SHE (Beyoncé and Normani)

SHE (Beyoncé and Normani) - 16

Beyoncé's POV

The intrusive sound of my phone vibrating loudly on my nightstand forced me to wake up. I was both annoyed and concerned because it was 2AM.

My mother immediately came to mind. So did my dad.

Fortunately, it wasn't my family, but instead, an unknown number. That was when it dawned on me that it was probably Normani.

Her or the low life who keeps harassing me.

I swung my legs outside of my comfortably cool sheets and took the call. "Hello?"

"Hi. Sorry to be calling late. I just saw your email and was concerned."

Closing my eyes, I looked up at the ceiling, relieved that it was in fact Normani on the other end of the line.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you for calling back. So, for the past three days I've been getting text messages from various unknown numbers, I don't know if it's one person or a group, but they seem to be aligned. They seem to know who I am, and although I have my suspicions, I don't know who they are. Whoever it is does not like me and is carrying on as if I've done something to them personally. I made a list of all the possible culprits, which isn't many, and your girlfriend, Kehlani, made that list."

I waited for Normani to say something. When seconds continued to pass, I went on. "I can send you the messages, I have screenshots. I can even read them aloud for you, just beware they are very crass."

"You said you've been getting the texts for three days?"

"Correct."

"How often are they texting you?"

"It's usually late, as early as midnight. Sometimes it's all caps, sometimes all lowercase."

"You said it's from different numbers?"

"Yes, never the same number, but it seems like it's the same person. Or people. My bet is they are using text apps."

"...I'm sorry that's happening to you. Did you...take any precaution?"

"I have. The last message I got from them said they know where I work. So naturally I had to take action." I decided to omit the details of the action I had taken. I wanted to keep that part vague.

"Yes, of course. And why do you think it's Kehlani?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and switched the phone to my other ear. "Normani, I know she doesn't like me."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean she'd harass you."

"No, it doesn't. Hence why I said I don't know for sure who it is. You obviously know her better than I do. Does this seem characteristic of her? Is she a ticking time bomb?"

"Does she have a temper? Somewhat, but—"

"Is she up? I want to talk."

"She's...not here."

"At 2 something in the morning? Don't you live together?"

"We broke up, damn."

I was surprised, but I wasn't sorry to hear it. I wonder who broke it off?

"So I don't know what she's up to," Normani continued as I was quiet. "But honestly, she seems unbothered to be doing the stuff you think she's doing." She paused. "How do you know it's not Megan?"

Suddenly I hear another voice in the background.

"Nuh-uh, don't bring her into this," a young woman's voice said.