When Barry brought Cookie home she could sense something had changed something in Barry he didn't come right out and act differently in front of Lucious but when he asked her if she knew him it was at that moment she could see jealousy and him wanting to claim her.
She didn't tell her sister's she ran into Lucious on her date she didn't want it to get back to her father though nothing happened.
Tonight was the rap party all the kids were talking about it at school and Cookie knew if she goes she would see a lot of people she knows from school but also Lucious.
Candace and Carol were doing their things and their father would either be working or with his friends watching the basketball game that would be on tonight.
As Cookie picked out what she was going to wear satisfied she finished everything she was doing and prepared to leave she walked to where the party was in record time seeing the kids standing outside getting ready to walk in.
She walked in seeing a few of her friends she waved to and looked around she saw Lucious standing by the DJ booth talking to some guys.
He turned around seeing Cookie standing across the room and that feeling like the first time he saw her everything in the room got quiet all he saw was her.
As Cookie looked at Lucious her breath hitched just like when she first laid eyes on him.
It was an indescribable feeling her father Candace or even Carol couldn't understand what this feels like this feeling hell Cookie didn't even know all she did know was she was craving it right now.
The room filled up and the fog cleared Lucious turned when he heard the DJ tell him to go ahead.
Lucious kept his eyes on Cookie the whole time he rapped people were dancing shouting Lucius's name he owned the room it was a rush to watch him.
He watched as Cookie moved her body to the beat and the rhymes. She didn't know it but she owned him.
When he finished he walked over to her with a glass of punch.
"Hey beautiful, didn't expect to see you here. "Lucious said.
"Why wouldn't I be here? "Cookie asked.
"I don't know but I'm glad you are. We never got to get to know each other that day I don't even know your name. "Lucious replied.
"I know who you are your Lucious Lyon. I'm Loretha Holloway. "Cookie replied.
"My government name is Dwight Walker but that's not a good name for a rapper so I reinvented myself into Lucious Lyon.
"Your names Loretha but I'm gonna call you Cookie because I want you to be my Cookie. "Lucious said.
"Boy, you are a trip you know everybody knows your a drug dealer and my Daddy thinks your a thug. "Cookie replied.
"Look I want us to be together so I'm gonna tell you somethings about myself. I was raised by my mama my Daddy was murdered and my mama has mental problems when I was with her on her bad day's I had to hide Daddy's gun or bullets because there were day's she tried to kill herself. "Lucious said.
"Oh my God, I'm sorry Lucious I know what it's like to lose a parent my Mama has been gone for a long time now it's just my Daddy my sister's, and It."Cookie replied.
"I'm not going be selling drugs forever I want to be a rapper and have my label someday. "Lucious said.
"Well, I'm sure you'll make it you are talented. "Cookie replied.
"When I make it I want you by my side. "Lucious said.
"What about Barry? "Cookie asked.
"That dork you were with at the diner he can't come. "Lucious said.
"That's not what I mean Lucious, Barry, and I have been dating before I met you. "Cookie replied.
"Okay, let me ask you this have you ever felt any sparks with him? when he looks at you does your stomach act up? "Lucious asked.
"No, but my Daddy approves of him and permitted him to ask me to marry him. "Cookie replied.
"That's never going to happen. And I'll tell you why. That day I first saw you my heart jumped into my throat it sped up and everything stopped.
"No other girl made me feel that which tells me you and I are meant to be together. "Lucious said.
"You seem pretty sure about that. "Cookie replied.
"If you haven't figured it out yet I'm very determined to get what I want. "Lucious said.
"I can see that. I'll admit there is something between us I don't know what it is and I don't know what to feel about it."Cookie replied.
"I'll tell you what I think. When my mother talked about my father she always got this far away look in her eyes and smiled you've talked about that dork and I haven't seen that look in your eyes but I did see it when I met you and just a few minutes ago while I was performing. "Lucious said.
"I know what you mean I've seen that look on my Daddy's face every time he talks about my Mama. "Cookie replied.
"For whatever reason, there is something between us, I'm willing to figure out where that leads but I'm not going to force you if you want to be with me that's cool if not I'm not going to make you do anything because that's what I want. "Lucious said.
Cookie looked into his eyes as she thought about what her next move would be.
Lucious had managed to work his way into every part of her being without them even knowing each other he willingly exposed his truth to her showing her he trusted her to know parts of him no one that wasn't close to him would know.
