~~Strange People~~
Aaliyah didn't know what to think of her new mattress.
She was so used to that thin, lumpy mattress back in San Diego, that lying in Will's bed felt like she was about sink right into the floor.
It was so soft, like a cloud, and though it was a lot better quality than what she was used to, anxiety racked in her brain. She really felt that at any moment she would fall right into oblivion, and that was her worst nightmare.
She couldn't say she slept all that well.
She got up at bed at five AM, an hour earlier than she usually did, but she was tired of constantly waking up as though she had landed on hard ground after falling for what felt like a million years. She got up at the first sign of dawn and she stumbled over to the ensuite, grabbing her ratty old bag as she did so.
The bathroom was unsurprisingly spotless. White-tiled floors, and white pristine walls, Aaliyah was afraid to stain. A white bathtub with a translucent glass divider and a shower faucet attached to the wall, a dark oak vanity, a toilet to the right of the bathtub, and a towel rack to its left. She padded across the bathroom and stopped in front of the vanity, turning to take a look at herself in the mirror.
She saw the same thing she usually saw each morning she managed to grab to herself before her day really got started. Her hair was half out of the bonnet she had it in from last night. She sighed annoyed at the pitfalls of having her hair type, as she readjusted the bonnet, packing in the curls that fell into her dark brown skin and taking in her tired eyes. Then she found herself smiling. She was in New York, in a penthouse apartment, in a bathroom attached to her room that wasn't an attic infested with spiders. Her room.
Her first day in a city that promised her opportunity. The opportunity to pursue her dream, the opportunity to become someone else, the opportunity to be herself, without fear of her foster parents holding her back. She was free.
With that thought in my mind, she started with her day; washing herself off. She decided that she would wash her hair too, which was a mission in itself, but she found herself not minding anymore. Her untameable curls never failed to remind her of the fact that she had no idea where she came from, now that she did, maintaining them didn't seem like such a burden anymore.
It didn't make it any easier though. Aaliyah had made sure to pack light when she left San Diego, not that she had much to bring anyway, a few clothes including her pajamas, a toothbrush, her songbook, and all her hair and skin products. Danica and Quincy hadn't been all that invested in managing her hair, and usually just bought her off-brand shampoo and conditioner. Lauryn, who was the oldest of three girls, was appalled by this. She was firm when it came to hair and skin care. She took it upon herself to smuggle quality hair and skin products for Aaliyah, including shampoo, conditioner, mousse, essential oils, and moisturizer, and three different hair combs. Lauryn made sure that Aaliyah was just as obsessed with her self-care as she was.
Her next challenge was deciding what she was going to wear today. After everyone had left her room the night before, when Jacks decided to head home and Blair and Jenny retired to their own rooms, Malcolm had come up to ask if she had settled in well.
Whether Aaliyah was or wasn't she would have answered the same way. "Of course," She said with a pleasant smile, "And thank you again for all of this, I don't know how I'd repay you—"
"There is no need to thank me, Aaliyah," Malcolm said with a slow smile, "I'm just as determined to have you here as you are, possibly more."
Aaliyah couldn't fight the grin on her face. "Not possible."
Malcolm laughed, shaking his head. She noticed that he looked a lot more relaxed out of a power suit. His shirt was untucked from his pants and unbuttoned at the collar, his tie missing and his hair was wilder. Aaliyah couldn't but feel less intimidated by him like this. "Well, I hope you can project that same enthusiasm to the board tomorrow. You have a meeting with them tomorrow morning, at nine AM."
What in her wardrobe said she was ready to put a hundred and fifty percent in, but also didn't want to be taken too seriously, but serious enough that they knew where she stood in the company. If Aaliyah learned anything from Blair yesterday was that whether it was a good thing or not, appearance had a firm foothold in the music industry. Her style and sense of fashion gave an idea of her personality before she even opened her mouth. Looks spoke volumes, and her looks needed to say the right thing.
But before she got here, all Aaliyah owned was flannel shirts and frayed jeans. She was not good with so much variety, and a lot was sitting in her closet. She sighed staring at the wardrobe hopelessly, wishing she could get the nerve to walk into Blair's room and ask for her help, but it wasn't even seven yet, her hair was still wrapped up in one of the towels she found in the bathroom, and she didn't feel comfortable walking around in someone's house in only a towel. She made a mental note to buy a robe, and also silk pillowcases. One of the few things she always made sure that she would get once she moved out of Quincy's house were silk pillowcases that Lauryn had always told her were good since they didn't absorb moisture.
She decided to put off looking for clothes and decided to deal with her hair instead, at least she knew what to do with that.
