by Nique Luarks
Sasha couldn’t wait to tell Erin about last night with Shawn, and how he acted a damn fool. When she’d woke up this morning to get ready for work he wouldn’t even let her leave the house until she cursed him the fuck out. Sasha didn’t know what was coming over her but every day she was around Michael, her relationship with Shawn was getting worse. She was taking her lunch break at 54th Street Bar and Grill and needed to vent badly.
Sasha saw Erin come in and waved. “E!”
Erin smiled and walked over. “Sorry it took me so long, Santonio’s ass wouldn’t let up.” She took her jacket off and sat down.
Sasha grinned. “I thought you were done with him because of the shit he pulled the other night.” Sasha was happy Tone wouldn’t let up, and from the stories Erin told her, she personally liked him. He was persistent, and Erin needed that consistency. Sasha didn’t want her to give up on love.
“Girl he popped up, AGAIN. Talking bout he ain’t giving up.” She looked over her menu, trying to avoid eye contact with Sasha.
Sasha of course noticed. “You gone fuck him, and you gone be hooked, watch.” she laughed. “You’re trying to play hard to get and shit, that ain’t making him mad, that’s making his dick hard.”
Erin laughed. “You are so stupid. I’m not fucking him all that’s gone come with Tone are late nights, and headaches.”
Sasha waved her off. “Yea, ok. You don’t have to try and convince me. I see you blush when you’re talking about him, turning all red and shit.” She cracked up.
Erin flipped her off, “Why you sound so pressed when I talked to you this morning?” she asked switching the subject. The waiter came and took their order.
Sasha sighed. “Shawn’s disrespectful ass. I’m getting tired of it.”
Erin gave a confused look. “What he do now?”
“For one, he snatched me up at Ugly Joes like I was a fuckin kid, in front of my boss. Then he talking to this bitch Milan, his baby mama by the way, and last but not least he said he was gone kill me.” Sasha knew she exaggerated the last part, but he did say he would dead her and Michael.
Erin’s eyes widened. “Wait, why’d he snatch you up, what happened?”
“He found out I was working for Michael.” Sasha left out the part about her telling Shawn she didn’t recognize anybody at the bar.
“He didn’t know you’ve been working?” Again Erin was confused.
“No, he didn’t know I worked for Michael, he on some high testosterone type shit. I told him this morning I’ma continue working, because I like having my own money.”
Erin gave a concerned look. “But do you think it’s a good idea you work with Michael considering how you kind of digging him?”
The waiter sat their drinks in front of them, Sasha took a sip. “I’m not digging him, all I said was he’s cute.” she tried to convince herself.
Erin rolled her eyes. “Bitch please. You ain’t gotta lie to me. Apparently it’s something there. You’re risking your relationship just to work for him. I know Shawn told you to quit, and since you refuse to he’s going to think something is up.” Erin warned her.
Sasha disagreed. “It ain’t like I fucked him Erin, and I’m not risking my relationship, Shawn did when he went and had a fuckin’ baby. I like having my own dough. Not having to have my hand out for nothing, it feels good.”
Erin shook her head. “Ok Sasha, but I’m trying to tell you how this is going to play out.”
Sasha brushed her off. “I’m not going to do nothing stupid, like I said, I just think he’s cute, ain’t nothing wrong with crushing.”
Erin sighed. “Ok Sasha, just be careful, because you’re playing with fire.” Erin hated to see how this was going to end. If Sasha didn’t think smart she was going to be caught up in a whirlwind of drama that she created.
Sasha smirked. “Erin I got this, Shawn is just being extra.” She looked over and saw Jeanette walk in with Skyy and some new girl. She frowned. “Erin look.”
Erin glanced over her shoulder to see what Sasha was talking about. When she saw, she rolled her eyes and took a sip from her glass. “I haven’t seen nor talked to them, they want to alienate themselves from us, then cool.” Erin couldn’t hide the hurt and disappointment in her face. They’d had fallouts before but never this bad. She wanted to call Jeanette and Skyy over but they made it very clear since they weren’t answering her calls and texts that they weren’t fucking with her.