"Okay Lucious, but I am going to break things off with Barry gently he's a nice guy and I'm not wanting to make this hurt him more than it has to. "Cookie replied.
"I completely understand I'll let you handle that. "Lucious said.
"I appreciate that Lucious. "Cookie replied.
"Hey, I want to make things as easy for you as possible. "Lucious said.
"Thank you. "Cookie replied.
"I have big dreams bigger than this place and I'm not gonna let anything stop me. what do you dream about? "Lucious asked.
"Well I had never really thought about it, my Daddy has big hopes and dreams for me and my sister's but he believes I'm the one that will make it if I go to Howard become a doctor and marry Barry. "Cookie said.
"I get where your dad is coming from he wants good things for all of you but the reality is not everyone has those opportunity's I used to wonder what my life would be like if my dad was still around and my mom didn't have her issues would my life be different? "Lucious replied.
"I guess we'll never know we just have to deal with what we have now. "Cookie said.
"Yes and that's making the best life possible for as long as I can remember music touched my soul it was something that got into my blood I'd wake up and think about it go to bed and dream about it.
"And you know all those songs they had someone to share it with and that day I first saw you, you made me feel like that very first time I discovered what true love of music is.
"And I knew you were the girl that I was destined to live my dream with. "Lucious replied.
"You have a way with words. "Cookie said.
"Can't be about music life if you don't have a way with words. "Lucious replied.
"That's true. "Cookie said.
"Let's just put it this way when it comes to music I have a lot to say. "Lucious replied.
"Well if you want to rule the world you should be president. "Cookie said.
"Oh my Cookie, has jokes the problem with being president is that's always temporary I'm thinking long term that some other rapper can't come along and kick me out of the house I built. "Lucious replied.
"I understand. "Cookie said.
"I want to build a brand that generations can survive on. "Lucious replied.
As Lucious spoke what he said made sense he noticed she was lost in thought so he to her hand in his and asked her to dance.
The DJ put on a slow jam and Lucious wrapped his arms around Cookie and they swayed to the music.
Luther Vandross sang here and now.
As the song played Lucious thought the only man Cookie will marry is me and this will be our song the first song we danced to when Cookie agreed to be mine and it will be the first song we dance to when she becomes my wife. Lucious thought.
Cookie too was lost in thought as she danced with Lucious the night before when Barry had his arm wrapped around her it didn't feel right she had never felt like that before meeting Lucious.
But last night it felt wrong like she was allowing something wrong to happen. And for the life of her, she couldn't understand why was it the universe trying to tell her that Lucious Lyon was the one for her and she wasn't letting herself see it.
She knew her father would be disappointed in her for choosing Lucious but she can't help how she feels.
When the song ended they found a couch to sit on and decided to just get to know each other more while they had the chance before she had to get home.
"So your out here by yourself except your crew don't you ever get lonely? "Cookie asked.
"When I was little I got lonely it was hard watching my mama fighting her demons one minute and then being a normal mother the next.
"I put everything into my music even the drug money it puts food on my table but it's gonna get us where I want to be. "Lucious replied.
"You become completely different when your rapping you draw people in it's like your words cast a spell on the crowd. "Cookie said.
"You have to be talented and have stage presence no one is gonna want to buy your record or buy tickets to your shows if you have trash bars. "Lucious replied.
"You got it, I saw when I first saw you Lucious you had your crew's attention. "Cookie said.
"Well I was having fun with it but my attention was all on you. I noticed your sisters looking at me like I was ET or something. "Lucious replied.
"Candace is very high opinionated she like my Daddy says thinks she's smarter than she is and sets her standards to near-impossible levels I pity the person she will marry he will have to hit all her standards just to even be considered.
While Carol is the curious yet cautious one. Her standards aren't ridiculous like Candace's are. "Cookie said.
"I was an only child so I wouldn't know what that's like. "Lucious replied.
"Your not missing much don't get me wrong I love them but sometimes they can get on my nerves especially Candace. "Cookie said.
"I can imagine but they look out for you that much I can see. "Lucious replied.
Lucious was tempted to kiss Cookie but he didn't he wasn't trying to move too fast with her.
She knew what he was thinking because she caught him staring at her lips more than once.
And she respected him for not pushing boundaries with her not that Barry had tried anything but she was happy that he respected her personal space.
They didn't speak any words that needed to be said at this moment the way they looked at each other spoke volumes.
