Inferno Love

5

Nicki

After that night with Nas I just been out of it. A week has passed and I've been ignoring him. Candi was coming today and I was getting paid today.

"Yo Raj go clean up the back man and stop staring at Nicki" Calvin says. I laugh shaking my head. He goes to the back and I finish up my last clients hair.

"Thanks Nic. You're the best" she says standing and opening her wallet.

"You know I got you" I say. She pays me and I smile. I start cleaning up my station.

"Yo who is that?" Eddie says. I see a tall figure standing next to a nice Mercedes.

"Nicki isn't that Nas?" Regina asks. I look at his face and shake my head.

"What is he doing here?" I ask. The real question is how did he know where I worked?

"Who is Nas?" Calvin asks.

"Oh I bet it's that nigga that own that label" my co worker Devin says.

"Nicki are you dating him now?" Draya asks. I look her like girl nah.

"Nothing y'all need to worry about" I say. "I'm gonna be single for a while"

"Girl please. " Eddie says. I laugh. Finishing up my station I leave.

"I wasn't sure you were ever going to come out" he says. I laugh.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Well you wouldn't answer my calls, couldn't find you at the club and I didn't wanna pop up at your house, not that I know where you live. So I had some people work some magic for me" he says. I smile. "Why you been ignoring me? Did I do something?"

"No. It's just me" I say. "I don't know what exactly but -"

"You don't have to explain anything. Just let me know that you don't hate me" he says and I laugh hitting his chest.

"I don't hate you" I say.

"Good. Now will you let me take you to dinner?" He asks.

"I would but my best friend just came back from Manhattan and we have plans all weekend" I say. He nods.

"Well can I take you home? I notice your car isn't here" he says. Before I could answer Raj comes outside.

"Who is this suppose to be?"

"Why Raj?" I ask.

"Say what's yo purpose?" He asks walking up on Nas.

"Raj stop" I say. Nas chuckles in his face.

"I'm going to be your replacement" he says simply. He smirks in Raj's face and gets into his car starting it up and rolls the window down. "Come on Nic" he says. Raj grabs my arm.

"She ain't going no where!" He says. I pull away.

"Go find your side chick" I say pushing past him and getting into the car. Nas pulls off and I realize I have to tell him where my apartment is. When he pulls up to the building he parks the car and turns the engine off.

"Nicki how safe is this neighborhood?" He asks looking around.

"It's the hood Nas" I say. He laughs.

"I know. Do you be safe coming home?"

"Yes why you worrying?" I ask. He shrugs.

"Guess I care" he says looking at me. "You never did tell me where your car is" he says. I sigh.

"I had to sell it" I say.

"Why?"

"Okay that's none of your business" I say.

"It is if you ain't got no way around" he says.

"Nas look where we live. We have trains and subways. Taxis and alla dat" I say. He laughs.

"Just want to make sure you good. You know you can come to me if you need anything" he says.

"I'm good" I say. He puts his hand over mine and I get the feeling of butterflies and electricity run through me. Looking into his eyes I've never seen anyone look at me the way he looks at me.

"Uh I should go" I say taking my seatbelt off.

"I'll be checking in on you" he says. I smile and get out the car. Hearing him start up the car I walk up to my apartment. Wait til I tell Candi about this.

(2 hours later)

"What?" She asks excited and taking a drink of her wine. "Nicki you gotta do it. Even if you think it's not for you, just experience what it's like to date a rich black man. " she says emphasizing.

"Candi I don't think it would be a good idea. And today just let me know he can do more than what I can think. He found where I worked besides knowing the club "

"Ooh god forbid he wants a haircut from you one day" she says being sarcastic. I laugh.

"Nicki I know you're just scared. Maybe I should meet him"

"There's no need for that" I say. "I'm going to let it be known we just friends"

"And he gone let it be known you more than friends" she says, "but tell me what's going on with you. Why you sell your car?" She asks. I look down.

"Lately bills have been hard to pay. Landlord keeps raising the rent for this shitty ass place because of all the new construction to the city. When I first bought this place it was cheap and yet somehow it is still the cheapest in the area"

"Why won't you just dip into your savings until you can manage again?"

"I'm restricting myself from it. I've already dipped into it like three times and I don't wanna keep doing that" I say. "It's for real emergencies"

"Nicki you being homeless will be an emergency. You want a roommmate?"

"Candi how can I get a roommate with one room?" I ask making her laugh.

"Listen I recently just got a big bonus from work. I wasn't going to do anything with it but I'll pay for the next bill. And don't say no cause I'm not going for it. I say you get with the man and build yourself up more and stop being so damn stubborn" she says. I pout.

"You always doing things for me" I say hugging her. Candi was truly my everything if I had nothing else in this world.

Shae 🔖