C H A P T E R | TWENTY
GIRLFIGHT
𝚂 𝚃 𝙾 𝙽 𝙸 𝙵 𝙻 𝙾 𝚁 𝙴 𝚂
"5...6...7...8..."
STONI followed through with the count that her ballet instructor counted off for the entire class. The beat of the classical music playing through the speakers accompanied their graceful movement as they stood up on pink silk disguised wooden point shoes and followed the beat and the eight count. Like a graceful swan she extended her neck and then her leg, holding it up as her instructor had taught them and grabbing the railing for support until she followed the count to let go.
Her teachers told her she had a real knack for ballet but lately she'd been feeling a little weird - - off balance. Maybe it was because she was coming down with that she assumed to be the flu, that she wasn't completely herself.
"Flores," her teacher called out her name amongst the crowd, "Extend your leg completely - -," she heeded the warning, "Don't forget your arm - - grace Flores - - grace," she reminded and quickly Stoni attempted to correct her sloppy mistake.
"I'm sorry madame," Stoni said and leaped across the room following suit with the rest of the class. In the mirror she saw her reflection and was like a gazelle, pouncing across the wooden stage and mirrored bars.
"Better," her teacher said, "Better - - extension, Flores - - extension."
"Yes madame," she said, and extended her arms and legs just so and got ready for the next leap. Her eyes found the spot where she was to land and when the violin hit, she leapt but she didn't quite land the jump. Stoni grabbed the railing and stopped herself from falling, breathing hard, panting and staring at her point shoes.
"Are you okay, Stoni?" Her teacher asked, sifting through the other girls and coming to Stoni's aid, "Look at me," her French accent traveled to Stoni's ears and she grabbed her face and looked Stoni in the eyes, "Are you okay?"
"I don't feel so well," Stoni said and slowly pulled herself up, "May I be excused to the rest room madame?" She nodded and moved so that Stoni could get through, "Thank you."
Stoni spent the rest of the class period inside the women's bathroom stall throwing up her lunch. When she finally got it all out she walked back to the classroom and saw her classmates beginning to file out of the room. She walked over to her gym back and sat on the floor, untying the ribbons of her point shoes, "Is everything alright, Stoni?" Madame said in her sympathetically French accent, "You were gone a long time."
"Yes," Stoni laughed, "I'm fine - - I think I'm coming down with something," she took a water bottle from her bag and drank it like she hadn't drank water in days, "Ugh, I'm so dehydrated. I think I just need to take some cold medicine and rest. I'm sorry for disrupting class."
"Get your rest," she patted Stoni's back, "The auditions for the spring recital are in a few weeks - - I've already put in a good word for you with the judges," Madame said and watched Stoni's eyes light up - - the spring recital was a huge deal and everyone at Juliard in the dance program wanted to be a part of it but only few succeeded. "You have real talent - - more talent than I've seen in a while," she said, "I want you to ace the recital. Everything is riding on the audition so you musssst practice the routine vigorously. You must sleep, breathe, and eat this routine, Stoni."
"Yes, madame," she slowly came to her feet, "I want this spot more than anyone here. I'm willing to practice how ever much it takes to be in the recital."
"Good," Stoni grabbed her bag, "Go home and work on the routine and I want to see that you've mastered it by Friday - - that's two days from now. If you need extra help I'm willing to work with you as best I can."
"Thank you so much," Stoni hugged her, "I really appreciate it."
"Go and get some rest tonight."
Stoni left school and headed for Allison's before heading home. Sometimes it got so lonely being in the big house that Carter bought her all alone and she hadn't seen him in a couple of days. He claimed he had a big deal on the table that he was working on and he was basically living at the office. Stoni had begged Carter to come and spend some time with her in between his breaks but he was committed to the business deal that he was working on so she hadn't seen him. She was upset about it but she tried hard not to let it show - - Allison however, could always see right through her because Stoni wore her emotions on her face.
"Ally! Where are you!?" Stoni closed the door behind her and sat her bag down on the floor before she advanced into Allison's apartment. A few seconds later Allison came out in a robe with her hair all tussled about, "You look like shit," Stoni said laughing, "Is that the 'I just had sex' hair?"
