Authors: Nikki Carter

On the Flip Side (18 page)

BOOK: On the Flip Side

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“T
een Cosmo
wants to have you on the cover of their magazine next month.” Evan catches me by surprise with this, because we're not anywhere close to talking about photo shoots.

We're at Big D's studio working on some music for Dilly's album. Well, me, Dilly, and Big D are working on music. Sam was instructed to leave some pre-recorded tracks, so that I don't have to see him. I'm only doing the hooks for the songs, because Dilly writes his own lyrics. He's a true emcee.

“Why do they want me? I'm not a model or anything like that.”

Evan laughs out loud. “Oh, sweetie, by the time we get done with you, you're going to be a model, actress, singer, songwriter, and all of the above. We're just getting started.”

“Okay ...”

“But for this cover, they want you because you are in college and in the music industry. They're doing an issue on the best colleges for fabulous girls.”

“Sounds hot. When is the photo shoot?”

“In a week or so. They're going to do it at a studio in downtown Atlanta. They'll have several different backdrops and all of them something scholastic.”

I wonder if Dreya's heard about this. She's probably going to throw a hissy fit, and talk about all of the opportunities that Reign Records is making for me and not for her.

“Cool, just let me know where to be.”

Dilly comes downstairs with a bag of chips and a few cans of soda. He hands me one, pops one open for himself, and sets the rest of his snacks down on the table.

“Did you hear from Bethany?” Dilly asks.

I shake my head. “Hear from her about what?”

“She said she had a miscarriage. But I don't think she was ever pregnant. Not by me anyway.”

This is an interesting development. If Bethany was pregnant, I think she may have gotten an abortion. Mystique was pretty adamant about pushing that decision on her. Mystique probably told her that if she had the baby her career would be over, which was probably the truth.

“She didn't seem like she was lying when she told me. And think about it. She never wanted you to know. If she was lying, why would she want me to keep a secret?” I ask.

“Maybe she knew you wouldn't keep it. I don't know. I'm just glad that it's over. If I never see her again, it'll be too soon.”

Evan says, “No such luck, young homie. You're going to be doing some shows with her. That duet you did on her record is hot, and it's going to be her first video.”

Dilly sighs. “Oh my God. This is a nightmare. I can't stand her.”

“Listen,” Evan says, “you keep that inside these walls. When you get interviewed, you let everyone know that it's all love at Reign Records. I don't care what beef y'all have with each other. Keep it in the family.”

I wonder if that goes for Mystique too. She's definitely got beef with Zac right now, and possibly has some with Dreya.

“Are you going to marry my cousin?” I ask.

Evan cracks up. “Nah. It definitely isn't like that. She is having the time of her life in New York, and spending lots of cash. She would like to be the first lady of Reign Records, but she needs a little bit more polish.”

When he says
first lady,
does he mean his girlfriend or something? And does the use of first mean that there are seconds, thirds, and fourths? See a smart chick asks these things, and a silly girl just takes the American Express Black Card and calls it a day.

What am I saying? At least she's getting gifts out of it all. I let Sam play me for free.

“I thought Mystique was the first lady of Reign Records,” Dilly says. “She's the biggest artist on the label.”

“The first lady is whoever I say it is,” Evan says. “Trust and believe, Drama is going to be even bigger than Mystique. She's been floundering around with absolutely no guidance. No offense to Big D. He doesn't really know what to do with a diamond in the rough like Drama.”

Diamond in the rough? That's new. And not the way I would describe Dreya at all. Well, definitely the rough part, but not the diamond part.

“Bethany has potential to blow up too,” I say. “Her voice is incredible, and she really blossoms as a solo artist. I think she always hid behind doing background vocals when she sang with me and Dreya. She never wanted to sing a lead.”

Evan nods. “She is good, but she's too silly. She's going to do something to mess it up if she isn't careful. She's the type of artist that gets dropped from a label and no one understands why because they were so talented.”

“Since you have so much commentary on everyone,” I say, “what do you think about me? Am I going to crash and burn?”

“Sunday, you could have it all. You are a legend in the making. But you know what? I don't think you really want it. I can't understand why you're still doing this college thing. You're already a millionaire. All you need is a street degree. You could get one of them hanging with me.”

“I love music, but all this invasion of privacy ... I don't know if I want it. I feel like there are people out to get me. Every time I go out to a club, I'm wondering who's going to say something sideways to me.”

