Take Care

Vingt-trois

9:01pm

"Aye! Can you guys quiet down-"

I was interrupted yet again by another loud outburst. Erica had invited her friends over for a small gathering.

"Chile .." Nicki entered the kitchen with an empty bowl in hand. "You're dealing with a bunch of wolves out there, ain't no taming them unless you're serving a bone."

I shook my head, leaning against the counter, watching our living room transitioning into a wild circus.

Erica had the entire front room roaring, betting on a football game between her and the fellas.

"You're not drinking tonight?" Nicki asked me, gazing over at the cup of water in my hand.

"Um- I'm not really a drinker." I partially lied.

Vodka or Cognac was something any human being, like myself, would need after all the stress I've been enduring for the past couple of weeks.

The press was slowly but surely eating up the white ball incident between Erica and Mason. My family wasn't so thrilled about my new relationship and that was made clear in more ways than one.

I wasn't my usual self, feening for something strong to ease me, mild headaches and upset stomach was also bothering me too.

"Pregnant?"

"Oh, God no!" I exclaimed.

Nicki narrowed her eyes at me, polluting her mind with so many thoughts and assumptions.

"Not like that." I nervously chuckled, playfully nudging her arm. " I- we're just still fresh in this relationship and I don't want to rush into things so fast."

She nodded slowly. "Eh- It is a big responsibility but me and Bey seem to .. manage just fine."

I caught the sadness in her voice and couldn't help but to grow concerned.

"How are you holding up?"

"Me? I'm fine-

I faced her completely, outlining her figure and noticed the love bites that trailed down her neck.

This shocked me for the most part. Nicki didn't come off as a cheater, but the whole ordeal also made me scared for her.

Bey might be a wild card, goofy, charming, but underneath the act, was a dangerous woman and it didn't take a lot of context clues for me to recognize that.

"And I just can't wait until them pigs release her-"

I rubbed my shoulder, chortling. "You don't say."

Nicki looked at me then at her neck before trying to cover up the marks.

She opened her mouth to say something but I threw my hands up, indicating that I wasn't interested in the excuses she was about to sell me.

This wasn't my place.

"What's on the menu?" She quickly changed the subject.