Midnight

17. Behind the Clouds

"I like dollars, I like diamonds, I stunting, I like shining," Cardi B rapped as green, purple, blue lasers and strobe lights beamed and flashed from every direction. Enough to disorient any conscious mind. The music vibrated against our flesh with every wall numbing bass. I saw the volume in the intermediately lit room. Hadn't even had a drink yet and we were too hype. I ticked to the ground. Randy followed, competitive as always. He began with hand performance and catwalk. The crowd took notice and began clapping on beat. Randy head spun around and around before he dropped into duck walk. His hand performance reeved the crowd before he spun then death drop. "Ow!" dropping ten times at once with his tongue hanging out. Who knew your favorite nurses got down like this! My flats had an advantage tonight. Somebody would've thought I was from the West Indies. We danced through a few songs before resting up with drinks. After I got a few drinks in me, I was worse. Drake- Nice for What played when a dude approached me talking about something. I crippled his pride with my Drake bobblehead. The guy mouthed stuck up and walked off. Mission accomplished! Randy and I were laughing at everything and everybody. We were so giddy whenever we got together and my Drake impersonations were superb.

At the bar Kendrick Lamar - Loyalty played, A low hazy beam of purple filled the room. Setting the mood. I almost began a slow roll when I looked over my left shoulder near the entrance and spotted Carlton. And of all people walking in with him, was Sierra lagging behind. She kept trying to pull her too little dress down. My face sizzled as my brain sent neurons to slap the shit out of my heart.

"Shit! Cala, don't let that bother you. Noooo, not that. That ain't shit right there. Two ain't shits." Randy rubbed my shoulder, trying to pep talk me.

"I'm cool..." I attempted to look unbothered. Randy gave me an offended eye. He knew me better. I wanted to be cool. I really wanted to.

I sat my drink down and watched the glass bar. "Nuh-uh, Cala. You can't be looking affected in front of them! Come on now!" he pushed me in my back.

"I said I was alright," I spoke low into my reflection on the bar.

"Well, you are going to have to laugh. Laugh, now bitch!" he hollered. I looked up to his seriously concerned face, worried about me and I burst out laughing. He followed with the loudest laugh in the club. Clapping his manly hands."WOOO!" and we were back at it falling all over each other in tears laughing for no reason at all.

Bless that bitch heart for having him. Them two being in the same vicinity as me broke my mood no matter how hard Randy tried. I couldn't unsee them fucking in my house. I needed to sell it. 'Throw the house away' in the words of Randy Burton. She looked like she went to bed stank. Rough day looking ass. "Come on Cala, let's dance. You can't sit here, you keep sinking into your feelings. Bout to ruin my night."

"I'm sorry. You're right. I can't move right now. Go ahead I'll catch up." I was short with him--allowing Carlton to have power over my present state.

"Ah hell--You know I'm not going to leave you looking flicted by yourself at this bar. They'll really talk then." he stood beside me with his back and his elbows rested on the bar.

He swayed his hips to the music while I kept my eyes on my drink, swirling the ice around with my straw. "He coming this way sit up! Poke your chest out!" I popped my head up to his words. "Don't look panicked, bitch! Poke your damn chest out! Shit!" Randy turned around and pushed my lower back in for me to sit up straight.

"Why the hell is he coming this way?" I managed my face straight, but my nerves were all over the place. I tried my hardest not to turn my head in the direction he was coming from.