Concrete Rose. ✓

6

Shawn Carter
Tuesday / June 20, 2017
2 Days Before the NBA Draft

"Shawn, welcome to New York,"

I was greeted by multiple fans, basketball players, coaches and NBA associates. Honestly, I was just trying to find my sister. I grinned big once I saw my boy, Clarence, standing with him and Beyoncé's family.

"Wassup man?" He dapped me up, pulling me into a hug.

"Nothing much. You got press today?" I asked.

"Already did it, scheduled mine for earlier so I could have a the rest of the day off to get things ready." I said. "What you got yours?"

"2 PM." I said checking my phone, it was 11:57 PM.

"Gotcha. Listen, we all going out for dinner tonight. You should join us." He said.

"Who is we?"

"Me, Lauren, Bey, Nip, your sister's boy who flew down earlier, he said he would go and couple others. Beyoncé's guy friend she's been talking to might come too."

"Beyoncé's what?" I asked.

He laughed, "What?"

"What'd you say? I didn't hear you."

"Beyoncé's little guy friend she's been talking to. You'll see him when they get here." He said.

I was trying my best not be mad, but my spirit just wasn't having it. I shook my head, unlocking my phone to see I didn't have the first message from anyone, including Lauren.

"Where the rest of your crew?"

"Everyone's here. Mama is somewhere around here, Dad is flying in and my sisters left with Lauren and Nip to go somewhere. They said they would be back, but that was like an hour ago."

I nodded, taking a seat with my brothers.

"There she is bro." Rocco said.

I looked up fast to see Lauren coming inside, purse and phone in hand. Videographers and cameramen were following her in as she made her way over to me. When we approached each other, I pulled her into my embrace and hugged her like we hadn't seen each other in years.

"How are you?" She asked grabbing my face.

"Good. How you been?" I asked.

"Tired." She huffed. "But I'm excited to be here with you. How are you feeling?"

"Good," I nodded. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too. I got your schedule for today. You're free until your press conference at 2 PM. I'm hoping maybe you'll be done by 3 or 4, so we can get a jump on getting your wardrobe so we won't have to stress tomorrow."

I nodded.

"Aight."

"If I'm not mistaken, they're covering the tuxedo and the shoes and other accessories, so at least we won't have to worry about that."

"Yeah." I nodded. "What about y'all?"

"They're giving us top pampering so they're gonna hook us up too. Pretty exciting, yeah?"

"Yeah." I nodded, looking at Beyoncé coming inside the building with the media trailing right alongside her. She literally was just walking and they were following her. That's how big she is when it comes to college female basketball. Everyone wants her.

"Beyoncé, UCLA or UCONN?" One yelled.

"Hey Bey, how does your father feel about you playing for UCLA? Is he still coaching the women's team?"