All She Can Take

N I N E

 Chante and Sid consumed the rest of their plates before stopping briefly at Chante's apartment for her to change into appropriate attire. Turns out that appropriate attire involved massive amounts of spandex. Chante was totally covered but the tight material made Sid feel like she could see all of her. She did indeed have a fat ass. 

Sid kept on the same heather gray hoodie with Sleep written across it and black jeans, only changing out of her house slippers for some black classic Reeboks. They exited the building thirty minutes later looking like two people going to entirely different events.

"Where is this thing happening?" Sid asked as they made their way down the walkway. But Chante didn't need to answer. The scene was sprawled out on the street in front of them. Motorbikes and classic cars lined the street in front of their building which was blocked off on both sides by police barricades. Permits? This is fancy. It was a full-blown block party. 

It seemed like everyone who lived in a five-block radius was out there. Some people were contained behind police barricades and security and others were actually on set, right in the thick of things. Sid craned her neck over the crowd to see cameras circling two guys who were in full rap mode. Threatening gestures at the camera? Check. Scantily clad girls with fishnet stockings bouncing ass cheeks vigorously? Check. Liquor bottles? Check. Chante grabbed her hand and pulled her right toward the action. Chante dug her sneakers into the ground.

"We can't just roll on set!" Sid screeched.

"I used to mess with him. Yes, we can." Chante pulled and Sid trailed along. With Chante walking ahead of her, the sea of people only offered Sid a cursory glance before making room for the pair to pass. Once they reached the edge of the crowd, Chante waited for the chant-like chorus of the song to come back around before she let go of Sid's hand and strode right through the camera's frame, on beat, and fierce. And they let her. The cameraman panned to get a view of her curves in that spandex as she walked by, looking like she was made for this. One of the rappers smiled and winked at her, never losing time with his lyrics, and she winked back.

Sid stayed pressed against the crowd like there was a firing squad in front of her. Hands were waving in the air all over as people swayed and sang in sync with the lyrics. Everyone knew the words. Rode the same beat. It was undeniably dope. Not that Sid ever tried to meld back into this world, but right now she felt painfully like an outsider. Maybe she should have tried. Maybe waved or smiled at people as she hurried into the building after work.

She looked across the crowd and noticed one hand, in particular, waving, seemingly at her. She studied the face for another moment before recognition bounced around in her head. Phil. He was waving at her to come over to his side of the crowd which was directly flanking the talent. If she went over there she'd definitely be in the video. She waved but shook her head 'no.'

She scanned the scene for Chante and spotted her easily. She was now the arm candy of one of the rappers. Front and center and she seemed to love every moment of it. Sid laughed at the thought that this was Chante is her natural habitat; the center of attention and elated in the Hood-Princessness of it. Sid tried to roll with things. Tried to pull her shoulders down into a relaxed position. Tried to sway with the crowd...but she couldn't.

It had been like this for years. Yeah, she'd always been a bit uptight, since birth really, but when the time called for it, she was able to relax and enjoy things like a normal human being. But since she lost her father and her relationship with Aiden imploded, she had come to know that any world she found comfort in could be turned upside down at any moment. She had to remain vigilant. To some, it may look like she was on edge but to her, it was a matter of survival...control. An excited scream erupted from a girl in the crowd and Sid nearly jumped into the sky. Her anxiety was peaking. Where could she get a hold of one of those bottles floating around?