Chapter 9: The Studio

I had a dude from Poly High School named Juice that I was working with. He was a dope ass rapper and he just needed a female voice to put on his new song "Come Over" that we had previously recorded.

"You ready to roll?" I asked trying to keep my composure.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Jade said, looking like she was ready for something other than the studio. Calm down Cori, she's different, I told myself as we headed out the door.

We pulled off in the truck and headed to Downtown Long Beach where the studio was. As we were riding, I saw her reach for the aux cord for her iPod. "Don't play no corny shit in my whip, Jade." I saw her fingers slide down to Cherish's album as she pressed play on this song called "Chevy."

Treat me like a chevy

You can show me off

You can let my top back

Anytime you want

I smiled. This girl was a trip.

[Her] When we pulled up to the studio, I felt my heart beating a million miles a minute. Cori told me about this rapper named Juice who needed a hook to his song. I just hoped I had the skills and the voice he needed on the track.

"Wassup cuh," Nico said as he greeted Cori and nodded to me as we entered the studio.

"What's good Nico? Is Juice here?"

"Nah, He said he couldn't make it tonight. But we can still lay the track tho. Jade, you think you can sing something to this?" Nico asked.

He played the track and it was so tight. Juice was rhyming on the track so smooth talking about a girl he met on the Eastside. I was nodding my head to the beat and immediately started jotting down some words.

The guys were looking at me with questionable looks, but I just knew I had the right lyrics and sound for the track.

"I'm ready," I said looking at Cori. Where is all this confidence coming from, Jade?

[Him] "Well let's stop wasting time then. Sure hope you can sing because I haven't heard shit yet."

I was nervous for her and myself. I was known to find some of the best talent in the city, and Nico didn't play when it came to this music shit, so I hoped she could pull it off.

I showed Jade into the recording booth. It was funny how see seemed so comfortable and confident, as if she had done this before.

"Alright, I'm about to drop this beat so just watch me. When I tell you go, then go," Nico said.

Baby boy, come on ova

The storm is coming

Don't say that I didn't warn ya

Oh baby hold me

Simply control me

Cuz' when you leave me daddy

I be feeling lonely

I was too impressed! Apparently, so was Nico because his mouth was wide open. This girls' voice was so dope. It sounded like a mash up between Tweet and Faith Evans; smooth and melodic.

"That shit was tight!" Nico said, stopping the track. "Let's double that and then I want to hear some harmonies!"

I was thinking to myself, this could be the start of something epic.

Chapter 8: Friendzone? Or Nah

[Her] My mom went to San Diego to visit her friend Shondra for the weekend, so there was no introducing Cori to her, and to be honest, I was fine with that.

When I walked outside, I saw Cori standing on the side of this nice black truck with a big blue bag. "What's up girl?"

"Is this all you?" I asked referring to the truck.

[Him] "Yes, this is my ride." Man, it was so funny seeing the disbelief in her eyes that this was my car. I mean, it was a nice truck, but it wasn't a Bentley or anything like that.

"I have something for you too," I said, as I handed Jade the bag. She smiled that smile that made my heart beat hella fast. It's crazy how this girl makes me feel. I had bought her two pairs of Apple Bottom jeans and a few tops to match. I even bought her a navy blue Roca-Wear jumpsuit which matched what I had on that night: a white Roca-Wear shirt with a dark blue logo, black Roca-Wear jeans and my black Jordans. I thought that she would be happy with everything that I got her, but I looked and saw what seemed like disappointment on her face.

"Wow! Um, thanks Cori that was really nice."

[Her] See? Even he thinks you're a bum, I thought to myself as I reluctantly gave him a hug. Maybe he does only see me as a friend and doesn't want me hanging around unless I dressed a certain way.

I should be happy though. This was the first time a guy has ever given me something anyway and the clothes were nice as hell. All RaShawn ever gave me was hickeys. I decided to shove those negative thoughts to the back of my mind for now.

"You know what? Do you mind if I go upstairs and change real quick? You can wait out here if you want, or you can come up."

[Him] Shit! I was hoping the new clothes would help me win her over, but I didn't think it would be this fast.

"Nah, I don't mind. I'll come up."

As we went inside the building, I laughed when I saw the apartment number: 317.

"What's so funny?"

"Your apartment number is my birthdate, March 17th."

"Wow. Same day as my dad's," Jade said while rolling her big ole eyes and opening the door for us to go inside.

"What's your beef with him anyway little lady? All you've ever told me was that he moved away and got remarried," I asked curiously. I looked around the place and it was really nice, nothing like the Carmelitos, but I planned to be out of there soon.

