The Act|| Tarasia

Chapter Seventeen

Fantasia's POV

The room was full of people, but all I saw was Taraji. When I peeped that short ass dress she was wearing that she had to keep pulling down every 5 seconds, I immediately knew what type of timing she was on. She's trying to play a game that I'm the coach of. I honestly didn't expect her to show up tonight. As I started off the night with "Sleeping With The One I Love", Taraji instantly began to sweat. This is what she gets for rejecting me two months ago and then wearing that slutty little dress tonight to tease me. Kendall was standing right next to her, his eyes locked on me as he cheered me on. I don't know why I'm doing this to him. He's never done anything to hurt me or make me question his loyalty, but here I am singing to a woman I wanted to sleep with while he's standing right there. What's wrong with me? I've never wanted someone so bad that it caused me to sacrifice my morals. I wasn't raised like this. I wouldn't want my daughters doing something like this. If Taraji just gave in for one night, we could get it over with and never have to talk about it again. I could quench my thirst and quietly go back to my husband. Nobody would ever have to know.

My hand gripped the mic hard enough to leave an imprint as I watched Taraji begin to subtly grind on Danielle. Dani played into it, laughing and grabbing her waist as Taraji rubbed her ass all over her. She never once took her eyes off of me. Danielle bent Taraji over and smacked her ass. Dani is my friend and she's innocent in all of this, but in that moment I honestly could have jumped off the stage and killed her. Taraji is starting something that she can't finish, but I will finish it for her. And I'll start it again.

Taraji's POV

After Fantasia's 2 hour-long concert where she performed songs that indirectly addressed me and her husband, I needed to go outside and get some air. I kept my bottle of water in my clutch, going out of the building and walking around to the back. I leaned against a brick wall, taking a big gulp of water. It was so hot in there, and all the heat was coming from Fantasia. I don't know what to make of our friendship anymore, if we can even still call it that. I haven't even touched her and she's acting like an obsessed ex. Imagine how much worse it would be if I actually would have given her what she wants? If it was anybody else, like Kelvin, I would be scared out of my mind, but somehow Fantasia makes her psychotic antics look sexy. I have come to terms with the fact that I want her, but I also know that I can't have her. She's married to a man who seems like he would kiss the ground she walks on. He doesn't deserve the shit she's doing to him behind his back. I should've stayed home tonight and just given both of my tickets to Danielle to do whatever she pleases with. Speaking of Danielle, I hope that Tasia doesn't treat her differently because of the little show I put on with her. I shouldn't have used her to mess with her head like that, but Fantasia drew first blood, and I simply bit back. This has to stop. We're starting to hurt innocent people to get at each other because of an affair that's only in our heads.

I sighed and rolled my eyes when I saw her walking into the alley. My eyes raked over her hourglass form in her tight red dress. There's no denying how beautiful she is. I just can't act on my attraction to her.

Fantasia: You look good. You wear this dress for me?

Taraji:*rolls eyes* Girl get out of my face.

Fantasia: Why so defensive? I just wanted to know if you enjoyed the show. I saw you putting on a little performance of your own with Danielle. I'm sure she enjoyed that. I know that I would have.

Taraji: Why don't you go back inside where your husband is? I came out here to get some air.

Fantasia: How much air do you think you'll get with my hand around your throat?

Taraji: Is that a threat? Go ahead and touch me, I dare you.

Fantasia: You played in my fucking face tonight, Raj. What are you going to do next? Put your pussy in Oprah's face?

Taraji: You sound crazy as hell. When are you going to understand that I don't owe you shit and I don't belong to you? I came here tonight trying to be a supportive friend to you, but you're making that damn near impossible. This is exactly why I stopped talking to you and inviting you out. You push and push and push until I'm on edge.

Fantasia: I'm sorry, ok? I just want you to stop being mad at me. I miss you. I worry about you when I'm not around you, especially after Kelv-

Taraji: Don't say his name. For you to be so worried about me, you sure have a funny way of showing it. Is subliminally blasting me in front of your husband and everyone we're going to be working with your way of showing how much you miss me?

Fantasia: I wasn't blasting you. I was serenading you.

Taraji: See, this is why I really don't fuck with you now. You're way too nonchalant about all of this. You think this shit is a joke when it's not!

I turned to walk away, but she grabbed my wrist and pulled me back, pinning me against the wall. She was so close to me that I wouldn't be surprised if she could feel the vibrations of my thumping heart on her chest.

Fantasia: The fact that I'm willing to jeopardize my entire life for you should tell you how serious I am. I love you, Taraji, and you know that I do. That's why you're running away. You can't handle someone loving you as intensely as I do. I don't know if it's because you think you don't deserve it or because you've never had it, but you're trying to hide from it. You can't hide from me. I see you, all of you.

Taraji: I see you, too. I know that if this shit really gets deep, you're going to save yourself and leave me hanging out to dry. You're not confident enough in who you are or what you want to risk everything on me. I can't trust you to put everything you hold dear on the line for me. You're fragile and I'm damn near broken. We would destroy each other. For the sake of our working relationship, I think it's best that we just cut each other off completely. The only communication we will have is on set and in interviews. That's the way it has to be.

Fantasia: You don't get to decide that.

Taraji: I already did.

I pushed her back just far enough to squeeze out of her trap and make my way back into the building. I'm ready to find Danielle so that I can go home. The walls are starting to cave in around me and everybody is too close. I don't know how me and Fantasia are going to build onscreen chemistry if we're not talking to each other, but right now that's really not my concern. The line is drawn in the sand now, and I know that's it's only a matter of time before someone crosses it.