𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ¹

nine.

Blake was puzzled. "What's that about?"

Hakeem didn't answer him. He scanned around and spotted his sister. "Stay here, Blake." Then he confronted his sister. "Yo, Ro! You told Tiana about our conversation?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Wow. First you snitch about me dropping out, and now you're snitching and telling Tiana I don't want her?"

Royalty crossed her arms. "She needed to know she has no chance, Hakeem."

"Well, thanks to you, she hates me!"

"Why do you care?" Ro asked. "Unless you were fronting, and you do like her."

"I don't like her. I just don't want tension at work. There's enough tension at home with that deadbeat."

Royalty scowled. "You need to respect our mother, Hakeem."

"And you need to stop snitching!"

She just rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm not arguing with you. I have better things to do."

She walked off and he shouted after her. "Yeah, whatever!" Damn snitch.

Royalty said hi to Blake as she walked out. Blake walked up to Hakeem, even more puzzled. "I'm lost. There's beef between the squad now?"

Shit, Hakeem guessed so.

Jamal

Jamal sat in the conference room with an empty notepad in front of him. Andre was there too, typing on his laptop.

The only reason Jamal wasn't in the studio was because the music was too loud down there. He needed peace and quiet so that he could come up with some lyrics for his song.

Jamal usually came up with lyrics quick, but his mind was foggy because he missed Mateo. He still wasn't returning Jamal's calls, even after the voicemail he had left him. Jamal was scared he'd lost him for good.

He tapped his pen on the notepad while sighing. Andre looked at him curiously. "You okay over there?"

"I'm stuck, which isn't good because Lucious wants this song done pronto." Jamal looked at Andre. "Maybe I should ask Ro for help?"

Andre chuckled. "She's trying to make her first song, so trust me, she doesn't have time to help you."

"Then maybe I should ask Cookie."

"Or how about you ask our baby brother?" Andre suggested.

Jamal scoffed. "Not with that nasty ass attitude he has. And if I ask Hakeem for help, he's never gonna let me forget it. It's bad enough he already thinks he's better than me."

"That's what Lucious lets him believe."

"You don't think it's true?"

"All I'mma say is that I'd rather listen to your music over Hakeem's any day," Andre admitted.

That made Jamal laugh. "Thanks, man. I needed that laugh."

Andre nodded. "Yeah. Well, if you wanna ask Cookie for help, just make sure Pop doesn't find out."

"Yeah..." Jamal pulled out his phone and texted Cookie while Andre typed cheerfully. Jamal was curious. "What's got you so happy?"

Andre beamed. "I'm happy because I now know I'm not losing my job."

"Why would you lose your job?"

"Because of Cookie's reappearance. But Pop assured me she's never going to work at Empire, so I'm happier than ever." Then Andre deflected the attention. "I have a question for you though. Why'd you lie to her?"

"I didn't."

"Yes you did. You told her you had a girlfriend."

"Ma didn't know I was gay. I didn't wanna frighten her," Jamal answered.

"You should've known she'd be supportive. Ma is nothing like Pop," Andre reminded him.

"I know. That's why I love her."

Andre smiled and agreed. "Yeah, same here. I'm glad she's back."

Jamal's phone started ringing. He thought it was Cookie getting back to him, but it was Mateo. His eyes widened down at his phone, and his heart was racing like crazy. Mateo was actually calling him? Maybe he hadn't lost him then.

Jamal was about to answer, but Lucious barged in. "Jamal, don't you have a song to be making?"

Jamal huffed loudly. "I'm working on it. My lyrics are right here."

He pointed at his notepad and Lucious squinted. "What lyrics? I see nothing but a blank page."

"I'm stuck right now."

"How about you take your ass down to the studio and listen to some music to get some inspiration. Stop sitting here, wasting time!" Lucious scolded.

Jamal just rolled his eyes because he was really not in an arguing mood. "Whatever. Talk to you later, Dre." He hurried out of the conference room and saw that he had a missed call from Mateo. Jamal quickly called him back, but he rejected the call this time. Because of Lucious. Again.

Jamal was so fucking done.