|Recap|
He lowered his gun and we went back inside.
"See? That's why yo ass is in a lot of shit now, always running yo big ass mouth."
"Whatever E."
"Look I gotta ask y'all something and don't lie."
"Go ahead," said Lucky.
"Aight I want you to be completely honest with a nigga. We're grown, we ain't kids so there's no need to be childish and lie."
"What you getting at?" he asked.
"So I was pulled over the other night by LAPD."
He laughed. "That's all? E that ain't nothing new. Niggas get pulled over by LAPD all the time. So what's the problem?"
"The problem is," I smirked "is not that I was pulled over. The reason is why I was pulled over."
"Well why was you pulled over?" he mocked.
I shook my head. "What you think I'm stupid or some shit? It didn't make sense at first but now this shit is adding up."
"Nigga can you please tell us what the hell is going on?" Lucky asked.
"I'm gonna ask both of y'all the same thing I asked that bitch Tomica. Why'd you do it?"
Scooter raised a brow. "Do what?"
"And once again I'm gonna tell you the same thing I told her ass; you could've said no."
"Could've said no to what? The hell is you talking 'bout?" Lucky questioned.
"So you ratted me out to LAPD huh? You told them that I robbed that bank but didn't turn yourselves in?"
"Oh that's how it is?!" he yelled "you think we snitched? Man you crazy. Why would we rat you out when we're just as guilty as you?"
"What you think I'm buying that?" I mumbled after licking my lips "I suspect one of you or maybe both of you."
"You think I did it?" Scooter asked "go ahead and tell me."
"You tell me. I want you to look me in my eyes and tell me that you didn't rat me out."
He bit his bottom lip before taking a deep breathe. "Look man you gotta trust me. I know we had a fallout but that shit is the past and we need to let that go."
"You never answered my question though. Did you or did you not snitch and leave yourself out, like you didn't rob it either?"
I sat back in my chair and raised a brow.
"Man just hear me out," he said.
"You still avoiding the question? It's either yes or no."
He sighed. "No I did not."
"Aight," I glanced at Lucky "now I'm gonna ask you the same thing. Did you snitch? I mean it's not like it matters anyway because I lied and told him that I have nothing to do with it so he let me go."
"So why are you bringing the shit up then?" Scooter spat.
"Because I need to know whose ass I gotta beat, that's why."
"Nah E I didn't snitch. I would never stoop that low and you my nigga, so you know I would never throw you under the bus," said Lucky.
He held his fist out, asking for dap and I gave in. Then I glanced at Scooter who currently has on a straight face.
"Why the straight face? You good?" I asked.
He didn't respond, he just kept staring.
"I said you good?"
"Yo Scooter you aight?" Lucky questioned while nudging him.
"Are you still alive?" I laughed.
"Nah I just want to know why you consider yourself my homie and my nigga, yet you don't want to help me pay back Worm."
I felt my pager vibrate and noticed that I have a few missed messages from Dre, he wants me to meet them at the studio as soon as possible.
I mentally responded then slid it back in my pocket.
I have a bad habit of "mentally responding" to messages. Sometimes I'll reply to a message in my head and days will go by until I realize that I didn't physically respond. I'm working on that.
"Did you hear me?"
"What?" I spat.
"Long story short. Are you gonna help me pay back Worm or not?" he asked with an attitude.
"You wild but what you doing though?"
"Are you serious right now E or are you just fooling around like always?"
"I'm saying. You really expect me to help you pay back money that yo stupid ass decided to borrow? So why did you borrow that money in the first place?"
"Just know that I needed it."
"So," I laughed.
"So?" he mocked "you really doing this shit right now?"
I licked my lips. "Aye, you gonna have to learn how to solve your own problems sooner or later. What, you expected me to help you come up with fifty grand?"
"Aye fuck you man," he spat "I didn't ask for this."
My pager vibrated and I mentally responded before sliding it back in my pocket.
