Giselle "G" Rowe
Thursday, December 29 | 11:09 p.m.
Heated Prime - Michelin star restaurant
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"Thank you guys so much for dining with us. Have a wonderful night!" I smile, stepping aside as the guests slide out of their booth.
Tonight has been a long one. My head is pounding from the tight bun stationed behind it, the second button on my white blouse popped off so I've had to finesse it to keep from flashing the entire restaurant, and my stomach is in knots courtesy of Mother Nature.
But hey, at least the tips are coming in.
I grab the thin stack of bills off of table number eight and quickly sift through them, releasing an air of satisfaction once I'm finished. $135 on a $431 tab. That adds up to a total of a little over $800 from today alone and easily around $3k for the entire week.
I skip towards the back, feeling a little lighter on my feet. The holiday season has proven to be fruitful yet again and I'm full of gratitude as I close this shift.
"Okay," Riley's voice cuts through the chatter in my head and I bend the corner to see her holding a large cupcake, a rueful smile upon her painted red lips.
"Friend, you didn't have to do this." Chance gasps, poking his bottom lip out before ushering her into a long hug.
"Yes, I did." She pulls away gently, her eyes nearly welling up. "I'm gonna miss you, you know?"
"Yeah, dude. I'm gonna miss ya too. We've been here the longest." Vincent nods, wiping his forehead with a towel and the two men slap hands.
"Chance, you're leaving already?" I lean against the doorway and fold my arms. "I thought you were staying for another month or so."
"Yeah, that was the plan originally, but I was selected for the role so I'm moving in a week."
"Oh my gosh, congratulations!" I squeal, teetering up to him and wrapping my arms around his slender waist. "With a face like yours, you belong on the TV screen."
I've always known that Chance loved being in front of the camera and we've bonded over our shared love for art in general, but he's been pretty quiet about his endeavors lately. I understand completely. Sometimes you've got to be quiet until it's really real.
His dream of moving out west and starting anew has finally transformed into a reality. I couldn't be happier for him. Seeing people chase after everything that they want only motivates me to go hard for my own future.
"Thanks, you guys. Seriously." Chance sighs, stepping away from me to grab the boxed dessert from Riley. The four of us throw on our coats and shuffle outside into the frightful weather. The city is still decorated with Christmas lights and it truly brightens up the atmosphere.
A pristine white Tesla with tinted windows sits alongside the curb, the passenger window slowly sliding down. The driver leans over, an award winning smile decorating his features. He's got low cut, bleached blonde hair that pairs well with his caramel brown skin and a diamond stud in each ear. "You ready, babe?"
"Of course." Chance smiles, pulling open the door. I shoot him a sly smile and he matches my expression. "What? Y'all thought I was moving across the country all alone?"
"Goodnight, Chance." I chuckle, shaking my head and he dips into the passenger seat.
"Bye, friend." Riley pouts dramatically, moving a stray strand of her silky hair off her face. Chance blows us a kiss before being driven down the road, yelling gleefully out the window.
"Wish me well!"
"Damn, I wish I had a fine ass man picking me up." Riley sighs, shoving her hands into her pockets and a sudden pang of sadness stabs me in the heart. I check my notifications to find no new messages again before pressing the power button to lock the screen.
"Me too." I whisper below the wind and pick up my pace as my vehicle comes into view.
"I mean, we can ride to work together from now on if you'd like." Vincent's attempts to charm her fall flat and it makes me chuckle, temporarily soothing my emotional discomfort.
"Fine, I'll ride alone then." He rolls his eyes and throws a hand up, skipping across the street. "You two ladies have a good night."
"Same to you, Vin." Riley sings and I simply nod.
I'll try.
**********
Saturday, December 31 | 10:49 p.m.
Downtown
-
"Girl, quit whining! We ain't gone be young forever! I just wanna hear a few songs and then we'll leave." Nadirah discreetly scolds me, smiling at the bouncer as he unhooks the red rope and ushers us forward.
"I shoulda known that we weren't just going out to eat." I roll my eyes, allowing her to pull me into the darkened nightclub. Cigarette smoke fills my nostrils immediately and the loud music blasting above vibrates my chest, easily drowning out the clacking of our heels. Nadi leads me to the bar where she orders two tequila shots and I blatantly roll my eyes.
