I wonder what she thinks of me [COMPLETED]

6

Onika got to the restaurant at 18 minutes past 6.

She was deliberately late and had planned to be later but she hated the idea of getting there and Beyoncé was gone. She was a busy woman after all. She looked at the building with its piano and chandeliers and suddenly didn't want to go inside. This place was fancy and she felt like she stood out. She had dressed the party but she feared they'd see through her. Looking through the window she noticed Beyoncé. She was sitting at the back in a sleek dress, her legs crossed and bouncing as usual.

Onika bit her lip. This woman was stunning. She had on less makeup this time, probably feeling less of a need to compete with Onika, and looked absently into the distance. A waiter dressed in a white dress shirt, black pants and black tie snapped her out of her daze, likely asking if she expected company.

Onika entered the restaurant slowly and made her way to Beyoncé's table. She sat down, her heart beating steadily as she said hello. Beyoncé had been so entranced in her thoughts she jumped when she saw Onika sat in front of her.

"Sorry" she chuckled and they both shuffled awkwardly through greeting each other. Onika wondered what she was doing in this restaurant and Beyoncé looked at her for a moment before speaking. Nicki was beautiful and she looked so different to how Beyoncé remembered her on the balcony. She had swapped the sweats for a dress and her makeup was mesmerising - she looked like a doll.

"I got you this" Beyoncé hesitated pulling a box from her bag.

Onika watched the black gift box appear with a pink ribbon carefully tied around it. It was a pretty box - too pretty to be a last minute gift. Half expecting this to be a prank, Nicki took the box from her and opened it. She took care with the bow before she lifted the gift and smiled. "Oh! They're for-"

"I didn't think you had any and I was shopping and I saw these and thought you would like them and they were pretty so..."

Nicki nodded, her face enamoured by the gift. Beyoncé had got her an art related gift.

"Thank you" was all she said still admiring paintbrush rest and ceramic palette. Beyoncé must've noticed her using old takeaway containers for all of her paints. They were cheap and did the job but this felt so mature. The gift could've been cheap plastic and Onika would've been touched but these were clearly worth something.

Nicki felt moved by the sentimentality of it. These were beautiful, and had clearly come from a specialist art shop so unless Beyoncé regularly shopped in art shops, she was lying about just being out shopping. The weight of them alone told her they were pricey. They had probably cost more than any art supply she'd ever used.

"How have you been?" Beyoncé asked attempting to change the topic. She hadn't wanted it to be a big deal. It was just a small gift.

"Um I've been good" Nicki lied. Her week had been an awful mixture of wanting to see Beyoncé and hating herself for wanting to see her. Her lunch date with Lauren was the highlight of her week. She wondered if this woman knew about when her husband was there. But she couldn't think about that, she was supposed to focusing on Beyoncé. "Sorry I didn't get you anything, I didn't know—"

"Its fine, I don't even know why I got you that. I just thought you'd like it and um..." she trailed off uncomfortably.

"No- I really appreciate it, thank you so much." Nickis reply was genuine and heartfelt. The gift really did mean something to her. Gifts from Beyoncé's husband were always so vapid. But this was thoughtful - Beyoncé had actually seen her, even if it was just her art, and got her a gift specifically for her. She was instantly reminded of Beyoncé on her bed flipping through her sketchbook. "Are you an artist?"