THUNDA - Under New Management Ch. 10

"I'm told you're looking for me regarding Steven?" A white purse was slung across his big inverted looking bird chest.

"Have a seat Nigel." I motioned for him to sit down in front of me, but he remained standing momentarily glancing at Abayomi who seemed to be guarding the door.

"I don't think so; look if you're mad at Steven for something you two agreed to, that's a "YOU THANG" not a "WE THANG" alright? As you can see I'm other, and what that means is you're gonna have to find someone else to use as a proxy to bitch slap Steven for hitting the forbidden door. Now I'm gonna get back to doing me if you don't mind asshole."

"Nigel, have a seat." This big knob headed negro did a doubletake looking at Abayomi who glanced away.

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Would you like a drink Nigel." I replied without emotion.

"Yes, but not with you; I've got a lovely man waiting for an enchanting evening abroad, if you don't mind?"

"Nigel if you don't sit the fuck down, I'm gonna blow your ass up, and not in a way that you would obviously enjoy. All of those perks and set asides are gonna go the way of the fucking dinosaur and you can skip your motherfucking ass back over the skittles rainbow to OZ to see the wiz nigga. Maybe he'll save your education and career Nigel."

Another exaggerated doubletake followed as he crossed his arms over his chest with his purse hanging from one hand. Abayomi glanced down at his feet unwilling to verbalize anything as Nigel regarded me brow furrowed doing this "sister girl" scowl.

"Bitch you want me to slap the fuck outta you with this damn purse?"

"No Nigel, have a seat."

There was a long pregnant pause in the air before he flopped down sitting in front of me being theatrically extra. He was so heavy; my table and booth shook under his weight as he planted his elbows on top of it glaring. He looked like a humanoid fish in the face. I figured he was trying to use his orientation to make me uncomfortable as he rested his double chin on fist anchored by his elbow on the orange tabletop. I was unbothered to the max.

"Nigel I just wanted to ask you a question, that's all."

"Spit it out cis."

"Did you want to fuck Steven?"

"I'm gay."

"Did you want to fuck Steven?" He did this exaggerated neck roll then audibly cracked his shoulders. I noticed this guy was wearing fake lashes.

"I'M GAY!!!" He shouted in my face earning some stares from the sparse other patrons in the restaurant. Two sisters sitting on the other side of the tiled floor burst into laughter huddled together watching what they probably thought was a grinder hookup as I switched tactics.

"Nigel, did you want to fuck Zoya?"

His face dropped, lip hanging as he leaned backward making the vintage booth groan under his weight. I noticed him favoring his purse worried it might collide with my face. Nigel's expression changed which made his countenance somewhat jowly. I'd hit a nerve, a trigger that pulled the plug on his rainbow community minstrel act.

"It's uh, not like nobody never came up behind me, and I knew he'd look out for me so I let him hit. Shit, he ain't working with much anyway but the spread was nice. His home was positively palatial, so much ambiance and money. Just wanted it easy, that's all. Fuck it was fair trade, but I didn't order the fish. Didn't want it." Nigel sounded crestfallen.

"No consent is universal, but I'm not trying to take anything away from you brother. Steven's pissed because I hit him where he lives already, got him out of his department. Now, he's trying to make a comeback and my education is on the line. If they fire me, they fire me bruh; but I earned the right to go to their shitty little community college if nothing else. Zoya opened his nose about me because she mistakenly thought I was gay Nigel. She's said as much and failed to keep that motherfucker off my bumper. Man, I ain't bending over for nobody, but he feels entitled."

"We did a lot of blow sort of feeling each other out while Abayomi was doing his cis thing with that crazy bitch."

"It's okay brother; you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"I was so wasted, but not enough to imbibe of that fish; Zoya's crazy and like, really strong I guess. She uhm, came in like she wanted to watch, but uh...then she got like, involved." Abayomi drifted closer to the table making me wonder if he was panicking that too much would be revealed.

"Nigel, I'm going to find a way to burn those two pervs; and I already got Zoya a night ago. I'm sorry but she's sort of Teflon on campus. Steven would be too if he didn't want his old job back. Guess its hard scamming niggas from a desk job in the same building as the dean. I wanna make sure they stop coming for me, but I ain't trying to force you into anything Nigel, and you too Abayomi."