Malcolm left for work an hour before Aaliyah did. Apparently, he usually had a swarm of emails to get through before he could really start his day. It made sense, being the CEO of a big label meant a lot of responsibility, she guessed. Her only problem was that besides Blair the only other person awake and in the kitchen at eight AM was Willa, who almost certainly hated her.
Blair was an early riser like Aaliyah and she didn't waste any time barging into her room at seven-thirty completely dressed and ready to take on the world in ripped ankle-length jeans and a white layered chiffon blouse with a ruched turtleneck paired with white low top sneakers. She squealed in delight when she saw what Aaliyah finally managed to put together, and wasn't afraid to help with her accessories.
If she was being honest, Aaliyah just closed her eyes and grabbed the first thing she touched. And it happened to be a really cute oversize vintage patchwork shirt that Aaliyah remembered picking out. She smiled before looking around some more and decided to tuck the shirt into a slim-fitted denim skirt that reached past her knees with a slit in the front. She still wasn't sure of what to wear on her feet though, but that was where Blair came in. She loaned her a pair of tan strappy sandals with heels, gold hoop earrings, and a gold chain she said she could keep.
Aaliyah protested, but Blair didn't want to hear it. "Everyone needs a gift for their first day at work," She insisted, "And it looks better on you anyway, suits your complexion. But I will need the heels and hoops back."
The heels gave Aaliyah another three inches that made her look a little older and mature, the jewelry only enhanced that fact. Though Aaliyah wanted to say no, Blair insisted that she take pictures for her Instagram, and also for Aaliyah's though she hadn't actually made her account yet. She only set up her phone last night, but the only apps she had downloaded on her phone were Candy Crush and Sodoku.
She wasn't about to tell Blair that though. As well as fashion, her life seemed to revolve around social media. She was sure Blair would have a mental breakdown if she told her she didn't have any.
Conveniently, Blair was also going to sit in on the meeting her father was holding with the board and her. Apparently, Blair sat in on a lot of her father's meetings to get an idea of what business and entrepreneurship looked like, she was passionate about starting up her own online fashion boutique, combining the two things she loved most in this world; the internet and fashion.
She offered to stop for breakfast on the way since Aaliyah didn't eat the pancakes Willa made. Aaliyah was a picky eater, and pancakes were on the long list of foods Aaliyah didn't eat, along with every other egg-based food. Blair seemed to eat everything in sight and had no problem eating Aaliyah's share of pancakes whilst Aaliyah sipped on her water avoiding Willa's poison stare. Maybe she was exaggerating the evil looks, but she swore she saw Willa purse her lips when Aaliyah admitted that she didn't like pancakes. She tried to be as kind about it as possible when Willa asked why she wasn't eating. She had even considered eating them just to be polite, and she knew she had to kiss Willa's ass especially since she didn't even want her here, to begin with, but just smelling them had made her nauseous.
They got to the label with ten minutes to spare and the pair ran into Malcolm at the elevator on the way to the conference room the receptionist on shift, who was apparently not Emma, directed them to.
He smiled as a greeting to both of them. "I'm glad you're early."
Blair didn't give Aaliyah a chance to respond. "Hey dad, heading to the meeting, are we?" Blair said with a charming smile, pressing the elevator button.
Malcolm raised a brow at her, as the elevator doors opened. He stepped back letting the girls in first. Blair sauntered in with her head held high, and Aaliyah followed her shaking her head in amusement. "That smile looks like a demand is soon to follow." He said, his voice coming out quite wary, "What do you want?"
"Nothing much, just for you to please pay for a new paint job, please and thank you." She said holding her hands together pleadingly, with wide puppy-dog eyes. Aaliyah watched their interaction curiously as Malcolm pressed the button taking them to the thirteenth floor, looking at her dubiously.
"Didn't I just pay for a paint job on your car two months ago?"
Blair rolled her eyes. "That was before I hit the back of her on a lampost last week. There's an ugly scratch on the trunk now."
Malcolm's look was incredulous, running a hand through his slicked-back hair. "Blair, remind me. How did you get your license again?"
"Come on, dad!" She complained, "Stop living in the past. Look to the future instead, like next week when school starts up again. I can't drive Janice into school on my first day of Junior year like that! I have a reputation to uphold." She pouted.
Janice? Aaliyah thought to herself, baffled. Was she talking about her car? Malcolm turned his gaze from Blair to Aaliyah. "Oh, that also reminds me," He started, and turned to look at Aaliyah, "I managed to get a hold of administration at Blair's high school, Buchanan, this morning and managed to get you a place as a Senior starting next week. You just need to send in your application as soon as possible."
