Chapter 8: Take Care of You

Drake

I walked into the gym and went by Shad and Mere. I looked around and saw the girls sitting by the bleachers. “Tasmine, Christina, Shreya, and Brooklyn can you please leave the gym. I’m sorry but we have to cut you,” I told them as they left. We have twenty girls left and only twelve spots. I saw that Casandra showed up so I guess Shad talked to her.

“Today I have a couple of friends here to judge your dancing. They’ll tell me who they like and one of you guys are leaving by the end of this week,” I explained to them. I looked at Nicki but she refused to look up from her nails as if they were the most important thing in the world. I sighed as my friends arrived. I asked a couple of old high school friends to help them. They sat back as the girls dance in sync. My eyes were trained on Nicki as she danced. I could tell she added more pain to her dance but that’s what made her better than everyone else.

“Who’s the girl in the pink shirt?” Curtis asked me.

“That’s Onika,” I smiled slightly as I watched her.

“She’s good,” Noah nodded his head.

“So who are your top dancers?” I looked at them.

“Nicki, Cassie, Blake, Jaznae, CeeJay, and Carrington,” Jay spoke on behalf of all of them. I nodded in agreement. Glad to know they had similar opinions to mine.

Shad

I sighed as practice was finally over. I walked over to Blake since she was by herself. “So I’ll see you tonight?” I asked hopefully.

“Yeah,” she nodded with a smile. I was on my way to my office when I past Cassie.

“A word please,” I said to her as I continued my walk. She came in a few moments later.

“What do you want Shad?” She had her hair in a high bun and it looked as if she’s been crying.

“Are you okay?” I stood in front of her.

“If that’s why you called me in here then I can leave,” she snapped.

“Look I’m sorry for what I said and how I handled that situation,” I apologized. She just nodded her head while looking off at a distance. “Come on Cass, you know you wanna forgive me,” I smirked at her. Before I found out Cassie had a crush on me, we were really close friends. I pushed her away because I didn’t feel the same way. I regret that now because I lost a great friend in the process. She locked eyes with me and her face remained straight. She looked as if she’s lost all emotion in her.

“Goodbye Shad,” she said just above a whisper and walked out of my office. I can’t believe I managed to hurt her. She was an important factor in my life and I also pushed her away because I didn’t want to hurt her.

“Cassie wait!” I rushed to catch her arm and spun her around. “Tell me what I have to do to fix this,” I pleaded. I needed my best friend back and I was willing to do anything at this point.

“You know exactly what you have to do,” she mumbled and pulled away from me. She walked out of my office and left the gym. I know exactly what I have to do?

Nicki

“Ow! Nicki stop!” Blake whined as I plucked her eyebrows.

“Suck it up you big baby. It’s not every day you go out on a date,” I smirked as I filled in her eyebrows.

“It is so not a date,” she mumbled.

“It is so a date!” Nae yelled from the bed.

“Nae! Get up and help me do her hair,” I told her. She put her magazine down and walked over to us.

“So does Cassie know that you’re going on a date with Shad?” Nae asked.

“I’m doing this for her. If anything, she should be thanking me,” she crossed her arms.

“Hold up, you what!? You helped her come back onto the team!?” I was beyond pissed.

“Nicki, I have a heart and I couldn’t live with myself for not helping someone when I knew that I could,” she explained.

“I still don’t see why you helped her. She’s nothing but a bitch,” I mumbled.

“A bitch that used to be your friend,” Nae mumbled back.

“Shut up,” I shot her a look and continued doing Blake’s hair.

“Wait! You guys used to be friends!? Oww!” She groaned.

“See that’s what you get for moving. Now stay put,” I said to her.

“When did you guys used to be friends?” She asked.

“I’ll tell you another time,” I promised in hopes to change the topic.

“So how awkward was practice today? Coach Graham stared at you the entire time,” Nae smirked at me.

“He can stare wherever he wants to stare. I hope you noticed that I didn’t return the stare.” I made my point clear.

“You know you like him. Why don’t you just give him another chance?” Blake looked at me through the mirror.

“I don’t like seeing two sides of him. I only liked one side. He doesn’t know what he wants and until he does, I won’t be around,” I shrugged. Just as I put the last curl in her hair, the doorbell rung. “Nae can you get that?” I asked her. She nodded and went downstairs. “Nervous?” I looked at Blake.

“Extremely.” She smiled lightly.

“Don’t be.” I put a little bit of hairspray on her hair and then I was done. “You look gorgeous Blake.” I smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror.

“Wow.” She stared at herself in shock. I made her hair look like loose curls and we dressed down the outfit a bit with the jacket and boots.