"DID YOU FORGET WHAT YOU SAID IN THE PARK?!" Abayomi bellowed drawing patron attention again momentarily.

"Man I just called you to find out Nigel's fucking name, but you slammed on me bruh. That's why we had to dance Abayomi, and I still want all of those names homie; you can go back to doing something strange for pocket change with all those elderly "patrons of your part" brother. Nigel, I just wanna show them I know, nothing else, honest."

"We signed NDA agreements. We lose everything if we talk."

"I told him that but he must have his way at the cost of our livelihoods." Abayomi interjected again.

"You don't lose a fucking thing if they don't know who talked. If I have all those names, and I probably have half at this time; what the fuck you two have to worry about? They've been fucking around on campus screwing dudes out of their shit for a minute, giving niggas psychological issues that ain't gonna be addressed no time soon, and you two are worried about your post assault swag bag. Well, keep it but I'm gonna get what I want no cap."

Both of them exchanged glances as Abayomi took a seat next to Nigel facing me.

"I feel like vomiting." Nigel admitted while Abayomi rubbed the side of his bald pate with many furrowed lines forming on his forehead.

"You guys are invisible in a crowd; that's all I'm trying to say."

"It's kind of difficult back home in Arkansas where I'm from; I'm really not trying to go back there after being expelled from heaven. I like it here in the city; I feel free to be myself. I've got a boyfriend." Nigel looked worried.

"Want a drink Nigel?"

"Yes."

"Want a drink Abayomi?" He glared at me with a raised brow.

"Yes general."

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We ended up sharing a few beers and another deep dish pizza hashing things out before going our separate ways. I was somewhat shit faced opting for an Uber using some of my stash from Sydney's sex tape. My site was still going strong into the night with continuous activity giving me the impression school would be optional if these profits continued unabated. Sydney's popularity was off the charts as I perused a few news stations covering the story. She'd obviously accomplished what she wanted even getting lambasted on Fox News in a conservative puff piece.

I found some gorilla phone footage of Sly in a bar at an undisclosed location ruining his sobriety amid jeers and social commentary from people tightly pushed in around him. He was still wearing the cream colored suit giving me a time frame that occurred right after the televised interview. Whether or not he liked it, Sly was collateral damage with a plethora of sites and social media channels reporting the dissolution of his marriage and on-air partnership with Sydney. The word "cuck" was following him around like body odor.

Lucy texted me a few times, but I ignored her leaving it on read. I was still gauging her involvement in my suspension from work but considered the reveal of her massive tits. I needed something to follow Sydney's controversial sex tape but wanted to wait and see how things shook out with my job and education. I'd registered for some online classes offered by my college. If things worked out, I was intent on keeping a low profile. This would be especially difficult considering Steven's influence over the film department.

"Just never stops, fuck me." Rashida was sitting on my front steps waiting as the uber pulled up to the curve. It felt like the police were waiting instead of an rising sensation sporting sixty plus inches of online fame.

Rashida was wearing a beige hoodie and matching pair of high waisted workout shorts completing the look with similarly colored low rise sneakers trimmed in white. She was initially looking at her phone as the car pulled up to the curb but noticed me right away. We stared at each other as I gathered up a plastic bag containing a tin of leftover pizza and two bottled Heinekens.

The look on her face gave me pause as I got out of the uber dragging my feet.

It looked like we were really "breaking up" for lack of a better term.

My heart started thumping as I regretted everything I'd done since taking her offer to visit Jaquan's house, fucking around with Takisha and now Sydney Syd Wilson. I wished more than anything that I could rewind time and stay on that fucking couch doing nothing but gaming and talking shit with her. I wanted to give her the world but knew better.

Yeah, this was gonna be the end of our friendship...and everything else.

"Why are you looking like that?" She spoke first.

"Nothing, its just the way my face looks."

"That's a lie."

"No it's not; we uhm, just haven't seen each other in a while."

"It hasn't been that long."

"Long enough." I responded voice sort of trailing off.

I glanced down hating myself for looking at the decadent bulge of her thick thighs and stallion legs as a whole. She'd rubbed them down with lotion making them glisten in the glow of the street lights overhead. They looked just right and I felt guilty for looking now that she was probably someone else's woman. Rashida looked up at me.

"Why didn't you call?"

