“Hello, hello, Natalie,” I said.
Then Natalie finally said, “Oh, my bad. I thought you might have been Anthony. You know, he’s mad. I told him I was down here. He’s not going to kick my ass! Don’t say that! What’s up with that?”
“Huh? What?” I said as I tried to comprehend what and who Natalie was talking to.
“Stop talking to people. Listen, Nat, I’m here at the hotel.”
“Okay, here we come.”
“What’s our room number again?”
“It’s 417. We left you a key at the desk.”
“Okay, well, I’m going to the room.”
The hotel was light yellow. It had an art deco feel. I went to the front desk, gave them my name, and they gave me a key for my room. I got in the elevator and went to the fourth floor. When I opened the room’s door, I noticed stuff was all over the place. There was no closet or drawer space left. Where was I supposed to put my clothes? I thought. There were two double beds and a pull-out sofabed. I heard music blasting from outside. I opened the drapes and saw the beach sitting right across the street. I looked over the balcony and saw hundreds of cars for miles and miles, their lights glaring. That got me excited. I had to hurry up and get dressed. I got out of the musky clothes, wrapped my hair up, put my scarf on, and jumped in the shower. After I finished showering I heard Natalie and Tanya walk in. “What’s up, Nellie Nell?” Tanya said.
“Don’t what’s up me,” I said as I came out of the bathroom with my towel on. “Y’all bitches was supposed to meet me at the airport.”
“I know we were, but we was looking for the guys from St. Louis that said they was going to take us,” Tanya said.
“We was looking for them. You know we wouldn’t have left you stranded like that, cousin. Plus, Tanya said you would find your way.” Natalie laughed.
“No, I didn’t,” Tanya said.
“Yes, you did.”
“Well, the good thing is, you made it,” Natalie said as she tried to hug me. I nudged her off me. They were officially getting on my nerves.
“I don’t want to hear I made it. Y’all left me to fend for myself. That shit ain’t cool.”
“Janelle, I meant to tell you, we had to pay extra for this room, so you owe us sixty dollars.”
“Sixty dollars apiece?”
“No, thirty apiece. You can give me mine when we get home.”
“I need mine now,” Tanya said.
I didn’t even have sixty dollars to spare. I went into my bag and counted out thirty dollars. I told Natalie I’d give her thirty dollars when I got change. My money was dwindling fast.
Chapter Seven
Janelle
We all wanted to go out to a club. I was ready. They had walked around, saw, and met people, but I hadn’t and I could not wait to get some numbers. Natalie looked so cute. She did her makeup real pretty. I don’t mess with makeup because it irritates my skin, but it looked good on her. I only wear lip gloss and a touch of eye shadow every now and then. She wore black satinlike capri pants and a pastel lavender low-cut shirt that flattered her pear shape. I had on a powder-blue dress and blue crisscross sandals that came up to my calf.
Tanya came out of the bathroom looking like a whore, but she kind of looked cute. She had on tight white low-rise jeans, with her black thong hanging out, and a black bikini tank top. I studied myself in the mirror. I looked cute but not cute enough. I wasn’t happy with what I had on.
“Y’all ready to go?” Natalie asked.
“I’m ready,” Tanya said as she put on her mascara and brushed her eyebrows into shape. They both turned to me to see if I was ready.
“Um, y’all give me a minute,” I said. They both said they were going to meet me in front of the hotel. As soon as they walked out of the room, I slipped off my dress and sandals. I dug around in my suitcase and tried to find something else to wear. I pulled out white shorts, a red skirt, a black dress, but finally decided to put on a denim miniskirt. I located my red stiletto sandals and a rose-red corset shirt that matched my wine-colored hair. Now I was ready to go out. I met Tanya and Natalie outside and Natalie said I looked nice. I thanked her. Then Tanya asked, “Why you change your clothes?”
I didn’t owe her an explanation, so I just told her, “Because I felt like it.”
