Chapter 9 #2
“Oh yeah!” another girl called out. “Didn’t you break up with him because of it?”
My body froze. Was that the reason why she acted like that to me? We locked eyes, and the look on her face told me that was the reason.
I suddenly remembered when I first met her when we were teens, her boyfriend always tried to talk to me, and she would just be rude for no reason. I just thought he was being friendly, and then one day, they broke up, and I didn’t see him again. But I had no idea it was because of me.
Ocean cut her eyes at me and finished her drink before slamming the glass down for me to take.
“That nigga wasn’t worth it anyway,” she said.
I finished collecting all that I could and picked up the filled tray. As I left the section, Ocean sat there mean-mugging me. I felt bad for her, but at the same time, it wasn’t something I did on purpose. At least it all made sense now.
“Kairi, could you go over to that booth and see if the customer needs anything?” Mr. Blair called out to me as he passed the bar. I looked up to where he was pointing and noticed a dude sitting alone.
Sparkle turned to look too and smiled excitedly at me. She was so happy that I finally got this job that she decided to come and visit me today.
I playfully shook my head at her and headed over to the booth.
“Hi, my name is Kairi. Is there anything I could get you?” I asked with a smile.
The guy lifted his head to look at me. He was fine as hell—probably one of the finest men I had ever seen.
He had a tapered fro, and his lineup was crisp as ever.
From his left leg sticking out from under the booth, I knew he was tall.
The fact that he was ducked away by himself let me know that he was a reserved person who liked his own company, and I’d disturbed him.
His hazel eyes twinkled like a cat in the club lights as he silently watched me, giving me a strong look.
“I’m fine,” he finally spoke. His voice was deep and raspy.
“Okay, wave one of us over if you change your mind,” I said, smiling at him again before I turned to walk away.
“Bitch, I know you ain’t talking to my fucking fiancé!”
As soon as I turned, I walked right into Ocean. Of course, I did. It had been days since our weird encounter in the VIP section, so I purposely asked to work at the main bar to avoid having to see her.
“Can’t you find your own fucking man, this one is taken!” she yelled, and I shook my head at her. I could understand if I ever spoke to that boyfriend she had, but I hadn’t. I didn’t even know him!
“I’m just doing my job, Ocean.”
Sparkle lifted her head and looked our way. I’d told her about what happened a few nights ago.
“No, you trying it with my nigga, and if you think—”
“Ocean.”
Both of us froze when he called her name. I turned back to look at him, and he was now up on his feet. Just like I thought, he was tall as hell. Much taller than my five-six frame.
“She simply asked if I wanted to order anything. Why you making a scene when you know I don’t like shit like that?”
Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but she didn’t answer him.
“Let her go back to her job, and you go back to wherever you were. I don’t want to be bothered.”
And with that, he took back his seat as if we weren’t still standing there. I turned to look at Ocean, who was staring at me, embarrassment dancing in her eyes.
It seemed that she and I were just destined not to get along. I sighed heavily, shook my head, and went back to the bar. Sparkle sat and watched her until she disappeared back where she came from.
“What was she yelling about?” Sparkle leaned over the bar counter and asked.
“She thinks I was trying to take her man,” I exhaled heavily. Sony really had her believing that I threw myself at him. And on top of what happened in the past with her ex-boyfriend, she really believed I was that type of person.
I watched as Sparkle almost broke her neck to look back at the guy who was now busy looking into his phone.
“Havoc is her man?”
His name is Havoc, I thought as I continued to look at him.
“You know him?” I asked, looking at her again and willing myself not to look in his direction again. He was a good-looking man.
“Not really, but I used to see him around, and I heard Diego talk about him. He’s one of Orlando’s sons.”
I frowned as I looked at him again. I knew Viper more than I did Orlando, but I knew enough to know never to get mixed up in any of them.
“Oh,” I said dismissively and then went to make drinks for a couple who approached the bar.
“She’s really watching you,” Sparkle suddenly said, making me look up in time to see Ocean staring at me from the VIP section on the second floor. Her eyes kept bouncing back and forth between me and Havoc for some reason.