Aaliyah felt her heart skip a beat. High school. "That's a public school, right?" She asked and Malcolm nodded slowly. She let out a huge breath, looking down as her thoughts came at her like a ton of bricks. She didn't know why she was asking, she could have figured that out herself, but she felt numb. Aaliyah had always wondered what going to a high school would have been like. Seeing hundreds of the same faces every day, going to classes instead of just sitting in her bedroom for hours on end. Lauryn had told her that she shouldn't try and romanticize it because it wasn't what the movies made it out to be, but she couldn't help it. It seemed a lot better than what she had.
Blair snorted, as the elevator stopped suddenly, turning to step out. "You sound like you've never been to a high school before."
Aaliyah flushed. "I haven't," She said as she followed Blair out, Malcolm on her tail. Blair looked at her with wide eyes, then she quickly corrected herself. "I mean. I was homeschooled, never been to an actual school or anything."
Blair continued to stare wide-eyed for another moment before she started laughing. "Then boy, you're definitely in for an experience." She said, "Senior year is supposed to be the worst for any high schooler, and that's with the three extra years to prepare you—"
"Blair, I don't think that that's the advice you'd want to give Aaliyah." Malcolm chastised.
Aaliyah smiled shaking her head. "It's okay," She reassured, "I've read enough books, but I managed to make it here on my own. I'm all for a challenge."
Malcolm still looked worried, but Blair grinned faithfully, "That's the spirit, and I wholeheartedly believe you won't want to kill yourself before your Senior Prom." Aaliyah almost laughed at that, before Blair turned to look back at her dad, "Speaking of goodnatured spirit, dad, what do I have to do or say to get you to crack open that expensive Italian leather wallet of yours?"
"Ah, everyone's already here, that's great." He said pushing open the glass door they approached and stepping into the conference room identical to the one that Aaliyah had been in the day before, but this one was jam-packed with just over a dozen middle-aged people in business suits all talking amongst themselves waiting for the meeting to start. "Morning everyone. It's good to see you all, hope all is well."
Everyone murmured in low tones that didn't seem to match the level of energy Malcolm seemed to have. Aaliyah wasn't sure she could blame them, it was nine AM on a Monday. Aaliyah noticed a boy, closer to her age, but not quite, sitting at the other end of the conference table, slouching with a fixed scowl as though he hoped to disappear. He had dark skin, dark eyes and black afro hair put into cornrows and had the sides trimmed into a fade connected to a beard that was still trying to fully grow in. He had a piercing too. Aaliyah couldn't help but wonder if all the boys in New York were incredibly good-looking.
"Huh," Said Blair from beside her, and Aaliyah looked at her remembering where she was, "I wonder why Xavier is here."
"Xavier?" Aaliyah echoed then looked back to the boy, she realized Blair was looking at and then it clicked. "You mean that's Xavier Adams?" She hissed in a low voice, her heart almost stopping in her chest. She only knew him by name, but she heard some of his music and absolutely adored it, she didn't think she'd ever get the chance to meet him, but of course. He was also another star signed to Soul Fusion.
"Ah, so you're not living under a rock," Blair smirked, dropping a wink at her before taking her seat at the back, away from the table. Aaliyah couldn't help but flush, slightly embarrassed. Aaliyah wasn't completely updated on the social world, but she knew a lot of music, from old classics like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye to RnB and Soul stars like Beyonce and even Summer Walker, and then stars like Xavier Adams. Aaliyah knew he was primarily a rapper, sticking to poetic lyricism that spoke to her heart, but she had heard his singing voice too in a lot of songs and his soulful baritone voice was the best she heard of his generation. He was amazing.
Aaliyah felt Malcolm's hand on her back directing her to the seat at the head of the table. She couldn't help but feel incredibly self-conscious of herself sitting here, where everyone's eyes were on. Aaliyah recognized Uriah though, sitting next to Xavier Adams, peering at her through narrowed judgemental eyes. She wanted to sink into the floor and disappear. She quickly averted her gaze when Malcolm continued speaking.
"So I suppose we should get down to business then—"
"Yes, and we should start with what I'm hearing about you signing on another artist," Said a woman with long dark pin-straight hair around her shoulders and sharp blue eyes, "I thought it was agreed that we would make the suggested budget cuts. I don't think it's the best idea to sign on an artist, especially an inexperienced one. It's such a wild card. We'd be pouring more money into someone, whilst we still don't have the luxury to spend more on and we don't know if she would even sell. It's ridiculous—"
"Paula, I think we should let Malcolm speak before we start ranting on about money, like a bunch of Scrooges," Uriah replied dryly, followed by a ripple of snickers around the table. The woman, Paula cut her eyes at him, her pale complexion flushing scarlet. Uriah ignored her and turned to Malcolm and nodded at him, "Continue."
