SHE (Beyoncé and Normani)

SHE (Beyoncé and Normani) - 20

Beyoncé's POV

Normani was curled up on the futon while I sat on the couch. She looked adorable with no make-up on and her natural hair pulled into a thick ponytail, a few stray curls framing her face.

I started imagining her reaction when Janet gave her that unnecessary phone call, probably scaring the poor girl.

"When do you start school?" I asked.

"Next week."

"Full-time or part-time?"

"Part-time 'cause I'll be working, too and I don't need the stress."

I nodded, aware of the challenges of both working and going to school full-time. Normani had a pointed look on her face as if she were defensive about her choice.

"What's wrong?" I gave her a closed-mouth, curious smile.

"No, 'cause I have friends who think I should be going full-time but I did that before and...it just ain't for everybody. No." She shook her head, rubbing her arm.

My smile widened for no good reason at all.

"It's your life, your call."

"Exactly," she said loudly.

"You're still getting your degree."

"Yes! The degree ain't going nowhere."

"So I noticed you mentioned you'll be working...did Janet call and apologize?"

Normani inwardly pressed her lips together as I took a long sip and awaited her answer.

"She did call and apologize and emailed me that the job is mine again."

"As she should. Normani, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean for you to get caught up in our mess."

She shrugged a little. "I just wanted to know why my name came up."

"So Kelly had this gathering, with the intent of Janet and I patching things up. I'm not sure who gave you the information, but it is true that she and I have history." I felt this wooziness growing in the pit of my stomach, but I wasn't backing down now. "Not unlike you, when I was young, I had dreams of working in the music business. I loved music so much that it seemed natural that I made it my profession. Well, I landed an internship at the label Janet was working at-at the time. I was a senior—in high school...anyway, I was elated to be there, but I also felt I had to prove myself, that I was worthy of the opportunity, especially because my mother helped me get the job." I breathed in, vaguely looking at the glass coffee table before continuing. "I wanted to prove myself, so I made sure I was the first one there and the last one to leave. I assisted the whole department and even made it my mission to help Janet outside of the office, things like picking up her dry cleaning, watering her plants, taking her mother to the appointments or picking up her medication—you name it, I did it. Yeah, I was committed." I noticed Normani's eyes enlarge and I chuckled dryly. "I guess you could say my overachieving behind was also motivated by my crush. I wanted to be like Janet and be with her." I chuckled again, shaking my head. Normani sadly laughed a little with me, nodding in understanding. "She started taking me to events and expensive lunches and dinners. When it was my birthday, she surprised me with a party at the office, the whole team was there. She declared that I was the best intern she ever had and promoted me. Not long after that, this woman Janet was seeing at the time came to the office one day in a rage like we owed her money." I smirked. "She accused me of being homewrecker and trying to sleep my way to the top. The funny thing was Janet and I weren't even involved. But there was something about it being said aloud that gave me the courage I needed to let Janet know I was strongly attracted to her. Little did that heifer know, she spoke it into existence. Anyway, Normani, I don't want to drag this out. One thing led to another with Janet and I fell. I fell hard. She was the first person I ever fell in love with. I came out to my family and friends because of her. And I thought she loved me too, but she didn't. She loved what I did for her. It messed me up, took me a while to get over, like a good two years. And I never wanted to feel that kind of pain again..." I sighed, but not out of self-pity. It was a much-needed exhale. "But in only looking out for myself, I didn't care about anyone else, and as a result people got hurt..." I bit my lip. "Kelly didn't initially tell me you were interning for Janet, she kept it from me because she knows how I would have reacted...the only reason I agreed to come to her house and see Janet was because I wanted to make sure, woman to woman, that she wasn't treating you...how I treated you.."