“Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die” -Buddha
N/O’s PovNicki’s eyes narrowed at Drake once he placed her phone back on the table. She folded her arms across her chest before opening her mouth to speak.
“I want to go home. This is was a complete waste of time.”
“How was it a waste of time? We had a nice dinner, we caught up.”
“You’re an ass.”
“But you still love me.”
“I don’t love you.”
“Your eyes and body language tell me otherwise.”
“Listen you either drive me home or I hail a cab what’s it gonna be?”
“Whoa whoa slow down! We haven’t had our dessert yet.”
“At least we agree on the same choice for once.” Nicki spat and got up, grabbing her clutch and phone.
Weaving her way around the many tables to the front entrance, she stood outside for just a moment trying to decide which way to go, making her realize Drake brought her out of her normal area. Deciding on going to the right, her heels clicked across the cement sidewalk. She had no idea how fast or how slow she was walking, all she knew is that anger was fueling her momentum.
“Who does he think he is? Fucking asshole thinks he can just waltz his way back into my life. No! Not only is he doing that, he’s being a complete arrogant asshole. There’s only room for one arrogant asshole in this relationship and that’s me. Wait did I just say relationship? Ugh I bet his ass put something in my drink. Fucker.”
But you’ll always love him.
The voice in Nicki’s head whispered, making her angry.
“Bullshit.”
“Hey, I thought you were calling a cab?” Drake teased as he pulled up next to her and rolled down the passenger side window.
“Go fuck yourself.”
“Now, Onika that isn’t anyway to talk to someone who just paid for dinner, who’s helping you, and taking you back to my place.”
“WHAT?! I’m not going with you anywhere! You disrespect me in there and you think this shit is a game! I didn’t ask you to pay for dinner! What? You want the money back.”
“Onika! Get in the fucking car!” Drake screamed making Nicki jump at the sudden change in tone.
Nicki quickly saw a crowd start to gather so she reluctantly grabbed the car handle and hopped in. Her arms folded across her chest and stared directly at the windshield.
“Are you seriously gonna pout?”
“I want to go home.”
“No.”
“No?! What do you mean no?!”
“No as in you aren’t going home.”
“That’s it! You can’t just hold me hostage! That’s illegal!” Nicki screamed as she reached for the door handle only to groan in annoyance once she heard the doors lock.
“Well our whole profession is kinda illegal if you think about it.”
“Um hello?!” Nicki exclaimed, snapping her fingers in front of Drake’s face
“Do. Not. Snap. At. Me. Are we clear?” Drake grabbed Nicki’s face with one hand, pulling her towards him.
Now, sitting face to face, they stared intently into each other eyes.
“I asked you a question.”
“Yes, we are clear.”
“You know what, I’m sorry for grabbing you like that, it’s whatever I’ll take you home.”
“Finally!”
The two drove in awkward silence all the way to Nicki’s small apartment. Part of Nicki was sort of sad that he gave up so quickly. Another part of her was turned on from his sudden dominance. Could she let him in again? Do the unthinkable? Deep down she knew it wasn’t his fault for what he did, she would do the same thing if the tables were turned.
“Here you are.” Drake stated, snapping Nicki out of her thoughts.
“So um what’s the plan?”
“There isn’t one.”
“What do you mean? The guy just said-”
“I mean that there is no plan, there is no partnership. I was wrong to contact you. You obviously don’t wanna have anything to do with me. You don’t want my help. It’s just useless. The whole thing was useless. Just get out.”
“But Drake-”
“Get out! You said you wanted to go home! You’re home!” Drake yelled staring straight ahead.
Nicki felt an unfamiliar lump and sting in her eye and began to blink as fast as she could. She grabbed her clutch and pushed the car door open. Looking back before she stepped out, she saw Drake, motionless, emotionless, stone cold. She swallowed and stepped out of the car. Almost instantly, Drake squealed away once Nicki closed the car door.
She just stood there, on the sidewalk, looking in the direction of where he sped off. The look he had on his face and his words made an imprint in her mind. Nicki blinked and felt something wet against her cheek. Checking her arms and the ground, thinking it was raining before realizing that she was crying. Something she hasn’t done in years. She originally meant to guard herself so no one could hurt her, but she closed herself off to herself as well. When was the last time she was happy? Her mind wandered to her mother and the times with Drake before bad things happened. Before she knew it the floodgates opened.
Turning on her heels, she walked to the door, opening it to make her way to her apartment. Clenching her stomach to silence her cries, she shakily jiggled the keys in the door and rushed inside. Quickly, closing and locking it back up, she fell to the ground and cried.
/~\
Blinking a couple times before rising up, Nicki groaned in pain, realizing she was on the ground. Her muscles were in knots.
