So, I shut my mouth.
I let Kay’Lo walk away with his pride, and I let Pressure take my arm as we headed toward the glam team waiting for me down the hall. Tonight was gonna be mine, and no bitch, no cousin, and no video was gonna take it away from me.
One thing I had to give Pressure his props on was the fact that he knew what it took to make a bitch feel special. His glam team had me looking like I was headed to the Grammys instead of a regular ass night out. My hair was laid, nails flawless, lashes curled just right, and this silky little dress hugging every single curve like it was made for me. The makeup artist had my skin glowing, my cheekbones popping, and lips lined just enough to make my mouth look like a sin. When I stood up and looked in the full-length mirror, I didn’t even recognize myself for a second. I looked like a woman who belonged to royalty, and in my mind, that’s exactly who I was.
Pressure knew Rallo was both our favorite artist, and when he told me he was taking me out tonight to see him, I felt thatrush of butterflies I used to feel when we first got together. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time the glam team worked on me. Even though Pressure had options, I already knew what it was. I was the one he was calling when he wanted to step out, the one he was spending his money on and the one getting treated like his queen.
Feeling good was an understatement. I was floating. Every brush stroke, every curl, every jewel they clipped on my wrist was a reminder that I was chosen. By the time they left, I couldn’t sit still. I had too much energy, and confidence building up in me. I wanted somebody to see me. I wanted somebody to feel what I was feeling.
So, of course, I went looking for Kashmere.
When I found her, she was in the kitchen like always, acting like she was starving or something. She had a big glass bowl in front of her, tossing lettuce around, then pouring herself a drink like she had the most stressful day in the world. She didn’t even look up when I walked in, and that bothered me instantly.
Here I was, glammed up to perfection, looking like a whole dream, and this girl didn’t even have the decency to look my way. I leaned against the counter, letting my dress shine under the lights, swinging my freshly done nails so they could catch the sparkle.
“Me and Pressure about to head out in a minute,” I said, my voice sweet but sharp enough to cut. “We got somewhere to be. You make sure you don’t tear the house up while we gone.”
Kashmere didn’t even blink. She just kept moving the salad around with her fork like my words didn’t matter, like I didn’t matter. That stung. I had just spent hours getting treated like a star, and she was gonna stand there and act like I was invisible?
I laughed to myself and stepped closer. “I’m just letting you know, sis. I’d hate for you to feel forgotten when you see us pulling up looking like a whole red carpet event tonight.”
That got her attention. Kashmere finally looked up, slow, her eyes narrowing before she smirked like she couldn’t care less.
“You done?” she asked, her voice calm but cutting.
Something about the way she said it made my skin prickle. “Oh, I ain’t even started,” I shot back. “I know it burns you up inside that he askedmeout tonight and not you. I’m the one he wanted to be seen with, not you standing in the kitchen eating lettuce like a damn rabbit.”
Her jaw clenched, and before I could even prepare myself, Kashmere walked right up on me, standing chest to chest like she wanted me to swing. My heart jumped, but my pride wouldn’t let me back down.
“Say one more thing, bitch,” she said, her voice low.
I tilted my head and smiled, tilting my glass bracelet up so the diamonds caught the light. “One more thing? Alright… don’t wait up for us. Matter fact, find something else to do tonight because while you sitting here mad, I’ll be out there withhim.”
Before I even finished my sentence, Kashmere splashed her drink right in my face. Ice cold liquor ran down my skin, burning my eyes and dripping onto my dress. I gasped, stepping back, but before I could even react, she scooped that whole salad bowl and tossed it over my head. Dressing, lettuce, tomatoes—everything—covered my hair and dripped down my fresh outfit.
“You crazy bitch!” I screamed, trying to wipe my face, but she was already in my hair, pulling me so hard my neck snapped back. My wig slipped and twisted while she yanked, and the sting made me see red. I swung my hand to slap her, but she dodged and snatched harder, dragging me down like she had been waiting for this moment.
“Get off me!” I hollered, clawing at her arms. My nails caught her skin, and she cursed, but she didn’t let go. She had my wig halfway off, and the embarrassment made me fight harder.
Next thing I knew, security rushed in, two big men grabbing at both of us, trying to break us apart. I was flailing, trying to get one good hit in, but Kashmere had me locked. She wasn’t letting go of my hair for nothing. I screamed at the top of my lungs, half from the pain and half from the rage of knowing she was ruining my whole night.
“Let go of me, hoe!” I shrieked.
The guards tried to wedge themselves between us, but Kashmere leaned over their shoulders, still gripping my wig with one hand and swinging with the other. “You should’ve minded your fuckin’ business, dizzy ass bitch!” she shouted. “You always gotta say something and now look at you! Dumb ass!”
Everything felt chaotic. My face was sticky with liquor and dressing, my wig was hanging half off my head, and my nails were scratched up from trying to fight her back. I couldn’t get close enough to land a punch, and it only made me scream louder.
Then I heard Pressure’s voice.
“What the fuck is this?”
He stormed into the kitchen, his face dark and eyes flicking from me to Kashmere. He moved straight to Kashmere, grabbing her arm. “Chill the fuck out! Let her go, now!”
Kashmere finally let my wig go, shoving me back like I wasn’t even worth the energy anymore. I stumbled, my heels slipping on the spilled dressing, but one of the guards caught me before I fell.
“That hoe started it!” Kashmere shouted, pointing at me. “If she would’ve went on about her day instead of running her mouth, I wouldn’t have had to snatch her ass up!”
“Shut the fuck up,” Pressure snapped. His tone was sharp, and for a second, the whole room went silent.
