It was noon and she was sitting in the parking lot of a McDonald�s calling Ben.
�OK, I�m in Jacksonville, where are you guys?�
�We�re at some bikini contest that Derek is judging.�
A bikini contest at high noon? Well, it was the Super Bowl; the party of all parties.
�I�m near the mall, so I�m going shopping. What time are you guys leaving for the stadium?�
�We�re leaving from the hotel at 4:00. Security is going to be rough so we have to leave early.�
�Ok, well I�ll meet you guys there. What room are you in?�
�Uh�I�m not sure actually. I don�t remember. I�ll text the room number a little later.�
�Ok, don�t forget me.�
**
She walked through the lobby and waited for the elevator. As she looked around she figured she must be in the hotel where all the VIPs were. Everyone looked like they had money and they were a part of huge entourages.
She stepped into the elevator and turned around; pushing the number 19.
�Hold the elevator.� She pressed the button quickly and moved to the side, making room for the gentleman. There were others in the elevator so she asked,
�What floor?�
�Nineteen.� He smiled when he saw the button was lit.
She stepped off the elevator and was followed by the man she held the elevator for. He seemed to be following and she knew it was just a coincidence but it made her a little uncomfortable just the same.
She stopped at the guys� door and he did the same.
�I�m not following you. Well, I am but this is where I�m going. Coincidence I guess.� He pulled out a key, �Here, let me.�
She opened the door and held it open for her. She walked in and was surprised to see a lot of people. The familiar faces of Sean, Jack, Ben, Derek and Vanessa instantly stood out but there were a few other faces.
Ben walked over, �Hey Maleeyah.� She hugged him feeling as if she could breathe again.
�Hey, what's this a party?�
�Something like that. Come on.� He led her further into the room.
�Hi Maleeyah.� Jack smiled as he removed himself from the arms of a pretty blonde and gave her a hug. �How are you?�
�Great, its good to see you again Jack.�
Sean came over and kissed her on the cheek, �Hey, how are you?�
�I�m great.�
The only vacation buddy who didn�t greet her was Derek but she could see why. He was very much into Vanessa. And she was very much into him as they stood by the balcony hand in hand both with a beer in their hands.
Ben led her over to one of the couches and he filled her in on all the details of the past weekend. She smiled, wondering what classes he was taking this semester. He was out gallivanting, she was deep in her studies with her free time, and the semester had just started.
**
She had never been in a skybox before and she never thought she would, especially at the Super Bowl. She loved watching the Falcons play, that was her home team but if they weren�t playing she didn�t care about football. New England and Philadelphia? Who cared? It should have been the Falcons.
�Do you have enough?� She laughed at Ben whose plate was filled with chicken wings, BBQ and fried, lasagna, mini pizzas and ribs.
�Just warming up.� He had a bottomless pit of a stomach.
�Watching your figure?�
She turned to see Derek. It was the most he had said to her all night. She didn�t blame him; it didn�t make her feel bad. Guys just didn�t talk to other women in front of their girlfriends; not unless she was completely comfortable with the other woman. She had only been around Vanessa for a weekend; she was hardly comfortable around Maleeyah.
�Yes, I am.�
He looked nice in his gray sweater and black pants. He had a little bling going on she noted.
�Gray and black. Very interesting.�
�It matches.�
�That�s your only concerned when you get dressed in the morning?�
�Yeah.� He said strongly.
�You need to come in my store and I�ll hook you up.�
�Why don�t you just buy it for me?�
He smiled and it made her smile. His eyes danced when he was happy. Hell, he was always happy. She had yet to see him anything but in high spirits.
�I�m poor, remember?�
�Oh yeah that�s right. You college students, I remember when my sister was in college. She never called and asked my parents for money, just me because she knew I would send it to her and not give her a lecture on financial responsibility like my parents would.�
They were joined by Vanessa. She stood next to Derek and placed her hand on his arm.
�Oh hey you�re back.� He said to Vanessa. �You remember Maleeyah, from Jamaica.�
�Oh yeah, hi. How are you?�
�I�m fine. You look great.� She really did. Maleeyah always gave props when they were due.
She smiled and glanced at Derek, who was beaming at her, �Thank you.�
�Are you going to party with us later? I don�t know what Derek has planned but I�m sure we�re going to have fun.�
Vanessa asking her to hang out with them sort of threw Maleeyah off. Maybe Vanessa wasn�t worried about her as a potential threat after all.
�I can�t, I have class first thing in the morning. I�m already going to suffer.� She probably wasn�t going to get home until two in the morning.
�Oh that�s too bad. Maybe next time.�
�We�ll see you later. We�re going to head back over to our seats.� He said as he led Vanessa away.
For the first time, she thought they looked like a good couple and not just physically. Maybe her age didn�t matter.
040 | No Ordinary Girl