“How do you know this if he isn’t speaking to you?”
“Alton’s little ass just cussed me out. According to him, Stent is tight as hell because he didn’t know you’d be here. I told Alton I didn’t know and, after all, you are his baby’s mother and y’all communicate. Shit!” Tynisha rolled her eyes, knee-deep in her pity party, then quickly flashed a fake smile and waved to someone near her.
The truth of the matter was Tynisha kept feeding me the drama on Stenton because she hated the woman he was with, not out of genuine allegiance to me. And if I was honest, I allowed her to rope me in on her child’s play because some sick part of me wanted to be tortured about the moving-on of Stenton. It hurt, but sent a message of finality to my subconscious. He moved on! I needed to, too!
I excused myself for the bathroom. While in there, I checked my face and noticed my makeup was still intact thanks to the glam squad Tynisha sent over to my suite. I got a peek into her fabulous world while having two people tend to me at once. On my way out, I felt another pull on my arm. I trailed the tatted arm and found a glaring Stenton Rogers. Before I knew it I was in the middle of burly men who served as a barrier to Stenton and me against the other patrons waiting in line for the bathroom.
“You didn’t tell me you were coming.” Stenton didn’t have to yell over the music as much as Tynisha did in V.I.P. because we were out of the main hall.
“I didn’t know I had to.” My tone and glower matched his.
“I think you should’ve considering I don’t know who’s caring for Jordan.”
Did he really go there?
“Jordan is with his family. If you want to know so much, call Eligia. You do employ her.”
“Zo…”
“What? Don’t you have someone waiting on you? I do.” I tried backing away, preparing to leave.
“Zo,” he grabbed my arm again, scowl still set. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be here. This isn’t your scene.”
“You don’t know my scene, Stenton. You don’t really know me. If I recall correctly, we didn’t have a lot of time together for you to know me.”
Stenton exhaled while throwing his head back.
“Go back to your Ni?a. I’m sure you’ve been away too long. She’s nearsighted and can’t see you all the way out here.” That was a cheap shot. I’d been drinking. I didn’t care.
“Zo, you know I don’t go around…bestowing that name on random broads. I only know one Ni?—”
“Knew. You knew a Ni?a. Now you know a Jordan, and apparently, an Erika.
“Don’t start that shit. I didn’t know you’d be here.” He exhaled harshly, brushing his face with his hands. “I saw the look on your face. You think I knew?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m glad I came. It’s good to see Google is spot on for getting to know celebrities.”
This time I did walk away. I marched over to tell Tynisha and the girls I was leaving. It was pretty late anyway; I’d been off my schedule.
“How are you getting back to your hotel?” Tynisha asked alarmed.
“I’ll catch a cab.” I shrugged. I just wanted out.
“Hang on,” she shouted before going to whisper something to Alton.
He then started typing into his phone, I assumed to call me a ride. I was relieved. I thought she was going to ask me to wait a little while longer to share the limo we took over. Within two minutes, Tynisha took me by the arm and gave away her blotto when stumbling through the crowds behind her security to the door. There, waiting out in front, was a luxury SUV with a waiting driver.
“Good night, Mascot. I’ll call you in the morning for breakfast,” Tynisha informed.
“No need. I’m sleeping in and then doing some sightseeing all afternoon.” I tried holding my clutch to my face, hiding from the blinding flashes from paparazzi. I didn’t understand how Tynisha, Alton and Stenton could get adjusted to that type of lifestyle.
“Okay. Then I’ll send my crew over to get you glammed for the game tomorrow night.”