Not A Good Look (14 page)

W
e decide not to tell anyone about our meeting with Mystique. First of all, because we don't want to give Dreya anything to get mad about. And yeah, even though this has absolutely nothing to do with her, she'll find a way to make it her issue and pitch a fit.

Behtany and I head over to Dreya's suite for Regina and Monie to do their magic on us. If I was cool with Bethany right now, I'd mention that she has on a really cute outfit, but since we're not cool, I'm not saying anything.

“How did your meeting go?” Regina asks.

Dang, dang, dang! Forgot that I told her and Monie about the meeting with Mystique. I've been slipping lately on keeping secrets and stuff. It's a good thing I don't lie, because I sure wouldn't be able to keep up with them.

“What meeting?” Bethany asks.

“It was nothing. Just about some music. A song that me and Sam worked on.”

“Well, who was the meeting with?” Dreya asks.

“You're nosy! Dang! None of your business.”

Dreya stands up from Monie's chair. She puts both hands on her hips and flips the plastic smock she's wearing. “What do you mean, none of my business? Did you have a meeting with my man or something?”

“What? No! Girl, you are tripping. Nobody wants Truth. Please get that through your head.”

“Well, why is it that when I tried to find him this afternoon for lunch, he was missing in action? I couldn't find any of y'all either. Sunday, Sam, Big D, Bethany. It sounds like y'all are planning something behind my back.”

Bethany's eyes drop to the floor. I know that look. I know it like I know the back of my hand. I can guess where Truth was when Dreya was looking for him. He was probably hemmed up somewhere with Bethany.

“Maybe they're planning a surprise party,” Regina offers.

“Nah, I don't think that was it,” Dreya says. “Somebody in here's been creeping.”

“Well, it wasn't me,” I say. “I was with Sam—you can ask him. I can't, however, speak for everyone in this room. I'm just sayin'.”

Dreya laughs out loud. “She wouldn't dare! Bethany knows better than to cross me. Not only will I beat that tail, I will kick her off my staff so fast her head will spin.”

“I haven't done anything,” Bethany says. “Sunday is tripping.”

Monie tugs on Dreya's smock. “Honey, you need to sit your little hyper behind back down in this chair so you can get ready for this show. You wanna be on
106 & Park
with a half-done hairdo?”

Dreya rolls her eyes at everyone and sits back down. I can almost see the wheels in her head spinning and trying to figure out what's really going down. I don't care how fast those little wheels spin, she'll never figure out who I met with this afternoon without someone telling her.

We're supposed to meet in the lobby of the hotel at 4:00 p.m. for the special
106 & Park
taping. BET is sending three limos over to the Ritz-Carlton to pick up all of the acts, so that we can arrive in style. This new artist showcase is the business.

Dreya and Truth are hugged up on one of the lobby couches. She must've confronted him yet again, and he's trying to console her. I wonder if he'd bother having her as a girlfriend if it wasn't connected with his music career.

When the limos arrive, Sam pulls my arm. “Don't go out yet. Let Dreya and Truth pick a limo first, so we can get in a different one.”

“I feel you on that.”

We watch Dreya and Truth get in the first limo with a few other people and we make our way over to the last one. A little-girl group climbs in right behind us. They're all dressed alike and have a fancy lady with them.

“What's the name of y'all group?” I ask.

“Sugar and Spice,” the woman replies.

“Aww…they're cute.”

One of the little girls looks me up and down. “And who are you supposed to be?”

“Okay, wow. I'm Sunday Tolliver.”

“You an artist?” she asks.

“Not exactly. I'm a songwriter.”

“Oh, she ain't no competition. We cool.”

“Competition? This is a contest?”

The woman replies, “Apparently a rumor has been going across the Internet that Mystique is looking for talent to sign to her new label. We don't have a record deal yet, so we're hoping the rumor is true.”

“Well, good luck, y'all. I hope y'all get it,” Sam says in the voice that he uses for Manny.

“Who's he talking to?” the sassy little girl says. “We don't need luck. We're Sugar and Spice. Hit it, girls.”

Those four little girls bust some harmonies that make Daddy's Little Girls sound like amateurs. They're right. They don't need luck, they just need someone like Mystique to hear them and give them an opportunity.

Before we even walk in the
106 & Park
studio, we can hear the screaming! There are teenagers lined up on the street behind a barricade. They must be the ones who didn't make it in for the taping. They must be here for Mystique, because all that screaming can't be for these newcomers.