Sasha shook her head. “They just need time that’s all, we sisters, sometimes sisters argue. We’ll be cool.”
Skyy seen Sasha almost immediately when she stepped into the restaurant, and when Erin turned around and looked at her she quickly turned the other way. As she, Jeanette, and Jeanette’s co-worker Amina made their way to a booth, sadness took over. She missed the sisterhood, even Erin’s rude ass. Maybe she did overreact; she was starting to question her own actions. She’d always respected Erin’s opinion, so she had no clue as to why all of a sudden she started taking it to heart.
She sat down across from Jeanette and Amina. “Nette, you see Erin and Sasha?”
Jeanette shrugged. “Yea.” She didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Kory made it very clear she was not to speak to Erin, and the last person she wanted problems from was Kory. So she made sure to ignore every call, text, and Facebook message.
“You think we should say something, this is so awkward. If we see them, I know they see us.” Skyy had changed her number, so she wasn’t sure if they’d tried to reach out to her or not.
Amina blew a bubble and popped it. “Which girls y’all talking about?”
Jeanette pointed to Erin and Sasha’s table. “The one with the blonde and black bob is Sasha. And the one with the long hair and tattoos is Erin.” she said giving Amina the scoop.
Amina gave them the once over. “They cute or whatever.” She hated to but she had to give props where it was due, she knew a bad bitch when she saw one. Since she was facing Erin she was able to get a clear view of her face. “The one with the tattoos looks like she a mean bitch.” she shared a laugh with Jeanette.
Skyy wasn’t feeling Amina or her comment. “Chill on that you don’t even know them.” Even though her and Erin weren’t on speaking terms there was no way she was about to let no other bitch diss her right in her face. Skyy didn’t know why Jeanette brought Amina anyways. She’d specifically asked Jeanette to meet her so she could give her the run down on her mom and little sisters popping up at her house in the middle of the night while Deidra was there. But that story could wait because she refused to have Amina all in her personal life.
Amina gave her a stank look. “Jeanette done told me all about her, she need some dick in her life.”
Skyy looked from Jeanette to Amina, then back to Jeanette letting her know she had better get her friend. She was speaking out of pocket once again, and if she continued she was sure Jeanette would be mad at what she did next.
Jeanette nudged Amina laughing. “You silly.” She didn’t understand why Skyy was being so sensitive; everything Amina said was the truth.
Skyy waved to the waiter letting her know she was ready to order. She was ready to eat and get away from Amina, and now suddenly Jeanette too. Feeling the need to have Erin’s back and burst Amina’s bubble she smirked and said, “And for the record I’m sure Tone done knocked the pussy down, and then some.”
Jeanette looked at Amina, surprise evident in her face. Amina looked back over at Erin and bit the inside of her jaw. “Oh really?”
Chapter Eight: No Bullshit
Skyy called Deidra over and over, leaving voicemail after voicemail, needing to talk to her, craving her love and wanting to apologize. Deidra was ignoring her, and she knew she deserved it. It had been almost a week since the night of the thunderstorm and her mom and sisters had popped up on her doorstep. She wasn’t ready for her mother to meet Deidra, and she damn sure wasn’t prepared for how the situation played out. She just hoped her selfish ways hadn’t ruined
the best thing that had ever happened to her.
Her thoughts went back to that night, and she shook her head in disgust. Disgust at herself and how she dissed Deidra right in her face; telling her mother she was just a friend that stayed the night because the storm had knocked her lights out. She even went so far as to putting Deidra on the couch, and ended up sharing her bed with her mother. The hurt look in Deidra’s face cut like a knife, and she regretted even mouthing those words. Skyy knew she was in love with Deidra but the fear of how others would react scared her. But that night seeing the look Deidra gave her scared Skyy even more.
Skyy hadn’t talked to her since and she was losing her mind. Assumptions that Deidra might be done with her, and thoughts of her moving on and giving her love away to somebody else drove Skyy crazy. Normally she would call Erin and vent, but she wasn’t sure Erin would welcome her back with open arms considering how she went about things with them. But she knew her friendship with her girls was unbreakable, and she refused to cause any more damage. So she decided to call Sasha, knowing Sasha was much easier to approach than Erin.
