Black Mambo

Wearing a silk dress that's draped over her slender

body wasn’t the ideal outfit for a party night at a

rooftop on a five-star hotel, yet here she is.

Hot pink silk hugged her like a glove showing off

her lithe figure, with a pink stiletto to top off with

the look, long black hair flowed till it reached her

lower back as it flowed with her movements and the

wind, long lashes fluttered whenever she blinked

and gazed around her. If people saw her they’d

think she had put on a lot of effort into her looks,

when in reality it was nothing but meditation for

her. She’d start a playlist of her favourite songs and

swirl around with makeup brushes in her hands till

she’s satisfied with the final result.

Truly therapeutic.

The sounds of the latest popular songs played

loudly on the speaker as everyone around her faked

a breaking smile whenever a flash of light and a

click of cameras echoed around, she didn’t bother

to. After all, no one knew of her, even if she was by

accident in the background of a picture of the most

famous people and they’d post it everywhere for

everyone to see, their fans would comment on the

picture asking who’s that in the background but

there’ll never be an answer to that question.

That's what she gets to have being the daughter of

the most esteemed and most respected director in

the entire entertainment industry, left all alone in a

mansion he bought without batting an eye to it,

going around flaunting his work far more than he

ever did with his own daughter.

Her eyes roam around trying to find something

more interesting than the floor to keep staring at.

But swirls of grey smoke waltzing in the air caught

her attention, this place had a clear bold sign of no

smoking allowed but whoever was breaking the rule

wasn’t being snitched on to the security guard

outside, but how could anyone dare to do so,

walking around to look at the guy directly. She

kinda understood why no one told on him.

The man looked like he lived on camera.

With his pitch-black hair pulled back with the most

expensive gel, his pupils were bright emerald green

that shone in the dark, and a cigarette between a

smile so sharp he almost looked like a villain that

everyone both girls and boys would swoon over him

and beg him to step on them. Yet he wasn’t the

highest-paid model that everyone knew of, nor was

he the rising star actor that shook everyone’s breath

with his acting, in fact…

He was a nobody.

Which made him a lot more attractive than anyone

in this room, the mystery of who he is has a certain

allure to it that no one knows better than herself.

Because she too…

Is a nobody

The man of mystery looked around as he took

another drag of smoke into his lungs, his eyes were

like that of a snake’s as it roamed over everyone’s

face and back studying them and recognizing them

from their fame. But when those eerie eyes landed

on her, they stayed on her for far too long that she

got uncomfortable. But she knew he won't recognize

her, so taking pity on the man she scoffs and raises

her chin and strides out of his eyesight leaving him

baffled that he doesn’t know her.

But she knows he’ll come looking for her, wanting

to get to know her. She has that effect on people.

And true to human nature, the guy came up behind

her from where she was sitting at the edge of the

rooftop. He didn’t have his cig which he probably

has thrown away before following her. He heaves

when he plops down on the red couch they both

now sat in.

"Hey" he starts, nice and simple which she replies

with the same.

"I noticed you earlier…" he said with his fingers

playing with his hair, and honestly she wouldn’t

have been able to stop herself either if she had that

hair of his that looked so lushes and full.

"Mhmm" she mumbles.

"I didn’t seem to recognize you," he says looking

surprised as if this is the first time he didn’t

recognize someone, and being in this industry you

are bound to forget some people one way or

another at least a million time after meeting them.

He’s talking as if he keeps tabs on everyone and if

he ever encounters them he must remember them.

She laughs though, dodging to answer the question

by asking him one.

"And who are you supposed to be?" She asks,

knowing that if he answered with his name and

everything the spell of the mysterious guy allure

will come off and she won't have to think about him

wondering who he is.

"I'm not someone famous but I do have lots of

connections." He says chuckling that she chose to

question him rather than answer. But he goes back

to the question nonetheless.

"And who are you supposed to be?" He asks in a

mocking tone repeating her exact words.

“Someone not so famous,” she says in a mocking

tone getting back at him. That earned her a smile

from him, but not the kind that told her he liked

her, it was the kind that meant he’s interested but

maybe a little too much.

“Is that so? But how come they allowed you in here

when only famous people can get in?” He asked one

eyebrow raised.

"Lots of connections I suppose" she replies coyly

because honestly, this life is all because of her

father, he’s the connection that's allowing her to live

the life of the famous people.

But then when silence between them stretched for

longer than necessary she turned to look at him

wondering if he ran out of witty remarks. But she

was presented with the uncanniest and eeriest stare

she ever received in her life, he had apparently lit a

smoke and was taking a long and patient drag

as his olive-green eyes looked like those of snakes

studying their prey. She didn’t know if he looked

angry or annoyed, maybe she talked in circles for

too long and it annoyed him.

"…Rennie Crookes" she whispers peeling his eyes off

her for a second for him to realize she said

something.

"What?" He asked not having heard her from how

low her voice was and the deafening sound of music

blasting.

"My name’s Rennie Crookes!" She answered a little

louder this time, the look on his snarky face was

one of extreme excitement and bewilderment.

"So you're Royal Crookes daughter?!" He asked

tilting his head to the side and an unusual smile

crept up his face. And yes royal is her father’s real

and actual name, no matter how made up it sounds

she grew up used to it and so did the world after his

fame.

"Small and mighty huh!" He says laughing a genuine

laugh which surprises Rennie that he’s capable of it.

"What’s that?" She asks when his laughter dies

down.

"Oh, your name! It means small and mighty" he says

pausing to let the smoke caged in his lungs to swirl

and twist in the air between them.

"How were you able to stay out of the public eye and

no one knows a thing about you?" He asked getting

comfortable on the couch after he tapped his cigs

butt onto the ashtray looking up at her as if they're

nothing but best friends chatting.

“I never actively tried to be in grossed in media nor

the public so yeah” she says shrugging as if it’s not

that impressive. But across from her the man looks

extremely intrigued by her situation.

“But you’re so beautiful and attractive how come

they didn’t take notice of that?” He says in a genuine

curiosity that made her flush red, she clears her

throat to help her clear her mind rather than

getting rattled by his words.

"I don’t know" she says nonchalantly.

Then the silence welcomes itself back again, this

time it's comforting and tranquil. Rennie looks over

at him, he stares at the stars as they shine bright yet

standstill, she forgot they were out there, the grey

wisps of air dance around as it frames his eye-grabbing

features, his strong jaw flexes as he hangs

he mouth open. He looks a lot like a painting worth

a fortune of the riches.

"I'm a hitman" he says, emerald eyes darting around

him before deeming it safe enough to focus on her.

But Rennie was frozen in place, realising how big of

a mistake it was to reveal who she is to a hitman

that didn’t know her in the first place.

"Name’s Samual" he smirks when he gets up from

the couch standing tall now in his crisp black suit

looking down at her, it made her feel small and

helpless. He puffs his smoke one last time taking a

hard long look at her before striding away and into

the crowd. But his presence is strong, like the moon

when the night falls, like the sun when it rises.

He’ll be there and everyone will feel it.

He’s dangerous.