from Dominic and stumbled to the exit, pulling out her phone and putting it to her ear. Dominic got up and went after her.
“Trouble in paradise,” Justin said to Shamayla. “Go get your friend. I think it’s time to get outta here.”
Hope simply dropped her cards face down and walked away from the table mid game. Out on the sidewalk there weren’t as many people anymore. Tristan held her hand up in front of Dominic’s face like she was hearing nothing he had to say, while everyone stared at them. Dominic was humiliated and everyone tried to act like they weren’t paying attention the two but it was hard not to. After Tristan hung up she crossed her arms and ignored Dominic and everyone else for that matter. After twenty minutes of this and another round of drinks for everyone, a car rolled up.
“Don’t bother calling me.” Tristan got into Charla’s car and slammed the door. Charla sped off.
Dominic shook his head, turned around and saw Shane smoking a cigarette, picking something off of Hope’s shoulder. Shane kept his cigarette between his lips as he got out of his jacket and draped it over Hope.
“Go on guys, I’m going home.”
“Come on,” Justin said. “Forget her, man. She’ll be over it by the morning.”
“I’m just not in the mood after that.” Dominic walked off, Hope’s eyes followed. Shane was cute and all, there was something about his mouth she couldn’t stop gazing at, but she was more interested in Dominic. She debated going after Dominic but what was the point? His girlfriend just upset him and now wasn’t the time. She rolled her eyes back to the man in front of her who was trying his best to impress her. For tonight she would play along.
11… Hammer’s proposition
Shamayla sprayed her hair from root to tip with a water filled plastic spray bottle and unwound her braids one by one. It took her about ten minutes to unbraid her entire head. When she was through her hair was left in skinny waves like silk ramen noodles. Hope was sitting a few feet away from Shamayla who was sitting at her vanity mirror, getting ready for the night’s work. Hope was dressed but hadn’t started styling her hair or putting on makeup yet.
Shamayla noticed Hope was quieter than usual but didn’t want to pry. She figured it was Michael, Hope’s last boyfriend, or whatever he was, that was the reason for Hope’s reticence. Or maybe it was her brother and his issues on her mind. Shamayla made up her mind that it had to be that because Hope never displayed any emotion when it came to boyfriends. Shamayla never knew whether things between Hope and a guy were going good or bad because Hope never talked about it and never let on that she was sad or happy.
Shamayla sipped her cocktail and looked at Hope through the mirror. She was in deep thought staring right at Shamayla’s ebony hair but millions of miles away. The door opened and Hammer, the manager of Lounge 101 walked in with a yellow envelope in hand. They didn’t know how the other girls felt about it, but Hope and Shamayla hated the way Hammer would barge in without knocking to at least warn them. They were sure everyone felt that same way they did about it, but no one said anything.
Shamayla turned her head.
“I got a proposition for you ladies,” Hammer said.
Hope snapped out of it and rolled her eyes to Hammer. He was such a sleaze in her eyes, and probably everyone else’s. He wore shirts with cut off sleeves but he wasn’t muscular or tough, he was just plain flabby and out of shape. He had an awful 80’s mullet and always smelled like sweat and cheap cologne.
“Mmmm,” Shamayla said, taking in a long, deep whiff of air. “What’re you wearing, Jordache Signature?”
“Are you interested or not?” He snapped.
Hope bit the tip of
“Trouble in paradise,” Justin said to Shamayla. “Go get your friend. I think it’s time to get outta here.”
Hope simply dropped her cards face down and walked away from the table mid game. Out on the sidewalk there weren’t as many people anymore. Tristan held her hand up in front of Dominic’s face like she was hearing nothing he had to say, while everyone stared at them. Dominic was humiliated and everyone tried to act like they weren’t paying attention the two but it was hard not to. After Tristan hung up she crossed her arms and ignored Dominic and everyone else for that matter. After twenty minutes of this and another round of drinks for everyone, a car rolled up.
“Don’t bother calling me.” Tristan got into Charla’s car and slammed the door. Charla sped off.
Dominic shook his head, turned around and saw Shane smoking a cigarette, picking something off of Hope’s shoulder. Shane kept his cigarette between his lips as he got out of his jacket and draped it over Hope.
“Go on guys, I’m going home.”
“Come on,” Justin said. “Forget her, man. She’ll be over it by the morning.”
“I’m just not in the mood after that.” Dominic walked off, Hope’s eyes followed. Shane was cute and all, there was something about his mouth she couldn’t stop gazing at, but she was more interested in Dominic. She debated going after Dominic but what was the point? His girlfriend just upset him and now wasn’t the time. She rolled her eyes back to the man in front of her who was trying his best to impress her. For tonight she would play along.
11… Hammer’s proposition
Shamayla sprayed her hair from root to tip with a water filled plastic spray bottle and unwound her braids one by one. It took her about ten minutes to unbraid her entire head. When she was through her hair was left in skinny waves like silk ramen noodles. Hope was sitting a few feet away from Shamayla who was sitting at her vanity mirror, getting ready for the night’s work. Hope was dressed but hadn’t started styling her hair or putting on makeup yet.
Shamayla noticed Hope was quieter than usual but didn’t want to pry. She figured it was Michael, Hope’s last boyfriend, or whatever he was, that was the reason for Hope’s reticence. Or maybe it was her brother and his issues on her mind. Shamayla made up her mind that it had to be that because Hope never displayed any emotion when it came to boyfriends. Shamayla never knew whether things between Hope and a guy were going good or bad because Hope never talked about it and never let on that she was sad or happy.
Shamayla sipped her cocktail and looked at Hope through the mirror. She was in deep thought staring right at Shamayla’s ebony hair but millions of miles away. The door opened and Hammer, the manager of Lounge 101 walked in with a yellow envelope in hand. They didn’t know how the other girls felt about it, but Hope and Shamayla hated the way Hammer would barge in without knocking to at least warn them. They were sure everyone felt that same way they did about it, but no one said anything.
Shamayla turned her head.
“I got a proposition for you ladies,” Hammer said.
Hope snapped out of it and rolled her eyes to Hammer. He was such a sleaze in her eyes, and probably everyone else’s. He wore shirts with cut off sleeves but he wasn’t muscular or tough, he was just plain flabby and out of shape. He had an awful 80’s mullet and always smelled like sweat and cheap cologne.
“Mmmm,” Shamayla said, taking in a long, deep whiff of air. “What’re you wearing, Jordache Signature?”
“Are you interested or not?” He snapped.
Hope bit the tip of
Similar Books
