Tess
I wasn't working today and had only had one class, Zoe was stomping around the apartment packing and not telling me a single thing that was going on in her life so I decided to sit out at Starbucks, buy some overpriced coffee and get some work done. I'd be seeing Jermaine later tonight and was actually really excited; some local DJ had arranged for him to play a show tonight... It was just a small club venue, nothing big, but it was perfect for him because he was just trying to get his name out there and trying to get some exposure. It'd be the first time I'd seen him ever perform. I mean, I'd heard his music loads of times but I'd never actually seen him on stage interacting with a crowd, so it should be fun.
Afterwards I'd probably crash at his, we hadn't really hung out so much this past week. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out to receive a text from Aleisha.
LEISH<3: we have to go for drinks before the showcase tonight doeeee x
I chuckled lightly before typing a response.
Me: sounds good girl :) meet you back at the apartment?
Leisha and I were gonna get ready together for tonight and eat something, hang out and catch up a bit before meeting the guys at the club. We would've invited Zoe to join us tonight but she was on her bullshit– she hadn't been talking to us, she'd been spending all her time out of the house, probably with Dex or who the fuck ever, I wasn't even worrying about her– it just stung like a bitch that we'd been tight for so long and all of a sudden she was just acting distant and up and moving? Aleisha had told me she had found a place with D, we didn't even know she was looking– but whatever, that shit wasn't gonna bother me tonight. I was gonna see my baby.
–
Like Hov said it Can I Live?
Aye dear Lord, Can I live? Hey!
Now am I Living to get paid just slaves for a wage (all week)
I can't do no 9 to 5 told my momma (sorry)
I can't do no suit and tie, no I want the (glory)
If you knew me know my life is like a movie starring me
Pardon me, if it seems that I'm following my dreams
I ain't reading off the script that they picked (for me)
I ain't pissed, naw could'ntgive a shit (hardly)
I was stood in the front row with Leish, Mike, Dex and Ib watching Jermaine perform. We were all yelling and hollerin' during his 20 minute set. He played the songs from the mixtape that wasn't finished and I was almost shocked as I watched how the crowd reciprocated him and his music and his story– let's not talk about how fucking fine he looked while he was up there. But there was something about J when he was on stage. It was a club that almost full of people yet he had the ability to perform and connect to each and every single person who was out there. There was one thing though that I did not see coming and that I was not prepared for at all– the screaming girls. I knew my man was fine and I knew he was crazy talented– the fact that all these girls were screaming for him weirded me out. And maybe that was something that I had to learn to live with because this was the career path that he was trying to follow.
It made me uneasy, let me not lie, I love and support anything that Jermaine does but the fact that he wanted this meant that it came with the entire lifestyle and the thought of that worried me– hoes after every show, groupies, money and drugs– I just I didn't want that to happen... I wish there was a way where he could follow his dreams without any of those side effects; but maybe I was thinking too far ahead because right now, in this moment my baby was killing it and I was grinning from ear to ear watching him on that stage doing what he loves to do.
"I told y'all this nigga was mad talented– I fuckin' told y'all!" Ib got all hyped up yelling... It was true Ib was the one who pushed him and helped him realize that he could in fact make his dreams come true.
"Aye come on now– don't take all the fuckin' credit.. I said it too," Dex said playfully nudging him. Dex was out with us tonight so where the hell was Zoe? Something wasn't adding up and maybe if she'd fucking talk to Aleisha and I it'd start making some sense. Jermaine finished the set with Grown Simba which the crowd reacted to really well– they loved it. He went off and it was as though he got a huge thrill out of doing this, if he could I'm sure he'd do this shit every single night.
"My time is up and they sayin' I have to go but before I leave I just wanna thank y'all for ridin' with me– if y'all fuck with me, I appreciate it... I ain't never thought none of this shit was possible.. I was just a little nigga out the Ville... Thank y'all for giving me a chance," he said into the mic and the few girls who had all huddled up towards the stage screamed.
"I FUCKING LOVE YOU J COLEEEEE–"
They were college kids. I couldn't say much cause I was still in college too but these were those annoying freshmen and maybe I was just bitter because they were hollering and wooing my man.
"I'm gonna grab a drink real quick," I squeezed Leisha's hand before heading towards the bar. I walked over and ordered a coke; I was assigned the designated driver for tonight so I wasn't drinking. Besides, it was Jermaine's night and he was probably going to celebrate with a few drinks, I wasn't even mad about that at all. I made my order and sat at the bar for a bit as I waited on it, I then felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to face Kevin who was smiling at me. I just kept fucking bumping into this kid– this had been the fourth time this week and I kept putting off going to dinner with him.
"Hey you," he smiled at me, sipping his own beverage and watching me as he did so. It took all that I had in me to contain myself and not swoon as I glared into his eyes.
"Are you following me Kevin?" I boredly asked him. I was joking... Shit, I hope knew that– I didn't have the best sense of humor and it didn't come across to most people but he chuckled lightly in response so I hope he caught on that I was just messing.
"Ha– I might be, you gotta let me take you out." he reminded me. "I've been waiting on that for a while now,"
"I know, I know," I nodded, "I've been busy," just then the bartender handed me my drink and I grabbed it with a smile before standing up, "look find me on campus and I swear we'll arrange it." I told him, "I have to go back over there to my friends–" I didn't want Jermaine coming back here and starting drama over nothing so I tried to get out of there as soon as I could. I didn't want to be dealing with Kevin and his fine ass tonight.