Blake

I passed Nae in the hallway and smiled. “You look absolutely stunning.” She smiled as she took in my appearance.

“Thank you.” I hugged her before going downstairs and to meet Shad.

“After you.” He opened the door and we left.

~~~

“You know Cassie likes you right?” I asked him.

“Nah she don’t.” He shrugged it off.

“You know she does but I guess you’re scared to admit it,” I smirked at him.

“Even if she does, nothing’s gonna happen.” He shook his head.

“Why? You guys would be cute together,” I questioned him.

“Aren’t I on a date with you?” He raised an eyebrow at me.

“We both know this isn’t a date. I heard you talking to him so what do you want?” I sat back and crossed my arms. I was waiting for him to bring this up all night.

“You heard that? How did you even know that was him?” He looked at me a little shocked. I guess he didn’t think that I would figure it out.

“I know his voice. Well if you talk to him again, tell him that I said ‘fuck you’.” I stood up and left. I went home after a very unpleasant evening. I sighed as I opened the door and went to my room.

“How’d it go?” Nae asked as sat on my bed.

“It went okay,” I lied. I plopped down on the bed as Nae scooted closer to me.

“Sit up,” she commanded and I did as I was told. She took out some of the hidden bobby pins that were in my hair. “I hope that he knows if he ever hurts you then I’m coming for his balls,” she threatened. We laughed at the thought.

“Won’t be necessary,” I mumbled as she pulled my hair into a ponytail.

“Come on, Nicki went out so let’s stay up and watch movies just like old times,” she suggested. I nodded as we went to pick the movies out.

Nicki

I stuck my hands in my jacket after knocking on his door. He opened it and smiled. “I’m glad you came,” he said as he let me in.

“Mhmm,” I mumbled as I looked around his house. It seemed really nice.

“Can we talk?” He looked at me as I avoided his gaze. If I look into his eyes then I would be falling for him again and be sucked right back in.

“Isn’t that why I’m here?” I snapped my eyes towards him briefly.

“Nic come on. Stop giving me the cold shoulder,” he pleaded and walked over to me. He toward my figure and looked down at me.

“You know I’ve been screwed over, lied to, and cheated on but never have I had a guy treat me like shit and a queen at the same time,” I shook my head.

“Stop comparing me to your ex. I’m not like him. I don’t want to hurt you and I want to try to be nicer when were in the gym. I want to learn how to love and I want to explore these feelings with you.” He lifted my chin.

“How do I know that you won’t hurt me like those in my past have?” I was slowly giving in.

“Easy, those people were too dumb to see your potential.” He wiped my tears.

“Do you?” I asked.

“Do I what?” He scrunched up his eyebrows.

“Do you see potential in me?” I searched his eyes.

“Onika I see more than just potential.” He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

Drake

I moved closer to her wanting to close the gap in between us. My lips brushed hers softly as I kissed her. She gasps when my lips touched hers but kissed me back. I held her gently as I tried to take away all the pain she ever felt. She’s one of the strongest women I ever met. She’s been so strong trying to save everyone else when she truly needs someone to save her. She brought her hand to my chest and pushed me away. “I need to go.” She jumped up and headed to the door.

“Nicki can we talk about this?” I grabbed her arm.

“Drake this is your career on the line. You could go to jail. Do what’s best for you and let me go.” She meant it in more ways than one.

“What about what’s best for you?” I pulled her towards me.

“Aubrey stop.” She tried to pull away but I wouldn’t let her.

“Stop pushing me away.” I pulled her closer.

“This is wrong!” She snapped.

“Then why does this feel so right? Let me take away your pain. Fall for me and I promise I’ll always be here for you. Let me take care of you,” I whispered against her lips. She took in a deep breath before I connected our lips. I wrapped my arms around her waist as she locked her arms around my neck. I pulled away and rested my forehead onto hers. “I got you okay?” I looked into her eyes.

“Okay,” she sighed. I kissed her again and for the first time, I deepened the kiss. I wanted her to know how serious I was. She kissed me back as my arms traveled down to her ass. I gripped it hard and she moaned into my mouth. I’ve been wanting to do that again for a while. I slowly pulled back and stared at her. “I trust you Aubrey,” she whispered to me. A smile worked its way onto my lips as I pulled her towards me.

“Come on let’s get you home.” I pulled her close and I drove her to her house.

“Call me when you get home.” She told me.

“Of course.” I promised and kissed her softly.

“Goodnight Aubrey.” She blushed as I pulled away from her.

 

            “Goodnight Onika.” I smiled at her one last time and made my way home.