Chapter 2 #2
It wasn’t often that somebody asked her what was going on in her life.
Everyone, for as long as she could remember, always focused on Charlie.
Charlie was the sister who needed things, who needed time, attention, who required meetings with teachers and parents.
Charlie was the runaway teen; she was the one who did drugs and drank alcohol before her time.
She was the one people paid attention to because she was the one who needed extra guidance.
Stassi was the straight-A cheerleader. The popular girl with friends who voted her homecoming queen and had colleges clamoring to accept her.
Nobody asked about what was bothering her.
Nobody ever even thought to check on her from time to time.
She was the strong sister. Even before her mother married Charlie’s father, she was the strong child.
Her mother was the one who needed nurturing.
Man after man had come through their door and walked all over her mother’s heart, leaving Stassi with tears to wipe when they were gone.
Stassi was used to taking care of others and hiding her own torment.
It was just her role. Day was the first person in a long time to even inquire.
It was a shallow ask; she was sure, but at least he had asked, even if only out of courtesy.
“I got fired today. Demi’s ex-wife fired me because my sister stole her husband, and now, I have to walk in their home and pretend to be happy for them.”
“Or just keep the shit real and don’t walk in their home. It’s easy to be real, baby,” Day said.
That ‘baby’ slid off his lips like butter off pancakes, and she knew it was just a natural finesse he had.
He wasn’t even trying to flirt or seduce; he was just the type of man that was designed to make women feel seen.
His thick brows were messy, and she had an urge to smooth them out.
She reached over and ran her thumbs across them.
He leaned back, caught off guard as he stared at her, stunned.
“Sorry, I just have a thing. It would drive me crazy to sit here and look at those brows going in every direction,” she said. Her half-smile was full of light.
He scoffed.
“What you gon’ do? About your predicament? You ain’t really a hustler if you can’t fall off without bouncing back,” he said.
“I really don’t know what to do,” Stassi said. “Rebuilding my client list from the ground up feels impossible.”
She hit the weed once more and then fanned the smoke she blew out before passing it off. Her phone rang, and when she noticed it was Charlie, she flashed her screen to Day.
“She’s probably looking for me. We better get back.”
“We could do that,” Day said, nodding as if he were thinking of some master plan in his head. “Or we could just be real and say fuck it.”
Stassi smirked and then looked down at her phone once more.
The bubbles dancing on her screen made her chest tighten.
Charlie
Your car is here. Where are you?
She had never wanted to skip out on a dinner party so badly in her life.
“I can’t,” Stassi answered.
Day spun the chair to the soundboard and turned on the music. “You better get to it then.”
Stassi reluctantly stood and headed back to the house.
She glanced back before she descended the stairs, and he sat nodding his head to the beat of a song she had never heard.
She had a feeling he would be creating his own vibe instead of joining the rest of the guests, and she wished she had the guts to do the same.
The number of cars that had arrived let her know it was a full house.
Chatter filled the night air as she caught up with a group that was walking in the front door.
Charlie stood, holding it open, her bright smile greeting everyone as she held a champagne flute with cotton candy sitting on top in one manicured hand.
“Where have you been?!” Charlie asked excitedly. “I been looking everywhere for you!”
“Sorry, um, but this house!” Stassi was still floored at the luxury of it all. “It’s beautiful! Show me around!”
Charlie grabbed her hand and took her from room to room. From the 20-foot ceilings to the marble floors, it was truly a dream.
“Charlie, this is a lot of house! It’s like something out of a magazine! It’s so…”
“Clean, I know,” Charlie snickered. “It drives me a little crazy. Everything is so shiny and in order, but Demi’s happy so…”
“Are you?” Stassi asked.
Stassi saw her sister’s eyes flicker in a moment of uncertainty, and she frowned. “Are you?”
Before Charlie could answer, Demi approached, interrupting them as she placed a hand to the small of Charlie’s back.
“Demi,” Stassi greeted, her tone dry. “Good to see you’re taking care of my sister.”
“I’ma always do that,” Demi answered. “The chef’s ready to start serving dinner.” He grabbed Charlie’s hand and stole her away.
