Chapter 48 - Keeping up Appearances

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As soon as we are back to the hotel, I wiggle out of my dress, heels and hoop earrings. I throw on a large t-shirt and check my phone for any missed calls. There are none, but there is a text from Devin. I find it odd that there is a smile on my face immediately, child like even. I open it and it is just well wishes and concerns. He checks on me like a big brother does and that's all I've been thinking about him as these days. I respond with some smiley faces. As I prepare to tell him about the day, my phone begins to ring in my hand.

'Blaco' pops up on the screen with a picture of the dark skinned, well dressed man smiling real big. 

I answer. 

"Wassup, Blaco?" 

"My girl, how did things go today? How was the meet and greet?" He asks. The background sounds busy and he sounds like he is stuffing food into his mouth as he speaks to me.

"It went great. I liked meeting some of my fans. I'm honestly feeling good today." I answer sincere. 

"Glad to hear. I'll be there early tomorrow morning. I'm bringing your jewelry and shoes from the Gustav line. You're getting paid $4,000 just to wear and talk about them a little and they are pretty cute, so easy money. How did you like Mila? I never got to ask but your picture with her has gone viral." He begins chewing something crunchy as soon as he finishes the sentence. 

"She tried to play me but it's whatever. I guess she's cool." I shrug. 

"How she tried to play you?" Blaco asks concerned. 

"I thought it was a one on one meeting. When we got there she was doing her photoshoot then she tried to have the meeting in 5 minutes so I didn't even get to go into any details. It was just a little unprofessional and rushed." I conclude. 

Blaco makes sounds like he understands. 

"That's odd, I thought I set up a one on one meeting too. Well see if you can meet with her before you head back. You need some LA friends anyway." 

I roll my eyes. 

"She asked if I wanted to go out with her tonight but I'm not really feeling her vibe, to be honest with you." I mumble. 

"Now boarding flight 2032, first class." A loud speaker chimes in close to Blaco. 

 I hear some ruffling and then his voice returns to the phone. 

"It's not about liking her, Chanel. That's not how things work out here, go out with her tonight. You might have fun." He says it stern and a part of me feels like I have to listen for a moment and then my brain snaps back to my stubborn mentality. 

"Nah. See you tomorrow though." I finish. 

He sighs loud. "See you tomorrow." He says before ending the call. 

I lift the covers up and get under then pull the sheets all the way up to my head. I didn't know that a meet and greet could have me so exhausted but my feet are hurting from the heels and my head is hurting from so many things that I can list them. 

I look over to the bed and Trisha is on her phone, scrolling. 

"Trish." I say quietly. She takes a few moments to finish what she is texting, then looks up at me.

"What?" She answers calmly. 

"You have to be more professional if you're going to be around me and all my career moves and sometimes that means faking that you like people." I say watching her face turn into a scowl. 

" I don't fake that I like ANYONE and neither do you. I know you thought you were hiding it today but even I saw it on your face. That's not where we from, we can't do the fake shit." Trisha responds. 

"Okay, but you can't make certain comments to actually get someone mad at me when that's a possible business opportunity." I begin getting more aggressive and Trisha sits up. 

"I ain't make no wild comments that you wasn't already thinking." She gestures with her hands.

"Just let me talk, you don't need to add anything because at the end of the day, I'm the one working with them and making the money. Not you." I pick up my phone as the room grows quiet. 

"Say less." She finally says. "I'm just tryna look out for you and that Mila chick been tryna play you all day. And you're just like 'okay! No, it's fine!' Like NO, it's not fine. You don't have people show up to your photoshoots and then do 5 minute meetings, that's disrespectful." 

"You think I don't know that shit was disrespectful?" I raise my voice at her. 

"Clearly not, because you would have put her in her place." Trisha yells back. 

"You can't go around putting everyone in their place then still expecting them to work with you! Especially if you black and dark skinned and are already seen as grumpy and sassy! I can handle her AFTER the single is released and making me money! Till then there's a PROFESSIONAL way to do things. That's all I'm saying." I can feel my face getting hot and I know the night is about to be ruined because Trisha doesn't back down from arguments. 

