Normani's POV
"Sure," Diamante said, accepting Beyoncé's offer to give us a ride. I side-eyed my friend.
"Thanks for offering but it's cool," I told Beyoncé. "I think we got into enough drama for the day." More like days.
"Don't be silly, let me take you home," Beyoncé insisted.
"We have to use the restroom," I said.
"Okay?" Beyoncé laughed some. "Text or call when you're done, and we'll meet up. You have my number?"
"I think so." I didn't, I deleted it and threw out her card.
She nodded slowly. "Right. Well, I have yours."
I bet you do.
Diamante and I found a bathroom and as soon as we shut the door, we exchanged amazed looks. We didn't even have to say it aloud. We both knew what we just witnessed and experienced was madness. From Beyoncé getting into an altercation with Meg's manager to Meg and Beyoncé's argument.
"Bitch, your life is a movie," Diamante said, making us laugh.
"And you're in it," I teased. "No, but we can't ride with her."
"Why not? It's just a ride."
"Meg obviously isn't cool with it," I whispered and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I still looked cute but a little through it.
"I think she's more concerned about her rude, ugly ass manager."
"Yeah, but her vibe was different with Beyoncé there."
"Hey, like she said, we're some mega hotties."
"Did you feel like she was flirting with you on the low?" I smiled at her through the mirror.
"I mean, kinda but not really?"
"Look at that Kool-Aid smile."
Diamante laughed and pushed my arm playfully. My phone vibrated and I smirked.
Diamante smirked back. "Wonder who that is."
I rolled my eyes, amused and checked my phone. It was actually Megan: Normani, I know it's last minute but you and your friend are more than welcome to come hang with us and sorry about what happened, it was all a misunderstanding. She texted an address, which was some lounge/arcade/bowling alley type of place.
"What's it say?" Diamante pressed.
I showed her my phone and her face lit up. "Told you she ain't mad, girl."
There was also my text thread with Kehlani, who'd been checking on me throughout the evening. I knew she probably wouldn't want me to spend more time with Megan if Beyoncé was around, much less get a ride from Beyoncé. But I also realized I didn't get enough coverage of Megan and her show, so this was a good opportunity to do that.
I texted Megan that we'd be there and if it was okay to film her a bit and/or ask a few questions.
"As long as it ain't about the altercation, we good lol!" she'd replied. I showed Diamante what she wrote and we both giggled.
The door suddenly opened, startling us. I almost dropped my phone. It was Beyoncé. What is it with her and me and bathrooms?
"Hey," we all said.
"Meg told us about the after, well, not party but hangout she's having," I told her.
"Oh okay, so are you coming?"
"Yes."
"Good."
She walked into a stall and I tried not to look at her ass. "Are you still riding with me?"
Meg hadn't mentioned anything about how to get there and I didn't ask. I guess we had our answer.
"Yes, if that's still an option," I replied.
The toilet suddenly flushed, and Diamante was staring at me and I mouthed, "What?"
"The way you act around her!" she whispered in my ear.
"Shut up," I said, hitting her arm.
She just laughed and went into another stall. Beyoncé emerged from hers and we locked eyes. The rush I felt was completely involuntary. She washed her hands gracefully from beside me.
"You look very pretty, Normani," she said.
"Thank you," I said with straight face.
She smiled at me in the mirror and then looked at her own reflection, which was flawless.
"How's your girlfriend?" she asked casually drying her hands.
"She's good. She'd be here tonight but she's working."
Beyoncé just looked at me and nodded with a phony ass smile. Diamante finished up and came out to wash her hands, at that point Beyoncé and I acted like nothing happened.
Kehlani:
You headed home?
Me:
No, going to Meg's after party. Gonna get some footage/quotes and then we're out
Suddenly my phone started vibrating repeatedly. Beyoncé glanced at me from the driver's seat. It was Kehlani FaceTiming.
"Everybody be quiet please," I said and accepted the call. "Hey babe." I forced a normal smile at Kehlani, hoping I didn't seem nervous. "How was the show?"
"It was mad real. I loved it."
"Aww, yay."
"How was Meg's show?"
"Great, fun and her energy is poppin'."
Kehlani smiled. "That's what's up. So you said you're going to an after party? Where are you now?"
"Yes, we're on our way there now."
"Where's Diamante?"
"In the back."
"Who's car are you in?"
"A Lyft."
"You're in front with the driver?"
"Yes, babe, why?"
"I'm just wondering why you wouldn't sit with D."
"Lani, you doing too much!" Diamante called, leaning forward.
We laughed. "We're almost there, I'll call you back," I told my girlfriend.
"Wait. Did that bitch come around you?"
I tensed up and instinctively glanced at Beyoncé through my peripheral vision.
"That means yes." Kehlani studied me.
"Baby, she's there to support Meg, so how would we not see her."
"But did she come around you?" Kehlani enunciated.
The car suddenly came to a stop and I hastily looked at Beyoncé who was looking straight ahead but I could tell she was listening to everything. A look out the window told me we had arrived at the right location.
"We're here!" Diamante suddenly said.
"I'll talk to you later babe, bye, I love you." I blew Kehlani a kiss and ended the call. "Shit."
"Now she calling me," Diamante remarked. She opened the door and got out of the car.
"Fuck," I said, face-palming with one hand.
"I'm guessing she's concerned about me," Beyoncé spoke up. "Being around you."
I sighed loudly. "She knows about you."
"Can you be more specific?"
"She knows about our past, what you did to me."
"Hmm."
