“Don’t worry,” Darrius said. “I’m very good at finding people. I’ll find you.”
They seemed satisfied with his answer as he headed out the door. He meant it. He knew he’d see Asha again. He could find anyone. In fact, he was thinking about that when a security guard out front clapped him on the shoulder.
He was about to greet the man like a bro when he noticed that the grip on his shoulder was way too tight.
“I don’t think so,” the big, beefy man said, practically crushing Darrius’s shoulder so much that he hunched over to try to get away.
One of the wallets fell to the ground.
That’s when Darrius knew he was in major trouble.
*****
“Girl,” Raelynn said, sitting across from Asha at Asha’s desk. It was the day after the incident and her office was completely reset. It was like nothing had ever happened. But Asha could still remember the way Letitia was screaming and throwing things around. Just another incidence of violence at her high school.
It had to stop.
“GIRL!” Raelynn said again, her voice loud and insistent. “Asha, snap out of it. I’m trying to talk to you!”
Asha blinked and tried to focus on her friend.
“What are you thinking about?” Raelynn asked. “Because you should be thinking about that fine man we met at the bar who bought us drink yesterday.”
Asha scoffed and waved a hand. Raelynn wouldn’t stop talking about that. She didn’t know what there was to discuss. The man bought them some drinks and then he left. He didn’t even leave his number. Asha tried to remember his name. Oh yes, that’s right. Darrius.
She shook her head.
“I’m not thinking about that,” she said.
“Well, you should be,” Raelynn said. “Because I can’t get him out of my mind. And he wasn’t even looking at me like that. It was all you. Girl, you have no idea what you’re missing out on right now.”
Asha shook her head. It wasn’t important. She picked a pen off the table and touched the end of it to her mouth, nibbling gently.
There had to be a way to turn her school around.
“I’m thinking about other things,” Asha said. “I’m tired of the violence and chaos around here. I want to turn the student body around. I want them to listen but they don’t really seem to listen to me.”
“You really can’t put this all on you,” Raelynn said, reasonably. “There’s so much more going on in their lives than school. Look at their family life. Look at their neighborhoods. We can’t do it all ourselves. Asha, you have to let go some.”
Asha chewed on the pen stubbornly. She wasn’t the type to let go. This was her job, her responsibility. Her life revolved around these kids.
“You need to take a deep breath and relax,” Raelynn said. “And stop passing up every cute guy that looks your way. I mean, Darrius was really handsome. And he could not stop looking at you. I mean, girl, he was constantly checking you out.”
Asha sighed, once again. Dating was the furthest thing from her mind right now. But Raelynn wouldn’t let it go.
“When’s the last time you went on a date?” Raelynn asked like she didn’t know the answer. Asha hadn’t dated in a long while. Not since her last boyfriend. She met him at her last school when she was still teaching. They were at a private school and she had to admit, it was much easier. He was pretty much a dream boyfriend. He was the vice principal of the school and he showed her the ropes of administration. He encouraged her in her quest to move forward with her teaching career, pushing her to apply to be principal at other schools. At first, she was confused why he was pushing her so hard. They wouldn’t see each other as much because she would be at another school and very busy as a principal. But then, she thought it was just because he wanted the best for her future.
Then she found out the real reason.
It was just after she got her interview at Wayland High. She spent all night with him, practicing, going over different types of scenarios and questions. When she actually went into the interview, she knew that she nailed it. She knew it immediately. So she rushed back to school. It was after hours but she knew he would still be there. Working late as always. She bought sushi to celebrate. And to surprise him, she just opened the door to his office with a big smile on her face.
He was having sex with a student on his desk.
Of course, Asha immediately broke up with him. Her ex-boyfriend was fired from his position. Even though the student was 18 but it was still a firing offense. Wayland high offered her the job and she took it.
She never looked back. And she certainly wasn’t looking to date any more.
“I’m busy,” Asha said, dismissively. She typed in the address bar in her internet browser on her computer and pressed enter. It was five o’clock so she wanted to check out the news, streaming live on their website.
Raelynn looked bored with her. Raelynn was always pushing her to get out there again. She wasn’t sure that Raelynn realized how scary that was. Especially when she’d been burned so badly in the past. Asha didn’t want to get involved with another bad guy.
Then they heard something on the news that made them turn immediately to the screen. Asha turned it so Raelynn could see the monitor better.
“Robbery last night at the West Wing Wine Bar,” the reporter said. “A man named Darrius Allen has been named as the prime suspect in the robbery. He was accused of taking several wallets from women’s purses in the area. Luckily, the wallets were recovered from the scene. Allen is currently being held in the county jail.”
Raelynn was looking at her, mouth wide open. They showed his mug shot on the screen.
There was no denying it.
“Wow,” Raelynn whispered. “Do you think he tried to take our wallets?”
Asha knew he didn’t. They were still in their purses when they got home that night. But still. They were that close to a robber.
It seemed like danger was everywhere. There was no denying it.
Asha sighed. School and life seemed to be weighing down on her. All the bad stuff was surrounding her. She couldn’t escape.
