Long Time No See

Calabasas

Eric
•

"Big baller." She said as I walked out of the hotel lobby. She sat outside in a jerk with no doors.

"This you?" I asked standing outside of the truck.

"Get in the truck." She smiled as a group of young ladies walked up to the truck.

"We don't mean to bother you but are you Hadiya Blackstone?" One of the girls got the courage to muster up to ask.

"I am. How are you?" She turned to them being especially friendly.

"We would be over the moon if we could take a picture." I looked away as the girls each grabbed a picture.

"See y'all are so cute. Are y'all in Instagram? Here let me follow y'all back." I looked at the time as the interaction continued.

"Got it. Y'all stay safe ok." She said as the girls continued in with their day. They couldn't have been more than 15.

"I forgot how much of a big deal you are." I said thinking about how a follow back from Hadiya Blackstone probably made their day.

"Nah I'm still Diya from Brooklyn." She said as she turned in to traffic. I though about how we used to run around the city together.

"So Diya from Brooklyn, where is this shoot?" I asked wondering how long I would be hanging out if this Jeep.

"Calabasas. He shoots at his house since he built a studio in his backyard." A few smart remarks came to my head but I kept them to myself. It was none of my business.

"So this is your friend friend?" I asked her.

"I have knew him for a few years. He has been trying to get his brand off the ground for a while and I think you could help his shoot." I figured it out.

"If the man needs a consultant or an investor you could have said that too." I looked over at her.

"He may need that too but he needs a make model." She said keeping her eyes on the road.

"He may need some of those things too but I need you to put these sweat suits on and look at the camera for me." She continued, letting out a slight laugh of embarrassment.

"I told you I don't know about that. I'll support you though."

"You gone get your chocolate ass in some of these clothes." She pointed at me.

"This nigga lives in Calabasas how my j could he need?" I asked. People with dreams live below their means in order to make it work and ain't nothing out there cheap.

"What would you have done if I want on that plane?" I asked her. She was serious and I would probably do it but I don't understand why she didn't tell me that she had an opportunity for me to invest instead of going the model route.

"Marcus, the owner, would have done it. Now he gets a chance to actually direct the shoot."

"We will see." I said trying to feel safe as she drove.

•
"Eric this is Marcus." Marcus met us at the door when we pulled up. Homie must do something on the side because there is no way he is living like this on the money he makes off of his business.