Take it All (Blinded by Love) (23 page)

He looked at her hard, searching her face and eyes to make sure she wasn’t lying, “You promise it has nothing to do with some weird thing to impress me or them?”

“Promise.”

He stepped into her and kissed the tip of her nose. “Okay, but,” he hesitated, shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe they were having this conversation, “it comes from me, you hear me? Some of them like to add shit to theirs. So, if you wanna try it, ask me, no one else unless I okay it, deal?”

Lennox nodded, and said, “Deal.”

“‘Kay, let’s get inside, it’s cold,” he said, grabbing her hand and leading her to the door.

Walking inside Caleb’s place was full of people. Some were sitting on his couch with a beer, talking, while others were sitting on the floor in front of the television playing video games. Some were in the kitchen sitting on the counter or chairs, drinking, smoking, and talking. Lennox slid off her coat and laid it on the chair next to the door, then followed Caleb inside. Emerson was sitting on the lone Lazy-Boy recliner that was angled off from the couch, with a red head sitting on the arm, and upon seeing them enter the room, he got up and walked over to them. “How’s it goin’, Lennox,” he said, pulling her into a one armed hug, “thought you guys were never going to get here. There’s beer, coolers, rye, rum, vodka, So-Co, and I think even a couple bottles of wine in the fridge.”

“Want a drink, babe?”Caleb asked.

“Yeah, glass of wine would be nice.”

“White wine, coming up,” he grinned, kissing her cheek, “Em, introduce her while I get us some drinks, will ya.”

“Yeah, man, beer for me though.”

Caleb nodded then walked into the kitchen where a loud holler of his name sounded before his laugh echoed. Emerson slung his arm around her shoulder and motioned to around the room, “Alright, Ward, over there on the floor, engrossed in a fuckin’ game, is Kris and Jay; the love birds with their tongues down each other’s throat, on the right of the couch is Kam and Jenny; and on the other end is Matty and Sierra. Guys, this is Kingston’s girl, Lennox.”

Lennox smiled shyly and gave a small wave to everyone, and said, “Hey.” She noticed the girl who had been sitting next to Emerson on the chair was giving her the stink eye. Her arms were crossed across her chest, looking anything but thrilled. “I think you forgot someone,” she whispered.

Emerson followed her gaze and cursed under his breath, “Fuck. Lennox, Scarlett, Scar, Caleb’s girl, Lennox.” She eyed Lennox and Emerson’s arm around her then huffed as she got up from the chair and left the room.

“She seems like a catch,” Lennox said sarcastically, looking up at him with a smirk.

Emerson rolled his eyes, “More like a fuckin’ toss back. I should let some other asshole have the pleasure of dealin’ with her.”

“You always bring home the most interesting girls, it’s quite entertaining if you ask me,” she said, teasingly.

“You’re tellin’ me, though they do make it interesting in other ways, if you catch my drift,” he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.

“I’m so glad you used interesting, and not kinky; that’s an image I don’t need.”

“Beer,” Caleb said, joining them and handing it to Emerson. “And white wine for my girl.” He handed her a red plastic cup, while holding a cup in his other hand.

“Thanks, baby,” she said, taking it from him and sipping it, “What’re you drinking?”

He looked at her, tilting his head to the side, “So-Co, Lox,” he told her, into his cup before he took a drink of it. “Did Em introduce you to everyone?”

“Everyone in here, yes, even had the pleasure of meeting Scar. She seems like a real treat.” She glanced at him then Caleb, trying not to laugh as she took another drink of her wine.

Caleb turned to Emerson, a look of surprise on his face, “You brought Scar, no– wait, you’re back together with Scar?”

He shrugged his shoulders as he took a long pull from his beer before he said, “I don’t fuckin’ know, man, ran into her last week and one thing lead to another and I woke up at her place and well you fuckin’ know how it goes.”

“Yeah, I do, now end it, right now- get the bitch outta here.”

“Caleb,” Lennox hissed in surprise.

“No, Lennox, she’s fucking crazy. You think Tatum has issues with guys and such? Scarlett is Tatum times three; that bitch is crazy.”

“Don’t hold back, Caleb,” Scarlett’s voice came from behind him, “I’d hate to know what you really think about me.”

Lennox pulled her lip between her teeth as she looked from Caleb to Emerson, who both took a pull from their drinks, trying to hide their grins. “Emmy, we need to chat,” she glared at Caleb and Lennox, “
alone
.”

