Page 17 of Juice

“I’m in college?”

“You go to school?” He asked perplexedly.

Our drinks and the appetizer being lowered to the table put a temporary halt in our conversation. Once the server walked away, I asked. “You thought I was a dummy? Or did you think I was like the rest of the hoes at the club?”

“What you mean by that?”

“You thought I was working there so I can get chose or something?”

“Nawl never that.” He refuted. “I ain’t know what to think to be honest.”

“So why me? Out of all the girls that stepped into your section that night why you seek me out?”

Julius leaned back in his chair and stared at me. At first, I was giving him direct eye contact but when he didn’t blink, I started feeling like this was too much. Shifting in my seat I cleared my throat. “Julius.”

“Honestly, it was your smile.”

“That’s corny as hell.” I joked. Really it was kind of cute, but I wouldn’t dare tell him that.

He held his hands up palm side out. “I’m being honest. When you smiled at me, I swear that shit lit up the fucking room. It was something alluring about the way your eyes were damn near hidden behind your cheeks.”

I didn’t want to but I blushed, so hard to the point where I had no choice but to drop my head to keep him from noticing it.

“I know that shit may seem corny to you but wasn’t nothing corny ‘bout the way your smile made me feel.”

“Julius.” I breathed. “You just signed your first record deal. When your first album drops, hell the first song, you are going to blow up. Where you’re headed in life is not a place that I want to be in.

Me working at Stax is a means to an end for me. Once I finish school and get my degree, I plan on moving away. I don’t think I’m equipped to live the fast life.”

“How you know what you’re equipped to do until you give it a shot?” He probed. “People see the front side of this lifestyle not realizing the things it takes in the background to maintain it.”

“I hear you but still.”

“Ain’t no but still, Nariah.”

“I’m telling you what comes along with your job isn’t for me. The girls, the late nights, the partying, the flying here to there. I don’t want that for myself. Moreover, I don’t want to get myself tangled up in everything that you have going on and lose sight of who I am and what my purpose is.”

“Who says I’ll let you?”

“It’s not a matter of you letting me do anything. It’s inevitable. If I say okay to being with you, you mean to tell me you’ll be okay with me not being able to jump up and travel to where you are— or hell go with you?”

“If I know you got other obligations, Nariah then of course I’ll be okay.”

“You won’t.” I shook my head. Slamming my eyes shut I sucked in a deep breath and pushed it out. “You say that now until the time comes.”

“I ain’t talking just to hear myself talk though, Nariah.” He said, trying to convince me that I was wrong. I knew I wasn’t, that’s why I didn’t date anybody in the industry. Rappers, athletes, all of them were pretty much the same.

Julius wasn’t the first “celebrity” that had tried to holla at me. I’d been approached by a few of them. Atlanta was small so I ran into a famous person every single day. By saying that, I’m saying regardless of what type of celebrity he was the end results would be the same.

“And I’on like how you tryna make it seem like I’m equal to the rest of these niggas out here. I ain’t tryna deter you from your dreams Nariah. All a nigga tryna do is be in your mix and prove to you that I ain’t how you think I am.”

“I hear ya.” I would like to believe him when he said that shit, but I just didn’t see it the way he saw it.

“Hear me enough to wanna give me an honest shot.”

“I didn’t say all of that.” Looking down at the gifts I added. “You do know you can’t buy me don’t you?”

“Girl ain’t nobody tryna buy your ass. I told you Ma Dukes said not to show up empty handed.”

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