The Stairs (writing sample)

Tell me what you think. Another writing sample.

http://www.scenicreflections.com/download/544121/HORROR_STAIRS_Wallpaper/

   Walking up the stairs I get an eerie feeling, like I’ve been here before. There’s something about the smell of old food in the air, the thick pile carpet under my shoes and the slight creak of the stairs with each step. My heart begins to race at the thought of what could possibly be at the very top landing. Everyone that dared me to come into this house is gathered at the front door looking up through the side glass. Then it hits me, the type of fear that stops you in mid-stride, and I can’t bring myself to take another step. There’s a slight cool breeze, followed by heat. I want to run, but I can’t move. I’d like to scream but all the wind has been sucked out of my chest and I feel a tear welling up in my right eye just waiting to roll down my cheek.

  Everything goes silent, then suddenly a burst of footsteps heading in my direction start. I abandon all common sense and jump from the step I’m on to the bottom landing and run towards the door. I notice all my friends are gone and I can tell that the footsteps haven’t stopped. I thrust open the door and run until I go airborne off the porch. I pick myself up and start running towards my house down the street, then I have a thought. “I don’t want whatever is chasing me to know where I live”

I run past my house and down the street towards the police station. As soon as I cross the last block, I feel a rush of relief. I look back and I all I see is a person in a hood walking in the opposite direction. I stop running once I’m in front of the police station, this time when I look back, I see that same figure turn around and start walking quickly in my direction. I start running again, this time into the police station. I notice that all of my friends that were at the window are huddled in a corner talking to a police officer. I’m immediately furious and start to yell.

“Why the hell did you all leave me?!”

Nobody even looks up. I walk over to one and grab his shoulder to turn him around and I wake up in my bed, covered in sweat and hoarse. I’m never taking Z-quil again.

Novel Teaser #99

More of my writing…. another piece of the novel… Enjoy! I’m looking for feedback on scene building.

 

I walk slowly to allow myself a clear view of everyone that’s walking in. There seems to be a theme among the female department heads. Every hip switch, stern tone, and tightly wound bun reminds me of my first few years working with Troy. I try my best to keep my face from making faces as I watch each clone click by in their various not so work appropriate heels.

When we have all entered the great room, Troy takes the makeshift stage in his raised dining room area and raises his glass instructing the wait staff to assure that we’ve received a glass with which to toast.

“Today marks a great milestone in the life of this corporation. We have successfully closed the deal to begin construction of the resort and casino in Dubai!”

Everyone claps and nods their heads around the room as to congratulate all parties involved.

“I’d like to take this time to make another announcement, I will be stepping down as President.”

The room goes silent as everyone realizes that the dynamics of our existence have shifted from colleagues and party guests to competitors in an amazing race for control of the company. I don’t even look up to witness the energy shift as the tension is so thick I can feel it.

“But wait, there’s more.” Troy laughs in a weak attempt to break the walls that everyone has put up in the wake of his announcement. “The person that I’m appointing to take on this monumental task of leading us into this new era is Joshua Bledsow our Guest Relations Department Head. Joshua has been with the company since our first year of opening and I believe he’s shown us all that he’s got what it takes to raise this company to new heights.”

I can feel every eye in the room squarely on my forehead. I fake a smile raise my head and applaud as though I had been dropped off in the middle of the Superdome at a Saints versus Falcons game. Joshua, who I trained to work his current position, walks over to Troy and begins a speech. So not only had Troy skipped over me to take his position he’d already worked it out with Joshua to the point of him having time to prepare a speech. Lisa senses my discomfort and pretends that I have an important phone call from ESPN and walks me out with the cell phone into the hallway.

“Get me away from this place Lisa, as far as possible as fast as you can get me there.”

“Only if you promise to answer when I call.”

What He Thinks I Do- Excerpt from Novel in Progress.

