by Kiki Swinson
“That bitch was insane for a minute, broke into your locker and stole your books. What the fuck was she going to do with them?” We both burst out laughing.
“I remember. That was a mess. I always wondered what she planned to do with them. I’m glad the janitor caught her, though.”
“I think she was going to put a hex on you. Shit, I don’t know.” Briana continued to laugh. “That bitch was on one. And over some nigga. That whole move made her look weak and desperate.”
“I still can’t believe how she turned up on me. I would have never expected her to do the things she did. It was bananas.” I shook my head in disappointment just thinking about it.
“That’s what I’m saying. Now she want to be poppin’ up at your job, y’all exchanging numbers and shit. Like none of that never happened. Hmmm.” Briana rolled her eyes.
“Don’t be like that, Bri. She was our friend for years, and I have always tried not to forget that.”
“No, fuck that. She was your friend first in fourth grade, remember? You met her psycho ass, then you introduced her to me.”
“Damn, Bri, I knew her five seconds before I introduced her to you.” I chuckled.
“That don’t mean shit. She still was your friend first.” She smacked her lips.
“Shut up. I swear you petty.” I grinned. “Oh, and she asked about you.”
Briana rolled her eyes again. “I don’t know why. Hope you told that bitch that I disappeared.”
“Of course not. Why would I say that? She wanted to know if you were still slaying heads.”
“Why she need to know that?”
“Why you think? Hell, she probably want you to slay her head for old times. I for one wouldn’t blame her.”
“Bitch, please. The last time I was in that girl’s head, waterfall braids were still in style. And I plan to keep it that way. Trust. I am good.” She sucked her teeth. I knew she meant every word. “She won’t ever get to accuse me of a nigga she ain’t never even flirted with. Crazy ass.”
“I swear, you so mean.” I continued to grin.
“I’m just sayin’. Besides, that bitch know I always know the business, so she knows not to fuck with me.”
CHAPTER 4
“Oh God, I smacked that trick in her face. There was nothing else left for me to do.” Stacey chopped our ear off about her latest fight. We were all sitting in the kitchen at Briana’s house catching up while Briana put the final touches on Stacey’s hair. I was up next and could not wait for my girl to sew in in my bundles of Brazilian hair.
“And she deserved that shit. These hoes be getting too bold these days.” Briana put in her two cents.
“I know, right? Just like I told that bitch, Cruz can do whatever he want for her. But at the end of the day, I’m his main chick. Don’t ever step to him, in my face, and think I’ma let that shit ride. Bitch must think I went soft.” Stacey picked her phone up off the table and started to scroll through it. “But don’t worry, I checked his ass too. They both got me fucked up,” she was sure to clarify.
“I feel you though, Stacey.” I shut the oven door and bit off a piece of the chicken Briana had fried before I came over.
“I’m cool, though. That nigga had to lay ten stacks on me after that. And all still ain’t forgiven.” Stacey chuckled.
“Damn right. And now you slayed that bitch courtesy of me.” Briana stuck her tongue out and laughed.
“Yep, you know how to get a bitch right. Now I’m about to get out in these streets and do me.” Stacey stood up, leaned close to Briana, and snapped a selfie of them.
“Yep, you on point.” I stood up, ready to take my turn in Briana’s magical seat. My girl was a beast with those hands.
After taking a few more pics of herself, Stacey was out.
“Stacey ass crazy.” I laughed.
“Hell yeah. That’s why she my bitch, though, ’cause she don’t be taking no shit. For real, for real. But real talk, she need to be done with that nigga Cruz ass for good. That shit get old, that’s why I clipped Ronnie ass. Fucking around with that deadbeat, and I was gon’ have to kill one of them ratchet bitches.”
I was still keeping my fingers crossed and thanking God she had not drifted back to Ronnie. Hell, this was actually the first time she had even brought up his name since she told me she was officially done with him.
