Chapter 2 #2
Vanessa, the current director, was retiring so her position would be available soon.
She had an assistant director, Hannah, but she made it known that she was content in her position.
I didn’t ask any questions because it didn’t matter to me.
I just knew that I had my eyes set on the promotion.
I’d always known that eventually that’s what I wanted to do, so I already completed my hours and got my director’s license.
“From your mouth to God’s ears.” I clinked my glass against hers.
I quickly downed the shot then chased it with the water that I had. The water obviously had no flavor, but I needed something to make the consumption easier.
“Next ones on me.” I noticed Irv, Tristan’s best friend, ease up at the bar next to Kabria. “What’s good ladies.”
“Hi.” I mumbled dryly, knowing if he was there then so was his friend.
Tristan and I weren’t beefing, I just didn’t waste time hanging around him. It was very apparent that I didn’t want to be with him at all, but that didn’t stop him from trying even though he was in a new relationship with another girl that danced.
He’d been a backup dancer since we were in college.
He was discovered by a talent company after doing a challenge on Cliqued.
He was talented as hell, and I think the fame he got from being one of the top dancers for Breeze got to his head and had him making the mistake of cheating on me.
It was that same fame that he thought would win me back but he had me fucked up.
I didn’t care about money or status; I wanted to be valued enough to be the only.
If I wasn’t, I was gone, which is why I left.
“Damn, y’all ain’t got no love for ya boy?” Irv smiled as he grabbed his drink when the bartender placed it on the bar in front of him. “I didn’t wake up with y’all this morning.”
“Oh, but you wish you did.” Kabria said, grabbing both of the shots he got us. “Thank ya.”
“You be playing, Bria.” He slid closer to her. “Why won’t you give a nigga a chance?”
“Too many baby mama’s for me.” She nudged him back and I laughed. Irving did have four baby mama’s and five kids. I believed he was still with the last one that he had two kids by. “I have no interest in being number five.”
“I want you to be my wife though,” he argued. “Then I’ll put a few babies in you.”
“I’ll pass,” she said then lifted her cup. “Shot bestie.”
I grabbed mine and did the same before tossing it back, noting that shot was my last one. I still had the mixed drink I ordered when we first came in, so I was at my limit.
“Hey, beautiful.” Tristan slid between Kabria and me.
“Move, Tristan.” I knocked his hand from my thigh.
“Right, negro, you’re squishing me.” Kabria pushed him back, so he came to the opposite side of me.
“My bad, Bria.” He smiled. Tristan was so handsome. He had the prettiest hazel-colored eyes and whitest teeth. It was a shame that he was a no good cheater because he was for sure a catch. “How you been, Diamond?”
“Good.” I kept it short.
“Damm, you still giving a nigga the cold shoulder.”
“If I was, I wouldn’t have spoken to you at all.” I rolled my eyes. “I answered your question.”
“Why don’t you answer my calls then? And why you be refusing all my deliveries?”
He tried sending me something daily. Whether it was food, flowers, gifts, money—it was something every day. I kindly refused all of it and sent whatever money back. He couldn’t buy me.
“Because I don’t want anything from you.”
He sighed heavily, then said, “Dime, baby, I fucked up, I know,” he turned my stool to face him. “I’m trying to make up for that. I don’t communicate with her at all, and I’m not with anyone else. I want you back. I’m trying my hardest to show you that.”
“You should have tried hard not to cheat.” I knocked his hand away again.
“And you telling me that you don’t talk to her anymore doesn’t make me feel better because don’t you two share a child?
” I angled my head to the side. “And you aren’t involved with anyone, but didn’t Tattle Tales just have you on their page leaving the club and going to the hotel with Honey?
” I waited a beat for him to reply about being with one of the other dancers before smirking and saying, “Exactly.”
The issue was Tristan knew he was a very attractive man, and he had money, so he thought that would get him what and who he wanted. That may have worked for him with most women, but it wasn’t working with me. I knew my worth. I wasn’t settling for a man that clearly didn’t respect that or me.
“Honey was a good time, that’s it, baby. She knows where my heart is. Everyone does.”
“Clearly everyone but you.” I responded and Kabria snickered.
“Dime…”
“My mind isn’t going to change Tristan, so…”
“So that’s it?” he had the nerve to look disappointed. “I fuck up once and it’s a wrap?”
“Yep.” I shrugged. “I don’t know why you keep trying, but if you want to me to continue to shoot down all of your advances, then that’s on you.”
“Naw.” He shook his head. “I know you love me just as much as I love you, so naw, I’m not gon’ give up. I put in too much work for this shit to be the end of us.”
I was over the conversation and him, so I opted out of responding. He was the first man that I’d ever been with, and he’d been there for me in some dark times, so he would always hold a special place in my heart, but that ship had sailed and sank.
I was glad when he threw in the towel and walked away leaving me alone to enjoy the rest of my time out with my best friend.