"I don't know."

"Why didn't you come over?"

"I don't know."

"So, you fucked Sydney, huh?"

"Yeah, I fucked up."

"No shit?"

"Yeah."

"Still fucking Takisha?"

"Uhm well...she's uh, complicated. We uh, did it the other day and well, yeah." I admitted choking up while she looked unbothered. Rashida started shaking her head in time with my babbling just looking calm. It was unnerving.

"I've been kind of working down at 96 K-Jay; did you know about that too?"

"Sort of found out, today; congratulations Rashida." My throat felt dry.

"No big deal, its mostly part time three days a week and I've still got my job at the barber shop too. I'm just, kind of going with the flow, like you."

"I got suspended from work today; like, for a minute."

"Oh, and what did you get suspended for?" I ground my teeth looking away from her face for a minute as my heart thumped harder and harder like it wanted to burst out of my chest.

"Sexual harassment...but I'm innocent. That guy Steven and uh, my new boss Dr. Miles are trying to railroad me out of the department so that he can get his old job back. I'm innocent...Rashida."

"Funny, I'm kind of suspended too. Got called into their H.R. Department and asked a whole lot of questions about Ken, Sly and uh, the station manager Harvey. See, Harvey is in a lot of fucking trouble, straight ME TOO'ED bruh. So, I got yanked in there and asked a lot of questions and you know what?"

"What?"

"I got the impression those motherfuckers thought I was some sort of prostitute because of my sex work online. Kind of found out my appearances on the morning show weren't really sanctioned and all that. Ken was paying me a few grand cash app out of pocket but didn't tell me it was from him personally. So uhm, H.R. kind of thought I might be doing something a little "extra" in the green rooms. They got cameras in there you know? Most security got was me twerking for a bunch of rappers on my second appearance, but nothing else and you know what?"

"Rashida."

"Doesn't matter one bit; was told my services weren't required going forward and that any future appearances would have to go through the new interim station manager, whoever that is. Even gave me four racks, in cash no less. Kind of made me feel like a hooker, you know? That shit ain't gonna stop my grind, but security "walked" me out of the building. Didn't even get a chance to hash that shit out with Ken. Kinda fucked up huh?"

I didn't know what to say but couldn't look away from her face.

"All throughout that meeting with H.R. my phone kept blowing up from your website. I set it so that my phone does this little Siri thing announcing my cash app with this sassy voice. It's my thing before you judge, and those white people thought it was Hella funny too. One of those assholes joked about paying me in dollar bills, but the H.R. director did that nudge in the side thing like I wasn't looking directly at them."

"Rashida I'm sorry!"

"Yeah, you've been saying that a lot lately."

"Sorry."

"It's alright daddy, I'm gonna go home now before people think I live here and start harassing you. A couple of people already popped up asking for my number while I was waiting out here." Rashida stood up stretching her arms above her head with a yawn cracking her back. She wasn't angry, just serenely unbothered.

My food hit the pavement along with my phone.

I walked backwards still looking at her face until I bumped a tree in the front yard, then turned and went around it facing the rough bark there. I was crying uncontrollably starting to blow snot everywhere while my heart thumped.

"What're you doing?" Her face appeared peeking around the tree looking at me innocuously.

"I-DIDN'T WANNA SEE YOU WALKING AWAY!! I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER YOU LIKE THAT!!" The rest of her appeared sort of leaning against the tree watching.

"I'm not mad at you."

"SORRY I MESSED UP YOUR LIFE!!" Everything was bubbling to the top and I couldn't control it as she produced a crumpled tissue from her hoodie pocket dabbing at my eyes, eventually wiping my nose.

"You didn't mess up my life, you made it better than it's ever been daddy. If it wasn't for you being my manager I never would've had the opportunity to experience being a real public celebrity. Every time I need something you're there; and you sent my pics and made the trailer that got me that job anyway. Stop crying, please."

"I'M A PIECE OF SHIT!! I RUINED A GUY'S MARRIAGE!!"

"Word around the campfire is that was happening anyway so its not really your fault." Rashida seemed as if she were babying me lifting my chin with her pointer finger as I managed to calm down a little.

