“Okay, well I’m gonna go ahead and leave before I get caught up in this stupid ass traffic.” I tried to put KJ down onto the couch but he woke up then started calling my name and dragging out that damn ‘no’. “I’ll just take him with me.”
“I can handle him honey. Just go to your shoot so you won’t have to worry too much, okay?”
“No, it’s fine. I think he’s not feeling well so I will just take him.” I looked to Melody who was deep in her dollhouse. “You’re gonna be fine or you wanna come with me too?”
“I’m fine!” she shouted.
I left to go to my shoot, and surprisingly the traffic wasn’t too bad so I had time to spare. I went up inside of the building, and then straight to my dressing room after meeting and greeting everyone. About fifteen minutes later, I’d gotten KJ to go to sleep, so I put him in his carrier, and then let the owner Stephanie know I was ready to start my getting ready process.
As they started on my hair, Stephanie came into the room.
“I want you to meet a good friend of mine, Cassie. When I told him I booked you, he said he knew you and wanted to meet.”
“Really? Who… is it?” my sentence trailed off when I watched Jude come into my dressing room. I stared at him through the mirror as a smug expression covered his face.
“Cassie, you look gorgeous.” Jude moved closer, still staring at me hard through the mirror and vice versa.
“I forgot to ask how you two knew one another,” Stephanie kept that creepy grin on her face.
Either she was a complete idiot who lived under a rock, or she was playing the fool purposely.
“Cassie used to be one of my models. Remember I told you I had a little model agency a while back?” Jude turned to look at her, before turning back to me. “Stephanie is very new to this all. I’m sort of… grooming her,” he winked at me. “Well I have some things to handle, but I will be keeping a look out for these photos. It was a smart choice choosing Cassie.” He discreetly slid a little note into the pocket of my white silk robe and then turned to leave.
As the make-up artist and hair stylist continued to work on me, I opened it to read.
Don’t think I don’t know, it read.
I quickly balled it up, and just sat there with my mind racing as the two set employees continued to fix me up.
I had a feeling he thought I dropped the dime on him, but it wasn’t me. I didn’t know who the hell did it honestly; I just knew I didn’t. I had planned to leave Jude’s ass once I found out he was a pimp, so by the time he terminated my contract over Amelia, I wasn’t even all that upset. Kordell had already lined up Ashley anyway; I just didn’t know it. I didn’t miss hardly any money from being terminated by Jude, so why the hell would I waste my time to snitch on him?
When the make-up artist was done, Stephanie came and explained to me how the face oil worked. She told me how it made the makeup look more natural, then showed me how to apply it. It definitely did what she said it did, which I was happy about.
When I first started out, I didn’t mind promoting products that weren’t that great because I was new and just trying to get my name out there. But now, because I had come way further than I’d even imagined, I had the luxury of being able to turn things down if they weren’t legit.
Once I had the oil on, I left out of the room to go take some photos. The raw shots were beautiful, and the oil smelled so good that I was happy about my free bottle.
“You alright?” Ashley my manager, asked once I was back in my dressing room to change.
Kordell didn’t like me changing in front of Ashley because he was a man, but Ashley had no interest in me. Not to mention he’d been there on a lot of photo shoots where sometimes my body had to be seen.
“Umm yeah I’m okay.” I wiped the makeup off with one of my make-up wipes. I used to wear make up a lot, but since Kordell didn’t like it I kind of eased up and now I didn’t really like it anymore either.
“What are you doing for the rest of the day? Because I had something else for you to get ya coins but you told me you were gonna be busy,” Ashley popped his gum and crossed his long legs.
Laughing I said, “To eat with my… sister I guess. Feels weird calling her that. But umm, yeah, she’s my paternal sibling, and we’re just gonna go have some evening lunch.”
I got here in the morning and it was already 4 p.m. These photo shoots would always last hours and hours. I was just happy that when KJ awakened he was his old self again and not crying.
“Sister, huh? And where this bitch come from?”
