The Quiet Sister✔️

30. Add Another to the Roster

His world changed since the video dropped. With everything going on with his boy in L.A. and the success of his album, it was really clear that he was the next big success out of Springfield.

First, there was Icee and Fact Iz, then there was his sister Tennille, then Tone, and now, it was going to be about CJ Kelly.

Just from the remix of the video, his vocals on the hook, and producer credit, his name blew up overnight. He went from a no one, even though he was on the original "Don't Look Down," to the hot new producer slash singer. Sarena said she was fielding calls for him left and right.

He needed to release a solo single soon as possible so he was on his grind. Every song he recorded so far, he did not feel was ready. He slept in the studio at this point, even missing some of his classes. He was not smart like Nola, but that was okay. He could possibly flunk out.

With the way his music career was about to blow up, maybe he did not need a degree.

"Get your ass to class!" Sarena barged into the studio where he was sleeping on the couch after recording all night long.

He rubbed a hand over his face, cleaning the crust from his eyes. "Damn, why so loud?"

"Did I motherfucking stutter little boy? Get yo ass up and get to class."

"Bruh!" He sat up on the couch and scratched his head. "Why are you tripping?"

"Because you're not going to be a dumb ass and drop out of college because you're letting this music shit get to your head."

"Why do I need to finish? What is a degree gonna get me? You didn't graduate, look at you."

"Don't be like me, be better than me. The only reason I am doing what I am doing is because of nepotism. I understand what this is, but I sure do my damn best at it anyway. If I could go back I would finish school."

"Damn Sarena, you still can. Your kids are almost grown now. The campus is not far from where you live, just go. And stay off my case about school." He stood to leave but she pushed him back down on the couch.

"CJ, do it for yourself, don't do it for anyone else. Get that degree and you write your own path. If you need to finish up online or transfer or spread out your classes to take an extra year, do that. Fuck that, if Megan can do it, finish her degree, and still start her career, why the hell can't you."

She had a point there.

"And be a good fucking role model to your nieces."

He barely knew Brandy and Monica. He needed to spend more time with them. Hell, and Atiya too, but she lived in St. Louis now. All this family he dreamed about he needed to get to know.

After Sarena yelled at him some more, she finally dismissed him and he left Da Factory Hitz. He smelled like ass, he needed to head home and shower. He hated his place lately and did not know why. He hated being alone, but he had something he always wanted when he was growing up. His own place. Now he wanted to be home. 

Maybe it was because of her.

After Ishii did what she did, he thought about it a lot. He had the girl all wrong. Thought she was a sweet, innocent shy girl. Too plain and dowdy for him. Not his type of girl even if all he wanted was to fuck. He still had standards. He was about to be a superstar, he could have any bad chick in the industry.

He could be like Tone, find a hot R&B singer, and bring her on the red carpets with him.

But he wanted Ishii.

After he finally made it to his class, late, but there, he scrolled through his social media. He bypassed all the crazy girls hitting him up and went to Ishii's page. He scrolled through images of her selfies and being goofy with her friends back in Kansas City. He noticed she followed all of his sisters, and also his page, so he followed her back.