We're all lined up backstage according to when we'll perform, and we're last! That means we're closing out the show, and I think that's a good thing. The best for last.

Everyone makes their bathroom runs, gets water, tea, or Sprite if you're Dreya, and makes it back to the line in a hurry. No one wants to miss their opportunity to be on BET. Bethany and I are tuned up and ready to sing, although I don't want to sing with her.

“Y'all better make sure to only hit the harmonies,” Dreya says. “No runs, Sunday, and no high notes, Bethany.”

“You sure? I can hit a Mariah Carey note right at the end of the song,” Bethany says.

“If you do that, I will beat the crap out of you, right there on national television.”

I burst out laughing. “You do that, you'll end up on Sandrarose.com, Mediatakeout.com, Bossip.com, theybf.com, and Crunktastical.net.”

“Why do you even know all those Web sites?”

“You should! That's where they post photos of celebrities in compromising positions. You need to check on there and see if they have any pictures of Truth and a groupie.”

Truth walks up. “What did I hear about Truth and a groupie? Where's the groupie? I love groupies.”

Dreya elbows him. “Shut up, Truth.”

One of the show's associate producers comes backstage to make everyone quiet down because the show is starting. Sugar and Spice is up first and they sing a cute little song. I wish I could see them performing, cause I know that little sassy one is hamming it up. The crowd really gives them a huge round of applause when they're done.

“They can blow. They're trying to get a record deal with Mystique,” I whisper.

“Well, they should,” Dreya replies.

The next few groups are just all right. None of them sang or rapped well enough for me to consider even buying their records. Even the crowd applause was lack-luster. Mystique had to practically beg the crowd to show them some love.

It's finally our turn, and after so many bad performances, the crowd could be ready to throw tomatoes or ready to get on their feet. I hope they're ready to dance!

Truth comes out first in his signature greasy tank top. I wonder what he does to give all those shirts that look! The girls start screaming as soon as he hits the stage. The rest of us, including the dancers, all hit the stage when the music starts. There's not much room, but the dancers are professionals. They know how to work with the little bit of space they have.

Truth is extremely pumped in his delivery. He runs by the front row, touching girls' hands as Dreya sings the hook and we harmonize. Dreya sounds great, too. She's definitely not trying to let anybody take her spot, especially not me or Bethany.

After the song is over, mostly everyone in the crowd jumps up and cheers. Mystique laughs over her microphone, because she's trying to get them to calm down, but they won't!

“Looks like we've got a hit maker right here,” she says over the screaming, and sends the show to a commercial break.

Backstage, while everyone is hugging one another and yelling, Big D stands off to one side looking strange, with his hand covering his mouth.

I walk up to him and ask, “Are you okay?”

Now that I'm up close to him I can see that he has tears in his eyes.

“Yeah, I'm okay. It's just…man…I've worked my whole life for this, and it's all blowing up right now. I just feel ridiculously blessed right now, that God has sent you to me.”

“Me?”

Big D laughs. “Yes, you, Sunday. It was your hook that made that song so hot. And that song is what has propelled Truth into the spotlight. You might not know it, lil' mama, but you've got the golden touch.”

“Nuh-uh!” I say. “I'm just doing what I love!”

“Well, I'm not the only one who sees it. Mystique isn't going to stop until she has you on her label.”

“I'm still not sure about all that. I want to finish high school first before I do this. Something tells me that if I sign a record deal, my life will never be normal again.”

Big D laughs out loud. “I've got news for you. Did you hear that applause? Life as you know it has officially ceased!”

Bethany steps to me as soon as Big D is out of earshot. It seems like lately she just lurks in the shadows trying to see what she can see, like some kind of spy for Dreya.

“So Mystique wants you on her label?” she asks.

“You just dipping with no shame whatsoever. You just tacky,” I respond.

As I turn to walk away from her, she continues: “I can see Dreya only thinking of herself when she got a record deal, because she's selfish like that. But how could you not tell Mystique about our group? How could you do that?”

I stop in my tracks and turn to face Bethany. “You can't be for real, Bethany. You've been beyond foul ever since this record deal stuff started. Kicking with my ex and whatnot. How can you expect me to be lookin' out for you?”

“You don't even like Romell anymore! Why do you care if we're together?”

