Beyoncé's POV
Normani was curled up on the futon while I sat on the couch. She looked adorable with no make-up on and her natural hair pulled into a thick ponytail, a few stray curls framing her face.
I started imagining her reaction when Janet gave her that unnecessary phone call, probably scaring the poor girl.
"When do you start school?" I asked.
"Next week."
"Full-time or part-time?"
"Part-time 'cause I'll be working, too and I don't need the stress."
I nodded, aware of the challenges of both working and going to school full-time. Normani had a pointed look on her face as if she were defensive about her choice.
"What's wrong?" I gave her a closed-mouth, curious smile.
"No, 'cause I have friends who think I should be going full-time but I did that before and...it just ain't for everybody. No." She shook her head, rubbing her arm.
My smile widened for no good reason at all.
"It's your life, your call."
"Exactly," she said loudly.
"You're still getting your degree."
"Yes! The degree ain't going nowhere."
"So I noticed you mentioned you'll be working...did Janet call and apologize?"
Normani inwardly pressed her lips together as I took a long sip and awaited her answer.
"She did call and apologize and emailed me that the job is mine again."
"As she should. Normani, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean for you to get caught up in our mess."
She shrugged a little. "I just wanted to know why my name came up."
"So Kelly had this gathering, with the intent of Janet and I patching things up. I'm not sure who gave you the information, but it is true that she and I have history." I felt this wooziness growing in the pit of my stomach, but I wasn't backing down now. "Not unlike you, when I was young, I had dreams of working in the music business. I loved music so much that it seemed natural that I made it my profession. Well, I landed an internship at the label Janet was working at-at the time. I was a senior—in high school...anyway, I was elated to be there, but I also felt I had to prove myself, that I was worthy of the opportunity, especially because my mother helped me get the job." I breathed in, vaguely looking at the glass coffee table before continuing. "I wanted to prove myself, so I made sure I was the first one there and the last one to leave. I assisted the whole department and even made it my mission to help Janet outside of the office, things like picking up her dry cleaning, watering her plants, taking her mother to the appointments or picking up her medication—you name it, I did it. Yeah, I was committed." I noticed Normani's eyes enlarge and I chuckled dryly. "I guess you could say my overachieving behind was also motivated by my crush. I wanted to be like Janet and be with her." I chuckled again, shaking my head. Normani sadly laughed a little with me, nodding in understanding. "She started taking me to events and expensive lunches and dinners. When it was my birthday, she surprised me with a party at the office, the whole team was there. She declared that I was the best intern she ever had and promoted me. Not long after that, this woman Janet was seeing at the time came to the office one day in a rage like we owed her money." I smirked. "She accused me of being homewrecker and trying to sleep my way to the top. The funny thing was Janet and I weren't even involved. But there was something about it being said aloud that gave me the courage I needed to let Janet know I was strongly attracted to her. Little did that heifer know, she spoke it into existence. Anyway, Normani, I don't want to drag this out. One thing led to another with Janet and I fell. I fell hard. She was the first person I ever fell in love with. I came out to my family and friends because of her. And I thought she loved me too, but she didn't. She loved what I did for her. It messed me up, took me a while to get over, like a good two years. And I never wanted to feel that kind of pain again..." I sighed, but not out of self-pity. It was a much-needed exhale. "But in only looking out for myself, I didn't care about anyone else, and as a result people got hurt..." I bit my lip. "Kelly didn't initially tell me you were interning for Janet, she kept it from me because she knows how I would have reacted...the only reason I agreed to come to her house and see Janet was because I wanted to make sure, woman to woman, that she wasn't treating you...how I treated you.."
"How she treated you," Normani said at the same time. "She hasn't. She was nice and professional to me, except for today."
"She better not have." Normani looked at me, raising her eyebrow a little. "Right message, wrong messenger?"
She nodded, giggling. "But I appreciate you looking out."
"I don't get brownie points for that. Not after how I did you."
"Who said you get brownie points?"
We laughed after a beat.