“Shit, I feel like the tin man.”
Stumbling to the bathroom, she flipped the light switch and startled herself when she looked in mirror. Her hair was all disheveled. The remnants of her tears were dried on her face. Sighing to herself, she began to take off her clothing and leaving them in a pile on the bathroom floor. She moved the shower curtain and turned on the water, waiting until it was the right temperature, she stepped in and let the warm water sooth her aching muscles.
“He has to call me or at least come back.” Nicki tried to convince herself.
Turning off the water, she moved the shower curtain and stepped out. Wrapping herself in a fluffy towel that hung on the back of the door. She took her right hand cleared off the mirror that steamed over during the shower. Noticing the still depressed and drained look on her face she left the bathroom and went across the hall to her bedroom. Quickly, moisturizing her skin, she threw on a big t-shirt and combed through her hair. Opening the drawer on her bedside table, there was her original list of people she needed to find. Her eyes immediately landed on the name of the one person she really wished she could stop thinking about, Aubrey Graham. She ripped the page out and crumpled it into a ball and threw it away.
Grabbing a key from the drawer she stormed out of her room and went to the spare bedroom. She put the key in the lock and opened the door. Walking to the middle of the room she stood on her tippy toes and grabbed ahold of the chain that turned on the light. Once lit, the display of newspaper article, pictures, clues, maps, you name it, covered the 4 walls.
Remembering what the guy said at her dinner with Drake, she scoured the room looking for anything that had to do with Paris.
Meanwhile…
Detective Jabari Obasi and Detective Magdalena Ortiz sat in their office chairs, watching a surveillance video from the Mayor’s fundraiser at the TriBeCa Grand Hotel.
“Okay Lena, we sat here for 5 hours straight looking at this damn video. I think I’m borderline blind now.”
“Oh relax! It hasn’t been 5 hours and there has to be something here!”
“So you think staring at a screen will make something appear? Why don’t you talk to the employees that were working that night?”
“Okay, for one Basi, I know there’s something there it’s probably so obvious-”
“Or you’re delusional.” Detective Obasi murmured to himself.
“What?”
“Huh? What were you saying?”
“Uh huh,” Magdalena kissed her teeth. “Anyways, I talked to most of the people there. So Mr. Sherlock, what do you suppose we do now?”
“Were you nice to them?”
“To who?”
“The employees.”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be nice?”
“Because you’re Magdalena.” He said as he was walking out of the room.
“What the fuck does that mean?!”
“Nothing bad! Just that you’re uh what’s the word ah abrasive! That’s it.”
“Abrasive?! I am not abrasive!”
“Okay fine, aggressive.”
“That’s not any better that’s just another word for abrasive!”
“It’s okay Lena! I’ll just handle the conversions while you look and collect evidence! We make a good team! A partnership!”
“I said from the beginning me and you are not a team or partners. I don’t need a partner!”
“See, abrasive. You enjoy your video and I’ll be back.”
“I swear Obasi if you are re-interviewing the witnesses!”
“Let me know if you find anything, partner!”
Walking back into the precinct with nothing, Obasi tried to avoid his partner at all costs. Stopping at the break room, he inserts a couple dollars into the vending machine before he pours himself a cup of stale coffee.
“Ahhhh!” Obasi hollered when he turned around to find his partner standing before.
“So, any news?”
“Goddammit Lena! You almost made me spill my coffee!”
“Okay, but I didn’t so now you can fill me in on what you found.”
“I didn’t find anything.” He whispered.
“Que? What was that?”
“I said I didn’t find anything.”
“Aww the ole pretty boy charm didn’t work?”
“Of course it worked! But they all said the same thing, dark hair, curvy, black structured dress, red lips. It didn’t help she was wearing a mask, they did mention she was eyeing a man also wearing a mask and she went outside for a moment.”
“Holy shit!!!”
“What?!”
“I could kiss you right now!”
“You can and where are you going?”
“Shut up and I forgot we had video or the back exit!”
“Oh shit maybe we can see the license plate!”
“Ding! Ding! Ding! Sherlock!”
/~\
A knock at her apartment door brought Nicki out of her focus, silently hoping whoever it was would go away, but the thought of it possibly being Drake made her drop what she was doing and run out of the room, remembering to close the door.
“Drake?!” Nicki exclaims as she opens the door.
“Uh no-” Sherika begins to answer.
“Oh it’s you.” Nicki says with disappointment evident in her voice before turning around and walking to her couch.
“Well, it’s great to see you to Nic! Don’t act excited or anything. God! You look horrible!”
Nicki cut her eyes over in Sherika’s direction, her eyes following Sherika until she sat in the chair.
“Thanks.”
