| 𝐋𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚: 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐑&𝐁 | (New Edition Story x OC)

~ 𝐒𝐈𝐗 ~

...

NEXT DAY

MIKE'S APARTMENT

...

 The guys, our mothers, and I were talking to Maurice with the contracts in front of us on top of the table.

"Mark my words, all the record companies that pass on you guys are gonna be sorry because this thing is going to be big," Maurice said to our parents.

"What's the name of the company we're signing with again?" Mike's mother, Shirley, asked.

"Streetwise. Friend of mine, Arthur Baker." Maurice answered.

"Exactly what part do you play in this, Maurice...?" Ricky's mom trailed off.

"Maurice Starr." He corrected her.

"Are you their manager now?" She asked.

"No, I'm not their manager, Brooke's still their manager," Maurice explains. "I produce the music."

"So, what are we talking in terms of money?" Bobby's mom, Carole, asked.

"Mm-hm. That's a good point." My mother added.

"Each member gets a signing bonus of 500 dollars," the boys and I exclaimed in excitement and shock.

"Are you serious right now? 500 dollars?" Bobby asked Maurice in excitement.

"And a Betamax machine," Maurice added.

We all exclaimed in joy beside Mike. "Mike, you okay?" I asked him before he stormed out of the apartment. "Excuse me. Sorry," Mrs. Bivins said, walking towards the door as Maurice handed us our contracts. I quickly signed it and followed her out the door.

"What's wrong?" His mother asked, sitting next to him on the stairs, as I sat behind them.

"Nothin'." He replied. "Mike, what's the matter?" I asked.

"What if I never get to play basketball again?" He asked, sadly looking down at the ground.

"Honey..." Shirley paused. "I thought you liked being in the group."

"I like the group, but... I love basketball." He said.

"Listen, there is no telling with this music where business might take you. You deserve this just as much as anyone in that room, and don't you let no one tell you different," she told him.

"Yeah, you remember when you wanted to play basketball and the big kids said you couldn't because you were too short to play with them?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said, facing me.

"Well, you outworked everybody and proved them wrong, you showed you were a leader on that court, and it's gonna be the same thing with this," I said softly. "And think about it like this, you can try music and if you're really not feelin' it, you can fall back on basketball as your plan B."

"Do you believe us?" His mother asked.

"Yeah." He responded.