"Stay out of grown folks business," Allison said laughing and walking into the kitchen, "I'm starving."
"Where's Jason? School still?"
"Yup," Allison poured a cup of coffee and rummaged the fridge for food, "Oh, we got some lasagna from last night - - it was so good," she pulled it out and sat it on the counter, "There's a whole half a tray left if you want some."
"Mmmm, sounds good! Heat me up a plate."
"So how was school?"
"It was fine - - Madame thinks that I'm a shoe in for the spring recital," Stoni squealed, "She put in a word for me with the judges and all I have to do is nail the audition in a couple weeks. I'm so excited - - but so nervous," she watched as Allison heated their plates up, "So who's the lucky guy?"
"You know who," Allison said with her back turned, "Judas."
"Oh," she looked down at her fingers, "So you guys are getting pretty serious - - you and Judas?"
"We're not getting serious. Why do you say that? We're just friends. You know how it is, Stoni."
"I mean you two spend a lot of time together. You don't want to get serious?" She wondered why Allison was speaking as if she wanted Judas to be a fling. If she really wanted that she didn't think Ally would have had Judas hanging around so long, "I thought you wanted a relationship."
"Judas isn't that kind of guy," Allison pulled the plates out of the microwave, "He just wants to be friends."
"He doesn't even talk," she said, "And I think he hates me. He's always staring at me weird. I don't know - - how do you even have anything in common with him, Ally."
"He does too talk," Allison pushed Stoni's shoulder playfully, "Not much but - - we don't need to talk. Honey, when I tell you that man is a criminal in the bedroom," she shook her head slowly, "He licks EVERYTHING," Allison said laughing, "I'm talking kneecaps, kitty kat, and even you know where," Stoni covered her mouth, "Yes, there too. He's great in bed."
"Well at least you get to see Judas whenever you want," Stoni sighed, "Papi's always busy - - it's always work work work with him," she licked her lips and grabbed her plate and a fork, "I'm kinda upset with him right now. He promised to make time for me this week and I've barely talked to him. I hope he can come to the audition," she sighed again, "But I doubt it - - he'll probably be busy."
"Are you feeling any better?"
"Huh?"
"Yesterday you told me you weren't feeling too good again - - the flu or something," Allison dug into her food, "Did you take some medicine?"
"Ayi dios mio, mama - - today, I almost threw up my turkey sandwich on Madame's head," she swirled her fork around the food, "I was feeling so sick in class - - I think it might be a stomach virus - - I can't keep anything down and sometimes when I smell foods I get nauseous - -," she held her stomach and looked down at the lasagna that Allison had heated up for her. A minute ago that lasagna seemed so appetizing but now it just churned Stoni's stomach, "I think I have to - - ," she held her hand over her stomach and ran to the bathroom and slammed the door.
Stoni grabbed the toilet bowl for dear life and threw up all that she had left in her, which was surprising because she thought she'd gotten it all out the first time. She heard Allison knocking but she couldn't speak - - her stomach was in knots and she felt horrible. "Stoni," Allison knocked again, "Honey are you alright in there?" A few minutes later after she assumed she was all done she came to the door and opened it and then walked back to the sink to rinse her mouth out with water.
"This stomach virus is worse than I thought," Stoni said.
"Stomach virus," Allison leaned on the door, "You know you've been sick ever since you came back from Paris. Are you sure it's just a stomach virus, Stoni?"
"What are you saying? Oh like I may have drank some weird water over there or something? Hmm, that's possible - - I do - -,"
"No," Allison came closer and turned Stoni to her, "Stoni," she touched her cheek lovingly, "When's the last time you had your period?"
Stoni shrugged, "I don't know - - uh - - I usually remember but I've been so preoccupied lately."
"Was it this month? It's the end of the month now - - did you have it?"
"I honestly can't remember - - I probably did."
"Getting sick at the sight and smell of food, not being able to keep anything down - - Stoni that's all the symptoms of pregnancy - - I should know I had a child myself and that's exactly how I felt when I was pregnant with Jason."