“That’s why I’m glad you put that issue to bed.” I sucked my teeth. A message from Sheila popped up on my phone. I was reluctant to read it because I was not going in to work. “Sheila hittin’ my phone. They already tried to get me to come in earlier and I had turn them down,” I shared with Briana.
Briana sighed. “I swear that damn job can’t give you a break. Why don’t they just make you the head supervisor? ’Cause it seem like they can’t function if you ain’t there.” That was so true.
“Ha.” I laughed. “Well, you know what that all comes down to is a bigger title, which means more money. And you know their cheap ass tryin’ to keep it in the pocket.” I had to be honest.
“See, that’s that same bullshit I be talkin’ about. This fucking organized pimping. Another reason why I’d rather keep slaying heads at the crib.”
I had heard that too many times to count, but to me that was just another excuse for her not to get in school. I wasn’t buying it.
“Listen, regardless of how you feel, you need to sign up for cosmetology school and get your license. You are too good a stylist to keep it bottled up in this damn kitchen. With that license you could compete in all the hair shows, national and local.”
Briana’s sigh reassured me that she was still not convinced. “Porsha, you just don’t understand.”
“Bri, you my girl so you know I get it, but—” The ringing of my cell phone cut me off. Studying the screen, the number didn’t look familiar. I started to ignore it because every now and then an ex tried to hit me up.
“You gon’ answer that?” Briana twisted another braid to my scalp.
Thinking what the hell, I answered. “Hello?” The familiar voice surprised me right away. “Oh, what’s up, Sasha? I didn’t recognize the number, I almost hit ignore,” I blurted out.
“You sound surprised to hear from me. I told you we need to keep in touch,” she reminded me. Even though we had exchanged numbers, I never really believed she would call. “What’s up?”
“Over here at Bri’s house. She hookin’ me up.” Briana stopped doing my hair and came to face me. She twisted up her mouth and gave me a few don’t tell her nothing about me faces. I almost laughed out loud and waved her away to keep from giggling.
“That’s what’s up. You know I’m going have to have her slay me soon. Hey, I wanted to invite you and Bri out for dinner at LaBerto’s Mexicana tomorrow?” I loved their food, and the offer sounded nice, but I paused for a minute before answering. My eyes went to Briana because I knew for sure she was gon’ trip. “Porsha, you still there?” Sasha interrupted my hesitation.
“Yeah, I’m here. I was unhooking my Bluetooth,” I lied. Briana was still giving me the evil face. I couldn’t bring myself to say no. “But no doubt. We can be there.” I accepted for both of us. The word “we” had caused Briana to bulge her eyes at me.
“Cool. Tomorrow around six.”
“Bet,” I agreed before ending the call.
“Hmmm,” Bri mouthed as she resumed working on my head. “What she want? What was that ‘we’ shit?” She threw questions at me.
“Why she gotta want something. Maybe she just calling.” I stalled. I was not ready to hear what she would say next.
“Whatever. Don’t be saying my name to that girl. And you said ‘we,’ which leads me to think you were involving me in some type of bullshit.”
“Bri, stop being mean.” I sighed and just decided to say it. “She just invited us out tomorrow night at LaBerto’s.” I smiled. I hoped that alone would encourage her to go, because she loved that place as well. I didn’t get my hopes up, though; she could be stubborn
.
“When you say ‘us,’ you mean you and somebody else you know, right?” she asked, her tone full of sarcasm.
“Who else would I be talkin’ about? I meant ‘us’ as in you and me. And why you trippin’, you know you love that place,” I reminded her.
“True, I love the food, but . . . Nah, not with that girl. I’m good.”
“Her name is Sasha, Bri. As in your old friend Sasha. And she offering you a free meal, at one of your favorite places, I might add.”
“Stop calling that girl my friend. And old friend or not, I ain’t interested in breaking bread with your new bestie.”
“Ha, bestie, you tried it.” I laughed out. “Wait, are you jealous?” I chuckled.
“Not jealous, just not fuckin’ with that bitch.”
“Why not? It’s just dinner, Bri.” I was not ready to give up.