Aaliyah couldn't help but feel squeamish. Is that how everyone felt about her being here? Like she was an inconvenience. She turned to look at Blair for reassurance, and she gave her a thumbs up and a smile, but Aaliyah saw a gleam of worry in her eyes, and Aaliyah felt her stomach turn. She slowly turned back in her seat to face everyone.
Malcolm smiled and nodded back to Uriah. "I hear you, Paula and I guess I'm talking to quite a few of you here when I say I assure you that the money we spend, would be practically chicken feet compared to what we're due to rake in with Aaliyah here. She's the next big thing. And you all know by now that I am never wrong when it comes to this."
Chatter burst from the table and Aaliyah couldn't help but jump as she watched everyone talk about her like she wasn't there. She could barely hear what everyone was saying, and she found herself staring at the boy sitting silently in his seat observing everyone in their deliria. "Aaliyah? Don't tell me she's mononymous. That would only spark an uproar in the public—"
"Her name is Aaliyah Garcia, and she's sitting right here. You can address her yourself." Malcolm said gesturing to her, she raised a hand, waving weakly as she pressed her lips together feeling awkward as she made her presence known like she hadn't been sitting in the middle of the room since she got here.
"So, Aaliyah," Said Paula looking at her with the same condescending frown Uriah sported. She tried not to scowl at her, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult, "What do you do? You clearly must be gifted to have Malcolm singing your praises, he rarely signs on more than one artist a year. If even at all."
Everyone was now looking at her, and she realized it was finally her turn to speak. She sat up straight in her seat and looked at everyone firmly, channeling Lauryn as she did so, always make eye contact, they will smell your fear. "I sing," She answered, "And I play the piano."
A few murmurs passed through the room, and she could only stare as everyone conferred with each other. It was Uriah next to speak. "What exactly do you play or sing, where is your area of expertise?"
"Um, mostly the old stuff, soul classics like Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Billie Holiday, Otis Redding. My tutor started off professionally teaching different classical pieces from Bach, Chopin, and Debussy, though I like to think that the first composition I ever learned was Edith Piaf's La Vie En Rose. I prefer other genres though, jazz and a lot of blues. I love contemporary soul, Ari Lennox and Lauryn Hill are usually my muses when I write," Aaliyah answered, feeling a little more confident in herself, whenever Aaliyah talked music, she could go on forever like it was woven into her soul. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Xavier sitting up straighter now peering at her with an unreadable stare, almost curious, she thought. Aaliyah tried not to let that intimidate her. That was a good thing, that meant that Xavier was interested in her.
"You're a songwriter?" Paula asked in almost an abrasive tone, and Aaliyah looked to her slightly thrown, nodding slowly. It seemed as though this woman wanted her to fail, she was sure that was the case for a lot of people, but she would take it in stride. She had lived her entire life with people who wanted nothing for her, it meant nothing in the end.
"She's amazing," Blair chimed in, and then everyone looked at her, and she shrugged, sitting back in her seat with a smirk, "What I'm just saying? I've heard her stuff."
Aaliyah couldn't help her smile when she looked at Blair, who dropped a wink at her. "If she's good, why don't we hear some of her music?" Uriah offered and with that, a ripple of agreements went through the room before Malcolm looked at her with an encouraging smile.
Aaliyah felt her heart throb against her rib cage, and she felt her hands shake a little with nervousness. Aaliyah wasn't afraid of performing in front of people, but she was afraid of failing to impress people. And these people were important, if they didn't like her, they would make it hard for her to be here, and she was already dealing with enough. "Okay," She said, and then she noticed the shiny Yamaha piano at the back of the room pushed to the corner looking out onto the city and the beginning of a smile pulled at the corner of her mouth.
She got up from her seat and tried to ignore the peering eyes on her as she walked across the room passing Xavier and Uriah as she did, and took her seat on the piano bench and lifting the piano cover, and glancing down at the beautiful white keys.
Each piano was different, but the moment her fingers touched the keys and music flowed from her fingertips, she felt brought back to the same place, where she was safe.
She took a deep breath and counted herself in, letting her eyes fall shut before she started playing. The minor chords counting in a soulful melody in D Major that thrummed under it making a beautiful instrumental that resonated with her soul and made her heart sing. And then she did.
It was the same chorus she had sung the night before for Blair and Jacks, but this time her piano playing drowned out the city outside, leaving nothing but the air in her lungs and her voice ringing in her ears. She felt everything and nothing at the same time as she had gone into herself to feel all she felt more intensely than she ever had before. It was the feeling she craved, to feel the world as she never had before, it was like the wind calling for the birds, it was natural. It was her.
