Teaser Tuesday: Girls Like Her...
The DJ transitioned to the next song, and the VIP section went wild. A smile spread across the face when confetti shot into the air and smoke filled the room. Peabody shook me by the shoulders as our song, Fame & Fortune, boomed throughout the club. The self-titled track got us our first #1 on urban radio, and a gold plaque. The music video garnered millions of views on YouTube and counting. This song would always mean a lot to me. It was the first time I realized how far we’d come.
“All I ever wanted was fame and fortune,” everyone chanted once the beat dropped.
I looked around, beaming at everyone dancing and rapping along. Bottles were in the air, people danced on the couches and had their phones out recording. My gaze landed on Heaven who was singing along with Nicole while one of Nicole’s friends was recording them. Heaven had her champagne glass in her and a grin on her face. There was something about seeing her rap my verse. Man. I walked over to them. My smile grew wider when our gazes met.
“I see you,” I said in her ear. She looked at and rolled her eyes. “Having fun?”
“I am, even though you’ve been pretty busy since we got here.”
Licking my lips, I grabbed her by the chin and tilted her head back.
“You want my attention? All you gotta do is ask.”
“You invited me out. I shouldn’t have to ask,” she shot back.
All I could do was nod because Heaven was right. I wanted her here and as much as I wanted to downplay it; I liked her.
“For the rest of the night, I’m all yours.”
Heaven smirked. “I like how that sounds.”
I kept my word and stayed by her side for the rest of the night. Whenever I needed to move around the section, I took her too. Since I was the host for tonight, I had to make my rounds, making sure everyone was having a good time. Heaven seemed a little uneasy about moving from table to table. Once I noticed it, I made her a part of the conversation. The more I involved her in the conversation, the more she opened up. Seeing how her eyes lit up whenever she talked about her music and plans for the summer did something to me. Nelson, Peabody’s friend and business partner, interrupted that moment when he pulled me to the side.
“You know who her ex is, right?” he asked me.
Looking past him, I watched Heaven, who was still talking about her upcoming album. My friends seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say. Meanwhile, I was growing irritated because I was missing out. I returned my gaze to Nelson and flared my nostrils.
“I do.”
His eyebrow hiked. “Girls like her, they’re damaged beyond repair. I wouldn’t get too close to her if I were you.”
I hated gossip, especially from a grown ass man. No one was worried about her ex, except for Nelson. Of course, I knew about her relationship with Quan. Their relationship drama was all over the internet. I didn’t pay it any mind. The blogs loved to amplify people’s shortcomings. Somehow, they flipped the situation and made Heaven the problem. They glossed over his abuse allegations, focusing on the two girls fighting over him. People in the industry were careful not to bring too much attention to his abusive tendencies. I guess it didn’t matter that he put hands on her as long as he kept pumping out hits.
But that was years ago, and I was sure Heaven had moved past that point in her life.
Plus, I was the last person to judge her because my past wasn’t pretty either.
I looked Nelson in the eyes with the straightest face. “Good thing you aren’t me, huh?”