The One She Needed

Chapter 24

RAQUEL

Although the environment we were in consisted of noise as waiters moved around the restaurant catering to many customers' needs. It appeared neither of us minded the noise as we sat either side of the table staring at each other wondering where to start.

"So what made you change your mind?" she asked placing her elbows on the table, her curiosity shown in her body language.

I momentarily looked around the restaurant somehow to ensure my mind that indeed no one was watching us and listening in on this conversation. I swallowed past the lump in my throat along with my pride as I said;" Someone decided it would be entertaining to throw someone very important to me into prison."

She kept gazing at me, waiting I'm sure for further information. When I showed no signs of continuing on she huffed appearing annoyed suddenly.

"What no names? Do you really expect me to treat this as a guessing game and fill in the blanks, I don't really have the patience for that," she said leaning back into her chair as she kept her expression neutral.

I watched her with a narrowed gaze," Serena," I paused second guessing my decision to call her," how do I know you won't stab me in the back?"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Guess she wasn't expecting such a question from me.

"I thought our joint association with Derek including him tainting me would be enough for you to know I'm not your enemy. I want justice, same as you, right? You can trust me."

I laughed before I could stop it from slipping out, it tumbled out of me. Her jaw clenched as she narrowed her eyes on me," I'm sorry," I giggled putting my hand to indicate I was almost done," I just find it hard to see someone whose willing to get involved with a guy already in a relationship trustworthy."

She kept her gaze fixed on my face and I couldn't help but wonder if she had heard my explanation at all as she remained silent.

"Maybe it was a mistake coming to you," she tilted her head to the side almost scrutinizing me," Honestly I don't know why I expected someone who was once the relationship punching bag to suddenly have a backbone," she shrugged nonchalantly making a move to grab her purse.

I found myself moving forward almost ready to lunge across the table. I quickly checked myself after remembering where we were. There was no need to place ourselves in the typical category of two angry black women fighting in public.

Instead I opted for a verbal form of combat whilst keeping my voice controlled from yelling, "You have no idea what went on behind closed doors to make such an assumption."

"Neither do you!" she bit back, her breaths coming out a little uneven as her nostrils flared, as a fire coursed behind her eyes. I sat there eyes wide at the retort, the space being filled with silence and without another word she stood up and left.

Well that surely went south fast.

Serena was quickly turning into an individual who had more to herself than meets the eye.

I followed her to the bathroom trying to not draw any attention to myself and when I found her crouched over the sink trying to wipe her tears, sympathy crept in the cracks of my heart.

"Serena?" I kept my voice low, not wanting to startle her as she looked at me through the mirror. Blood shot eyes displaying a million pictures about a story.

Her story.

"I had no intention of being Derek's side bitch, okay?" She sniffed looking down as she gripped the sides of the sink tightly." Like you, he had me believe that I was the only woman in his life, the one who had him singing corny love songs whilst plucking the flower of fantasy asking himself whether I loved him or loved him not," she chuckled humourlessly. She turned and leaned against the counter, the defeat written across her face. Gone was the confident woman that stole the eyes of many anytime the click of her heels was heard anywhere she was. Throughout the entire industry, Serena had built quite a reputation for herself as being labelled Medusa. One intense look from her and you were done for.

Mascara down her cheeks, a cracked reflection showing me

Past the façade, she was only human.

"It was when I saw you both together for the first time that initially I was ready to leave. To keep my pride intact. But he had me convinced that you were somehow forcing him to stay with you, like you were holding something over his head and in time he would leave you," she mumbled turning her head once again to look at me. "Stupidly I believed him. I don't know," she shrugged," maybe having been deprived of love I was ready to hold onto the dream I had of us having a family together. Now cause of him... my chances of kids look dim."

I reached my hand towards her about to comfort her, but she quickly flinched away from me as if I had caused her physical pain. She began wiping away at her tears vigorously, "Serena."

"No!" she raised her hand silencing me as her expression hardened, "Don't- don't treat me like I'm weak, it would only mean that man wins. So the next words you're about to say better be beneficial to why we met up in the first place."

Her features became neutral once again and it took me a second to really see just how serious it was. Neither of us were going to address what took place in this bathroom, I guess that was her way of coping at the present moment such that past the differences we were just one in the same with each other.

We were the same colour only in different shades.

And all I ended up saying to indicate my compliance to her wishes was," I think I know just what we can do to wish he never met us."

And for the first time since we've been around one another, the corners of her mouth lifted to reveal a genuine smile. In all the time I've known her she was either smirking or scowling.

Let's hope what I have in mind will work.

***

"So this is what you dragged me down here for?" Angie's tone was hostile as she pointed her finger towards Serena who was casually leaning against the table.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, a headache creeping in as I steadied my breaths to figure out how to go about this as my hands balled into fists.

"I know you hate her-"

"So do you," she bit back glaring at Serena who calmly watched us both with nothing but her signature smirk.

"But I'm willing to put the differences aside to focus on the bigger enemy here. Angie," I said my tone pleading, you have always come at me for letting Derek and my family walk all over me. For the first time I'm not going to take their crap. All I'm asking is that you be there... to support me through this."

At the end of my speech her face had softened as her eyes switched between the both of us.

She crossed her arms, her stance still showing her guard was up as she said," You're really set on fighting these guys, huh?"

"Well not fight necessarily, but show them we won't sit back and get bullied around. Its bad enough they mess with me. I can't allow my man to get burned."

She stared long and hard at us until she released a heavy breath before shaking her head, Fine." she raised her hands. "I won't fight her, under one condition."

I arched my brow in sudden interest at her to continue.

"You promise I have a front row seat on the day you take down those bastards."

I smiled, turning to grab my phone off the counter.

Time to find Patrice and give her a call.