Dedicated to : Briskki for commenting on every chapter of everything!
"What's up , Stockton!" The radio announcer shouted into his microphone. I swear I saw saliva splashing on it. "It's DJ Jazzy J in the studio with some artists who have been causing a ruckus in the music industry lately! I'm here with Backstreet, Pretty Young Things and newest Teen Sensation, Lyric! How are you feeling guys?"
"Tired." Bree and Prince answered in unison. Whether it was on purpose or not, I'm guessing not.
"Already?" Jazzy asked. "The tour hasn't even officially kicked off yet!"
"And we've already been ripping and running lately." Matty interjected.
I sat back in my seat as a conversation started. DJ Jazzy J was in the middle and to her left were Prince, Matty, Bree, and Star. To her right were Trey, Mila, and CJ. I was placed between CJ and Star. Cameras rotated all around us form reporters as well as Backstreet’s daily camera-following people. Maybe I should find out what they're for sooner or later.
My goal this interview was to stay as quiet and inconspicuous as possible. I wanted no extra attention on me whatsoever for my own personal reasons. It's a shame when someone in the spotlight never wants to be in it. Of course, that didn't work as we got into Twitter Question Time.
"So, Lyric, @KadySwag asked where is your hometown?" Jazzy asked.
"Chicago, Illinois."
"What part?"
"Sixth-third and then Roseland."
"You came straight out of the hood." I laughed, as that's what everyone tells me."Next question is also for Lyric, how did you get discovered from @RoyalJullian."
"I was in school with my friends, singing down the halls, when someone came up basically saying "Hey,I like your voice, I want you to sign with my label" So I was thinking 'Whoa, this man is a creep!" and I threw the card in my locker, never to be found again. I didn't want to be famous, like, at all. I hate attention with a passion, but my friends got together and set up an interview, showing him videos we recorded and had on YouTube as like, a joke. Before I knew it he set up an interview with my Mom, and was through her convincing I actually considered signing the papers.”
“So you didn't have to sing in front of a producer or anything?"
"He was the owner of the company. My school frequently had people come in and out to speak on their businesses and whatever, so when he heard me sing there was no one above him to go too. All we had to do was assign me a manager.”
"Well can we hear you spit something now?" Jazzy said.
"Now?" I asked.
"What are you, scared?" Matty asked, raising his eyebrows.
I laughed along with everyone else at his facial expression. "Never that. What song?"
"The one you got discovered with." CJ suggested., adding a nonchalant shrug.
"Okay." I sighed and took a deep breath before swallowing. I let the words come to my mind and flow out of my mouth. "I'm looking for somebody I can call boo/ Looking for the only one that I can give my all to/ Tell me if it's you, you, you/ What you wanna do, do, do/ Make your move/ You can be my teacher/ I'll do homework/ You can give me extra credit, baby/ I'll do more work/ What you wanna do, do, do/ Now it's me and you, you, you/ Make a move/ This mood is so right/ It feels so right/ You can be my prince/ My knight/ You can be my superman/ Save me here I am/' Cause baby/ There's nothing I won't do/ To spend my life with you/I'll give my all to you/I promise that I will never lie to you boy/There's nothing I won't do/To spend my life with you/I'll give my all to you/I promise that I will never lie to you boy/You and me together/Picture perfect/I'll spend all my money all my time/Because you're worth it/It's just me and you, you, you/What you wanna do, do, do/Make a move/Call me mama, spoil you like a baby/Thinking about you, dreaming about you/Got me going crazy/What you wanna do, do, do/Now it's me and you, you, you/Make a move..." I let the words fade.
No one said anything. It was completely silent in the studio to the point were someone dropped a pen and I heard it roll on the carpeted floor and bump into the table.
"I promise!" It was Matty’s goofiness that finally broke the the silence.
"Well, Ciara, I think you have a competition all right." DJ Jazzy J commented.
I sat in the chair of my dressing room spinning in circles. My stomach was a jumbled mess of butterflies. The nerves in the pit of my stomach seemed to increase with the excited yells of teenage girls from in front. It didn't help knowing I would be first on stage either. My lyrics ran on and on in my head until I ended up standing up and doing the routine in mini-motions. Everything had to be right. There was no time to mess up. Not on the first show- not ever.
A rapid knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts. Standing there was Prince in a black and white striped uniform, adjusting his microphone. "Time for prayer." He stated simply before turning to leave out of the door.
I got out of the chair and stood in the mirror for a second. My hot pink top was a short shirt that fitted to my body and stopped above my belly button. My black cargo pants fitted at the thigh and were a little loose on the leg part. The right side pants leg had a silver-studded cross decoration. My shoes were a pair of white, gray and pink NIKE Airs, it would have originally been wedges but I didn't practice enough in those so...yeah. My hair was curled, the top covered in a white snapback with pink specks that said in black letters "Keep Calm and Carry On". My accessories were an assortment of bracelets, one saying 'Love' in silver and teddy bear earrings.
