Black Rose (Book 1)

Chapter 28: Fear is the Illusion

Dave

I was going to Brittany's because she had clothes she needed me to try on. She lived in Brooklyn so I went there with Wayno. I was about to go in when Wayno said, "I'll be up later. I have to make a few phone calls." I nodded going up. She let me in and took me to a room in her loft that was nothing but clothes. Each rack had a name on them that I'm guessing are her clients. I read some of them. Sevyn Streeter, Trey Songz, Mack Wilds, and Fabolous. That's how I got her number, from Fab. She moved the rack with my name on it.

She handed me a jacket. "We'll start with outer wear first. Here." I grabbed it putting it on.

I started up small talk. "You from New York?"

"Oh no! I'm from Houston, Texas. H-Town!"

"Why you say oh no like that like NY is terrible?"

"No offense, but it's not that great. It has a lot of opportunities, but other than that.. The traffic, the high ass rent! I could get a whole house for how much I'm paying for this loft."

I laughed. "Okay, you may be right about that. How'd you become a stylist?"

"I used to work at Club Onyx (a strip club) and I didn't want to do it anymore, so I quit. Somehow I became an "instagram model" and you can't do that forever, so I became Fab's girlfriends assistant who's a stylist. She got pregnant and needed a break, so I took over her clients so here I am." She was really transparent about it. "Next we'll try on pants." She handed me a pair of pants and pointed to a screen. "Change behind there." So I did. I was so tall I could still see over the screen. "So is it true? About you and Bernice. Not to be nosey."

"Nope," I said simply.

"I was just wondering. If you guys dated you would be so cute!" She smiled wide. Girls love seeing other people in love and I never got it. That 'relationship goals' type shit.

"You're cool. Mm, I wish." I didn't mean for that last part to come out. Especially since I don't know her like that.

"Aww, you like her?"

"A little more than like," I admitted.

"But things are complicated? I get it. Hey, we're about to be on tour for months being around each other everyday. Maybe she'll come around."

I nodded then I came out in the Balmain jeans that fit perfectly. My phone started ringing and I checked it to see Zeek facetiming me. I answered. "Wassup, Z?"

He was smacking on sour patch kids all in my face. "Where you at?" I was about to answer, but he scrunched up his face squinting. "Is that my boo in the back, Brittany?!"

"Your boo? You don't even know her, Zeek."

"And? That don't mean she still can't be my boo. Hey, Britt! You looking good baby!" She laughed waving at him.

"Y'all on nickname basis now?"

"I told you that's my boo! What y'all doin'?" He asked looking suspicious.

"I'm trying clothes on, so I'll talk to you later. Bye, nigga!"

He licked his teeth. "Mhm! Ima be ova ya spot later." He hung up.

"He really be gettin on my nerves sometimes. Sorry, about him."

"It's okay. I think it's cute, he's cute and funny." She smiled, "He's you're assistant, right?"

"Yeah, just wanted to give him a job. He's my cousins little brother." Malik and Ezekiel had different dad's and Malik's dad is my uncle, so technically I'm not related to Zeek.