Brutal honesty is requested. Let me know what you think 🙂              

               Things are different without my assistant and the tech withdrawal that I’m going through in being without my phone isn’t as bad since I was able to grab my tablet. If it weren’t for the fact that I’m on my way to be pampered and my assistant got at least part of my secret code request and left lunch packed for when I finish my appointment, I’d be the client from hell in a short time. My blood-sugar tends to run a bit low during high intensity meetings as well as after a long stint under the hair dryer.

                The shampoo girl takes me back to the bowl to cleanse and condition my hair. I pull up a couple of magazines to ease the passing of the time while waiting for the stylist to come and free me from heat jail. As I sit my mind drifts off to thoughts of Troy. I’m always glad to see him, but this visit feels so much different from any other time that he’s in town. He’s usually either cold or highly sexual. This time it’s as if I can hear his heart. I don’t know if I’m in a place to deal with him, or if I’m just being delusional in a princess complex manner.

 

                Conflicted is the best word to describe the state of my heart and mind when it comes to him. There’s always going to be a part of me that wishes for him to say that he wants me to be his. As it stands however, I believe that I’m one of many. Lisa and I talk about him almost every time he’s on his way in town. There’s no way that a man with that level of net worth, that travels to all the places that he does isn’t heavily involved elsewhere. I’ve never heard him speak of a significant other, but I’d never assume that I fill that role. We’ve been on a few nice company retreats and spent a few hot and heavy nights together over the years but I know that what he loves the most about me is my ability to change the minds of men.

 

                When Troy and I first met in college I was dancing at a frat party that he attended. He recognized me from one of the business classes we had together and pulled me to the side that night. The guys thought that I was off giving him a VIP dance since his father donated a hall and a library, but we talked for hours about the last few lectures we sat through. I’ll never forget how much it felt like I’d finally found someone that understood me, and could see the hustle in what I was doing rather than label me an opportunistic whore. Opportunistic, maybe at that age, but I didn’t quite meet the criteria that a few tried to pin on me. I remember sitting next to him as opposed to on his lap and how sophisticated his scent was.  

 

                In mid revere, an aroma hits the air that seems to break up the scent of products and styling instruments and I keep my eyes closed to savor it. After a big deep breath I open my eyes to Troy sitting in front of me with his ankle up and across his knee. He’s got a book in his hands as usual in his downtime. I smile slightly and gaze over his frame. His shoulders are broad and strong, and he’s got dimples you can see even when he’s not smiling. I look at his wrist and notice he’s wearing the bracelet I made him my senior year in college shortly after our first encounter to keep the negative energy at bay. I wonder instantly what’s on his mind but we never discuss anything until we’re in private, especially if it’s personal.

 

                He looks up and catches me staring at him. He flashes a smile and looks at his watch. My stylist sees his gesture and rushes to get me in the chair. On my way I ask him if I should wear my hair up or down.

                “Just off your face sweetheart; come to my office when you’re finished.”

                “Will do, I’ll see you shortly!” he kisses my cheek and leaves with a security guard leading the way.

               

                I attempt a conversation about the latest BRAVO television show that I catch up on during my evening run on the treadmill, and I realize all her replies are very formal and reverent. I relax in my chair and shift the conversation to ask her about herself.

                “So how long have you lived here…” I take a look at the name plate on her station. “…Raquel?”

                “For three years ma’am this May, it was beautiful when I got here but the winters are just so cold!” her smile is warm and inviting. She tells me how she took this job specifically answering the ads seeking a stylist that could execute a Dominican blow-out. I let her know that was my personal request and we share a few laughs before I’m rushing out of the chair, grabbing my lunch and heading towards Troy’s office.

 

                Down the elevator and through the lobby I go, greeting guests as I move quickly and pass out a few complimentary incentive cards to unfamiliar but extravagant looking individuals. Security moves me into the Executive Suite and rushes me to his conference room door. I give the guard closest to me a puzzled look and he whispers that there are more individuals present than previously accounted for. I take that into consideration and walk in as he’s closing the deal and charm the signatures out of them.

