A short story in which a woman reflects on the time she took advantage of a then eighteen-year-old woman she met in a bar.
Author's Note: This was originally written as a one-shot but I decided to expand it.
I felt like the gif where that white man blinks as if to say "excuse me?"
With pursed lips, Melissa smoothly nodded a few times.
"How do you know?" I asked, toning down my reaction. Melissa seemed like an old friend, but I didn't know her like that. I didn't want to give off the vibe that I was a bitch who lived for gossip.
I also didn't want to seem like I was judging Janet. She could fuck whoever she wanted. But knowing we fucked the same person...shit hits differently.
Melissa distorted her face. I didn't know if it was because she thought my question was dumb or because she realized her glass was empty. "Excuse me," she said, turning her body and raising her hand.
A brunette waiter politely came to us. "Yes, how may I help you?"
"I want a refill. You want one?" Melissa's long red nails tapped the glass, her brown eyes then switching to me.
I decided to go for it. Thank goodness Beyoncé and Kelly had been ushered further back into the restaurant.
But knowing Beyoncé, she probably saw me. And her ego probably had her convinced that I was somehow here to see her and that I was pining to have some type of interaction with her.
Kelly I could stand. I didn't mind seeing her again. But Beyoncé? It was like I could never escape that woman for long.
"People talk," Melissa said, picking the conversation back up. "Beyoncé...that's her name."
I could win an Oscar for how I was acting.
"Her mother was a stylist in the industry, so she got Beyoncé an internship at Republic. Jan was the Digital Marketing Executive there at the time and Beyoncé stayed under her. She didn't just take care of the office shit but the personal, home, shit too. Janet needed her plants watered and her fish fed? Beyoncé did it. Janet's mother needed a favor? Beyoncé got it done. She was hella ambitious..." She paused only to thank the waiter and took a long sip of her refill. Licking her lips, she continued. "And she made an impression. Now let me tell you when shit hit the fan. You know Lenny Velez from Hampton PR?"
"Yeah, I do," I said proudly. "I actually had an informational interview with her once."
The visual came to mind of the senior publicist:
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"Yeah?" Melissa looked intrigued. "Oh, that's cool. Well, she used to date Jan." She cracked a humored smile. "One day she came to the office, all nice and calm to the staff, very chatty and pleasant like usual. Then she sees Beyoncé walk by and goes ape shit!" Melissa was quiet but animated as she fed me the details.
I gasped.
"'You little cunt, does your mother know the homewrecking slut you are,'" Melissa started reenacting. "This, this, that, and the third...the staff had to jump in 'cause they was about to throw hands. Well...(sigh) Lenny was out of the picture after that...it was said that they didn't actually start fucking around until that incident happened. Beyoncé was crazy in love with Jan, everybody knew but they weren't exclusive. Beyoncé found out about the other ladies and that was that..." Melissa shook her head, distantly. She slowly hunched her shoulders up as we looked at each other, sharing a soft laugh. "Wild, right?"
"This tea... my cup runneth over."
Melissa laughed. "And it's not even like I can't hold water. You're just easy to talk to..." she said the latter with another throaty laugh.
I always was interested in Beyoncé's life, her upbringing and her career trajectory, but that was crossing the line. She never wanted to go there with me, the true definition of guarded. I guess I knew why now.
"This is a lot of information about my boss," I commented.
Melissa covered her mouth with both hands, yelping. "I know, I'm sorry."
"You told the right one, though," I assured, winking. "I won't tell a soul."
"Even if you did, this is ancient history anyway."
When we finished up, Melissa paid and I left the tip.
"Here, take my number. You're gonna need it."
I let her input her contact in my phone before we said bye and went on our respective trains.
I was still in a stupor from Beyoncé's back story, but that didn't last long. I dreaded coming back home knowing there was a chance Kehlani wasn't there. She went completely ghost on me. Left me for dead.
So I decided to go to Diamante's instead. I had bought a toothbrush and toothpaste when I'd gotten off the train before coming to hers.
"Best friend." She eagerly let me inside her warm and cozy apartment and launched me into a lingering, bearhug. This was the first time she'd seen me since I told her Kehlani left. Diamante frowned when she pulled away, focusing on me. "How are you, boo?"
I managed a half-smile and softly shrugged a shoulder. "I'm holding."
Diamante clenched her teeth.
"Have you heard from her?" I asked.
She shook her head no. "I did lay her ass out, though."
That did not surprise me. "What'd she say?"
"She knew I was right 'cause she hung up on me."
I shook my head. Kehlani was acting so nasty. Something was going on with her. But she would rather push me away and cut me off than talk to me about it like a normal, mature adult.
"It's aight, though, she'll come crawling back," Diamante insisted.
I smiled and said nothing for a bit.
"Girl," I drawled. "Let me tell you about today."
"Tell me!"
"I'mma shower first, mkay?"
"Ugh. Tease."
"Unless you wanna join?" I wriggled my eyebrows.
I laughed when Diamante sucked her teeth, knowing I wasn't serious.
After my shower, I went in Diamante's pajama drawer, retrieving something to wear for myself (save for panties). As I finished wrapping my hair, she came in her room with snacks. "Spill, bitch."
"Wait, I left my phone..." I smilingly raised my eyebrows before returning to the still-foggy bathroom. My phone was on the top row of the towel and wash cloth storage shelf.
When I unlocked it, I saw I had a new email in my Gmail account.
Beyoncé Knowles:
Normani,
I need to speak with you about something regarding Kehlani.
Please call me at the below number at your earliest convenience.
