12
Keisha
The lights were extremely dim and music was playing softly when Keisha entered Nicole’s apartment. Oh c’mon, I ain’t with this shit. She was beginning to think living with Nicole was a huge mistake. Keisha wasn’t prepared to have a relationship. Outing herself to her friends was easy, but outing herself to the world was a different story.
Since Nicole allowed Keisha to stay with her there was an underlining eeriness to her. After the first night Keisha caught her snooping through her duffel bag. She covered up the snooping pretty well by convincing Keisha that she was only putting her stuff into a drawer she cleared out for her. Then Nicole presented her with a key immediately, which was super weird to Keisha because they had only been intimate a few times since they met. Later that same week Keisha caught her again when she came out the shower. Nicole was fiddling with her phone. When Keisha snatched it away and looked at her phone the picture of Shawna and her was on the screen letting Nicole know that she had competition.
The first week was what Keisha thought to be just Nicole being nosey because she caught some feelings. But when the questions became frequent and the repeated text messages entered a new realm of annoyance, Keisha tried keeping her distance by working constantly and staying away from the apartment as much as she could. But when Nicole started arguing about money and Keisha didn’t have it, showing love was the easiest thing to do behind closed doors.
“Nicole . . .” Keisha yelled, propping her bike against the wall of the hallway.
Suddenly a shadow passed through the kitchen toward Keisha. “Hello, baby. I’m glad you’re home,” Nicole whispered and walked closer.
With the dim light hitting Nicole it seemed as if she was nude in red six-inch Jimmy Choos. At a closer look she was sporting a nude-colored mesh crotch-less body suit. “What’s this about?” Keisha asked, walking pass her toward the kitchen, heading to snatch a drink out the fridge.
“I thought we’d make it official tonight and stop pretending to just be roommates. I care for you. I wonder where you are, who you with, when you coming home because, I’m cooking dinner for you. Keisha, there’s nothing I won’t do for you,” Nicole said from across the room.
When Keisha heard Nicole’s words she choked on the OJ entering her mouth. She had a strange feeling that this was going to happen. Keisha didn’t have a clue on what to say. Staying with Nicole was out of desperation and now it was obvious she expected more.
“Keisha, talk to me. I just spilled my heart out and you have nothing to say? This is what I’m talkin’ about. If our communication ain’t right, I won’t know what’s going on with you. Now talk to me,” Nicole insisted with her arms folded across her chest.
Keisha felt trapped. There was nowhere to run. With juice spilling from the sides of her mouth she answered, “I don’t wanna sound ungrateful, but I don’t want this. I don’t want to be in a relationship. I don’t want the constant contact. I need some space.” Keisha flicked on the kitchen light switch to see Nicole’s reaction.
“Space? You have your space. I’m not on top of you twenty-four-seven. If you felt that way about it why continue to sleep in my bed then?” Nicole walked over to the stereo and pushed the off button.
“You invite me into your bed every night since I came up in here. I’ll sleep on the sofa if that’s what it’ll take for you to slow yo’ ro’. Look, I do appreciate everything you doin’ for me right now, but if this what you want I can’t continue to stay here. That’s on some real shit,” Keisha said, walking closer to her.
“Oh I get it. So when you was fucking me that meant what exactly? Was it just ’cause I let you stay with me?”
“Come on, now; you and I both know what that was. Strictly sex, nothing more,” Keisha answered, hoping to shut her down a bit.
“Really, just sex, right. So who was that on your phone? Is that who you want to be with?”
Keisha looked at her funny. “What are you talkin’ ’bout now?” Keisha looked confused, not knowing who she was talking about.
“Give me yo’ phone and I’ll show you.” Nicole put her hand out.
“Why should I give you my phone? So you can break my shit? C’mon, ma, I ain’t that stupid.” Keisha had to laugh at her request.
Nicole rolled her eyes and walked over to the dining table, picking up her cell phone. She turned to Keisha and handed it to her. “Here, take my phone. If I break yours you can break mine; that way we in the same boat.”
“Like you don’t have two more just like it,” Keisha said, reaching into her back pocket, taking out her phone. “I swear, Nicole, if you break my shit I’m smashing yo’ phone and everything in this bitch.”
Nicole rolled her eyes and snatched the phone out Keisha’s hand. Quickly she pressed on the screen, and then she faced the phone for Keisha to see.
On the screen showed the one picture of Shawna naked on LaRhonda’s bed. Keisha took that picture the night Shawna was drunk and allowed her kissing to go further.
“That’s my best friend. I took that pic so she could send it to her boyfriend. I just never erased it out my phone,” Keisha lied.
