Where I Belong

Barbadian Angel

As the level seven button lit up, a grin erupted on my face. Another man walked into the elevator with me and pushed level nine.

I stood next to him as the doors shut and stared at the changing levels.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him staring at me. I turned to face him.

As I opened my mouth to speak, he cut me off, “I’m sorry, but have I seen you before? I think I would’ve remembered someone as beautiful as you, yet I can’t put a name to your face.”

Smooth. “I’m Nikki. A friend of Rihanna’s.”

“That’s it. I saw you in People this morning.” He grinned. I remember the same magazine that rested in my purse now.

“Oh,” I smiled. “Yeah, that’s me.”

“So, are you two a thing now?” he asked.

“Dunno,” I shrugged. I didn’t want to necessarily be in the magazine again. It was already weird seeing Rihanna just stand next to me, knowing how famous she was.

The elevator doors opened, revealing a directory in front of me. It was level seven.

I stepped out, leaving the man behind. I walked up to the directory, which was actually no help at all. All it had was names of people who I had no idea who they were. From the directory, an average sized hallway went in both directions. There were about seven doors, all with windows, on each side. I decided to walk by each window until I saw bright red hair.

I began to walk aimlessly down the hallway to my right. I peered into one window, and the room was empty. Hence the dark lights.

I turned around and looked into the other one, and a guy with blonde hair had his back turned towards me. I looked for red hair. I didn’t spot a single strand.

I continued down the hall like this for three more doors, until I heard the elevator open.

I turned around and began to walk down the hall so I looked like I was a completely lost idiot.

“’Ay babe!” Rihanna grinned, “What are you doing here?”

She took me into a hug with a water bottle in her hand.

“I was gunna surprised you. I made it this far, then I got lost…” I smiled.

She took my hand and began to lead me in the opposite direction.

“Aw,” she smiled. Her hair was up in a curly ponytail with a white bandana posing as a headband.  Covering her chest was a blue and white striped cardigan, with a white lace bando covering the top of her breasts. On her waist hung a pair of tan shorts, and her feet clad in white gladiators.

“Well I still have another half hour of recording,” she said, opening a door in the middle of the hallway.

“Can I just chill here? Or I can find my friend whose a few floors down….” I offered.

“Oh no. You can stay here, if you want.” She smiled, letting go of my hand as we entered the darkened sound stage.

“Hey guys, this is my friend, Nikki. She stopped by so she’s just gunna chill here til we’re done.” Rihanna announced, taking a sip from her water bottle. A murmur of okay’s erupted from the small crowd of about six people.

“Tell me whatcha think,” she winked, as she disappeared behind a door, into a white room with a microphone hanging from the ceiling and a stool next to it with headphones resting on the seat.

Rihanna slid on the headphones and tapped the mic. She made a ‘o’ with her mouth and raised her eyebrows, and covered her mouth when she started giggling.