Sober (Chris Brown Story)

Seven

“Oh thank god you’re here! Janelle has been no help to my life whatsoever!” He complains then babbles on how she’s been flirting with the male customers and not helping the women out. I can’t help but to giggle. Janelle is quite a card. As he proceeds to go on and on, I tune him out and look elsewhere. Whether Terrence knew it or not, his constant chatter was enough to make you want to cut your ears off. He changed subjects so quick in one breath that I was surprised he wasn’t blue in the face. I wondered vaguely whether he was a bottom, he looked like the type. 

“Danica! Did you just hear me?” Terrence frowned as he folded his arms tapping his foot. I blink trying to guess what he might have said but nothing came to mind. I shake my head, “Sorry Terrence, I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, but can you repeat what you said?” I apologize sweetly and he eyes me narrowly before rolling his eyes. “Mhm, I said that my birthday is coming up and I was wondering if you would like to attend the dinner party. Janelle is coming.” He buzzes excitedly obviously happy that there was a day where he could be a diva and no one could say anything about it. 

I think about not going because since I’ve worked here I have never attended at festivities with my co-workers until recently. A part of me wants to keep that tradition alive, but another part of me says to go. Being stuck in the house by myself while Gabriel was out enjoying life was starting to look sad. I deserved to enjoy my life a little, right?

“Of course I’ll go, who better to help you bring in another year than me?” I smile at him and I think his face was going to crack. He is so happy that I’m coming that he hugs me, thanking me. After he delivers the details of the party he goes on his marry was to help customers while I go man a register to talk to Janelle quickly.

Janelle as usual is happy to see me, and I can say the feeling is mutual. Although I don’t know much about her and she doesn’t know much about me, it was good to have someone to talk to. “Dani, girl I must say… You have more men than I do right now!” She starts right off the back. I furrow my eyebrows not sure what she means. The only guy I have told her about was Chris, and he’s not per say “my guy”, more so an unconventional friend. “I do?” I scratch my head staring at her as I bag an outfit for a younger woman. Janelle nods ringing up another customer. She tosses her perfect blond hair over her shoulder and continues, “This guy named Gabriel came in the store yesterday looking for you. He says he’s your roommate. If that’s your roommate Dani, then I’m jealous.” She frowns taking the money from the man. I shake my head. He’s been up to my job too? Ok I really need to talk to him about personal space. This has gotten out of hand. I sigh, “Trust there is nothing going on between Gabriel and I. If you want him you can have him, maybe that’ll get him off my back.” I murmur the last part but Janelle and her supersonic hearing catches on. 

She turns her porcelain face towards me and arches one of those gods carved eyebrows at me questioningly. As the next customer steps forward she asks what I knew was to come, “what do you mean?” The question floats around in the air as I try to sum up in my head why I was so bugged about Gabriel. “He… He’s trying to figure out who Chris is. He’s seen his car, but not him. Then I disappeared for two days and he kept asking me earlier where was I. He’s been being annoying.” I explained as I continued to help people. Janelle nods taking in the information. As she mulls over it we finish up with the last of our customers waiting to be checked out. She leaned up against the counter, “hm… It would be weird just to tell him that Chris is just a guy you have sex with, he’ll probably look at you differently.” She agrees with what I’ve been thinking this whole time.

Telling Gabriel who I have known for almost two years that I’m sexually frustrated and have been exploring my body with some man that I barely even know sounds crazy. I didn’t need him judging me like many have done before; I needed him to see me in the same light as he did when he moved in with me.