Craving You

I sink deeper into the soft bed of flowers beneath me, their petals cool against my skin. The air is warm, sweet, and still. Butterflies drift lazily through the sunlight, their wings fluttering so close I can hear them. I tilt my head back, eyes closed, letting the sun soak into every inch of me. The feeling of its rays kissing my shoulders, collarbone, my legs ever so softly.

A strawberry grazes my fingers. I take it, dipping it into a thick swirl of Nutella before biting in. The chocolate melts over the fruit, rich and warm on my tongue. I savor it. Another. Then another.

Faintly, in the distance there was a shrieking noise that wouldn’t stop. In fact it just got louder and louder, the ground below me started to shake, a dinosaur came hurling towards me, slapping the strawberry out of my hand, popping it right into its mouth.

I open my eyes in a hurry, squinting against the harsh morning light streaming through my window. I fumbled around my nightstand with one hand, still half-buried in my pillow, when I finally reached my buzzing phone. The screen was way too bright for my sleepy eyes, but I could make out “Sofiya” in bold letters.

“What?” I mumble into the phone, my voice a bit raspy

“Alia, where the hell are you?” her voice practically burst my eardrum. “Final exam?”

My stomach dropped. I pulled the phone away to check the time, and my blood went cold. 8:30. I had exactly twenty minutes before the exam started. Twenty minutes before Professor Doom gleefully handed me an automatic F for being absent.

“Fuck!”

I jump off the bed, making the papers sprawled across, land in a clutter on the ground, stepping on a few I make my way into the bathroom, running the tap. “Sofi, I’ll be there in 10, please cover for me,” I say, shoving a brush into my mouth, “I’ll try but hurry,”

Hanging up, I quickly spit the paste into the sink, splashing some water over my face. Walking back into the room I put on some shorts and a hoodie while shoving my laptop into my bag. Once it was secured I ran out of the door, scurrying down the stairs, what a time to be on the sixth floor, by the time I made it outside I was completely out of breath. Hyping myself up, I run the next five minutes with the last bit of energy left, across campus to the computer science building.

Nearing the lecture hall, I collapsed against the wall, just trying to catch my breath. Through the glass window, I was the professor standing up front with his arms crossed, answering questions. I look into the crowd waving at Sofiya as she spots me.

“Professor Macy?” Sofiya calls out sweetly, hand raised like she were to ask something deep and scholarly, “Oh… I-I lost my ring,” she gasps out looking at her hand in confusion, standing up she pats herself

“It was just here! It’s a family heirloom…my grandmother’s great aunt’s umm cousin’s sister gave it to me before she…before she moved to Florida!”

Students around her immediately start to help, looking underneath the desk, lifting backpacks. “maybe it fell near the desk,” she says walking over to the professor. Taking this as my chance I ducked through the side door, sliding into the seat beside Sofiya’s, whipping my laptop out like I’d been there the whole time.

Turning back she looks over to me, gasping again, “Oh my god. OH. MY. GOD.”

The professor and others stopped what they were doing, turning to look at her, she held up her left hand, “It was on my other hand the whole time!” she laughed, “Haha! Silly me,”

Some people around me groaned and the professor was not at the least pleased. Sofiya walks back, sitting down, turning towards her I mouth a “thank you,”

An agonizing two hours later, the exam concluded, Sofiya and I finished around the same time, packing our bags and we walked out the door together. “Finallyyyy,” she sings out, “College is over, can’t wait to go home and hit on your brother,” she says, making me roll my eyes.

Sofiya had quite an obsession with my brother, making all sorts of notorious plans to gain his attention while my brother was too much of a prick to tell her how he actually felt. “I sent him a video of me fingering myself and he fucking left me on read,” she blurts out making me choke on my saliva Yeah did not need to know that, I turn towards her, giving her a questioning look, “What? I was horny, and I couldn’t take him off my mind, “she whines, I shake my head, walking ahead of her.

“But I’m not mad though, at least he saw it, he’s probably jer-,”

“Okay, that’s enough, I would like to live without knowing my brother’s activities. Big emphasis on, Brother,” I say as she shakes her head, “I’ll make him mine, watch I’m coming back as the new Sophia,” she says flipping her hair as we walk down to our cafeteria.

“You’ve been saying that for the past three years” I huff out, placing my order, “this time it’s going to be different, I can feel it….I’ll get a spicy chicken sandwich and some fries,” she says, placing her order.

Grabbing our food we made it over to a table beside a massive window that poured sunlight across the linoleum floor. As we sat down, my eyes caught two familiar faces, Julia and Matthew, the model twin. And honestly? The name fits. They’re the definition of perfection: sharp jawlines, full lips, curls that bounce just right, and a vibe that screams editorial spread. It’s not just their looks they share either, these two have identical tastes: horseback riding, painting, and expertly fucking men.

“Hey, loves,” Matthew cooed as he slid into the seat beside me, draping his arm casually over the back of my chair. Julia dropped into the seat next to Sofiya with a dramatic groan, rubbing her temples.

“I need to get drunk,” she announced.

Sofiya nodded like she’d been waiting for someone to say it out loud.

It was our final year at Columbia. The last lap through a city teeming with human-sized rats and sidewalks laced with dog shit, like it was some kind of Ivy League rite of passage.

“In fact, we should go out once more before heading home. You know, to celebrate survival,” Sofiya declared, earning a round of cheers.

