CHAPTER TWENTY
outrage
Andre
Andre drove to Empire, feeling proud of himself. Showing Lucious the picture of Blake and that security guard had made Lucious gain some trust in him. He was also doing great at Empire, so Andre didn't think Lucious hated him anymore.
His siblings hated him though, and he didn't know what he could do to make them forgive him. He tried to converse with them and they ignored him. He tried to show them he cared, and they left the room. He'd exhausted all options.
Andre sighed and turned on the radio before he got frustrated. He instantly recognized Jamal's voice. He'd never heard the song before though, so it must be his new song.
Andre turned up the volume and bobbed his head as Jamal sang. He liked the message of the song. Now it was Hakeem's part, and he couldn't wait to see what he had said.
HAKEEM :
See I always stayed down for my bros
Staying loyal should be how it goes
I was riding with them, but then we lost control when we hit some bumps in the road
Ask Andre, bet he knows
He was keeping secrets on the low
All them lies that you told
Thought you kept it real but you don't
Andre's head snapped onto the radio. What the fuck?
HAKEEM :
I knew the whole time that you was a fake one
And then you ain't even wanna say nothing
Just wanna act like a straight punk
Andre stared at the radio in disbelief. Was his baby brother dissing him on his new song? Who did he think he was?! What Andre did was between the Lyons, not the entire world. He was so tired of Hakeem telling the world their business. He did the same thing with Jamal, and for what? Because he wanted an army behind him?
Hakeem's part was nearly over, and now he was dissing both Andre and Rhonda.
HAKEEM :
And I don't rock with either one of you at all
Sick boy, yeah you sick, boy
Lucious let me know, you think you slick, boy
Then he proceeded to call Andre and Rhonda "Weak like a Wednesday." Andre turned the song off and did a U-turn when the light turned green. He was going to Lucious' mansion because Hakeem had him fucked up.
-
"Hakeem!" Andre slammed the door. "Bring your ass here, Hakeem!"
Cookie and Lucious came running. "Andre, calm down, baby!"
"I can't calm down, Ma! He dissed me!"
Hakeem and Jamal came downstairs. "Yeah I did! So what?!"
Andre didn't answer him. He lunged at him, but Cookie and Jamal held him back. "No! You're not fighting your brother!"
But Hakeem was ready. "Na, let him try it, Ma! He's gonna get his ass whooped!" Hakeem started punching the air, demonstrating how he was going to fuck Andre up. Andre fact checked him.
"Oh really? Last time I checked, Jamal beat your ass!"
"You ain't Jamal!"
Man, Andre was so angry. It wasn't even funny. "What the hell is your problem, Hakeem?"
"I don't got a problem. You're the one who seems pressed to me."
"Because you dissed me in front of the world!"
Jamal stepped forward. "That version wasn't supposed to be released, Dre."
"You still let him record it!"
"He did it behind my back!"
Hakeem also stepped forward. "Don't come for Jamal because he doesn't control me! You were getting exposed no matter what!"
"But for what? Did I not just help this family big time?"
"You also destroyed this family. Or are we supposed to forget about that because you did one good deed?" Hakeem retorted.
"No, you're supposed to forget about it because I'm not the same man I was before. I've learned from my mistakes Hakeem, and you need to understand that."
Royalty came downstairs confused. "Uh, what the hell is going on?"
Cookie answered her. "Your brothers are arguing, baby."
Royalty wasn't even surprised. "Oh, again? I thought it was something serious. I'm going back upstairs." Then she left with no care in the world.
Jamal spoke to Andre. "Look Dre, I don't agree with what Hakeem did, but you did provoke him."
"It sounds like you're agreeing with him."
Hakeem yelled at him. "And if he is? You ain't gonna do shit about it!"
"I'mma kill you! That's what I'mma do about it!"
"You should kill yourself!" Hakeem spat.
"Aye! Don't you ever say no shit like that again!" Cookie shouted.
"Why not? He's not doing anything for this family but causing problems," Hakeem argued.
"I'm causing problems? You're dissing me and putting it on the radio. You're causing problems!" Andre argued back.
"Shut yo ass up, Frankenstein!"
Andre lunged at him again, and actually hit him. Hakeem hit him back and now they were fighting. Jamal, Cookie, and Lucious quickly broke them up because they knew he'd do some serious harm to Hakeem.
Jamal pushed Andre back, furious with him. "Don't touch my brother!"
"Yeah! Jamal and I are tight now, and you're never getting in between us again," Hakeem told him. "So how about you slither your ass on out of here, snake!"
Andre tried to fight him again but Lucious held him back. "Andre, just go, son! You need to cool down!"
Yeah, he did need to cool down because Hakeem had his manic side coming out. Andre really might kill him in front of everyone, so he was leaving.
But this ain't over.
Jamal
Words couldn't describe how angry Jamal was. Hakeem did the absolute most for absolutely nothing. Now the world was canceling Andre, and Jamal didn't think that was right, honestly.
Yeah Andre betrayed them, but he was still human. He was still their brother, and he still had
feelings. But now Andre was mad at Jamal too, because he assumed Jamal allowed this to happen, when he didn't. He had told Hakeem to scrap that verse, but he went behind Jamal's back and released it anyway. Jamal felt just as blindsided.
But whatever. He wasn't gonna appease Andre's ass. He still fucked up, at the end of the day. That was why all this shit was happening. Jamal didn't think he and his brothers could ever go back to how they were before all of this CEO shit started. That was why he was glad he had a sister.
He had went home after Andre left the mansion, but Jamal needed to clear his head so he had went for a walk. He was home now, and now he had to deal with Mateo and his attitude.
"Really Jamal?"
Jamal brushed him off. "Not now, Mateo."
"No, we're doing this now. Whose number is this?"
He showed Jamal the paper Warren had given him. Jamal was angry. "You're going through my stuff now?"
"It was out in the open."
"Well, if you must know, that's Warren's number."
"Warren?"
"Yeah. The guy that runs Club Nirvana," Jamal said.
"And you have his number why?"
"He gave it to me because he works for my dad now. He's protecting the mansion."
"Let me guess, he's gonna protect this condo next?" Mateo assumed.
Here we go again. "Don't tell me you're about to trip again."
"Yeah I am. First Tory, and now Warren? How many people do I have to worry about?"
"You don't have to worry about anybody. Warren works for my dad, that's it."
"So why didn't you mention me to him?" Mateo demanded to know.
"I can't mention you, Mateo. I'm supposed to be straight, remember?"
"You could've said you were taken."
"And have rumors start again?" Jamal shook his head. "Na. It's bad enough everyone links Tory to every song I make."
"Or maybe you didn't want Warren to know you're taken," Mateo accused.
"Mateo, enough! I don't have time to worry about your dumb ass insecurities when my family is going through it!" Jamal said harshly.
Mateo looked extremely hurt now. "Wow. Thanks so much for disregarding my feelings."
Jamal felt bad. "I didn't mean it like that."
"Yes you did, so I'm leaving."
"You don't have to go anywhere."
"Yes I do. Every time I'm here, it's nothing but bad vibes. I'm staying with Maddie again."
Jamal sucked his teeth. "Mateo-" But he stormed out and slammed the door behind him.
Whatever, man.