"I've been an asshole and a wet tampon to you; I'm sorry about that Rashida. I uhm, think its kind of good I'm suspended because the walls feel like they're closing in on me and I can't explain it. You've been taking care of me way too much and I've been sloppy as fuck. I'm gonna work hard for your forgiveness even if we can't be friends anymore."

"Why wouldn't we be friends daddy?"

"BECAUSE I'M A HOT MESS!" I started to lose it again but she took my hands in her own.

"I was mad when I got here, but I'm not now and that's because I've had time to think about all of this shit objectively." I scrunched up my nose looking at her with a raised brow.

"You're using words like objectively now?"

"Don't make me beat your ass out here negro."

"Objectively." I repeated again for effect making her smile and roll her eyes.

"You stupid."

"You tell no lies Rashida Sikes and I'm blessed to have you in my life for however long that lasts. Anytime you need me, just call and I'll be there."

"I could say the same."

"I'll walk you to your car; I want you to drive safe and call me when you get home." I looped an arm escorting her to the curb and her waiting vehicle. I still avoided looking at her face out of shame, but accepted things for what they were even if we couldn't really be FWB anymore.

"So, you were stuffing Sydney Syd that morning, huh?"

"It just happened; the new both panicked and she pushed me down the back stairwell. We hooked up again later at the same hotel where she did the interview with Gail. I think she just called me that night for courage to go through with it."

"That interview was messed up; the station is a mess now and a lot of their interns got shit canned. They even fired the security department today. I wonder why she made herself look messy like that in public."

"Sly knew what happened to her at that Superbowl Game; they never talked about it afterwards and it became this festering wound that never healed inside her. Now everybody's gonna know and that Ken motherfucker better watch out too."

"WHY?!"

"Because Sydney's probably not done outing everybody; Myron was a witness and didn't do shit to help her up in that suite. Ken, well she thinks he put Sly up to exposing her because they had a two day affair back in the day and she ignored him until he got up in his feelings about it. Thought he was gonna snitch, so she played nice all this time while despising both of them."

"Wow." Rashida was taken aback sitting on the hood of her car staring at me wide eyed.

"Guess I was just at the right place at the right time, but it could've been anybody that day. I swear she was just trying to get me on her afternoon show, but then offered me two hundred for a twenty minute interview instead and uh, we fucked."

"Obviously you did a good job, and got paid for it too."

"Stop." I wiped some remaining tears from my eyes as Rashida processed.

"She can't seem to shut up about you and the BDE got her feuding with Takisha now; I saw those Instagram posts. Both of them bitches stunting because you hit that three wheel motion on them."

"You can't tell anybody about this; I signed an NDA with Sydney's lawyer." The irony of the earlier evening with Abayomi and Nigel was not lost on me. A fleeting thought concerning Quisha's advice crossed my mind.

"I signed one of those too with some stuck up pregnant bitch today; she was blowing up my phone a couple of days ago but showed up in H.R. to interrogate my ass today. She's the H.R. lady who elbowed that asshole."

"Damn."

"What?"

"Maybe it's a good thing you're out of there for a minute; there's gonna be some changes down there at good ole 96K-Jay."

"Did Sly really know about that nasty shit; I mean, the Super Bowl thing?"

I nodded looking around with my arms folded.

"And Sydney did it, with Ken?"

"Well, she told me that every guy she slept with acted like it was a "Come To Jesus" moment; guess my crappy attitude was part of the allure. Come on, you gotta go home and I need to get my food off the ground Rashida. I'm really sorry about everything."

"How're you sleeping?"

"Shitty."

"Well, I can't leave you hanging like that daddy." She used her key fob to activate her car alarm with a loud chirp. Rashida offered her hand and I took it leading her back to the foot of my stairs long enough to retrieve my food from the ground.

"You hungry?" I gesture with the plastic bag. One of the beer bottles was leaking.

Rashida gave me a deep hug.

"So, you're suspended from work for a week, huh?" She asked as we walked up the stairs to my front door.

"Knowing Dr. Miles, they'll probably fire me tomorrow instead of waiting."

"So that means you can still be my manager, right?"

"I guess, why?"

"How about a trip to Miami daddy?" Rashida piped up casually.

END of SEASON TWO

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THANK YOU FOR READING THIS SPINOFF!!

Please follow the next chapter in this "sorta" SAGA: MS. WTF?!!: REBOOTED!!

Synopsis: "Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself"