Taking Chances

Title: Taking Chances- Chapter 7: Dance To The Beat Of My Heart, No, Not That Heart!
Author: Bubukittypuck
Archived: Here of course, Fictionpress, and my laptop
Summary: Marguerite's first person perspective on the relationship she has or does not have with Josef. She is freshie to Josef's donor.
Rating: It ranges from PG-13 to M later on.
Pairings: OC/Josef
Feedback: Review please though do not flame.
Characters: Josef, Marguerite, Beth, Mick, and any other characters inhabiting Los Angeles.
Beta’s: None
Disclaimer: I don’t own Moonlight or the characters, though I do wish Moonlight does come back. For now, writing fanfics seems to stem the need to hunt down Jason Dohring and bring him back to my bedroom. I do not own the right to Nair though I wish the company could make it less sticky and more perfumy. Plus Saran Wrap is not a patent I hold but it does come in handy when I need to cover up a dish and send it off on its way. Chippendale I love but I do not own nor the Coolpix but I wish I owned Ashton Kutcher. I do not own Hostel and I respect Eli Roth. If I ever met him in person, I would ask him to put me in his next movies, whether I am the one being killed or the one to kill. He is a genius and I adore him.
--------
"Surprise!"

When I had arrived back at Josef's house with him at my side, I assumed only Iris, Mick, Beth, and none other than Josef himself would celebrate my birthday. My parents were still in Mexico as far as I knew traversing the different countries and having a ball. Aunt Bella and Uncle Jesus lived six hours away and with the health problems surrounding my uncle problems arose when it came to traveling. Rest of the De La Cruz clan was settled out around the United States and Mexico. What can I say the lot of us hated to stay in one place for too long. One of the many reasons why I planned on a European back packing trip, the better to move around and never get antsy to head faster from a city I visited too long.

Josef, the sneaky vampire he was flew in every family member who could come without the need of a passport, visa, or risk of parole violation. That left eight out of nine of sisters on my mother's side out of luck and one of my ex's/friend had to stay home. My aunt, Leti, and her family managed to fly out from Florida was the only sister of my mom's to head on over to the festivities.

"Mami! Papi!," I yelled out as I slightly hobbled my way towards the people who conceived me nine months to the day the two became a couple. At least the crutch was no longer needed in aiding me to walk. The swelling had gone down considerably and only a slight irritation remained. I was only too happy to be freed of the damn crutch but I managed a few tricks the past few days to keep me from breaking out of study-mode. All that remained of my injuries was the cast which the good doctor removed and replaced with a red one and various stitches. The black eye was minimized with makeup and the bruises around neck and wrists healed completely. Thought elation of healing up nicely brought a smile to my face, what made a grin break across my whole face were the results of my finals.

In my pocket, I pulled out the printed results and waved it around my head. "3 A's and an A-, " I shouted and was met by whoops and hollers. My parents hugged me more so from my father's who bear-hugged the hell out of me. Standing at a good six-foot two, he towered over the crowd of short people. Yep, our family ranged in height of a short three-feet four inches to my father's height. Hell, even my favorite niece, Juley, six years old stood at four-foot five inches while I was five-five. Talk about me looking like the shortie compared to her. Good thing someone invented high heels.

Between the three of us, we all spoke at once, one over the other. Dad congratulated on my grades and expected next semester's grades to be just as high. Mom happy to hear I survived the vicious attack and even threw in a few shots. Myself on being surprised and elated to have the two at the party. Then the triad of us headed to get acquainted once more with the family.

"Josef," I started and stopped when Iris, Mick, and Beth surrounded and congratulated him for keeping this a secret from me. What a sly devil he was. Another check in the good box went for him as I kissed and hugged the 40+ family and friends who partied in honor of my twenty-first.

---------------------------
She danced to the beat of the music, obviously making herself a fool in the process, but she was not embarrassed at the actions she committed. This was her party and danced the way she wanted to. Especially since her partner in tow was her six year-old niece, Juley, who shook her bottom to the latest single of a Mexican pop song, Josef had to admit this was a sight to be captured. His hand pushed down on the capture button of his latest Nikon Coolpix S600 he bought for the occasion.

