THE BET.

II.

September 1, 2002
Houston, Texas
8:17 AM
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles

Since Nicki, Kehlani, and myself made the dumbest decision- getting high ten minutes before the bell, we were now paying the consequences.

Nicki was continuously nodding off every five to ten seconds. She was practically forcing herself to stay awake by being on her phone while Kehlani was blurting out random shit that made us laugh every few minutes. I was bothered and hungry, wishing I had the munchies on me. That bagel mama gave me before I drove here was not enough.

"Bitch, I don't think I'm gon' make it to class today. I'm higher than a kite. I can't even focus." Lani said, creepily staring at herself in the mirror. "Damn. My eyes redder than a bitch, y'all."

"I have no choice but to go to class." Nic frowned, looking up from her phone with heavy eyelids. "I know Candi is waiting on me. I lied and told her I'm running late. Only reason why I'm not dippin' on y'all asses is because a bitch look good today. I can't let this fit go to waste." She added, flipping her hair behind her back. She's the type of woman that refuses to wear an outfit more than two times.

Nicki and I have been friends since we were three. Her family moved here back in 1987 from one of the most beautiful places— St. James, Trinidad. Our neighborhood wasn't the busiest, and we happened to live right across the street from each other. One hot summer day, my parents decided to hold a neighborhood cookout, inviting everyone who resided on our block. My parents greeted Onika's parents, and they became friends during the event, which caused us to hit it off.

I met Kehlani in my freshmen year of high school. She moved here in 1999 from Oakland, California. Though she lived two blocks away from Nicki and I, the both of us began speaking to her at lunch. Pretty soon, the three of us became a trio. The most respected, smartest trio at Houston High.

"Mmm, sure do. Out here lookin' quite snackish, if I do say so myself. When you gon' let me love you, girl?" Kehlani asked Nicki, locking eyes with her in the mirror. I bursted out in laughter. Gay ass.

Aside from the small crush she had on Onika, Lani loved messing around with her just for the fun of it. What she didn't know, is that Onika had gained some feelings for her as well. They'd never admit it to each other, but I knew.

"Never, bitch. I have a man." She yawned, rolling her eyes while trying to hide a smile that was threatening to attack the corners of her lips.

"And? You know I give no fucks. You say you have a man, eh? That's cool, but do you have a woman?" She smirked, facing a now blank faced Nicki who didn't respond. "Exactly. Ya' lying ass don't have a man anyway."

"Leave my baby alone, pervert." I wiped my eyes, tears falling from laughing so hard. The look on Nicki's face was priceless.

Kehlani playfully punched my shoulder, laughing with me. "I'm just fuckin' with her, she know what it is. Ain't that right, ma?"

"Um... yeah, whatever. I gotta go to class now." Nicki said groggily, hopping off the counter and sliding on her sunglasses.

"Really, Onika? Shades indoors?" I took one last drag of the blunt in my hand before putting it out and tossing it in the toilet before flushing. The bathrooms here were beyond clean and smelled like heaven. The janitors don't play that dirty shit.

"Girl, this is exclusive Dior. You see these?" She turned her head, allowing us to see the pink diamond jewels encrusted on the side. "This shit ain't even on the racks yet, chile! Everyone has to see them at least once." She pouted. "And besides, everybody don't need to see my dilated ass eyes when I walk in the room. Thanks to y'all, I look like I've either been cryin' or dealing with chronic allergies. I don't even have allergies."