Pretty Girls in the Vip (9781617730283) (27 page)

M
y phone rang all night. People I hadn't heard from were texting me and calling me asking if what Courtney was saying about me was true. I wasn't taking anyone's calls and was saying the hell with everything. Darcel called me a bunch of times and I finally had enough courage to talk to her.

“Why is she trying to ruin me, Darcel? I worked hard at all of this, and she is just coming and fucking it all up.”

“Isn't this the same cousin you tried to get a job for at the club?”

“Yes, I tried to get her in at Belize. I got her in the magazine. I always was helping her. But she still wants to hurt me. I don't know what to do. I need someone to help me.”

“What you need is someone to contact all those blogs and the radio station on your behalf and demand that they take those pictures and interviews down. Call Adrienne, she will know what to do.”

“I don't think she will help me, Darcel. Jabril is her friend's boyfriend, and she asked me to leave him alone and I kind of told her off the other day.”

“I don't think she will hold that against you. Adrienne is a good person. Just try her and call me right back.”

“Okay. I'll call her and see what she thinks I should do.” I inhaled deeply and tried Adrienne. She answered right on the second ring. She still must have had my number saved in her phone because she answered, “What's up, Shanice? I'm busy. What do you need?”

“Um, Adrienne, I really need your help. My cousin is on the radio and the blogs telling all my business, talking about me and Jabril and telling all these lies, and it is about to ruin my career. Should I call in to the radio station and defend myself or just let it blow over?” I sobbed.

“Sorry to hear about all of this, Shanice, but that's the consequences of living a dirty life. Things happen. When I tried to talk to you before you didn't want to hear what I had to say. So now you are on your own.”

“I'm sorry. I didn't listen, but I really need your help.”

“Again, maybe I could have helped you if you would have had some respect when I called you, but you didn't, so I can't. Good luck.”

Adrienne was really cold and callous, and I felt all alone. I just wanted to crawl somewhere and disappear. Everything I had worked for and relationships I had built were all down the drain. Why would Courtney do this shit? The only explanation had to be because she was a fucking jealous ass hater.

Darcel called me back. We talked and she convinced me to go get my hair done and go to my party.

Out of the shop, my hair looked nice and I was ready to step to Courtney. I blocked my number and dialed her phone as soon as I got in my car. She was dumb enough to answer.

“Courtney, so it is like that, bitch?” I screamed into my phone.

“You motherfucking right it is. You thinking your ass is something that you not. And I hope that dude leave you when he find out who you really is. Bitch, you will learn never to play and change on me.”

“Bitch, I ain't change on you. You are just a stupid hoe that ain't going nowhere. I hope it is worth it, because you was acting crazy, embarrassing me, and I'm supposed to keep taking up for you and let you fuck up my situation. Hell no. Whatever he do, stay or leave, I'm still good. I'm still on magazine covers, boo. I'm still in videos. What you doing with your life? Huh? What you got, broke ass? You still with your mom in that room I left you in. Is that why you mad—because I'm up and you not?”

“You not up, bitch. Go get your daughter, how about that? Go get your mom out of that jail. You ain't shit, bitch. I'm going to keep talking, bitch, and sending pictures. After I'm done, no one will ever want to talk to you.” She hung on up me, and I called her back.

“Courtney, you can do whatever you want, but you are not going to win. You're broke and you're mad. I'm at the mall every day. You want to talk about me, fine. But talk about all this money I'm getting and this rich-ass nigga I fuck with.” This time I hung up on her and then I called her mother. I had to let Aunt Rhonda know what her daughter was doing.

“Aunt Rhonda, Courtney calling in to radio stations giving interviews hating and spreading rumors about me everywhere. It is not right, Aunt Rhonda. Talk to her, please, and tell her to stop,” I said all in one breath.

“Slow down. What are you talking about?”

“Courtney is talking about me and our family business to strangers on the radio and on the Internet.”

“She did what? I don't know what all this is about, but I'll talk to her.”

“Aunt Rhonda, there is no reason for her to do this. She is lying. Make her stop. You have to make her stop.”

“I will. I'll call her now.”

After talking to Aunt Rhonda, I calmed down some. April's number came up. I didn't want to answer, but I needed to speak with her.

“April, what's up?”

“I don't know, you tell me. Why is this chick talking reckless like this? ”

“I don't know. It is my cousin. She is crazy and is mad at me because I'm coming up.”

“Well, Shanice, you are calling in to that radio show this afternoon to promote your party and deny all rumors associated with your brand. I don't care what's true and what's not, but make sure you get people to like you and pick up some magazines.”

“All right. Shit happens but this is not stopping anything. Just know family are usually the first people to fuck you every time.”

 

By the time my conversation was over with April, I felt like the world was not ending after all. I was so happy that April was my manager and on my team. I was going to my party and I was going to fight all of this hatred head-on.

I called in to the radio station. I was about to go toe-to-toe with this scandal. I was waiting to speak to Milo Gossip. Her producer said she would be on the call in the next ten minutes. I was practicing what I was going to say and how I was going to combat everything Courtney had said about me. She got on the call and I heard her introduce me.

“We have the beautiful Shani Amore representing Philly in the Wellzo video and that
Chrome and Platinum
magazine cover. She is on the line and ready to let us know what's real and what's not. Tell the people what's going on, Ms. Amore. Yesterday we spoke to your cousin and she had a lot to say about you.”

“Hey, Philly, hey, Milo Gossip. Everything she said was pure lies. She is a hater, and if haters can't be you they have to make up things to say about you.”

“So, there is no truth to the prostitution and having sex with old men for money and stripping rumors.”

“Hell, no. Well, I did strip for a week, but she was with me, and I never was a prostitute. That's just crazy.”