[Her] "No beef," I lied. "Just not concerned with someone that's not concerned with me," I said honestly. He nodded in agreement.

"You can wait in here. I'll just be a minute."

I hurried off to my room to go and change. I didn't feel like having a deep conversation about my dad. That would be like opening up a wound that took way too long to heal.

I hoped that he wouldn't go snooping around the living room looking at all of the embarrassing pictures my mom had hanging up of me. I heard laugher echoing in the other room. Ha! He found your ugly ass pictures Jade, I thought in my head. I hurried up and put on the Roca-Wear jumpsuit. It was a perfect fit. I put my chucks back on and looked at myself once more in the mirror. Besides my crazy hair in a bun, I didn't look so bad. I quickly touched up my edges, put on some more lip gloss and then headed back into the living room.

"Damn, girl. You look sexy as hell." Cori was giving me those sexy eyes like he did the first time I saw him on the bus. He walked over to me and grabbed my chin and placed his lips on mine. I guess shock hit me because I wasn't expecting this kiss. I was so embarrassed at what I did next.

[Him] She moaned. All I did was give her a small peck on those juicy lips of hers and she moaned. Now I've kissed plenty of girls before, but this was definitely a first, and I'll admit, it was a huge turn on. I laughed inside at the embarrassment I saw on her face. I guess she wasn't expecting herself to do it either. I wanted so bad to keep kissing her, but it was time to hit the studio.

Chapter 7: Friday

[Her] I swear I want to quit choir. I come and sing at every single concert and for what? We just sing the same songs all the time. My mom doesn't even come to support anymore because she already knows what to expect.

It was hot as hell in the swat room, also known as the choir room, and Mr. Walker is always choosing old ass songs for us to perform while yelling "sing with feeling!” To top it off, RaShawn is in choir practice just staring at me. What the heck does he want?

"Alright y'all, next week is our last concert of the school year so let's not slack off anymore during practice. Jade, you've got the lead of Luther and Beyoncé's " Closer I Get to You" with RaShawn and you two need to sing that song like it was written for you, you understand?"

Hell to the no! I don't know what possessed Mr. Walker into thinking that I was going to do a duet with this nigga, especially not since RaShawn's been cruising the campus with that hoe Kyra all week long with that busted lip that I gave her. I looked up and saw RaShawn giving me this "begging look" like he wanted me to be okay with this. Was this fool the one who put Mr. Walker up to this?

"Yes, Mr. Walker. I hear you," I said. But what was I really saying yes to? Was I really going to sing a love duet with a guy that's been dogging me out for the longest?

[Him] It's been a long week. I guess I've just been so anxious to see Jade ever since we hung out the other day. When Kyra's weird ass called me, I didn't know what to say. I hadn't talked to her since her scuffle at the prom. She hit me up saying how she ain't messing with me anymore and how I didn't stick up for her. What? Last I checked I wasn't her man. I didn't care about what she was talking so I dismissed that conversation. I had Jade on my mind.

After school today, my cousin Nico took me to this auto lot in Gardena to pick out my whip. I chose a freshly painted black 1997 Chevy Tahoe with chrome on the rims. I was happy as hell and my ride was clean! After that, I went to the Lakewood Mall for some new clothes and I even picked up a few things for Jade. I didn't know what size she wore, but she had a similar build to my little sister so I took a guess at it. If I was going to be kicking it with her, then she couldn't be looking any kind of way. I mean, I think she's gorgeous, but to keep people from looking at me crazy, I had to make sure she was right. Plus, I needed her to know that I was really feeling her.

[Her] Cori had just called and said he was coming to pick me up in ten minutes so we could go to the studio. I was so nervous. I had a huge journal of songs that I'd been writing since the 5th grade that I was taking with me tonight just in case.

Cori and I have been on the phone every night since Norm's. He seems to be so into me. He is the first guy to ever ask me about my home life, my interests, or anything like that! Surprisingly, he hasn't brought up sex or getting physical at all. Maybe he just sees me as a friend, but until I know for sure, I will just keep fantasizing.

If I had one wish

We would be best friends

Love would never end

It would just begin

Ray J's song "One Wish" played on my iPod while I got myself dressed. Tonight, I had my hair in my typical bun with black jeans, a navy blue Hollister hoodie, and all black chucks. I looked at myself in the mirror. "Ugh, you really are a bum," I said to myself. Just as went to put on my silver hoop earrings and grab my purse, my phone started chirping. He was here.