Hello Literotica community and guests!
This is my first story here so I hope it pleases most of you, (because you can't please everyone). Anyway, I would like to thank my editor allofthis, who has been really cooperative, open, and wonderful.
All feedback is welcome and I sincerely hope you enjoy!
LeoCharmer
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Chapter One: They call me... Crybaby?
Adina Richards stood in front of the mirror of the smelly restroom of The Wicked Vine nightclub and bar. The tremors coursing through her body just wouldn't stop and a tear threatened to escape from her right eye. She wouldn't let it though, because she had worked so hard on her makeup. She'd plucked and primed in order to make herself beautiful again after months of not caring about her appearance for the sake of finals. She was twenty-one years old and intended to graduate on time, and because of it she discovered that she had gained forty-two pounds.
Okay, maybe those pounds didn't accumulate in only four months, but over the past four years. Adina didn't like that she was forty pounds overweight, and hadn't realized just how fat she was until her father commented on it. "You've put on some weight," he said.
She could still fit her clothing (most of it), but she was starting to notice the threaded material on her favorite pair of jeans starting to stretch between the thighs, her breasts now need double D cups to keep her from spilling out of her bras, and her love handles were starting to show. That there told her where all those pounds had distributed to.
She used to wear nice clothes and high heels everywhere. To class, to meetings, to functions, to charity events. It didn't matter, as long as she was feeling good about herself. And now it seemed that her wardrobe only consisted of sweatpants, an old pair of baggy jeans, and long sleeved shirts and tennis shoes.
Tonight was New Year's Eve and her brother and favorite cousin were both performing at The Wicked Vine and she was acting as their hype-woman and photographer. And she was also there to get new clients as well for her business. She'd chosen a nice outfit, some black skinny jeans and a loose blue party top, and even pulled out a pair of her best looking stilettos.
Now, as she stood there in the lonely restroom trying to control her mental state, she didn't know if she could do either. And it was all because of that man who made it his business to put her in her place.
Sound was something Adina felt like she was good at detecting when it came to music. Her specialty was being able to hear whether or not something was off key or too loud that it was harsh on the ears. She knew sound, and the vibrations coming through the sound systems were coming from her brother Caleb's keyboard. It was not supposed to sound that way.
It hadn't been a big deal, and it hadn't necessarily been the promoter's words. It was his commanding voice and ability to make her feel inferior that made her take a step back mentally and physically.
Originally, Adina had been offended that he sought not to acknowledge her presence and to ignore her request to lower the volume of the keyboard. The reverb was awful and overpowered Robert's voice.
When she had stood in front of the promoter, she'd given him a once over before addressing him politely. He'd dressed for the club as if it were any other day; a muddy green looking button up shirt, khakis, and tennis shoes.
"This is a sound check. Do you know what a sound check is?" he asked, never taking his eyes away from the sound technician standing just to the side of him.
Adina glanced nervously between him and the young White guy who seemed to not want to get involved with the conversation. She liked for a person to look her in the eyes if they were engaging in a conversation, and it was clear to her that he didn't really care what it was that she had to say. The lack of eye contact disturbed her, but she didn't want him to know that.
Instead of saying the smart reply on the tip of her tongue, she merely confirmed that she did know what a sound check was quietly.
"Okay then, as soon as everything is good with all the sounds, then everything will balance out. Just let the man do his job. Or if you think you can do a better job—then go ahead." And finally his eyes land on her shocked face.
Adina was stunned by his assumption. He was mocking her she realized. And the worst part was that he had guessed right that she didn't know what to do. Her eyes shifted to the equipment to the left. She didn't know the first thing about deejaying or music engineering. The contraption and all of its dials and knobs was foreign to her. His eyes danced with humor as she gained control over her facial features.
"I--I--was just making a—" God, what word could she use to not sound like an expert? The last thing she wanted to do was ruin Caleb and Robert's chance at performing tonight. "A comment," she stammered and gripped the hem of her sweater in an iron grasp feeling like a mere duckling in front of Zeus himself.
No one had ever made her feel like a child before, not even her professors. Only her parents held that power over her and she had just gotten enough of that a couple of days ago. And maybe the police, but that was it.
And he kept on going in a condescending tone, totally discrediting her ability to know music by telling her that they knew what they were doing. At some point she had thought about tuning him out and walking away from him, but her mind wouldn't let her. His tone demanded that she stay and listen to him. Her mind and body were warring against each other. Her body was tingling to get away from him, while her pride told her that he shouldn't intimidate her. Stay.
Adina stood there leaning against the column next to her to steady her shaking body. The heels were no help either. She was upset and humiliated, but, nevertheless knew what she was talking about! So she tried again.
"But," she began timidly, "His keyboard—"
"Yeah and that's fine. But you do know what a sound check is, right?"
Nodding her head she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She couldn't even count how many times he asked her that question and she was starting to get annoyed. Five. What he was doing was deliberate.
He turned his entire body to face her and she noticed his close proximity, but she didn't budge. Just because he was bigger and stronger, and knew more about how to do this sound check she wasn't going to back down so easily.
He finally looked her directly in her eyes as he said, "Everything will be fine unless you think you can do better. If you can then you can get behind there, and be my guest."
The slight laughter in his throat was coming through his words. He knew she couldn't do it.
Asshole! 'You arrogant, fucking curmudgeon!' "No," she said timorously after a moment of their stare down. Her eyes brimmed with tears of anger as she stared back at him and now she wished that he wasn't looking at her at all.
Don't fall... don't fall!
He smirked. "Just don't worry yourself over it. Everyone's ears work differently. It could be that yours are just a little sensitive. The actual show hasn't started yet, so why don't you sit tight and let this capable gentleman right here do his job."
Adina swiped her tongue over her teeth. "Okay," she nodded afraid to look away. 'I get it you fucking asshole,' she wanted to sneer at him, but she couldn't bring herself to. Her parents had raised her and Caleb to be respectful even when it was no longer called for. She felt that if she spoke more than one word to him then she would break down in front of him, and it wouldn't be good for her brother or cousin if she cursed him out then.
Any sudden movement on her behalf could make the waterworks start, so, she stood there for a couple more minutes gazing at the smug bastard in front of her. She had to remind herself that she was a grown ass woman and she cried for no one, especially someone she didn't even know. It wouldn't be good for her as a woman nor her brother as a musician.