“Yeah, that's all part of it. First things first though, you probably need to drop out of Spelman. I haven't been pressuring you, but the more popular you get, the harder it's going to be. You have to watch everyone. You won't know who's trying to be your friend just because of your money.”

“None of my friends have asked me for anything... .”

“Yet. They haven't asked you for anything yet. Just give them a minute.”

I shake my head and frown. “You don't have any faith in people, do you?”

“Nah. Everyone lets you down at least once. Set your expectations there and you won't get hurt.”

This makes me think of Sam. I had high expectations of him. I thought he was going to be a faithful boyfriend even though he was living in New York City. He's let me down twice and it's not even December yet.

“Dilly, I've got finals next week so I won't be in the studio. Feel free to get anything done that you need Sam for, because I won't be here.”

“You two haven't squashed that yet?” Evan asks.

“Uh, no, we haven't and we're not going to squash it. And no, I don't recall asking you for your opinion about it.”

“Okay, okay! I won't try to get you back with your boyfriend. But I do have an issue with you not being able to work with your main producer. You two have come up with some really good music. I don't want to see that disappear,” Evan says.

I don't say it to Evan, but I think my days of making beautiful music with Sam are over. I can't see it ever being the same. Why did he have to go and ruin it all?

“Was what he did so unforgivable?” Evan asks. “Don't act like you've never, ever lied in your life to keep from hurting someone's feelings.”

“That's the thing. He didn't lie to keep from hurting my feelings; he lied so that I'd take him back. Unacceptable reason.”

“I'm just saying, don't feel like it takes anything away from you if you forgive him and move on.”

What is up with Evan the guru today? I'm so over his advice. First of all, I didn't ask for it. Second of all, it doesn't make any sense. Plus, his advice is self-serving anyway. He wants me and Sam back together, so that we can keep making him money.

“I'll think about it,” I say, even though I have no intention of doing so. I just want Evan to leave me alone.

My phone buzzes with a text message. I almost don't look, because I'm not trying to read any of Sam's apologies.

But I do look and it's from Dreya. Go on MTO right now.

I pull up the celebrity gossip site on my phone. The headline reads:
MTO E
XCLUSIVE!
Z
ILLIONAIRE
IS
THE
F
ATHER
, M
YSTIQUE
L
EAVES
R
EIGN
R
ECORDS
W
EDDING
B
ELLS FOR
M
YSTIQUE
AND
Z
ILLIONAIRE
.

Before I can even tell them what the blog post says, Evan's phone starts blowing up. Usually, Media Take Out only posts once a day, but this story is too good for all that. They had to post it immediately.

“She did what?” Evan screams into the phone. “She can't decide to leave Reign Records. I don't care what Lawrence and Caterina said. I'm the brains behind all this. They don't know what ...”

Evan stops midsentence when he notices that Dilly and I are staring at him.

“I'll call you back.”

He disconnects the phone and says, “We have a meeting tomorrow evening at Zac's house. Mystique is no longer with Reign, but still with Epsilon. We have to figure out what to do next. Eight o'clock, tomorrow.”

Evan storms out of the lab and leaves Dilly and I to make up our own answers.

Mystique's move is an interesting one. Evan thought he was holding all the cards and she just played the one she was hiding under her shoe. Epsilon Records needs Mystique's record sales, and apparently Zac has decided that he needs her too. Enough to put a ring on it.

This is just starting to get interesting.

E
veryone's here, in Zac's conference room, and the tension in this room is so thick that you could spread it on a piece of toast and put jelly on top.

I'm sitting to the left of Mystique at the big table. Only because no one else wanted to take the seat. Zac is to the right of Mystique and at the head of the table. Evan is directly opposite him at the other end. Of course, Dreya is at his side. She keeps taking his hand in hers and stroking it. It is a surprisingly gentle gesture from her. Big D and Sam are in the middle seats, so I guess they're not pledging allegiance to anyone. Dilly and Bethany don't even get a seat at the table, so they just stand.

“Why'd you do it, Mystique? What are you trying to do to us? Reign Records was poised to take over the industry, and then you jump ship.”

“Reign Records wasn't my idea. It was yours. I'm not interested in commingling with a bunch of new artists. I've already paid my dues. No disrespect.”

Evan sucks his teeth slowly and obnoxiously. “So you agree with her, Zac?”

“Yeah, I do. This is her career. I don't make decisions for her. If she feels this is the best move for her, then I won't argue.”