“Come on, you can sit next to us,” Charlie said, reaching back for Stassi.
“I’m good, go ahead. I’ll find a seat. I’m just going to grab a drink first,” Stassi said.
She turned and headed for the fancy bar Demi had arranged.
She rolled her eyes as she grabbed a glass of champagne.
She took it to the head because although she loved her sister, Demi just got under her skin.
It was his dominance that bothered her most. He filled up all the space in the room.
He was unfriendly. It was like he only had the patience for Charlie, and everyone else annoyed him.
“Fucking asshole,” she mumbled as she sipped her flute.
Demi was a king, that much was apparent, but he wasn’t a beloved one. He was the king people feared. She could see it all over the faces of the people present. They were there out of respect, not love. The room felt sterile, cold. She just didn’t understand what Charlie saw in him.
The sound of sterling silver against crystal rang throughout the room as Charlie tapped her glass with her fork.
“Hey, everybody, our chef is ready to present dinner for us. If y’all would make your way to the table, that would be great!” Charlie said.
Who is she right now? Stassi thought. This is some Stepford-wife-type shit.
She made her way to the table.
“Come on, Stass, I saved you a seat.”
It felt like the queen was summoning her. She sat on one side of Charlie, and Demi sat on the other while the rest of the guests crowded in around the table.
“Where’s his family?” Stassi leaned in to whisper.
“They couldn’t make it,” Charlie said in a hushed tone, turning to Stassi slightly.
“They don’t live here. He’s from Cali. These are his friends and some people from the label and their wives mostly.
That’s why I need you here. All these bitches were friends with his ex.
They been around a long time. I’m the only newbie. ”
“Bitch, you can’t be new in your own house. They’re guests. They better act like it,” Stassi said, getting defensive.
Day entered the room and Stassi could tell by his low eyes and relaxed demeanor that he had taken his time to finish his blunt.
“Babe, what took you so long? I thought you were going to miss dinner.”
She couldn’t hear Day’s reply because he whispered it as he eased into his seat. She looked away and tilted her champagne flute to her lips once more. Motioning for a waiter, she mouthed, “One more.”
Stassi took in the woman who was summoning Day.
Model chick. Hmph. She wouldn’t expect less from a man of Day’s status.
The girl was beautiful. She wore a blonde, short cut that only supermodel bitches could pull off, and her body was so well proportioned that there was no way it could be natural. Natural or surgeon made, she was bad.
Day took his seat, and Stassi scoffed. It was going to be a long night full of awkward encounters because Charlie had her in foreign territory.
This was an industry crowd. Fake people with fake friendships who cared more about their virtual lives than the one taking place right in front of them.
They weren’t even interacting with one another.
They were too busy going live, taking pics for Instagram, or going live.
They were new money, reformed hood niggas, and their red bottom-wearing bitches.
Everything about the energy felt manufactured.
I wish they’d hurry up and announce this engagement so I can dip.
I ain’t got time for this fake, boogie-ass crowd.
Demi cleared his throat, and it was like a judge had banged his gavel. The chatter at the table quieted.
“We want to thank you guys for coming to our new home. We’re excited to share it with y’all.
I know this is different than what you’re used to.
I’m new to the circle, but I really love this man.
” Charlie was nervous. Stassi could feel it.
Demi leaned into her and kissed her lips before whispering in her ear.
Stassi didn’t know what he said, but it calmed Charlie instantly.
“There’s been a lot of speculation on our relationship.
I’m a new artist at the label, and he’s the boss, so we know what it looks like.
We know what the rumors are, but we just want those closest to us to know the truth. ”
“I asked Bird to marry me,” Demi said, cutting through the bullshit and making it plain.
The silence at the table was deafening.
“Wow!” Stassi said, adding enthusiasm to her voice that she didn’t feel. She didn’t think this was the best idea Charlie had ever had, but no way would she throw Charlie under the bus. “Congratulations!”
“That’s dope, bro. Congrats,” Day added, lifting his glass. “To Demi and Charlie.”
The guests lifted their glasses, toasting, but Stassi didn’t miss the skeptical looks between the women at the table.