I stared out the window while the three of them launched into conversation. As much as I looked forward to going back to California, part of me already missed this place. The chaos, the noise, the people. All of it

“I heard there was a new club opening just a few blocks down. It’s called, Sunset Strip Lounge, let’s meet up at our usual spot at the bar and head there after. How does that sound?” Julia asks, earning a nod from everyone.

We stayed there chatting a little while longer, falling into easy laughter and old jokes. Eventually, we parted ways. I made my way back to the dorm, my legs heavy with nostalgia.

As I stepped into my room, I took a long look around. Four years and so many memories.

Looking at the mess on the ground I sigh, tying my hair into a bun I start cleaning.

Only an hour passed and I finished packing up my last suitcase, I took a minute to examine the room, the walls were empty, it felt like I was in a jail cell. Grabbing my phone, I looked at the time, it was a quarter past 8. Julia, Matt, Sofiya and I all planned to meet up around 9.

Going into the bathroom, I strip all my clothes and take a long shower. After a couple of minutes of standing in the hot steaming water and letting my skin turn red as a tomato, I turn the water off and step out wrapping myself into a towel. Walking back out I wear my panties and throw on a black satin mini dress. Pulling my hair to the side, I went to the mirror and put on jewelry.

Taking my hair into my hand I do a braid, and tie the ends, pulling some strands out at the front. Going back into the bathroom I applied some makeup, it was minimal, just the way I like.

Just then, the door to my room opened, and Sofiya’s face appeared in the bathroom doorway, “you look, sexy babe” she says slapping my ass. I swat her hands away as she looks in the mirror, we were best friends from the day we were born. She is my cute Korean sister from another mother.

I turn towards her and see her wearing a blue tangy bellini dress, “you look so hot right now,” I say, “god, why are you so perfect,” I whine right after as she chuckles, “says a goddess-like you, let’s go, or the night might end differently,” she says with an air kiss and wink. I smile, grabbing my bag, and a pair of black heels, heading out.

We make it a few blocks down taking in the buzz of the city not far away. Even though the sun has set hours ago, New York still feels as alive as ever. That’s what I love about this place. Our uber arrived shortly after, taking us to Karma Bar. We meet up with Julia and Matt who was practically shitfaced already, “Come on Matt, we haven’t even started our night out yet,” Sofiya whines, nudging him on the shoulder, “I only took two shots,” Matt says in defense

I stifle a laugh as I sit next to him, taking one of his shots, “ugh, what is this,” I say as the hot liquid goes down my throat, “Malort-”

“Why is this out of everything your choice for a shot,” I ask as he shrugs, “Hey, I like it,” he whines making me roll my eyes. A few drinks later we were already buzzed and decided to head out to the club

We arrive at the front of the club just a few minutes later, and noticed a line starting to form the next block down, “You gotta be kidding me,” Sofiya says as she stares and the line, “with this crowd, we’ll be here all night,” she groans

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Julia says, whipping out VIP passes, “No way, where did you get these,” Sofiya asks reaching for one, “my dad duh,” she says as if it was the most obvious reason, “Come on bitches,” she says grabbing onto my arm as we walk to the entrance, we show them the badges and they make us enter through another door, where we were met with immediate stairs that led to the second floor, “I’m legit getting chills,” Sofiya says super excited

The air hit us like a wave, thick with perfume, sweat, smoke, and something unnameably electric. The music was loud enough to thrum in our chests, a low, sexy rhythm. The hallway was dimly lit, glowing with violet and red. We followed the sound until we reached the main floor.

As we neared the crowd, bodies moving together under flashing lights, Matt slung his arms around our shoulders. “Tonight,” he grinned, “we don’t play nice,” before dragging us straight into the middle of it.

The music was loud, the bass steady beneath my feet. I grabbed onto Julia, who quickly placed her hands on my hips, and we moved together, swaying to the rhythm like it was the only thing that mattered.

My fingers trailed down the sides of my thighs, catching the hem of my dress and pulling it up just slightly as I moved. Turning a little, my eyes wandered and then stopped.

There was a man standing across the room, the lights casting a dark red glow over him as he took a slow sip of his drink. For some reason, I couldn’t look away.

His hair fell messily over his forehead, like he hadn’t bothered to fix it, but it suited him perfectly. It softened his features just enough, making him look both relaxed and impossibly put together at the same time.

My gaze dropped lower. His shirt fit him a little too well, a few buttons undone, revealing just enough. A gold chain rested against his collarbone, catching the light every time he moved. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing his forearms, and something about the simple detail made it hard to look anywhere else.

As the lights shifted again, my eyes lifted back to his…

and this time, he was already looking at me.

There was something in his expression, a hint of amusement, maybe curiosity, like he had noticed me long before I noticed him. My breath caught slightly, heat rising to my face as I quickly looked away, trying to steady myself. It had only been a few seconds, but it didn’t feel like it.

When I turned back, he was gone.

My eyes moved through the crowd, searching without thinking, hoping to catch even a glimpse of him again. I didn’t even know why, it didn’t make sense, but I couldn’t help it.

Before I could look any longer, I felt hands wrap around my waist.

“I feel the rush, addicted to your touch…” Sofiya sang into my ear, smiling as she pulled me back into the music.

I turned to her, letting myself fall back into the moment, moving along with her, laughing softly.

But even as I danced, even as the music took over again, a part of me was still looking for him.