𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ¹

eighteen.

Becky laughed now. "You two are crazy."

Jamal laughed too. "Let me give you some advice, Becky. If you ever want Hakeem to disappear, just say some dumb shit and he'll leave."

"Noted."

Tiana

Tiana was rehearsing her song with her backup dancers. They were rehearsing at the club this time, so she knew she didn't have to worry about Hakeem interrupting her again. But, oh boy, was she wrong.

"Tiana!"

She saw Hakeem running in and she was heated. "Who let him in?"

"Some lady did," Hakeem answered.

"Well, you need to turn around and go back the way you came, Hakeem!"

He looked hurt. "Damn. It's like that?"

"Yes, it's like that. You can't keep interrupting my rehearsals. I have four days to perfect this, Hakeem!"

"So do I."

Tiana furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

Hakeem spoke to her dancers. "Can you ladies take five? Tiana and I need to talk."

"No! I need to rehearse!"

"I need to rehearse too!"

Tiana was so confused. She needed answers, so she dismissed the dancers. "Take five, ladies."

They walked off as Tiana got off the stage and walked up to Hakeem. "You have sixty seconds to say what you wanna say, and then I'm going back on that stage with my ladies. And you're leaving."

So Hakeem said it. "I want to perform with you."

Tiana snorted. "That's impossible. You're not featured on the song."

"I'm not talking about Look But Don't Touch. I'm talking about the song we made together: All In. I want to perform that with you."

"Hakeem, we made that song three years ago."

"Do you remember the lyrics?" he asked.

"Of course I remember the lyrics. I remember the lyrics to all of my songs."

"So let's perform it."

She objected. "We're not performing together, Hakeem."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because you're being selfish."

"I'm being selfish? You're the one who doesn't wanna share the stage with me!" Hakeem argued.

"That night is about me, Hakeem! Not you! You don't need to be seen all the time!" Tiana argued back.

Hakeem grabbed her hand and softened his tone. "It's not gonna be about me. It's gonna be about us."

Was he serious? Hakeem could tell she wasn't budging. "Come on. Lucious wants people to talk about Empire, right? With us on stage together, they're gonna talk. Plus, more money for you."

"I do love money..."

"So let's do it!"

Tiana sighed. "I don't know, Hakeem. How am I going to learn choreography for two songs in four days?"

"You're Tiana. You can handle it." She gave him an annoyed look, so he said, "Look, you don't have to learn any choreography if you don't want to. All In isn't a song you dance to anyway. All you have to do is stand there and look pretty like you always do."

"I'm not just gonna stand there. That's not me, so I'll come up with something."

Hakeem looked excited now. "So we're doing this?"

"Yes, Hakeem. We can perform. But don't try anything. I don't have time for your games."

"Na, I'm not on that type of time."

He better not be.

"And don't think I'm doing this for you. I'm doing this for the money," she added.

"Yeah, I know. Girls like you always do."

Tiana was fucking angry again. Hakeem noticed and laughed. "I'm playing! Chill! That's my last time saying it, I swear." Then he kissed her cheek. "See you at rehearsal."

Tiana touched her cheek softly as he headed out. He had one last thing to say. "Oh, you ladies can come back now! Y'all look good too! Little booties matter!"

Tiana just laughed and rehearsed.