This was a scene from Shante's POV. It was a cute little something with the girls getting ready for the Alpha Ball. Now that I read it over I can't remember why I cut it lol. I really don't do a lot of cutting scenes, but I guess I wanted Shante getting ready to go differently. I think I wanted her to arrive alone, and I didn't think Sam should be there. I thought she should already be at the ball. I wanted everyone to be surprised when Shante walked into the room. I love the relationship between the women of Alpha Professor. Now I kind of wish I had left this in, lol, but it really doesn't add anything to the story so it had to go. Sometimes writing is brutal, but at least you all can see it here on the cutting room floor.
“You are going to turn heads tonight,” Lisa says to me.
“And our alphas are going to break necks,” Sam says.
We all laugh.
“Hair, makeup, and nails are done,” Sam says. She has a salon in this big ass mansion and she hired people to get us ready for the ball tonight. We’re sitting in our chairs, sipping on champagne, and Sam is sipping on ginger ale.
“Ladies, you all look amazing. Sam, thank you so much for this,” I say.
“No need to thank me. I’m glad you’re here. We all are,” Sam says.
“We should get dressed,” Lisa says.
“Are you excited to see Michael?” Sam asks.
“I am. He looks sexy in a suit, but in a tux I won’t be able to take my hands off of him,” Lisa says.
“Keep it PG at my ball. Don’t hump him in the middle of the floor like you did at my wedding,” Sam says.
“I did not hump him on the floor,” Lisa says.
“You two put on a whole show. You tried to steal the spotlight,” Sam says.
“I did not try to steal the spotlight. You orchestrated the whole thing. I didn’t even want to talk to him,” Lisa says.
“I wanted you to talk, not have foreplay,” Sam says.
“I can’t believe you,” Lisa says.
“There are tons of pictures of your behavior at my wedding on the dance floor, but only a few of me and Preston on the dance floor,” Sam says.
“What do you want me to do? Do you want to recreate the dance floor and take some more pictures?” Lisa asks.
“We can’t do it now, because I’m big as a house,” Sam says.
Simone and I look to one another trying to figure out what’s going on.
Lisa looks confused. A moment later she gets out of her chair and walks to her purse. She pulls out a bag of beef jerky and hands it to Sam. “Here,” she says.
“Thank you,” Sam beams.
Lisa shakes her head, and it’s like nothing happened.
“That was weird,” Simone says.
“She gets fussy when she’s hungry,” Lisa says. “Now we can get dressed.”
“I have a really cute dress,” I say.
“You do?” Sam asks.
“Of course.” I run into the guest room where I put my things. I put on my knee length red bandage dress and run into the salon. “What do you think?” I twirl for the ladies.
“You look beautiful,” Simone says.
“You do,” Lisa says, “but you can’t wear that.”
“What’s wrong with it? I thought it was perfect.”
“Not for my ball,” Sam says.
“Why not?” I ask.
“This is a formal event. It’s black tie. You need a gown, not a cocktail dress,” Sam says.
“Oh,” I say.
“I told you I’d get you a dress,” Sam says.
“I thought you were just saying that,” I say.
“No, I meant it.”
“I can’t let you buy me a dress. You already got my hair and nails done. I can’t accept anything else,” I say.
Sam stands. “The Alpha Ball is my pride and joy. It’s going to be elegant and tasteful. There will be photographers and a red carpet and let’s not forget you are Cinderella tonight, and I am your fairy god sister.”
“I don’t want to be anybody’s project, Sam.”
“Shante, you’re not my project. You’re my friend. I was trying to help you.”
“Help me be someone I’m not to impress a man?”
“No, I wanted to help you see who you are. All this stuff is superficial. When it’s gone, it’s just going to be you and Jeremiah. You don’t need us to show you how to trick him into liking you. He already likes you. I wanted you to feel good about yourself. I wanted you to feel like a princess,” Sam says.
“I feel like a fool who doesn’t fit in,” I say.
“I know how you feel. None of us fit in,” Simone says.
“I don’t believe that. You’re all fancy and sophisticated, and I’m just a receptionist.”
“I’m a secretary,” Sam says.
“I’m a free spirited artist,” Simone says.
“I’m an executive,” Lisa says.
“Oh hush,” Sam says to Lisa.
“See, we’re not sophisticated at all,” Simone says.
I laugh. “Except Lisa, apparently.”
“We’re not perfect, but we have one another to lean on,” Sam says. “This is my first event, and I’m terrified.”
“I had no idea,” I say.
“I need my friends to be there for me. That includes you, so can you please put on the damn dress I got for you. It’s perfect for you. I promise,” Sam says.
“Fine, but I’m going to pay you back,” I say.
“No, you’re not,” Sam says.
“Yes I am.”
“Fine,” Sam says. She grabs a garment bag and unzips it. She hands me the price tag. “I take cash.”
“On second thought, thank you for the lovely gift.”
“Ladies, I have to go. I need to make sure everything’s running smoothly. I will see you all there.”