Zion Marley just got her dream job fresh out of college as a Human Resource Assistant. She has been working her tail off to get where she is today. Her insecurities have taken a back seat as she tries to find her own space in the world. She barely...
Carefully flicking the lighter I held the flame up to lit the sandalwood incense. The smoke began to billow up from the small skinny stick instantly. Turning around I moved to start the shower, steamy and hot just the way I liked it.
I smoothly wrapped my braids up, put it in the shower cap and quickly stepped into the shower, singing along to the music playing from the speakers.
"Yo Zi, you here?!" Naomi, my best friend yelled throughout the quiet New York apartment, her voice carried into the dimly lit bathroom. I rolled my eyes, a small smile played on my lips as one of her favorite people in the world entered the steamy room.
"Ni, what do you want." I chided through the blue flowered shower curtain, fake annoyance mingled with my playful tone.
"I want you to stop singing like you the only person that lives here. I also want you to reconsider coming to the party that KB invited us to. Pretty please? I'll be lonely without you." Naomi's mature voice didn't have to carry far as she was sitting on the bathtub rim. Sometimes it dawns on me how comfortable with each other they were.
"Ni, why is now the moment that you want to talk about this damn party? I told you I'm not going. He didn't invite us. He invited you. Besides, I don't know why you want me to go so badly, we both know how much we hate crowded places. So excuse me for being wary as to why you want to go in the first place. Oh wait, I know why, so you and AJ can find new ways and places to suck each other's face off." I held out her hand waiting for a towel, once the water was off.
"Okay, first of all, we are not that bad, he just has really nice and soft lips. Second of all I just want you there. Your my biggest supporter and this is my first big client. I need you there, you know it's hard for us to get out and meet new people." She passed me my large blue towel. "And third of all you haven't been out of the house to meet new people since we moved here. And it just got worse once you started your new job. Fourth of a-" I had to cut her off by sliding the curtains open after wrapping the towel around my body, then stepping out of the shower.
"Okay. Okay, I get it. But that doesn't mean that I'm going." I walked back to her room and sat on her queen sized bed and began to apply my favorite Vanilla scented lotion. Of course Naomi followed and sat at the desk chair.
"Zi, I just want you to have fun. Its been nothing but work with you for the past 3 months, lets go out have some fun. Meet some guys." She winked playfully at Me. "AJ said its gonna be some guys from the label there. KB is definitely going to be there" She picked up the remote, turned on the T.V. and began channel surfing.
"Naomi, I work a lot because I enjoy what I do, you know that. I'm just so excited that I got this job. And I don't want mess anything up. TangleWood has given me a great opportunity as a Human Resource Assistant. I was so lucky to land this job. Most HR professionals don't get the opportunity to start out in the field like I did. Besides my parents really helped me with this one. I can't let them down. Not again." Naomi rolled her eyes at the mention of my parents. They weren't on the best of terms. But then again neither was I.
"Besides, Not everyone has a flexible schedule like you, Miss PR assistant manager to a top music artist. And..." I dragged out. "No one is interested in auto tuned, Fuckboy." I glanced at Naomi pointedly. "Besides, I'm not interested in looking for a man. They either reject you or turn out to be a huge waste of time. I just want to-"
"Learn to love myself." We said at the same time.
"Zi, you have been saying that for the past year. Hell, I'm going through the same thing. But using it as an excuse for the past three months is not the way to go. The only time we get to hang out, is here, and only when you're bone tired from work. I get that rejection isn't your thing. It's not my thing either. It's almost everyone's biggest fears." Naomi searched my nail polish box that sat on my desk instead of on a shelf in its correct location. "But one day you have to understand that it is a part of life. It is also not going to happen all the time. One day you will find someone that is going to want you on sight." Naomi pulled her faux locs into a bun and had begun to paint her toes a metallic blue color.
"Also, You did NOT have to come for my client, KB like that. He's so chill. I thought you liked him? You at least like his music. I hear your you bumpin that shit all the time." Naomi glanced up at me, the smirk on her face told me that she knew he truth about how I really felt. "Just promise me that you will consider going to the Label's party. Pretty please?" She batted her perfectly placed false lashes at me. When she hit me with at me with those big dark brown eyes and I caved. How can you say no to my best friend of over 10 years?
"Fine." I muttered under my breath. But Naomi heard it well enough.
"Yeeeeessss!!" She jumped up and cheered.
"And can I say, I like KB's music and he is decidedly attractive but that does NOT mean I like him. I'm not saying I'm gonna go. I'll definitely think about it though. Now leave so I can get ready for bed. I have work at 7 tomorrow."
"Yeah, yeah yeah." She was now completely engrossed in her phone excitedly texting. Probably AJ. She got up and walked down the hall to her room. I rolled my eyes and got up to turn off my light and lay down for sleep.
Narrator POV
"Hey, Babe. Are you with him?" Naomi spoke quietly to AJ over the phone. AJ and Naomi weren't exactly dating, just yet but they were getting there. He has asked her to be his girl plenty of times. She's just not sure because he is a musician and we all know those stereotypes. No one is out here trying to get hurt or look stupid.
AJ was in the studio at the moment with none other than Alexander Anthony "King Base" Palmer. Also known as KB and he was AJ's best friend. Similar to Zion and Naomi, they grew up together.
KB is quickly becoming one of the hottest singer/ rapper artist in the game. Which is why the label that Naomi works for is looking into signing him and producing his first professional album. Naomi meet AJ, who then introduced her to KB, who she then introduced to the necessary people at Cross AG Records.
"Yeah baby, hold on." AJ's raspy voice hinted that they had been smoking recently. Naomi heard shuffling in the back ground, as the phone was being passed around.
"Wazzam Ni?" KB's voice was raspy too which confirmed her beliefs.
"What are y'all doing over there? Are y'all smoking or recordin, because if you are just gonna smoke all night just send AJ home. He need to cut down anyway." She nagged them over the phone. But they didn't take her request seriously as She can hear their laughter in the background.
"Chill out Ni, we gon get to the recording its only 11 o'clock." Naomi could hear shuffling again. "Aye, you spoke to her yet?" KB's voice was quiet and little shaky at the end. A sure fire sign that she was nervous.
"Yeah, that's why I called actually. I got her to agree to think about coming. Since its only Tuesday night I got the rest of the week to convince her. Which is basically a yes. So you owe me big time."
Naomi knew she was being a little shady, but She knows what Zion needs/ wants. And it's a man. She has been on this finding herself/ self love journey, while working herself to the bone. She needs to take a chill pill and relax. How great would it be if her self-finding led to this?
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^^^ Melanie Ennis as Zion
So this is my first story. I want to do well, and I want you guys to like it. I welcome constructive feedback. I want to get better so that you guys enjoy it more.