Sparkle chuckled.
“I’m so glad it’s not me because I’m a nice person, but I can definitely be a bitch if pushed. I would be doing anything just to piss her off,” Sparkle laughed. “I would give her something to look at. Let me flirt with her man. You know what I’m like, Kairi.”
Her words reminded me of that time she flirted with her neighbor’s baby daddy just because they didn’t like each other.
Sparkle could be petty like that when she didn’t like someone.
Simpering at Sparkle, I looked away from Ocean and wiped down the bar before serving a few more customers.
“Do you want me to talk to her?” Sparkle asked. I shook my head.
“It’s best to just leave her alone,” I responded.
“I don’t know how the hell she managed to get him,” she shouted and then laughed. That made me look Havoc’s way again.
He seemed to be completely different from Ocean. She was obnoxious, loud, and rude, while he seemed quiet and mysterious. I couldn’t see how they matched, to be honest, even though I didn’t know anything about him.
The fact that he was known as Havoc told me enough, though. He was definitely in the streets like that, especially if he was Orlando’s son. Yet, he was still different from the other sanction leader sons I’d encountered since working here. They all acted loud and bad like Sony—but not Havoc.
“He is fine though, I can see why she’s jealous of him,” Sparkle announced. “I can see your face flushing red,” she said, poking my cheek as I stared at him.
I smacked her hand away, and she laughed.
He suddenly looked my way, and I quickly turned my head to act like I hadn’t been staring a hole in his face.
I busied myself with stacking clean glasses until Sparkle told me someone had approached the bar.
I turned to ask them what they needed, only to realize it was Havoc. Sparkle used her drink to hide the smile on her face.
“What can I get you?” I asked him. His beautiful eyes bounced around all the bottles of liquor lining the wall before he looked at me again.
“Henny with ice.”
I nodded and turned to make his drink. Sparkle sat in her seat, giggling like a fool, but I just ignored her.
“Anything else?” I asked him to put his drink down.
“Nah. That’s good.”
I walked over to the cash register, input his drink, and then grabbed the card reader for him to pay.
He pulled out a black card and tapped it on the reader.
“I appreciate it,” Havoc said before picking up his drink and walking away. I tried not to watch him, but I couldn’t help it.
Most girls my age seemed to like the loudest dude in the room, someone who moved like Sony, but not me. I was intrigued by the quiet ones I found hard to read—like Havoc.
“Girl, that man has a whole fiancée, one that hates your guts,” I chuckled to myself and told myself not to look his way again.
“Kairi, you can go for your break now,” Felicity came up and tapped me on my shoulder. I thanked her and walked over to Sparkle.
“I’ll be right back,” I let her know.
Someone blocked my path as I headed to the back. I looked at Ocean and sighed.
“Keep out of my man’s face, Kairi!”
Sparkle appeared and stepped in front of me.
“Move, Ocean, before I move you. Stop fucking with my friend because of your insecurities,” Sparkle defended me.
Ocean’s eyes bucked, and she frowned at me. She stood there for a few seconds before sucking her teeth and walking away.
“What is her problem?” Sparkle asked as we both turned to watch her walk away. “She’s acting like you’re trying to fuck him or something. If that was me, I would just to prove a point!”
Sparkle suddenly turned to look at me.
“I know you have your reasons why you tolerate that girl, but maybe you need to be just a little more ruthless,” Sparkle smiled.
“I know you’re not suggesting I mess with him,” I said, and she laughed.
“You must be crazy! That girl will kill me!”
“What she doesn’t know, won’t hurt,” she shrugged.
Sparkle pulled me toward her again, but this time she turned me around.
Instantly, my eyes landed on Havoc. He was up on his feet again, like he was ready to leave.
My eyes danced over his body and traced his movements as he texted someone from his phone.
Just as he pocketed it, he turned to look right at me. I should have looked away. I screamed at myself to look away, but I didn’t. I continued to watch him as he stood there watching me, and Sparkle’s words danced in my mind.
No, I couldn’t do that—could I?