Dark Layers Volume 2: Dark Layers (11 page)

She shakes her head in annoyance. "That is low, even for him. I can lend you some money, how much do you need?"

"Thanks Sophie, but I don't need money - I have some savings." I smile affectionately at her.

"Do you have a job?"

"Yes. I'm a Lawyer. I work for Darks Lawyers."

"I have no idea who they are but I am happy for you. You have always worked hard for what you want and it just goes to show - if you work hard, it does eventually pay off." She winks. "Forget your father and his dirty money; pay your own way - he will need you before you need him."

Her words of wisdom help my mood and I'm grateful I ran into her. This is going to be an uplifting weekend, I'm sure.

"Come on, get in the car and let's go."

I throw the fifty-thousand pounds in her boot, wondering how the hell I'm going to get it to Elijah. I slide into the comfy cream leather upholstery, excited about the weekend ahead. I need this, I need a girl to spend some quality time with so I can air my boy problems.

"I need to stop off at my place to grab some things, and then we can hit the road."

"Sure, do you still live around the corner?"

She only lived a five minute walk from my father's when we were younger.

"I sure do, Honey."

She speeds off like a lunatic, doing thirty around the corners and slamming on the brakes which force me to jolt forward. We pull up at her house, literally in minutes!

"Are you okay?" She asks worried with a sympathetic hand resting on my knee.

"Yeah." I breathe as I release the door handle, "you drive like a mad woman!"

"I am a mad woman, it is only appropriate that it shows in all aspects of my life," she smiles, "give me ten minutes." She laughs as she closes the car door and lightly jogs off into her house.

Her house is pretty; a picturesque white cottage with deep green vines growing in every direction. Her house is close to the road but she lives on a quiet country lane so the road has never been an issue for her parents. It brings back memories of house parties that were not allowed, girly sleep over's, and camping in her back garden - we used to sneak out at three a.m. when we were sure everyone was asleep.

"The good old days." I whisper to myself.

She emerges in new clothes - a red mini dress. Her hair is pinned up in a messy bun and she's owning scarlet red lips.

"Why did you get changed?"

"Because I don't plan on hanging around getting ready; you need to be drunk in... T minus one hour," she jokes as she looks at her gold watch, "we have no time to waste."

Oh, no!

"I'm not sure you want to get me drunk, I'm still a light weight!"

"Nothing has changed then."

I huff at her memory of me and laugh.

"Right Miss Gooden, ready?"

I roll my eyes at her, knowing she's going to get me in trouble.

"As I will ever be." I joke.

On the ride back to London, we listen to - Vanessa Carlton, Making My Way Down Town, and sing like dying cats. Sophie really was not joking when she said, 'T minus one hour'! She's a scary driver - I will not endure this journey with her again in a hurry!

Once the music dies off, I cannot help but bring up Elijah - I need a girls opinion.

"Sophie... there is this guy..." I stop, not knowing how to explain him.

"There always is Honey, tell me all about him." She flashes me a side smile.

"I have been sort of seeing him – if that's even what I can call it - on, and off, and on, it's never ending. He's... different, difficult and controlling, beautiful, the list is endless. He's trying to find stuff out about my mother and I; he has been in contact with my father. He even paid off my bloody student loans."

I reel off as much information about Elijah as I possibly can. She gives me some well needed honest feedback. It's nice to have someone - a girl - to talk to about this; especially someone who has more experience than I do.

"If he wants to intrude into your life, you should just let him. You probably couldn't stop him anyway. He obviously likes you enough to want to know everything about you - so unless you have something to hide - just let him get on with it. And Anile, don't over analyse him, men are so bloody simple. Take him as he is and try to make the best of things - life is too damn short."

She couldn't be more right. I don't know how I can take him as he is, because I still have not established who he is exactly, but I have declared to myself that I will try to take things lightly with him. If he wants to look into my background, then I will let him - all providing he keeps my personal information to himself. I don't have anything that I want to hide from him, and I really want something with him - a relationship if you will. I have realized that the past week. I miss him terribly.

WE FINALLY GET
back to my apartment in one piece, but we do not hang around. Sophie forces me to get ready in record time. We are both in red mini dresses. Sophie's is strapless, barely covering her arse while mine has straps and almost meets my knees. The dresses are a gesture to Scarlet on Sophie's behalf which brought me to laughter - she knows how I hate her. I have called Derek to invite him out, but he's on a date. I'm sure he's trying to make me jealous by the way he was asking me, ‘are you sure you don't mind Sweets?' I'm jealous by how easy his date will be but not by the fact that he has one.

Knowing I cannot get Derek out, and desperately trying to forget my life for one night as Sophie so easily puts it, we head out, aiming to take London by storm – she probably will but I definitely will not!

We arrive by taxi at the Primo Bar in central London. It's a nice clean five star place to listen to bands and drink the best cocktails in town. The furnishings are dark and business like, but ooze sex in my opinion. The seats are red leather - they remind me of Elijah. The floor is like one complete sheet of chic black mirror. The walls are wallpapered with elegant textures of black and white stripes; and the best bit about this place is the smell, oh the smell - expensive men's aftershave, woody and strong. And the bar,
wow,
it's just flawless, like the floor. I like it here - no riffraff what so ever.

"Right, vodka shots and then whisky chasers." Sophie orders.

"No Sophie. I will be sloshed."

"Oh come on Anile, let's get pissed and forget all our worries for one night Honey, please."

"I'm not sure Sophie. We really should just stick to wine - mixing drinks is a big no, no."

"If you want to be an old prune and drink wine, then order away." She motions her hand at the waiter who is laughing at us, "but I am on a strict spirit diet tonight Gorgeous." She winks.