 

                “Gentlemen, this is Amara. She’s who you’ll be dealing with moving forward as the on-site contact. Anything you tell her will get directly to me.  My only gatekeeper” The men sitting at the table give smiles and looks of uncertainty as they come to realize that I’m the Director of this facility. I shake hands firmly and begin my normal speech. I go over the basic numbers and assure them of my credentials.

 

                “Sirs, we’ve yet to close out a day in the red. All our stock is held privately and our books are just screaming for expansion…” I complete my spiel on the edge of the Mahogany conference table perched with a pen in hand extending my arm towards the one that seemed like he doubted the deal the most. I bat my eyelashes and smile sweetly while looking into his eyes.

 

                “We look forward to this new relationship.” The gentleman replies and all of his colleagues nod in agreement. Everyone’s signature is collected and Troy’s assistant/notary moves from the corner of the room and stamps all of the duplicates quickly then makes his way out of the room towards the legal department.

 

                The deal we just closed gets us over three million dollars in advertising revenue to allow ESPN to tape our exclusive MMA fights here at the casino. After the men are escorted by our Guest Relations Manager on a pleasure tour of the facility, Troy helps me down from the corner of the table and holds me close. I rest my head on his chest and hear his heart beating rapidly. He puts his hand on the back of my neck and rubs it gently. I look up and notice him staring off into space.

 

                “What’s bothering you?” I ask him quietly enough that there’s no chance of anyone overhearing the question.

 

                “Nothing just working out some things in my head. I like to touch you when I plan. You’re my muse so to speak” I feel his energy shift and his body heat rise. My whole body starts to purr, but I know we’ve got more work to do. I put my hand under his suit jacket and run my nails reassuringly across his back.

 

                “I know you’ll tell me what’s going on when you’re ready for me to work on it.” I give him a final squeeze and start to pull away.

 

                “You know I will. By the way I got us a table in the steakhouse in five minutes.”

 

                “I haven’t even finished my lunch. I barely got a chance to smell it.”

 

                “Perfect let’s go now.” Troy opens the door of the executive suite and gives me his arm as we walk the service hallways to the restaurant. As we walk through the kitchen breezeway, we greet the staff and call for the host on the radio. The steakhouse has private rooms that some of the high rollers reserve for special celebrations or to entertain their clients. There aren’t many booths and there is a stage in the center of the restaurant. This afternoon there isn’t much of a crowd so Troy decides to take a table on the main floor.

 

                No matter how many times I walk the halls with Troy I’m always impressed with how far we’ve come as a business. To consider I’ve successfully made the transition from the pole to the board room and taken the skills of my previous hustle and applied them to my current career. This shouldn’t be. If things panned out the way that they were predicted to, I should be turned out by some pimp, high on drugs and toothless. As soon as the thoughts cross my mind, I start to wonder if Troy is somehow the pimp in this fairytale I call my life.

Amara’s World~6

So what are you supposed to do when your house of cards come crashing down? I’ve had shows this past week and even though Shon keeps promising that he’ll show up, he never does. Sometimes I wish that he’d be honest with me and let me know how he really feels about my career and my goals in general, but every time I bring the conversation up, he finds a way to jump to the next subject and we never make it back around to whether or not my dreams are supported.

Earlier I asked him, “Babe, why don’t you ever make it to my shows? You said that you’ve got my back, but I never get a chance to look out and see you there.”

“You know I have stuff come up last minute, I tried, but did you know that we only have a couple of weeks to pack before we have to get down there and start the press promo?”

” I understand babe, but we can get to that, why is it that…..”

“Babe we don’t have that much time, that’s two homes to consolidate and aren’t we selling our places here?”

” I didn’t plan on selling my place, I still have family here and I wanted to have a safe haven when things got too heated when I come home to visit.”

“So wait, if you’re keeping you place here then why can’t I just move the stuff that I don’t want to take with me at your spot?”

“Because there’s not enough room and you can just as easily put your stuff in storage.”

“That’s what I’m talking about babe, why is it that you feel like what’s yours is yours, aren’t we supposed to be taking this thing to the next level?”