“Mmm-hmmm, I know that . . . But, Porsha.” Her grip got tighter on the braids. I was really annoying her. “We ain’t talk to this girl since eleventh grade. All of a sudden she pops up after all these years of being angry over some dumb shit. Now she wants to take us out to eat . . . Fuck that.”
Everything she was saying was legit, but I wanted to move past it. “On life I get where you comin’ from. But that stuff is in the past. We shouldn’t be dwelling on it. We were stupid kids. That’s all. Hothead females in high school.”
“Listen, you might not be dwelling on it. But I ain’t fucking wit it. Besides, I’m booked.”
I couldn’t help but smile because I knew Briana, and she was no easy nut to crack. Which was cool because I didn’t give up easy either. I continued, “All that aside, you should just trust me. You know if it was on some bull I would not have accepted.”
Still twisting my braids, Briana sighed. She knew at this point I was not trying to let it go. “Damn, I swear you don’t give up . . . I’ll go.” She sighed again. “But on life, if she gets either of us in the wrong, she gettin’ her ass beat on sight. And that’s a promise.”
“Trust I know you will. Everything gon’ be cool, though.” At least I hoped. The last thing I wanted was Briana to get upset in a restaurant full of people. It could only end with one or both of them behind bars.
CHAPTER 5
Arriving at the restaurant, I pulled into a parking spot and turned down the radio, Drake’s voice faded. Briana looked at me like I was crazy. For one, she was still not happy about meeting up with Sasha. Two, she loved Drake, so, me cutting into his music was a problem.
“See, you gotta understand that turning Drake down or off when he rhyming is plain disrespectful.”
“Well, when he cut me a check I’ll care.” I grinned. “Listen, please behave. This a public place full of people. So don’t embarrass me. Oh, and I want my free meal. Don’t mess that up for me, please,” I added.
“Here you go. Ain’t nobody gon’ embarrass you.” Briana unbuckled her seat belt, slid on her Ray-Bans, and opened her door. I followed suit. “Just as long as she don’t forget the rules of engagement when dealing with me.” She gave a snide grin.
I shook my head in uncertainty. The situation was either going to turn out good or bad. Either way, I was not leaving. “Just come on.” I reached out and pulled the door open and made my way inside the restaurant.
I told the hostess who we were meeting and she led us back. Sasha noticed us and stood up to greet us as we reached the table. With a body similar to Kim Kardashian, Sasha always made sure to show it off, rocking a pair of skintight blue jean cutoff shorts, a black crop top, and a pair of pumps. Her hair was pulled back into a long ponytail that touched the top of her huge butt. The look on her face said “I look good.”
“Still a ho,” Briana mumbled under her breath. I had to swallow to keep from responding. In high school Sasha had been known for wearing extremely tight and revealing clothing. She had been sent home to change on several occasions only to have her mother bring her back to the school. Then she would curse out the teachers for, according to her, “worrying about something that was none of their damn business.” The bottom line was she entertained men for money during the day while Sasha was at school, and the last thing she needed was Sasha coming home interrupting her customers.
“I was beginning to worry you might not show.” Sasha reached out and we embraced in a hug.
“You know me, time has not changed. I’m still always late.” I chuckled. I noticed Briana quickly hopped a seat. That was her escape from Sasha even attempting to hug her.
“Hey, Bri.” Sasha had a huge smile on her face.
Barely opening her mouth, Briana said, “What’s up.”
Relieved that she had even responded, I grabbed a chair to sit down.
“So I took the liberty of ordering the famous house margaritas. They should be here in a minute.” She rubbed her hands together, and I sensed that she was a bit nervous but trying to keep it cool.
“Wait, how you order margaritas, ain’t none of us twenty-one?” Briana asked. The sarcasm in her tone was apparent. I tried to keep a smile as I gave her the chill out glance.
Sasha smiled. “Actually, I know the owner. When I arrived he came out to speak with me. He asked me what we would like to drink. I told him, and he put the order in with the bartender.”
