Free Real As It Gets by Reshonda Tate Billingsley Page B

that, he must be on some Diddy type of ish.”
    I shrugged. I knew Sammy was low-key. He didn’t like to talk a lot about his business. He said that the singers that he worked with didn’t like him telling their business, which was probably why we hadn’t heard of him.
    Kennedi must’ve lost interest in the conversation because she said, “Anyway, what time are we heading out for the party?”
    I shimmied into my skinny jeans, took one last glance in the mirror. “Perfection. So, yes, let’s roll!”

Chapter 15
    M embership had its privileges. I loved being not in the in-crowd, but the in-crowd. I bounced to the front of the line, past all of the nobodies standing out in the cold Miami air hoping that they could get inside.
    Sheridan met us at the club—I half expected her to bail on us, but then, since Travis had gone home for the weekend, I guess she decided to make some time for us—or me—because she didn’t really cut for Kennedi and the feeling was mutual.
    The three of us strutted into the club, looking fly, as usual. I had tickets in hand so that there would be no drama about us getting in. We handed them to the girl at the counter, then made our way inside.
    â€œThis party is jumpin’,” Sheridan said as she bounced to the sounds of Rick Ross filling the club.
    We took in the sights and sounds. This was definitely an upscale crowd. Everyone was dressed to the nines and the ratchetness was at a minimum, thank goodness. Probably because tickets to the event were two hundred and fifty dollars.
    After a few minutes, Sheridan leaned in and said, “Hey, is that your friend, Lauren?”
    Both Kennedi and I turned to where Sheridan was pointing. That was Lauren. Kennedi, Lauren, and I used to be really good friends back in the day, but after Lauren’s parents sent her away to boarding school, she had gotten a little too wild for our taste. Yeah, we did our own dirt, but we kept it classy. Lauren just acted like she didn’t care anymore, which was obvious from the way she was dancing on the table right now, tossing her hair from side to side as she did a slow dance to the fast rap music.
    Kennedi leaned in and whispered in my ear, “OMG, get your girl.”
    â€œShe was your girl first,” I mumbled back.
    â€œLook, that guy has his phone up her skirt taking pictures,” Sheridan exclaimed.
    I shook my head in stunned disbelief. That was the kind of stuff that would come back and haunt Lauren. Not to mention she looked like a loose stripper the way she was dancing on that table.
    â€œCome on,” I said, pulling Kennedi in her direction. “This is freakin’ ridiculous.”
    We pushed our way through the crowd, and Kennedi pushed back the guy who was taking the picture.
    â€œHey,” he said. “I’m trying to get pictures of the freak.”
    Kennedi ignored him as she tugged on Lauren’s skirt. “Lauren!”
    I couldn’t say anything. I was too shocked at the way her pupils were dancing. She looked like some kind of drugged-out groupie.
    â€œLauren,” Kennedi repeated. “What are you doing?”
    â€œHeeeeeyyyy,” she sang.
    â€œAre you all right?” Kennedi asked.
    I wanted to tell Kennedi of course she wasn’t all right. She looked a hot mess.
    â€œBaby, I’m better than all right,” Lauren said as she did a little spin on the table. Since it was a small table, of course she fell. Several people around the table cracked up laughing, but Lauren didn’t seem fazed. She stood up and tried to get back up on the table.
    Kennedi grabbed her arm. “Nah, I think you’re good.”
    Lauren snatched her hand away. “Let go of me. I got to finish getting my party on.” She looked over at a girl who was passed out in a chair next to the table. “Tabitha, tell them to leave me alone.”
    Tabitha didn’t move. Kennedi dragged Lauren in the