“We were just about to head into the kitchen. I need a refill,” Lennox quickly said, not wanting to stick around.

“Babe, your glass is still half full,” Caleb said, grinning, knowing what she was doing, not wanting to leave.

Lennox chugged back the rest of her wine until her cup was empty, “Oh, would you look at that, all gone; excuse us,” she said, grabbing Caleb by the arm and dragging him away just in time, as Scarlet started scolding Emerson in a harsh whisper.

Caleb and Lennox entered the kitchen that was occupied by four others who were all sitting at the table playing cards. She set her cup down on the counter and refilled it half way with more wine when she heard someone call Caleb’s name. “Yo, Kingston? You and your woman wanna play, we’re about to start a new game.”

Caleb looked at Lennox with a questioning look, and she nodded. “Let’s do it,” she said, grabbing her drink then following him to the table where two extra chairs were open.

“Guys this is Lennox; Lennox this is Ty, Kassie, Alex and Amber,” he said, going around the table and introducing her as the guys nodded and the girls smiled brightly with a wave.

“What’re we playing?” Caleb asked, setting his drink down and slinging his arm around the back of Lennox’s chair.

“We have no idea anymore,” Ty said with a throaty laugh, a lazy smile across his face.

“You lit up, Ty?”

“Nah, man, not since we got here. Why, you want some?” he asked, looking from Caleb to Lennox. Lennox sat there watching the two of them, having no idea what they were talking about.

“She’s cool, bro, is it pure?”

“Ya man.”

He lifted his chin, “Light it. Kass, open that door a bit would ya? Let’s air this place out a bit.” He took a pull from his cup then bent his head down, kissed the side of Lennox’s head before his mouth found her ear, and whispered, “What we talked about outside; this stuff has nothing added, so if you’re thinking of wanting to try, then it’s your choice.”

Lennox nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment, as she was feeling nervous. She never in her life pictured herself sitting around a table doing what she was contemplating. If someone would have told her three months ago that she’d end up in a chair, next to Caleb and his friends, leaning towards trying her first joint, she would have laughed in their face and called them crazy. But here she was in that situation. She watched as Ty pulled a see through baggie that looked like it had grass inside it from his coat that was hanging on the back of his chair. He pulled a pack of rolling papers out, took one out and placed it on the table. He opened the baggie and took a pinch of the green grass and put it on the paper, smoothing it along from side to side and adding another pinch before closing the baggie. He then began rolling the paper back and forth, lightly licking the edge and then finally rolling it together. He reached across the table grabbing his pack of smokes and tore off a small piece and rolled it until it fit in the open end of the joint.

“Viola, a handmade filter,” he said, chuckling and holding the joint in the air for everyone to see.

“So, Lennox, you smoke?” Kassie asked, as she started shuffling a deck of cards.

“No,” her voice cracked, and it was then she felt Caleb’s hand on her neck, gently massaging it in small circles, putting her body at ease.

“That’s cool, darlin’,” she said, looking at her and winking then going about dealing everyone one their cards, “It ain’t for everyone, right Amber?”

“I don’t touch the shit; Alex does, which is fine but not me, I prefer to drink; love my booze.”

Lennox felt herself start to relax as her shoulders finally fell and her back sunk into the back of her chair as Caleb’s hand continued rubbing her neck as he brought his cup to his lips. “So, King, you talk to Andrew recently?”

Lennox felt Caleb tense and his hand stopped moving as he narrowed his eyes at Ty, giving him a hard, yet unreadable look. “Yeah,” he said his jaw then tightening.

“He tell you about–”

“Yeah, man, I heard,” he said quickly, cutting him a look as if to tell him not to say anything else.

“Who’s Andrew?” Lennox asked, looking between both guys.

“King’s–”

“My boss at the shop, he’s ready to expand the shop, add a few more bays.” He gave Ty a look that told him to stop talking and to shut it, one that didn’t go unnoticed by Lennox.

“Oh I–”

“What’s goin’ on in here?” Emerson said, announcing his presence as he walked over to the table, alone, and stood behind Caleb and Lennox.

“Not much man, just cards and a fatty, you in?” Ty asked, as he put the joint between his lips, about to light it.

“Fuck that man; you know I don’t touch any of that shit.”

