Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author's imagination. All characters depicted in this fictional work are adults of legal age. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
A Quick Note from the Author:
I'd like to encourage(not require) every person that finishes reading my work to please
leave a comment
. If you liked my story, tell me what you like about it. If you didn't, tell me what you didn't like. Please don't leave a two to three word blurb. It was great is just as unhelpful as It sucked. Thanks and happy reading.
Desmond exploded through the charcoal-colored double doors of his home and into the foyer. He kicked off his sneakers with a flourish and they plopped loudly onto the pristine marble. A blur of gray-colored jeans and a lime green t-shirt streaked across the spacious living room with vaulted ceilings. His backpack jostled on his back, one hand gripping one strap, as he made a beeline for the kitchen, focus sharpening his eyes and mischief bringing a slight smile to his lips.
Gleaming stainless steel and white quartz surrounded him as he padded onto the dark hardwood floors. His backpack thudded onto the expansive island and the only sound in the well air-conditioned space. Desmond opened the refrigerator.
Along the inside of the door, he scanned down the rainbow of cold-pressed juices neatly lined up in small plastic bottles. A devious smile sprang onto his face as his eyes settled on a bottle of mango juice.
"Yes!" he hissed out as the young college sophomore snatched the bottle and slammed the large refrigerator shut. Setting the juice on the counter beside his backpack, Desmond whipped the zipper open. His slender fingers pulled out a small glass vial with a screw-on blue cap. Clearly visible on the white and blue label were the words
Testing Sample
. In the low corner of the label, less visible, was the name
Maurizio Hernandez
. The liquid inside swirled a mesmerizing shade of bluish-green.
Desmond emptied the vial into the mango juice with a jovial scoff. He screwed the cap back on and gave the bottle a vigorous shake. The strange liquid vanished into the orange hue, leaving no trace.
An angry buzz sounded against the coarse fabric of his pocket. He whipped out with his phone in one smooth motion and read the name above the green and red button. Desmond's pulse quickened, but he answered nonchalantly.
"Yo, Rizz, what's up?"
The youthful voice coming from the other end was an octave higher with worry and urgency.
"Hey, man, you seen a vial of that stuff I showed you? I'm missing one."
Desmond's pulse jumped again, but he kept his voice steady.
"Nah...haven't seen it."
"I swear I left it on my desk-," Rizz's voice shifted to frustration.
Desmond's mind raced to find a new topic as he retreated to his room, leaving the bottle of orange liquid cooly perspiring on the island counter.
He could hear his friend shuffling around, probably continuing to search for the
lost
vial. Rizz's voice seemed to lighten a little, but a hint of suspicion remained.
"I'm serious, if you took it let me know 'cause that stuff's experimental. I don't even know all the side effects yet."
Desmond flopped onto his unmade bed and kicked his feet up into a more relaxed position, furthering the charade.
"Chill, Rizz. Maybe it fell out of your pocket somewhere. Or maybe somewhere else, did you check your stepmom's panty drawer." Desmond's deep brown lips parted into a grin.
A nervous laugh escaped Rizz. "Dude, that's not funny."
"Just go in there and take a whiff, maybe you can smell if it's in there."
"Fuck you!" Rizz shouted, a playful tone still in his voice.
Desmond raised an eyebrow, "With that ass she got? You need to be trying to fuck her."
"Just focus on Ashley." Rizz's tone now leaned to annoyance.
Desmond sat up, a sly grin returning to his face.
"Oh, I am. She's coming over tonight, and I've got the whole thing planned. Just gotta get her to loosen up a bit, and then unleash the Desmond charm."
He posed despite Rizz not being able to see it.
"Your
charm
, " Rizz scoffed, "couldn't even get Professor Smith to change your grade in English Lit."
Desmond did a dismissive hand wave.
"Whatever...", he paused and sat on his bed as a realization hit him, " Oh, before I forget can I get your Chem notes?"
Rizz sighed. "Why don't you just come to class and take your own notes?"
"Because we all should do what we're good at," Desmond retorted.
"You're good at being a student, I'm good at being a stud."
Rizz chuckled, shaking his head.
"I'll drop them off later,
stud
. And
if
you see my vial, be careful with that stuff. It's not a toy. Ok?"
Desmond continued to ply his friend with conversation and jokes not noticing the sound of the front door opening.
Jennifer pushed the door shut with an elbow as she read over the cover of some letters from the mailbox, flipping them in one hand and pinning her phone to her head with her shoulder. Her heels clicked sharply against the marble foyer as she half-heartedly sighed into her phone, "No, honey, I told you, I didn't see anything in the mail about it."
Her foot connected with a rogue sneaker, sending her stumbling forward.
"Damn it, Desmond!" she hissed, barely catching herself on the wall.
A predictable question came from the other end.
"Your son happened," Jennifer retorted, her voice dripping with annoyance. "He left his shoes all over the foyer again."
A sigh echoed from the other end of the line and a promise of future conversations.
"When will that be?" Jennifer asked, a hint of bitterness creeping into her voice. "This trip's been extended again?" There was a pause. Jennifer sighed again, a sound heavy with resignation.
"Sure, honey. I love you too." She ended the call with a deep exhale.
Jennifer stepped out of her own shoes with a practiced efficiency and placed them neatly on the shoe rack near the door. A slight ache from her sore feet put a hitch in her step as she headed towards the kitchen.
By the time her bare feet tread into her stainless steel and white quartz heaven, the hitch was gone. She smoothed her hands over her gray pencil skirt and looked down at the shapely thighs underneath before perching her hands on her prodigious hips and arching her back into a stretch. Her breasts tightened the fabric of her shirt, testing the thin cream-colored material's ability to hold back the substantial flesh.
Feeling a slight soothe enter the small of her back, Jennifer placed her purse on the island. Its contents rattled and she suddenly remembered.
"Oh, right. My vitamins." she muttered to the empty kitchen.
She dug through its contents and retrieved the white bottle of vitamins, popping a couple into her mouth and instantly grimacing at the bitter taste. The sour flavor spread onto her tongue and Jennifer was immediately looking around for anything to wash away the taste.
Her eyes landed on the bottle of mango juice now lightly perspiring on the island countertop. The sweet orangey liquid inside beckoned. Her manicured fingers wrapped around the cold bottle, undid the cap, and pressed it into her round lips, puckered for a long draw.
Desmond emerged from his room, all smiles and cackling with laughter from his latest joke. His eyes alighted on Jennifer standing near the island and his elation soured slightly. His grin fell away completely as a second glance caught the now partially consumed bottle of mango juice held casually in her hand.
His blood ran cold. His thumb almost instinctively ended the call with Rizz abruptly.
"Um, Jen?" he croaked, concern slacked his youthful features and put a pale tone in his otherwise warm brown skin. "Did you, uh... Did you drink that juice?"
