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"Oh my God, it's so beautiful." I cooed, watching my favorite animal in action. I've loved elephants since I was a kid, and the love has never ended.

It never will.

The hands-on part of the visit was over already, and for the last hour we were getting a detailed tour. I swam with dolphins, cuddled with a cheetah, played on the monkey bars with monkeys, and trudged through water with elephants.

"Your phone is ringing, sis." Kenz tapped me.

I was too into the scenery in front of me that I hadn't even realized. Pulling my phone from my back pocket, I seen "🧸" flash across the screen so I pressed the green button, answering his FaceTime call.

"Hell- okayyyy." I drew out, laughing once Angel came into view. "Is there a reason why you called me while you're brushing your teeth?"

Angel spit into the sink. "What you doin'? You still at the zoo?"

"Yep." I flipped the camera so he could see the elephants.

"Oh ya favorite animal. I see why it's ya favorite, you look just like it."

I turned the camera back on me with a stale face. "Ha ha, you're so funny."

"I know." He shrugged. "But I just wanted ta' say happy birthday. I know I told ya at twelve, but I was half sleep on FaceTime witcha last night so I wanted ta' call ya once I woke up and tell you again."

"Aw, thank you hun. I appreciate it."

"It ain't nothin', you know that. I'ma see ya lata' at my party, right?"

I smiled. "Of course."

"Aight coo'. Tell ma and Kenz I said wassup."

"I will."

"Aight, beautiful. I'a text ya."

"Do that."

He blew me a kiss, and I laughed, blowing him one back.

Last night, once we got back home from the movies, he called me on FaceTime to wish me a happy birthday as soon as it hit 12am. Before we hung up, he made me promise that every time we hung up the phone with each other, we would blow each other a kiss, mad or not.

No matter the circumstances, we had to do it.

"Aw, how cute are they?" My mom gushed, nudging Kenz with her elbow.

Kenz held a smirk on her face. "So cute."

It was honestly such an innocent thing so I ignored their smirks and jokes. It was as if Cedrick was watching me because he called me as soon as I hung up with Angel.

"Hey, Ced." I climbed back on the bus behind my mom and Kenz.

"What's up, bae? What you doin?"

"I'm still at the zoo."

"Awe damn. I guess I'll have to just leave these flowers and teddy bear at your front door since you're not here."

A grin appeared on my face. "Aw, Cedrickkk. You didn't have to do that for me."

"It's too late." He chuckled. "I'm gon' see you at the party later right?"

"You will."

"I can't wait. But, I'ma let you enjoy your time at the zoo. Happy birthday again and I'll see you later."

"Okay, thank you again. I'll text you when we leave."

After exchanging goodbyes, we hung up. Laughing at the face expressions on my mom's and Kenz's faces, I shook my head.

I wasn't going to let them continue to harass me though. Instead, I enjoyed the rest of the tour.

"I don't think I like this." I whined, staring at my fourth outfit in the mirror.

Kenz rolled her eyes. "Dri, you literally look sexy as fuck. Shut up."

"Me? Girl, you. That dress looks amazing on you. Meanwhile, I look like I'm about to go pick up trash on the side of the road."

Kenz laughed, going into my closet. "Okay, let me find something."

I plopped down on the 10 foot bear Cedrick left on the door step for me, ready to say fuck it and go to sleep. Everything I put on, I hated the way it looked on me.

"How about this?" Kenz came out of my closet with a white cropped tank and a grey, white, and yellow camo mini skirt from Fashion Nova.

I've never worn the skirt before because I couldn't find anything to wear with it.

"With what shoes, Kenz?"

"The clear heels from Fashion Nova. Now don't sit here and say no, because I'm not taking no for an answer. Shower and get changed."

I side-eyed her.

"Now, Audriana Rumi Ibanez."

"Girllll." I drew out, rolling my eyes and laughing at how she used my entire government name.

Grabbing my phone, I made my way into my bathroom to shower and get ready.

I couldn't take as long of a shower as I wanted to because Angel's party started at 10pm and it was going on 9:30pm by the time I finished getting dressed. I still had to do my make-up and fix myself up before we could go.

Meanwhile, Kenz was dressed and ready to go, taking some bomb ass pictures.

"Are your nipples out?"

Kenz shook her chest. "Yes. Cute, right?"

"It's really cute. It's even cuter 'cause your nipples are pierced."

"Yours are too. I don't know why you don't show them off."

I shrugged, sliding on my bracelet. "You know I'm conservative when it comes to stuff like that."

"I know." Kenz chuckled as we walked out of the room. "I remember when we got our first wax together and you didn't want me to see your vagina."

"Oh my gosh, don't even remind me of that day."