Success! Once again he has found a way out of answering what I asked and turned me into the one that’s wrong. I know what it is when he starts, but somehow I find myself getting sucked right back into it. It’s sad that I let him manipulate my emotions, but I hate being wrong. So he takes that one fact and drags out an argument. There has to be something beyond the fact that he’d rather not express his feelings, because I am finding it hard to believe that a simple discomfort int he subject matter is enough for him to engage in the blame game.

I’m not your average female, so I’m not going to root through his things. I know that he’s smart, and he’d expect me to do just that. I’ll be even more clever, I’ll just pay attention to every single detail. Men have a way of giving themselves up without even noticing. I’ll start with something simple like mentioning the people that I work with, to see his reaction and body language. He makes faces that correspond to his thoughts so this evening around dinner, when he’s not even thinking about this argument, I’ll just toss out some names and see what I get.

The frustrating part is that I feel like it shouldn’t have to be this way. I’d like to be able to ask him what he thinks and he return with a succinct answer and we continue with our day, painlessly, but I have this sense that something in him enjoys the drama. From what he tells me about his childhood, he’s acting just like his dad. The thing that makes no sense is how much he claims to dislike his father’s ways. Sometimes I wish that I had a mirror on hand when he gets into these moods and just hold it up in the middle of his rants about nothing so he could see what he’s become. But, I could imagine how that would make me feel in those times that I take on my mother’s personality so I choose not to.

He’s right about one thing, we don’t have much time, because we’ve got to find a way to get past this issue before the move, or else there’s no point in even beginning that chapter.

Amara’s World~5

He walked right in my house after being out all night, yet again, and kissed me just as hard as he could. Sounds so romantic now that I write it, yet his breath smelled as if he’d kept his mouth shut for the past hour and a half. I felt so violated and offended I didn’t know what to do. We’re at a critical point in our relationship and to abruptly push him away and have a moment of telling him how horrid his mouth smells and tastes…I believe I’d rather just deal with it. That should fall into the category of sacrifice. That cute little word that people like to throw around when they talk about relationships that turns out to not be as passionate and over the top as it sounds. I felt like I’d been raped in the mouth.

So when he got done kissing me, he then proceeds to tell me about his night drinking with some execs from some product line and how even though he was supposed to be selling himself as a potential spokesman he couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

“They were really excited about this endorsement babe, all I had to do was show up and they were throwing everything they could think of to me and my agent and by the end of the night I’m the new face of SO SO FRESH Body wash. They’re shooting a commercial in Florida this weekend and they want us to come down and stay for a week in one of the company mansions in Miami.”

My stomach is turning, but I muster up the strength to get overly excited and jump into his arms. Then terror rushes over me as I realize I’ve just made myself a candidate for his stinking mouth to be planted on me again, so I hurry up and come up with something to say about what’s happening in my life so I get him off my trail.

“That’s so great baby, guess what! I’m doing my last tour and opening up a wig shop when we get to New Orleans, Josh worked out the business plan and I can have my Grand Opening ready to go right before your first game, isn’t that great?”

He looks at me, and after all of the support and love I showed him for his success, this hot garbage mouth, half-way musty, lumberjack sized man tells me.

“Before my first game? Why do you always have to find a way to shine?”

I got so mad so fast that I didn’t have time to get my words in order and I replied quickly and abruptly.

“I can’t help but shine, Boo, I’m a Star” and proceeded to snap my fingers and give some neck action.

What looked like the beginning of the longest conversation int he history of something to say, became the most hilarious moment. He looked at me in the middle of my “Bon-Quesha” moment and fell on the floor laughing. I couldn’t hold in my laughter either. I was upset but I had gone all the way back to middle school with my attitude.

My brain started clicking fast and I saw my opening.”I’m sorry Shon your breath is crazy hot right now babe I just can’t”

His face dropped and he walked silently into the bathroom

“Cold blooded babe, that’s just harsh”

I thought about how opportune this moment for a comeback, but I let him go. As long as he handled that monster that made a lair in his teeth & tongue all is well in Amara’s World. I am excited about the trip however, so I hope he doesn’t stay upset.