I could tell by the look on Briana’s face that she was not impressed. “Hmm,” was all she said before picking up a tortilla chip and dipping it in salsa.
The waitress approached the table with our drinks. Then she patiently took our orders. We all knew what we wanted without looking at the menu. Turned out this was one of Sasha’s favorite restaurants as well.
Sasha cleared her throat as the waitress left the table. She rubbed her hands together again. “First off, I would like to thank you both for coming to meet me. I know this is uncomfortable for all of us, being as how our friendship ended.” Briana looked up from her chips and salsa. I silently prayed that she would allow Sasha to finish what she had to say. “Second, I want to apologize about the way things went down over Damion . . .” She paused. “The way I behaved was wrong and just way out of hand. Porsha, I know you didn’t know that I was into him. I just allowed jealousy to take over. But you both were my true friends and I ruined it . . . I take full responsibility. But today, right here and right now, I want to say I am so sorry. Really, I was completely over it by our senior year, but I didn’t know how to approach either of you after the way I clowned.” Tears slid down both of her cheeks.
“Hey don’t cry. I accept your apology. We were young,” I said.
Briana didn’t say anything, but I could see the softness fill her face. She was calm and I knew she had let her guard down. She sipped her margarita and smiled. “I’m glad you got the hook up with the boss. This margarita is on point.” I knew that was sort of her peace offering. At least, all she was willing to give.
“Yeah, it is good,” I agreed.
“I know I get them all the time when I eat here. That’s why I always make sure Nick is going to be here before I come.”
“Who is Nick?” Briana asked.
“The owner.”
“Y’all be hookin’ up or some?” Briana pried.
“Nah, it ain’t like that, he just cool people.”
I didn’t know if I believed her. But really, it was none of my business. I would love getting free drinks from now on. In the future I would be sure to come with Sasha.
For the next two hours we sat and had drinks, talked, and ate. As usual the food was good. We caught up on each other and what we had been up to. But the most interesting part of the night came when Sasha revealed that she had a two-year-old daughter named Rein. Out of the three of us, she would have been the last one that I thought would have a baby. After living with her mother, she always declared she did not want children. Sasha’s mother spoiled her—she had everything she wanted—but she never showed her any love. She was always gone or entertaining. Then when Sasha was in the tenth grade, she ran off with some guy and left Sasha alo
ne for good. From that point on all she did was pay the bills so Sasha had a place to stay, and she sent her money for clothes and food. Sasha resented her for it. I mean, who could blame her? And she swore she never wanted to see her again. So to hear she had a daughter was beyond shocking, but I couldn’t wait to meet Rein.
CHAPTER 6
It had been a few weeks since Sasha, Briana, and I went to dinner. I had been busy working twelve-hour days with no days off because two of my tellers had been out with the flu. And with Briana being booked doing heads, we hadn’t had much time to talk, not to mention we had missed two Love & Hop Hip Atlanta nights. But finally things were getting back on track at work and my normal schedule had resumed, so finally I had a day off. The first thing I did was get a much-needed mani and pedi, then I headed home. Briana was on her way over to touch my hair up.
“What’s up, stranger?” Briana joked as soon as I opened the door.
“Ready for you to tackle this wig.” I played twirling my hair around my fingers.
“Judging by the looks of that head, you need it.” Briana stepped past me, then set the keys to Kat’s car on the coffee table.
“Whatever, you tried it.” I laughed.
“Judging by the fact there is no smoke in the air, I would say Ms. Jennifer here.”
“Hell yeah, she up there. But you know I gave that mess up.” I had to keep reminding her, and I hated for her to even talk about it. It was hard enough.
“You still on that shit, Porsha. Come on, everybody need to hit the blunt sometimes. It’s only natural.”
“No, it’s natural for you. I’m good.” I had to believe that. If not, I would have the blunt up to my mouth daily. But the fact of the matter was I smoked so much of that shit when my brother died I felt like I lost track of time. And that was not good. So here I was challenging myself to see how strong I could be by giving it up.