“She’s not a bitch, Ashley.” I chuckled at his flamboyant ass. “She’s pretty nice, at least it seems like it over text. I don’t have any siblings and I don’t know I guess I want to see what having one is like.”
“Laine is all you need.”
“Yes, Laine handles all of my sisterly and best friend needs, true, but I still want to get to know Ellison.”
“Mhm.” Ashley began filing his nails with that same look he always wore. That look meant, ‘I can’t wait to say I told yo’ ass so’.
I finished getting dressed once I was able to get all that makeup off, then I put on some of the oil. Ashley, my baby KJ, and I left out to my car, and on the way to it, I was low-key scoping the scene to see if I saw Jude anywhere.
After hugging Ashley and telling him for the fifth time that I wasn’t gonna forget my meeting tomorrow, I buckled KJ in, and then left to Ellison’s.
Ellison lived in an apartment off Crenshaw Boulevard, a little past Imperial. She was really far from me, which had me wondering why the hell she needed a PO Box near where I resided.
“Hey so where would you like to eat?” I asked her as soon as she got into my car. She didn’t answer right away because she was facing the backseat, smiling at KJ who just stared at her blankly with his cute self.
He had on little dark jeans, black Jordans, and a gray hoodie that was pulled up over his little head. He looked identical to his father as he stared Ellison down from his car seat.
“He’s adorable! Does he talk?”
“Yeah kind of. He has a few words like mommy, dad, night, and no, which is his favorite,” I chuckled looking into the back seat along with her.
“He’s so little I would never know he could say anything.” She finally sat back in her seat. “I can’t wait to have a child.”
“You will, soon enough.”
“Oh! You asked where I wanted to eat. What’s good but not pricey? I don’t want to spend too much of your money.”
Wait, I’m paying for us both?
“Right, well this is Los Angeles so there are a lot of options. Do you like seafood? Red Lobster is nearby.”
“Is there a Red Lobster by your place? That location would be better because I’d love to see your home after.”
“Uh no offense Ellison but I don’t really know you. And the only reason you’re meeting my baby is because he had to come to work with me. So, let’s just keep it simple right now.”
“Well you know where I live, shouldn’t we even the score?”
“I wouldn’t know where you lived if you had a car, just like you wouldn’t know my baby if he didn’t have to come to work with me.”
“You’re right. I think I’m just too excited.”
I nodded and then pulled off, passing the Nix Check Cashing place, and heading towards Century Boulevard. I made a left, and then went straight down until I reached the shopping center that Red Lobster was located in. It was during the week so we were able to get seated right away, which Ellison seemed to be excited about.
“You know every time I see your picture in a store or something, I have to let them know we’re related,” Ellison smiled just as the waiter set down a basket of hot cheesy biscuits.
“Wow.” I smiled, breaking off a piece and feeding it to KJ who kept his eyes on Ellison hard as he chewed it.
“I think he likes me.”
I think it’s the opposite.
“Yeah, maybe he does.
So, Ellison, I don’t mean to be like rude or suspicious or anything, but why do you have a PO Box near my— mine?” I almost said home, but I didn’t want her ass figuring out my home address.
“Oh, my ex-boyfriend lives over there, and since I used to be there a lot, I got a PO Box nearby. He’s why I moved here. We just broke up though, otherwise I would have a car and I could have met you somewhere near there.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend. And I’m sorry about the break up.”
“No, no, it’s fine. He wasn’t worth my time at all. I need to find someone better that treats me right; like Kordell with you. I love seeing you two on Snapchat.”
I just nodded, not knowing what to say.
The waitress came back with our drinks, and then we put in the orders for our food. For someone not wanting to break my pockets, she sure got one of the most expensive entrees here. But I was blessed to be very financially comfortable, not to mention so was my husband so I wasn’t gonna complain.
“You didn’t grow up with my dad, right? I mean he left you when you were pretty young?” She cocked her head.
“Yep exactly. He just kind of… vanished. What about you?”
“I didn’t really know him until middle school. Then when I got to high school he kind of just vanished on my mom and me as well.”