As the phone rung she waited nervously.
Sasha answered. “Hello?”
Skyy smiled to herself. “Hey Sash, this Skyy.”
She heard Sasha close a door. “Hey Skyy, everything alright? Whose number is this?”
Skyy smiled, it was just like Sasha to worry. “I’m ok, this is my new number, I was calling to give it to you.”
“Ok, I’ll lock you in. You good? Me and Erin been trying to reach out to you and Jeanette. Skyy you don’t have to be so defensive, I know sometimes E can be overwhelming, but that’s what makes Erin. She’s been that way since forever. She didn’t say it to be spiteful, and she wasn’t trying to be malicious.” Sasha hated to see the group fall apart, because of egos.
Skyy sniffled as she listened and Sasha continued. “We love you Skyy, and we way better than all this bickering, and fighting…we sisters.”
Skyy agreed. “I know, I’ve just been so unsure of everything with Deidra and now she won’t even talk to me. I think I fucked up everything between us.”
Sasha sighed. “What did we tell you when we all met up that one night and you told us for the first time?”
Skyy sniffled some more. “That yall love and support me no matter what.”
“And what did Erin tell you?”
She wiped her eyes, “People are always going to have something to say about you, whether you doing good or bad.”
Erin sipped on her apple margarita vibing to Future’s DS2 album. She skimmed through the clothes in her walk-in closet trying to decide what to wear out tonight. Choosing an all-white long sleeved, backless dress she’d purchased at Nordstrom, she held it to her body. She looked over the shoes that were lined up along the wall and decided on her nude 5 inch Christian Louboutin’s she’d purchased as a birthday gift to herself last May.
She took the combo and laid it out across her bed, feeling herself. She’d got her hair freshly done earlier that day, and had left it wrapped so it could keep the same bounce and shine from when she got it done. Her hair stylist Kayla had hooked her up, with a middle part and she cut her long hair into layers. Erin sipped on her drink a little more and let the buzz kick in. She went back in front of the mirror looking at herself making sure her lashes were still on point.
It was going on ten thirty, and she was fresh out the shower, when the doorbell rang. She wrapped her towel around her and checked her phone to see if she had any missed calls. Making her way downstairs, she prayed it wasn’t Tone, knowing he loved doing random pop-ups. When she looked out the peep hole she saw it was Sasha, and let out a sigh of relief.
Opening the door she let Sasha in. “Bitch, why you didn’t just use your key, had me all paranoid and shit.” She laughed at how shook Tone had her nerves.
Sasha sashayed passed her, stopped and posed. She had on a skin tight long sleeve red two piece dress, with black opened toed Prada stilettoes with a gold chain strap across her ankle. She wore a long gold necklace that stopped at her belly button and a single gold bracelet on her wrist. Her signature bob was now slayed with a side part. Sasha did a slow spin so Erin could check her out. Erin laughed and gave her two thumbs up and a high five.
Sasha looked over Erin and frowned. “Bitch why you ain’t dressed, it’s almost eleven. You playing, I know you didn’t change your mind.” Sasha pouted knowing how Erin could be.
“No, I just got out the shower you know I had to smoke first. I can’t be smelling like weed, breathing all in a nigga face.” she laughed as Sasha followed her upstairs so she could start getting dressed.
Tone called her twice and each time she sent him to voicemail. Tonight she wasn’t worried about Tone, TreVell, or any other man, as a matter of fact. Tonight was about her having a good time, and just enjoying life. She and Sasha drank a whole lot more as she put her clothes on. Once she was finished getting ready she looked in the mirror. The dress was a perfect selection, and a bomb fit. It hugged her ass nicely, and her breasts sat up perfectly even without a bra. She decided on no jewelry except an iced out tennis bracelet her mom bought her. Her long hair was parted down the middle, and hung past her shoulders in nice layers.
Sasha came and stood next to her fixing her hair and jewelry. They gave each other a knowing look, and headed to get the night started.
They pulled up in Sasha’s 2015 Acura TLX, bumping Nicki Minaj’s “Pinkprint cd.” Sasha turned the music down as she looked for a place to park. It was packed. She had never been to the One Percent Ultra Club, and only came this time because it was an invite from Skyy. She hadn’t told Erin that, because she didn’t want Erin to decline her invitation, and disappoint Skyy.