Amara’s World~4

Everything that a woman could ever ask for in a man. Caring, considerate, self-made and fine. Yet there’s always something missing. I don’t want to sound like one of those women that has no idea what she wants in a relationship, or even what she wants in life, but I just can’t get settled.

Shon came into my life at an odd point. I had just ended a toxic relationship with a man that didn’t appreciate me for who I am. I’d built an empire by the age of 21 and the only thing missing in my Queendom was a suitable King. My heart wasn’t in a position to deal with any more pain and what I craved the most was to be pampered and adored. Shon gave me the world in the first month of our relationship. I took a month off from work and just followed him to all his games and met his Celebrity friends. We could sit and talk for hours, until one of us fell asleep. I always felt protected when we were together. But something happened.

Much of what he promised he produced, but we had a goal, a date that we would consolidate houses and build a life together, and we missed it because of his schedule. Now, I’m not suggesting that his job was a horrible reason for us to miss the date. However, it was as if he completely changed his mind. The delay felt more like a breakup altogether. I went from being his number one priority to a secondary option and that’s what started the dreams.

I’d like to be able to get excited about his move to New Orleans, I love that place, but i wonder if it will present yet another reason for things to be put on hold and have myself hyped up for the big let down.

The dynamics of our relationship outside of the public appearances and fame charged social events went from on fire passionately in love, to the typical power couple that has no real emotional connection but more of a business arrangement. At least that’s how it all feels when I sit and think about it on my own.

The issue is not feeling like he lied or cheated, but I feel as though I’m being made to get used to being put on the back burner. That’s totally unacceptable. I work so hard so that I maintain a life and livelihood with or without him. So in doing all of this, how can I learn to trust him to take the lead?

Amara’s World~3

“The amazing, electrifying, and stunning..”

“What do you want Josh?”

That’s our daily exchange. Josh is a sweetheart but he has no concept of personal time. I appreciate the fact that he listened to me when I hired him to be my manager. I told him specifically that his one and only objective in that position is to make me rich so that in turn I can make him rich. He’s been a beast ever since.

When I’m at work he’s at work, and when I’m sleep he’s at work. This man is responsible for building my fan base. It’s funny how people can fall in love with a personality without ever really seeing their face.

So today’s conversation with Josh is different, because now I need to start figuring out how to transition from performing to this new housewife roll in New Orleans. He suggests that I take my money and invest in my own business once I get there. I know that essentially I’ve been running my own business but everything that I had to do was on my own terms. His thoughts are on retail, and I’m not exactly a retail hours kind of girl.

“I want to be able to chill when I want to Josh, I need to be a silent partner in something that’s booming.”

“Lazy heffa” he gets that one in under his breath. I totally heard him

My life as I know it is slowly but surely changing. Shon wants to move before my tour is over and get the house. Can I trust him with that? And even better, what am I going to do with my condo. I tell Josh to get to work on finding a property manager and from here I just cross my fingers.

I’ve got a lot of costumes to get rid of, so maybe I can start selling those online. I’m not feeling like myself, I may need to take a break. I’m closing my diary for a little while, you can just watch it play out from here.

Amara’s World~2

I love him. I honestly do, but I just can’t seem to shake these dreams. Every night I go to bed with pleasant thoughts and somewhere around 4 in the morning, the same dreams starts where it left off.

Tonight’s dream: We’re leaving a movie premiere for something one of his friends produced and he stops for autographs and a few people shout me out and just before we get into the car he lets go of my hand…abruptly as though he’s trying to do it so fast it looks like we were never touching. I look out into the crowd and there’s this woman. She’s my height shapely like me, but she’s holding a folder looking like she’s threatening him with it. I turn to ask him what’s it all about and he’s gone. Then I realize she’s looking at me and getting closer without really moving. Suddenly I can see her anymore and I’m turned around facing where I was standing as though I’m now her. I can see Shon now and I call his name, he grabs the folder, now in my hands, signs it “Stay Beautiful” and then gets into OUR car and drives off.

