off the island. “I didn’t feel like going out.
Watched TV with Mom instead.”

  
Surprised, I stopped pouring the milk on the cornflakes and eyed him with a
quizzical look. “You watched TV with Mom?”

  
“Yep,” he confirmed. “She looked like she needed some company, so I figured why
not be a good son for once since I’m leaving soon.”

  
“You are a good son.”

  
He snorted. “You think so?”

  
“Yeah.”

  
“Well,” he stuck his hands inside his pockets and headed out of the kitchen.
“Let me know how you feel in a few days.”

  
As if on cue, Mom waltzed into the kitchen, passing Ashton in the doorway. She
looked as tired as I felt. “If you both had woken up earlier I would’ve made
breakfast for you, but now it’s almost lunch time and I’m meeting Rosemarie in
a bit.”

  
“What? Look who’s talking, you’re just getting up too,” Ashton teased.

  
She smiled, walked over to the coffee pot and poured some into a mug. She eyed
me over the cup as she drank. “How was your night of celebrating?” she asked.

  
I placed the bowl in the sink and leaned against the counter. “It was great. I
had a lot of fun with Moya and our friends.”

  
“You really love this girl, huh?”

  
“Mom, I’m not in the mood—”

  
“No, no,” she placed the mug on top of the counter. “I’m not going to say
anything negative.”

  
“Why are you still caught up on Samantha, anyway?” asked Ashton, stepping back
into the kitchen. He leaned over the island with his hands folded. “I thought
you were done with her after…” he gazed at me, holding his thought. “Well, you
know.”

  
“Samantha’s a nice girl, and so is Moya.” Mom stared me straight in the eye. “I
feel like what you had with Samantha
was
so much
stronger. You both seemed so…in love.”

  
“I’m in love with Moya,” I said firmly.

  
Ashton coughed. “Wow, little bro, you’re so sprung.”

  
“Shut up.”

  
“Hey, don’t get mad,” he laughed, straightening with his hands held up in
defense. “I think it’s cool how you’re so honest about your feelings. You’ve
always been like that.”

  
“Yeah, well, unlike some people, I keep it straight.”

  
The kitchen fell silent. Mom began sipping on her coffee again, considering my
words.

  
“I’m happy you can be so open,” she finally said. “And it is time for me to get
this fantasy of you and Samantha getting back together out of my head. It’s
just that she really stole my heart that day you brought her home. We grew so
close, Sam and I…” she shook her head then put the mug down.
“Never
mind.
Forget about my silly interventions and be happy with Moya. Like I
said, she’s a good girl, a smart one at that. I can see why you love her so
much.”

  
“Is that so?” I folded my arms. “In that case, there’s something I want to tell
you both.”

  
Ashton narrowed his eyes. Mom cocked her head to the side. “What is it?” she
asked, anxious.

  
I glanced back and forth between them, inhaled a deep breath,
then
said, “I want to marry Moya.”

  
“Whoa!” Ashton blurted in astonishment. “Are you serious, bro?” he confirmed.

  
Mom widened her eyes. Her mouth twitched. “You can’t be serious,” she released
a sarcastic, breathy laugh. “You’ve been seeing each other for barely over four
months. How can you make a decision like that in such a short time?”

  
“I know it seems fast, but I really want to.”

  
“Listen, little bro,” he stepped forward and squeezed my shoulder. “I’m usually
with you on a lot of things, but I have to agree with Mom on this one, it’s way
too soon.”

  
“Thank you, Ash,” she crossed her arms abruptly at her waist. “You can’t marry
her. I won’t let you.”

  
I brushed his hand off my shoulder. “It’s not up to any of you.”

  
“I’m your mother, and I say you can’t marry. I won’t have it,” she countered.

  
“News flash, Mother, I’m old enough to do whatever I want to do.” Why couldn’t
they support me like Dad?

  
Glancing over at Ashton, I fumed, “You’re such a hypocrite. I had your back
about your decision to move overseas from the moment you told me.”

  
“Oh come on, Bran, it’s not the same thing—”

  
“Like hell it isn’t.”

  
“Stop it!” mom yelled. She inched closer. “Branden, listen to me, it all looks
beautiful now, this desire you feel for each other. But you’re young, give
yourself some time.”

  
“I don’t need time. I love Moya, and I’m going to marry her.”

  
“Does she know you want to marry her?” Ashton piped in, a stern expression on
his face. “Cause little bro, this could scare the hell out of her.”

  
Moya knew how I felt, but like Mom, she wanted us to take it slow. Only, I
wanted to marry her this summer. Was that too crazy?

  
Getting frustrated, I scoffed and walked out of the kitchen, heading out the
front door.

  
My mind was already made up. I’d even gone ahead and bought the ring over
Christmas. This weekend, I was going to propose to her. No one was going to get
in the way.

  
No one.

***

  
“Damn, man, your feelings for this girl sounds intense.”

  
Warren and I chilled out in his den, drinking beers and playing pool, while his
parents entertained friends upstairs. It sounded like a fiesta with loud
Merengue music, jovial laughter, and spicy, delicious food filling the air.

  
I drank some beer and waited for him to take his shot. “What can I say? I love
her.”

  
“You sure you ready for that though?” he asked after blowing his play. I was
beating Warren big time at this game. “I mean, marriage is serious. I like
Vanessa a lot, and I want our relationship to last and always be this good, but
I don’t think about marriage with her. I only enjoy what we have now.”

  
Reading the game, I readied the stick on the table and said while aligning the
shot, “I knew from the moment I laid eyes on Moya that she was going to be the
one. The feeling comes so easy. It’s like I’m living only when I’m with her.”

  
I glanced over at him once I finished. He had a modest smile on his face as he
stared at the hardwood.

  
“You sound like my dad. He gets mushy like that when he talks about my mother.”

  
Sighing, I walked over to the brown leather couch, setting the beer on the
coffee table as I sat down. Warren came over and sat down on the chair in front
of me.

  
“Did you already bring it up with her?” he asked.

  
I nodded. “Yeah, but that was back when I was sick in the hospital. She told me
to take it slow.” I combed my hand through my hair. “I don’t think she took me
seriously.”

  
“I see. Well hey, if you want to do that man, I say go for it. Life is short.
My parents got married at sixteen back in the Dominican Republic. Life was
different for them, but they loved each other and knew they wanted to be
together, no matter if the odds were against them.”

  
“Thanks, man.” I slapped his hand and knocked beer bottles.

  
Warren made a lot of sense. Life was short, and I didn’t believe in putting
things off simply to please anyone, or wait for a “better” time. The time was
always right when you go for it.