Bloom

Bloom Part 4

"She sounds controlling," Ariana said, examining her nails.

Montero gasped while Normani said "welp."

I cocked my head to the side, my mouth slanting. "It's possible, but a reach."

"Yeah, I'm not getting controlling, I'm getting interested," Montero said.

We all looked at Normani now who was in another conversation with whoever she was texting. The silence made her look up at us and shrug a shoulder. "I'm neutral. I don't have enough info."

"That's fair." I nodded.

Ariana shook her head no. "We have enough info. This is the second time she went through Clive to make you do something. She's obviously flexin' and letting you know she can make you do whatever she wants, whenever she wants. That's controlling."

"I don't think it's that deep," Montero countered. "It's not like she's working Victoria, she just wants her there."

"Let's say that is it then. Why is she going through y'all boss? That's not a red flag to y'all?" Ariana looked around at us.

Normani put her phone down and looked at me seriously. "Yeah, Victoria said she wouldn't mix business with that kind of pleasure again. Right?"

The energy in the room shifted from humorous and engaging to tense and quiet. But I kept it light. "Yes, mom," I joked. "Geez-Louise."

She smiled. "I do think you manifested her though."

"I probably did! Watching them videos all the time."

"Her voice is fucking...out of this world," Ariana mused.

None of us disagreed.

My smile widened as I got an idea. "So does that mean y'all wanna see her at the studio?"

My friends exchanged looks and laughed.

"Girl, you know Whitney only wanna see you," Montero replied.

Ariana raised an eyebrow at me. "How long is this session supposed to be?"

"I think a couple hours, but we don't have to stay long."

Again, Montero and Normani could barely stifle their giggles.

I kicked them (without force) under the table. "Clearly, y'all don't want to go. Ari?"

"Couple hours, sure Jan," Montero commented.

"If it's up to Whitney, she'll keep you there," Normani said, joining in on the jokes.

I stale-faced them. "Wow, now y'all sound like Ari."

Ariana huffed out a giggle after sipping her drink. "I'll go."

I stretched my lips at her, the way people do when they're basically like "well, okay then." "Well okay then!"

"Ask me why."

"Why?"

"Because you know I appreciate a good singer—"

"Hey now, I appreciate a good singer too," Normani cut in, holding up a manicured finger, Montero nodding affirmatively.

"Then why am I the only one going?"

"We already covered that," Montero said. "Be the third wheel if you want to." Montero kills me. He's one of those types who laughs at their own jokes.

"And I have a date my damn self." Normani yawned and stretched as we all got excited and pressed her for details. I waited until my other friends were done hogging her phone for pictures of the mystery person she'd met online.