I cannot help but smile at her wild tendencies, and before I know it, I'm downing four Vodka's and three Whiskeys, followed by a bottle of wine - I shake my head at her, knowing she is a bad influence on me.

The music is electric and courses through my body nicely with the alcohol intoxication. I feel good, really good, and after today, I need this. Sophie has abandoned me for a very, very cute guy that was relentlessly trying to dance with us, so I'm officially a loner on the dance floor.

I watch Sophie and the guy melt all over one another, in front of a crowd of guys - the girl has no shame, I giggle. I eventually give in by joining them at the bar. Once I reach the bar, I realize the crowd of guys are actually with Sophie's crush.

"Here she is." Sophie tells one of the guys.

"Yes, you didn't justify her enough Sophie. She is flawless." A guy addresses me. He's okay looking. A little short for my liking and I'm not really into guys with red hair - but for a red head, he is okay looking.

"Thanks." I reply a little too blunt. "Could I have another glass of wine please?" I ask the waiter. I should stop drinking before I pass out.

He smiles so openly at me and pours away. I like his smile; he looks friendly, which is so rare of the people of today and especially in London. I take my wine and join in with the banter that Sophie has created.

"So you do not believe that women can rule the world?" She asks a guy named Caesar - which I find astoundingly funny, given the subject of conversation.

"Definitely not with your menstrual cycles; the world would go into evil chaos twelve times a year - maybe more in some cases." He jokes.

"I believe women are already in power." I point out with my drunken slurred words.

"Oh really Pretty? And how is that?" He leans on one elbow against the bar, hung on my every word. For some reason, I sense something watching me. I look around before I begin but I see nothing – the feeling I sense still lingers though, almost on my skin.

"Women are already ruling the world; just because you do not see us in power, it does not mean that we are not there."

"Would you care to elaborate?" He says.

"Of course." I joke. "Firstly; women are more accepting and do not judge sexual orientation. We accept lesbians as well as gay men. Men find gay guys repulsive - well most of them do - and they cannot shift their feelings towards them no matter how hard they try but yet, they find lesbians attractive and lust after them; they forget it is the same definition," I smile an all winning smile, "Would you like me to carry on?" I joke.

"Of course," he raises his eyebrows - he's impressed, "one can never be too fond of a smart pretty girl." He says cheesy.

I roll my eyes at him. "Second; men have obsessive compulsions - especially when it comes to women they desire - and they do not control there obsessions well, regardless of how they perceive their actions; whereas women can control their desires, obsessions and even basic needs - we have had to master control over our temptations, so we can remain in control in all aspects of our lives."

"That is so true - Anile you little genius!" Sophie beams.

I raise my eyebrows as a gesture for myself to continue. The red head guy nods with absolution.

"Third; us women stand before you and grab your attention in the most normal of circumstances and you men never second guess our motives - because ninety percent of you cannot see past beauty. All providing we are pretty and arouse you visually, we have the basic means to control you."

"That is an arguable statement." Sophie's crush adds.

"It is - but do you think it's true?" I ask.

"Are you finished? I really want to hear what else you have to say." He says - he's hooked! I almost laugh.

"No - is it okay to continue?"

"Yes, of course - I'm dying to know what comes out of your mouth next." He says with wide excited eyes.

My next argument is a little daring - rules in a pub - never talk politics or religion. I am definitely asking for an argument.

"I believe sex is the reason why the media use women instead of men - this is why we are in power. The media program women to act like whores and sing or act words that compel everyone. I believe this is how they are preparing The New World Order - by using women because we are at the height of the hierarchy and sex controls people; whether we choose to believe it or not, it obviously works. If sex did not sell, then every Christian, Catholic and Muslim woman in the media would remain celibate and stay pure because that is ultimately what every woman wants, to save themselves for their one true love."

"That is very true." Sophie adds, nodding in confirmation.

"Everyone here really should look up their own history - Prophet Muhammad and Lady Magdalene for example. You will see how the media are trying to exploit them because of their purity. Prophet Muhammad married a child of six - Aisha - but, he did not consummate his marriage until she was of the age of around sixteen - I think - and the media are trying to make everyone believe that he actually did consummate his marriage too early on." I pause for a second, just to see if everyone has heard enough, but they are all still hanging on my every word, "everyone knows Lady Magdalene right?"

Everyone nods in sync.

"We all know how pure she was, but other religions and even the media have branded her a whore - that's enough to see their motives surely?"

"Yeah, that is kind of true." The red head guy says poised.

I smile, knowing this is my domain.

"That is because they know sex sells - this is how they want the New World to be. Forth and most final; it's pretty simple - we are smarter emotionally and intellectually." I laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "What man can change from a child into a woman; work hard as hell, nine hours a day; give birth, raise children; and run a household with a man who thinks they do not have to lift a finger?"

"Here, here." The red head guy chants. To my surprise, everyone claps - I was expecting a heated debate!

"You see, whether it be sexual orientation, the power of sex, working or bearing children, we women are far more equipped than men." I laugh.

"I couldn't agree more Princess."

I slowly turn, recognizing the voice that devouringly penetrates my ears. My heart is pounding, my breathing is uneven. I find Elijah standing right behind me, looking sinfully gorgeous. I look him up and down, taking note of his appearance. God he looks fucking good! He's dressed in dark jeans, black converse and a dark blue blazer. He has a black T-shirt under his blazer and his blazer is open fully - you can clearly see he works out. His inky black hair's all tussled and his beautiful pink lips are puckered and full;
hmmm.
My heart sinks as my tummy doubles over - I'm so happy to see him, especially after the day I have had. I smile at him, knowing - although I'm annoyed with him for his absence; his invasion into my life and trying to pay off my father - I have missed him, so, so much.