"Thank you for being transparent with me," she said in earnest.
I nodded. "I know you wanted this from me a long time ago. But I wasn't ready...I suppressed it, instead of facing it and dealing with my baggage."
"It's not an easy thing for people to open up. Technically, you didn't know me well to share something so personal."
"But I knew your body well." I narrowed my eyes, disgusted at the fact.
She looked back at me, knowing just what I meant. "Right."
I smiled sadly at her.
"I appreciate you coming to me, Beyoncé. For a long time I was hurt, but I've moved on."
"As you should. I'm happy for you."
She smiled back. It seemed like it was my cue to leave, but I wasn't ready to just yet.
"Did you ever find out who was sending those texts?" she asked, bringing her legs off the couch so her manicured toes touched the carpet.
I reclined back, shaking my head. "Ah, the infamous texts. Turns out it was Megan."
Normani side-eyed me. "Megan who?"
I smirked. "The Megan you and I both know."
She gasped. "How? How do you know?"
"It got traced back to her information."
"Why would she do that, though?"
"It was her friend. He hates me."
"Wow," Normani dragged out. "Plot-motherfucking-twist!"
I laughed. "I just knew it was that ex of yours."
Normani suddenly glanced away. "You, uh, want a refill?" she then pointed at my glass. I accepted and she motioned for me to join her at the island.
"How is she doing?" I asked.
I didn't care, I just wanted to know if they were truly done.
"Who?"
"Kehlani, Normani."
"Ohhh. She's doing better. A lot better."
"Oh okay."
"Yeah, that was the reason I had to cancel that time."
"I'm sorry?" I put my glass of wine down.
Normani's eyes bored into mine. "You heard about what happened, right?"
I shook my head no. "No. What happened?"
"Oh. I thought you were asking because you knew what happened...well, she had to go to the hospital for attempted suicide."
Now I wasn't expecting to hear that. I had looked at the girl's social media when I was trying to piece any clues together, but I hadn't noticed anything that would suggest she'd been through something so serious.
"Oh gosh, that's awful."
"Tell me about it. But she's doing better now. We like to make sure she's not alone."
I tilted my head slightly. Normani blushed through her brown skin as if realizing she'd just revealed a secret. She looked away and covered her mouth with her glass, drinking away.
"So you've been checking on her...how generous."
"She almost killed herself."
"Yes, and that's tragic, but not your responsibility, no?"
Normani contorted her face.
"Okay, maybe responsibility isn't the best word," I said.
"She didn't do anything to warrant me just abandoning her."
"...O-kay. But if she is your ex, how would you be abandoning her?"
She sighed, visibly frustrated.
I gazed at her lovely features. "Is she still your ex?"
Normani's jaw flexed. "It's not official."
Interesting.
She met my eyes. "Can you not?"
I raised my hands in surrender. "Nah, you're good. Do you."
Her forehead wrinkled and she watched me take another sip.
"What?" I said, when she continued to just stare at me.
"No, you just seem...mad."
"Mad? No, sweetheart. If anything, I'm disappointed."
"Disappointed, why?"
I breathed in through my nose before looking her square in the eye. "You know you don't have to take her back just because she had an accident, right?"
"Of course I know that," she huffed, exasperated.
I downed the rest of my drink and put it in the sink. Being the hospitable person I am, started washing it. It was just one glass. When I dried it off with the nearby, clean rag, I turned around to see Normani still staring at me.
"Thank you for the drinks."
I walked past her and to the couch to collect my purse.
"Beyoncé," she called.
I stopped smoothing my all-white outfit and looked at her, flipping my hair off my shoulder.
"I can't believe this is bothering you..."
"I won't lose sleep. I just thought you've had enough of toxic relationships."
I expected her to readily defend Kehlani's honor, but she was silent in her unwavering gaze.
"Where is your bathroom?" I questioned.
I'm the type to make sure my bladder is emptied before leaving.
She beckoned me and led the way.
It was when the toilet finished flushing that I heard commotion.