"And all I'M SAYING is if you allow people to walk all over you while you still building up your name then when you up there, ain't nobody gon respect you! I'm not saying to punch her in the face, I'm saying let her know that it was fucking disrespectful and that you don't work like that." Trisha comments back. 

"Okay, Trisha. I'm not having this argument right now. Stay out of my work." I sit up in the bed and glare at her. 

"You wasn't asking me to STAY out of your work when I did your outfit and make up earlier. You wasn't asking me to STAY out of your work when I was your body guard before Remus got here, AND your temporary manager making sure everything was set. You wasn't asking me to STAY out of your work then. But I try to speak my opinion on something I felt was wrongly done TO YOU, and all of a sudden you want me to stay out your work?" She isn't staring at me, she stares at the ceiling with her hands folded on her stomach, still managing to give me all the attitude in the world. 

Sometimes, I really feel like punching her in the face and I understand that best friends fight and that this was a very common thing to experience but in this moment, I so badly want to fight her that I can feel my nails digging into the palm of my hands. 

"Why must you twist everything and make me seem ungrateful. I appreciate you do-"

"No, because you want to pick and chose when you need my help so-" 

I cut her off. "Because some of it is NOT YOUR PLACE!" 

She shrugs her shoulders aggressively, trying to shut down the argument. 

"Okay so none of it is my place then, simple. I'm not doin shit." She finishes. 

"I ain't ASK you to do shit in the first fucking place so you can dead ALL THAT." I say the words so they hit her like bricks to the face.

She laughs a throaty laugh that scares me a little.

"Chanel, don't say another fucking word to me or i'm fighting you. On my life." Her voice was the type of calm before the storm. I believed her because this has happened before and she really did try to fight me but Trevon was there to split it up. I mean, we were good a few days later but she threw a punch and if I didn't dodge it before Trevon pulled her away, it would have been pretty painful. 

Still, it seems that I haven't learned my lesson because the hood in me rarely backs down.

"Fuck you." I say still under the covers. 

My heart pounds into my ears as I hear her get up from her bed across from me.

"You really got some fucking nerve." I get up, ready to fight back. She is inches away from my face. 

"Okay." I shrug. "And?" I continue. 

She looks me in the eyes momentarily then turns to her handbag and phone. She drops the phone in the handbag, picks it up then grabs one of the key cards to our room door and leaves, slamming the door behind her.

I breathe heavy and sit back down on my bed. My body having to come down from its fight or flight situation.

"Bitch." I mumble to no one. I move my hair out of my face and close my eyes for a moment.

I unlock my phone and see a text from an unknown number. I open it. 

Hey, it's Mila. Add my number.  The first message sent an hour ago reads.

Are you interested in going out tonight? I can pick you up by 11. Show you some of Cali. It reads less than 5 minutes ago.

I look at the text for a few moments, thinking first how Trisha would feel if I accepted the offer and second thinking about what Blaco said to me earlier. I know the petty thing to do and I know the smart thing to do, but what if the petty and smart thing to do were the same thing? I said I wanted to enjoy myself here. I said I wanted to take California over and that doesn't include sitting in a hotel because my friend wants to be an asshole. I open the text message back up and reply. 

Yea, i'm in. 

I text back. I send her the hotel address and then wait for a reply. She replies in seconds. 

Yayy, wear something sexy. See you in a bit. She replies with the winking face emoji. 

I shrug unable to change or undo what I have just agreed to. Might as well just find a way to enjoy myself now. No, Mila wasn't the littest person I wanted to be with tonight, I can name at least 5 other people I would have loved to explore Cali with. The number one person being the bitch that has gone ape shit and now M.I.A. I hover over the call button on Trisha's name. I push call and wait but she just lets it ring out. 

Of course. 

Of all times for us to fight, it had to be tonight. 

I swallow my pride and text her. 

Yo, can you come back to the room. Wanted to have fun tonight, not fight with you. I send and the read receipt pops up immediately. 

There is no reply though and after 20 minutes, I begin getting ready to be picked up by Mila. 

______________________________________

I am dressed in a blue fitted crop top and black leather pants. My hair is straight and long, my hoop earrings are back in and I have on new red bottom heels. My phone reads 5 minutes to 11 with no missed calls or texts from Trisha. It has been almost 2 hours since she has left and the part of me that hates her right now doesn't hate her enough to go without her. I spray some perfume on and take the hotel card key with me, along with my phone. 

