Jemaima on her part saw him as a boy who could really love a girl yet she despised him for who he was. She really wished that he would never return to the den. She knew that part of her heart yearn for all good things for him. Even though, he was a ruffian, he still insisted on helping her. She looked away and stood up.
"I've got to get back to work." She said to him.
"Can't you sit still a minute?" He gently asked her.
"Why is that?"
He didn't answer her. He was letting his stupid feeling show. He simply can't allow that.
"I'll be back." She smiled at him.
Steve stared at the bread in his hand and dropped it on the table. He was sitting in a local restaurant where Jerry worked as a waitress to make ends meet. She had pressed him into her working instead of going around, stealing from people. He had never liked the idea of her working when they had the opportunity to rob the rich.
She had further told him that if he doesn't accept the idea of her working, he should be gone and she doesn't need his help.
"My boss told me that they are having a party down town." Jemaima said when she returned.
"You are going?" His brows were raised inquisitively.
"Feel like it. And more importantly, we need the food." She gave her girly smile.
He rolled his eyes. "We can have food anytime and anywhere not just at some party. Parties are even full of girls."
"Maybe, I might find my sister there."
He frowned at that. "You said that she was a shy girl." Steve reminded her.
"Who knows? She must have taken a change."
"I'm not going." He waved it off.
"And I'm not begging." She took off her apron and dusted off her trousers. She was still dressed as a boy.
"But we have got to stick together." He said to her.
"And you find a quiet place to kill me?"
The two stared at themselves in awkward silence. Steve in a surprise stare, Jemaima in a "I don't care" stare.
"Deaden that thought." He said finally.
"I can't. It still creeps me that I walk with a murderer." She said to him.
Steve stood up from where he sat and created a distance between them.
"I won't stop you. Go to the party, maybe you might find a knight for yourself." He tutted, looking away.
"Whatever." She tutted back without saying a goodbye.
Steve thought he would go crazy, he felt like running after her. But he stood his ground and watched her go instead.
It was dusk when the party started, teens in different clothing trouped in. There were hardly any sight of adults except teenagers. Jemaima was fascinated by the decorations, the music and food. She had taken a polythene bag to carry some food.
"Hey, wanna dance." a tall boy asked her.
"Nah! Don't feel like it." She had to stopped to think why a boy will ask her to dance when he saw that she was dressed as a boy.
"You better do unless someone else might." He said.
"What does that mean?"
The boy irritatedly brushed past her, looking for another. He was gay, perhaps. She thought.
Gays were plenty at the party as expected. When she saw some assorted meats in a bowl on a special table, she started putting the pieces ofeats in her bag.
Someone was watching her intently, she didn't know. He was in his twenties and rather looked worst than a ruffian. He was well known for his trucks and he knew more about girls than boys. He was special in teasing girls and forcing them to sleep with him.
He noticed that Jemaima smelled like a girl. He could even see beneath her facade. He waited awhile before he walked up to her as he lit a cigarette.
"Hey, stop it! These are for the special guests." A lass stopped her from taking more meats.
"Why? Am I not special too?" She stopped to asked the girl in a yellow, silk dress.
"You are not on the list." The girl repeated.
Jemaima ignored her and continued to take more meats.
"I'll call the security on you." The girl had to say.
"Call them." Jemaima didn't care.
"What? What sort of boy are you?" The lass asked.
Jemaima knew that there were hardly any security men around.
"Let him be." A voice interrupted them.
Jemaima and the girl turned to face the guy with the cigarette.
"She is.....,"
"Just let him be." Josh waved it off and signalled her to go.
The lass just frowned and went her way. Jemaima turned to look at the guy buts he didn't thank him.
"I'm Josh. You want more meats?" He asked her.
Hearing that from him gladdened her heart. "Where can I find them?" Jemaima asked.
"Come with me. I'll lead the way." He puffed a smoke into the air, then started the way down the throng.
Without thinking twice, she followed him.
*******
Steve had a bad feeling. He knew he had to check on Jemaima. He placed a dagger at the back of his trousers and went down to the party. Luckily for him, he caught a glimpse of Jemaima following a young guy in a red top.
Who could that be?
He had a terrible feeling about the guy Jemaima waas following. Something wasn't right and so he tailed them.
******
"What are we doing here?" Jemaima asked Josh.
"Here, they hide the rest of the richest meat." He said turning to her as he locked the door behind him.
The room seemed partially dark but Ray's of lights hit part of the room.
"But I don't see any meat." She swirled round to search.
"Don't you see it?" He began to move towards her.
"No." She answered him.
He pushed her to the door and pinned her hands beside her. She gasped in shock, she hadn't expected that. His body pressed hard against hers that she thought he might be a gay.
"I'm not gay." She calmly told him without any hint of fear.
His hand reached for her lips and stroked it softly.
"I know." Came his reply.
She didn't push him nor did she stop him. The next act shocked and nimbled her. He kissed her pervertly that Jemaima thought that this must probably be some kind of film trick. What was happening to her?
She pushed him and slapped him hard across his face. Then she stood defiantly before him.
"Don't act it lassy, I know you are a girl." He said with a grin.
Her heart leaped but she remained calm.
"Prove it." She said to him.
Nothing would happen to her, she tried to tell herself but she was alone with him and there was no one in sight.
He smiled with pleasure and he grabbed the edge of her top and tore it almost surprisingly from her bossom.
She gasped in shock. She suddenly felt scared to her bones. She pushed him off as she shielded the upper part of her body which had the bandage wounded around her breasts.
He grabbed her forcefully and threw her to the floor. She was numb from the shock. He pushed her legs apart and forced himself between her legs.
She screamed.
"No one will save you. The loud music will drown out your voice. And I've just proved to you that I am worthy to have you." He said with a nasty snarl.