Company

Chapter 107

"Hello?" Tae said holding her phone between her ear and shoulder.

"If you don't get out here and open this gate!" Shod's voice filled her ear a little louder than she wanted it to. "Got security out here looking at me like I'm crazy! HURRY UP!"

"Oh my goooosh, shut up! I'm coming." Tae ran from the kitchen out the back door, she ran up the cobblestone steps to the front gates. She cringed as she saw the security keeping Shod from getting in.

Tae waved her hand in the air standing on her tippy toes. "It's ok Big Mike, he's with me."

Big Mike turned and looked at Tae giving her a head nod and a wink.

"Yea! I'm with HER!" Shod repeated with his nose turned up rolling his eyes as he pushed passed Big Mike.

Shod pulled Tae into a hug. "Damn, I need a damn ID badge to get up in here, shit." Shod said following behind her, walking through the back yard and into the kitchen.

Tae leaned against the counter, placing pages of the magazine editorial she was doing in order. "Uummm Tae, have you been on your phone at all?!" Shod asked eyeing the screen of her iPhone, that hadn't stop lighting up since she put it back on the counter.

He frowned as he read as much of the links, comments, and google alerts as he could. "No, I've been too busy getting this done. The first time I picked it up was to answer your call." Tae said completely unbothered by her phone or anything that had to do with it.

Shod continued looking at her screen. "Yooouuuu, might want to look at these!" He said pushing her phone across the counter towards her, he still kept his eyes on the screen being nosy.

Tae looked up at him, then down at her phone, her nonchalant attitude for her phone and the links showing on the screen was clear as she picked it up. She slid her thumb across the screen and pulled down the notification bar. She frowned as she scrolled passed missed text messages and phone calls. Links to blog sites that claimed they had photos and footage of Tae and Destiny in a brawl. Of course TMZ and Media Takeout being the first to drop the story.

You can take the Super Model out the Hood, but you can't take the Hood out the Super Model.

Tae frowned at the header, then clicked on the link to read the story. She cringed as the story went on, shaking her head. Photos that appeared to be Tae all riled up filled the screen, she let out a sighed of relief at how dark they were, but it was no mistaking that, that was Drake's house in the background.

"Tae was more than ready to let one of Drake's many ex's know that she can catch these hands!" Tae read a portion of the story out loud. "Seriously." She said scrunching up her face, "our source confirmed that the ex that was about to get her ass beat was Toronto based model Destiny who used to mess around with Drake back in 08." Tae continued to read, she stopped with a stale face and looked at Shod.

"Somebody in your crew is feeding the rats through the gate." Shod said leaning on the counter his elbows up as he looked at his perfectly manicured nails.

"I don't even have anyone in my crew." She said tossing her phone down on the counter. "Nate doesn't even care for shit like this, you too busy for shit like this." Tae stopped talking, and looked at the very stale look Shod was giving her, his lips pressed tight together.

Tae shook her head no, holding up her index finger. "Jazmine wouldn't do that, no, nope, not at all."

Shod continued giving Tae the same old tired look. "You don't find it weird that Draya always knows where the fuck you at all the damn time!" Shod said squinting his eyes at Tae. "I mean I know I said your business is our business, but damn!"

"You don't find it odd that Melissa knew you and Jazmine was eating at the Steakhouse that one night! And how she just so happened to be in Vegas during Drake's birthday especially when she wasn't invited! You don't find it odd that Draya knew about the KLS store opening!? And how she know we was at the Tea House. You said you invited Jazmine but she said she had other plans right? So if I didn't txt Jazmine where was, but you did, and then Draya pop out the back like she work there."

Shod looked back down at his nails. "And why is it that MTO and TMZ are always the first with an exclusive."

Tae began to turn red, she shook her head in denial. "Look, I hate to be the one to drop Bombs over Bagdad, but bitch is a snitch, I bet you stop telling her what's going on and alllllll this shit stop." Shod finished, the amount of confidence in his voice began to make Tae nervous.

Drake's words began to repeat in Tae's head "people aren't who they say they are to you." She began to hyperventilate, her business was being broadcasted first hand by one of the closest people to her. Tae began shaking her head again.

"No, no, no no no." Her hand went up in the air. "I've known her way too long for her to do this shit to me. No!"

Shod raised an eyebrow at Tae, then leaned back in his seat. "Aye, if you want to play like you color blind and act like you don't see the red wire that's on you, but don't say I ain't say nothing." Shod stood up from his chair and turned facing the fridge. "What y'all got to eat!? I'm hungry!" He said nonchalantly as he casually walked to the fridge.

As if he didn't just turn Tae's life into an episode of Scooby-Doo. Tae looked back down at her phone, notifications still scrolled down her screen. Tae wanted nothing more than to confront Jazmine right then and there, but even she knew Jazmine would deny any affiliation.

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Takeout containers from The Nice Guy covered the table, everyone freely taking from each one of them, Tae sat on the other side of the table from Drake, as bad of a mood she was in, as hurt as she was of the thought of Jazmine putting her out on gossip blog sites she refused to let Drake know, she made sure her mood stayed the same, no shift in emotions. Drake may have been recording an album but he was finally slowing down, enjoying life, there was enough drama she had going on. Now that she knew where the negativity was coming from, Tae would make sure to get rid of it.

She watched him talk and play around with friends, she couldn't help but feel at ease around him, his one dimple making an appearance as he gave a perfect smile. His laptop sitting on the table as he played a specific verse to a specific song to Chubbs.

Tae leaned back in her chair reflecting on a conversation she had with Drake at the beginning of their relationship. Drake told her.

"The people that have the most access to you are usually the first to go, once you get to a certain level of fame those type of friends always accuse you of changing, when in reality they are the ones that are changing. They stop looking at you as the kid they grew up with, and start seeing you as the "Super Star" becoming almost jealous of the lifestyle and notification you're receiving as if you're not will to share it with them. The hardest thing is to weed out snakes in tall grass. It's almost impossible."

Tae chewed on the inside of her cheek as she reflected on the conversation. Tae realized her grass wasn't even tall, she realized she didn't even have a crew half as big as Drake's, there should be no reason snakes should be in her yard.