I don’t like to make it seem as though I believe that I’m psychic or anything like that but I am a strong believer in gut feelings and premonitions. I woke up from the dream just in time for his call. We’re engaged but I refuse to live with him until we are official. No need in loosing everything I worked for just in case my dreams come true. But what does this mean?

“Morning Beautiful”

“Hey Boo, what’s up with you calling in the wee hours of the night, everything OK?”

“Yeah I’m just leaving this party and I wanted to come crash, your place is closer, come open the door”

Of course he doesn’t have a key! I like to share but I didn’t see him dancing into the night for this 3 bedroom luxury condo.

I get up and let him in and he smells like the club.

“Hit the showers!”

“Okay, Coach” he laughs at the fact that I can smell everything.

The right thing to do is to go on about our day like we normally do but my heart and ultimately my mouth won’t let me.

“So do you plan on leaving? Because if you do we can just skip all this and I can move on to the next”

He looks at me grabs my hand, pulls me close and kisses my forehead.

“You’re killing me with those dreams babe, I’m here”

I get his clothes and put them in the hamper while he gets in the shower. We’ve got to wake up early, like in a few hours. There’s a press conference for his trade at 9am.

Josh will be on my phone soon with this evening’s event details. It would be nice to get a chance to take a break. I know that Shon is able to give me everything that I want but I just don’t want it if I didn’t earn it. One day it’s going to catch up with me though. I see the ball player’s wives and I just don’t know if I’m ready to buy into that life yet. I’ve got to be the ONLY woman in the world that doesn’t want to be kept…

What’s a girl to do?

Amara’s World~1

I woke up this morning with lots to do. I got a call from my manager Josh talking about a show that he has booked next month. I’ve been working non stop for the past two months. One show after another.

The issue that I’m having today is the fact that my fiancé Shon just got picked up by the Saints and we’re going to have to leave Michigan for good. I’ve been able to maintain my career and travel from here because this is home, but New Orleans is like living in a different country. I worked there about a year ago for three weeks right after the market crash, and it was as if it happened to everyone except that city. The economy is driven by the vices of the working professionals, gambling, drinks and girls.

I’ve always had a knack for spotting the next big thing, but this sudden thrust into the spotlight is going to damage my ability to stay under the radar and fade to black. I can usually change my name about every other month, sometimes that’s all it takes to be “the new girl” again. But, now that all of Shon’s dreams are coming true I’m going to have to build an image and stick to it.

One of the personalities that I’ve portrayed and pulled off quite well is Amara. She’s a little dangerous but people seem to like her and most of all, she made the most money.

Amara lives life for the moment, she’s not held down by what society thinks that she should be and nobody is quite sure of her nationality. She’s not white, that’s about all they’ve been able to ascertain. She’s soft spoken, humble yet not quite shy.

I believe that I can build an empire as her, but I only have a month before she becomes a permanent fixture in our lives. So I’ll take this time to work out the kinks in her first impressions and be prepared to take the world by storm.

My best friend Adriana thinks that making the shift back to Amara is sure to cause a rift between us, since she never agreed with my shift from the corporate world into my current field. However, it hasn’t stopped her from taking trips with me in my vacation month all over the world.

I decided to invite you into my diary just in case this whole thing blows up in my face. At least there will be some record that I’ve not completely lost my mind and most of my antics were on purpose…the rest possibly the result of a cocktail fueled rage. In any event, this is my world.

Welcome!

Novel SNEAK PEEK!