When she stopped, she opened her eyes and remembered where she was, and smiled. Even if they hated it, she didn't think she'd care. She did her best, she sang her soul, and that was all she could give.
She turned around on the piano bench to face the board, who was silent for a long time. Most of them had an unreadable expression on their face, but there was a few who were smiling as though impressed, some almost touched, and Aaliyah couldn't help but feel satisfied. Blair had a full-fledged grin on her face, and Malcolm smiled as though he was a proud father, and Aaliyah couldn't help but feel her heart swell at the thought. Her gaze went to Xavier, who wasn't looking at her anymore but was staring at the table. Aaliyah wondered what he thought. "Was that any good?" She asked in a soft voice, her eyebrows raised, still looking at Xavier. She didn't know if she was asking the whole board or just Xavier alone.
It was Uriah who cleared his throat to speak. "You were phenomenal, which isn't all that surprising since it was Malcolm who discovered you," He said, but Aaliyah narrowed her eyes, feeling like there was a "but" coming, "But, I feel there is definitely room for improvement on your writing, which is why I brought in Mr. Adams." He said gesturing to the scowling boy beside him.
"We decided that we would partner you up with Xavier for your debut album, to help you with writing your songs," Malcolm explained as Aaliyah looked from Xavier to Malcolm as though she knew he would come up with an explanation for her, "Xavier is on a year hiatus from performing and is here to write and produce songs for the artists on this and labels instead. I am sure you would have heard of him."
Xavier stood up from his seat and Aaliyah couldn't help but take in a sharp gasp when she took in his entire height. He had a good half a foot on her, probably a couple of inches more. Aaliyah quickly stood to her feet, nodding to Malcolm as she did so. "Of course," She answered quickly, and then she stuck her hand out for Xavier to shake, which he did so, more slowly though. Aaliyah lifted her head to meet his gaze and tried for a smile, "It's nice to meet you, I've listened to some of your music."
Xavier raised a brow, a smirk tugging on the corner of his mouth. "I haven't met someone who's only listened to some of my music." He said, and then pulled his hand back lifting his shoulder in a shrug, "But I guess we experience new things every day."
Aaliyah was speechless. She wasn't sure she knew what to say to that; laugh and shrug it off promising that she would listen to more, or scowl at him and ask if he expected the whole world to obsess over him? "Xavier is also a close family friend, Aaliyah, so besides the studio, you might see him at home too."
Aaliyah nodded slowly, now understanding why Blair had sounded so familiar with him when she saw him here. Aaliyah wondered if all the Waters' family friends were this good-looking, first Jacks and now Xavier Adams, who seemed to be a little snobbish if you asked Aaliyah. But maybe she was misreading him, maybe he was just joking around, and didn't actually mean to come off as an entitled jerkface.
Xavier's smile was charming. Not too much teeth, but enough that she was able to tell that they were white. Kind of lopsided, a little awkward, but she supposed that just added to the charm. "Getting to know you will be a breeze then, Aaliyah." He said, his dark eyes glinting. His voice was kind of husky, and velvety, like chocolate. He had a piercing, a tattoo sleeve along his right forearm, and Aaliyah could see a peak of more under his short sleeve, a small gold hoop in his ear, and a gold chain shining around his collar under his black silk floral print shirt unbuttoned at the collar and a few more for good measure to show enough skin to be enticing. Aaliyah had to admit he had impeccable taste in clothes. His sneaker game was good too, sporting black and red Jordan retros with grey detail paired with blue distressed jeans. He dripped swagger and seduction. No wonder he was all over the tabloids, teenage girls across the world probably obsessed over him.
"Call me Lia," She said, trying to keep her smile intact, but it was hard. His incredible perfection made it difficult for her to stay focused. She wasn't here for boys, she reminded herself, not even incredibly handsome, ridiculously famous boys. She was here for herself.
"Okay, Lia."
The meeting went on as normal. Malcolm spoke animatedly about what he planned for Aaliyah, all the projects he wanted Aaliyah to take on to bring her into the spotlight. He bounced ideas back and forth between him and his board, discussed budgeting and any other important topics. Aaliyah wasn't all that able to keep up with the progression of the meeting, it had gone by like a blur and eventually, Malcolm announced that he was treating everyone to breakfast this morning, which of course everyone received with enthusiasm, but as they all stood up, Blair grabbed Aaliyah by the arm.
"Actually dad," She said, and Malcolm looked to her with a raised brow, "As fun as breakfast sounds, Aaliyah has a prior engagement to get to. So we will see you back at home."
