Rebel (A Rihanna and Eazy E Love Story)

Who's that Chick? (Chapter 15)

Reb POV

A month passed, and I finally decided to take Dre up on his invitation and head out to Cali for a break. Lisa was droppin' me off at JFK, and on the way, we got into our usual girl chat, keepin' it light but real.

"So, you really doin' this, huh? Cali and all?" Lisa glanced over at me, smirkin'. "You and Dre out there, wildin' like the old days."

I laughed, sittin' back in the passenger seat. "Yeah, I need a change of scenery. Plus, Dre's been pressin' me to come through. Figured why not, right?"

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "Mmhmm... you sure it's just about the scenery? Or you tryna sample one of them smooth-talkin', Jerry-curl wearin' dudes out there?"

I busted out laughin'. "Girl, ain't nobody checkin' for no Jerry-curl wearin' niggas! That got played out with New Edition! Plus... I like my dudes rockin' a nice fade, some braids, or even some dreads."

Lisa smirked, side-eyeing me. "Yeah, aight. But you know Cali got a whole different vibe. Don't act like you ain't curious about what's out there."

I shrugged, grinnin'. "Look, I'm just tryin' to enjoy myself. Kick it with Dre, catch some sun, and see what Cali's about. But if a fine-ass dude rolls up... well, we'll see."

Lisa gave me a playful nudge. "Uh-huh, you just better not come back talkin' 'bout stayin' out there for good."

I rolled my eyes. "Please, ain't no place like New York. This is home."

We pulled up to the departures lane at JFK, and Lisa parked. She turned to me, her face softening. "For real though, Reb, I'm glad you takin' this trip. You deserve it. After all that went down... you need this."

I nodded, takin' a deep breath. "Yeah, you right. Time to get my mind right for real."

She hopped out and helped me with my bags, then pulled me into a tight hug. "Don't forget to call me when you land."

I smiled, huggin' her back. "You know I will. Hold it down for me while I'm gone."

"Always," Lisa said with a smirk, "And tell Dre I said heyyy!" She hit a playful body roll, tryin' to be all sensual, makin' me crack up.

"I swear! I'm gonna tell him just like that," I said, grinnin', tryin' to hold back my laugh.

"Bye, girl," Lisa said, wavin' as I walked into the airport, feelin' a mix of nerves and excitement. Cali was waitin', and I was ready to see what it had in store for me.

__________________________________________________________________

I boarded the airplane, weaving my way through the narrow aisle as I searched for my seat. The cabin was filled with the low hum of chatter and the smell of airplane snacks. Finally, I spotted my seat and settled in next to a mother and her small child, who couldn't have been more than four years old.

Once the plane took off and we were cruising at a steady altitude, I pulled out a copy of Cosmopolitan I'd stashed in my bag. Cindy Crawford was on the cover, looking flawless as always. I flipped through the pages, scanning the glossy ads and articles about relationships, beauty tips, and the latest trends.

I couldn't help but smile at some of the tips they had on dating. It was always interesting to see what the magazine deemed "hot" or "not." As I turned to an article about finding your "perfect match," I caught myself daydreaming about what the future might hold for me.

After I finished flipping through the magazine, I folded it and glanced around the cabin, letting my mind drift a bit. That's when I overheard the little boy beside me said something to his mother, his voice cutting through the low hum of the airplane.