Ego {Completed}

Chapter 3

Paris threw her bag down on the ground and sighed. "So, what do you want me to do?" Beyoncé had already established that Paris would have to do something while she was there. Not much, but she wasn't going to allow the girl to just take a day off for no reason.
Beyoncé raised her brow. "You can start by picking up your bag and putting it on the shelf. Neatly."
Paris rolled her eyes so hard, if she'd rolled them any harder, they would have popped out of her skull. She picked her bag up, placed it on the shelf, and gave her oldest sister a sarcastic grin. "Next?" She asked with her arms crossed.
Beyoncé could only laugh at her attitude. "Walk around and ask people what they do. And ask if they want coffee."
"You want me to make coffee for your employees? Shouldn't I get paid for that?"
"I'll give you fifty dollars." Beyoncé bribed.
"Okay." Paris grinned and skipped out of her sister's office.
As soon as she left, Beyoncé got to work on her reading. She'd already read most of the manuscripts that were dropped off at her office last week, and most of them were mediocre at best. She sighed as she picked up the last one.
"Ego..." She slowly read the title. The author obviously didn't give his real name, unless he only has the name "Jay." Beyoncé rolled her eyes at that. She didn't mind aliases, but she preferred to work with real names when she was reading manuscripts. Aliases are for after publication.
She wasn't expecting much out of the book, but then again, she didn't know anything about it. She preferred not to read the summaries beforehand. But as she started to read, she became engulfed in it. She couldn't put it down for anything. Jesus Christ could have come back, and she would have completely missed the second coming because of that book. She had to publish it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Paris walked around the office floor and looked around at everyone. She didn't really have any intentions of asking anyone about their job, but she might get a cup of coffee or two for someone. After all, her sister was going to give her fifty bucks.
"Hey," she heard a voice behind her. She turned around to see a pretty woman in a black dress. "You're Ms. Knowles's sister, right?"
She glanced over the lady. She was so pretty. She reminded her of her sister, back a long time ago. "Yeah. Paris."
"I'm Nicki. So what are you doing here? You wanna be a journalist or something?"
Paris scoffed. "No. I just didn't feel like going to school. Are you a journalist?"
Nicki smiled. It amazed her that all the Knowles girls were so different, yet they were all raised in the same house. "Yeah. I write beauty columns in a lot of magazines, like Cosmo, and sometimes Seventeen."
A sudden wave of realization washed over Paris. "Oh my god! Yeah, I've read your columns. Let me tell you, they got me through freshman year, cuz I was awkward."
Nicki laughed. "Thank you, glad I could help."
"Hey, do you want some coffee? Beyoncé said she'll pay me fifty bucks if I make coffee."
"Sure." Nicki laughed again.

After fixing the coffee, Paris brought it to Nicki's desk, where Solange was already standing and talking to the other women.
"Coffee." Paris smiled and set it in front of Nicki.
"I want coffee." Solange said.
Paris gave her a look. "Get it yourself, I'm not your slave."
Nicki and Kelly couldn't help but laugh at the sisters. "Is it just the three of y'all?"
"No," Solange answered. "We have another sister, but...we're all not on the best of terms."
"They're not." Paris corrected. "Larren and I don't have a problem with each other."
"That's because you were too young to understand what happened." Solange replied.
Paris shrugged. "I know what happened, I just didn't take sides. Like you."
"I'm not apologizing for that. She was wrong, and she knows it. That's why she's always trying to justify her actions through you and Mamma."
"Let's not forget, it takes two. He was just as guilty as Larren, but everyone wants to blame her."
"They were both at fault for their own reasons. But come on, if I took your boyfriend-"
"You'd be labeled a pedophile." Paris cut her off.
Solange rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean,"
"Wait, what happened?" Kelly asked. The two of them were trying to piece the story together through the sisters' comments.

