Like he said he would, Zack came to my bedroom to finish our conversation.
"Have a seat in your favorite chair." I pointed at the chair by the window.
Zack did as told. "I'm not trying to convince you of anything. Just have to make that clear."
"Yes, sir." I sat on my bed. "I'm all ears."
"I'm after Anaya for all the stunts she tried to pull on me over the years. I know your after Ricky."
"I'm not after Ricky. I just don't won't to be his artist anymore," I clarified.
"Listen. Our key to all of that is Jaylei."
I asked, "Why would Jaylei risk her freedom to admit to working with Anaya and Ricky?"
Zack's brows merged, "Who said she's going to admit to working with them? Her presence is a threat to both Ricky and Anaya. If they assume or just think that she is going to court, Anaya and Ricky will scram which will cause them to be desperate. Meaning, they will pay her to keep quiet, and I'll let them know I made it happen. Anaya will really be too scared to try me ever again. And you Miss Jae A.B., they might give you more control over your music. The both of us can win including Jaylei with a nice check. Jaylei gives us leverage. We just gotta know how to use it."
As much as I would like to take down both Ricky and Anaya, Zack's plan sounds just as shady as them. I told him, "I'm not seeking revenge. I want respect, and I want my freedom."
Zack clasped his hands together. "Well, that's my plan, and I'm going straight with or without you."
I nodded my head as he stood to his feet.
"Wait," I spoke.
Zack walked over to my bedroom door. "What's up?"
"Are you going to Ricky's party?" I asked him.
Zack turned to look at me. "Of course I am. I gotta start planting seeds. I know Anaya will be there, and I want her to see me."
I smiled, "I'm going to perform. It would be nice if you could look out for me... if you can."
"Your man won't be there?" He asked me.
I rolled my eyes.
Zack chuckled, "I'm not a selfish man. We can still make us happen... or pretend."
I folded my arms. "Bye, Zack."
He smiled at me. "Miss Jae A.B., I'll keep my eyes on you." He finally left my bedroom.
I slowly shook my head as I fell backwards onto my bed.
The next day, as scheduled, I met up with Kenneth to go over a few dance moves for my performance. We ended up talking about nothing for the first half hour.
Finally, Kenneth got us back on track. "How do you feel? Do you want to do something fun and quick or a smooth little two-step?"
I admitted, "I don't even want to perform, let alone, sing my music." Then I smiled brightly, "Who says I have to sing my music? It's a New Year's party. I should sing songs that everyone knows and no matter the age everyone wants to dance to it."
"That sounds like 'Choose,'" Kenneth side-eyed me.
I smirked, "I was not referring to my first single. I just want to do something different."
"Okay. Don't laugh, but..." Kenneth stood up and walked over to his bag. He pulled out his tablet. "I went to my little niece's school talent show, and there was a little girl there that performed this song."
Out of the tablet's speakers, the song played. My eyes bucked as I stared at Kenneth. "No way!"
"Yes way! This will get people out of their seats and going. The little girl had the whole auditorium on their feet. My niece got second place because of her," Kenneth told me.
I lightly laughed, "Kenneth, I just told you I wanted something easy."
"That's exactly what she says in the song. Girl, I'm gonna give you some cute choreo, because you're not gonna do the whole song just enough to get the people up. Then, you'll go right into your song 'Choose.' That'll get all the too-cool-to-dance people on their feet."
I drummed my hands on the floor. "I'm sold! Let's do this!"
An hour later, we were done. I was actually excited to do this performance. Afterwards, I was picked up by Zeke and Monica. I got in the backseat, removing my sunglasses.
"How was it?" Monica turned to ask me.
I smiled at her. "Fun. I'm excited and can't wait for y'all to see it."
"Well, E won't be there." Monica rolled her eyes at him as he drove.
"Baby, sit right and put your seatbelt on," Zeke told her.
Monica did as told.
"Why are you not going, Zeke?" I asked him.
"I got business to take care of. I'll be back on the first, though."
I looked out the window. "Have y'all ate already?"
"No," Monica answered. "What you got a taste for?"
"I don't know," I thought, "Tacos... burritos sound good, too."
Zeke said, "Burritos do sound good. Baby, you want burritos?" He asked my cousin.
I looked straight ahead to see that Zeke had his hand on Monica's leg. I really can't stand being a third wheel to them. The affection is too much for me.
Monica replied, "I'll eat whatever y'all eat."
Zeke handed her his phone. "Find a burrito spot close-by and place the order for pickup."
"Okay. Cousin, have you heard from A.B.?"
"No," I replied. I pulled out my phone and decided to send him a text message.
"When will he be here?" Monica asked me.
"Umm... tomorrow."
Monica said, "Good! He can escort us to the New Year's party."
"Mmm-hmmm." I wrote the text before pressing the send button.
Me: Hey sir! Hope you've been doing good. Can't wait to see you tomorrow.
A.B.: Hey beautiful! I can't wait to see you either. If you're not busy tonight, I'll call you before you go to bed.
Me: I won't be busy. Talk to you tonight
A.B.: Ok Answer your phone
Me: LOL I will
I smiled to myself as I read A.B.'s texts in his voice. I don't think I've ever done that before.
Zeke arrived at the restaurant.
Monica said, "It says the food is being prepared."
"Are they bringing it to the car?" Zeke asked her.
"Yes." Monica looked at his phone.
I asked, "Moni, when we go to the New Year's Eve party, can you record my performance?"
Monica nearly broke her neck. "What kinda question is that? I record for a living. You better believe I'm recording your performance. How else will my children know that we are related?"
"Your children?" I shook my head. "Zeke, do you hear her?"
Zeke glanced at Monica with love in his eyes. "All the time."
Monica looked at her boyfriend. They smiled at one another before their lips touched.
I immediately opened the backdoor about to get out the car.
"Jamie!" Monica shouted at me.
"Y'all oughta be ashamed doing that in front of my pure, innocent eyes," I over-exaggerated. "I almost went blind."
Zeke laughed along with Monica.
"Girl, whatever! You and A.B. kiss all the time."
"Ma'am, this is not a conversation that I want to have. And just so you know, A.B. and I do not kiss all the time." I closed the back door.
Monica snickered, "I saw it with my own eyes when y'all were wrestling in his bed."
"Monica, I will fight you!" I threatened her. "We were not in his bed. That's how rumors get started."
"You were the one that spent the night at his house. When his mama came over, you hid in his bed."
She was seconds away from getting hit in the back of the head. "Keep talking," I warned her.
"I didn't know you and A.B. were close like that," Zeke spoke.
Monica chuckled, "I don't know why you acting all innocent when y'all be sleeping together."
I quickly reached up front and grabbed Monica by the arm. "I will break it."
She laughed uncontrollably. "I meant w-w-when y'all be sleep like tired, resting in the bed type of sleeping."
There was a knock on the driver's side window.
"The food just saved you," I whispered to her before letting her arm go.
Zeke rolled his window down to collect the bag of food and drinks from the person holding them.
Monica's annoying laugh carried on all the way back to the Rivers' Residence. I grabbed my food and took off to my bedroom.
"Jamie, don't be like that!" Monica continued to laugh. "I was joking, cousin. Let's eat our food together."
I shouted, "Don't follow me. Eat with yo' raggedy food with yo' raggedy boyfriend in his raggedy room." I barely made it through that sentence without laughing at myself.
Zeke was now laughing, too. "Y'all are crazy."