"I'm sure it's not that," Stoni leaned down and splashed her face with water, "I'm not pregnant."
"Well I think we need to find out for sure," she rubbed her back, "Don't you?" Before Stoni could answer she was back on her knees throwing up into the toilet bowl again.
"Ughhhhh," she whined and held her stomach, "Close the door."
● ● ●
"There's that bitch right there. She coming out right there."
Destini looked up from the steering wheel of an all black unmarked truck and saw what she and Tanya had been waiting on all evening. Her blood began to boil when she saw the bitch sashaying out of her apartment like she was hot shit. Des's mind just began to rewind to how she felt when that tape showed up at her door and even further to when she'd met Aiko at the restaurant and when Aiko had approached her claiming she'd been fucking Carter.
Now that she knew it was true - - she'd seen it with her own eyes - - Destini had reached her breaking point and was intent on sending Aiko to her maker no matter what the cost.
"Yo let's get this bitch," Destini said, as she saw Aiko crossing the street in a pair of red bottomed pumps and a trench coat hiding her outfit.
This situation took her all the way back in the day - - back to Brooklyn when she rocked the bamboo earrings and had the razor blade under her tongue just in case a bitch wanted beef with her in the Bed-Sty streets. Underneath it all Destini was still that same Brooklyn girl who had beat many a bitches asses because of Carter but this time it wasn't over petty he say she say shit - - this time she really had proof.
What if the girls had some how gotten a hold of that DVD? Destini wouldn't have been able to stomach them seeing their father banging some other chick - - that shit would have scarred her girls for life. She couldn't let Aiko live this one down - - she'd disrespected her too hard and for too long at this point.
"I'm ready when you are," Tanya said and turned off the lights, "Just give me the go."
Destini opened her door and got out, her Jordans hitting the cracked Manhattan pavement. She had changed up her attire - - sneakers, wore a low brim hat, hair tied in a bun, and sweats - - straight Brooklyn style; she was ready for whatever. Tanya hung back a little to watch for the police and Destini ran up behind Aiko and when she was least expecting it she pushed back and swooped Aiko with her fist in her right eye.
"Surprise, surprise bitch," Destini said as Aiko fell down onto the pavement, "You didn't think you'd be seeing me did you? Get your ass up!" She pulled Aiko by the hair up to her feet, "You got a lot of nerve - - disrespecting my fuckin' house - - my family - - sending me that wack shit!"
"Well it's not my fault your man fucks me!"
"Yo, you still talking shit!?" Destini cocked her fist back and landed it in Aiko's face once more - - this time the left cheek. Aiko quickly shook off the stars she was seeing and tried to defend herself as best she could and ended up scratching Destini across the cheek with her nail, "Don't you ever - -," Destini punched, "Ever do no shit like that again!"
"Uggghhh!" Aiko rose with all her might and tackled Destini into a parked car, fighting for her life, "He doesn't love you!" She screamed and grabbed Destini by the throat but luckily old faithful came in handy - - Destini lifted the razor from under her tongue and grabbed it, dripping with saliva and all and swiped it clean across Aiko's chin and down into her chest, "Ahhh! Bitch you cut me!"
She fell down onto the ground and grabbed her face and her chest while Destini took the opportunity to kick Aiko while she was down. "Don't you ever fuck with my family again!" She kicked Aiko again in the stomach, "You hear me bitch!? Wake the fuck up!?" Destini kicked Aiko in the jaw, ignoring the blood on her Jordans, "You hear me!" She was so deep in beating Aiko's ass that she didn't see the lights of the Rolls Royce shining on her - - Carter.
"What the fuck is he doing here?" Tanya said as she saw Carter pull up, "Aye Des!"
Carter slowed the car and got out and squinted his eyes until he realized that he was witnessing Destini whooping Aiko's ass in the middle of the ritzy Manhattan streets. "Des!" Carter ran over to her, "Destini what the fuck you doing?!" He grabbed Destini but she shook away from him and continued stomping Aiko out who was coughing up blood on the ground, "Chill ma!" He grabbed her arms and pulled her back, as she screamed obscenities to Aiko, "Tanya!? Tanya what the fuck!?"
