It's about 3pm on the East Coast and our fair maiden Essence is chillin on the block with her best friend Shonte' who's currently trying to get her to go to this party with her later on tonight.  Let's watch.

"Essence, girl I'm telling you this party's gonna be bananas.  There will be wall to wall dudes up in there.  Nichelle said that her mama's gonna be at work with your people all night so sneaking out shouldn't be an issue.  Just tell Janae' we'll give her twenty dollars to keep her mouth closed.  Come on, you know you wanna go."

"Shonte' if my parents find out, they'll be more than upset and my daddy can't afford to have his blood pressure all up fucking around with me.  I promised that I'd hold them down while they at work and that's what I'mma do.  I'm sorry, I can't."

Shonte' rolled her eyes at her friend.  Sometimes, Essence could be a real party pooper.

"Bitch, wasn't your daddy just telling you to get outta the house sometime?  Janae' is old enough to watch the younger kids by herself.  Besides, the party don't start until 10pm and you put them to bed at 8:30.  Plenty of time for you to get ready and get outta the house.  Come on girl, I don't wanna go by myself."  Shonte' finished with a whine.

"Alright trick damn!  Stop whining, I'll go."

"Ooh, thank you girl!"  Shonte' said hugging her friend.  "Now show me that wind up dance you was doing earlier."

 
Essence laughed and hopped up off of the step and turned on the music they were listening to.  Just as they were really getting into it, rotating their hips back and forth, they hear a low whistling noises coming from behind them.  Rolling their eyes, they turn around to see a group of four guys standing there staring.  Typical, Essence thought to herself.  Every time a girl starts to move her ass around, some dude has to come fuck up the moment.  Recognizing one of the peeping toms, Essence waves at him and goes about doing what she was doing.  But Shonte' doesn't let shit go as easily as Essence does.  She never did and it doesn't appear that she will now either.  

"Trace, why in the fuck are you just standing there?  You can move around us you know?  We ain't blocking the whole sidewalk, damn."

"Shonte' why are you always throwin me shade?  I just came down here to introduce ya'll to my boys.  Justin, Chris and Josh, this is my future baby momma (if she ever act right) Shonte' and that's her equally fine ass friend Essence."
Essence turns around to look at the guys Trace's trying to introduce them to.

Immediately she is greeted by a pair of eyes so blue,  it startles her.  The gentleman who the eyes happen to belong to also has a killer smile, long nose and slim build.  She's taken by this stranger and it appears to be mutual.

Josh steps into her direct line of view and just stares.  Stares at her so intently that she can't stand the thought of breathing for fear that she'll interrupt his moment.  No one has ever looked at her that way.  It's like he's looking beyond her eyes and into her soul.  He shakes himself out of it momentarily, then grabs her hand, kissing it gently.  The electricity moving through them is enough to start a fire.  Smiling wide, Josh struggles to find her voice but eventually does.

"It's very nice to meet you Essence.  Very nice."

Returning his smile, she simply shakes her head in agreement.  Behind them, she hears Shonte' grumble and roll her eyes at Trace's advances.  He's been trying to get with her since he moved into their neighborhood two years ago.

"Trace, if you don't back the fuck up off me, I'm gon embarrass your ass in front of ya people. Don't think I won't either."  She pushes him off of her and into his friends who are just laughing at his expense.

 

"I don't know why you insist on acting all funny girl.  You had a good time when we went on that double date with Nichelle and Pete.  You ain't gotta put on a front for Essence, she knows you all in love with me and shit.  Don't deny it.  You know damn well you want me as much as I want you."

"Essence, would you tell this fool I was just trying to do his lil ass a favor.  I wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole.  Essence..."  Shonte' turns around to and notices that Essence and Josh have walked off in their own little world.

"Is it strange to think that I've fallen for you this fast?  I mean, I never believed in love at first sight or anything but I'm starting to feel a that way.  Is that crazy?  I mean shit like this happens in my story books but never, ever in real life.  This is nuts!"  Essence says laughing at herself.  She had to gain some sort of control over herself.  She was starting to say things that didn't make any sense.

"I don't think it's crazy at all.  In fact, I think it's fate.  I wasn't even planning on coming with Justin to visit Trace today but decided to go last minute.  And just when he's going on and on about your friend and wanting us to meet her, you happen to be with her at the exact same time we're walking down the street.  It was meant to happen.  We were meant to meet each other.  For what, I don't know but I'm glad it happened.  I'm so glad it happened."  He looks into her eyes and he knows for sure it was fate. 