I roll my eyes and run down to the lobby of the hotel. 

The man at the front desk looks at my confused or starstruck, I don't know anymore. 

"Have you seen a brown skin girl with blonde tips and a curvy body?" I ask. 

He shakes his head. "I wish." He mumbles, trying to be funny. I ignore him and walk to the pool area. 

I push the pool door open and the smell of chlorine greets me.

"Trisha!" It's dark down here aside from the lights around the pool water. 

I walk in and almost slip. I grip some plants to my right and steady myself. 

"This bitch bout to make me die trying to find her." I complain to myself. 

I walk around to the other side of the pool, being hidden by a large plant and I can see her big head in the hot tub speaking to a white guy with brown hair. I walk over to them. 

"Hi." I greet the white guy as he greets me then turn my attention to my friend. 

They seem to just have been talking and laughing. 

"Uhm, can I talk to you for a second?" I ask already upset. My tone is noticeable. 

She looks me up and down and I can tell that she is upset that I am already dressed. 

"We can talk right here." If eyes could burn holes into you..

"I'm going out with Mila, I wanted you to come." I say. 

She laughs like she did earlier. 

"You're not deadass." Trish retorts. 

"Blaco said it would be good-"

"No, I'll stay here with.." 

"Andrew." The white guy says. 

"Ma mans, Andrew." Trisha repeats. "You go have fun." She laughs and Andrew splashes her. 

"Whatever." I say fed up. 

I head back to the elevator, almost slipping on the same spot as I did before. If she wants to hold this grudge and waste another beautiful night in Cali then so be it. I slide my MK bag from earlier over my shoulder and head down to meet Mila as she calls. 

She is in a white BMW with dark tinted windows and her driver opens the door for me. Of course paparazzi takes the opportunity to snap away. As I climb into the back seat with her, I am greeted with a high pitch. 

"Hii!" Mila sings. Her hair is sitll in it's curls but she has pinned one side and she wears a white, fitted dress with the sides carved out to show some skin and mauve lipstick. Her make up perfectly done and mine stunningly satisfactory. 

"Hey, you look great." I comment. 

"You too, I love that top." She says. 

"Thanks, nothing fancy." I shrug. 

The driver pulls out of the hotel parking lot and the flashes from the paparazzi disappear. 

"Where's your friend?" She asks confused. 

"She says she doesn't feel like going out tonight." I lie. Mila looks confused but then accepts it. She asks the driver to turn up the radio and a ratchet ass song by young thug starts playing. Mil hops up out of her seat while the car is moving and starts twerking and singing the lyrics. I am so surprised that I laugh and put my hand to my mouth. 

"What?" She squeaks, laughing.

"I just didn't know you.." I zone off. 

"You didn't know I like trap music?" She rolls her eyes and continues grinding her body and singing the songs. "Everyone likes trap music." 

Mila picks up a bottle in the cup holder and pours us both shots. I glance up at the driver and she watches my eyes. 

She shrugs. "He doesn't care." 

I take the shot. 

"To a fun night!" She screams. 

"To a fun night!" I repeat. 

The glasses clink together and we throw them down. 

"Bleh." She says as she pours another. I chuckle watching her. The vodka looks like water in the clear glass and Mila looks so carefree and fun. I think she might already be a little drunk before even getting to me. 

"To..." She starts the toast but can't come up with anything.

"To not knowing what to toast to!" I finish. She nods childishly and we clink the glasses then throw the shot back. 

"Woo!" She breathes out. 

Laffy Taffy by D4L begins playing on the radio. 

"Woow this song is old as fuck." I laugh. Now I'm the one pouring the shot. 

"I used to love this song!" Mila squeaks.  She spills some of her shot, getting up to twerk again. I laugh and pull her back down. 

"Wait,  lets take the shot first. Then dance." I say. 

We skip the toast and throw it back. I cringe as it goes down and as my body warns me that I should slow down on the shots. I can already feel the effects of the liquor. 

Wasting no time, Mila gets up and starts shaking her ass to the chorus. 

I get up and join her. 

