Chapter 20 Nyree
I hadn’t heard from Asia in three days and the silence was killing me.
I was trying to give her space but at the same time, I needed to speak to her.
To see her.
To find out where her mind was at.
I was a stupid motherfucker for showing her that ring site. But I wanted to prove to her that I was genuine.
My feelings for her were real.
Not on no simp shit either. More like real recognize real.
I paced around my apartment, picking up my phone for the hundredth time that day, typing out a message, then deleting it before I could send it. What was I supposed to say? "Hey, sorry I scared you by showing you I've been looking at engagement rings"? Naw. That would just make things worse.
But the silence was eating at me. Did she think I was crazy? Was she laughing about me to her friends? Or worse, had I scared her off?
I flopped down on my couch, running my hands over my face. I needed to figure out how to fix this. How to show Asia that I wasn't some obsessive weirdo, but a man who'd recognized something special and just moved a little too fast.
The key was proving myself through actions, not words. Anyone could talk a good game—clearly her ex had that shit down to a science. But not everyone could back it up consistently. That's where I would be different. I just needed the chance to show her.
I was deep in thought about what my next move should be when my phone rang. I snatched it up, heart racing, but it wasn't Asia. It was Jamel.
"Yo," I answered, trying to hide my disappointment.
"Nyree! My man!" Jamel's voice boomed through the speaker. "You sitting down? 'Cause I got some news that's gonna make you wanna kiss me, no homo."
I chuckled despite myself. "Pause, nigga. What's up?"
Jamel chuckled back. "Remember that celebrity client you lost when I dragged your ass on that trip with me?"
My interest peaked. "Vina Bonet? Yeah, I remember."
"Well, you ain't gonna believe this shit. She just called me."
I sat up straight. "For real? What she want?"
"She needed a photographer recommendation ASAP. The guy she hired fell through for some big event this weekend. Guess whose website I just happened to be checking out when she called?"
My heart started racing. "You bullshitting."
"Nah, man. I showed her your new site—which is fire, by the way—and she loved your work. It was the vibe she's looking for."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Vina Bonet—the Vina Bonet, R&B princess with multiple Grammys and 20 million Instagram followers—wanted me to shoot for her?
"So what's the deal?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
"If you can come this weekend, she'll fly you out to LA. The event's Saturday night—some big charity gala with mad celebrities. She needs red carpet shots, candids during the event, the whole nine."
"How much?" I asked, already calculating how much I'd need to invest in new equipment to make sure I was on point for this opportunity.
"Ten grand," Jamel said, and I nearly dropped the phone.
"Ten grand? For one night?"
"One night, maybe six hours of work. Plus, the exposure is priceless. This could be your big break, bro. So can I count on you? I told her you'd be there, but I need to confirm."
"Nigga, hell yeah!" I shouted, all thoughts of the Asia situation temporarily pushed to the back of my mind. "When do I leave?"
"That's my boy! Flight's tomorrow morning at 8 AM. I'm texting you the details now. The hotel's covered, you’ll have a car service from the airport, everything. Just bring your gear and your A-game."
We talked for a few more minutes, Jamel giving me the rundown on what Vina was expecting, the kind of shots she wanted, who else would be at the event. By the end of the call, my flight was booked, and I was hired to photograph one of the biggest stars in the music industry.
As soon as we hung up, the full weight of what just happened hit me. This was it—the opportunity I'd been grinding for. A chance to break into the big leagues, to put my work in front of people who could change my career trajectory overnight.
And it was all because of the website Asia had built for me.
Asia.