Chapter 2
two
. . .
Birthdays used to feel exciting. Somewhere along the line, they started to feel like something I needed to get through without being disappointed.
I told myself that was growth, that not expecting much meant I was mature.
But standing here on my birthday, I knew the truth was simpler than that.
I just didn’t want to be let down again, but here I was, unfortunately.
Sulking wasn’t an option, but calling the only person who knew how to get the party started was.
My bestie, Treasure. She had all but begged me to go to a resort to celebrate this year.
I should have gotten on it when she first mentioned it, but I didn’t want to take off for work.
Now that I was calling her to come out tonight, I knew it would be a matter of time before she hit me with the ‘told you so’.
“What you doing, Tre?” I asked when she finally answered the phone.
“Birthday Bestie! Did you take care of everything earlier?”
“I sure did.”
“I see, your eyebrows look nice! What do you want, girl? I told you I wasn’t talking to you since we’re not somewhere turning up in Jamaica.”
“Don’t worry, I’m beating myself up for the both of us. I got a plan though, let’s go to the club.”
“Club? That ain’t like you. You said club, right?”
“Yep, let’s go to Prysm. I’m assuming something big is going on tonight. This guy I met at the gas station earlier gave me a plugger.”
“Oh, baby, you ain’t said nothing but a word. Glad you came to your senses. I’m there!! You want to leave now? The line will probably be wrapped around the corner.”
“Yeah, let’s go. Can you pick me up? I don’t want to be responsible tonight.”
“Well hell, neither do I! Let me call Tara!” She added before ending the call.
I changed into a black halter-style, back-out dress and in less than an hour, Treasure and Tara were pulling up to my complex.
If I was rocking, they were rolling. We’d all been best friends since we were eight.
I remember thinking that going to different colleges would cause a rift in our friendships, but separating was a great choice.
We became closer, and I actually met Damien through Tara, considering they went to college together.
There was a long line of beautiful ladies waiting to get into Prysm when we got there. I refused to join them, so I tested my luck. I switched to the front of the line, batting my eyebrows at the bouncer. I smiled while lying through my teeth.
“My name is Sibley. I should be on the list?”
The big, burly bouncer browsed the list and looked at me and the girls. “Happy Birthday, Sibley, enjoy your night,” he said, unhooking the purple velvet rope to allow us entry.
Me and my girls looked at each other, a silent exchange passing between us that said is this really happening? I hesitated for a second after he gave us entry, my feet almost planted in place, still trying to process the fact that my name was actually on a VIP list.
“Follow me,” one of the bottle girls said as she turned without waiting for a response.
We fell in line behind her, weaving through the crowd as the energy of the club wrapped around us.
The music was loud, and the lights blinked from one color to the next, providing a vibrant atmosphere.
The deeper we got into the club, the more it felt like we were being pulled into a different level of it all.
She led us up the stairs toward the VIP section, and I glanced back at Treasure and Tara, who were cheesing wider than a Cheshire cat. When we finally made it to the section, we sat as the cocktail waitress told us she’d be back with our first round of drinks.
“Damn girl, do you know the owner or something?” Tara asked, settling into the leather seats.
“Or something,” I smiled.
“Doesn’t matter who she knows, we out here!” Treasure shouted.
Out of the three of us, Treasure was the loudest and more outgoing, but she was definitely the sweetest. Tara was always a hit or miss.
She meant well but was often overly emotional and put a damper on things.
That was the Pisces in her. I, on the other hand, was probably the most laid back.
Most often I stayed to myself, all work and very little play.
Tara and I took selfies while Treasure left to get us a round of shots since our designated cocktail waitress wasn’t moving fast enough for her.
Before she made it back, Kier, the sexy dude from earlier, entered the section he clearly obtained for me...
along with his guys. I stood as he approached me.
Kier leaned in to speak closely to my ear.
“You made it, I like that.”
“I did. Thank you for all of this.”
“It’s nothing. You deserve this and more. I see you left that nigga at home like I told you to.”
Laughing, I glanced at Tara, who looked on in astonishment but was definitely not impressed. Treasure approached our section with shots in hand, making her way through Kier and his friends. Introductions were long overdue, so I attempted to introduce him to my girls.
“Kier, this is Tara, Tara, Kier.”
“Sup,” he greeted her. She returned a half smile and cut her eyes at me.
“And Kier, this is-”
“OH MY GOD! ARE YOU FUCKIN KIDDING ME? STONE!!??” Treasure shouted like a kid in a candy store. She dropped our shots, jumping up and down. She had no shame when she jumped into his arms. He caught her easily as if he was used to that kind of reaction.
