Getting Even

Chapter 6: Perfect

"Yea, that one," she pointed a finger a me. "I like Perfect," she turned to him and said.

"That's not even his best song!" Landon argued. The more he talked, the more I decided that I liked him for her. Like me, it seemed like he knew how to be a professional when it was time and how to turn it off when not on the clock. Some guys changed up once they reached a certain professional level and didn't want to be affiliated with anything that appeared "street" or "urban."

"That's actually one of the worst songs he's ever made," I agreed with him. "I think Hate Me Now and Kairi Chanel is his best work."

"Now that's a fan," he gestured towards me. "Black Rose is my joint. I don't know why he's trying to do all these commercials songs now."

"He's trying to crossover and get a bigger audience because that's where the real money is at." Tanya said.

"He can do that while still making quality music." I answered. "And what he's doing is not even working because mainstream still don't know who the hell Dave East is."

"If his full album is as weak as Paranoia and Paranoia 2, then I'm out. I give up on him." He said while shaking his head.

"All because of one bad album?" Tanya asked.

"This coming from the woman who can't even name one song by him?" He asked with raised brows. We all had to laugh at that.

"Y'all already know who I can't wait to see," Joy said with a mischievous grin.

"J. Cole." Tanya and I both said almost at the same time.

"You're a Cole fan?" Landon asked her.

"She lovesssssss J. Cole," Tanya told him. "If she ever left Rashad for anybody, that's who it would be."

"Now you're going too far," I commented with amusement. I knew Tanya was only joking, but with the current status of my marriage, I wasn't trying to picture Joy leaving me for anybody.

"Baby, you know she's only messing around." Joy giggled while kissing me on the cheek.

"So, that means you would choose me over Cole then, right?" I asked. We all waited on her answer.

"No comment." She finally said and all four of us started laughing again. It felt good to be out and to be enjoying time with friends. We needed more nights like this.

"Joy, come with me over there to get some merch," Tanya suddenly asked. I knew them well enough to know that meant that the two wanted to talk in private, probably about her date.

"I'll be right back," Joy said to me while maneuvering her body through the slim row following behind Tanya.

For the new few minutes, Landon and I talked about music and then sports. I text Joy to ask her to get me a beer while she was up, but she didn't respond. As the opening act began to perform, I scanned the crowd and still didn't see Tanya or Joy anywhere. I found myself getting thirstier by the minute, so I decided to get the beer myself while the concession lines weren't that long.

"Do you need anything?" I asked Landon, "I'm going to get something to drink."

"I'll actually come with you, I don't think I can sit through whoever this local rapper is." He responded while standing up. I chuckled at his statement because I was thinking the same thing. There was a guy who looked barely out of his teens bouncing around the stage screaming lyrics into the mic. He sounded awful and the beat he was rapping behind was basic.