[Begin Italicize]Three days had gone by. Three days were he saw slowly but surely transformation of the guest room he borrowed to her into her own den. The other night when he asked Marguerite how her studies were going, he discovered loads of books and papers lying around in heaps on the floor, table, bed, and even taped against the walls. Marguerite was in full-study mode even turning down the dinner he prepared for the two of them every night since she stayed in his house. Even though she was able to complete her finals online, she still wanted to visit her Professor's and handed hard copies, as well as, electronically. She voiced the fear of her internet flaking out on her when she needed the most and insisted on turning it in in person as well. There was a certain quality he found in her wanting to get things right that touched a nerve inside of him.

He wanted things to go his way and she felt the same way. In fact, he went out of his way and used the time he should have looked after his empire and rested to drive her to her classes and escorted her to the offices. The day she was photographed when she was released from the hospital, calls from Mick, Beth, and Iris came through his private line.

"Salma Hayek, Josef, really is that what the paparazzi thinks all Mexican people look like?," Iris asked as she laughed over the misnamed photo of her older sister. At least she appreciated the fact Marguerite hammed it up to the photographers instead of try and ignore them. If paparazzi smelled an Achilles heel, all the bastards went for it.

Mick and Beth were amused but warned Josef to keep Marguerite out of the presses. If word got out about her being with him it might make the other two men gunned themselves towards her even harder. Better to let them think both Deacon and Marguerite perished in the fight for now as the others and Josef searched the identities of the men. [End Italicize]

Even now, he grew itchy and agitated at the fact that there were unknown murderers invading his territory and wiping out other freshies. Word got around to the vampire community especially when two more freshies were found murdered in their homes. Each one belonged to certain vampires who were now on his back asking for retribution. It started with him and he made sure the bastards lives were ended by his own hands.

For now, he pushed the murderous thoughts to the back of his mind and enjoyed the takeover of his house by the De La Cruz clan. Especially enjoyed the sway of a certain De La Cruz who looked prime and ready for a bout of sexual foreplay by the way she kept rotating her hips in the long known dance between a male and a female.

"So, I can see you are enjoying the view," Mick muttered beneath his breath as he offered a blended margarita to him. He thanked him for the drink and took a sip, lips pursued as he tasted the full load of alcohol mixed into the drink.

"Guessing the elders put in more than the usual needed to make one of these?"

"Aye, enough to induce a few bouts of ear-splitting karaoke and fights."

"Good thing I hid the weapons and anything breakable."

"Still, anything can be used to bludgeon another."

"Damn it, you're right and stop trying to make me regret having this thing at my house," he muttered as he placed the Margarita down and took a few more shots of the festivities around him.

"Did you bring the ring?," Mick asked as he looked at the group of people which made up Marguerite's world. He had not guessed how many people Josef brought out but he was amazed at the many people who came to celebrate Marguerite's birthday. In fact, he was bit envious to see her friends and family in attendance and celebrating whole-heartedly with her.

"Yes, hopefully it will go off without a hitch," Josef muttered as he moved his camera towards the dance floor. He shot several pictures of Marguerite in the red number, swaying to the music.

"You are going to surprise the hell out of her tonight with it but it is your world if she does not throw something at you."

"You want me to regret this plan don't you?," he asked as he palmed the 'gift in his pocket but he knew it was for something. He ignored Mick and went back to his thoughts.

When Beth needed a venue to host the party where most of De La Cruz clan, including in-laws, and close friends it was at the last moment she asked him. At first, he disagreed it was the worst thing to have her family congregated in a house of an infamous vampire and at the wake of a freshie killing spree. He would need background checks made quickly on the people invited and that was a nightmare it of itself. It was not until Beth pulled out her trump card he gave in. She merely pointed out it was better to have the family under his household where he could make sure nothing went awry if the venue was at a park or a banquet where anyone and everyone could slip in. Along with that, Iris, Mick, and herself chipped in for plane fare for most of the family and he was hooked. Damn Beth with her journalism background. No wonder Mick was forever entranced and ensnared in her presence.

