Page 38 of Between the Lines

Instead of a verbal answer, I turned my tablet toward my camera, holding it up and adjusting the position. “Do you see this bullshit?”

@StellaBella—LOL here we go. I BEEN told y’all that bitch was for the streets, but her little princess act had y’all so fooled.

@StellaBella—she’s a pass-around, your honor! The HOMIE THOUGH?! Wow. She always been a bold one I guess.

@StellaBella—I’d ride my brother’s wave too—unfortunately I can’t sing a lick. But shit…maybe that don’t even matter LOLOLOLOLOL.

I didn’t even follow Stella, but the tweets were going viral now, so of course they’d made their way in front of me. The thing was though, I’d never even officiallymetStella—her brother was Josiah, who was in a dope indie R&B duo whose performances I’d been to a couple times, but that was is.

I didn’tknowthis girl, and she for damn sure didn’t know me.

And yet she felt this comfortable throwing shots?

Cool.

I hit the “reply” button on one of the tweets and started typing.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Shaw asked, and I paused to look at him.

“Giving your girlfriend the attention she so clearly wants from me—did you tell her about us dating or something?”

He shook his head. “I didn’t tell her shit, and she’snotmy girlfriend.”

“Then why is she so conveniently pressed about me?”

“Because…” He sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. “We…”

“You were fucking her,” I guessed, and he nodded.

“Yeah. And I thought we were on the same page, but I guess not. I let her know I wasn’t really with it anymore, and she flipped a little bit—asked me if it was because of you.”

I tossed a hand up. “Whywould she landthereof all places if you hadn’t told her anything?”

“I think it was just a series of coincidences, honestly,” he said. “We happen to be working together, you were spotted driving out of my neighborhood the day after the attack, and…the night you came over…shehad wanted to come over. I told her no. She put it together.”

“Oh. Okay. I guess I can see it,” I admitted. “But none of this is any reason for her to be coming at me spicy. I can pretend not to see a lot, but I can’t let visible disrespect ride. Not likethis.”

Shaw pushed out a long sigh. “I think you know what your PR would say.”

“Yeah, I just don’t care.”

He grunted. “Okay—tell me what you’re going to say. Read off what you were typing.”

“Uh…really?”

“Yes, really.”

“You don’t want me to do that.”

His eyes went wide. “I…think Ineedyou to, at this point.”

“Fine.” I laughed, turning the tablet screen back on so I read off what I’d typed.

Hey @stellabella just mention me next time scary ass bitch. You know entirely too much about me (fan behavior) for me to have no clue what has you so pissy. Take a sitz bath and simmer down.

Shaw was quiet, for a long time, then finally spoke.

“First of all…no.Delete that. Second, a sitz bath?”

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