"Coming right up." The bartender smiles, briefly turning around to grab the desired alcohol. "Love y'all's dresses by the way."
"Thank you!" We reply in unison and I run my hands down the jeweled, beige bodice, opening my dark coat to give her a clearer view. The fitted sweetheart neckline accentuates my bust nicely and I'm wearing enough body glitter to be mistaken for a disco ball. I feel a little overdressed, but judging from the countless double takes, it's not a negative thing.
"Here," Nadi nudges me and we down the drinks. Heat travels all the way to my stomach and I shut my eyes momentarily, failing to swallow it as quickly as I planned. It's just as awful tasting as I remember.
"Another round please!" Nadirah laughs, raking her bone straight bundles to one side.
"Aight, aight, aight." The DJ's deep voice rips through the air, temporarily lowering the volume of the music. "You know I gotta spin at least one of the birthday boy's records. Live it up, my nigga."
Just as we throw the next two shots back, an unfamiliar track carries through the speakers. It's a mixture of r&b and melodic rap, very reminiscent of Bryson Tiller. The majority of the club sings along, especially a group of women in the middle of the floor. They all point dramatically to the man atop the stairs in an L shaped section that's decorated with more half-naked women and buckets of chilled alcohol. He bobs his head to the beat, smiling victoriously as his eyes follow the ripples in the asscheeks moving in front of him. How could I forget that Niko is an artist?
Hmm, probably because the first time I saw him perform I was in tears over my own shit.
Niko glides his hand across her body, mesmerized for a few seconds before he snaps back into reality. He places his hand over his heart as he stares around the building, mouthing various thank yous and his song comes to an end, another one quickly replacing it.
"Three for three?" Nadirah yells excitedly and I shrug, watching the bartender pour us up again.
Might as well bring in the new year feeling loose and carefree instead of being riddled with nerves.
We each grab a tiny glass off the bar and I brace myself for the inevitable burn. "Wait!" Nadi shouts, cheesing widely. "Cheers to a long lasting friendship, more money, and a good motherfuckin' time, bitch. I love you!"
"Cheers! I love you too." I chuckle, lightly tapping my cup against hers and downing the fiery liquor.
"Whew shit!" I place the empty glass back down on the counter, wincing as the tequila settles into my stomach. "That's it! I'm through."
"Put it on all my tab." A masculine voice behind us cooly instructs the bartender and just when I think that Nadirah couldn't smile any wider, she proves me wrong.
"Hey, papa." She coos, wrapping her arms around Mack's neck. "I'm guessing you finished handling business?"
"Fasho. You know I couldn't let you spend no holiday alone. I checked yo' location." The indents in his cheeks appear as he smiles down warm heartedly at her and I close my eyes to release a shaky breath, forming an O shape with my lips.
Don't make this about you, Giselle. Just relax.
"How you doing, G?" Mack greets me with a friendly nod and I plaster a closed mouth smile onto my face.
"I'm fine. Thanks for paying for my drinks, bro."
"It's all good. Aye, where y'all other lil homie at?"
"Cree is out of town right now, visiting family." Nadirah answers, smoothing down her crimson red bodice and his eyes land on the swell of her breasts, distracted.
Mack eventually nods, slipping his girlfriend's hand into his own and leads us upstairs to Niko's section. Most of the girls who were dancing have already left to tend to other paying customers, but a few remain, sipping from red solo cups. I sit down on the sofa as gracefully as possible, conscious of the fact that my dress is both short and low-cut.
The man of the hour's eyes snap in my direction, drinking in the sight of my exposed flesh as he slaps hands with Mack. Only a few seconds pass before Niko decides to take the seat next to me while Nadi and Mack take the other sofa.
"Happy birthday." My attempt to sound cheerful actually pays off I think because he smirks. His line up is fresh and his twists are sectioned into neat parts. A brand new tattoo shines on his forearm in red ink, the same color as the word "love" above his eyebrow.
"Thank you, beautiful." He leans forward to accept a baggy of marijuana from an unnamed dude across from us and retrieves a pack of backwoods from his own pocket. "You smoke?"
"Not really. Every once in a while."
He hums, expertly rolling a blunt and sparks up, exhaling away from me. Nadi giggles like a schoolgirl as Mack whispers in her ear and once again, my thoughts drift to an unhappy place.
Everybody man acting right except mine, huh?
Niko follows my gaze and takes another hit before extending it my way. "Where's ole boy?"
You know his name.
"June isn't here." My reply is curt and I hesitate a little before bringing the spliff to my lips. The heat in my throat is nearly overwhelming, but I fight the urge to cough, smoothly letting go of the smoke.
He narrows his eyes ever so slightly before a look of realization washes over his face. "Trouble in paradise, huh?"
"No."
Yes.
My lips form into a tight line and I mentally kick myself for being so easy to read. Niko chuckles, nodding insincerely as I pass him the blunt. He raises his eyebrow at the faint ring of gloss around it before shrugging and hitting it again.
Mack flashes the two of us a quizzical look before pulling out his phone, swiftly tapping his large fingers across the screen. The unnamed man across from us is the next recipient of the blunt.
"Listen," Niko wets his lips, scooting a bit closer to me. "Maybe whatever rift is happening between y'all is for the best. I shoulda warned you sooner that June and Kasey ain't the type of niggas you wanna be around anyway."
"What are you even talking about?" I scrunch my nose up, placing a little distance between us and he shrugs.
"Aye, I'm just puttin' you down. That way when shit hits the fan, you can't say that nobody told you that something was wrong with them niggas. Take it from me. I knew them before they had the money and cars and shit." He takes the blunt back from his friend and takes a long drag before offering it back to me. I decline.
He said when shit hits the fan, not if.
I knew that June and Niko weren't the closest, but why would he throw Kasey in there too? Is he actually looking out for me or does he just want me to be single again because he thinks he has a chance? And what about Mack? How are they weird and he isn't if he's part of the group as well? I sigh heavily, pulling out my phone to check the Uber prices. Neither Nadi nor I drove here but even if we did, we're far too intoxicated to operate a vehicle now.
I want to go home and get in my bed. There's really nothing for me here besides a constant reminder of a man who barely even interacts with me these days.
"Damn, they say if you speak of the devil his ass will show up." Niko grunts, sparking his lighter again.
I snap my head up, surprised to see June heading towards us. Dressed in all black, only the diamonds on his neck and his wrist shine in the dimly lit club. He stiffly daps Mack up, zeroing in on myself and Niko's placement on the sofa.
Normally, I would be ecstatic to see him, but right now, my emotions are all over the place and it's not just the drinks or the weed in my system. Judging from how tight his jaw is set and the furrow of his thick eyebrows, June feels the same way. He didn't come to socialize at all.
"You ready to go, Giselle?" He bends slightly for me to hear him better.
"Actually, I am finna go." I rise to my feet and meet his intense gaze head on. "How did you know where I was anyway?"
"I watched yo story." June huffs, nodding in his friend's direction. "And Mack told me."
"So if Mack invites you somewhere then you'll show up, but not when I wanna see you?" I don't give him time to answer, hugging Nadirah goodbye and semi mugging her man on my way down the steps.
Whether his intentions were good or not, I don't need him telling Rashad on me especially when I'm annoyed with his ass.
June easily catches up and leads me out the door into chilly nighttime air. I wanted to at least stay until the countdown, but I just can't take it anymore. My stomach is overly full from the steak dinner Nadirah and I had earlier and the atmosphere inside is bringing me down.
"It ain't got nothin' to do Mack inviting me nowhere." He runs a hand over his dark waves and exhales, guiding me towards the black Hellcat by the small of my back.
"Whatever." I ease down into the passenger seat, breathing in June's scent and the silence that engulfs me in the time that it takes him to circle around to the driver's side is deafening.
"Rashad, I've tried to be understanding but I'm fed up. I tell you about how your actions make me feel and you turn around and do it again. I haven't heard from you damn near all week and now you just show up cause yo' friend sent you a message that probably made you jealous about nothing?"
The engine roars to life, but we remain in the parking lot. Luckily the heat is pouring through the vents, relieving my icy nose.