He wanted to be the freaking knight in shining armor and have Marguerite delighted at his feats to assist in her party even though she never mentioned to him about her birthday. Josef was not a stupid man not to look at her age and determined she was of legal status in applying for the freshie position. No way in hell was he ever going to touch a child and he loathed the fact there were others who wanted the blood of innocent children. However, he was miffed Marguerite never revealed her upcoming birthdays nor included him in the party. He wondered whether he angered her again and flipped through his mental rolodex if he had. Nevertheless, he opted to pay for the tickets and arranged for the party thrown here but it came with a few difficulties when the family asked about his reasons at the party.

The family as far as Marguerite and Iris informed them was the two of them were good friends with Josef. Josef even helped set Marguerite up in his home when she needed it the most. The female De La Cruz's oohhed and aahhed at his heroic efforts to shelter a Cruz in her time of need; however, the men in the family, including in-laws and friends were wary of his role in Marguerite's life. Both uncle and father who were related due to the fact of Marguerite's aunt was her father's younger sister, asked him what his intentions were with their daughter/niece. Hell, he felt as if he was back in London interrogated by the Scotland Yard on his whereabouts during the Jack the Ripper mayhem. Though if he compared the two together, this was more brutal.

"I am merely Marguerite's friend," he answered in Spanish. A good use he thought to himself after having picked up the language on an excursion into South America a couple years back.

"The way you both look at one another, contradicts that," Marguerite's uncle, Jesus, yes, Jesus was the man's name as he eyed Josef. He was protective uncle over the De La Cruz clan and there was no fault in wanting to make sure the livelihood of everyone was secured. Hell, Josef admired to see where the men held their loyalties but all knew when to back off and give the ladies breathing room.

"You do know she is studying to be a psychologist and nothing, whether it is a man or woman can stop her from it," Cristobal, Marguerite's father commented as he took a sip of his water bottle. Marguerite, her father, and the younger children were the only ones who foregone alcohol and went for the sugary drinks or water held in coolers. Different is what he stated compared to the various balls, parties, and events he usually attended. This was an event even he would need pictures to verify he attended.

---------------

"Papi," I started when I noticed my father and uncle ganged up on Josef. I was only too glad my ex-Marine cousin; Big D was preoccupied with his latest main squeeze. Swear on a box of my family books he always grabbed the youngest arm candies but the upside the girls at least had brains. This chick he had on his arm was one of the wrestlers he coached for a high school team. Yes, ladies and gentleman, my twenty-five year old former Marine and champion wrestler nabbed an eighteen-year old senior. I had to hand it to my cousin, he at least had game.

Both my father and uncle looked sheepish and slightly embarrassed but both puffed out their chest. Each one tried to explain the reason for their need to question Josef. All of the excuses fell on deaf ears as I shushed them away towards my aunt and mother. My mother shook her head at my father and my aunt grabbed my uncle by the ear and tugged it. He griped and swiped the hand away but it merely ensued my aunt in a stern warning not to ruin the party with his actions. Uncle nodded, went back towards the buffet of food, and piled himself a plate of carne asada while my father went to dance with my mother in another Narco corrido song. Everyone in the family whether we liked it or not were forced to listen to Spanish love ballads and songs about the infamous drug lords of the time.

Myself, I could handle Los Tigres Del Norte (The North Tigers) because their love ballads were the kind to bring a tear to my eye and Chapo de Sinaloa (The Fellow from Sinaloa), but the rest with the bass playing harder than the singer not my cup of tea. "Let's get it started," I shouted as I went back towards the dance floor. What a fool I made myself out to be but it was my party and I wanted to have fun. Though no alcoholic beverage would pass my lips tonight, I wanted to get high off of life. Especially since I only turn twenty-one once unless there is a parallel universe where everyone lived their lives twice then it might have changed things.

"Care to dance?," a voice wafted into my ear drums. Small goose bumps started beneath my cast and free arms when I realized who the voice belonged to. James. Never did I realize he could have been invited to the party and then another voice entered into my head as well.

