Mixing Business with Pleasure (Editing)

9 - Salty

Chapter 9 - Renee pov

Salty

A/N Pov will repeat the phone conversation between Candice and Renee before it continues into her backstory. (I normally hate repetitions but it's worded differently and shows her true feelings)

'The Devil is a alive' I thought to myself as I heard my phone ringing loud as hell. I was having a good dream as well. What the hell was someone doing calling me 5 in the morning and why is my phone even ringing?? That shit is normally on silent. I was going to ignore it but it kept on ringing. I stretched my arm out to reach my phone. It said the name Candice on it. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Candice" I asked just to make sure . She hadn't been answering her calls for the longest. I was starting to think she got abducted by aliens, before I gave up and went to bed.

"Yeah girl, it's me" she whispered which made me smile for a second, at least I know she's safe.

"Oh" I yawned, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes "So you're alive!" I said sarcastically "Do you know how many times I've called you? There's me thinkin-" my rant of concern was cut off.

"Renee, I need you to pick me up" she whispered. Again. Where is this girl at? The library.

Wait, where the hell could she be? I made an effort to sit up, suddenly concerned "What? From where?"

This is my girl. I know I was cranky just two seconds ago. But I'm down for her and she's down for me. I'm obviously about to pick her up right now. I put the phone on speaker as I put on my slippers that were underneath the bed. Then the light bulb switched in my head. "Hold up" I started, "Both you and Samuel didn't come back from your meeting and now you want me to come and pick you up?"

Did this bitch think I was stupid? I knew something was going on! I just knew it. I could feel myself starting to get mad. Why was she keeping secrets?

"Renee" I heard her whisper sharply, as if she wanted me to shut up. But I ignored her.

"I knew it" I stated angrily, clearly getting caught up in my emotions. I quickly forced laughter to cover up the tone of voice I just used. I didn't want Candice to catch on that I was annoyed. I thought of something the typical me, I would be expected to say "Did he put it on you good?" I asked although the thought of Candice with Samuel disgusted me. It literally made me want to be sick.

"Renee" she repeated. But this time she sounded like she was embarrased of something. If only she knew how I thought about her on the regular.

"I'll tell you when you get here" she whispered.

'Please don't' I thought to myself. She must be at his place and he must be asleep. She described where she she was, and I told her I'd flash my lights when I reached outside his complex though I couldn't help but feel some type of way I was being used as a taxi driver after I realised she wasn't in no form of danger. Don't lie you're salty because you know she doing her thing with someone else. I put my weave in a bun, trying to block thoughts out my head, before searching hard for my keys. They always disappear on me, when I'm in a rush. The Devil really is alive.

As I drove, in the early hours of the morning with no make-up, in my house clothes and slippers, looking like a mad woman I tried to collect my feelings. I couldn't be acting salty when Candice came. I would have to act happy for her. I'm not a fake bitch, more like a hollywood actress. I've had to lie a lot because the truth is I'm scared of telling her how I really feel. I don't even know if I know how I really feel. I don't identify as lesbian. I've had my fair share of the D and I like it way too much to want to give that up. I don't see myself as bi, as I've never been down that road with a woman. Maybe I'm bi-curious. Because Candice makes me curious. She makes me thinks of things I never thought about before. I really wouldn't want to lose my friend if it was all to go wrong. That might sound weak as hell but underneath my loud personality and loud mouth I have feelings. She's the only real friend I have except for Sky. Sky is my friend for life. I know way too many fakes. Family included.

Candice and I only started talking in the last year of high school. I didn't use to associate with her type. Don't get me wrong, she was smart and cool or whatever but if you weren't popular I probably wasn't talking to you. I only spoke to my clique, Tanya, Stacey, and Keisha. We had the attention of all the boys worth looking at in school. That meant all the girls wanted to be like us. But we weren't into dating 'little boys' back then. We thought we was beyond it. We wanted real men, with status and money. We were something else. We used to get fake IDs and sneak into clubs to try and get their attention. I feel a bit embarrassed of the things I used to do looking back. But I had no real role model. My mom was only interested in her white lover, cocaine and my fath- sperm donor was never around. I was a lost child that was too wild for her own good. I was looking for attention in all the wrong places. I learnt my lesson the hard way. I was knocked up at the age of sixteen.

I was going to get an abortion. It seemed like the easiest thing to do. I could carry on living. Go out, and maybe go to college. But I couldn't do it. I knew I wouldn't be able to live with myself for taking somebodies life. It's not the babies fault I screwed around and made mistakes. Who am I to decide somebody shouldn't have a chance just because I'm being selfish? My baby could be something special. So I sucked it up, all the embarrassment and the rumors.

I found out who my real friends were. The girls I thought were in my clique were acting like I was a freak. They were acting like they wasn't grinding in the clubs with me and having sex with men on a night out. They let people label me as the hoe, which was stupid because the same people calling me names were not virgins. They ignored me when I got kicked off, of the cheerleading squad. They acted like they were too good for me all of a sudden. I found it funny how they started going to all the parties the footballers did as they used to call lame. Everybody at school spoke about them so much, I even wished I was invited. I found it funny how they started acting all brand new. What wasn't funny was how alone I felt.

I was determined to finish school because my mom didn't think I could. I wanted to prove her wrong. She always said I was good for nothing. I got paired up with Candice for a science project. I was dreading having to work with anyone because I was hormonal and couldn't take mean words anymore but surprisingly she was nice. We ended up being cool. She didn't judge me. She introduced me to a few of her friends. Some of them were a bit weird with me, but at least I had people to chill at lunch with before I went home to reality.

I named my daughter Sky. Because I felt like she was sent from there. I never thought love at first existed until I finally met her. All the names I was called, missing out on prom, the pain of pushing her out we're all worth it, the moment I looked into her pretty deep brown eyes. I really love her. I held her in my arms for hours before they took her away. I planned to have her adopted into a family that could provide for her in ways I couldn't. My just money but stability. I was living in a hood I didn't want Sky to grow up in. I didn't want her to be like me. I didn't want her to see the things I've seen. I didn't want her to know her father was like mine, a man that didn't care. I wanted her to feel loved.

It's an open adoption. The parents I chose Kyle and Monique and I met up often. Not often enough. They're really supportive when I come around though. Sky even knows I'm her mom. I don't have to pretend around her. She's only six but she knows the real me, no one else sees. Sometimes I wish I could get her back and have her all to myself. I worked hard to become something. Cleaning jobs. Office jobs. Until I got this job as a PA. Men used to make me feel better. They tell me they love me and I want to feel loved sometimes. Candice has been there throughout. I think that's why I feel so close to her.

I had some crazy exes. I told my Candice about some of them. She used to advice me not to go there. Sometimes I listened. Sometimes I didn't. But sometimes Id catch myself thinking maybe she's telling me to stay away from these guys because she wants me for herself. Because she was going on like it was affecting her life. It's not like they were treating me that bad.

She hasn't had many relationships. There was one serious one, that I was secretly glad ended. I didn't really get why at the time but I just hated that man. Tyrese. He just thought he was better than everyone else. I knew he wasn't right for Candice. Then I started having these dreams about her. I started feeling some type of way about anyone that was interested in her. I even googled what was wrong with me. I tried to act like normal. But the feelings keep coming back. Shit, even now I'm mad.

I pulled up to the complex and flashed my lights. Candice came out seconds later.

A/N A glimpse of the real Renee. What do you think of her? She's been through a lot. I like my characters to have different layers. Votes & Comments would be appreciated! Any feedback, even the bad and ugly.