“I can’t understand how he could just leave his—”
“Cassie, I’m sorry to bother you but I love you. Can you please take a picture with me and sign my—”
“Bitch, can’t you see we’re busy here!” Ellison slammed her fist onto the table, making the silverware jump around and KJ scream loudly as if he was telling her to shut up.
“Oh, I’m sorry I was just leaving and I—”
“It’s fine, boo.” I scooted down some. “Sit so we can take a picture.”
The girl hesitantly sat next to me, and then lifted her phone to take a picture. She then had me say hi on her Snapchat, before getting me to sign this keychain with my picture in it.
“Thank you so much, Cassie, and again, I’m sorry for interrupting.”
“No, it’s fine, it’s alright.” I half smiled at her, feeling Ellison glare at us both as she sat silent during the entire encounter.
“She was so rude!” Ellison whispered harshly. “We’re bonding and she just comes—”
“Relax, Ellison. That happens, and if we’re gonna hang out, you need to get used to it, okay? And do not yell like that in public, around my baby, nor to people who support me.”
I was ready to slap the shit out of this girl.
“You’re right, I’m sorry.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes while shaking her head. She reopened them and said, “I have to remember that my sister is famous.”
We finished dinner, and I quickly drove her ass home. Thank God she lived right down Crenshaw. She was lucky I didn’t kick her ass out while still in motion.
After telling her we would hang out again, yeah right, I peeled off to go get Melody from my mom.
Today was definitely one for the books…
Mischief
I was sitting in the studio waiting for Teryll’s ass, as well as one of the singers from the Prodigy show named Sierra. This week was her session to record one of her solo tracks for the program. I guess somewhere in the show, she was going to try and go solo which would cause some sort of tension. I don’t know. I hadn’t really planned on watching it, but I knew Laine would, which also meant I would be too.
Since I was bored at the moment, and still had about twenty minutes to kill since the artist I was working with earlier finished quicker than expected, I decided to actually scroll my Instagram. As I moved down, there was a picture of some bitch. She was pretty as hell and her body was fucking ridiculous; namely that ass. The picture didn’t look provocative at all really, but I could tell she was one of them urban models. Didn’t remember following her ass, but I liked it anyway.
I kept going, and when the thought hit me to scroll back up and unlike that shit, Laine was already calling. Hopefully it was about something else. I mean my baby was psycho but she wasn’t that quick with it.
“Who is that?” she asked before I could finish saying ‘hello’. I was floored at how fast she moved. I knew exactly what she was talking about, but of course I had to play dumb.
“Who is who?” I frowned as if I really didn’t know and if she could see me. Shit, I didn’t know that hoe. All I knew was that she looked good as fuck so I liked the damn photo.
“The bitch who got you liking her pictures, Shai. Don’t play stupid nigga.”
“Laine, I don’t even know her—”
“So, you were stalking her page? Is that what you want? One of them groupie hoes that every nigga has smashed? Because you can have that.”
“No, I wasn’t stalking her fucking page. Fuck I look like stalking anybody’s page other than yours? She was on my muthafucking feed so I liked the shit. I don’t want that bitch!”
“So you’ve never met her?”
“No. If I have, I don’t remember.”
“Unlike it, Shai. When I hang up I wanna see your little like gone.”
“I can’t like a damn picture— Laine, baby, don’t fucking cry.” I forgot the pregnant version of Laine was a muthafucking nut case and a cry baby; weird ass combination. “I’m gon’ unlike it, aight? Her ass was just nice. I didn’t even really like it like that, I was just trying to be nice.”
“I don’t want you being nice!” she barked, quickly switching up from a crybaby to thug in a matter of seconds. “Only person you should be nice to is me!”
“Relax yo’ ass, Laine! And watch yo’ fucking tone when it comes to me before I snatch yo’ ass up!”
She sucked her teeth but didn’t say another fucking word because she knew.