"How about a dance?," the second voice asked. Josef. Double damn. I wondered how both men I was interested in, more into one, than the other both managed to ask me for a dance. For a second there, I wanted to look up at the sky and ask if someone up there was seriously joking around with me but it could have looked awkward and embarrassing if I did so.

Vaulting my attention from Josef to James and once more the choice was taken out of my hands when someone grabbed me around the middle and hugged me. When I glanced over my shoulder, relief entered into my face at the sight of Sasha before my very eyes. The only person to know about Sasha and James were Josef, Iris, Beth, and Mick. From there, I whittled it down to Iris and Beth, since Mick and Josef would not have wanted outsiders at the party who they did not know well enough.

"Sasha!," I yelled as I smiled and thanked whoever was looking out for me for this interruption. At least, I could wait a bit longer to decide who I would have to dance with.

"Marguerite! Darling, let me take a look at you," Sasha commented as she took me by the hand and I twirled like a ballerina before her, James and Josef.

"My, my, if only I met you two years' earlier, we could have had something. No matter, you are going to make the boys drool, well, the ones that are not related to you. Unless, you are into that sort of thing then keep it on the down low," Sasha rambled on. The woman was an upper I never had to worry overdosing on. She said the things at times I was hesitant to say and I respected that. Give me a transsexual who spoke her mind fully and I will give her a new pair of Jimmy Choos.

Laughing, I spun once more and shook my hips to the techno-beat now playing. "Hopefully the boys will have a bucket to keep people from falling over the wet floors. Plus, I am not into incest though I am prone to kissing hot women on the street who are not related to me," I stated as I winked at Sasha.

Sasha fanned herself and covered her heart with her hands. "Such a way with words this gal, you boys are going to have to sit this one out. I am taking her out for a few twirls and who knows, by the time the song ends I might make her my new arm candy. If you guys know what I am saying," she teased as she grabbed me by the hand and pulled me towards the dance floor.

Dancing with Sasha excused me from picking one guy over the other and cause trouble. Way I saw it, if I picked James over Josef, Josef would retaliate later, not in front of the family but later. He might tease me about choosing the guy I went on a single date over someone who knew, housed, clothed, fed, and drove me around longer than James. If I picked Josef, James might assume there was more than a friendship between Josef and I. Either way, Sasha saved me as we danced to the slow tune. The both of us tried to follow in the female dance steps but it was difficult when it was two females dancing together. Now I knew Ryan Seacrest and Simon Cowell's dilemma when both danced with one another.

"So how are you feeling?," Sasha asked as she dipped me first.

"Good," I replied and dipped her as well.

"Just good? Do not lie, it gives you crow lines honey," she commented while I twirled her.

"Liar," I shot back. Though in the back of my head I wondered whether the lies I kept from myself on the subject of Josef where in fact giving me crow lines. That would suck a hose.

"That's the pot calling the kettle black."

"Big words."

"Suck it," she answered as she smirked at me. Tonight, Sasha made a splash with a 1920's flapper inspired look completed with the bobbed wig, black flapper dress, and even a cigarette holder in her hand as we danced.

"You wish."

"Maybe."

"How about later?," I teased and we burst into laughter. The Cruz clan merely chuckled and went back to the festivities.

A tap on my shoulder interrupted the little banter Sasha and I started. Glancing over my shoulder, I laughed and jumped into my best friend's arms.

"Ashlee!," I cried out. Ashlee and I have been best friends since sophomore year of high school which placed us at the six-year mark. While I attended California State Los Angeles, she opted for San Francisco State because of its closeness to the city we both originated from. Plus, her parents were helping her with tuition and after the fall out we had a few years back over her getting into the party scene. Ladies and ladies, here is a rule even if it is an unwritten rule between girlfriends. No matter what, girlfriends never hang or closely associate themselves with other girlfriends ex's for any reason.

Two years back, I attended community college with Ashlee before transferring to Los Angeles. I dated a guy who in the end was a waste of my time and even thought process. Ashlee befriended him a few weeks before him and I started to date and when the relationship ended, she started to comfort him rather than me. Oh, she looked after me the day the boy and I ended it but slowly, I noticed she hung out with him more than me. Soon, he caught her up into the partying scene; I pulled back from her, went on to push myself harder in studies and made other friends.