“Now, she also said you are dating Camden's own NBA baller Jabril Smith and some of his teammates, even though his girlfriend is another Philly girl, is that true?”

“No, that is not true at all. Me and him are only cool, and I don't know any of his teammates. I don't know where she is getting this stuff. My cousin is on some ish and she crazy. She must have forgot to take her medication.”

“Okay, well, glad to hear your side of the story. So, you are going to be at Rapid tonight for your cover of
Chrome and Platinum
magazine?”

“I am, and I want everyone to come out and help me celebrate.”

“Well, that's what it is. Shani Amore is reppin' Philly, and might I add, doing it beautifully. Check out her videos and see her tonight at Rapid. I'll be there to support her, and all haters, shut up and let this lady do her thing.”

 

The interview was over and I was so relieved. Now I had one last person to talk to and that was Jabril. I should have called him yesterday, before he heard it from anyone else. I called his phone, and then I drove around while waiting for him to pick up.

“Jabril, I need to talk to you.”

“What's up?” He must not have heard the rumors yet. I thought about not saying anything, but I had to.

“Jabril, remember my cousin, the one that was out with us in Atlantic City?”

“Yeah. What's up with her?”

“Well, she did an interview and it has made it onto a few websites, talking about us. She sees that my modeling is taking off and she is mad. Basically, she is just making up a bunch of shit about me, you, and my past.”

“Really? What radio station?”

I was surprised he hadn't heard about it yet. “Um, 103.8 with Milo Gossip. My manager had me call in to the station and tell them none of it was true. I don't want you to get in any trouble with your girlfriend.”

“All right, let me call you back, Shanice. Let me see what's going on.”

“Okay, and Jabril, she is lying.”

“Yeah, all right,” he said, and I knew that was the last time I was ever going to talk to him. At least Darcel was going with me tonight, and April said she was thinking about driving down from New York to support me. I had real friends, so fuck a fake cousin.

 

In my apartment I decided exactly what I was going to wear. No matter what, I had to show that bitch that she couldn't hold me down. I showered, took my time, and perfected my makeup. Then I curled my weave, making sure every curl was in place. Once my hair and makeup were done, I slipped on my black short dress that ended right at my butt cheeks. Completing the look, I wore black high tie up boots and diamond accessory bangles and earrings.

Just as I was done getting dressed, Jabril called me back and shocked the shit out of me when he said, “Shanice, whatever you did or didn't do before me, that's your business. You know what we have and how I feel about you. I'm with you no matter what.”

“But, Jabril, I didn't do anything she said, and it is just fucked up.” I began crying and could barely talk.

“Shanice, all right, I believe you. I'm telling you it don't matter. I'm still going to the party tonight, and you hold your head up. Nothing has changed.”

 

Jabril dropped the car off to me and said he would see me at the club. I drove to pick up Darcel and pulled up in front of Rapid in Bril's GT on chrome. It was so crowded outside, it reminded me of working at Belize.

In the club they had my magazine cover on display all over and treated me like I was the biggest star. Darcel and I were sitting in the front of the club near the stage, and people were asking me to sign their magazine covers. I thought everyone would be against me because of the rumors. But that was not happening. So many people were coming over to me giving me support. The
Chrome and Platinum
magazine editor had even come over to me, telling me he wanted me to do some other work with him and that he would call April tomorrow. Then, in the middle of the partying, I saw Jabril and a few of his friends come into the club. The majority of the crowd was following him all around. Right in front of everyone, he came up and showered me with love. He kissed my cheek and hugged me and then sat at the table with Darcel and me. “Thank you for coming out, Jabril. I know you didn't have to.”

“I told you I had you and you didn't have to worry about anything.” He kissed me again on the lips and hugged around my waist, letting everyone know I was his girl.

 

At the end of the night, we were going back to my place and I was feeling good. Instead of breaking me and Jabril up, Courtney had actually made us stronger. I couldn't wait to reciprocate the love he'd shown me all night. The valet brought us his car, he said good-bye to his friends, and we drove off.

A few lights away from the club down Broad Street, for no apparent reason at all, a cop just came up behind us flashing his blue and red lights.

“Are you drunk? Were you just swerving?” Jabril asked.

“No, not at all. I didn't even drink that much.” Jabril looked back in the mirror and said they were drawn, but for me to just pull over to see what they wanted. I pulled over and once they reached my window, I already had my license and the paperwork in hand ready for them. “Miss, where are you coming from?” the officer asked. That was an odd question to ask, but I told him I was coming from Rapid, right down the street. He called in the license plate on the radio hanging from his blue-collared shirt and then asked me to step out of the car. I looked over at Jabril. Neither of us knew what was going on.

“Have you been drinking, miss?”

“Earlier, a little bit.” I didn't have to lie because I wasn't drunk. He listened to the radio again and then said, “I'm going to ask you both to step out of the car.”

“Why?” I asked, confused.

“Because I asked you to.”

Jabril whispered, “He needs a warrant to search this car. And he can't just pull us over for nothing and ask us to get out of the car. Let me call my uncle.” The cop saw Jabril on his phone and told him to hang up. Jabril began telling him that he knew his rights. I didn't want anything bad to happen, and so I just told Jabril to stop arguing with the cops and for us just to get out.

Once we were out of the car, the cop sat us on the curb and told us not to move. Then he took his flashlight and began poking around, checking the glove box and under the seats like he was looking for something. We sat on the curb and watched as he called another cop over to the car and they came back with a big Ziploc clear freezer bag of weed. I looked over at Jabril, and he looked at me. His eyes were as big as mine.

“Did they plant that there?” I asked him under my breath.

“No, that is mine, but I don't how that shit got in the car.”