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I leaned back in the booth, a drink in one hand and a stack of bills in the other, tossing them lazily at a dancer in front of me. She was doing her thing, and the crowd around us was hyped, but my mind wasn't fully in it.
"Yo, this girl go crazy though, huh?" Chubbs nudged me, grinning as he nodded toward the stage.
"Yeah, she doing her thing," I replied, flicking a few more bills her way.
Chubbs got up after a while, heading toward the bar or maybe to talk to someone he knew—he was always networking, always plotting something.
Meanwhile, I stayed in the booth, watching the show but not really locked in.
A dancer came over, bending down to whisper something in my ear, her voice drowned out by the music.
I nodded politely, flashing a grin before she strutted off.
"Yo, big boss, you good?" Chubbs called as he came back, a drink in his hand and someone trailing behind him.
I glanced up, barely catching sight of the person he was with before Chubbs sat down and got back into whatever story he was telling earlier. I wasn't paying much attention; my eyes drifted back to the stage.
"Man, you throwing money like you got a tree growing in your backyard," Chubbs joked, laughing.
"You already know how I do," I said, leaning back and taking another sip of my drink, letting the night roll on. "I haven't been to a strip club in a minute,"
Chubbs smirked, shaking his head as he watched me. "Man, you ain't never outta practice, though. Look at you, acting like you run this place."
I laughed, shrugging. "What can I say? It's like riding a bike."
The girl in front of me caught my eye and winked before turning her attention to another table.
The energy of the club was cool, but for some reason, it didn't hit the same as it used to.
"Yo, you good?" Chubbs asked, noticing my vibe.
"Yeah, I'm straight," I replied, leaning forward and rubbing my chin. "Just thinking."
"'Bout what?"
"Life, man," I said, tossing another stack on the table. "Things different now. You ever feel like you outgrow this shit?"
"You know what, bruh? I think you right. Things are different now. And I ain't even mad at it."
I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You agreeing with me? That's new."
He laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah, don't get used to it. But real talk? Onika got you thinking about bigger shit, and that's not a bad thing. She's changing you—for the better."