“I don't care. I just know that your reasons for hollering at him are messed up. You only want to date him because he dated me. You need to really find your own identity.”

Bethany's jaw drops like I just slapped her. “I can't believe I ever thought you were my best friend.”

“Ditto. I can't believe it either.”

“Dreya is right about you,” Bethany hisses. “She says that you've got everybody fooled. Everyone thinks you're all good and smart and sweet, but you're faker than fake.”

I burst into a flurry of laughter. “Dreya calling somebody fake is like McDonald's claiming to have gourmet food. Unbelievable.”

“You are a fake, Sunday! A fake friend, and I'm so glad I got hip to you.”

This music industry thing is changing Bethany and Dreya. Bethany used to be down for me, but now she's so thirsty she can't see straight, and Dreya is taking diva to a whole other level.

Is this going to happen to me, too? Are fame and fortune going to turn me into a monster, too?

“S
unday, you've got a letter,” my mother says as soon as Dreya and I walk through the door of our Atlanta home from the promo tour.

Her eyes are wide as saucers as she tells me this, like she just walked in on her own surprise birthday party. I just stare at her with a confused frown on my face. I'm completely incoherent from lack of sleep.

The bus ride from New York City to Atlanta took two days total. We stopped overnight in Tennessee, but I still feel like I haven't slept at all. It's a good thing tomorrow is Saturday and I don't have to get up for school, because I would be a total zombie.

But my mother is standing here talking about a piece of mail. I don't know what letter I could be getting that would make her even look all big-eyed like that.

Oh, my God!!!

“Is it my letter from Spelman? Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme!”

Dreya shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “I'm going to bed. Y'all corny.”

“'Bye, hater.”

My mother hands me the letter, which looks frayed and worn but not opened.

“I've been holding on to it for days,” my mother says. “But I knew you'd want to be the one to open it.”

“Thank you!”

I rip into the paper like it's a Baby Alive on Christmas Day. I inhale deeply with anticipation, but I don't let the air out until I read the first sentence.

“‘Dear Ms. Tolliver, I am very pleased to inform you of your acceptance to Spelman College as a freshman for this fall'!”

“Congratulations, baby!” My mother hugs me and spins me around the room.

“I can't believe I actually got accepted. I didn't think I'd get in this early—I figured I'd have to wait.”

“What do we need to do to get your financial aid in order? I want you to go even if I have to take out a loan.”

“Mom, I may not need to worry about any of that.”

“Oh, really?”

“I wanted to wait until tomorrow to tell you, but I might as well go ahead,” I say. “I got offered a record deal.”

“You better tell me about this tomorrow. I can't take another announcement tonight,” my mother says as she sits down on the couch.

“What's wrong?” I ask.

“Still haven't heard anything from Carlos. I'm starting to think that he might be…”

“Don't say it, Mommy. He'll be all right. I know it!”

We sit quietly for a while. I feel sleep descending on me like a heavy, warm blanket.

“Go to bed, Sunday. You look exhausted.”

“But I want to tell you about the tour, my record deal, and…”

My eyes snap open. “Mommy, did I just fall asleep?”

My mother laughs. “Yes, you did. You should go and lie down. Just leave your bags out here.”

I stumble back to my bedroom, with cell phone in hand. I've got to tell Sam about Spelman, and then I'll go to sleep.

I fall into my bed, fully dressed. Dreya is already snoring.

Clumsily, I dial Sam's number in the dark. I'm too lazy to turn the light on and then have to get back up and turn it off again.

“Hello,” Sam mumbles.

“Hey, Sam. It's me.”

“Me who?”

“Sunday.”

“Oh. Hey, Sunday. I'm sleepy. Whazzup?”

“I got into Spelman!”

“Really? I'm so proud of you!”

“Are you really? You don't sound proud. You sound like you're half-asleep.”

He chuckles. “I am half-asleep. Can we celebrate over the weekend?”

“Yeah. Call me tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

I press End on my phone and close my eyes. I want to fall asleep, but my stomach keeps doing flip-flops. I'm in. I'm IN! I'm going to Spelman in the fall. Oh, my goodness.

Too much good stuff happening all at once scares me. I keep waiting for something to go wrong, or to explode in my face.

It's gotta be a dream, right? Well, if it is, please let me sleep for an eternity. I'll be Sleeping Beauty up in this piece!