𝐬𝐤𝐚𝐢'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

the conference room was filled with the hum of excitement and anticipation. my team sat around the large table, laptops open, discussing the logistics of potentially releasing new music. i felt a mix of nerves and exhilaration, the familiar rush of adrenaline that always accompanied these meetings.

"so, skai," brandy began, looking up from her notes, "we've been analyzing the market trends, and we think this is the perfect time for you to drop a new single. the fans are ready, and there's a lot of buzz for your return to music ever since your marie claire interview."

i nodded, tapping my fingers on the table. "i agree. i've been in the studio lately working on some new material, when it's time to share it i'll let y'all know."

the meeting continued, filled with discussions about marketing strategies, potential collaborations, and tour schedules. suddenly, jay z walks in, holding a commanding air about him as everyone stops speaking abruptly to greet him. his smile extends towards me as he made his way across the room. i got up from my chair and side hugged him before he sat down on the seat closest to me.

"i hope everyone is doing well, why don't y'all give me a run down so i can know the latest updates on our little superstar." he says coolly, his brooklyn accent still present in his voice.

signing with roc nation was a dream come true for me and also my music duo natalie. the day we inked the deal, it felt like the universe had finally acknowledged our relentless hustle. we were ecstatic, the excitement bubbling over as we called our families, friends, and each other, barely able to believe we were now part of a legacy shaped by the likes of jay z and beyoncé.

our first meeting with them was surreal. we were ushered into a sleek, modern office, the walls adorned with platinum records and iconic photographs. jay z and beyoncé greeted us with warm smiles, their presence commanding yet incredibly inviting. i remember feeling star-struck, my heart racing as i shook their hands, struggling to keep my composure.

as time went on, the awe gave way to a deeper, more personal connection. jay z and beyoncé didn't just offer professional guidance; they genuinely cared about us as individuals. they invited us to their home for dinners, where conversations flowed naturally from music to life, dreams, and even fears. their kids would sometimes join us, adding a familial warmth to our gatherings.

"skai is expecting to drop a single in the next four months and perform at a few festivals in the summer around the country, lollapalooza and rolling loud have already sent in their requests for her to headline." brandy explains, looking towards my booking agent brandon occasionally for confirmation.

"and all are solo performances?" he asks, his elbow leaning on the table as he rubs his chin in concentration.

"rolling loud wants natalie and skai to perform together but i'll have to get back to them once i get a better understanding of natalie's schedule." brandon injected quickly looking down at his laptop. jay z hums to show that he understands.

"well skai how are you feeling about that? are you ready to get back on stage since your incident?" he asks the question carefully and i couldn't help but look down at my hands.

i nodded slowly, my thoughts pulling me back to that night, the night of the accident.

it was natalie and i's last performance on our world tour, a sold-out show that should have been a triumphant return. the crowd was electric, the energy palpable. i could feel the anticipation as i stepped onto the stage, the lights blinding and the roar of the audience a deafening wall of sound.

i started strong, the music pulsing through me, my voice blending with the cheers and applause. but then, in an instant, everything shifted. i was mid-song when I heard the sickening crack of the stage giving way beneath me. the next moments were a chaotic blur—a rush of air, a flash of pain, the panicked screams of the crowd mingling with the sudden silence in my head.

i hit the ground hard, the world spinning as i struggled to understand what had just happened. my ankle throbbed with a searing pain, and i could feel the panic rising in my chest. crew members rushed to my side, their faces pale and frantic. i remember hearing natalie's panicked screaming as brandy pulled her aside to take a closer look at me. the show stopped, the music cut off, and the reality of my injury hit me with full force.

in the aftermath, the physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional toll. i was sidelined, my confidence shattered, and the fear of stepping back on stage became an ever-present shadow. it took months of recovery and therapy to even consider performing again, but the memory of that night lingered.

"skai?" brandy's voice pulled me back to the present, the concerned faces of my team coming into focus. "are you okay? are you ready to perform again?"

i took a deep breath, steadying myself. the fear was still there, but so was the determination. i owed it to myself, and to my fans, to move past the trauma and reclaim the stage.