"Word of the day?" Malcolm asked, and Blair nodded, linking her arm in Aaliyah's.
Aaliyah was surprised. "We do?" But before she could ask for more information, Blair had dragged her out of the conference room and taking the lift before anyone could follow them, Aaliyah only managed to get an answer to where they were going.
"We're going to Tribeca," She answered getting into her car, Aaliyah followed suit raising a brow at her, not satisfied.
"And what's in Tribeca?"
"Jacks' dance studio," She answered, and Aaliyah remembered that Jacks was a dancer and had a crew. She was about to comment on it when Blair beat her to it, "They're having an early morning practice session for nationals and he wanted me to bring him breakfast."
Aaliyah nodded looking back in the backseat at the brown paper bag. "That's why you bought extra." She said in a low voice, more to herself, "Why didn't you say earlier?"
Blair shrugged as they started off on the street, "I don't know. I thought it would keep up the mystery, and mysteries are always fun," She said a smile curling around her mouth. Her smile widened and she glanced at Aaliyah, "So, what did you think of the Xavier Adams? He's uber delicious-looking, right? And easy on the eyes," She demanded teasingly.
Aaliyah flushed, shaking her head. "I mean that goes without saying," She said, "I don't know how I feel about working with him though. He seems kind of—"
"Unreachable," Blair finished for her. Aaliyah wasn't going for that, but she supposed that was just as true. "You would be right about that. In the tabloids, he's known as New York's notorious party animal, but he's kind of like Jacks, too cool for anything, including parties. He's distant, but he's pretty cool when you get to know him."
Aaliyah wasn't entirely sure, but she decided to take Blair at her word. "How much do you know Xavier?" She asked curiously. The way she sounded, Aaliyah could have sworn that Blair liked him a lot, but what would she know? She's never had a friend before.
"Xavier is like your favorite cousin at the family reunion," Blair answered, with a deep breath, "But he's been famous for so long since he was fifteen, and he's nineteen now. So I've had to share him with the public for almost as long as I've known him, which I'm okay with, but I would never say that we're as close as I am to Jacks."
Aaliyah nodded somberly in understanding. She couldn't help but feel sad for herself. Blair had so many different relationships, with Jacks, her parents, Jenny, Xavier, she wouldn't be surprised if she had more friends and family out there in the world, she had so many people who loved her and whom she loved, Aaliyah didn't think she could say the same for herself, though she did have Lauryn and Mr. Gonzalez, there was only so much she could be honest about with them. She looked to Blair for a moment and then smiled, this was her opportunity. Her opportunity to make a friend in Blair, as she had in Jacks. And as Malcolm said, you don't close the door on an opportunity.
She reached across the dashboard to turn on the radio, and a song by The Weeknd started playing. A grin broke out across Blair's lips. "I love this song!"
The studio was actually a restored industrial warehouse, three stories high and owned by the son of Darren Westley, Carter Westley. Darren apparently owned a lot of real estate in the City back in the day and passed it down to his son when he died just over ten years ago. Part of that real estate was that warehouse due for demolition. Carter instead used his inheritance to convert it to a dance studio for young people on the streets. From that, Carter also founded the local dance group Light 'Em Up, the dance group Jacks had joined three years ago, and also started teaching some of the Junior classes with a friend of his "to get his coin" as Blair explained. According to Blair, the group was also due to audition for a certified national dance competition that if they win could really put their group on the map, a win also came with prize money.
Aaliyah really wondered how Blair knew all this information.
Aaliyah and Blair had to climb up a set of metal stairs to get up to the second floor where all of the dance studios were. Light 'Em Up was practicing in the biggest room, where loud Hip-hop music spilled out from. The music itself made Aaliyah want to do a one, two-step into the room, it made her want to move.
The studio was exactly how Aaliyah thought it would be. Soft vinyl flooring, and mirrors making up the left and right walls. A long window stretched across the wall opposite the door Aaliyah and Blair walked through above their head letting in some sunlight. Beneath the window was a huge poster taking up the entirety of the wall of dancing silhouettes, and bursts of bright neon lights coming out from each silhouette to make up the words "Light 'Em Up" in huge beautiful calligraphy.
Blair took Aaliyah by the arm and brought her to a corner of the room with a bunch of colorful beanbags as well as loads of water bottles and bags. Aaliyah let her take her, but her eyes were on the dancers, their fluidity and grace when they moved, and the certainty they had with every move they made like their bodies knew what to do before they were even conscious they were making it. It was beautiful to watch. Aaliyah looked through the group and noticed Jacks in a pair of sweatpants and an oversize T-shirt and hi-top Converses. Aaliyah couldn't help but watch his movements. He really was an amazing dancer, the way the music seemed to vibe through his body directing his moves seemed to affect her the same way, Aaliyah felt when she played. He was beautiful.