After a minute or so, I finally calmed her ass down and was able to hang up. By the time I went to unlike the picture, old girl was already in my DM’s trying to see what was up. The single me would have knocked the bottom out her shit, but these days it wasn’t worth it at all.
As I slipped my phone into my pocket, the singer Sierra walked in looking like a straight up skeezer. Her shorts were small as hell and she had on one of them tops with no straps that showed her stomach. She was hella light skinned, with red colored hair, but the roots were brown. I didn’t know if that was the style or not but that bullshit was ugly as fuck. She was around my age but young minded, I could tell. And I could also tell she’d been ran through.
“Mischief.” I stood up and reached my hand out to her.
“Oh baby, I know who you are.” She let out a hoe giggle and shook my hand as she stared up at me. “Teryll said she’s running a little late because she had to stop by her son’s school for something. So, it’s just you and me for now.” She licked her lips and then sat down in the swivel chair.
“Well I ain’t got all day so you can get in the booth? We don’t need Teryll here to start. I know the words, how it’s supposed to go, and of course I got the music so…” I gestured for her to get in as I took a seat at the soundboard. I pulled my hood up onto my head a little as I started to move some knobs around.
“I love neck tattoos. And that watch is crazy! I know it cost a lot.” I said nothing so she continued. “Are you really like in love with your wife or is it for publicity? I saw that video of y’all in the club on Instagram so I know y’all fuck, but is it love?”
“Don’t worry about it. No part of my life has anything to do with you. And I’m trying to be nice because I don’t know you, but you’re pushing it baby girl.”
“Fine, I guess we can start.”
She got up out of the chair and switched her flat booty ass into the booth. Her ass looked like somebody hit it with a book bag and it got stuck. I’d honestly never seen an ass that flat, especially on a black woman. I just shook my head at my thoughts and waited for her to slide the headphones down on her head.
By the time we got through the fi
rst verse, she was already talking about she needed a break and that her mouth was dry. As badly as I didn’t want to, I allowed her to come out and have a five-minute break. I hated working with unprofessional ass singers.
“This is fun. I like working with you,” she smiled as I handed her a bottle of water before sitting back down.
“Please don’t talk, Sierra. Just take your break so we can get back to finishing this.”
“I mean can I be honest?” I declined to answer her question, but I could feel her staring at the side of my face as she gulped the water down. “I know niggas like you and your brothers fuck other bitches but pretend to be husbands of the year, so why are you playing right now?”
“I’m not playing anything. I don’t cheat on my wife but if I were to, I wouldn’t fuck you.”
“Let me guess, because I’m a hoe and you can tell. I’ve heard that bullshit before.”
“Yeah, you are a hoe, a big one, but that ain’t the reason. I don’ smashed plenty of bitches that were considered hoes but they were some bad ones. If I’m gon’ slid up in a thot, best believe she gon’ be fire.”
I’d had my share of hoes as many of you know, but every hoe I entertained was the baddest hoe you’d run across. Trust me.
“Nigga please I’m bomb!”
“Okay.”
“I am! I saw you watching my ass as I walked into the booth nigga! Don’t play!”
“Aight yo’ break is over with. Get yo’ ass back in there. Shit, sitting down all the fucking time is probably why that ass is so flat. And for yo’ information I wasn’t watching shit, I was trying to figure out where the fuck it was.”
Her jaw dropped as she tried to hold back her chuckling. Her face was red though so I knew she was embarrassed.
Standing up, she turned her back to me, and then lifted her phone in the air. “Bae admitted he was watching my ass— what the fuck!” She hollered the last part when I snatched her phone and threw it across the studio. It hit the wall, shattered, and then fell to the floor in pieces.
“Get in the muthafucking booth!” I roared, and she darted into the booth like I’d told her stupid ass to. And if that fucking Snapchat she filmed posted, I was gon’ choke her ass up a wall and have her fucking feet dangling. When I noticed her glaring at me with the headphones on, while waiting for me to start the music, I banged my hand on the glass and said, “Fix ya fucking face!”
My Baby Is A West Coast King 4 Page 17
