We've got some catching up to do!
Hope y'all had a lovely Valentine's day!
Lusso Vitale hosted a huge giveaway, with amazing small businesses, gifting our customers with goodies from their brands and press on nails! The turnout was great & the winners were very excited, which is always going to be humbling.
Pictured is a cocktail kit from Good Food Gurus, made to match Bekah press on nails.
To be honest, I originally planned to have 14 partners and even wanted to post separate announcement flyers all in ONE day. LOL I was really doing the most, but I just wanted the nails in people's hands. I unfortunately cancelled on 4 brands last minute (not my style, but overwhelm is just that). If I were to do something like this again, I would only partner with one brand and have multiple winners, so it wouldn't be as diluted . Live and learn, I'm still grateful for how everything turned out.
Pictured is a grand prize giveaway with Lornalitz, Fashion to Figure, and Harlem Standard Whiskey.
I was looking forward to Rachel's party, but some things transpired that made me stay home instead. I believe it was two days before Vday. I was concluding the giveaways and Brandon texted me to check if I still wanted him to be a part of it. A week or two prior, I told him about the giveaway idea, and that I wanted to include BTV in some way... perhaps giving away a zoom session with us, speaking on building a business.
Fast forward, I realized that aspect didn't make much sense for Vday. I responded to him by explaining my above thought process and that I want to do the same thing, but for a time that made more sense. I also apologized for dropping the ball on communication about this, because I didn't tell him that I didn't still want to partner.
He responded by saying, he thought I purposefully left him out of my giveaway. He also stated that it reminded him of the time Demetre and Roberto didn't include him in their Christmas Charity... okay.
This was hurtful, coming from my best friend of 5 years... that I would spitefully and forgetfully leave him out of something. Kasi was actually one of the brands I cancelled on last minute & she didn't give me a hard time. She ended up doing a solo giveaway. Was Brandon also mad at Kasi for not including him in her giveaway? Also, if he still wanted to be apart of mine, why text me so last minute? I knew he only brought this up because he saw that I was participating with Demetre and not him, and it was irksome because he doesn't like Demetre. We'll get into that later. I told Brandon in the follow up text that my cancellations had nothing to do with anyone but me. He wanted to discuss everything at Rachel's party.
On the 13th, I group texted Brandon and our friend/producer, Joel that I wouldn't be able to get a covid test in time for Rachel's party. I also needed a ride to the party due to car trouble. Rachel had asked us twice to get a test, so I didn't know if she would even allow me to be there. I texted Rachel to see where she stood about me at least wearing a mask.. .she was fine with it. So I texted the guys again saying I only needed to figure out the ride situation. Mind you, only Joel responded to the group text and only about the covid thing.
Neither Brandon nor Joel responded to me about needing a ride.
This was shitty because my best friends didn't even offer me a ride. So, I texted the group, and not ONE person offered. Kasi also texted the group after me, asking for the party address and Brandon was QUICK to respond to her... but not to me. So, it had me in my feelings. I go out of my way for my friends, because that's what friends do. At the VERY least, as producers of the show, they should have set up something up for me.
Two hours before the party started, I received a text from Justice (Producer) asking
"Do you still need a ride to the party?" which had me even more heated because I was getting treated like a last minute chore. So, I chose to be petty, didn't respond to Justice, didn't tell anyone I wasn't going anymore & stayed home. I apologized to Justice and Rachel a few days later, as they didn't deserve to be ignored, my issue wasn't with them. I even texted Brandon, apologizing for not showing up and explained all of the above to him. He has STILL not responded to me to this day...since our chat about my giveaway.
Sooo... Yesterday, I had a Black History photo shoot with Roberto and Demetre (can't WAIT to post the greatness). After the shoot, I went back to their place with their friends Chris and Ro to catch them up on Valentine's day. I explained to Demetre that I didn't deserve Brandon's behavior toward me and he's been projecting his dislike for Demetre onto me. This point was further proven because during this convo, Ro had actually been DMing Brandon about being on the show.
Brandon was RESPONDING TO HIM, but has not spoken to ME since last week. THEN, Demetre got into why he believes Brandon hasn' t been a good friend to me for a while now.
I won't go into detail, but Demetre knows things about me that I've only told Brandon and Joel. He also mentioned comments about me, made by Brandon going back to since at least October! So here I am, learning that all this time, I've been talked about behind my back, by my best friend. Demetre initially brought up that I was talked about after Big Bear... but even after then, he's thought I've known and have just been okay with all of this this whole time, which is why he hadn't brought up the rest until last night.
Putting everything together now makes sense, though. Since October, Brandon had been explaining his dislike for Demetre to me, and to watch my back regarding our friendship. Now knowing everything that I do...I conclude that Brandon has felt this way, this long, because he's been talking about me to Demetre and others this whole time and has been weary of how much information Demetre was going to share with me!
I only speak highly of my friends, I want my friends to succeed, and I discuss any issues I have with them, TO THEM. This whole situation is very disappointing and I'm just numb. I've done my part with reaching out, and now knowing what I know, it really does change our relationship, because friends don't do that to each other. I'll end by saying this.
At this point in my personal and professional journey, I don't have time for drama and fakery. I'm only interested in elevating myself and my brand. I'm only interested in having a good group of people around me, that reciprocate the effort of friendship I give and want to win together. It's time to level up.
Respectfully,
Alitalia