A Familiar Ring

CHAPTER 12: New Things

"Okay so for the first song we've set it up so that the dancers are taking the majority of the stage. You'll have six girls and you don't come out until the last verse," Cadence spoke over Zoom to her client.

"That sounds cool," her client spoke shyly.

Cadence's career as a choreographer had long transitioned into a career as a creative director and she was sought after for a lot of up and coming artists across the entertainment industry. She'd worked on teams for Normani, Ariana Grande, Chloe x Halle, and a few Kpop breakout stars as well. But she preferred the creative direction of events—concert tours and award shows. This was just the gig for her.

She was serving as Creative Director for rapper 2Chainz and 21 Savage's annual Player's Ball, which was a major—albeit unconventional—fundraiser for the Atlanta University Center, a collection of Historically Black Colleges and Universities which included Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Morehouse School of Medicine. The Player's Ball was always held in a strip club and tickets to the event started at $250 per person. Strippers were flown in from around the States, rappers and the people who wanted to be them treated the event like a money spending olympics. Though the event had only been in existence for a few small years, they managed to raise over $10 Million dollars for the AUC.

She couldn't be more happy to have landed this gig but her personal life was really putting a damper on things. The show was in one month and she was still stuck in Macon, hiding. If it was up to her, she would've done her duties completely remote but this one performer she booked for the show was very challenging and she knew she'd have to spend a significant amount of time with her 1-on-1 to coach her.

"And then for the second song you have a choice of singing while sitting on stage like we've been practicing or switching it up and doing the routine with—"

"I'll do the chair choreo," the client interrupted quickly.

"Cool. So I'll prep the girls on that setup and, don't worry. I'll actually be there with you at the rehearsals as well."

"Really?!" the client was excitedly beaming on the other side of the screen, "Oh my god! Thank you so—wait, I thought you was on your honeymoon?"

"About that... It's a long story but I didn't get married. I came home to Macon to kinda reset after that drama but I'll be back in Atlanta next week."

"Oh no! I'm so sorry. You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"No it's okay. I—," Cadence was interrupted by the doorbell, "Sorry. Give me a second."

Cadence rushed to the door and was surprised to see Briscoe with someone who looked vaguely familiar. It wasn't unusual for Briscoe to stop by but he usually sent a text saying he was on his way and he never brought anyone with him.

"Hey, what's up?" Cadence pondered as she opened her door to her visitors.

"Sup Spade. Just left Rawlins and I brought you a plate," Briscoe said as he started to walk inside before Cadence stopped him.

"Uh, thank you? But who is this stranger you got with you at my house?" she turned her attention to Briscoe's friend, "Hello, hi, how are you? I'm Cadence. What you doin' with him?"

"Girl, this Khyrie! Talmbout stranger," Briscoe proceeded to walk inside while shaking his head while Cadence stood at her doorway staring Khyrie down.

"Khyrie? Khyrie Dawson?" Cadence asked excitedly. As soon as she heard the name she instantly remembered her classmate but he looked quite different than what she remembered.

"Yeah, shawty," Khyrie smiled, flashing an iced out gold grill, "Damn, I was starting to think you was going Hollywood on a nigga."

"Never that, but damn it's been a minute," Cadence opened the door fully and motioned for him to come in when she heard a commotion on her computer, "Oh shit! I almost forgot I'm in a meeting. I'll meet y'all in the kitchen in a second."

Cadence hurried back over to her laptop to conclude her meeting and 10 minutes later she found herself in her kitchen with Briscoe and Khyrie, who looked a lot better than he did in high school. He had a warm sienna skin tone with a face chiseled by the best barber in Macon. His low cut waves were enough to make her sea sick, his hazel-green eyes sat in his face like jewels, and she was just in the middle of envisioning how soft his beard would feel against her pussy lips when—

"Spade! Hello? You in there shawty?" Briscoe was waving his hand in front of her face.

"Huh? Oh! What's up?" Cadence blurted, slightly bewildered out of her daydream.

"Damn, where'd you go? Shawty was lost," Khyrie said through a laugh while he rolled a blunt on her kitchen table.

"I was, uh, thinking on some details for work. Y'all kinda came and interrupted my flow," Cadence retorted.

"Yeah, ok. Anyway, so you coming down to Savannah for Messiah birthday right?" Briscoe asked.

"Phoenix been nagging me about that all week. You know I love my baby Siah and I love your family like my own but..." her voice trailed off before speaking quietly, "Your brother is going to be there and, well, you know".

Khyrie was in the middle of sealing the blunt but his ears perked up when hearing that. Like everyone else in Macon, he initially assumed that Cadence and Prosper were still Team Casper. Now it seemed like she was single and that luck may have just presented him with the opportunity to finally pursue his high school crush.

Briscoe rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Just let me know if you wanna ride or if you gonna drive. I know you'll be there."

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A short chapter... don't kill me y'all. The next chapter on the way ASAP!

This Player's Ball sounds LIT and I can't wait to write and share that chapter with y'all!!

Cadence checking out Khyrie... y'all think she feeling him or she just miss Prosper?

But we know Khyrie is FA SHO feeling Cadence so it's looking like we might have an equal opportunity love triangle brewing... a love hexagon if you will.

Please vote and comment. They truly motivate me to write faster. Love ya!