This is just a taste of the work that I have been putting into my novel. I haven’t decided if I am keeping this or not. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for the Love,
Marri
Story (Untitled)
Chapter ?
There they sit the elite upper echelon of Atlanta. Sipping martinis and sharing fake laughs. How many of them are smiling in the face of their enemies for the sake of keeping up appearances? They spend money as if there is not a drought taking jobs away from everyone else in the state. They order around the servers as though they are their own personal servants, sent to the club to specifically do their bidding. Yet, as much as everyone would like to say that they can’t stand them, they are exactly who everyone is trying to be. You can almost count the number of real “Grady babies” on one hand in that crowd. Most of them drifted here from other parts of the world with one thing in mind, making it. Many of them started at the colleges downtown, waiting tables or tending the bar like the same people they look down upon tonight. One wonders if they realize themselves how close to the edge of loosing it all they actually are, or if the flashing lights that they have become slave to blinds them. This is Atlanta. This is where it all begins, and ends.
In the corner of the club, there is a girl in a red dress. She looks like the All American Video vixen that the Hip-Hop community has grown to love. She is a medium brown long-haired diva that puts you in the mind of Rudy, you know Ms. Pulliam, and she’s waiting tables, so it seems. She spends a lot of time in VIP and she doesn’t look like she came out with friends. She looks as though she is strategically placed to spark the interest of the wealthy male patrons contemplating if VIP is worth the extra money. Her smile is bright and warm but her eyes tell the story of a lost soul. Her name is Leilani; at least that is what she tells the patrons at the beginning of all of her long and meaningless conversations with them. She is the niece of the promoter Terrence Smith Jr., TJ for short and tonight is her birthday. This is her first night working at the club; she is usually confined to being the hostess of her uncle’s house parties at his Penthouse suite in Midtown. Her uncle likes to keep everything professional at work so they never discuss the fact that they are family with their colleagues. She was too young to get out of her uncle’s sight before but since she had become such a commodity at his house parties; his best clients begged that she entertain them on club nights. She cannot disappoint her public; their satisfaction is why she is employed. At twenty years old she thinks of herself as a grown ass woman, but as long as she lives under TJ’s roof that isn’t her decision to make.
TJ is 35, which, according to JayZ is the new 25, and he is at the height of success. Tonight he is throwing a party for the Get Rich crew, and because he knows they have a history of getting rowdy he secured a more than sizeable deposit that is of course non-refundable and tonight he is on top of the world with a fat knot in his bank account.
“I could care less what these niggaz do tonight, I’m paid. They can have this whole club smelling like the real Kingston for all I care.” He joked with the owner of the club, Ms. Makenzie Kingston.
“You just make sure that I still have a club left after they make their way back to Decatur,” she laughed. Makenzie works the bar at her club every night for many reasons but primarily was the fact that she had to fire most of her old crew for stealing bottles of liquor at the end of busy nights. Her belief is that nobody can take care of your stuff like you can, and it’s kept her out of the red for the past six months, so she is comfortable contributing a little elbow grease into her own success.
The music in the club is loud and upbeat. Everyone in the entire club is either on the dance floor working up a sweat or teetering drunk at their table bouncing around in their seat. Kingston is the hottest club from the most elite socialite to the common club hopper, everyone has a place in Kingston and TJ makes sure that he has parties that cater to every crowd imaginable. Makenzie keeps him on her team just for that. Together they make a powerhouse of partying.
As the bass line shook the vodka in the martini glass of Leilani’s newest fake best friend in the VIP section there was a commotion on the floor. The newest single from Get Rich’s crew “Knock ‘em Out” is banging and there is a mosh pit forming on the dance floor. There was nothing unusual about that except for the girl standing in place screaming to the top of her lungs, shaking in one spot looking down on the floor. Security swept through the crowd and pulled Leilani to the back of the club into the manager’s office. Inside the office, there are multiple flat screen monitors with almost every imaginable vantage point inside the club and around the outside. The head of security is screaming over the radio,
“Get Mak from behind the bar, tell the DJ to cut the lights on!” He turns in Leilani’s direction, “Hell of a first day huh, lil mama?”