Nicole looked at Keisha with a smirk on her face. “Is that why you got that only pic in a so-called hidden folder on your phone?”
She was caught. The pic was loaded into a hidden folder. The only question in Keisha’s mind was, how in the hell did she figure out her password? Keisha took her phone out Nicole’s hand. “How did you get into that?” Keisha’s asked seriously.
“You don’t worry about that. Just tell me the truth.”
“It is the truth!” Keisha screamed.
“You know what, Keisha, I think you right. This ain’t gonna work out; maybe you should just leave.” Nicole’s voice trembled with tears falling from her eyes.
“It’s midnight right now; where the fuck you want me to go?”
“Why don’t you go back to that roach motel you was staying at. But before you leave you owe me at least a G for putting you up for these past weeks.” Nicole slipped out of her six-inch heels and patiently waited for Keisha to respond.
“You know what, Nicole, why is it every time we get into it and shit ain’t goin’ yo’ way you ask me for fuckin’ money? That shit is lame as hell. You know I don’t got the money or else I wouldn’t be staying with you.” Keisha’s temper was building.
Nicole could tell Keisha was upset, but her next words were proven to show Keisha’s true colors. “Is it that you still don’t want nobody to know you gay? You can’t handle someone looking at you sideways ’cause you like pussy instead of dick? Or is it that being with me will force your ass to fully come out? You scared?”
Keisha smacked her across the face.
Nicole exited the room, sobbing, and slammed the bathroom door.
Keisha stood there momentarily, listening to Nicole cry loudly. Her whiny moans seemed to get louder. Keisha walked toward the bathroom, standing in front of the door. “Nicole, open the door,” she said in a soothing voice.
The doorknob slowly turned and the door was left slightly ajar. Nicole was still sobbing.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you. I should have never let that go down. If you want me out now I wouldn’t blame you,” Keisha said, standing by the door.
“I don’t want you to leave. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s my fault,” Nicole said, through sniffles and wiping her eyes with toilet paper tissue.
Keisha was baffled at her reaction. Anyone else would have hit the roof and tossed her out. She heard Nicole blowing her nose and washing her face. Suddenly it became apparent that Nicole had some kind of chemical imbalance.
“Let’s go out. I got invites to a private party and I think it’s what we both need to relieve all this tension we got.” Nicole walked past her.
This girl is fuckin’ nuts!
Two hours later Keisha escorted Nicole into the Trump Plaza hotel in SoHo. Keisha had delivered to Trump Plaza on the East Side before, but this hotel was mind blowing. At first Keisha didn’t know if she even dressed correctly. Everything looked so sophisticated and perfectly in place for the convenience of any guest. As you entered you’re greeted by the doorman, who showed you to the front desk. Keisha looked through the wall of glass, observing the limos pulling up in front as Nicole presented her invite to the clerk. There was even a library beyond the lobby, displaying art and thick books. Keisha could see guests sitting in awe over the pictures in one of the books on the coffee table. There was even bottle service offered while guests sat and conversed. Damn, this gotta cost some serious bread, she thought as the clerk handed back the invite and called someone to alert them that we were coming up.
“Nicole, I don’t know about this. This is definitely out my lane. What kinda party is this?” Keisha asked in a whispered tone.
“Keisha, relax. Trust me, there will be no one here you know. I don’t even know anyone here. One of my clients gave me the invite. I wasn’t going to come, but she told me I would love it.” Nicole hid the fact that it was a private swingers’ party she was a member of.
They entered they elevator and pressed the button for the penthouse. Nicole wore a black strapless, short dress number and those same red six-inch Jimmy Choos. Her white skin made those heels the first thing you noticed on her. The elevator finally chimed and the doors opened. Nicole looked up to see which way the room was.
“4405 . . . It’s this way.”
As they got closer Keisha said, “I don’t hear no music.”
“You won’t; the room is soundproof so no loud parties disturb other guests. Some people stay here for weeks. This place is crawling with old and new money from all walks of life.”
“You sound like you come here a lot.” Keisha got suspicious.
Nicole giggled as they rounded the corner. To Keisha’s surprise there were two big, muscled-looking dudes posted outside the door. Nicole handed one of them the invite.
Keisha knew this was something serious when he pulled out a scanner and waved it over the invite. Whose party is this? Keisha wondered, standing there.
“Can I have your phones please?” the muscle man asked.
“My phone?” Keisha looked at Nicole.
“Just give him your phone; you’ll get it back,” Nicole answered.
The muscle man punched in some numbers on the pad below the doorknob and the door opened.