My first wax was horrible. The pain was worse than I expected, but, honestly, it's gotten so much easier to handle since then. It's true when they say it gets less painful the more you get it done, trust me.

My mom was over at my aunt's house so she wasn't here to lock up, meaning I had to double and triple check that every window was closed, every door was locked, and that the alarm system was on.

After doing so, I climbed into the passenger's seat of my mom's car and Kenz climbed into the driver's seat. My mom, again, insisted that Kenz drive instead of me.

That's okay with me, though. I could flood Snapchat in the meantime.

"What the fuck? You fucking see me in this lane, don't you?" Kenz yelled, rolling down her window to yell at the car next to us. "Stupid bitch! If you would have hit this expensive ass car, I would have beat your fucking ass."

The car zoomed off.

"Stupid ass."

I was dying laughing. Kenz has really bad road rage, and I'm sure if my mom ever witnessed it, she wouldn't trust Kenz driving as much as she does.

"Who that lil baby is?" Angel whispered in my ear from behind me. "Happy birthday, beautiful."

Turning around, I went in for a hug. "I was looking for you literally everywhere, but thank you. Happy birthday to you too."

"My bad, I was sayin' hey to everybody. Why you ova' hea' by ya'self? Where McKenzie?"

"Wherever Amere is. They went to dance, and never came back."

"Oh they prolly tryna sneak a drink somewhea'."

I nodded. "Probably."

"You wanna go dance?"

"No, it's okay. Maybe I'll sneak some liquor and get some drinks in my system and I'll find my way to the dance floor later. But as long as I'm sober, I won't be dancing."

Angel laughed. "Aight well if ya need me, I'a be on the flo'."

"Go have fun."

He smirked, disappearing into the crowd of people on the dance floor.

Angel managed to rent out an area at the Blume Nightclub. I guess he knew people who knew people.

A few servers passed me and I tried to get alcohol from them, but they asked for my ID. Word around here, though, was that there's certain servers giving drinks to underage people and not asking for ID.

I need to find those servers.

I felt a hand on my hip as I stole a vodka and orange juice, a smile instantly spreading on my face when I seen that it was Cedrick.

"What's up, gorgeous?"

He pulled me into a hug. "Hii, did you just get here?"

"Yea, I'on think I'ma stay long though."

"What? Why?"

"The club scene ain't my thing."

I frowned. "But it's my birthday."

"I know. Why you standin' over here by yourself?"

"McKenzie went off with Amere."

He scrunched up his brows. "That's fucked up for her to leave you by yourself on your birthday."

"I told her to go, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Plus, Angel found me and we hung out for a second so I wasn't alone the entire time."

"When aren't you hanging out with Angel?" Ced chuckled.

I chuckled too. "What do you mean by that?"

"You always with him, or he always with you. I'm just sayin', if I was around another girl as much as you around him, you would have somethin' to say about it."

"Not if I knew you guys were strictly friends. I mean, honestly, it's not-"

I was cut off by Angel coming and dapping up Cedrick. They went off into a conversation, and by the looks of it, Cedrick wasn't saying anything about Angel and I hanging out too much to Angel like he did to me.

Must not be bothering him that much.

Angel stopped next to me with a smirk. "I told 'em to get you out on the dance flo'. You standin' ova' hea' lookin' like a lost puppy. It's ya birthday, turn up witcha long neck ass."

"Fuck you." I laughed, swinging at him as he ran off into the crowd again.

Looking back at Cedrick, he had an annoyed look on his face. I figured maybe if I didn't pay it any mind, he would drop the attitude.

Boy, was I mistaken.

"You like him or something? Be honest with me."

I rolled my eyes. "No, Cedrick. I don't like him, I like you. Now can we not make tonight about Angel and I? It's my birthday. Hell, it's my birthday weekend."

"It's Angel's birthday weekend too." He chuckled sarcastically, shaking his head.

I scoffed. "I literally can not control that our birthdays are a day apart."

"You ain't have to celebrate it here though. Me and you coulda went somewhere to celebrate your birthday."

"Cedrick, you wanted to come here too. What is your problem? Why do you want to argue with me and ruin my birthday? I want to be with you and have fun with you. If there was a prob-"

He shook his head. "Ain't no problem. I ain't gon' ruin your night. I'ma head out though."

"Cedrick, stop."

He pulled out of my grasp, walking away from me.

"Let me know when you make it home, Dri. Happy birthday."

And without another word, he was walking through people and out of the door.

As much as I wanted to run after him and beg him to stay with me or give in and say that we could go somewhere else together, I didn't want to ruin my night. It's my night, he should be catering to me.

I could either let him irritate me and sit in this corner like a sad puppy or I could get some more drinks and get drunk.