“I was just saying. I mean you look fine, you’re still attractive but-”
“SHERIKA!”
“Ooookay someone is a wee bit grumpy.”
“What do you want?”
“Uh a friend can’t visit another friend.”
“Not right now.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m busy.”
“Oh my God! No way! Wait! Lemme look at you!” Sherika exclaimed, cupping Nicki’s face.
“Uh, Rika. Imma need you to sit the fuck down, fasten your seatbelt, and don’t get up.”
“Dammit! I thought you got some!”
“If I got some wouldn’t I seem more happy and peppy.”
“Aha! So you admit it!”
“Admit what?”
“That something’s wrong.”
“Fine! Something is wrong but who cares, clearly it wasn’t meant to be.” Again. Nicki’s voice rang in her head.
“What wasn’t meant to be? You don’t go anywhere, well these secret mission things, anyway, you don’t know anyone besides, me, your dad, and Dra- OH MY GOD!! WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOU AND DRAKE?!”
“Okay, not that you’ve sat down, you just need to bring it down a couple notches. Oh and I know a lot of other people besides you and them!”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever, so what happened?”
“What’s it matter?”
“Are you serious?! You two used to be thick as thieves and then…the thing….happened and I know for damn sure that you never stopped thinking about him, caring for him, hell even keeping tabs on him-”
“Hey! I said that was for safety!”
“Anyway, it matters because he’s got you like a side of you I’ve never seen before and I
know you wanna fix it and put this thing to rest and I wanna know cuz I’m your best friend.”
Nicki sighed to herself and began mentally telling herself not to cry, but the more she talked about it the more she couldn’t hold back tears.
“He gave up so easily on me Rika.” Nicki sniffled.
“I love ya Nic, but can you blame the man?”
“I guess not, I was a bitch, but he started it!”
“I think the problem here is you both aren’t being real with each other. I know you don’t like this feeling shit and you’re trying to protect yourself from getting hurt, but look what happened. Same goes for him. You two are adults and you both need to act like it!”
“I know, I just can’t get what he said out of my head and how he just left, I admit I was a bitch, but he threw me to the curb like I was trash. He didn’t wait until I got in my apartment before leaving. He didn’t say his stupid corny ass lines, like ‘ooh I hate to see ya go but I love to watch ya leave.’ Stupid ass probably got it from Wayne. God! I miss him too! It’s like I’ve ruined everything. He hasn’t even called!”
“Nic, calm down, I hate seeing you like this because I don’t know what to do and it’s really sad.”
“I just want everything to be how it was.”
“But that’s the past you can’t go back you can’t control it, but you can control the present moment. So, why don’t you call him?”
“Ugh don’t make me do that! It’s bad enough that I’m crying and I haven’t cried in years.”
“Nicki.”
“Why can’t I just go to him?”
“Like that?!”
“Yes Sherika, like this. Not that I don’t have a best friend who can make me look like a million dollars in no time.”
“Cut the sarcasm. I’ll be back. And oh you said go to him, like his apartment or something?”
“No, the club he’s at.”
“Oh my God, you really are keeping tabs on him.”
“For safety purposes. Make me look sexy! Now shoo shoo!”
“For someone who’s trusting me to make them look bomb, you’re being awfully rude.”
“Okay okay! I’m sorry Rika, I need to work on my manners I guess.”
“That has to be the most pitiful apology ever, but whatever, I’ll be back.”
“Thank you!”
Nicki began to busy herself until Sherika got back. She tidied up a bit, made sure to lock up the other room, but as she was going to go freshen up, Nicki heard her cell phone ring. Practically sprinting to her phone, she answered it a little more eager than she wanted to, thinking it was Drake, but quickly recovered hearing her father’s voice.
Hearing her father’s thick Trinidadian accent, comforted her. As usual it was business talk, Nicki sighed to herself as she listened to her father brief her on her latest target. Nothing was the same since the Darius Malcolm incident, which infuriated her. He took her mother, practically her father, and put a wedge between her and Drake’s relationship.
“Hey dad, um I gotta go, Sherika is here and she wants to have a girls night or something.”
Nicki quickly ended the conversation and swallowed her pride and decided to call Drake before Sherika actually came back.
“Come on, pick up Drake,” Nicki spoke into the phone. “Hey, uh this is Nicki and about last night, I just wanted to-”
“Nic! Open the door!” Sherika yelled.
Nicki tapped the off button on her iPhone and hurried to the door.
“Geez, what did you do bring your whole boutique here?”
“No! Just heels, a dress, makeup, hair tools, you know the works.”
“Whatever just make me look irresistible…please.”
About an hour later, Sherika finished playing dress up with Nicki and sent her to go look in the mirror. Satisfied with her look, Nicki came out of the bathroom, hugged her best friend and put on some perfume and was out the door.