"Alright Tess," he responded, furrowing his eyebrows in utter confusion– to him it probably seemed like I was playing hard to get or something... But that wasn't the case. I just– I hadn't explained my situation to him and I just wanted to be friends– I didn't know how I was meant to bring that across though.
–
Jermaine
I jumped off stage feeling so hyped up– there was a sensation running through my veins and it was as thought I was on a high without even having smoked anything. There was something about the adrenaline and the energy of the crowd when I was onstage. Your boy killed that shit and I weren't even too proud to admit that. Tess had promised me she'd stand out in the front row and she told me to look out for her– as soon as my eyes caught her I found myself grinning at her. Homegirl was wildin' out; head bobbin', her hand up with the rest of the crowd and spittin the hooks at me. She was really supportive and I appreicated that. What I loved about performing was getting to look at the people in the crowd and see how'd they'd respond to my material. Everyone was vibing and they was feeling the lyrics– it went better than I'd even expected it to. When I came off the stage– there was a little backstage area to the side, considering it was just a small club– and I found my boys waiting for me.
"My nigga, my nigga, my nigga," Dex chuckled, patting me on the back several times.
"Killed it mah nigga!" Ib exclaimed– I was happy to see my boys congratulate me, but they were always around where music was concerned and they loved it. What I really wanted to know is what T thought of it, it was the first time she'd seen me perform.
"Where's babygirl?" I asked them as I dapped myself off with a towel and they told me she'd gone to get a drink after yelling and cussing some more–out of pure joy of course– in the tiny ass room they had the audacity to call a dressing room we made our way out to the main hall of the club. People kept telling me I'd done well and I'd nod and thank them as I continued to walk through looking for Tess. Soon enough I found her sat with Aleisha and she was laughing about something as soon as she saw me headed her way she stood up and walked towards me.
"BAEEEEE," she yelled throwing her arms around my neck causing my lips to grow into a grin, "you did sooooo goooood!" she yelled in my ear before kissing my face quickly– we weren't really that couple that were about PDA at all.
"Oh yeah?" I raised my eyebrows kind of stunned by her reaction.
"YES OMG!" she squealed. Aye, that dress she had on didn't hurt either... I think I was just about ready to take her home. I knew she'd be getting double takes from guys tonight– the way she was looking she had to.
"Thank you, baby girl." I smiled at her still hugging her. Aleisha also complemented my performance and I thanked her before sitting down with the girls until my boys had found us.
"Listen, people are clearing out we should go and try and sell them some mixtapes," Ib was always the business forward guy. Straight out of college I dropped a mixtape called the Come Up and I'd always keep copies in the trunk of my car. When we went out to clubs we'd go out and try and sell them for 1$, we was just trying to get my name out there and we figured this is how we'd get niggas to listen.
"T, I'ma meet you out front in about twenty minutes aight?" I told her. I ain't want her to come out with me– this was my hustle and no one would take me seriously as a rapper if I was busy wifin' in the club. Tess was coming home with me later though, so she'd just wait it out until we'd sold a few copies. She nodded as I headed out with Ib and Dex.
–
Tess
It'd been almost 45 minutes since Jay said he'd meet me out front, he said he'd bring his car around and there was still no sign of him. I was out here looking like some fucking stripper in my short ass dress and trench coat, he was gonna get it when I saw him. Leisha had bounced with some guy that she'd found to hook up with– she was bound to get it in tonight so I was just standing out in the cold waiting on my phone, the cold air hitting my bare legs making sure I had goosebumps.
"You still here?" I turned around and suddenly was face to face with Kevin, he had a few guys with him who I'd never seen before. I gave him a soft smile.
"I'm just waiting on someone," I told him with a slight nod as he stood beside me.
"If you need a ride home-"
"NO– no," I shook my head, "I'm fine, Kevin."
"Aight... Then I'll wait with you," his lips grew into a sheepish grin and before I could reply I found myself looking into his eyes and smiling myself. He told the guys he was with they could leave without him and he'd catch up with them later. "It's dark and whoever it is that has you waiting out here looking the way you do must be hella stupid."
"Excuse me?" I wasn't sure if I should have been flattered or offended. Did he just say I looked like a hoe?He chuckled, "You look really good tonight and any man dumb enough to leave you out here alone shouldn't have you... It's your boy you waitin' on right?" he asked me. How the fuck did he know? Was I thought obvious? "the guy from that night at Greenhouse?" he raised his eyebrow and I slowly nodded as I bit my lip. Kevin wasn't backing down though.
We waited in silence for a bit before I noticed Dex approach us. "What the fuck, nigga?!" he yelled at Kevin who gritted his teeth when he laid eyes on him.
"Tess this is your man??" he looked at me then at Dex and back at me before letting out a bitter laugh.
Did they know each other?
"T, the car's around the street–" D briefly looked at me and ushered me in that direction. I was in a state of complete confusion at this stage– what the fuck was going on? "Nigga I'ont wantchu talkin to her... Do I make myself clear?" Dex got all in his face and I stood back praying that for whatever reason a fight didn't go down.
"You a fuckin poor excuse for a man," Kevin spat at him before Dex turned his back so he could walk me towards where the boys had Jay's car. "Tess let me know when were going on that date," he said just to get under Dex's skin and by the reaction he made it worked. He frowned even more and walked away even faster. Niether of us spoke until we went round the corner of the street.
"Dex what the fuck was that?? And where's Jermaine?? How do you know Kevin???" I asked him.
He clenched his jaw before he spoke, "Tess don't hang around that nigga, he's bad news." What the fuck was he talking about?