The music was loud and the suite was dark as they entered. They slowly walked down the hallway and that’s when Keisha saw it: people everywhere in groups, coupled up or by themselves, watching. There were lit candles placed perfectly so areas were somewhat dark enough that you couldn’t see from afar what exactly was going on. She stared out at the city lights through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Keisha wanted to be mad, but couldn’t be. She understood why Nicole brought her to a party like this. Keisha had to see that there were people just like her hiding their truths also. There were about sixty people throughout the penthouse from what Keisha could see. She dared not move until Nicole guided her to an open area where people were talking and drinking.
“Come on, follow me,” Nicole said with a huge smile.
Keisha kept looking around, scared that she might make the wrong move. Suddenly a young, super skinny black guy appeared out of nowhere, naked, with only a Knicks fitted cap and old-school Ewing sneakers on, swinging his rock-hard dick to the beat of Kendrick Lamar’s latest “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” remix.
“Let me get us some drinks,” Nicole said.
The more Keisha looked around she noticed everyone there couldn’t be any older than twenty-five. She heard about parties like this, but had never seen one up close and personal. There were hood parties that went down like this, but never this open. She thought it was funny that young people with money showed and proved there were no boundaries with anything.
Nicole returned with a bottle of Patrón and two glasses.
“How the hell you got a bottle up in here?” Keisha arched her brows, taking one of the glasses.
“So what you think?”
Keisha took the bottle and lifted the cork. Filling half her glass with the liquid she then swallowed every drop in one gulp.
“Slow down, baby. You don’t have to worry about getting called out here. Everyone knows it’s like Vegas—what happens in Trump stays at Trump.” Nicole laughed, tickled pink with herself.
Keisha’s face changed. “So you do know these parties?”
Nicole was caught. “Yeah, I do. If I told you what kind of party it was you wouldn’t have come.”
“You damn right, this shit is wild.” Keisha poured herself another drink.
“Give me that bottle, before you get wild!” Nicole took the bottle and placed it on the table in front of her. She scanned the room and saw a familiar face. “Oh, shit!” she busted out, almost knocking the bottle over.
“What?” Keisha looked around frantically.
“We gotta go leave now.”
“Hold up, you brought me here to show me a good time and now you want to leave? What kinda games are you playing, Nicole?” Keisha showed her disappointment.
Nicole got closer to Keisha and pointed at a man getting his freak on with a well-known partygoer. The only mishap was this guest had something extra than any other female of the party. Quickly Nicole got Keisha to her feet and they headed toward the suite’s entrance door. She collected their phones and they swiftly went toward the elevator.
Nicole was silent in the elevator. Keisha could see that there was something messing with her mind.
As they exited the hotel Keisha stopped and turned to Nicole. “What the hell was that about? You want me to feel comfortable with everything; then you just want to leave ’cause you seen some dude fucking a tranny.”
Nicole took a deep breath. “That’s not it. It’s who I saw.”
“And?” Keisha wasn’t moving until she got a full explanation for leaving.
“He’s my fuckin’ boss! Do you think I want him to know I get down like that?”
“You’re a fuckin’ hypocrite! I thought you said what happens in Trump stays at Trump. So fuckin’ what he’s your boss? Why does that even matter?” Keisha’s voice was loud.
“Keisha, do you even know who I work for?” Nicole tilted her head and looked at Keisha with a dumb expression.
“I don’t know and don’t care. That’s why I never asked,” Keisha replied shortly.
“He’s the owner of Lifers Music and Shore Real Estate.”
Keisha stepped back, falling over with laughter.
“Why are you laughing? That shit ain’t funny. If anybody finds out . . . Let’s just say that tidbit of information can provide somebody a small house.”
“What you mean?” Keisha played dumb.
“Put it this way: If you put it out there in the industry right now and hint at what you just saw, trust there would be a whole lot of magazines and music reporters knocking on your door to pay for your story. You would probably get a bigger deal if you had a picture. That’s why they take your phones at the door.” Nicole started walking down Spring Street away from the hotel.
Keisha wasn’t following her.
“Keisha, come on; we can catch a cab back to the house,” Nicole said after noticing she wasn’t walking with her.
“I’m good. I’ma head to BK. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“You can’t get back in without the invite,” Nicole added.
“Please, I ain’t even gonna try to go back in there. Lawd knows who else in there gettin’ they assholes blown out!”
Nicole rolled her eyes and waved her hand in the air to signal a cab. Keisha waved her good-bye with a smile.
Ain’t this some shit! Keisha didn’t know what else to do but laugh as she walked toward the Broadway-Lafayette train station. All she knew was she had a story to tell.