Nadia
Harley and I had already finished, and paid for our food, but rather than heading directly to the club she wanted to visit, we were lingering around, making conversation about her and her new boyfriend.
"I originally planned on doing the ninety day rule for Darius, but he romanced me! So yes....I let him-"
"No fucking way..."
"Well damn Nadia, we both grown."
"No no, not that..look behind you."
I couldn't help but stare. Entering the front door of the restaurant was Quentin, with his arm around a girl who looked like a supermodel. He's here..on a date?
"Isn't that..."
"Quentin? Yes, it is." I told her.
"Wow...I'm sorry.."
"Why are you sorry? Him and I aren't anything." I said forcing a laugh.
"I just felt like maybe you had a little crush on him. No one wants to see their crush out on a date with another girl."
"A perfect girl at that.." I mumbled.
"Hm?"
"I said a p- he's not my crush. He's an employee. I was just surprised to see him, that's all." I said, unable to take my eyes off of him and his date.
In my gaze, Quentin briefly looked up— causing us to make eye contact for a split second before I quickly looked away.
"He saw me! I'm gonna pretend I didn't see it, Harley switch seats with me-"
"Nadia if he already saw you there's no point in switching seats." She laughed. "This is LA, you're bound to see someone you know."
"We talked for hours last night, wouldn't a girlfriend come up at least once?"
"I'm not sure...you told me all you two talked about was work." Harley said, crossing her arms.
"Well we did- but, we also just talked about our lives, you know? Like how people do when they meet for the first time?"
"Maybe they're just dating casually. But you don't like him, so what's got you all worked up?" Harley laughed.
"I guess I'm just a little embarrassed, his girlfriend probably felt so uncomfortable with me asking him to an evening dinner. HE was probably uncomfortable-"
"Nadia you said everything went well, if he had a bad time you'd know. Don't worry about him, tonight is gonna be fun."
It was hard not to think about him when the man was sitting right across from me. I couldn't explain why seeing him with this girl was so uncomfortable, I just knew that it was.
This is why you treat your employees like employees, Nadia.
"You're right, tonight will be fun. Maybe we should...get going? I wanna get us a booth at the club, I'd hate for them to sell out."
"A booth? Girl let's go now." She said, immediately standing up.
"Slow down slow down." I laughed, following behind her.
I couldn't help but notice Quentin's eyes follow me as I walked past his table.
-
When we arrived to the club, there was a line stretched around the building.
"We cannot wait in this..." Harley said, as we got out of her car. "Maybe we can go somewhere else..."
Although initially I wasn't on board for a club, by this time I was determined to have a great night.
"No, you wanted to come here. But I don't wait in lines, so come on." I told her, as we approached the bouncer.
I immediately recognized the guy, as he'd done party events for Blackscale before.
"Marcus, I thought they might have you out here." I smiled.
"Nadia...always nice to see you. It's been a while, are you guys not doing any events, or did you replace me?" He laughed.
"Getting ready for the spring season, so not too many events. I'll see you for the store opening afterparty, right?"
"I'll be there." He grinned. "You two ladies go ahead."
Harley and I entered the club, earning a few choice words from those waiting in line.
"Woah.." Harley chuckled.
"Woah what?"
"It's like a switch you have..like there's you, and then there's 'work you'. There's Nadia..and there's Rivers.. Just now? That was Rivers."
"What are you talking about?" I said, laughing at her theory.
"You said I don't wait in lines, and you went and charmed your way inside. It was giving...the Devil Wears Prada."
"Am I that much of a bitch?"
"No...just a damn good forewoman."
-
I'd purchased a booth for Harley and I— as well as ordered a couple of bottles for the table. By this time, a few more girls had joined us, which I didn't mind, considering how much fun they were.
"I think that guy is feeling you!" One of the more tipsy girls attempted to yell over the loud music.
"I was thinking the sameee thing. He's had his eye on you since you walked in Nadia."
"What guy?" I laughed.
"Him, over there in that booth. Full beard, waves, chocolatey?" Harley said, gesturing to a group of guys in a booth across from us.
I searched for one who matched her description, and immediately locked eyes with him.