Ashlee, on the other hand, fulfilled the downfall I assumed would happen if she hung around with the pot-smoking jerk off an ex of mine. Not only she flunked two of her four classes, her parents wanted her out of her house because of the grades, her car repossessed by her mother, and the ex of mine deserted her and their 'friendship' when she needed support. It took several weeks and conversations to mend the friendship and a lot of spillage of feelings before we forgot the incident. Even now the two of us keep in touch and visit one another, well, I visit her more than she visits me because at least in San Francisco I will be hit on by lesbians, straight men, bi-sexual men/women, and even a few drag Queens and Kings and only have to worry about covering up hickeys rather than gunshot wounds in Los Angeles.

Excusing myself from Sasha, she went off and grabbed James and replaced me as her dance partner. James was a sweetheart and went along with it as Ashlee and I caught up with one another. She even introduced me to the new man in her life one that she commented later could be the one. The criteria for a potential guy for Ashlee is this: has a job, not living in the basement of their parents house unless they were saving up on money, no more than a kid in the picture, no stalking ex-girlfriends, and not an asshole. Most of the men where we used to attend college usually had a few of these no-no's and made things difficult for her to date them.

After a few more minutes of chatting and even taking the first shot of tequila of the night when my cousin Lixy offered it (yes, I said I would not but, hey, one shot is not all that bad), I excused myself when I started to notice Phantom walking around with a big red bow wrapped around his neck. "Now what in the hell?," I muttered as I headed his way. I wondered if things would get more interesting tonight.
----
"Presents!," Iris called out. Present unveiling always a spectacle when it comes to the family. Everyone gathered around a large table I had not noticed until not filled side to side and top to bottom with presents. Whenever a present was opened, the Cruz's photographed the person holding the gifts to memorialized the event and even on my twenty-first, it was still done to me.

Gathered around the table as much as everyone could, I started in on the gifts. Since there was by the list Beth showed to me forty-one people, excluding me, at this shindig, I expected a lot of the family members to fork over cash. Iris and I were difficult to shop from depending on the moods we were in. For a time, I adored overalls but that was between the ages of 12-15 and I regretted photographs of me in overall shorts and a big scrunchie in my hair. I was born during the eighties, a bit of slack should be given and at least the negatives to the pictures were hidden in my secret box.

While I went through the presents, oohing and thanking the givers for the items, Josef clicked his camera on me. Along with my mother of course who brought her own camera to later develop and show off to the rest of the clan who could not make it, Josef kept his attentions on me, eyes narrowing to find the perfect shot. Never had I seen him this serious in a while. The past few days we somehow managed to patch up our friendship but never tread into the bathroom incident or the library one as well. We were both content with living in the bubble made for us and ignored the tangible fact of something brewing. If my own father, who usually thanked the Lord whenever I was single figured it out the few minutes he saw me after several months of not then trouble headed my way.

"Oh! That's from me!," Ashlee called out as she snuggled closer into her latest boyfriend's side.

Briefly, I met Jonathan on a friendly visit during Spring Break. At the time, I was barely a month into the position of freshie and Ashlee invited me out to hang with her since she wanted to act like a tourist and re-explore San Francisco. There were times I wondered why I had not been born in that town because of my personality. I accepted every and any type of person whether he or she has their own acquired tastes in sexual preference and even participated in the Pride Parades.

By participated, I meant dressed up in a leather corset and mini-skirt with friends in drag tied up to leashes as we hit the streets of San Francisco and Los Angeles. This year, Ashlee and I vowed to get together for San Francisco pride which loomed closer than we thought. One more week and the streets of Castro, Mission, and Fisherman's Wharf would bustle with the parade and festival hosted every year during the last weekend of June.

Opening the gift Ashlee gave to me I laughed and clapped my hands. A red dress with a low v-neck scoop and a seventy-five dollar gift card to Borders; the women knew what I wanted. Clothes and Borders gift card. I am the biggest bibliophile compared to Ashlee. She can get through Black Dagger Brotherhood book in less than three days while for me it took about a week to get through. Though I enjoyed Vishous's book, my god, the man is an enigma.