The girls sat on the beanbags and Aaliyah watched the group dance, whilst Blair was busy on Aaliyah's phone setting up all her social media accounts. She found out on the drive over there that Aaliyah didn't have any social media, and took it upon herself as her friend to remedy the problem. Aaliyah didn't mind, she thought it made sense that she had some sort of social presence, especially if she was intent on being a famous performer. The world revolved around social networking.
When the music finally came to a close, Aaliyah watched as the tall sinewy man in the front, clad in a low arm tank and sweatpants and a Red Sox ball cap, he must have been in his early twenties, turned to face the rest of the crew who had stopped with the music. "That was a good practice, you guys. Zenith you really pulled your weight this time, your sweep was much more fluid this time."
"I live to please, West," Said a light brown girl with long faux locks tied up into a high ponytail with gold thread woven through them, with a wry smile stretching out her legs.
So that's Carter Westley, Aaliyah thought. Blair told her that he preferred to go by West, and that's what everyone called him. She wasn't surprised, the leader of the group should always be in the front, so he could see everyone in the mirrors behind him. "We all know how much you love to please, Z," Said another boy about Aaliyah's age with light skin like Zenith and bleached hair, his grin was wicked as all the boys snickered with him. Aaliyah realized with a start that Zenith was the only girl there.
Zenith didn't even look at him, "You keep dreaming, Christian, I know you're just dying to find out how true that is," She said, though Aaliyah noticed a small smile along her lips. All the boys made jeering noises at that, slapping Christian's back soothingly as though he had just been shot down. Christian was looking at her with a look of mock hurt, a smirk toying along his lips.
"Blair! Aaliyah!" It was Jacks, Aaliyah lifted her gaze from Zenith to Jacks who had only just noticed their presence. She smiled warmly at him as he jogged from his space in the room to them. The rest of the group slowly made their way over to the corner they sat in.
Aaliyah turned to look over her shoulder at Blair, who was still buried in Aaliyah's phone when she shook her leg a little, she didn't respond though, and Aaliyah looked back up to Jacks who was staring at Blair with a raised brow. "Blair is a little occupied, she'll get back to you in three to five business days." She explained, with a smile that Jacks responded with a grin.
"Isn't that your phone?"
Aaliyah nodded with a grimace. "Oh yeah, she found out I didn't have any social media and lost her shit."
Jacks laughed, and Aaliyah couldn't fight her grin, happy she was able to make him laugh. "I didn't lose my shit," Blair argued defensively, reaching out to pinch Aaliyah's arm.
"You almost crashed into a car!"
"Well, he shouldn't have been stopped there in the middle of the road!" She maintained holding her head up a little higher.
"The car was at a stoplight, Blair," Aaliyah replied in a dry voice.
"That definitely sounds like you, Blair," Zenith added with a laugh plopping herself into the beanbag on Blair's left, "You're a terrible driver." She picked up the brown paper bag with Jacks' breakfast in it and pulled open the bag.
"I think it's a good thing," Said a slim boy with his hands in his pockets, dressed similarly to Jacks with wild inky black hair and upturned almond-shaped eyes expressing an Asian heritage, "Social media is a terrible place. That's why I have a social media detox every other month."
The light-skinned boy with bleached hair sighed, "I wish I had Rick's resolve. However social media is the only way I can set up my late-night booty calls."
Zenith snorted. "How about going outside?"
Christian shot her a smoldering look. "Are you talking?"
Zenith didn't respond and instead looked down in the bag and she blew out a whistle. "Oh damn, this is a special delivery," She said, about to reach into the bag, when Jacks snatched it out of her grasp. Zenith gasped before glaring up at him.
"Chill Z, I'm only getting my bagels. I have a class soon, I can't be teaching a bunch of ten-year-olds how to dance stoned. I'm not like Chris," Jacks said smirking mockingly at her, gesturing to Christian as he took out a clear plastic bag, with three cinnamon bagels in them, before throwing the bag back to Zenith. "He has the stamina of a crackhead. You guys can keep the kush?"
"Kush?" Aaliyah echoed in a low voice, frowning, wondering what Jacks was talking about.
"What are you trying to say, Jacks?" Said a tall dark-skinned boy with dark eyes and his hair trimmed low and neat with waves.
Jacks grinned at him, pushing his shoulder gently. "I'm saying I'm not a pothead like you and Christian."
The boy looked offended. "You're comparing me to Chris?" He demanded in horror, "I'm pretty sure he's already high."
