Obsession

12

Nicki quickly rushed onto the plane. She was thankful for the distraction of flying. Being in the air helped her focus on something other than Beyoncé. However, even as she focused her attention on creative ideas for later, Nicki couldn't shake off thoughts of Beyoncé. She still felt bad for their recent phone call. Nicki was supposed to be with her; helping Beyoncé forget about her troubles, but instead Nicki had declined to spend time with her friends. She thought about calling again, but she was on a flight.

She hoped Beyoncé would call her again soon. She needed to make it up to her. The memory of their emotional conversation still lingered in her mind, the guilt she felt about rejecting Beyoncé weighing heavily on her heart. But, she needed to find a way to balance her feelings for Beyoncé with taking care of herself.

She was thrilled to have been given the opportunity to work on such a high-profile project, but she couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt around Beyoncé. It had been on her mind ever since she'd said no. She worried Beyoncé would never call her again. She'd never said no before and it weighed on her. She hoped that Beyoncé would understand, she had always been there for her. But this time she needed to focus on herself, to take care of her own emotional health.

As she settled into her seat on the airplane, Nicki thought about her relationship with Beyoncé. It had started off as purely professional, with Nicki serving as Beyoncé's hairstylist and something of a confidante. But over time, things had become complicated. They'd had sex. She'd signed documents. Beyoncé had brought her to new realms of pleasure. She had submitted her body to Beyoncé's desires and had enjoyed every moment.

But, now, it was more than just sex. Nicki had feelings - ones she couldn't just ignore - intense desperate feelings of attraction. It was more than just physical. It was desire, and love. She couldn't deny the chemistry between them, even if they had never acted on it. Every time Beyoncé whispered in her ear or brushed a hand up against hers, she felt a spark light up inside of her. She was falling for Beyoncé, and she was falling hard.

But Beyoncé was married, and even if she wasn't, Nicki wasn't sure if she was ready to open herself up to that kind of vulnerability. Nicki had wanted to be honest about her feelings, hoping they'd be reciprocated. Instead, she glanced out the window holding her breath as they began their descent into the sunshine state.

As she made her way to the set, her mind wandered back to Beyoncé and the mixed emotions that came with her. She was in love with her boss. Maybe that was the problem. Nicki had been rejected before, but this was someone she admired so much. A woman so beautiful, Nicki didn't stand a chance. She remembered the pain, and jealousy, when Beyoncé dismissed her feelings months ago.

"We have a connection"

"I just don't feel the same way"

But, now things had changed. Beyoncé had kissed her and touched her. Nicki was sure Beyoncé could feel what she felt, at least a little. Otherwise, she wouldn't have called her the way she did, she wouldn't have touched her in such a way, Beyoncé had even opened up to her.

As she set up her station, she caught up with another stylist who she hadn't seen in a while. They chatted and gossiped about the celebs they'd done work for both excited about their careers at the moment. Nicki didn't care much about what the day had in store. She was just grateful to be doing something different. It broke up her routine of following Beyoncé around the world and the sense of loss she sometimes felt.

She was working alongside a team for this project. Nicki was glad to be a part of it, knowing it would be great for her portfolio and the cheque could help pay off some of her debts.

She gestured for one of the models to come over and began to do her hair starting off by washing it in the basin. The hairstyles were all very theatrical, and Nicki found herself enjoying the creative challenge, and the sense of accomplishment that came with styling a beautiful head of hair. Her experienced hands deftly maneuvered through a sea of products, finding the perfect mixture of moisture, hold, and protection needed for her client's tresses.