The Hustle

4

Inglewood to Los Angeles
To Nick + Stef's
8:30p.m.
2017

Saturday came much more faster than I expected, but I was ready.

I put on a nice pants suit, and some small but expensive jewelry, like my rings. They were small and didn't have Diamonds in them, but they still cost me some big change.

I let Mani know I'm on the way and make sure, I locked everything up.

I decided to just take my old Mercedes. I really don't care for it anymore and I plan on giving it to my sister real soon. She deserves it.

"Damn, shawty got the kid wasting a ass of gas." I say to myself. I screenshot the distance to her place from mine once I pulled up at her house. It was no suprise when I seen where she stayed. This fit her. She came out the door and I got out the car to open her door.

"Hey Normani you look beautiful." I say and hug her. She giggles and says thank you. I open her door, so she could get in and once she does I go to my side. "So, where are we going?" She asked as I pulled off. "You don't waste no time, huh?"

She giggles and I swear that was the cutest shit. "We just going to a dinner, I just want to get to know you more and we won't be able to do that going to a movie." She nods and pull a straind of hair behind her ear. "Okay, I get it. So tell me about your self Dinah." "Isn't that what's the dinner for?" I joke and she looks down shyly.

"Hey I was joking Normani. I joke alot." She looks up at me and smiles. "Good to know, I'm a little nervous." I bite my lip and look at her before looking back at the road. "Ain't no need to be nervous baby, I got you."

Normani,

When we got to the place I was in awe. It was Nick and Stef. That place was one of the most expensive place to eat. "Uh reservation for Hansen. It was two." The hosts smile at us and then escorts us to our seats. Dinah guided me gently with her hand on my back. She had big hands and I didn't mind that at all. She pulled out my chair and I smiled up at her, to let you her know I was thankful.

"Good evening ladies, I'm Maddison and I'll be your waitress. Can we start you off with drinks?" I look to Dinah. "You want me to order for you?" She asked. "Um, I was actually thinking I can order for you." I say hopefully. "Please..." She motions for me to continue.

"Okay I would like a Champagne Cocktail and she will have Chile Mango Margarita." They waitress nods and I smile at her. I look to Dinah who had a(n) unreadable expression.

"What?" I ask softly. She smiles at me. "I just really love mango and you ordered that, is all. You know what that mean?" She asked and I shake my head. "Me either, I'm just talking. I'm glad you ordered for me, I didn't understand nothing on this menu." I giggle. She is so cute. "It's okay, I like trying new foods and things so, some of the food on here, I've already eaten."

"Got me a boujee lil thang, don't I?" I look down shyly. Our waitress brings out the drinks and Dinah orders fries for an appetizer. I just shake my head at her. "So Ms. Normani tell me about yourself?" She gives me her undivided attention. I do as well, not before I check my phone for any messages. "Well I'm twenty-four going on twenty five. I'm from Houston-" She cuts me off. "I thought I heard a little accent." She smirked.

"Anyway, I have four siblings. Two sisters and two brothers." She nods and sips her drink. "Are you the youngest?" "Actually I'm the knee baby. If you ask me, I think she was a mistake, but whatever." She lets out a beautiful laugh.

"Enough about me, what about you?"

"Well I'm younger than you, I'm twenty three. I was born and raised in Inglewood. I didn't have the best life growing up, but I did what I had to do and I have four older siblings and I was the knee baby, until my dad decided to have two more youngins." I laugh.

"Wow all those siblings, did you always get along?" I asked.

"Mm, sometimes, but they really weren't home like that so, It was okay. Where do you work?" I make a face and she hits her head.

"I mean like, I know where you work. But I also know there's a reason you work there." I giggle as she rambles on.

"Well I am in law school and that is not cheap. I didn't want to ask my parents, because they already did so much for me. I just wanted to be independent." She smiles and says yes.

"What about you what do you do?" Before she could answer our waitress, Madison came back. "Are we ready to order? She asked as she placed the French fries on the table.

I look at Dinah who shrugs. "Yes, we are." I wanted to prove to Dinah that I'm great with food and reading people.

"Yes, my date will have Berkship Pork Chop with mashed potatoes. Is that good Dinah?" I look up at her and she smile, along with a thumbs up.

"And I'll get the filet mignon." The waitress nods and takes our menus.

"Damn you pretty good at that? Hopefully I can do that on the next date." I smirk.

"I love how you think there is gonna be a second date." She puts her right leg over her left and sat back in the chair.

"Ain't no thinking baby. I know." She bit her lip and it was then, that I realized, that lip bit will get me every time.

*After Dinner*

Dinah,

"It's not that late, you tryna get some dessert?" I asked her. We had got done eating and it was really goor. Hell it better be, that was a lot of money. I didn't mind though. She made it all better.

"Sure, what are you craving?" She looked up at me as we walked side by side towards my car. I smirk. "Chocolate." She rolls her eyes and pushed me away. I open her door to the car and then I got in on my side. "No but seriously, I want like ice cream and brownies." I say and pull my car out the parking lot. "I just want some ice cream, do you know any spots." She looked at me and I nod. "It's my turn now." I say referring to her ordering our food. "Yep, and you got high expectations." She says. I laugh and turn the radio on so it won't just be dead silent.

I ended up taking her to this low key  dessert place and we just ate in my car. "Did you enjoy the dinner?" I ask slightly nervous. She smiles at me and licks her spoon, to me it look like in slow motion. "Mhm, thank you for that. I had a great time and maybe we can do it again." I smile brightly.

I start the car and head to her house. I get out the car and open the door for her. She grabs my hand as I extend it to her. "I would walk you up, but you got a lot of stairs." I say and she laughs, because she knows it's true. "That's fine, Dinah. I really had a good time." "So that's a yes on the second date." She sighs dramatically. "Yes Dinah and next time, Let's go to your side of town. I know that it's a good little driveup here so, I can meet you." I shake my head. "Naw I'll pick you up. I told you, you're worth the fifty one minuets I have to drive." She smacks her lips. "Goodnight Dinah. Call me when you get home okay?" I nod and wrap my arms around her slim waist.

I watch her walk up the steps and made sure she made it in safe, before driving off.