“There are no more good men anymore,” Asha said.
*****
Darrius didn’t spend too much time in jail. He rarely did. His business associate posted the bond and he was back on the street.
Unfortunately, the local networks picked up on this little piece of news. He shouldn’t be surprised. But he had to admit that it did annoy him some. They only thought it was newsworthy because he was one black man preying on the wallets of so many white women in a small space. He was sure that if he only robbed Asha and Raelynn, they wouldn’t care. But that was another story.
Darrius knew he wouldn’t do any real time. He had a good lawyer on retainer and they had already sprung into action. So he wasn’t worried about much of anything at all. He got back to his apartment in the clothes he’d worn for over a day and immediately stripped off his shirt. He looked at himself in the mirror for a moment. He needed a shower but first, he just had to remind himself that everything was all good. Darrius was a hustler. That meant when one thing went down, he bounced right back. And he had to admit that his body was part of the reason he was able to bounce back.
He had a nice set of abs.
Darrius laughed to himself. He didn’t know why he was thinking about that at the moment when there were so many other pressing issues. Well, that was a lie, really. He had an idea why he was thinking that way.
He couldn’t stop thinking about that woman from the bar. Asha. She just had an air about her. She needed a real man who could rock her world and turn it all around.
But he also knew that she was probably an intelligent lady and she watched the news. So she probably saw his mug shot plastered all over channel 7. That would ruin all his chances with her. Women like Asha didn’t usually want to date a thug.
Then again, Darrius could be very persuasive.
But he couldn’t think about that now.
He had to think about the next dollar. He didn’t stay in this apartment for free. All of his latest schemes had been a complete bust. And being in jail didn’t allow him to put much in the planning time. He needed to focus now.
Darrius took his shower. The water flowed down his body, running through the dips and rivulets between his muscles. He tensed his abs, watching the water run in different ways. The warmth of the water all around him and the steam in shower helped to clear his mind. When his mind was clear, Asha’s mind came to him, right as rain.
She didn’t speak much but he remembered her voice. It was low and feminine and sexy. She was dressed so smartly at the bar. He could tell from just looking at her that she was important in her line of work. She was high ranking but she didn’t know her own worth. Darrius could tell that too. He could be the man to show it to her.
He imagined himself worshipping her body. His large hands all over, caressing her curves, showing her how beautiful and feminine she was. He had his hand on himself now, stroking his manhood under the pounding water. Her face was front and center in his mind. He was kissing her and she was kissing him back. Her breath was sweet, lips soft and supple under his mouth. He could feel it right there like it was real life. He was right on the edge, hand moving faster and faster—
The phone rang. Darrius finished up quickly and then got out of the shower. He was barely able to catch the call on the last ring.
“Hello, Darrius,” his lawyer said on the other end.
“What’s going on?” Darrius asked. His heart beat a little faster even if he knew it was going to be good news.
“I’ve got you off,” the lawyer said. “The charges will be dropped against you.”
“Can you get them to stop circulating my picture on the news,” Darrius said. “It’s really harmful to my reputation.”
“I will do that,” his lawyer said. “We will sue Channel 7 for libel. But Darrius, there’s one thing you should know.”
“What’s that?” Darrius said, impatiently. He had places to go and people to see, now that he was cleared. Also, he was standing there naked and dripping wet.
“There’s one condition,” the lawyer said. “You need to sign up for a program. It’s called ‘Scared Straight’. Basically, people with a former criminal record go around to schools, talking to kids about not having a criminal record.”
“I don’t have a criminal record,” Darrius said through gritted teeth.
“And that’s the reason why,” his lawyer said. “You’re doing this. It’s part of the terms and conditions. You have to work with five schools. After that, your contract and your terms will be completely done. So the sooner, the better. Maybe your picture on the news will help after all.”
Darrius hung up with a groan.
Then he got an idea.
He remembered what he said to Asha at the end of his time with her. He could find her if he wanted to.
He meant it.
It only took him a few moments of sitting at his computer, wet and naked. But then he found her. Asha Jackson. She was the principal of Wayland High School, in the city just next to his.
Darrius sat there for a long moment, just staring at her picture on the screen. It wasn’t as beautiful as she was in real life but he liked her serious look, the way her eyes were still bright behind the camera. He could see the starting curve of her chest in the headshot and that was enough for him.
Bingo. Darrius was back in business.
*****
Asha looked out of the window after working on her computer for hours. It was dark outside. She blinked to herself. Where had the time gone? She wasn’t sure.
Asha had been working for hours, and she wasn’t done yet. She was trying to turn her school around and that didn’t happen in a day. No, Asha was working hard. Raelynn tried to convince her to go home. So did Greg. But she was on a mission.
She had to turn this school around, if it was the last thing she did. She was determined. And Asha always met her goals when she put her mind to it. That’s why she was a principal now after being a teacher just a couple of years ago. It all came down to determination.
But sometimes, she had to admit, it could be very lonely. She was in her office night after night. She had nothing else to do. She and Raelynn hadn’t been to the wine bar since that whole robbery incident. It was just too creepy that she met the guy that did all those robberies. Even though later the news said he’d been cleared of all charges, she knew he did it.