"yeah," i said, my voice firmer than i felt. i'm ready."

"skai has even resumed her dance classes, i'm sure she will be ready by the time summer rolls around." brandy concludes, smiling sweetly at jay z as he nods in approval.

i remember when i woke up in the hospital, my first worry was if i would ever perform and dance again. i am known very well for my talent and passion in dancing and was relieved when the doctor said that nothing too serious happened. i occasionally linked up with teyana taylor who is like family to me, but performing on stage was another monster.

the room seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief, and the meeting continued, but i knew that overcoming my fear would be a personal battle. the stage was where i belonged, but i felt so scared to go back.

when the meeting concluded, jay z pulled me quickly to the side just to reassure me. "remember, this industry can be tough," he'd say, his eyes serious but kind. "i know you're scared, i can sense it but just take things one step at a time alright? own your struggles and turn them into something beautiful."

i nodded enthusiastically before he said goodbye and stalked off. my phone rang, notifying me of a message and i walked out of the meeting room texting natalie back who was checking up on me.

𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢🦋

hii girl just checking in on u |

call me around 1pm if u don't see this now, i'll be on break :) |

| hii i miss u so much

| can't believe i didn't have enough time to come and see u on set in london

ikr u have to make it up to me |

anyways how was the meeting? |

| it was good, jay came in just to check up on me which was nice

| they asked if i can perform this summer

what did u say |

| obvie i have to say yes to jay fucking z

true true |

are u nervous? |

| kind of but i think if i do gigs again i'll get used to it

ok u got this. i gtg rn ill speak to you soon |

alsooo me, u and gio need to link up when i get back! |

i smiled fondly to myself before putting my phone back in my handbag. as i take a sharp turn, i almost collided with megan.

"oh my god girl! you nearly gone and ran me over." megan squeals, her houston accent coming out on the thick side with her sentence. 

i smiled instantly as we hugged each other squealing. megan is one of my closest friends in the industry and i see her as my older sister. she has been through her own shit but the way she carries herself regardless is what drew me closer to her. 

now that she is freed from the shackles of her old label and has gone independent, she still remains an artist under roc nation which i'm happy about because we get to see each other at work sometimes.

"my bad meg, i need to stop texting and walking." i laughed as we walked side by side. meg tells me that she just got out of a meeting about her tour and since we were both feeling peckish, we make our way to our favourite café the griddle.

"i am so stoked for my album, i want to release it tomorrow to be honest." meg says as she rolls her eyes playfully. 

"i also want to hear it tomorrow." i teased and she smiled at me before taking a sip of her drink.

"we only have one song to be approved but its weird. it's one of my favourites on the entire album but we have yet to secure the proper clearance for an anime sample i want to use."

"damn why?" i asked as i bit into my pancakes.

"at first we had to change some of the lyrics and was not allowed to cosplay any characters in the music video, but now they're talking about not being allowed to use names." she huffed and i felt her annoyance. sampling can be so difficult to work around sometimes.

"then what's the point of using the sample?" i scoffed and she mirrors my confused expression.

"exactly what i said!" she shakes her head before pointing the spoon she has been fiddling in her coffee towards me. "i just remembered something, what are you doing today?"

"girl, nothing at all. my bed is calling me."

"perfect, you're coming with me to an event tonight."

"you know what, usually i would complain that i'm tired but i am honestly tired of being cooped up and home playing the sims all day." i replied feeling enthusiasm for the a little party.

"then it's sorted, i'll pick your fine ass up at eight pm, don't make me wait though, you know how impatient i get when you be taking so damn long." meg clicks her tongue.

"hey, it takes time to look this good okay?" we both laughed at my witty comeback.

***

later that night, i found myself outside the club, already hearing the bass thumping through the walls. i invited giovanna my bestest friend and party partner along. 