“I know, right?” Leilani laughs nervously.
Makenzie slams the door to the manager’s office and throws her apron on the desk. “I’m so sick of ignorant niggas it’s ridiculous”.
“I had my men out there as fast as I could, it just got out of hand”, the security director replies apologetically.
“Babygirl, you smoke?” Makenzie asks as she taps out a Djarum cherry from its exotic looking pack.
“I do tonight!”
“I hear that, take two” Makenzie tosses the pack to Leilani. The two girls smile at each other, they knew each other from TJ’s house parties but this is their first opportunity to just sit and talk since the club had been cleared out. They sit in front of the monitors and watch the commotion unfold, laughing at the patrons that try to put up a fight with Big Rob, their largest security guard, and watch as he picks them up like rag dolls and place them outside the doors as if they don’t phase him at all.
Makenzie orders a bottle of champagne from the bar and decides to let the staff party that night, and finish out the clock. She had an understanding with her employees that if they were scheduled they would work, she knows how many of them were depending on those hours. Since Leilani’s job is in customer service, and the customers are gone, this gives her a rare chance to socialize. Makenzie is a mysterious looking female, she’s pretty in a Michael Michelle sort of way but she had masculine mannerisms. Her light green eyes seem almost evil but her smile is so bright and warm you forget about that. She looks like almost everyone that comes from LA, sun kissed and almost plastic. She orders the men that work for her around in a way that almost screams, “Bitch, cause I said so!” Leilani is so intrigued by her ways that she is hanging on her every word.
Her conversation is mostly about how important Leilani’s job is to the livelihood of not only herself but the club as well and that if she makes the right connections that she will have the opportunity to go very far.
“ Not a lot of females realize their power, they don’t take advantage of the fact that they can have just as much of an upper hand that men believe that they have”
“Is that so?”, Leilani encourages her to continue.
“Any woman that is beautiful and can at least maintain conversation about current events and be even a little interesting, should never see a day of being broke. Even more, she should be able to have a comfortable life established before her thirtieth birthday.” Leilani is now half listening since she sees the effects of the champagne beginning to kick in. She calls Big Rob on the radio and asks him to get Mackenzie’s driver on the phone and let her know her services will definitely be needed tonight.
“Do you need some help closing everything down tonight?” Leilani knew how Makenzie was very particular about her money and that she never left the building without counting everything twice ever since the theft incident.
“Girl, I’m about to head to the crib, I wish a nigga might mess with my money. I’m gonna count it in the morning and it ALL better be there. I kept track in my head of what it should be close to, come kick it with me and my roommate tonight, we were having a small get together after work.” Makenzie managed to finish before she stood up and fell back into her seat.
“You know TJ is not having that, I’ve gotta get back to the house but here’s my number, maybe we can go somewhere during the week.” Leilani walked with Makenzie to her car, caught up with TJ and headed back to the house.
“ So, how was your first day, Leila?” TJ never called her the frenched up version of her name when they were alone, he didn’t want to sound like one of her customers, after all he’s her uncle and that’s just creepy. TJ recognizes and uses Leila’s beauty to make money for both of them, but he never wants her to forget that who she is and who she pretends to be are two separate personalities, one real and one fictional. He keeps her grounded.
“Now I see what you had been keeping me from, those people are crazy”,
“ Ha, ha, that’s just tonight, usually Mak and I keep that crowd out but, money talks”,
“Bullshit goes to the free all night” they share a laugh and turn on the radio.
There’s nothing but commercials and slow jams on at this time of night, but they turn to HOT 107 to see if they have a mix on.
“Alana Heart catching a beat on the streets, each and every weekday morning, the newest addition to the A-Team, find who’s in, who’s out and what’s up.”
“She sounds like she is going to be a mess!” Leila looks out of the window looking at the scenery on their drive home, she loves the way the city is set up and the cute little condos that keep popping up in the area.
“You know that’s your girl Mak’s roommate?” TJ laughed to himself.
“I’m not surprised, everyone you know is doing something large and extraordinary. I bet I’m going to watch what I say around that messy female, end up the next hot topic” Leila chuckled and relaxed for the last stretch of road before they pulled up to the gate. She passes out before they pull up and TJ carries her to her room.