Pulling up to the valet about 30 minutes later, she got out and threw her keys at the valet. Feeling like a fish out of water, she scanned the dimly lit place, hoping to spot the person she came for and leave.
Asking for a glass of champagne at the bar, she took the drink from the bartender and returned her attention to the room.
Finally, spotting Drake, she swallowed her champagne in one gulp, needing that little bit of liquid courage. Nicki mentally prepared her apology as she was walking up to him. The closer she got, the more females around him and on came into focus. Feeling the sudden twinge of jealousy, she took a couple deep breaths and stalked up to him.
“I need to talk to you.” Was all she said to him.
“I’m sorry, but do I know you?”
Taken aback, Nicki blinked a couple times and tried her best not kill him with her glares.
“Of course you know me, Mr. Andrews! I’m your wife.” Nicki acted.
“My name isn’t Mr. Andrews, but if you’ll excuse me as you can see I’m a little busy here.”
Nicki’s blood began to boil, but she decided to play it cool.
“Oh my gosh, gee I’m so sorry. I must have you mistaken with someone else.”
Turning around, she walked to the exit and left. Asking the valet for her keys she got in her car and drove in the direction to Drake’s apartment.
“You aren’t as slick as you think, Graham.” She mocked in her head.
Once, she arrived, she quickly texted Sherika and told her about the change of plans and told her not to wait up for her.
The doorman opened the door for her and Nicki strided to the elevators and pressed the up arrow. Inside, she pressed ‘P’ and waited for the doors to close. The elevator dinged as it opened its doors, once on the very top floor. Stepping off the elevator, Nicki opened her clutch and started searching around for a bobby pin. Sticking the bobby pin in the lock, she jiggled it around until she heard a click and open the door. Instantly, giving herself flashbacks of when she was last in here, she swallowed and closed the door behind her.
/~\
“Why did she have to show up?” Drake asked himself as he drove back home.
His conscience began to get to him, like it did last night. He knew he was being an ass, but part of him wanted her to feel the hurt he felt when everything changed between them and the other part missed her so much and wanted her back he’s willing to do whatever.
“I guess I still owe her the location.” He reasoned in his head.
Drake parked in the back and got out, pressing the lock button on his keys. Going in the back entrance he walked to the elevator and went up.
Noticing his door was slightly open, he reached behind him and pulled his glock from his waist. Proceeding with caution, he groped the wall, feeling for a light switch. Flicking it in the ‘on’ position he scanned the living room and open kitchen, finally noticing her on his balcony. Sighing to himself, he put his weapon away and walked to her.
“Ahem.” Drake cleared his throat.
Nicki whipped her head around and was met with the tall, caramel skinned, hazel-brown eyed man.
“I want a divorce.” Nicki joked.
“I kinda deserved that.”
“Soooo, you’re not gonna ask why I’m here?”
“No, why? I know your ass is crazy, you shooting me was a pretty good indicator.”
“I did not shoot you. I missed.”
“No, you shot me,” Drake stated and pull off his shirt. “See.”
Nicki’s mouth began to water once she saw his sculpted torso.
“Yeah, puberty turned out to be a lifesaver.” He said, snapping Nicki out of her gaze.
“Oh uh um. Sorry about that.”
“The bullet hole or you staring at me?”
“I was not staring at you.”
“You were staring at me like I was your prey in the wild, which I don’t see why you wouldn’t.”
“I didn’t know you could sleepwalk.”
“Fair enough.”
“I hate to admit it, but I need your help.”
“I know you do or you wouldn’t be here.”
“Thanks for making me feel even more like a fish out of water.”
“Relax, I’ll help you and then you can go on your merry way. Dwight said Darius’ latest location was Paris, I have some other info I’m going to give you.”
“Wait, you’re not going?”
“Well do you want me to?”
“Uhm, y-yeah, I mean you sorta need revenge too right?”
“Sure. I just figured-”
“You figured wrong.”
“Nic, I’m not trying to upset you.”
“You’re not. What’s the plan?”
“I can arrange a flight for tomorrow morning.”
“Okay, that’s fine.”
“Cool, so uh you can stay here or I can pick you up.”
“Uh I should go, I need to pack a bag.”
“Oh right! So um tomorrow morning I’ll text you when I’m on my way.”
“Sounds good.”
“You look beautiful as always Nic.”
“Thanks. Goodnight Drake.” Nicki replied and walked out the door that Drake was holding open for her. Hearing the door close, she leaned on the door, letting out of relieved breath.
~~~~~~~
You guys better love me, this is 13 pages long! Nicki’s growth is amazing and could anyone else feel the awkwardness between them? Anyway, hope you enjoyed!
