Super Rich Kids

chapter one

sleeping in LA was like being in a bubble. there wasn’t enough night traffic on our street to create the “white noise” i was used to. even our neighbors were silent as the grave. the odd stillness of the apartment made me uneasy to say the least.

"Cara," i whispered into her bedroom. "are you up?"  

she shifted in her sleep but didn’t wake. she had mentioned a go-see the next afternoon so i let her rest. it was 3am and i was meeting my new manager tomorrow for lunch so i really did need to sleep but i felt so strange here. the city was so different from what i was used to.

the one redeeming quality i had found was the sea air. we were close enough to sense and smell the ocean but still too far to be seafront property. i just knew i’d be spending some time down there.

i curled up on the couch and switched on the tv, being sure to keep the volume down. there wasn’t much on, due to the time, so i settled on some gossip show with lots of colors. they were going on about some starlets DUI before a new face popped up. a young man with a wide white smile graced the screen. he gave a bashful look to a red carpet camara as the show host filled us in on him.

i knew his face but had never looked into him, the video the played cast him in a humble almost shy light that made me like him. “…Frank Ocean is rumored to be working with heavyweights Jay Z and Kanye for their upcoming projects. hopefully we’ll see more of this new prince of pop soon…”

"hopefully," i whispered to myself with a laugh. i mean i was in LA… anything could happen.

———

"so you must be my new assistant?" Clancy shook my hand with a grin. 

"yes, sir. would you like some help with that?" i started to reach for the binders in his arms

"Clancy is just fine, and thanks yea." he sighed heavily and smiled again. "lets go meet the guys."

Clancy, my new boss, had called me this morning asking to change lunch to a full first day on the job. i had met him near the house his client recorded at and he lead me inside. we made our way straight to the basement where someone in a hoodie sat in front of the recording booth controls. a tall boy in a green cap was in the booth spitting words into the mic. he had a look on his face like he was out for blood. i gulped. and set the binders on a table near the door. the person in the hood suddenly turned and looked at me. 

in all honesty i wasn’t sure if they were male or female but, in all honesty, it didn’t really matter. they smirked and nodded like they weren’t all that impressed by me. i stood back and waited for them to wrap up and Clancy to make introductions. 

"that was good ty, i think that was it. we’ll work on the next one when hodgy shows up." the hoodie kid said as they switched on the sound. they got up from the chair and walked up to Clancy letting the hood drop

"that sounded good syd. got him workin." Clancy said jokingly. as they gave each other daps. "i want you to meet my new assistant," he turned to me with his hand out "Naomi this is Syd and… thats Tyler." we all looked over to the tall boy emerging from the booth with a huge goofy grin on his face. 

"WASSUP FOOL?" he bellowed loudly. we all laughed.

Syd shook my hand politely. “you’ll get used to him.” she, im going with she, chuckled. 

Tyler had ripped into a bag of chips and propped his feet up on the table. “the guys said they comin now.” he said around a mouthful. 

"good," Clancy clapped his hands. "i gotta go pick up Chloe so im gonna leave Naomi here to meet everyone. is that okay?" he gave me a look like i didn’t really have a choice. 

"sure. thats fine." i said more to reassure myself.

"great! behave guys. i’ll be back at 1." clancy left with a wink and the three of us stood awkwardly for a moment.

"you’re not from here are you?" Tyler said still munching.

"is it that obvious?" i laughed. the two of them shared a look and Syd scratched her head. "no, im from New York. i moved out here with a friend." i added simply. Tyler blinked and set the chips to the side.

"imma get some sodas." he got up left in a fluid motion. leaving me with Syd in yet another awkward silence. she sat again, facing me, and gestured to a small couch. 

"don’t mind him. he laid a few nice tracks this week and he’s being a diva." she spoke in a soft tone like she didn’t mind repeating herself. it forced me to sort of perch on the chair and lean forward. 

"oh i don’t mind." i said trying to match her breathy tone. i think she could tell and she smirked again. 

there was movement upstairs and loud footsteps coming down to us. Three guys walked in and gave Syd daps one by one. Tyler came down after and tossed around cans of soda. i was lost in the greetings when Syd suddenly waved me over. “guys this is Clancys new assistant, Naomi.” she put her arm around my waist in the small space and started to point the guys out. i tried to focus on the names rather than her hand on my hip.

there was Vyron, or “Left”, who towered above me in sweats and a white tee next to Hodgy in astute glasses. a boy who seem younger then the group was Travis “thats my baby brother.” Syd said offhand. 

i could feel the guys eyeing me as we shook hands and made small talk but in the mist of saying what i liked about LA so far another man walked in.

"yo franky! you made time for us niggas?" Tyler shouted at him.

"just got in, had to see my wolves." the man said with a laugh. i remembered that laugh, and that smile. he walked over to us and said his hellos before sticking out his hand to me. 

"hello miss, im Frank." he said in his silky voice. i felt Syds hand drop away as i shook his hand.

"Naomi." i said softly. "wonderful to meet you."