"Oooooh girl, go talk to him." One of the girls whispered.
I couldn't deny that he was attractive.
"If he wants me that bad, he'd come talk to me."
"Well girl don't look now cause he's coming this way." Harley laughed.
Quentin
When Nadia walked out of the Out of the restaurant, I couldn't take my eyes off of her, after she was gone.... I couldn't get my mind off of her. She looked almost disappointed to see me. But why?
"So Quentin, Oak told me alll about your job as a fashion designer. How'd you get hired somewhere like Blackscale? That's huge." Jamie said with a wide grin, snapping me out of my Nadia-induced day dream.
"I'm curious to know as well...when I applied they told me I was wayyy under-qualified." Summer said with a chuckle.
Oak stared at me with wide eyes, being the only one at the table who was aware of my highly embellished resume and application.
I wish that nigga could hide his reaction slightly better.
"It was hard. I had to do a tonnn of networking. You just have to know someone I guess." I said, chuckling nervously.
"Well, its a good thing I know someone." Summer said, nudging me jokingly.
I wasn't sure how serious she was about getting a spot at blackscale, but the more I thought about it..the more it made sense. Although I loved my new work environment, I did miss having someone around to jokes around and pass the time with— those art directors surely weren't my group of people, why not help out an old friend?
"Quentin does know the boss pretty well..how hard could it be?" Oak added.
He's right..I had established a pretty solid relationship with Rivers, and she seems to respect my opinion as a designer.
"I hadn't even thought about that. Summer I'm sure I could do something to get you at Blackscale...or at least an interview, if you're interested."
"Of course I'm interested!"
"Yayyy that'll be so cute. I hope you're able to do it Q. Use your charm." Jamie giggled.
Q? No one's called me that since high school.
As the rest of the table made conversation, I tuned out for a minute— my eyes fixated on Jamie. I know I know this girl..from somewhere. And I know she knows me, but why wouldn't she tell Oak that?
Crazy ex? Nah. Old coworker? I don't think so.
It then came to me. Jamie Parsons, from AP Art in high school. We talked almost every day...even encouraged me to pursuit design. But this girl can't be the Jamie I knew...the Jamie I knew wasn't even a girl at all.
Unless?
-
Dinner went rather well, Summer insisted I come back to her place for drinks..but as enticing as that sounded, I had way too much to do in the morning to be staying up late.
The whole night though, the whole situation with Jamie continued to perplex me. So much so, it was the first thing I'd brought up to Oak once we were home."
"So...what'd you think? She's perfect, right?" Oak sighed contently, placing his jacket on the back of a chair in the kitchen.
"Well yeah..she seems great. I actually think...I may know her."
He stopped in his tracks.
"Quentin, please don't tell me you already had sex with her. Oh God. Have you slept with EVERY woman in this city?"
"No no no..I mean like from high school. Did she go to-"
"I don't know where she went for high school Quentin, we don't talk about high school. Why are you so frantic about this?"
How do I say this?
"I'm saying...I think I knew Jamie in high school. But...back then...she...she was.."
"A guy?" He said, calmly.
"Well....yeah."
"Quentin, do you think that I didn't know Jamie was trans?" He laughed.
"You never really mentioned that."
"Why should I? She's a woman. I like her. She likes me. We done here?"
Although I had questions, I decided to keep them to myself. Oak seemed slightly defensive in his tone, but not in a way that he seemed ashamed of Jamie. More so in a way that I should be ashamed for even bringing it up.
"Well...if you're happy, I'm happy for you."
"That. That's why I didn't tell you Quentin. That response? It's an issue. You say 'if you're happy, I'm happy' as if she's some type of deformed alien. She's a beautiful girl, why wouldn't I be happy?"
"I didn't mean it that way. You know that."
"It's more than how you meant it, it's how you said it. Being with a girl like Jamie isn't something that's taboo, it's not a secret, or something that I need you..or anyone else to accept or approve of."
"I'm sorry." I said, to avoid doing more damage. It wasn't until then I noted the issue in my wording.
"I don't mean to be abrasive about it...I just..care about her. That's it." He said, before leaving to his room.