Page 123 of The Ninth

“I hope you not giving that nigga hell like you did us!”

I cackled, turning away and raising the check above my head, “I know this ain’t no lil twenty dollas since you on your way to a jet, nigga!”

“Now you in grown man business.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

I opened his office door, stepping out and shutting it behind me. Knowing Ben’s rich ass, I didn’t want to look at the check until I left. I’ll fuck around and leave after seeing that hoe. Stuffing it into my bra, I pushed myself to go into the locker room.

Devyn and Kenzie were sitting with Tati as she got ready. They were both already dressed. The other girls were buzzing around, laughing, gasping, and gossiping. They played the video from the spam Instagram page a thousand times. Each of them was giving their opinion on what they thought happened.

“I knowwww y’all seen Pink’s Insta story!” Snow cackled.

She followed me to my chair, sitting down as if I told her to.

“What she say?!” Lola asked.

Snow giggled as I started doing her face, “She was on there crying like a mothafucka. Snotting and blubbering, talking about the love of her life gone. What the fuck is she gone do and shit. She lost Kenan and The Ninth back to back. Pink gon be broke by this time next year.”

“Maybe she should sell pussy then like they had them bitches doing!” a girl spoke up.

“Mhm!”

“Yup!”

“That part!”

“I’m starting to think she set the man up!” Snow shrugged. I glanced across the room at Devyn who also glanced at me.

“Why?” another girl asked.

“She said she don’t think it was some bitches. That Kenan’s homeboys need to find the people responsible. Clearly bitches were there if the camcorder was there.”

“That don’t mean shit, girl, you stay there and leave shit all the time!”

Snickers scattered across the room.

“Whatever! Apparently a bitch he had stashed away out in Illinois done popped up with his son. Pink says it’s not his but it look just like the man.”

The chatter picked back up at this revelation. My mind went blank as I quietly finished her face. I dumped the hoe out of my chair with a quickness to do the others.

I’m sure somebody said something to me. I wasn’t in a place to form a thought. A response. I’ve done make-up for so long, it’s become muscle memory. Wipe, rub, dab, paint, spray, repeat.

What if Kenan was a father? What if the camcorder is working? What if they crack the passcode? What if Pink stops being dumb and pieces shit together? Will this shit die down? Will it get worse? What the fuck is Kenzo going to say when I tell him? Maybe I shouldn’t wait until visitation. Am I going to be able to tell him that without telling hi—

“Cassandra! Hell naw. I’ve been sitting here saying your name for ten minutes, G!”

I blinked hard. Tatianna was in my chair. Although her make-up was completely finished, I was still dabbing her face. She looked concerned, but calm. One look in the mirror and I saw what she saw. What Ben saw. I looked like I was setting some niggas up and then got back doored with them.

“You’re holding up for everyone. Let it go, baby.”

I fell into my girl’s arms. I didn’t allow for a tear to fall. That would be doing too much. There just needed to be one moment where I acknowledged how bad shit was and that it may not work out. Devyn was emotional. Kenzie felt at fault. Tati was trying to leave. I stayed strong for them but in reality, I felt scared.

My breath was heavy and quick in the empty locker room. Tati rubbed my back slowly, comforting me. Nodding my head, I stood straight. Her face showed me she wasn’t convinced.

“There were percs in that duffle bag. You need to take one,” she pulled a napkin out of her bra.

“COCAINE?!”