Page 163 of Anything Necessary for Her
“I’m not sure what you’re implying.” I felt a nervousness course through me, her cold hands still on my back as I stretched against the barre.
I didn’t want to be seen as some black version of Tonya Harding, even though that title would be better placed on Nikita. However, no one would see it that way if they knew my drug dealing boyfriend had her spine shattered.
“I’m not implying anything, Banks. I’m simply stating that it’s convenient for you that she is no longer in the show, just when you were about to drop out. The universe works inmysterious ways.” She took her hands off me. “Jamie is good, almost as good as Nikita, but not quite. Therefore, I expect you to out dance her, Banks, and will be extremely disappointed if you two perform on the same level. Be clean, precise, and perfect. Do you understand?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I bobbed my head, standing upright.
“Everyone should be stretching! We shouldn’t still be in our purses, on our phones, or gossiping!” Carolyn pranced off, shouting in the midst of snatching phones, snapping at girls who were conversing, and tapping the ones still elbow deep in their dance bags.
I pushed the situation with Nikita to the back of my mind and just hoped that the universe, aka Low, would also help Kailey.
“What is this?” I frowned in confusion as Low pulled up to the medium-sized building with its own miniature parking lot.
“Let’s see.” He hopped out after parking his Maybach backwards in an open spot.
He came around to help me out, and I began to wonder if he was about to propose or something. This was so random, and there was no real reason for him to bring me to some random ass building.
He led me to the door, and I was caught off guard when he used a key to unlock it. As soon as I stepped inside, I was startled by so many familiar faces shouting surprise.
“Umm, thank you?” I looked back and up at Low. It wasn’t my birthday, so I didn’t understand what this party was for.
But as the lights brightened, I took in the beautifully designed ballet studio coated in pink. Even the barres were pink, with bow and pointe shoe decals all around the walls. My name was scribbled above the main mirror in script font, and though this was beautiful and perfect and elegant, I was even more confused.
“It’s yours,” Low said as if reading my mind as my family stared back at me, grinning like a sea of clowns. “You always said how you wish you had a place to practice that wasn’t Prolific Pointe but got you out of the house,” he reminded me.
I talked so much to Low that I had no idea he paid this much attention. It was only then that I noticed a table of catered food, thankfully from Presley, and a delicious looking three-tier ballet inspired cake. There was a chocolate fountain, a photo booth, and pink tables around for people to sit.
I was speechless as my brothers, their wives, and Kailey all came up to hug me just before my parents.
“He ain’t tell you he did all this shit himself,” my father notified before kissing my temple.
“Really?” I looked to Low, who smirked bashfully.
“I mean, not every fucking thing. Shit, we did some of this too,” Unique called out, getting himself a stern look from my dad and our mother.
“Unique, shut up. Y’all came at the ending. He did everything else,” my mother said.
“Thank you.” I moved from my father’s arms and into Low’s just before he pecked me gently, and I knew it was because my daddy was right there watching like a creep. Low peered down into my eyes as I hugged his torso tightly. “For everything though, babe. Of course, this studio, but also for keeping my secrets, even though I knew it tore you up, standing up to my annoying brothers, and just changing my life. You always talk about how life wasn’t life before I came to you, and while I likedmy life just fine before us, it wasn’t half as great as it is with you in it.”
“Good to know.” He moved my hair back, absorbing me through his eyes like always as I kept a hold on him. Music was now playing, and the chatter of my people had heightened. “You know I’ll do anything for you though; anything to keep you happy.”
“Even break some bones,” I whispered up at him, and we chuckled together.
I didn’t need to whisper because between the music, conversation, and my nieces and nephews running around the studio like banshees, no one would’ve heard even if I’d spoken through a bullhorn.
“That’s nothing, Peep.” We kissed several times; this time he put a little more into it since my father had swaggered off and wasn’t hawking us. “What age you trying to get married?”
“ASAP if it’s you.”
“If?” His forehead creased as he stared down at me. I simply smiled as he shook his head, sipping whatever was in his plastic cup. “Ain’t no if, Peep. It’s me or the nunnery.”
I giggled.
“Then ASAP.”
His eyes toggled from my eyes to my lips and back again before he bobbed his head to say he’d heard me.
The party ended up being a lot of fun, and my heart fluttered even more seeing the food was brunch food, which Sophie was also happy about. The attention to detail was something to be admired.
