Chapter Seven
Stephanie's POV
Moving in with Serena was the best decision ever. All I need to do now is find a part-time job to assist her in paying the rent since I already quit the delivery work because of distance, I know she won't ever ask me for the rent but I can't be a freeloader or a burden to her. Now that Serena lives alone without her parents monitoring her I can't be a problem to her now.
"Babes, what's up? What are you cooking in your mind?" she asks, bringing her face closer to my face searching for something that only she knows about. I grab her face pushing it away from me.
"Don't you have something to do?" I ask, getting off the bed I reach for the scrunchy band on the bedside table and band my hair into a ponytail. I know Serena caught me off guard, surely she knows something is bothering me.
"Have this," she stretches a golden ticket to me.
"What is this?" I look up at her.
"Shush! Too many questions," she takes my hand and places the ticket on my palm. I read the content of the ticket.
"What? VIP? Girl how did you? I mean…"
"I knew this would change your mood. Forget about how I got it just get dressed because we're going to the concert tonight," she singsongs while she freestyles the dance step she learnt on TikTok.
"Thank you but Serena I don't think going to this concert is right for me at this moment. It won't solve the problem I have," I tell her as I take my seat at the edge of the bed.
"Oh come on girl, how will you enjoy your youth if you don't go to concerts like this? And do you know how hard it was for me to get this VIP ticket?" she frowns. She is definitely lying Serena won't stress herself over such things, I'm certain she got it as a gift from one of her suitors.
"Alright before we go I need to stop at a place."
"That's my girl. I love you," she hugs me sideways and kisses my cheek. Crazy girl.
I open my suitcase, and none of my clothes make sense for a concert.
"Babes." Serena taps me. I turn to face her.
"What the hell? This outfit…" My words hang between my tongue as I admire the leather jacket and mini skirt, I hug her tightly. I change into the outfit and move to the mirror scanning myself, I feel so satisfied with my look tonight. Serena comes out of the changing room I scrutinize her from head to toe, her curly blonde hair complementing the short black silk gown she is wearing as it matches her translucent skin, I smile at her through the mirror and nod as a sign of approval.
"Now babes, let's get our face smoky," she says, taking out her face brushes, eye shadow, and all other make-up kit from her make-up box. She carves her eyebrow and effortlessly paints her sensual lips. Serena worked as a make-up artist for a very long time and I can say she is a pro at it. She did my make-up in high school for the prom and I got many compliments that day, I'm so proud of her.
"Babes, come closer let me do your make-up." I tilt my face toward her as she draws strokes on it as if painting on a canvas.
Few minute later, we make our way out. Taking the bus at this hour will not favor us in any way. A Mercedes stops in front of us, how I wish this could be our ride that will be the best thing ever. The driver steps out and walks toward Serena handing her the key, my mouth slack open.
"Let's go girl."
"Girl you're full of surprises you know. Is this yours?"
"Babes, I can't afford it but at least I can afford renting one." I curl my lips, she heads toward the driver's seat and I take my seat at the front.
"Where do you say you want to stop by?"
"Mauve."
"Mauve? Babes stop joking."
"Serena stop at Mauve, I purposely didn't tell you I was going to the same place as the concert venue, and you're not the only one full of surprises," I say as I wink at her.
Not too long we arrive at Mauve, we head to the restaurant, I expect the restaurant to be filled with people but I was wrong no one is present just the waiters, this is good though at least I will have time to talk to the manager without disturbing his work. I need to apologize to him for leaving without informing him, if only I didn't have to leave for my interview, I would've collected my purse. I look around until my eyes find the manager talking to one of the waiters.
"Excuse me sir, I came here the other day to search for my purse, I'm sorry I had to leave without informing you."
"It's okay miss."
"Did you find the purse was my description helpful?"
"Yeah, it was indeed helpful that someone picked it up for you."
"Okay thank God. So where is it?"
"It is not with us. He instructed me to give you his number if you want to get your purse back."
"What? Why would you let someone else have my property?"
"Is this how you run your business here?" Serena squeals.
"What is going on here?" I move my gaze to the plummy voice until it meets a tall, sturdy good-looking guy his long dark brown greasy hair combed backward, his icy blue eyes puncturing my skin as he dashes closer to us.
"Very good. Are you the manager right? How come you didn't give your workers proper training when you employ them how incompetent of you." Serena is really lashing out at him I step on her to caution her. She stops talking now.