"Giselle, just let me take you to my spot and relax you real quick."
"Relax me? You mean fuck me and hope that I forget about it? No. We did that the last time. Just tell me what's going on with you."
"It's complicated right now, ma. I can't really explain."
"Well you need to try because I'm sick of waiting around."
"Okay, come home with me then." He leans his head back on the seat and cuts his pleading eyes towards me. "I'll keep my hands to myself if that's what you want."
"Are you gone tell me what's wrong with you if I do?"
Silence.
Of course not.
"Okay then." I chuckle dryly, shaking my head in frustration. Niko's warning echoes through my head and I turn my body to face June. "Does it have something to do with Kasey?"
His entire body goes rigid and the longing in his golden eyes transforms into something more harsh. "What does Kasey have to do with anything?"
His tone startles me a bit and I rub in the dwindling gloss on my lips. "Niko mentioned him. I just thought that—"
"You fucking that nigga?" June's mug deepens.
"What? No, I—"
"So why the fuck are you even talking to me about him? I don't care what he think or what he call himself knowing. Only stupid folks listen to a nigga like that."
I keep my mouth shut, pulling the door handle and stepping out of the vehicle.
"Man, I don't feel like doing this shit tonight." June huffs, exiting as well. I keep walking, wrapping my coat around myself and folding my arms.
"Giselle, I'm sorry!" He catches up to me with little effort, placing his hands on my waist. "I didn't mean to call you names, I got ahead of myself."
"Don't touch me!" I snatch away from him, swallowing the bile rising in my throat.
"Hey! Are you okay?" Both of us snap our heads in the direction of the man trotting towards us and I scream inwardly.
Not now!
"I'm good, Niko." I aggressively wave him off and begin walking again. Fate just isn't on my side tonight.
"You sure?" He calls, eyeing June's proximity to me and inching forward despite my words.
"Back yo ass up, nigga. Nobody needs to be saved ouchea." June straightens his posture and the two men have a stare off.
"Giselle, if you're trying to leave I can give you a ride home." Niko offers, taking a few steps around him.
"Yeah, aight." June scoffs. "Giselle, let's go."
He turns on his heel with a daring look towards Niko. "You got one more time to try me before I swing on yo' ass, bitch."
"I'm not scared of you or the rest of yo' lil gang, Rashad."
"You don't have to be scared to get knocked the fuck out, nigga."
"Just shut the fuck up! Both of y'all. I can get myself home." I shout, pressing my fist to my lips to suppress the intensifying gagging.
"If you don't get in my car then we might as well let this whole thing go." June's words rip through my chest like a dagger and I clutch my stomach, fully whipping around to face him.
"You're giving me an ultimatum?"
"Yes."
"I told you to watch out." Niko sighs, making a tsk noise with his mouth. "That boy really strange—"
Before the word fully leaves his mouth, June's fist collides with the side of Niko's face, forcing him to stumble backwards. The second blow has him on his back, shielding his head from the beating. A couple of people stop and stare, but ultimately, It's the bouncer that rushes over and pulls June off of him. Threats of calling the police is the only thing that gets him in his car. He doesn't even look at me as he drives off.
Did I just make a mistake?
My heart is in my ass and the contents of my stomach finally spill all over the pavement just a thunderous footsteps approach me.
"G, are you okay? Oh my gosh." Nadirah grabs my shoulders and I stand up to see Mack scanning the parking lot frantically. "Where is June?"
"He..left." I rasp, feeling absolutely defeated. "And I'm single."
My best friend's eyes soften as she wraps her arms around me and I sink into her touch. The double doors open, magnifying the voices in the club as everyone begins to countdown. "Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven."
Niko storms towards his car, wiping the blood leaking from his mouth with his shirt and blatantly ignoring the birthday wishes coming from every direction. No, I don't pity him but I do wish that this never happened. Everything is ruined now — my mood, my night, and my relationship.
I can't believe that this is how paradise ends.
"Three. Two. One. Happy New Year!"
Happy my ass.
-
~~~
Do y'all still like June more than Niko? Anybody believe his warning?
Be sure to vote <3 See y'all next time!