Chapter 4: Check Up

This isn’t a continuation of any of the other chapters, nor a flashback. It’s about what happened today. S/O to the anon who suggested this idea. :)

——————————————————————————————————-

It was mid afternoon, Nicki was in the studio with SB, working on the amazingness that would be Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded. SB went out to get them some lunch, so Nicki took a break and surfed the Internet for a while. She liked to see what was going on with her crew in the media, so she googled them. Drake was last to be searched because she didn’t want to think of him. Everytime she thought of him, she’d get these butterflies that she hated. He was just her little brother, her Young Money fam, that’s all. She told herself this repeatedly while googling him. The first thing that popped up on Drake’s search was “CONFIRMED!  Dollicia Bryan says she’s dating Drake!”

Her heart dropped. “What the fuck? Why? I don’t…What? No. No. I don’t care. I refuse to care. It’s none of my business. He’s not mine. Doesn’t matter to me.” Nicki thought.

She got up and paced around the studio. She tried to push the thought of Drake and his new girlfriend far out of her mind, but it wouldn’t leave. She pictured his arms wrapped around her, him kissing her, his lips on hers. Everything they had done in the past, this girl took her place in her thoughts. And then the thought occurred to her that this whole thing could be a rumor! She darted across the room, grabbed her Blackberry, and dialed his number.

“Hey Nic, what’s up!”

“Hey.” She said in a quiet voice

“You alright?”

“Yeah. Um, how are you?”

“I’m pretty good, just finished shooting with Mary.”

“Oh, that’s nice.”

“Nic.”

“What?”

“You sound…apprehensive. Is there something you need? I mean, don’t think I don’t want to talk to you, I always do, but I can tell when you’re upset, so spill that.”

“No, Drake it’s nothing.”

“Niiiiiiiiic.”

“Aight, aight. It’s not a big deal, I just saw some stuff online and I wanted to know if it was true.”

“And?”

“Are you…dating anyone?” She had to make up a reason for asking so he didn’t think she was prying or cared too much. “You know, since we’re about to shoot this Make Me Proud video, I just wanted to know which way to go with it. I was thinking a romantic vibe, but if you’re dating someone, I wouldn’t want to go that way, because you’re dating someone so…”

“Nic, Nic, slow down, slow down. Are you talking about Dollicia and these blogs?” He sighed. “I thought you didn’t read those things?”

“I like to check up on what’s going on with you guys sometimes.”

“No. I’m not dating her. We’re good friends. She’s a video girl, you know, a model. We’ve been hanging out recently because she’s trying to boost her career some more, and I wanted to help her, so I gave her the gift of publicity.”

“Oh!” Nicki said, perkiness coloring her tone.

“Haha, yes Nicki, I’m still single, since that’s basically what you were asking.”

“Shut up.”

“You know it’s true.”

“No. I told you, I only asked so we could start planning this video.”

“The video that you want to have a romantic vibe?”

“Scratch that.”

“NO, Nic you got it, you got it.”

“That’s what I thought.”

He laughed. “You know I’m just messing with you. Well, I know you’re in the studio, making magic happen, slaying all these rap bitches out here, ending their careers and shit, so I’ll let you get back to that. Thanks for checking on me.”

She laughed. “You’re welcome, boo.”

“I miss you, Onika.”

“I miss you too, Aubrey.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

He chuckled at that. “Aight, talk to you later.”

“Wait. What’s funny?”

“Nothing.”

She made a face. “What. Was. Funny?”

“I laughed because you don’t know how much I wish you really meant that.”

“Meant what?”

“That you loved me.”

“I do love you.”

“Not like I love you.”

She sighed and pondered the thought of telling him that she did, in fact love him, but was interrupted by him.

“I mean, I know you love me the way I love you, I just wish you’d admit it to yourself.”

“What?” she asked incredulously

“You love me.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Okay, then I’ll just get back to Dollicia. She called a minute ago.”

Nicki sucked in a sharp breath, shocked that he’d go that low. She felt a twinge of pain and jealousy in her stomach and hung up the phone. She tossed it across the room.

“Fuck him.” She said to herself.

A minute later, the phone vibrated. She ignored it until temptation forced her to check it. It was a message from Drake.

“You know I was messing with you.”

“Fuck you.” She replied.

He called her then and she picked up, not saying anything.

“That proved it. You love me.”

She still didn’t say anything.

“I’ll call you tonight.” He said with a smile in his voice.

Still no reply from Nicki.

He chuckled. “Love you.” He said, and the line went “click.”