"Scooter I love you man but... I got more important things to worry about."
Lucky's face dropped. "Wait, what?" he asked in confusion.
Scooter chuckled and looked away. "This nigga..."
"Look I have somewhere to be. You call me if you need anything," I smirked before heading towards the door.
"Come on E. You know I'm not the type to beg but I don't have a choice right now. This nigga wants his money back asap."
I looked back. "Like I said.. I can't be there for you always."
His eyes began to water. "So you're just gonna let these niggas kill me? E you know I can't go right now... I have shit to do, things to see."
"Aye if they wanted to kill you, they would've done it by now. You'll be aight."
It's almost seven o' clock and I still have about three things on my to-do list to accomplish.
I had to squeeze in studio time at the last minute since Dre paged me numerous times.
I started my car, adjusted the mirrors, then turned on the radio.
"LAPD is still tracking down the three armed men who robbed the City National Bank a few days ago. They need your help. If you know anything..."
I still have a gut feeling that Tomica ratted me out considering the fact she's currently working for KTLA News and her topic is gang violence.
All I know is, somebody's ass is gonna be beat once I find out and that's for damn sure.
"You never make me stay so take your weight off of me. I know your every move so won't you just let me be. I've been here times before but I was too blind to see that you seduce every man, this time you won't seduce me.
She's saying that's okay hey baby do what you please. I have the stuff that you want..."
If I'm mistaken, I had something planned tonight but I can't remember what the hell it was.
Fuck it.
-
Ruthless Records
"Look who decides to show up late... again," Jerry smirked as I made my way inside.
"Jerry you don't even know what the hell I'n going through right now. At least I-"
"That's twenty suicides and ten push-ups for the rest of the group, and fifty push-ups for you Eric," he spat.
"Seriously Jerry what's with all of the bootcamp shit?" Dre asked.
"Well after you guys went to a pool party behind my back, I figured this is the perfect way to shape you guys up. Don't you think?"
"Are you serious?" Ren spat "Jerry this is bullshit and you know it!"
"I have been losing a lot of weight though," Yella added.
"Ren since you decided to give your manager attitude, you've just won fifty push-ups of your own as well."
"This ain't the track team. We're rappers," I mumbled.
"You're right Eric. And because you're right that's fourty suicides for the group and you get the bonus prize of twenty jumping jacks."
"Ugh," Dre groaned.
"Let's go," said Jerry "you know the drill. Go get changed and meet me outside. And I want you to start with those suicides and yes I said suicides. Don't make me commit homicide."
-
"So what is the gameplan Dre? It must be something important because you kept paging me," I muttered while resting my legs on top of a bag of ice.
"Because I just came up with another idea for a song. We're going to do some more sampling and I think you'll like it. Ren will tell you more about it."
I grabbed my camcorder and pressed the record button.
"We're taking it back. This shit is going to be dope. I'm sure y'all know who Bootsy Collins is."
"That's who we're sampling from?" I spat after lowering the camera.
"Look midget don't start that shit. You don't even know what song we're going to sample from. This shit is going to be dope, trust me."
"Let's hear it," said Jerry.
"Aight Dre. Go for it."
"This shit is dope I swear," he mumbled while pressing a few buttons.
"I'd rather be with you, yeah. Yeah I'd rather be with you. I'd rather be with you, yeah. Yeah I'd rather be with you."
"So what are you trying to do with this?" I asked.
"I'd rather be with you until I'm through oh yes I do. I'd rather be with you until that day we'll fly away. I just love that smiling face in the early sun. If I can't have you to myself then life's no fun."
He paused it. "We're definitely going to sample this shit. I smell a hit already," he smiled.
"Nah," I chuckled.
"Can we start a petition to kick the leprechaun out of the group Jerry?" he asked.
"Hell yeah I'm feeling it," said Yella.
"Well looks like everybody else has agreed to sample it except you of course E. So that's four against one; yes I counted Jerry. So I win and you lose," he laughed.