"Don't forget Eunice." Christian chimed tossing Zenith a lighter, which she grabbed easily taking out a bag of green herbs rolled into balls. Eunice, a fair-skinned boy with brown loose curls and blue eyes, only pulled a noncommital smile, saluting his presence. Everyone laughed.
"Don't mind me guys," Said West from the other side of the room, walking with a bunch of cables under his arms as he was leaving the room. "I'm just a man responsible for a bunch of under eighteen-year-olds bound by the law and stuff, no need to be smart or anything." Everyone snickered amongst themselves as he left the room. Aaliyah watched him leave, suddenly feeling worried. What if he actually went to report them?
"Don't worry about West," Said Rick, noticing Aaliyah's look, "he doesn't really care what we do so long as we don't act like be a bad influence around the junior kids."
Aaliyah nodded slowly, but she didn't really feel all that appeased. Aaliyah had never done drugs, and she hadn't ever really planned to either. She was a firm believer in the saying "The Body is a Temple," she didn't think it would be a good idea to go back on her word just because she was in a different city.
"What's your name anyway?" Christian asked curiously, a flirtatious smile playing along his lips as he looked at her. Aaliyah raised a brow at him. He was good-looking, Aaliyah thought, but he was definitely someone who knew it a little too well. She opened her mouth to answer when Blair beat her to it—
"Her name's Aaliyah, and no Chris," She said giving him an even stare, "You cannot ask her to be your fuckbuddy."
Aaliyah almost choked on her breath at her words and looked back at Blair, who was smiling when everyone started laughing. Aaliyah couldn't help but flush when Blair handed her back her phone. "I was not going to ask her that, what do I look like?" Christian outraged before looking at Aaliyah again, licking his bottom lip, "I was going to ask how she's doing."
Aaliyah couldn't help her smile at him. He was definitely cute, and a good flirt, but though Aaliyah didn't have much practice with social interactions, she did know that lots of boys like him were after one thing. "Oh come on Chris," Zenith rolled her eyes lifting a rolled-up piece of paper in her hand that Aaliyah hadn't noticed before. She brought the lighter to it and set the joint ablaze, "We both know that for you, that's just a synonym." Aaliyah watched her draw in smoke and breath it out again as she sighed, rings of smoke left her lips and she smiled in satisfaction. The heavy musk of the smoke made Aaliyah's water and she tried to clear her throat subtly trying not to draw too much attention to herself.
Blair took the joint from her and followed suit. And Aaliyah couldn't help but wonder if Malcolm would be okay with Blair smoking weed. "Why would you know that, though?" Christian retorted, cocking a brow at her. Blair offered Aaliyah the joint, but she shook her head. She didn't want to make a big thing of it and make it seem like she was judging her choices because she wasn't, but Aaliyah had her personal reservations about weed and all drugs in general. "Why thank you, daddy's girl." He said taking the joint from Blair, who scowled at him.
"Seriously. Why is that a thing?" Blair demanded, sitting back in her seat, "You guys only ever call me that when I'm doing something legally questionable, it's not like my dad is the fucking president."
"No," Said the dark-skinned boy, "But your reaction is pure gold when we do call you that."
Blair rolled her eyes. "You're an ass, Marcus."
"You weren't complaining when I hit it last month," Marcus said taking the blunt from Christian, who laughed at his words.
Aaliyah lifted an eyebrow. Blair scoffed, "Are you still on that Marcus? It was one time, we were high and it was a month ago. You're crazy."
"I still can't believe you guys fucked," Jacks said slightly disturbed, who had been quiet munching on his bagels with a smile watching as everyone interacted. He looked to Aaliyah and smiled, offering her one of his bagels. Aaliyah shrugged and took one, it had been over an hour since she last ate anyway. "What does that bring your body count up too? Three?"
Blair's smirked raising four fingers up and Christian and Eunice jeered, fist-bumping each other. Zenith cut her eyes at them before looking to Jacks with a cocked brow. "Did you just offer Aaliyah food?" She demanded.
Jacks blinked at Zenith once and then twice. "I mean, I'm assuming you have your contacts in, but yes."
Zenith rolled her eyes, but Christian chimed in. "Dude, you almost never share your food. In fact, fuck that, you never share your food." He said and then looked at Aaliyah and snickered looking back to Jacks, "I guess that's one way of calling dibs. I hear you, Jacks."
Maverick who now had the joint in his hand gave Christian a dirty look. "You are a disgusting human being, Chris."
Aaliyah flushed and decided to take a better interest in her phone. She bit into her bagel and turned her phone on seeing a whole trainload of apps downloaded. Aaliyah blinked in surprise but didn't say anything.
People are strange, she thought.