Chapter 4

Monday morning, it was time for Elise to do her thing. Now, even though I made more than enough money to care for myself by doing extra-curricular activities, I still had to lead a normal life. And that’s where Elise came in.

I got dressed in a pair of yellow slacks and donned a blue and white striped shirt and yellow pumps. I wore my hair in luscious pin curls and my lips were a nice brown and peach ombre lip color.

Since I was still tired from being out on the water all day Sunday, a stop at Starbucks was necessary. I was going to need something to calm my nerves to keep my mouth tame at work since most of my coworkers were unbearable.

I walked into the place, got to the counter, ordered a tall hot mocha and a slice of banana nut bread, then proceeded to wait off to the side. Then I heard my name, “Good morning, Elise.” I turned to see him dressed nicely in a pair of black pants, a black shirt, a grey vest, and his bald head, nice and shiny. I smiled, “Jefferson, hi.”

“Are you still not giving nice guys a chance.” He asked.

I chuckled, “Well, not a lot has changed in the two days since we met.”

He nodded, “I just think, you should judge each man or person by their own merits and not by the actions of others in the past.” His smile was dreamy. Inside, part of me wanted to, but my mind always went there to what happened in college.

“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”

“I tell you what, if our paths happen to cross again, then I’ll take that as a sign.”

I heard the barista call my name, I walked up to the counter and reached for my items, “Thank you.” I said to her and turned to leave.

He smiled, “I’m gonna hold you to it.”

I grinned on the way out the door. How was he going to see me again? I was a homebody for the most part when I wasn’t being Onyx.

I got to work and went straight to my desk. I didn’t spend a lot of time chatting it up with folks. Because people loved to gossip and I didn’t play that.

I got to my desk; I had a few moments to myself to enjoy my snacks before I began work. I worked in the financial department of my company, reviewing records, and receipts, and approving travel and expense reports. It was a tedious job, but hey, someone had to do it.

As soon as I bit into my banana nut bread, I heard, “Morning Elise, that looks delish.” In that fake as fuck voice that most influencers use on the internet these days. It made me want to puke. I just wanted to shake her and say, “This is not how you talk ma’am.”

I nodded and continued to eat. I did not want to talk to Heather. She’s one of those people who liked to walk up behind you while you’re working on something, look at your computer screen and just start talking about what you’re looking at. Like heifer, if I wanted the entire office to know I was researching which tampons were the most absorbent, I would have sent out a memo.

So, I got wise and requested a screen protector. She switched to walking up to me and starting some kind of conversation. “We missed you on Friday, did you take the day off?”

I rolled my eyes and thought, obviously. I smiled, “Is there something I can do for you?” That was my hint to her. She flipped her golden hair and placed her hand on her hip, “Oh no, I’m good. Maybe we can do lunch today.”

“I brought my lunch, maybe next time,” I replied. She walked away to go gossip with two other coworkers. I shook my head. I didn’t bring my lunch, but I was not about to subject myself to listening to her and her messy-ass friends talk about people for forty-five minutes. I’d rather watch paint dry.

The last time I attempted to eat with them, I almost went ham on all of them. It started with Casey, this biracial woman, that most likely didn’t identify much with her Black side, insulting me on behalf of all the White women.

“So, Elise, did you know that there’s makeup that you can use to make your skin look normal.” She said and they all chimed in ... Now, I didn’t talk much at work, so I suppose she pegged me for the quiet type. But when you grow up in the hood getting bullied by a bunch of idiots, you learn two things ... first, how to get slick with your mouth, and secondly, how to be quick with the hands.

“What’s wrong with my skin?” I asked. They all got nervous. I wasn’t one of those girls that took insults to fit in, nope ... you’re about catch this smoke.

Heather smiled, “No she was just talking about the discoloration. That if it makes you uncomfortable, there are products—”

I laughed, “Well, I have a skin condition and I’ve lived with it all my life. This is my normal. So, if looking at me with my discoloration is so repulsive, I would suggest, poking your fucking eyes out because I’m not wearing makeup to appease anyone.” I smiled.

Heather and Rebecca’s faces got so red and Rebecca started to cry. They left the table. Casey looked at me in disbelief, “Damn sis, what was that all about?”

“We aren’t sistas.”

“Is it because I’m mixed?”

“No. That has nothing to do with it. It’s mainly because no sista of mine would have allowed themselves to be used in a manner to hurt another sista.” I stood up and walked out of the breakroom.

Ever since then, Rebecca had been riding the ally train for people with vitiligo. I haven’t been able to tell if she’s really in it for the right reasons, but, at least, they are no longer harassing me about my skin.

As I finished the last bit of my banana nut bread, in walked one of the few people I liked at work, Henderson Davis. He was fabulous in every sense of the word. He stopped by my desk, “Hey babe, you look amazing.”

I smiled, “Thank you. How was your weekend?” I asked. His desk is across from mine, so we spent the day cutting up when we were not busy.

“Girl, it was fantastic. I went to Orlando and you know we cut up.” Henderson was handsome. And a lot of women wanted a piece of him in our office. I suspect that’s why I had so much shade thrown my way. They all thought he and I had something going on, but my dude was Gay.

“What did you do this weekend?” he asked.

I smiled, “Nothing much.” I replied. I never divulged the details of Onyx’s business to anyone.

“Girl, you need to get out and experience life. You should come to the house on Thursday night. I’m doing some stuff and we are having a game night.”

The look on my face. He pointed, “Don’t give me that look. I expect to see you at my place.” He went to his desk and sat.