Erin checked her appearance in the visor. “Why you pick this club, who you know that be here?” She puckered her lips and put on her lip gloss.
Sasha maneuvered around the parking lot until she found a spot. “I got invited; I think it’s a birthday party. If it’s bunk we can leave and go to Club Hotel, but by the look of all these cars, it’s crackin’.”
After a quick facial and breath check, they exited the car and headed towards the entrance. All eyes were on them as they came up on a long line. Sasha pulled her phone out her clutch to call Skyy.
Erin shivered as the cold wind hit her thick thighs. “Bitch, I don’t do lines, we ain’t never getting in, look at this.”
Sasha put her phone to her ear. “Skyy? Hey, yea we’re outside, can you come get us?”
Erin frowned. “Skyy?” It wasn’t until then that she realized how Sasha had heard about the club. “Sasha, really? You know damn well Skyy don’t fuck with me.” Her buzz was coming down. She was not in the mood for a shouting match.
Sasha grabbed her arm and led her to the door. “Oh hush, she invited us both, I just didn’t tell you because I know you would’ve flaked on me.” Just as she said that Skyy popped her head out the door, said something to the bouncer and pointed at Sasha and Erin.
Erin fixed her hair. “Ok, but if some shit pop off, just know I’m not gone be too many more bitches.”
They walked up to the door and the bouncer let them by. Skyy hugged Sasha. “I’m glad y’all came, I was starting to think y’all wasn’t fuckin with it.”
Sasha smiled. “Girl please, I ain’t had a night out in so long, I’ma enjoy this!”
Skyy looked over at Erin. “Wassup E, I’m glad you came.” She wasn’t sure if Erin would ignore her like she’d been ignoring her. To her surprise Erin reached out and embraced her.
As they held on to each other Erin spoke. “Skyy, I’m sorry. You know I wasn’t trying to hurt or judge you, you my big sister, I ain’t got nothing but respect for you.”
Skyy hugged her tighter. “I know, I’m sorry too!”
Sasha watched and smiled, she was happy they could squash the bullshit. She clapped her hands excitedly. “Lets, turn up!”
They went to the bar and they all got two Fireball shots each.
They laughed and talked as they complimented each other’s outfits. Skyy joked and said they were hoes because of how short and tight their dresses were. Skyy simply wore some tight cut up skinny leg jeans, a midnight blue blazer, with a white shirt underneath, and some midnight blue wedges. Her hair was in box braids, and she wore little make-up.
As they ordered another round of shots Sasha looked around the club. “This is live!” She danced in place as Chris Brown’s “Came to Do” blasted through speakers.
Erin who was now more than a little tipsy yelled over the music. “Right! This mothafucka is lit!” She threw her second set of shots back. Swaying her hips from side to side.
Skyy laughed. “Yea, I know Deidra invited me when I told her I wanted to talk. The only way she’d talk to me was if we were in person. Her and some of her people are just throwing a party for the hell of it.”
Erin realized what she said. “Wait, so Tone’s here?”
Skyy giggled at her. “Yea, he might be, I haven’t seen him all night. I went up to VIP, and he wasn’t there, so I don’t know.”
Erin scoped the club out seeing if she would come across him. Deep down, she was more worried about if he was with somebody. She told herself if he was smiling in another bitch’s face she would snap. Erin had to catch herself; it had to be the alcohol talking.
Sasha saw Erin’s face. “You ok?” Just as those words left her mouth her eyes grew big.
Erin turned around to see what Sasha was looking at and it was Tone walking with a woman attached to his hip. Erin bit the inside of her bottom lip. She leaned in to talk to Sasha and Skyy. “I’m about to rip his lips off his face for lying.” She spoke in a drunken slur.
Sasha knew she was dead serious. “Erin don’t, you don’t even know who she is.” Sasha recognized Tone from all the pictures Erin showed her, but now wished she didn’t recognize him at all. The disappointment in Erin’s face made her upset too, but she wanted to see how this would play out.