Didn’t he?
Asha leaned back in her seat with a sigh. It was Friday night which made this more pathetic if she thought about it. But she didn’t want to think about it. She would just focus on improving this school.
But it was late now. She knew she’d better be getting home. Asha went to turn her computer off when a new email message caught her eye. She stared at the subject for a moment and then opened it.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Plan For Your School
Hi Asha,
I don’t know if you remember me but I met you at the wine bar. Yes, I am that man from the mugshots on TV. No, I am not that type of person. I am not a criminal. But I have entered a new business venture.
I have to admit, I have not always been society's most upstanding citizen. But that doesn’t mean that I’m a bad man. I have a lot to offer you and your school. I’m part of the Scared Straight program. I’d like to talk to your students and show them the other side of their actions. I see the stats from your school and I can see there’s a problem. These kids need to be set on a better path. It’s not your fault that things are getting out of control. But, together, we can do something to help them.
Don’t be put off by my reputation. Give me a chance to help your school. And I would like to help you. I have not forgotten you from the bar. I’d like to see you again.
Even if you’re not feeling the same way, I encourage you to take a chance. We never know what’s in our future. But I believe everything happens for a reason. So think about this. And if you want to take a chance and see what I have to say, let’s go to dinner this Saturday. I will be a perfect gentleman.
Thanks for your time and attention,
Darrius.
Asha stared at the email. She read it a few times. Then she got up quickly, grabbed her purse and quickly left.
She looked around, feeling a little paranoid. But no one was there. She rushed to her car and let herself in. She didn’t know why, but she drove ten miles over the speed limit all the way home.
Later, she was in bed and she couldn’t get the email out of her mind. Her bed was large but it was empty and cold. She buried herself under the covers, still feeling slightly creeped out. This was the time she wished that she had a dog or something. Instead, she called Raelynn.
“What’s going on?” Raelynn asked. “You’re calling late.”
“I got an email,” Asha said. “Guess who it was from?”
“Oh my God.” Raelynn didn’t skip a beat. “He found you didn’t he? He found you.”
Asha nodded. She really didn’t need to say anything else after that. Was it creepy that he found her? Or was it fate?
“I knew it!” Raelynn squealed. Asha knew what she would think. “I knew he would find you. That’s amazing, Asha. He didn’t do it, you know. They said he was cleared of the charges.”
“Yeah…” Asha said, distractedly. She wasn’t too convinced about that. “What should I do?”
“Girl, you know what you should do,” Raelynn said, sternly. “You need to go meet this man. What are you waiting for? He’s totally fine.”
“He basically admitted he has a criminal past,” Asha said. “He said that he can help me with the Scared Straight program. Raelynn, he could be a dangerous man. I shouldn’t do it, right?”
“If he was dangerous, would they let him in the program?” Raelynn asked. “Think, Asha. Maybe he was into some shit in the past but he’s obviou
sly trying to turn his life around now. You should give him a chance. You never give people a chance. That’s your problem. You have to take a chance every now and then. Tell you what. I have a plan?”
“What?” Asha asked, wearily. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear this.
“Go meet him tomorrow and I’ll come around. I’ll spy on you. I won’t let you go through this alone. How about that?”
Asha swallowed. She was still feeling anxious. But Raelynn did have a point. She never did take a chance. And if anything, she could learn more about the Scared Straight program. Her students needed it more than anything.
So Asha took a deep breath.
“Okay,” she said. “Okay, I can check him out. And you’ll be there?”
“Yes, girl,” Raelynn said. “I will be right there. This man could be the answer to your prayers.”
“What prayers?” Asha said, amused. Raelynn had so many theories.
“The prayers your body has been sending to the universe,” Raelynn said. “It’s like a desert down there. It needs some rain. And this man is fine. FINE!”
“Raelynn!” Asha sputtered. But then they were both laughing and it felt good. It took some of the tension out of her body. And it relaxed her for the rest of the night.
After she got off the phone, she laid down again with her tablet in her hand. She opened her email client and replied.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Subject: Okay
I’ll meet you tomorrow night. Tell me where to go. Thanks
Asha.
*****
Darrius wasn’t surprised at the reply to his email. It had been exactly what he was expecting.
Saturday was a busy day. He had a mission to complete first. He decided to go with an old staple. He drove to a law office on the other side of town. Someone was waiting for him in the lobby. He handed over the package and they handed over the cash. It was a big stack. Darrius didn’t deal drugs —that would get him in trouble with the Mexican cartel. He liked to deal with classier stuff. He had all sorts of doctors who would write all sorts of prescriptions. He knew many people who would fill them. Everyone needed some extra help sometimes, especially when they were working hundred hour work weeks and making hundreds of thousands of dollars. Those were the types of clients he dealt with.
Alien Romance: Interview with an Alien (Football Paranormal Invasion Abduction Alpha Sci-fi Romance) (Fantasy First New Adult Contact Science Fiction Mystery Sports Alien Short Stories) Page 17