"Mm, if only you were a lesbian," I teased at her as I held out the dress to my own and posed for the cameras. Josef's expression was one I guessed was of confusion or interest when he figured out the low scoop of the dress would show off. Either way, I bathed in the attention he at least showed my way. For today, I was the birthday girl and I could party how I wanted to.

"Sorry, don't like tuna, always fancied the stuffed kielbasas. You should know that by now," she retorted with a smile on her face.

Only a few times I wondered what it might be like if I had pursued Ashlee as more than a friend. Over time, I felt her friendship was worth more than a few months of a relationship and then breaking up. Besides, who knew my mood swings and personality more than my best friend? Well, maybe myself, but still it helped to have someone decipher the things I committed to the police as I awaited bail.

On and on went the unwrapping of the presents, a good slew of gifts until paper wrappings and tissue littered the table and floor. There were a few presents missing from the table and I deducted who had yet to give this birthday girl her treats. My parents, Iris, Mick, Beth, Sasha, James and Josef were the invitees who needed to start explaining. My mother and father stepped up with their gift for me in their hands. Each one possessed a gift and both had precious smiles as each waited for me to open the gifts. Seems the ones who conceived me and the others wanted to hand the gifts to me personally.

"Here," my mother answered in broken English. A small jewelry box went into my open hand and I stared at it. Curiosity never registered fast enough as I opened the box before anyone asked for me to do so and my breath stilled. Inside the box was a pink floral cameo set into a necklace. Profusely, I thanked the both of them for the first gift and when my father gave me the second jewelry box, I was merely happy both came to my bash. The second box contained a replicate pink floral cameo but this time it was set into a ring, a matching set. Showed the crowd the gifts and hugged my parents. Those two knew the meaning behind the cameo's and what it meant to me.

"I love it but I love you two most of all," I whispered as I brushed away the tears from my eyes. The good thing about the mascara was the fact I used water based and not a huge mess made when I wiped the corners of my eyes with my fingertips. Father hugged me first and whispered he was proud of the schoolwork I accomplished, especially away from the family. The only De La Cruz in Los Angeles other than Iris who reminded me she headed out in another day on tour.

Since I was born, the slew of family members surrounded me and several times during my life I wanted space. When I received a few hours of alone time in the house the parents owned I cherished the time with painting, danced in the house barefooted, and even turned the stereo up loud and sung along to the music. In the old neighborhood, police rarely visited the place unless a murder or a drug bust happened and the neighbor's never minded the fact of loud music thumping next door. Whenever parties were held at my house where almost all parties, baptisms, marriages, sweet sixteen's, funerals, even divorces, the music played loud and everyone had fun. Now, it seemed the party moved to a new venue but the beat of the music pounded and thumped against the walls a constant reminder of the people who loved and cared for me would forever be there for me.

Mom hugged me and whispered as well into my ear, "Tien cuidado con el guero (Be careful of the white boy)." My, my, my own mother warned me to watch out for Josef. I knew who she was talking about. Mick, another guero, as she would call him for the fact that of his slightly tanned skin was draped over Beth as both watched the chaos of a twenty-first birthday ensued was not the one she mentioned. Josef, the guero the one my dear mother cautioned me to keep an eye out for. Now, if my curandero (shaman) of a grandmother started foretelling of the future which included a devil man who had the face of an angel, I would ask Josef if he paid my family to freak me out on my day.

After my parents, Sasha stepped up to give me her gift. A pair of fur-lined cuffs and vibrator, though the vibrator I left in the bag. No need to let the younger children know and even Josef the fact the only action I got these past few months needed two AA batteries to get itself turned on for me. James must have found out on his own during the first date conversation we had because he gave me a box set of George A. Romero's Dead Series. Always a fan of Romero's zombie trilogy, James must have picked up the comment and I thanked him with a kiss on the cheek and a request for another date. Maybe he could turn out to be a great guy but I had to give him another chance.

Now Iris and her fiancée came out with their gifts but I noticed there was another guy crowded against my sister's side. He was handsome in a male escort kind of way even reminded me a bit of Oded Fehr, the man who played Carlos Olivera in Resident Evil with Mila Jocovich. The three of them held gifts in their hands and I had an eye on the Oded-look alike.