“What’s good? What’s your name?”
Treasure took deep breaths before finally replying. “My name is Treasure. Oh my god, I am a huge fan.”
“Fan?” I asked confusedly.
“Yes, girl, this is Kier Stone! He’s only one of the hottest producers of our time. Like how do you not know STONE?!” She shouted again. “Can I please get a short video with you? Not only because I’m a fan, but because this will be good for my celebrity vlog site.”
“Yeah, that’s cool,” he smiled. Treasure immediately took out her phone and started talking to her camera and moving around in a circle to show off our section and Kier.
He flirted with the camera while his guys made themselves comfortable.
Once the camera stopped rolling, Kier walked over to me and whispered in my ear. “You gon save me a dance?”
“Maybe.” I smiled as he kissed my hand. I watched him walk away, bracing myself for the influx of questions that would come from Treasure and Tara.
“Like, this is insane! You know he doesn't come outside, right?! Like it’s extremely rare to see him anywhere! Where did you meet him?!” Treasure raved.
“We met at the gas station earlier. He put air in my tires.”
“Mind fuckin blown, girl! What a chance encounter. You get all the good niggas. But not Damien—he ain’t shit.” She scoffed, while I laughed.
“And speaking of Damien, does he know that you let somebody buy you bottles and give you birthday gifts?”
“Do you see Damien here, Tara? I didn’t think so.” I replied, refusing to give her the chance to ruin my moment. “Don’t piss me off, okay?”
“Whatever.”
With the nonstop bottles flowing and extra attention from the DJ, I felt like a celebrity.
We spent the rest of the night dancing and enjoying the perks of being ‘Kier Stone’s’ special guests.
The music blared over the speakers, and Treasure made herself comfortable with Kier’s friends.
Treasure easily made friends. She was fun and flirty but always respectful to herself.
People often looked at her as ‘one of the homies’, which in this case was working in my favor.
She made me more comfortable, especially when Kier called for me to join him at the DJ booth.
The crowd cheered as if they knew who I was.
He encouraged them to sing happy birthday to me while I blushed and tried to hide behind him.
I wasn’t shy, but I didn’t like too much attention on me either.
Unfortunately, I was on display, and there was no outrunning it.
The DJ invited me to spin on his turntables, and when I switched to a popular song, the crowd went crazy again.
“This is insane!” I yelled over the speakers.
“I know, right?” Kier responded, leading me back to the VIP area with an army of men around him.
When we arrived back into the section, the noise of the club felt distant for a second. Treasure was laughing too loud at something one of his friends said, Tara was pretending she wasn’t studying every move I made, and Kier’s attention stayed on me.
He leaned back and stretched his arm along the couch behind me.
I didn’t know him well, but Kier seemed respectful.
If he was this big celebrity like Treasure claimed he was, he didn’t function like it.
He could have had a slew of women surrounding him, but instead, he played me close.
He could have had his hands on me because he was ‘that nigga’, but he never touched me.
Actions like that spoke to his character, which intrigued me more.
I started paying attention to how people navigated around him.
Nobody stepped into his space without saying something first. His friends let him lead without making it obvious.
And while his entourage indulged in the scene before them, Kier wasn’t doing anything extra.
He sat relaxed, enjoying it all while enjoying me as well.
“Are you always this quiet?” He asked.
“I talk when I need to.”
“What a shame. I’d love to hear more of your voice.”
“Oh really? Do you flirt with all the girls like this, or am I special?”
“Put your number in my phone and find out,” he said, holding it out to me.
I looked at the phone, then at him. This is where me faking like I was bold had gotten me. “You sure?” I asked softly.
“Very sure.”
I took the phone and typed my number in slowly.
I hesitated, because if I gave him my number, I knew he’d probably want to see me again.
If I put in a fake number, he’d probably call it on the spot and I’d look dumb for lying.
I just went ahead and entered it and handed him back his phone.
He glanced at the screen, then back at me.
“Good,” he said as he sent a text to my phone. “Lock me in.”
The rest of the night kind of took on a life of its own.
Treasure and I were everywhere, dancing and laughing with drinks in our hands.
I wasn’t even a drinker like that, but I was truly enjoying myself.
At some point, Kier pulled me in and wished me a happy birthday and a goodnight.
He said he’d call me, but I didn’t think too much about it.
I was well past tipsy, and if he did call, I’d probably be hungover and miss it anyway.
I knew I’d had too much, but I didn’t care enough to stop it.
It was my birthday, and I was celebrating me.