"Yeah. So you can't blame her for being wary." I looked out the window and saw Diamante on her phone, shaking her head and smiling, and watching me and Beyoncé. Meg suddenly approached her and they hugged. Then I saw Megan take Diamante's phone and wave at it, probably to Kehlani.
"About that, Normani, I'm terribly sorry...I hope you know that I never wanted to hurt you. That was never something I sought out to do. But I did and I, unfortunately, can't change that. I do want you to know that from the bottom of my heart, I truly am sorry," Beyoncé said. "You didn't deserve to be treated that way."
"Nobody does."
"Correct."
"Thank you for your apology, even if it is late."
"Better late than never, right? I also told Kelly what happened."
I gazed at Beyoncé, giving her my complete attention.
"She was upset about you turning us down and not long after, I found myself confessing," she said.
"What made you confess?"
"...Well, your professor reached out to Kelly."
My eyes widened. "Professor Danai?"
"Yep."
"I...I didn't tell Professor Danai about us."
"She's a smart, nosey woman, who happens not to like me, so I'm sure she let her imagination run wild..."
"Wow," I whispered, leaning my head back in the chair. I knew professor had started acting weird.
"It's fine. It needed to come out."
"Do you really believe that?"
Her eyes found mine again. "Yes."
As much as I didn't want to, I started to get a little emotional. And the more I fought it, the more the emotion grew. I turned away and wiped my eyes.
"Normani, I'm so sorry, baby girl," she said and provided me with a chunk of tissues. "We can go in when you're ready," she added.
I fully realized that Diamante and Megan and them had gone inside.
"I'm ready," I said and got out the car. She walked with me inside the establishment and confirmed the party for the reservations. It didn't take us long to spot Diamante and Megan's crew.
"There you are," Diamante said as I came to her.
"Is she mad?" I asked, referring to Kehlani.
She smiled sympathetically. "Yeah girl, I'm sorry. But you know she loves you."
"Did you meet my crew?" I felt a tap on my back and turned to see Megan.
I shook my head no, barely able to muster a smile. She took my hand and started introducing me to her team. "And you know this guy, I promise he's not mean on purpose." She smiled, bringing me to Jimmy.
"You're on my bad side," I told him, half playing around.
Jimmy and Megan shared a good laugh.
"That's the most personality you showed all night," Jimmy commented.
Really? Like he knows me.
Megan waved him off dismissively and focused on me. "I know you have to be hungry."
She wasn't wrong. She gestured towards Diamante, and then led us to the food court.
"Get whatever you want, my treat," Megan said, as we looked up at the menu on the screens.
As we ate, I asked Megan about her career and it turned into an interesting conversation, just getting to know her more and how much her family, community and education mean to her, and how rap changed her life.
The time was flying by, but it was going well.
"So what about y'all? What are your dreams?" Megan turned the questions over to me and Diamante.
"I have a lot of different interests, to be honest. I love dance, music, and pretty much all things entertainment. But then I also care about social issues," I answered.
Meg nodded and smiled. "You dance?"
"Mani invented dancing," Diamante chimed in.
I laughed softly. "Yeah, right. But thanks babe."
"I want to see what you're working with. You do have a dancer's body," Megan said.
"I'll dance for you one day." I smiled.
"Why not right now?"
"Oooh," Diamante cooed, before finishing up her BBQ chicken leg.
"Hold up, let's get some music on," Megan said, standing up, switching her hips as she walked across the room.
Soon Stir Fry blared through the vicinity. It was hard not to move. Megan and some of her friends started hyping me up, including Diamante.
Beyoncé's POV
I finished the game I was playing and noticed Megan and the girls were having fun. They were all sensually shaking their behinds and before I knew it, Megan took a seat and had Diamante sit in between her legs with Normani sitting on Diamante's lap.
Megan caressed Diamante and Normani's thighs. These three extremely attractive young women were grinding, laughing, and taking pictures together.
It was when Normani and I made eye contact that she snapped out of her girl-fun daze. She stood up, like she was ready to go. She said something to Diamante who was clearly affected when Megan squeezed her rear. Diamante looked every bit of someone who was reluctant to leave the fun. She was clearly enjoying herself. Whether she was having an even better time than Megan, I couldn't tell.
Normani walked over towards me.
"Having fun?" I said.
"I need to go."
"It's okay to admit that you're having fun."
"...And where were you?"
"Minding my business." I paused and chuckled to myself at her dissatisfaction with my response. "Playing a couple games."
"Why were you by yourself?"
"You wanted me around?"
"I'm just saying you didn't have to be alone."
"I enjoy my company." I smiled. "How would your girlfriend feel about you wanting me there?"
"Stop, just stop."
She made me chuckle with her cute self. Then I glanced at Megan and Diamante who were hanging off each other and giggling. I caught Megan smirking at me.
"Are we third wheels?" I asked Normani.
Her laughter was promptly halted. "I don't know what y'all have going on," Normani said, raising her hands in surrender.
I chuckled lightly. "Megan's trying to make me jealous."
Normani looked up at me curiously.
"She knows about us," I added.
She looked alarmed and lowered her head. I gently raised her chin. "You should never look down." We held our gaze and I slowly moved my hand from her gorgeous face. She then covered her mouth, letting out a yawn.
I smiled in amusement. "Let's get you home."
Megan and Diamante decided to join us.
"Finally," Normani said, noticing her friend.
"Bye Mani," Megan addressed her and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you again. Tell Kehlani we missed her." My girlfriend then smirked at me again. "Are you taking them home?"
"Yes and then I'm going home," I said shortly.
"That's okay, I just got an Uber," Normani suddenly said, eyes concentrated on her phone. "Good night. D, let's go."