I made my way to the circle and saw everyone else was already there. I stood in-between CJ and Bree as we held hands, bowed our head, closed our eyes, and Pastor Sean began to pray.
"Dear Lord we thank you for this day given to us and we bless you for allowing us to perform here today. Without you we would not be here today. Lord we ask you to give us a great show and bless all the hearts of every fan is this building. In Jesus name we pray,Amen."
"Amen." We all said, releasing hands and giving each other our respective space.
"Lyric." Leslie said, coming next to me. "Are you ready?"
"Yeah." I replied, taking multiple deep breathes. "I think so. I hope so. I pray so."
"Well, you’re on in five, so get ready." She walked away.
I laughed, shaking my head. I didn't expect any other response from Leslie. She always has a nonchalant ponytail to her peaceful demeanor. I walked in a circle, lightly repeating my lyrics to myself.
"Lyric!" A deep voice called me from behind.
I turned to see CJ. "Hey." I said, fiddling with my fingers.
"Nervous?" A smile played on his lips.
"Yeah. Aren't you?"
"Always. But they don't really hit until right before we go on stage."
"Two minutes, Lyric." A smooth voice based in my ears.
"I hate these things." I commented placing my finger on my ear. "But you have three other people on stage with you. It's just me, myself, and I here." Kind of like it’s been all my life.
"True." He pulled a gold string out of his pocket. "Here, take this with you." I looked in his hand and it was a golden mini teddy bear figure with silver rhinestones embedding it and black ones to make out the facial features. "I wore it all the time when I got nervous."
"No.I can't take that." I responded.
"Why not?" He actually looked a tiny bit hurt by my rejection.
"Because it’s yours.” And I don't know you and I don't trust you and I want nothing to distract me on stage.
"Take it."
"No."
"Yes."
"One minute." The announcer told me.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Lyric."
CJ."
"Desiree."
"Calvin!"
He looked shocked. "You know my name?"
"It's good to know the people you're touring with."
"Thirty seconds."
"I have to go." I tried to walk pass but he blocked my route. "Really?" He didn't say anything, he just held out his hand with the necklace in it. I sighed, thoroughly annoyed. "Fine." I moved my hair to the side. "Hook it on me." He hooked it on and within seconds he was back in front of me. "Happy?" I pushed him to the side. Going to the stage, I stopped behind the curtain, waiting for my signal to go.
While waiting I ran over all the negative words in my mind. People telling me I couldn't, wouldn't, do anything with my life. Telling me I would amount to nothing in my life, do nothing with it. These were the things to motivate me.I'm proving you wrong.
"Hello, Stockton!" I yelled as I walked on stage. The screams were deafening. "How are you tonight!?"
This would prove everyone wrong.
Peeking behind the curtain I saw Backstreet (or BS as they were short-handed) performing their last song. I laughed at the girls who looked ready to faint as each boy blew a kiss to the crowd. Still, I can't judge. I remember seeing Chris Brown perform on my computer at home and falling out the seat when he hit a grind.
Okay, enough of that.
I was bored out of my mind. Since my 15 minutes of notice was out the way I was forgotten until tomorrow’s stage rehearsal at the next venue. I decided to venture back to my dressing room and change when I saw P.Y.T’s stage door cracked open. I was going to walk in until I heard their whispers.
"But I don't like it!" The whining voice sounded like Mila. "I mean, how is she new, but yet the audience was more hyped for her than us?"
"Girl, you know a majority of those fans are TB and they don't like us anyway." Star answered in a joking voice.
"And she isn't really new." Bree answered, a jersey accent evident. "I mean, she toured with Ciara and Chris Brown and Nicki for a little while. Yeah, her album was just dropped a month ago, but it already went platinum...The girl is good, you have to give her credit."
"Ugh." Mila groaned. "Do you know CJ gave her his necklace? The teddy bear one."
"Okay, and?" Star inquired. "You already know..."
I tip-toed away from the door before I could hear anything else. I cannot believe this! First concert and it’s already a problem. What is the problem anyway? I'm doing my job, as we all are.
Not paying attention, I ran right into someone and landed straight on my butt.
"Sorry." The accented voice said, giving a hand to help me up. I ignored it and helped myself up, dusting myself off when I could. "It's cool." I started to walk away but his hand was placed on my shoulder. "Yes?" I asked, turning around. Inside my skin began to crawl form his touch.
"Um, you were good tonight. I liked your performance." Prince said.
"Thank you." I guess I should return the compliment. "I liked y'alls too. Especially when you almost gave the girls heart attacks with the kiss blow thing."
He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. Why did that send a tingle through me?
"Sooo..."I said. “See you later?"
I turned to walk away, but not before seeing Mila glaring at me from outside her dressing room.
Great.
A/N: This story gets really teligious.Well, not religious, but mentions of God, Jesus, and Prayers are frequent...So sorry not soory if it offends anyone but that's my religion.