“Where’s Scar?” Lennox cut in, looking up Emerson’s tall body.

“Back in the sea,” he winked, then finished off his beer and walked over to the fridge where he grabbed another one and went back into the living room.

“What’d he mean by that?”

“He ended it, she’s gone,” Ty muttered.

“Thank God,” Caleb said into his cup, as he took a sip.

Lennox didn’t say anything as she watched Ty finally light the joint and take a pull from it, then pass it to Kassie before he finally released the smoke and blew it out. It didn’t take long for the kitchen to start to smell like a dead skunk was hidden somewhere. Lennox watched as Kassie did what Ty did, and passed the joint past Amber to Alex, who followed suit. She watched each of them, still undecided what she wanted to do; it was like an inner battle inside her head with one side saying no while the other shouted yes.

Alex passed the joint to Caleb who put it between his lips and inhaled, then held it for a few seconds before finally releasing it. He looked at Lennox, curiously. Lennox, without a second thought, nodded her head and he passed the joint to her where she held it between her index finger and thumb.

“I thought you didn’t smoke?” Amber asked, looking at Caleb and Lennox with furrowed brows.

Caleb turned his head in Amber’s direction and said, “She doesn’t, but she said she wanted to try it tonight so let her try it.”

He turned back to Lennox, who was still holding it between her finger and thumb, not sure what to do. “It’s just like smoking, right?” she asked, glancing at Caleb.

“Yeah, baby, just inhale and pass it to Ty. You gotta inhale it deep and hold it for a few seconds to get a feel for it okay,” he said, running his hand up and down her thigh.

Nodding, she put the joint between her lips and inhaled a mouthful of smoke as if it were her last breath, then passed it off to Ty. Her chest felt like it was on fire and about to explode when she finally blew the smoke out in a cough. After a couple seconds of coughing, she finally had it under control and looked at Caleb. He was watching her, his face solid like stone, his jaw clenched, and his eyes swimming with dismay; not because of what she did; because he didn’t stop her.

“You okay?” he asked, searching her eyes.

“I’m fine; that shit’s nasty though, gross.” She grabbed her cup and took a sip.

Caleb breathed a sigh of relief as he let out a small laugh, “Love those words coming from you, Lox,” he said, taking the joint from Alex and inhaling then passing it right across to Ty.

Lennox sat next to Caleb feeling strange. She felt like she was being watched and when she turned around she was met with a pair of eyes belonging to Emerson that were swimming with disappointment. Her eyes darted from his as she felt Caleb’s hand squeeze her thigh and she turned to him. “You sure you’re alright?” he asked, his face washed with concern.

“Babe, I’m fine. I just feel a little lightheaded, but that could be from the wine too,” she gave him a reassuring smile.

“No more booze. I’ll get you a pop or water; everyone reacts differently, I don’t wanna see you get sick or something.” He kissed her lips before walking to the fridge, tossing her cup in the trash next to it before he pulled the fridge door open and grabbed a bottle of water.

“My boyfriend, always watching out for lil ‘ol me,” she teased as she cracked open the bottle and took a long sip, the icy feeling flowing down her throat feeling more than perfect.

His lips curved into a half smile before he said, “Always, baby.”

“Alright, let’s fuckin’ play before I become too stoned to know what the hell I’m doing,” Ty said loudly, everyone at the table laughing.

“I’ll be back, play this round without me,” Lennox said, then started to stand only to be stopped by Caleb’s hand grabbing hers, looking at her with worry, “I’m fine, it was just one toke, Caleb. But I do, however have to use the bathroom,” she whispered the last part, looking at him then his hand wrapped around hers.

Caleb let go of her hand as she made her way out of the kitchen and down the hall to the bathroom that was currently in use. Lennox stood back and leaned against the wall as she waited for the bathroom to become free. Every part of her felt different; her head was lightly spinning, her legs felt like jell-o but overall she felt giddy and the smile on her face was sure to show it. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting to feel after trying dope for the first time. What she did know was, no matter what she was feeling at that moment, she was never going to smoke it again. She was no longer curious and all her questions were answered. She was perfectly okay if she never had to smoke it again.

“Lennox,” Emerson’s face appeared in front of her, “you okay?”

“Just a little woozy and wondering why I can’t feel my legs, but other than that, I’m good, maybe a tad tipsy too,” she said, a lazy smile playing on her lips. “What’re you doing?”