"Don't get too worked up we can't get them angry you know this restaurant is highly respected you don't want to have us kicked out, stop it now," I whisper to her.
"Come on babes I was only trying to scare them," she says in a low voice.
"Ouch! Incompetent?" The guy sighs deeply and steeple a hand beneath his blade-like jaw.
"Sir, they're here for the purse."
"Oh, I see. Sorry for the inconvenience. Kindly follow me to the VIP lounge the person with your purse is there waiting."
I hesitate and look at Serena and drag my gaze back to him, he looks at his wrist watch checking the time. I don't think he is the manager he is wearing a Rolex, I just hope Serena hasn't gotten us into serious trouble. Calm down Steph its might be a knock-off watch. One side of me knows I'm in denial the watch can't be a knock off I mean this is Mauve for Christ's sake. Not that I'm scared of trouble but I'm not just in the right state for more problems in my life.
"Miss you've just 5 minutes before he goes on the stage."
"Stage?" he nods and leads the way to the lounge. We enter the lounge I wonder who this person is, I didn't expect my picking up my purse to be such a long process, if not for my mother's picture in it I would've given up on the purse.
"So girls this is my artist…."
"OMG! Leon!" Serena interrupts him, I trace my gaze to the person sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone, his pale skin flushed through the artificial light, with a sharp thin jawline and an aquiline nose, his dark eyes stare us down as it finally stops at me, with a stony expression. I scrutinize Serena and I nothing seems to be wrong, her silk gown hugs her curvaceous body in all the right places with our dressing in fact we look way too hot for the night, how dare he look at us in such a way, I raise my brow in annoyance.
"Chris, what's this? I never said I needed a statuesque before the show, chillax after the show you can bring them over to my room at the hotel," he says and tilts his head backward in exhaustion and twitches.
This guy is really getting on my nerves did he just address us as one of his bimbos? Goodness, I might murder someone this night. I feel like piercing through his chest until his white T-shirt is soaked in blood, or I should cut off his dark spilt curly hair and make him go bald making him lose face on stage. I look sideways to Serena girl is lost in this motherfucker psycho, I'm sure she is already at the altar with him and probably exchanging rings by now in her thoughts. Gosh!
"Serena," I call her my voice firm.
"I do my love. I do." I knew she is daydreaming again, I step on her toe she jolt out of her thoughts. The Chris guy whispers something to Leon.
"Oh I see," he says and smiles menacingly. I wonder what this psycho is thinking in his head right now. He continues, "Well I don't have your purse with me right now, maybe you can come over to my house to get your purse," he tells me, his expression glassy as he crosses his leg leaning back on the couch. Pervert!
Leon? My purse oh this doesn't make any sense, Serena and I stare at each other in astonishment.
"Can I get your autograph?" she says, pulling a cute face. Huh, she must have been a handsome guy hunter in her past life.
"Come on man it's time to go up on stage," Chris reminds him.
"I'm sorry honey I need to go, maybe some other time," he stands from his seat and marches out.
"Stop! How do I contact you to get my purse back?" he turns back to me and gives Chris a sign before leaving the room. Chris brings out a card from his front pocket and hands it over to me, he escorts us out of the lounge and we make our way to the arena for the concert I was not in the mood for the concert thing anymore my ego was crushed by the so-called artist we came here to watch. Oh, shame his fans have been deceived, as the saying goes never judge a book by its cover.
We take our stand at the VIP space as we watch him perform, the spotlight descends on his pale skin as he glows beneath its light and leans into the mic, his voice an illusion of tenderness, lust, and velvet shadows wrapping around his rhythm like the moonlight wraps the darkness of the night, masking the cruelty beneath his temple. The crowd sways with him as he sings as if he is the only color they see on the stage.
I cringe at the thought of being his fan.
"Wow babes I can't believe I talked to Leon like I mean face-to-face gosh my sister Ella will be so jealous if she finds out I can't wait to see her gloomy face when I tell her," she says, her voice chirpier.
"I see you're getting too excited and where is the proof that you talked to him?"
"Fuck me I didn't bring my favorite T-shirt I could've gotten his autograph on it. I can't believe I missed this one big chance," she groans and smacks my back.
"Ouch! What is my fault in this?" she turns away from me and focuses her gaze on Leon.
"You're such a mood spoiler."