We walked down Collins Avenue toward the strip of clubs. Everyone was out; the vibe in the air was really festive. Cars were honking their horns at us and traffic was jam-packed. All the clubs were lit with different-colored neon lights.
We first went to a place called Wet Willie’s. It was free to get in and the drinks were reasonable. I wasn’t really trying to spend any of my money on drinks. Somebody was going to buy us drinks. We had a few watermelon shots, then left. We walked up and down the street for about an hour, then decided we were ready to go to a club. The problem was which club to go into. The prices varied. Seduction wanted fifty dollars and Club Level was free until midnight. We knew all the broke people would be in the free club.
“I’m not paying fifty dollars to get into a club,” Natalie said.
“That’s not shit,” Tanya said.
“Not shit to you. You know what I can do with fifty dollars?”
“Why are you bitching?” Tanya asked.
I interrupted them and said, “I agree. Why should we pay all this money to get into this club? We should try to see if we can get in for free.”
Tanya said, “Hold up.” She walked up to the bouncer, batted her eyes at him, and smiled. She even stretched a little so he could see her thong. We knew he was about to let us in free, because he was all smiling and looking. She walked back over to us and said, “He is not doing nothing. He said everybody that wants to get into this club is paying fifty no matter what. Girls fifty and guys one hundred.”
“Okay, so what we going to do?” Natalie asked.
“I say we go in. What do you say, Janelle?” Tanya said.
“It’s whatever y’all want to do. If y’all want to go in, then I’m with that. I just want to have fun.”
“I want to go in, so I say we go in,” Tanya said again.
“I think it’s going to be corny. Let’s go to that other one, Club Level, and see how that is. It might be crowded because it’s free,” Natalie said.
“It might not have the right people in that crowd,” Tanya exclaimed.
“We can see how it is. If it’s not jumping, then we can come back here,” I said.
Everybody agreed, and I was happy. I didn’t really have fifty dollars to spend and I didn’t want Tanya to know it. We walked two blocks down to Club Level. The bass was extra loud because the club was totally empty. We got our complimentary drink and headed back up the street to Club Seduction.
Seduction’s line was now wrapping around the corner. It was packed inside and it was all white. The chairs and the bar were white and all the servers wore white. There were white roses and white tables. As soon as we walked in, Tanya met a guy that worked for Def Jam. He was really nice looking, light brown, about five ten, with short twisties on his head. He got us into the VIP room. Him and his friend were cool and ordered us food and drinks.
Me and Natalie wanted to dance, so we left the VIP room. We went out onto the dance floor and right away I got asked to dance. We danced to “Get Low” by Little Jon and the East Side Boys. I danced with the same guy for six songs straight. I was exhausted. I was having a good time though. I felt relaxed and liberated. I had to pee very bad and wanted to make sure my hair was still in place. I walked into the bathroom and even that was made of glass and white. It was small and dimly lit. I came out of the bathroom drying my hands and saw Tanya grinding with the guy that got us into VIP.
“Um, Natalie, look at your girlfriend, she feeling it,” I said as I patted Natalie.
“That’s what I was just saying.” Natalie giggled.
“You better get her,” I said.
“She is okay. She knows what she’s doing. She parties all the time.”
“If you say so.” We both continued watching Tanya from the sidelines of the dance floor. She was making a complete fool of herself. She was dancing all around the party, winding her body as if she were a dance hall queen in a reggae video. She was letting the guy rub on her breast and his friend came up and started dancing with her from behind. I couldn’t watch it anymore. A crowd was forming to look at her gyrating hips. I didn’t want anybody to know she was with me.
Me and Natalie walked to the bar and ordered two apple martinis. I went to pay for our drinks and the bartender said they were already covered. She pointed to an appealing guy in a Lakers jersey who was standing at the bar. He raised his glass. I lip-synched a thank-you, and me and Natalie drank the next half hour on him. He kept sending us drinks and more drinks. I put a white napkin in front of us to let him know to stop sending drinks. Out of nowhere, Tanya walked up and said, “Where y’all been at? He said he is going to fix me real good.” We both looked at each other and started to laugh because we were borderline drunk ourselves.
“What? Who said that?” Natalie asked.
“The guy who gave me a drink,” Tanya stuttered. “He said he going to fix me real good,” she repeated and then she did a twirl and fell to the floor. I was tipsy no more.
“What is going on with you?” Natalie asked as we tried to lift Tanya from the floor.
“What else did you have?” Natalie kept asking her. As badly as I didn’t want to leave, it was time to go. Tanya was sweating profusely and could barely walk. We had to hold her up to get her out of the club. She was holding on to us, stumbling. But she managed to flash her breast to a bunch of guys as we walked down the street. We thought the fresh air would help, but it didn’t. She was singing and trying to dance to “Naughty Girl” by Beyonce. We walked Tanya to the hotel. She collapsed on the bed and was still singing.
“Shut up, Tanya! What did you have?” Natalie asked her again.
“Nothing.” Then she smirked. “I didn’t have anything but an E-pill.”
“What, you mean Ecstasy?” Natalie shouted. “I told you to leave that shit alone. The last time you were high for two days and so dehydrated you almost had to get rushed to the hospital.”
“They make me feel good all over,” she said as she rubbed her legs.
“No wonder she was all touchy-feely in the club. She was feeling it,” Natalie said. Natalie told her if she didn’t sit up and stop squirming she was going to call 911.
Tanya then threw up and said, “Don’t call 911. Please. I’ll be okay; just get me water and a ginger ale.”
Chapter Eight
Tanya
I was dressed to fucking kill. These bitches had no clue. I looked the best, I thought as I applied my black eyeliner. I’m that bitch. Fix your shirt, I told Natalie. Her outfit was cute. She was cute, but she would look better if she lost some weight. Her stomach was hanging out a little on the side; it was almost a spare tire. I wore white pants and a black bikini top with black high-heeled sandals. I looked so good Janelle went and changed her clothes to keep up. The minute we walked onto the strip, all eyes were on me. A few guys called me over to their car, but I was not walking up to any guy’s car. If they wanted me, they would either have to see me inside the club or leave their car running and come to me. Niggas was begging to take pictures with me. I didn’t stop and take any, because I don’t want my picture to be posted all over the Internet or on their friends’ walls in prison.
When we entered the club the music was loud and the bass was booming. I met this dude James who worked for Def Jam. He was all right–looking, but he was like a cornball. He had twisties on his head and he wasn’t my type. Him and his friend got us all into VIP. He was nice. He bought me, Nat, and Janelle drinks. His conversation was kind of typical like. You so pretty. Where yo’ man at? Can I spend the night with you? He was all trying to fall in love, talking my ear off in the club. I wasn’t feeling him or his conversation, so I left him in VIP and headed to the dance floor. I went and was dancing by myself. Then this big tall dude came up to me and started dancing with me. He was holding a bottle of Cristal.
“Where’s my glass?” I asked.
“Right here, Ma,” he said as he went and got me a glass and started pouring. The champagne bubbled over my glass a little. I sipped it down and said thank you. Once I finished that glass, he poured me another and another. By the sixth glass I stopped drinking because my head was spinning. Then he gave me a yellow butterfly-stamped Ecstasy pill. I remember he walked me to the bathroom and told me he would be waiting outside for me. When I got in the stall I could hardly pull down my pants. When I finally managed to get them down, I almost tilted over toward the door. I had no control of myself. There was no toilet paper and it was very dark. My body was feeling warm and I was tingling all over. I felt like I needed to be touched.
Sadly, that’s the last thing I remember happening. The rest is a blank. I shouldn’t have taken that pill he gave me. I don’t really drink, I smoke. So, when I do have a drink I get real fucked up. I looked through my cell phone this morning. I got all these numbers and don’t remember what anybody I met looks like. I checked my messages and that guy with the bottle of Cristal was on there. He said, “Hey, Ma, this is Rah from New Jeruse. I’m the one that gave you the glass of Cris, and the E. Call me when you wake up, so I can eat that cat out all night again.” I threw the phone down and screamed.