"girl! come here!" gio laughs, crossing the road as if life meant nothing to her. she engulfed my body into an enduring hug. "we're getting lit tonight."

giovanna has striking features with high cheekbones and a strong jawline, giving her a defined and sculpted look. a few small tattoos painted across her skin which was a smooth with natural, sun-kissed glow. 

gio's tattoos are one of her most defining features. she has several intricate tattoos that adorned her body, each one carefully chosen and artistically placed. she was the one who i even went to get my first tattoo with. i was so scared out of my ass that she agreed to do it with me and now we have a matching butterfly tattoo, hers in green whilst mine was in a black hue. that tattoo is my favourite one as it is surrounded by detailed floral elements and abstract shapes.

"for sure." i agreed as i held onto her hand tightly. her taller frame helped push through the dancing crowds and to megan's section who was already dancing. 

the atmosphere enveloped me, a mix of heat, energy, and anticipation. the air was thick with a haze of cigarette smoke and the scent of expensive colognes mingling with the faint aroma of spilled drinks.

"hey girlies!" meg yelled, ushering us to come upstairs. we walked past the bodyguard and take our turns to hug meg. i sit down on the sofa, meg on my right and gio on my left.

"where the girls at? why are there only niggas in the section?" gio's new yorker ass yelled above the music as she lit her blunt and took a long drag.

"giovanna we literally just got here. can you please be mindful of why you were invited to the section" i referenced, earning laughs from everyone. gio was always looking for fun wherever she went. i have the wildest stories with this girl that can never see the light of day.

megan introduced us to a few people, and soon gio, meg and i were dancing, laughing, and i was losing myself in the music. the bass from the dj's set reverberated through the floor, a steady thump that made my chest vibrate with every beat.

in the midst of the flashing lights and swirling bodies, i spotted christian, my ex. our eyes met, and a familiar thrill ran through me. 

"yo shawty, how you doin'." christain combs smiled at me with his usual sly grin. 

"i'm good." i smiled, the alcohol messing with my system as i gave into his charms.

even though we broke up, we were always on good terms since we have known each other since our teens. although with his whole family drama and everything i didn't want to be spotted with him before the media and the blogs run with a narrative that would make my publicist destiny want to kill me, so i pulled him into a darker spot in the club to chat.

one thing lead to another and soon christain had his hands all over me as we kissed passionately. we swayed to the music, my head at this point completely gone, as i allowed his hands to further explore my body. 

i always knew that christain had a weak spot for me, the boy would drop anything and everything to be with me. i broke the kiss and looked up at him with low eyes.

"let's go somewhere a little private." i whispered, glancing for his bodyguard.

"bet." he simply said before taking my hand and guiding me towards the vip exit. as we pass i spot megan waves at me from her section, whilst gio flashes me a a sly grin. yeah, i'm never hearing the end of that one.

on the drive back to his place, i sat on his lap in the backseat, grinding on him, whilst his arms were wrapped around me tightly, holding me close to to his heated body. i couldn't help but occasionally feel like wanting to cough because of the strong scent of his dior sauvage perfume.

the chokehold this perfume has on this boy needs to be studied, i hated the scent. it smells like manipulation and disappointment.

back at his place, the passion between us flared, as we ripped each other's clothes off. christain picked me up effortlessly and carried me into his room.

the next morning, i woke up tangled in the sheets, the early morning light filtering through the curtains. i glanced at christian, still asleep, and felt a pang of regret. this wasn't what i wanted. quietly, i slipped out of bed, dressed quickly, and left without a word.

as i walked down the quiet streets of beverley hills and did the walk of shame to my house which was only twenty minutes away, the reality of my actions settled over me like a heavy blanket. 

i was frustrated with myself, with my inability to break free from old habits. it was a familiar cycle, one that i needed to find the strength to break. once i returned back home i pulled out my phone and made sure to text gio.

gio🍒

 | girl sorry i left early, i wasn't feelin the club

yeah dw i saw what u was feeling instead |

 | girl please 

didn't we say we was leaving all our exs in 2024 what happened my good sista? |

| chile ik i fucked up in the first two months i'm actually done out here

| lemme settle in then i'll call you

bet |

i settled my phone down beside me and huffed. i really got to stop speaking to my exs.

𓏲𝄢 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝!

𝐩.𝐬: 𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 ;)