As they sat as the party continued enjoying the music and watching people dance and have a good time.
"If you could go anywhere in the world where would you want to go? "Lucious asked.
"I know away from Philly I never had a particular place in mind I just knew I was supposed to get out of here. "Cookie replied.
"You deserve the world we're gonna get out of Philly and no matter where we end up we're working towards our future. "Lucious said.
"You have everything all figured out, don't you? "Cookie asked.
"When I decided I wanted to be a rapper I did whatever I had to make my dream come true to provide for my mama and the girl who I would have as my partner. "Lucious replied.
"I get it you take dangerous risks doing it though but I guess it's a means to get you where you wanna be faster. "Cookie said.
"Yeah, but things won't be like this forever. "Lucious replied.
"So you see yourself as a big star in the future what else do you see? "Cookie asked.
"I see us getting married, working together as a team to build a legacy having a big house with all nice things, and having a family. "Lucious replied.
"You paint a nice picture Lucious. "Cookie said.
"It's more than a picture when your starving for something you don't stop until your full and I have a ways to go before I'm full. "Lucious replied.
"Yeah and what about your crew where do they fit in? "Cookie asked.
"They are like family to me, they don't want this to be their life forever either so I told them they can help me make my dream real and work for me and that extends to the family they'll have on down the line. "Lucious replied.
"I'm having trouble, everyone is telling me you're a bad guy yet your taking care of your mom and making sure your friends are taken care of those things aren't anything a bad guy does. "Cookie said.
"That's understandable people don't look at drug dealers as noble people who work minimum wage jobs scraping by on Penny's to survive are respected more because they don't look for faster means to their dreams. "Lucious replied.
"Your right, they don't any more than they would mobsters gangbangers and thugs. "Cookie said.
"That's because no one takes the time to know why people turn to those options. Though they know why they just turn a blind eye to it."Lucious replied.
"The one thing everyone has in common is wanting more and better. You don't hear rappers talking about staying in the hoods they grew up in, but getting out where they don't have to dodge bullets. even people who don't live dangerous lifestyles don't talk about staying in the hood. "Cookie said.
"You are something special Cookie. "Lucious replied.
"You not so bad yourself. "Cookie said.
"Thank you, that truly means a lot. "Lucious replied.
"No need to thank me it's true. "Cookie said.
"Then since I can't thank you what would you have me do for you Cookie? "Lucious asked.
"You don't have to do anything for me Lucious. "Cookie said.
"No, but it's what I want I want to make you happy I don't want you to have to worry about anything I want you to know that if you're with me I will take care of us. "Lucious replied
"You hardly know me and here we are planning a life to be together as young as we are that doesn't seem crazy to you. "Cookie said.
"When something feels right you don't let it slip through your fingers. I knew the moment I saw you that my future was with you just as I'm sure rapping is what I'm supposed to be doing. "Lucious replied.
As Cookie sat next to Lucious it was incredible being able to breathe without the pressure of her father's wishes.
Without feeling overwhelmed by insurmountable expectations.
She couldn't explain why she had this connection with Lucious anymore than Romeo and Juliet could or Bonnie and Clyde.
But she didn't want this to be a tragedy where she and Lucious would be a leading story on the evening news where her father and sisters gather around the tv judging her.
As she sat there she pictured just that and it hurt to think about but one thing even she knew you can't live a person's life for them win lose or draw they are responsible for themselves their successes and failures.
Meanwhile, Lucious pictured Cookie bathed in diamonds and raising a family together building a future to be proud of.
If only he could show her what he saw what he wanted what life he could give her.
What he didn't know was she was trying to picture what life together with him would be like what he said he wants for them both and to be honest what he said wasn't bad but could they make it together.
His confidence amazed her what he didn't know was it made her braver willing to try everything she never thought or dreamed of.
What her family failed to see was he wanted out of Philly just as much as her Dad wanted her and her sister's out they just had different ideas about getting there.
What Cookie didn't realize was that Barry had heard about this party too he knew Cookie had a love of music he wanted to embrace that side to get closer to her.
His problem was he didn't like the connection he could sense between Loretha and Lucious.
He wanted to give Loretha the world but he had to make sure Lucious stayed away from her.
He stood in the dark corner of the room watching Lucious and Cookie talk and laugh.
And as he watched he began to wonder if Loretha told him the truth or lied to him.
"You're my girlfriend do you understand me you better stay away from that thug. "Barry warned.