Grown(28)

“Wait, hold up. If you’re in school, what you doing in LA? On a school night.”

He smirks. “My pops writes me a note whenever I want to shadow him. Getting ready to take over the family business. Yo, that reminds me! When we’re back in New York, we should link up. A couple of my homies from school produce they own beats and we record all the time.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. They got over five hundred thousand followers on SoundCloud. They sick with it! Add that voice of yours and you’d be killing it with us!”

Whoa. Never met anyone in high school producing music like that. Unheard of at my dry school.

“Hey, over there,” I whisper. “Check out Monica with Cardi B.” For a split second, I think of Shea and how she would be losing her mind seeing some of her favorite celebrities in here.

“You know,” Derrick says, trying to wave down a bartender. “I heard Jasmine used to be in Will and Willow and got kicked out for trying to sneak in a boys’ room during Teen Conference.”

“Wait! You’re in Will and Willow? I’m in Will and Willow too! I mean . . . was.”

“Oh, word? Didn’t think they let us into these parties! Thought we were too bougie for this crowd.”

Derrick and I spend the next fifteen minutes exchanging W&W stories and playing I Spy the Reality Show Star. It was fun, just kicking it, and I can’t help but notice he’s the first person my age I’ve seen in weeks. Mom is always talking about how small the world is. Maybe I would’ve met Derrick at a W&W conference or a dance. But then . . . I would’ve never met Korey. I’m all he has here; I bring him peace.

“Anyway, I better get back. Korey’s probably looking for me.”

Derrick cocks his head to the side, a question on his lips.

“You . . . with him?”

“Nah, no. We just, uh, sing together . . . like Marvin Gaye and Tammi. They weren’t together in real life either.”

He shrugs. “Well, looks like your boy has his hands full anyways.”

Across the room, Korey is whispering in a girl’s ear. Not just any girl. Amber. The one with the gold curly hair from the Music LIVE audition. She’s in a tight sequined green dress, shimmering like a mermaid’s tail. Her giggle is unnerving.

“Um, yeah,” I say, my voice fading. “Well, it was nice meeting you, Derrick.”

“Word. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”

On the way back to the VIP area, I text Gab, hoping she’ll be up. I need advice on how to handle girls creeping up on my man. Jay was popular in his neighborhood, and Gab had to put several girls in their place.

“Hey, Enchanted, hold up!” Derrick chases after me. “You left your purse.”

“Oh! Thanks.”

“No prob,” he says, touching my arm before jogging back to the bar.

When I look up, Korey is staring, his eyes stone-cold. I give him a smile.

He doesn’t smile back.





Chapter 36


Ice Bucket




On the way back to the hotel, I’m invisible. Well, at least to Korey.

“Is something wrong?” I ask.

He ignores me, glaring out the window of the Suburban. My stomach in knots, I bite the inside of my cheek until I draw blood, trying to figure out what went wrong as we take the elevator up to the penthouse.

Inside, I trail behind him, keeping a distance, then kick off my shoes, toes throbbing.

“Korey, what’s wrong? Can you talk to me? Please?”

A shadow crosses his face, eyes ten shades darker.

“What the fuck were you doing talking to some other man right in front of me?”

I blink twice. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t act stupid!” he screams. “You know what I’m talking about.”

An unfamiliar panic rises in my throat as I replay the evening.

“Do you mean Derrick?”

He stares at me, face contorting, almost unrecognizable in anger.

“That’s Richie’s son! Your friend. I was making conversation. There was no one else to talk to. Plus, you were busy.”

“Don’t give me your bullshit excuses!”

“But I didn’t do anything. I was just—”

“Shut up!” he roars. “All I asked is for you to be faithful to me, and you do me like this!”

His voice pounds against the walls and I back away, my head spinning. I don’t know what to say except, “I’m sorry.”

“I said stop with the excuses,” he screams in my face, nostrils flaring.

I yelp, falling back onto the carpet, and burst into tears.

Korey shakes his head. “You need to stay in your room. Don’t come out until I tell you.”

Is he grounding me, like a child? “What you mean? I—”

“You leave this room . . . I’m going to make you regret it!”

The depth of his voice stuns me to silence. He storms out, slamming the door shut.

By noon, I’m pacing, the door calling my name.

I have to go to the bathroom.

Korey told me not to leave the room.

But still . . . I have to go to the bathroom.

I’ve been in here for over twelve hours. My mouth is dry. The hot sun and giant windows have turned this room into a sauna.