"Well of course Yella is going to agree. He just don't give a fuck," I shrugged.
"Mind yo business Lucky Charm," he spat.
"Guys this is not the time. You do this at every studio session," said Jerry.
"Okay so we're going to sample from Bootsy Collins. We're also finishing up Appetite for Destruction. E I wrote the rest of your verse and I want you to record it next time we're here."
"Sounds good to me. Aye what time is it by the way?" I asked.
"About eight thirty why?"
"I don't know. I feel like I had somewhere to be but I can't put my finger on it."
"We're going to start filming Appetite for Destruction soon, just a heads up. It's a nightmare completing this album but we'll make it," said Dre.
"Oh and another thing," Jerry added "if you know anything about the robbery please let the city know. Those thugs are a bunch of dumbasses."
"You mean to tell me LAPD didn't catch their asses yet? This shit happened about a week ago."
[A/N: a week ago]
"These guys are still on the run Ren, that's why the cops haven't arrested them yet."
"Oh and speaking of gang violence, we need to promote We're All In the Same Gang more because we recorded that song for a reason," said Dre.
"What good will that do?" I questioned.
"Eric do you know anything about the robbery? Anything at all? Those guys are Crips and since you-"
"I don't know anything about that," I lied.
"Are you sure?" Dre raised a brow "because Crips associate with other Crips."
"And? Your point?"
"So you don't know anything about the robbery or the suspects?" Jerry asked... again.
"Why y'all sweating me?"
"D-did you rob that bank?" Dre questioned.
"Oh that's how it is? You think I robbed that bank?" I laughed.
"Just saying. Everytime we bring the shit up, you seem to get offended. I'm actually surprised that you don't have anything to do with it."
"Look. I don't know shit about it. Case closed, now let's change the subject."
"Well to be real I don't know who to believe."
"Did you rob that bank?" Dre questioned once more.
"So how many times are you gonna keep asking me that for you to get the fucking memo?"
"Okay guys let's just drop the entire thing. Eric is innocent. Let's move on. I don't know who robbed that bank and shot that manager in the thigh. All I know is who ever it was, it's going to come back to haunt them in the future," said Jerry.
"You have a point," Yella muttered.
"Yeah. I'm old fashioned but I do believe in karma. Who ever did it and won't turn theirselves in, best believe it's going to bite them in the ass."
"KTLA News should have an update," said Ren.
Ren mentioning KTLA News just reminded me about my night with Tomica.
So that's what I had planned and I forgot all about it.
"Shit," I whispered. I quickly checked my pager to see if I have any missed messages and I don't which is a surprise.
"Are you okay Eric?" Jerry asked.
"I'm good," I lied "I gotta go."
I have a feeling she's at work right now since I stood her up.. on accident.
-
KTLA News
I arrived at KTLA News about thirty minutes later. After getting checked by security, I made my way to the back and lucky for me, she's here.
"Thank you guys so, so much for supporting and believing in me. I am the record executive assistant to the President of Motown and I am excited to work part-time with KTLA News."
She glanced at me, then ignored my presence.
Well, she's still a bitch.
"I have been selected along with another girl as the voice of gang violence. This is what I'm passionate about. But only one of us will win. Well I know I don't have a chance at winning but it'll mean a lot to me if you support and back me up."
One of the producers handed everyone backstage a flyer with her picture on it.
I don't know what to do with it, so I just folded and placed it in my pocket.
"Three armed young men are currently on the run and LAPD needs your help. Back to you Tyler..... Tyler?" she nudged him to get his attention.
"Yes?" he questioned while sorting folders.
"We're recording and it's your turn to speak. Did you not hear me turn everything over to you?"
"Oh sorry I wasn't paying attention," he smiled.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen let's take five."
I approached her. "Tomica.."
"Bye," she smirked before walking away.
----
Damn I usually end my chapters with a bomb ass cliffhanger 😐 but not today 🙃🙂