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Onika Maraj February 22
I sat on the couch with Mom, watching tv with her. She'd made breakfast just for me. She watched me take a bite, her eyes bright and curious. She was so cute.
"So, how's school going?" she asked, giving me a little nudge to open up.
I looked up, feeling that mix of excitement and nerves bubble up inside me. "It's actually going really well. I'm working on this group assignment right now... and it's kind of huge." I set my plate down, leaning forward. "We have to make three sketches, and our professor is going to pick the best ones from all the groups. And, if we're lucky enough, the winning design will be submitted as a pitch for Janet Jackson's team."
Mom's jaw dropped, her eyes practically sparkling. "Wait, Janet Jackson? Nicki, do you understand what that means? Do you know how huge that is?"
I couldn't help but laugh, feeling my cheeks heat up. "I know, right? I'm really praying my group wins. That would be so big for all of us"
She reached over, her hand squeezing mine, her smile full of pride. "Sweetheart, you're going to win. You know why?"
"Why?" I asked, already smiling.
"Because you have something to do with it, and with you in the mix, you'll always win,"
Hearing her say that filled me with confidence. "Thanks, Mom. It means so much i have your support."
"And when you do win, you'd better call me first and tell me every single detail."
I laughed. "I promise, you'll be the first to know."
She gave my hand another squeeze, her eyes softening with pride. "I am so proud of you, sweetheart. Janet Jackson doesn't know it yet, but she's about to see some of your best work."
"Thank you mama"
I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and worry all at once. I looked over at my mom, who was practically glowing with pride, but I couldn't shake this one thing that kept bugging me.
"Actually..." I started, feeling a little unsure, "I'm kind of conflicted about all of this."
Mom's face softened, her smile fading just a bit. "Why, honey? What's got you feeling that way?"
"Because I don't want people to think I'm only getting these opportunities because I'm messing with Beyoncé. It's important to me that people see my achievements as a result of my own hard work and skills, not because of who i'm involved with"
Mom raised an eyebrow, looking at me with that familiar curiosity. "Well, who even knows about you two?"
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Nobody, really... but I'm sure people will catch on eventually. We be out sometimes, you know? I'm sure someone's gonna see us. And with my job, I'm sure people have seen us all up on one an-" I stopped, catching myself before I said too much.