"This one is from me," Iris stated as she placed a small gift card in front of me. I whistled and opened the card. Seemed the lot of them who waited to hand me the presents last had a lot to store for me. Iris's gift was a five hundred dollar card to Borders to which Ashlee joked if she could now be officially adopted as a De La Cruz woman. Her fiancée’s treat was another five hundred dollar gift card this one to Old Navy. Now from the Oded guy, he handed me an envelope.

Laughter ensued when I read the document in the envelope aloud to everyone. "It is a certificate which announces I have a year-long supply of Chippendale tickets and even a private dinner date with one of the Chippendales." The Oded Fehr twin was the private dinner date and he oozed sexual stamina. He had to in order to get through the shows he starred in with the rest of the group of male dancers. Dear sister of mine seemed to think I could use a slew of half-naked men gyrating their assets in front of my face and dear God she was right.

Clapping my hands, I eyed the Chippendale piece of ass and smirked. Though he was no Josef and no one was Josef, at least I could distract myself for the rest of the year with hot pieces of man meat dancing their asses off to the latest Britney single. Introductions with the sexually arousing Chippendale had to wait until I got through the last of the gifts.

Mick and Beth's combined gift came in the form of 160 GB pink iPod classic. The thing that surprised me most of all was the color it came in. Classic iPod only came in black and white but never in any other color. "How did you get it in Pink?," I asked as I turned the iPod to get a better look and saw writing engraved into the back. Marguerite's Property: Back Off. I smiled and shook my head in amusement and showed it off towards the crowd. Josef snatched it out of my hands and smiled and took a picture of the engraving.

"This is one for the photo album," he stated close to my ear as he was the last one to hand over the last of the gifts.

"Mm, I wonder what it could be?," I asked him and the crowd. By this point, the sun had set over the horizon and the liquor flowed like water. Any and everyone who were lovers of alcohol were either buzzed or happily drunk by now. My cousin, Lita, known for her bouts of hitting the bottle harder than most of us no doubt stood precariously on her heels as everyone waited to know the gift Josef bought for me.

"Open it up and see," Josef replied as he held out a manila envelope towards me. I looked over his shoulder to see if he brought along another Chippendale to announce another year's worth of tickets to the shows and a private dinner. This lady deserved a bit of fun after the failed whatever it was with Josef, passed my finals, lived through an attack, and a bikini waxing earlier to wear this dress and nothing was going to stop me.

Well, something did stop me. In fact, my heart stopped a few seconds as I let the words on the paper sink in. What the hell was going on tonight?

"Well?," Josef prodded as he placed his hand on my back and caressed my spine. In front of everyone this was a sign of placing territory and to me, I wondered what he was trying to do.

"It is a check for full tuition for my final year of undergrad and enough money to finance graduate and even the backpacking trip I have been talking about," I replied and I felt Josef's caressing hand stilled when I mentioned the backpacking trip. Never had I revealed the fact I wanted to travel throughout Europe without the whole Hostel inspired part.

"Go on, there's more," he replied as he pulled his hand away but stayed near my side. The man a math problem that had yet to be solved. One of these days I vowed to find a way to get him to sit down and tell each other what was going on.

A key with a tag attached was the only item left in the manila envelope. My name and cell number were written on the tag and the key unfamiliar to me. Could it be the key was to a car, however, I rarely drove in Los Angeles, especially in a city horrible with traffic. Key to the Chippendale's changing room? Mm, that might not be a bad gift after all.

"The key you hold in your hand is a key to this house," he answered as he held out his arms and verified his words.

"Wait? What?!," I asked as I turned towards him. A look of confusion and amusement covered my face as I wondered what Josef meant. Either he was having a bit of fun at my expense or he was deathly serious about it. The fact his face devoid of any amusement and seriousness played his features made my throat close up. He was serious.

"The key is to this house because I want us to start a life together. I want you to marry me," he answered a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. He got down on his knee and pulled out a ring box. Son of a bitch was serious about this. What in the hell was going on?