"Don't say shit to me Carter," Tanya said, "This is your mess nigga - - let my girl go - - let her finish this bitch off!"
"Let me go Carter!" Destini screamed, "Let me fuckin' go I'm not through with shorty! Let me go!"
"Hell no!" Carter yanked Destini back as she continued to try to break free from his grasp, "Yo don't you see the boys up thea'?! Get in the fuckin' car, ma!"
"Oh shit," Tanya saw the red and blue coming at them quick, "Aye Des we gotta roll!"
"Get in the fuckin' car Destini - - MY car!"
"No fuck that she came with me she leaving with me!"
"Bitch ain't nobody asked you shit," Carter spat back to Tanya and picked Destini up because she wouldn't walk, "Drop the fuckin' blade Des, gotdamn - - we gotta get the fuck outta hea' before the cops see us," he looked back to Aiko who was bleeding unconscious in the middle of the street, "Damn," he said as he looked at her and then put Destini over his shoulder, still talking shit to an unconscious Aiko.
"Let me down Carter! Let me the fuck down!" She said beating on his back, "Let me down!" One of Destini's shoes had come off in the process of Carter trying to remove her from the scene - - she was almost unmanageable.
"Shut the fuck up I'm gettin' you outta hea'! What the fuck was you thinkin?! The fuck was on your mind, shorty!?"
"Police! Everybody freeze!"
Carter licked his lips and let Destini down as the police drew guns and the cops flashed their lights at he and Destini, "Fuck," he said and slowly lifted his hands in the air.
● ● ●
Destini sat in the holding cell without a word to say to anybody. People in the holding cell with her attempted to make conversation but she didn't have shit to say to them. She folded her arms across her chest and sat on the farthest bench from everyone else with no regrets for what she had done. She wanted to kill Aiko and she sincerely hoped that she had because she felt so disrespected that she couldn't let Aiko merely walk away. Aiko took her for a weak bitch and Destini needed to show her that the money didn't change a thing - - she'd made Destini snap.
"Hey Bonnie," the prison guard said to Destini after hours of waiting and opened up the cell, "Looks like Clyde posted bail - - you're out." She got up from the cold bench, missing a shoe with a scratch on her face and walked out of the cell to see Carter standing at the booking desk filling out the bail information.
"Get your ass on, killa," Carter said as he walked out of the police station with Destini. She took one look at him and rolled her eyes and pushed the door open to jog down the steps, "I can't believe you did that shit."
"I told you I was gonna kill her."
"Well she ain't dead - - luckily for you she ain't."
"What the fuck were you doing there? You went over there to fuck her again?" Destini spoke in monotone, "Huh?"
"No," he said, "I went over there to fuck her ass up for that shit. Look, I didn't know shit about the DVD, aight."
"But you knew you fucked her," Destini looked out the window and laughed as they cruised the streets, "Carter you ain't shit. You ain't. You shoulda let me stay in there, forreal. I don't owe you shit because you bailed me out."
"Yo why you gotta act like an ungrateful bitch all the time, Des?" He said as he drove, "Why the fuck you gotta come at me like this when I'm the one who bailed you out."
"I didn't ask you to."
"You know you facing assault charges now right?" He licked his lips and shook his head, "Stupid ass."
"Yeah well I wouldn't be facing them if it weren't for you fucking her. Man, I'on give a fuck - - just get me home. I'm done talking."
The entire ride home was silent just as Destini had demanded it be. Carter pulled the car into the drive way and quieted the engine but he didn't take the keys out. He sat there and didn't speak a word for a moment - - they both sat - - dying in the silence trying to figure out what came next.
"I'm sorry," Carter said, "I'm sorry about Aiko. Des I never meant to hurt you. I love you. Destini you gotta understand that - -,"
"Fuck whoever you want from now on," she interjected in a sharp tone, staring straight ahead, "I'm leaving you, Carter."
-