"Long story short," Paris started. "Beyoncé's fiancé slept with our sister, Larren. And now they're married with a baby on the way."
Kelly and Nicki's jaws dropped. "What?" They whispered. Luckily no one was nearby to snoop on them.
"Yeah, that's why Beyoncé's always so salty."
Solange shrugged. "It's true."
Suddenly, Paris's face lit up. "You know what we should do?"
"Whatever it is, it can't be good." Solange mumbled.
"Shut up." She snapped. "We should set her up on a blind date. Just to get her out."
"Oh, no." Solange started. "If she wanted to go out, she would do it herself. I am not interfering with her life."
"We're not interfering," Kelly said, agreeing with Paris. "We're just giving her a little...nudge."
Paris smiled. "Yes. Nudge."
Nicki smiled devilishly and looked over her shoulder. "I can set up a profile for her now. What kind of things does she like?"
For the rest of the hour, the four of them set up a dating profile for Beyoncé. What's the worst that could happen?

* * * * * * * * * *

"Solange!" Beyoncé came bursting out of her office, nearly giving everyone nearby a heart attack. She had been cooped up in there for almost four hours straight. Paris, who was sitting on the edge of Solange's desk, quickly hopped off so Beyoncé wouldn't scold her. "Who wrote this?" She asked, holding up the manuscript she'd just finished.
Solange shrugged. "Who's the author?"
Beyoncé sighed. "I don't know. All it says is 'Jay.'"
"Jay?" Solange frowned. "That's it?"
"Yes! Find him! I need to publish this."
"Beyoncé, there are hundreds of information sheets here, how am I supposed to find him based on an alias?"
"I don't know," Beyoncé turned back to her office. "But I really need you to do it. I think he's the author I'm looking for." She smiled. She actually smiled. Paris and Solange exchanged a shocked look.
Before Beyoncé walked completely in her office, she turned around and faced Paris. "And next time, sit your ass in a chair."
Paris rolled her eyes once her sister turned around again.

* * * * * * * * * *

I went back to my office and smiled. I finished the entire book in less than four hours, it was just that good. It was so different from any other novel I've read. It was bold, empowering, and sexy. It's definitely a read for a more mature audience, but it isn't tacky, like Fifty Shades of Grey, or something like that. I sat at my desk and started the book all over again. I was just getting into the third chapter when my office door opened up. I looked up to see my sisters walking in with mischievous looks on their faces.
"What?" I asked.
Paris glanced towards Solange, then she sat her laptop down on my desk. "Okay, before you say anything, just listen to everything."
"I'm listening..."
"We made you a dating profile!"
"No." I shook my head. "Not interested, not happening."
"Come on, Bey." Solange pleaded. "You said so yourself that you want to go out."
"Yes, and I will. On my own." I stressed. I didn't need them forcing me to go out.
"But you've already got a hit!" Paris said.
"...Really?" I ask. I have to admit, I am a little curious.
Solange and Paris exchanged a grin before showing me the profile. I had to say, he was a decent looking guy. And judging by his profile, he didn't seem too bad. I read his message, and he said that he would like to meet me, if that was possible. He was very polite.
"Okay, he's....okay." I admit.
Paris held the same grin she had since she first walked in here. "So...you gonna message him back?"
I looked up at their faces for a long time, then finally, I shrugged. Why not? I'm in a good mood. "What the hell."

* * * * * * * * * *

Wednesday was the day. His name is Lawrence Mitchell, and we're supposed to be going to a small diner. After work, I put on a nice pair of black slacks, a gray top, and a black blazer, then I put my hair up. I didn't do much makeup either, I don't want to come off too strong. To be honest, I'm just a little excited. I'd like to say that I'm only doing this because my sisters forced me to, but it's been a long time since I've been out, so this is kind of fun.
Six o'clock on the dot, I show up to the diner, but he isn't there yet, so I wait. And wait, and wait, and wait. A half-hour passes by, and no one comes. The waiter comes by several times and asks me if I need anything. I make the mistake of telling him that I'm waiting on someone. After a while, I hear a group of teenagers who are sitting in front of me. They laugh about how I got stood up. One of them says that it's no wonder, because I look like a man. I stare out the window and pretend not to hear.
After a full hour and more insulting words from the teenagers, I get up and leave. It's obvious that he's not coming, and even though I didn't want to be on this date at first, it still hurts. I didn't full out cry, but that night, I did go to sleep with a heavy heart, and tears in my eyes.