Josh takes her hand and stands in front of her before breaking into song...

Girl you're turning me on,
You're such a fine lady,
And sugar, more and more,
You're driving me crazy (crazy)
`Cause you're just what I want,
And I'm just what you need,
Oh it's on
I'm gonna make you my baby;
Sweet darlin' all I can see, Is you and me, 'cause...

I just wanna be with you,
Girl that's all I want to do
I just wanna be with you,
Girl that's all I want to do

She looked on at him skeptically, wondering why in the hell he just broke into song?  Though his voice wasn't bad.  As a matter of fact, it was probably one of the best voices she'd heard in a long time.  And familiar... 

"Hey, are you in a group or something?  I swear I've heard your voice before....but before he got a chance to answer, they were interrupted again.

"Come on C man, we gotta go.  You'll see her at the party later.  Let's go."  Chris calls out to him.  He grabs her hand, kissing it one more time then reluctantly let go.  She grabbed said hand and held it against her heart, pleading with it to calm down.  He walks away begrudgingly then turns and pulls Shonte' away from trying to kill Trace.  Essence knew deep down that her friend was secretly in love with Trace but would never admit it, not even to herself.

"Girl, that skeevy motherfucker's gonna stop playing with me.  For the last time, I don't want his shrimpy ass!"


"Heffa, you know damn well you in love with that boy."

"Bitch, don't even go there.  What the fuck I look like walking around with a dude shorter than me.  And what's with you and his homeboy?  Walking off like you know him and shit.  That's how chicks get snatched up.  How the hell I'm supposed to explain that to your people?  Keep you ass still around strangers.  I don't wanna have to fuck ol' boy up." 

"Will you get off the defense counselor damn!  I was just talking to him.  He did have me feeling a certain kinda way though.  He looked at me on some extra shit too.  Like he felt the same way I did.  I don't know Shon, he got me going."

"Well bring it back home ho, that ain't nothing but your horny ass needing some dick.  Tell you what, if we see them at the party tonight, I'll make sure you get some time with him on the dance floor.  Even if it means I gotta play bodyguard to you all night.  You know you have to beat dudes off with a stick.  I have that problem too but your milkshake brings all the boys to the yard.  Hell, even some of the girls."  Shonte said laughing.  

Laughing along with her, Essence shoves her friend lightly and begins walking back up the three or four steps to her front door.  Shonte' wouldn't have to do anything for her tonight.  If she got the chance to, she'd give Josh all the attention in the world.  Hell, attention, time, space, sex...whatever it took.  She just knew she had to be with him again.  And she'd stop at nothing to do it.





Meanwhile, back at Trace's apartment...

"Justin, did you see the ass on that girl?  She had a serious donk on her."  Chris said while playing Madden 11 with Joey.  

"Yeah, I saw it.  If Jace hadn't moved up first, I sure would have tried to get her number.  Josh, do you even know what to do with all that?"

"For one Justin, you're talking about a lady, not an inanimate object.  Secondly, I can handle myself just fine.  I think she might be the one guys?"

"The one for what?"  Justin asked incredulously.

"The girl of my dreams.  Mark my words gentleman, that's going to be my future wife."

"JC, I think you inhaled a little bit too much weed earlier.  What girl in her right mind would marry a dude they just met.  Let alone a guy who's in a boy band?"  Trace asked, lighting up another blunt.

"We are a vocal group!"  The all yelled simultaneously.

"My bad, a vocal group.  You must be out of your mind.  As long as I've lived here, I ain't ever seen that girl fuck with no dudes.  You might as well let that shit go dude.  It will not happen.  Sorry buddy."  Trace said laying a heavy hand on Josh's shoulder while lighting said blunt.  

The thought of Essence not being in his life infuriated him.  He knew she felt the same way he did.  She had to.  And he wouldn't stop until she did.

Across the room, Justin looked at his friend and shook his head.  He couldn't handle a girl from the hood.  Josh had grown up in a middle class area until he moved down to the sunny beaches of Florida.  But Justin, Justin would know how to handle her.  And handle her he would. He had to save his friend, he reasoned. She would break his heart and he just couldn't let that happen.