Vendetta | Nicki Minaj & August Alsina

6. The Riviera

Raja
It's probably nothing.
4:32 am

Lately, trying to get enough sleep was trying to wrestle a bear in a tree. The last time I got more than four hours of sleep was longer than a month ago. Nani is sound asleep at nine every night, and I'm stuck staring at the wall in pitch black darkness for a good seven to eight hours.

Nights like this leave me time to think, to analyze, to peep shit, you know? Every now and then, I'm interrupted by the little body in my bed moving around. She's gotten used to sleeping in my bed recently. That's what I get for spoiling her.

The drapes from my canopy glide as the chill wind blows. I can't see them, but I can hear them. My skin begins forming small goosebumps and Nani snuggles in closer.

My mind jolts to yesterday. It's been so long since I've been on a date. I mean, technically it wasn't a date. More of being forced to go to dinner with someone I had never met before.

He wasn't kind, but damn did his looks do wonders for him. The only way I could see us two together is if it was for sex and nothing more, and who says he's even good in bed? Knowing Tiffany, she's going to try her hardest to get us together if she continues this thing with Christopher she's got going on. She's the type to think that type of shit is cute. I, on the other hand, don't need anyone as long as I got my child. She's all I need.

9:09 am

I'm pacing the floor on about five hours of sleep, I'm scared, and I just ran out of coffee.

"Having a tlk when I get bk"

The text I received from my dad about ten minutes ago. What the fuck could it possibly be about? I told Tiffany. I fucking told her he knew I was out. I mean, that might not be what he wants to talk about, but what the fuck else could it be? I'm pretty sure he put a monitoring device up my ass when I came back from college.

I try to calm myself down.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

"Call Tiffany" I say out loud to myself.

I quickly dialed, but everything seemed to be going in slow motion. She picked up after the third ring. "Hello!" She said wide awake. "Tiff, I'm having a bit of a problem." I say trying not to overreact.

"Hold on, gimmie a sec," I could hear her opening a fridge and people talking in the background. "Ok, continue." She said.

"Where are you?" I asked before I could tell her what's up.

"Out buying groceries." She answered.

"Oh, well anyways," I said continuing. "My dad said that he and I are going to have a talk when he gets back. Should I be scared because I'm pretty scared," I said speaking a little quickly.

"Nah, I think he's probably excited to tell you all about the trip," she said trying to be reassuring.

"Tiffany, he's got about three more days till he comes back. I doubt that's what he wants to talk about."

"Just calm down. I'm sure it's nothing. You know you're your daddy's little princess, so you have nothing to worry about," I took a deep breath and soaked in what she was saying as she continued her lecture. "Just take a moment to breath and to relax."

I smiled on the other end of the phone. "Thanks Tiff," I said.

"Yeah, no problem." I was about to say goodbye when she loudly and maliciously whispered through the phone, "And, oh look, there's baby daddy."

That caused me to stiffen up. "Who cares?" I said trying to sound annoyed.

"Um, I don't know, maybe the trifling deadbeat came to get some bacon with a tramp wearing a last season's Michael Kors purse." She gasped quietly. "And it's fake!" We both shared a laugh. "Anyways, I'll talk to you later while I go pay for this shit."

"Okay, bye!"

"Raj, wait!" She said right before I hit end. " let's go to lunch around noon. Bring Nani's little cute self too." I nodded as if she could see me.

"Alright. We'll come pick you up and find a place on the way." We agreed, said our goodbyes, and hung up.

Yeah, it's probably nothing.

Tiffany
Nothing in the first place.
12:17 pm.

"Raja, you're late." I said getting into her silver Mercedes Benz. "And for a person that never goes anywhere, you have a lot of cars."

"I know.... and I know," she said putting the car in drive.

"Hey TeeTee baby," I said turning around to look at a smiling two year old. "Girl, those dimples kill me," I said speaking to Raja.

"Who you tellin'?" She said making us both laugh.

After we arrived at the Riviera Cafe and were seated outside, we enjoyed a little chat time about nothing and so forth. With Raja completely missing her mouth and accidentally smearing guacamole on her nose, and getting Nani to try to pronounce some words was definitely a day worth living. Since my only brother was so much older than me, I was basically the only child at home, so Raja was pretty much my sister, and her family was like my second family.

I look down to dip my chip in the guacamole while listen to Raja ramble on how all the recent movies coming out are boring and pointless. When I looked up, that's when I saw him. Quez was heading into the entrance to the cafe with another girl.

"I'll be right back." I said cutting off Raja.

"Um, ok. Hurry back."

I send rapid nods her way, and walked in. My intentions were to walk in and pretend I didn't see him and have him acknowledge me, but I couldn't help but to look in his direction. Our eyes met instantly. I bit my lip and immediately turned my head. After my cheeks turned red with embarrassment, I quickly shuffled to the bathroom.

"Aye, get us a table. I'mma be right back." I heard him say to her. I could feel him walking behind me. I wanted to speed up so bad, but for some reason, I could feel myself slowing down.

"Aye Tiff, slow down ma."

I turned around and faked a smile, trying to seem unbothered even though I clearly was.

"Hey what's up!" I replied.

"I just came over to say hey and to.." He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry."

"For what?" I said, giving him a confused look.

"Well, as you can obviously see, I'm kinda on a date, and-" I cut him off.

"Quez, chill." I said giggling. "There's nothing wrong with you being on a date. We aren't together. I can't tell you what to do." I said staring into his sweet brown eyes. "Besides, we were nothing in the first place."

When I said that, I could tell it made him feel some type of way because his body tensed up. Even though I really liked him, what I said was true.

He let out a disappointed laugh. "You right. It was good seeing you, ma." He said before walking away.

"You too" I said only loud enough for myself to hear.

I headed back to the table prepared to tell Raj all the shit that just happened.