"Girlll shake that laffy taffy, that laffy taffy. Girl shake that laffy taffy, that laffy taffy." We sing in unison. 

We plump down on the seat and start up the chorus together. 

"I'm lookin' for Mrs. Bubble Gum

I'm Mr. Chik-O-Stick

I wanna " Mila starts. 

"Dun dun dun.

OH!" I chime in. 


She laughs. " Cause you so thick." She continues. 

We scream the next lines as loud as we can. 

"Girls call me Jolly Rancher

Cause I stay so hard
You can suck me for a long time
(Oh my God!)" Mila is laughing so hard that when she tries to take another shot, it comes out her nose. 

"Oh my God, no more!" I scream taking the bottle from her. 

She holds her stomach and her laugh is soundless. I shake my head and take another swig straight from the bottle. It burns on the way down and I cringe again. 

"Gimmeee!" Mila chimes. 

I hold the bottle away from her so she can't reach and laugh involuntarily at her horrible efforts to get it. 

The car slows down then comes to a stop. 

"First stop, Karma!" She says. The driver helps her out and though my vision has gotten awfully blurry, I see two body guards come up behind us as we enter. They don't check our IDs or anything, we easily get the V.I.P. seats. 

"Oh my God, they play the best music." Mila says. 

She orders us more drinks and as Nicki Minaj "The Night is Still Young" comes on, she wraps her arms around my neck and we dance and sing the song together. I take a few sips of the drink and it is so good that I fear I may have drank it too fast, because I feel so dizzy that I have to sit down. 

After dancing with her hands in her curly hair, she sits down right next to me, tired. 

I can't imagine what my face looks like but she suddenly looks sympathetic. The music blasts and the lights flash in and out, pink, blue, green. She leans in close to me so she can talk.

"Aw, pumpkin. Are you okay?" She questions. 

"Dizzy." I manage to let out. It really felt like the world was crashing down all around me. 

"Where's your drink?" She questions. I point to the empty glasses on the table and Mila throws her head back in laughter.

"You chugged a long island ice tea? Oh, no. What's wrong with you? You boss ass bitch! Who does that?" She hugs my head to her chest and I laugh. The whole time we have been here, cameras have been snapping,  but I thought it was the party lights. I brush my hair down and straighten up in an unsuccessful way of not looking as drunk as I am. 

Mila gets up and whispers to her body guard. A few minutes later, the bottle girl brings us 2 bottles of water and I chug them down then run to the bathroom to urinate. 

As I am in the bathroom, it seems that the ground is not at all leveled and it moves as the walls move in and out, with the music. I feel it now, the turn in my stomach. I find the toilet, hunch over and throw all of the alcohol up. It seems never ending and I watch it violently running from my mouth. I hear a knock on the bathroom and it's Mila. She holds my hair back and rubs my shoulders. 

"Okay, it's time to go home. No big deal." She keeps cooing softly. 

"It's okay, babe." She says wiping the liquids from my face. 

I don't remember when we leave or how I get back to the car but the next thing I know is the smell of Mc Donalds entering the car. I wake up as Mila's driver passes her a large McDonalds bag. She feeds me fries and burgers as she eats some herself, until eventually I begin to take the food out of the bag with my own two hands. I feel better since throwing up, just sleepy. 

For some odd reason this is the best McDonalds I have ever tasted in my life. I chuckle. 

"Is there crack on this? Why is this so good?" I ask confused and weary. 

Mila giggles. " God." She says stuffing more fries into her mouth. "I hope not."  

We laugh uncontrollably for absolutely no reason. After drinking almost a liter of fruit punch. We sit in the car, our bodies holding each other up. 

"I know I threw up and stuff but I had fun." I say quietly. 

"Me too." Mila agrees.

"I didn't expect to." I admit. 

"I know. You didn't like me when we met, I just wanted you to like me. Show you I'm not a bad person." She says softly. I manage to lift my head from hers. 

"I didn't think you were a bad person, I just felt like you were so stuck up and not down to earth." I corrected. "That's how you came off." 

"I know, I come off like that all the time. I think that's why I don't have many friends. But I don't mean to." It's quiet for a few moments. " I don't mean to." She repeats. 

"Well you proved me wrong, so it's okay." I say smiling. 

"Is that why your friend didn't

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