Bethany asks, “Why is it such a big deal? We're all under Epsilon Records, right?”

“Because Evan wants to control me, and no one does that. I've been there already at the beginning of my career. I manage myself. I run my own business. Sorry, Evan. Nothing personal.”

Sam keeps trying to make eye contact with me, but I look away every time his eyes try to meet mine. It's already hard enough with him in the room; I can't have him staring me down.

“I don't think we need her. She's a straight hater anyway,” Dreya says. “She's hated on my cousin since the very first time she heard her sing. That's why she put her on Mystical Sounds. She just wanted to make sure that Sunday didn't get any bigger than she is.”

Mystique's mouth opens and she looks at me. “Is that what you think, Sunday?”

“What? No! That's all Dreya. I did not approve that statement.”

Mystique smiles sarcastically at Dreya. “You are just jealous, Drama. You've always wanted me to take you under my wing, like I've done Sunday. But the truth is, you're just too basic. And I know it was you who started that story about Zac's baby.”

“What if I did?” Dreya asks.

“I'll have to thank you some time. The whole thing got us talking about family and marriage. I'll make sure you're invited to the wedding.”

“A team of wild horses couldn't drag me there,” Dreya says.

“Not so fast, Drama,” Evan says. “Of course we'll be there. This will be the wedding of the year, and just the event for me to debut you as my woman.”

Dreya squeals. “That's what's up!”

“Okay, I don't think any of this concerns me. I am just a producer,” Sam says. “I just want to make music.”

“It concerns you, because it concerns me, and it concerns Sunday,” Big D says. “If Mystique is not the anchor of Reign Records, then who is going to be?”

“Drama will anchor the label,” Evan says. “I just need a few months to clean up her image.”

“I think it should be Sunday,” Big D says.

“You've always thought it should be Sunday,” Dreya says. “So that doesn't surprise me.”

Evan says, “Ask Sunday how she feels about it.”

“Why does it have to be about anchors, and who's on top? Why can't we just make incredible music and let the listeners decide?”

Evan waves his hand in the air as if he's proved his point. But then, I guess he has. “Like I said, Drama will anchor the label.”

“Well, now I just feel like an uninvited guest,” Mystique says. “I don't need to hear any Reign Records business. But please be our guest to continue your meeting in our home.”

Evan jumps up from the table and storms out of the room with Dreya at his heels.

“Is that all? Can we leave now?” I ask, because everyone is looking all nervous and uncomfortable.

Big D says, “I don't want y'all to worry. We don't need someone to put us out there. We're going to let our music speak for itself. Bethany, your record is coming out next, and it's going to be incredible.”

“Thanks, Big D,” Bethany says.

“Then you, Dilly. Next year this time, we're going to wonder how we even worried about it.”

Big D keeps talking about worrying, but he's the only one who sounds nervous. Reign Records, Epsilon, or whoever, as long as my tuition is paid.

Speaking of tuition, I've got some exams to prepare for. Plus, the sight of Sam is literally turning my stomach.

“I've got to get back to school. It's exam week, next week,” I say. “We done here?”

“Yeah,” Big D says.

“Let me walk you out,” Sam says.

“I'd rather you didn't.”

“Sunday ...”

I shake my head and sigh. “Okay, whatever. Walk me out, then.”

Once we're outside of Zac's house, Sam says, “Big D is going to come apart at the seams, you know that, right? He needs us. He thinks he's ready for Zac and Evan, but he's really just trying to look out for all of us.”

“Big D will be all right. I'm sure his check was bigger than mine, so he got paid.”

“What about us? Will we be all right?”

“Oh, I'm straight.”

“So it's done, huh? We're done?”

I nod. “Yeah. I think so. But Evan wants us to still work together.”

“Can you still work with me?”

Long pause from me. “I think I can, but I'm not sure.”

“So ... I'll give you a break from seeing me and then, when it's time to compose the songs for your next record. . . we can try.”

I need to get away from him ... immediately. His pitiful routine is not making me feel anything remotely close to pity. Actually, it's making me want to go straight upside his head.

Yeah, I can't look at him without feeling anger, or remembering his lies. Totally not ready to collaborate with him, and I don't know if I ever will be.

“I'm outta here, Sam. Take care.”

Those words sound so much more final than I mean them to sound, but I think Sam gets the message. It's good-bye ... for now.

BOOK: On the Flip Side

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