Prime

chapter 7

Nickola changes into some casual clothes after work and heads to pick Zara up from the after school provider. They stop at McDonalds before heading to Vanessa's. She knocks on the door and is greeted by Greyson.

"Nickola. Vanessa's not here yet."

"I know. She told me she would be late. I'm gonna wait for her." He steps back to let her in.

"Zara! Come here I wanna show you something," Madalyn says excited. She's dressed in a black leotard with nude tights.

"Here take this and get changed," she hands Zara her dance bag and takes the McDonalds bag from her. The two run off to Madalyn's room. Nickola tosses the bag in the trash. Greyson emerges from the garage with three boxes in his hands. His cell phone rings. "Nickola do you mind taking these to Herring. He's in the pool house," he scrambles to get to the phone.

"Sure," she says taking the boxes. Greyson answers his phone and hurries to his office.

As Nickola approaches the pool house she can see Bronze and Herring sitting each with a glass half filled with brown liquid. Kanye lightly plays in the background. She opens the door slowly. They both look startled when they see her.

"Your father asked me to bring these to you," holding the boxes up.

Bronze looks at Nickola and then at Herring. "Hit me up when you get back," he says clasping his fingers with Herrings and pulling him in for a side hug. Bronze finishes his drink. "What's up Nikki?" he nods and leaves.

"When you get back?" she says confused  handing Herring the boxes.

He sets his drink on table. "Yeah. I've got work in Los Angeles this weekend," he puts the boxes in a corner.

Nickola looks around the room. "It really looks good in here."

"You've never been in here and you've known Vanessa for how long?" he says surprised.

"Twenty years and not since it's been renovated," she smiles. "Let's play," she says looking at the pool table.

"Twenty years is a long time." Herring grabs the triangle and puts it on the table. Nickola places the balls inside of it.

"Don't you have to put them in order?" he ask.

"As long as the eight ball is in the middle it doesn't matter," she rolls the triangle back and forth on the pool table. Stopping it three quarters the length of the table.  She removes the triangle and puts it to the side.

Herring grabs two pool sticks from the rack. Nickola puts chalk on the end of her stick, takes the first play and misses. "How long are you in L.A. for?"

"I return on Sunday." He takes a turn and knocks in the six ball. "How did you and Vanessa meet?" He takes another play and misses.

Nickola takes a turn. She aims for a solid ball. "You know you're stripes," Herring says slightly unsure. 

"Let's switch," she has a devious smile on her face.

"So you can end up as winner?" he smiles. She misses the shot and laughs.

She leans against the pool table with the stick between her legs one hand on top of the other. "We met sophomore year in professor Barratuchi's flim clase," she says staring at a picture of the ocean hanging on the wall.

Herring stands beside her his body turned toward her.

"He was strange but I guess you kinda have to be to appreciate some of those films. One time in class we were discussing one of the films we had just watched and someone sneezed. He said bless you and kept talking but then stopped himself so he could correctly say with emphasis God bless you." She laughed remembering it.

Herring frowns, "alright."

"And we've been friends ever since." She notices Herring eyeing the tattoo on the inside of her wrist.

"Why the number four?" his finger tracing over it. His touch sending chills down her spine. She shifts a little.

"It's my favorite number," she says slowly her eyes on his lips.

"Do you have any others?" his voice lower. She points behind her ear. Moving in closer, he gently sweeps her braided hair back for a better view. Nickola inhales slowly.

"Ouch!" a voice yells from outside. Nickola quickly faces the pool table and collects herself.

"What happened?" she says as Vanessa limps in.

"I stubbed my toe on one of those chairs out there," she groans.

"Do you want me to drive?" Nickola ask putting the pool stick on the rack.

"It was just a chair Nikki. I'll recover," Vanessa says still in pain while rubbing her foot. "Whose winning?"

"Me," they answer simultaneously.

"Only if you count her cheating as a win," Herring says.

Nickola gives Herring a warm smile before closing the door.

                  *******

They arrive at the Stamford dance Academy. The hallway is filled with girls in black and nude leotards. Children are changing from their sneakers to ballet shoes. After Zara and Madalyn change into their ballet shoes they run into class while Nickola and Vanessa join the other parents seated on the chairs outside the room. A large television hangs over a pushpin board with a view of the inside of the room. Nickola's phone rings and Miles name appears on the caller I.D. "I'll be back," she says to Vanessa and disappears into the hallway next to the dance room. "Hello?"

"Hey Nickola how are you?" Miles ask.

"I'm good. I'm at my daughters dance class right now."

"Cool. I was wondering what you were doing on Friday. We could grab something to eat maybe catch a movie?"

Nickola quickly considers not mentioning the banquet. It's quite a jump to invite him to something so formal when they had not even spoken much. "Saturday, my friend Vanessa's company is having a charity banquet. There's one extra ticket. We could go to that." Before Miles can answer she continues, "I know it seems too formal but I already told her I would go. You'd be saving me from being a third wheel." The look on her face is as if she's preparing for rejection.

"Sure. What time should I pick you up?" Miles says.

"We could meet there. I'll text you the time and location."

"Okay. I'll see you Saturday."

Nickola rejoins Vanessa in the hallway. "Who was that?" Vanessa ask intrigued.

"Miles," Nickola says grinning. "I invited him to the banquet."

"The guy who works at Midas?"

"Yep."

"So I'll tell my cousin never mind." They both smile.

"Where's it gonna be at? " Nickola ask.

"The Hilton. It starts at six but Greyson and I will be there early if you wanna come before then."

Nickola sighs, "I can't believe I let you talk me into this." She texts Miles the location and time.

"It's gonna be fun. Plus Kellen won't bother you with Miles around," Vanessa says.

"I hope not!"