Chapter Nine
Natalie
I always wear black pants because they’re what look good on me. They hide everything. My braids looked pretty and I put on blue eye shadow, a little foundation, brown lip liner, and a frost purplish gloss. The color flattered my skin and went with my lavender V-neck shirt and open-toe sandals. I had to deal with Janelle trying to talk about Tanya. And Tanya asking why Janelle got that on. She’s not cute the entire night.
There were so many people out. I was having an okay time, but I was still thinking about Anthony. I tried to call him a few times, but he just kept hanging up on me. He probably will just be mad for a couple of days, not a big deal, I thought. I needed this trip. I would have gone crazy if I didn’t get away. As mad as Anthony is, he will get over it. At least I hope. I decided just to have a good time.
Miami was lit up and lively at night. I was having a little more fun at Club Seduction. It was all white inside and was majestic like a queen’s palace. I didn’t want to touch anything. I met this spoken-word poet named Miles from Boston. He worked at a hip-hop magazine as a graphic designer. We had a real deep conversation and he was attractive. He gave me his number and invited me to this party in his room. We danced for a couple of songs. He was trying to feel all up on me. I would move his hands off my back; then he would place them on my hips. When we started dancing we were in the middle of the dance floor. Now we were at the end because every time he would move in closer, I would step back.
“What, you scared of me?” he asked.
“No, I just don’t know you and I am married,” I said as I showed him my wedding ring.
“And where your husband at now?” he asked.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m faithful.”
“No girl’s faithful down here. You can try to be, but someone is going to break you down,” he said.
“I don’t think so,” I said and walked away.
I ran into Janelle back at the bar. A guy she met kept sending over drinks. I hadn’t ever drank so much in my life! I didn’t know I could hold liquor. Surprisingly, I didn’t throw up or act goofy. It was Tanya who was acting crazy, dancing all over guys. I had to nurse her from stupidity all night. She was mixing drugs with liquor and was sick as a dog. All I wanted to do was go to bed.
Chapter Ten
Janelle
I stretched and awoke. Natalie was already up watching television on the sofa. Tanya was stretched out on the other double bed on her cell phone, with her clothes and shoes on. I got up, looked in my bag, pulled out my jeans, and put them on.
�
�What time you get up?” I asked Natalie.
“Eight o’clock.”
“Why so early?”
“You know I get up early with the baby every morning.”
“What time did we get in?”
“I think like four?”
“What time is it now?”
“Eleven?”
“Oh, I’m thirsty. I need something to drink. I’m going to walk to the soda machine. You want something?”
“I want a Sprite,” she said as she gave me change out of her pocket.
“You want anything, Tanya?” I asked.
“Yeah, get me a Pepsi. Y’all got any Tylenol? My head is spinning. Hand me my purse, Nat.”
“I got it. I’ll be right back,” I said.
I walked down the hall to the soda machine and got our three sodas. Then I pushed the ice button on the ice machine. I noticed a set of guys getting off the elevator. One of them looked familiar. I turned my head because I didn’t want to stare. The guy I thought I recognized approached me. I now realized who he was. I didn’t want to get too excited. I kept saying in my mind that he is just a regular guy, just a regular guy. That’s how I was trying to act, like I didn’t notice the biggest rapper in the South was standing right across from me and was looking good. He was tall, about six three, with a medium dark brown complexion. He had ice wrapped all over his neck and wrists and a do-rag on his head and a Yankees hat on top of that. A blue Yankees baseball jersey and untied Timbs. His only flaw was the gold-capped teeth in his mouth.
I turned and tried to still act like I didn’t notice him. Then he said, “What’s up, shawty?”
I turned around to see if he was really talking to me. I said, “Shawty? Where you from talking like that?”
He looked surprised and said, “What, you don’t got a TV? You don’t know who I am?”
“No. Who are you?” I said as I continued to play dumb.
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