Let me find this server again.

I'd managed to find McKenzie and get tipsy, all in 30 minutes. Hence why I'm up dancing the way I am.

"Dance wit' me." I heard a voice in my ear.

Turning around, I came face-to-face with Angel. His eyes were low and red, indicating that he was high.

He and Amere went outside to "get some fresh air" just a few minutes ago.

I put my hand in his as he lead me to the crowded dance floor. Finding a spot closer to the DJ booth, I got into the rhythm of Homebody by Lil Durk.

Bending over, I danced against Angel as our bodies moved in sync. I wasn't doing much, but whatever I was doing, he was seeming to like it.

His hands were tightened around my waist, keeping me pressed up against him. I tried to ignore the bulge I felt, but it was pretty hard to do so because of the size of it.

Pushing it to the back of my thro- I mean head, I continued with the slow motions I was doing, make sure he and I stayed in sync with each other and to the music.

Backin' It Up by Pardison Fontaine ft Cardi B played through the speakers, and I got hype as fuck. I didn't realize I was throwing it back until I looked back and Angel was doing his best to catch it.

"I'a be right back." Angel whispered over to me, walking away with his hands over his private.

Oops.

I danced to a few more songs by myself. Angel still hadn't come back so I went to the table that I found McKenzie and Amere at.

Looking to the left, I spotted a high Amere and a tipsy Kenz giving him a lap dance. To the right, I seen Angel and some chick basically dry humping in the middle of the club.

My face scrunched up in disgust and I felt some type of way. I don't know why, but I did.

Probably because he said he was coming back, but actually left me in the middle of the dance floor to come dry hump some chick in our booth.

I tried to make my presence known, plopping down next to Amere, but Angel didn't pay me any mind.

"What's wrong with you?" Amere nudged me with his elbow.

I shook my head. "Nothing, just a little tired."

"You ready to go?"

"Yea, kind of."

He nodded. "Aight. I'ma drive y'all home cause neitha' one of y'all sober."

"Neither are you."

"I'on mind going to jail for a night. I won't let y'all go though."

Aww, how sweet.

"How are you going to get back home?"

He pointed at Angel. "This nigga gon' follow us."

"So he's going to leave his own party?"

"He don't want y'all in jail either. C'mon."

Not as sweet.

Amere interrupted Angel's private dance and he finally looked in my direction. His face expression changed in a split of second, but I ignored it, walking out of the club behind a cross-buzzed McKenzie.

"Ride wit' me." Angel pulled my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

I watched as Amere got McKenzie in my mom's truck. I really wanted to pull away from him and cuss him out, but I honestly didn't have a reason to.

Deciding that I didn't want to have to wake up and apologize for being tipsy and easily irritable and taking it out on him, I allowed him to help me get into the passenger seat of his charger.

Half of the car ride was quiet before Angel finally spoke up to question me.

"What's wrong wit' you?"

"Nothing."

"Why you so quiet then?"

I shrugged. "I'm just tired."

"You mad that ya man left you in the middle of the club by ya'self?"

"You're not my man."

He chuckled. "I wasn't talkin' bout me either, I was talkin' bout Cedrick. I saw him leave and left you right thea'. I wanted to come say somethin', but that ain't my place."

"You're right, that's not your place."

"Just like it ain't ya place ta' be mad at me right nie."

"I'm not mad at you, Angel."

He made a left, going in the opposite direction of my house.

"Where are you going?"

"I ain't takin' you home til ya tell me what's wrong wit' you?"

I threw my head back on the seat. "There's nothing wrong with me."

"So you ain't mad or nothin'?"

"No, but if you keep asking me then I will be."

He chuckled. "Aight."

"Okay."

A few more minutes went by and he still hadn't turned around to take me home.

"Should I get out of the car and call an Uber? I would love to go home and be in my bed right now and if you can't do so then you shouldn't have told me to-"

"I'ma take you home. Chill ya ass out, birthday girl."

I looked at the time on my phone, seeing that it was past 12am.

"It's not my birthday anymore."

"You irritatin'." He chuckled, dropping his hand down on my thigh.

I shoved him. "Ow. That hurt, idiot. And you're the one that's irritating."

"Yea? How so?"

"Well, for one, you left me in the middle of the club by myself after you told me you were coming back. And then when I got tired of waiting for you to come back, I see you dry humping some girl in our booth-"

He smirked at me. "So that's why you mad?"

"I'm not mad. Wipe that dumb ass smirk off your face please."

"You actin' like it. Admit it, you want a nigga."

"The only thing I want right now is my bed."

He licked his lips. "I'a take ya to yo' bed and teach you some thangs you'on know about."

Drip.

"N-no, thank you."

Keep it together, girl.