𝐍𝐄'𝐒 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 | 𝖬𝖨𝖪𝖤 𝖡𝖨𝖵𝖨𝖭𝖲

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟐

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐎

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐘𝐏𝐒𝐎

𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐏𝐇'𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄 with Ronnie saying that Maurice was were talking about contracts. "Mark my words, all the record companies that pas on you guys are gonna be sorry because this thing is going to be big." Maurice said with five sheets of paper. "What's the name of the company were signing with again?" Ralph's mother; Patricia Trevsant asked Maurice. "Streetwise. A friend of mine, Authur Baker." He answered. "Exactly what part do you play in this, Maurice?" Ricky Bell's mother; Mae Bell asked next. "Maurice Starr." He corrected. "Are you their manager now?" She asked him with a flirty smile. "No, I'm not their manager. Brook's still their manager. I produce the music." He corrected with a chuckle.

"So, what are we talking in terms of money?" Carole Brown; Bobby's mother asked making the other mothers agree. "Each member gets signing a bonus of $500." I raise my eyebrows in shook and the others chatter excitedly. "And a Betamax machine." He included making the chattering grow louder. I look around and notice Mike wasn't that much ecstatic that he left the room. I stand up from my chair and follow him. He was sitting at the end of the stairs with his head down low. "What's wrong?" I ask him sitting next to him. "Nothin." "Hey. What is it?" I nudge him playfully. "What if I never get to play basketball again?" He asked sadly. "Hey, I thought you like being in the group." I said.

"I like the group, but... I love basketball." He said with his head low. "Listen, there's no telling what this music business where it might take you. Look at me. You deserve this just as much as anyone in that room." I said to him looking into his eyes. "Like you? I only saw five papers where's yours?" He asked me. I sigh. "It's not my time yet. I still need work. And I still have tones of stuff here that I need to work out." I explain. "Hey, I saw how you sang in that recording room. You deserve it as much as me and everyone in that room." He said repeating my words. I scoff a laugh and look down at my knees.

"Hey, Listen. Even if this music business keeps you from playing basketball again you can always get someone to connect a basketball net to a wall in a dance room and make it your private court." I said making him laugh. Unnoticed Shirley Bivins had watched the whole thing with a soft smile on her face. I stand up and walk up the stairs. "Come on, I ain't waiting for you. You can stay here and think of my words but I ain't missing my brother get signed to a record label." I heard him follow me up the stairs. We enter the room again and Maurice held out a pen. "We got a deal?" He asked. He signed it.

─────────────────────────────

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐃𝐀𝐘, we were all riding moterbikes to the playground. I was riding with Mike. We arrive until a girls voice was heard from the top window. "Hey! Hey! Your in the radio." She held out her stereo out to the window for us to hear 'Candy Girl' playing. We let it play until I heard a familiar song play from the stereo. "Callie, that's you!" Ron shouted at me and my eyes widen. I get off Mikes bike and dance in the middle of the circle. "Go Callie!" "Go Callie!" "Go Callie!" "Go Callie!" I dance until I heard my friends shout out from the crowd. "Hey! What's this talk about our best friend being on the radio?" I turn around to see Simone and Yara. I scream girly and hug the and we dance all together until the song ended.

I hug them again. "Oh my god, girl when did this happen and why didn't you tell us?" Yara asked me all happy for me. "I don't know, I just-" "How do you not know, what some producer just wanted to hear your voice and let it play on the radio because he liked it?" Simone asked. "Pretty much yeah." I said with a huge smile and we talk till it was time to go.

────────────────────────────

𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀 photo shoot for New Editions 'Candy Girl' single. "Maurice, which one of them is the lead singer?" The photographer asked. "All of us are lead singers." Bobby answered. "Ralph is the lead singer." Maurice answered instead. The photographer placed everyone except Ricky and Ronnie. I noticed Ricky, Bobby and my brother were the only ones not smiling. They took their final pictures until it was my turn. They switch backgrounds until it was just plain old blue and they did some touch ups and they slowed me to check them out. After it was seemingly finished they asked me one more question.

"We need to have your stage name to put on the album as well." The photographer said and I look down. I never thought of my name since Maurice had set out my song. "Citrina. You know like the gem but just switch the e with an a." I said making him nod and typed in the name. The outcome of the album picture looked like this:

────────────────────────────

𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 performance and I sadly couldn't be there because us three; Simone, Yara and I had to preform a dance that same night. "Are you sure you can't watch us?" Ronnie asked me which seemed like the 10th or 15th time. "Yes, I'm sure. There is no Calypso with Yara and Simone. Do you want to know what that sounds like together? Yarlypsimone. (𝐀/𝐍: 𝐘𝐚𝐫-𝐋𝐢𝐩𝐬-𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞)." I said making him smile. "Okay, well then if you can watch me sing, imma watch you dance." He says cocky. My eyes widen in disbelief. "For real?" I ask and he nods with a smile on his face. I hug him and soon enough it was time for him to go with the boys. "Hey Ron, man. We about to go on." Mike said from the door. I look at Ronnie and push him to go. I stay there and watch them leave.

"Aren't you coming?" Mike asked me. "Nah, I gotta dance something with the girls, don't worry you'll see me soon." I said reassuring. He looked hesitant but I sigh dramatically frustrated. "Go go go. You said it yourself you guys are about to go on so go." I said playfully pushing him to meet the rest.

I walk back outside and 5-10 minutes later both Simone and Yara appear. "Hey gurl!" "Hey girly!" They both greet in sync. "You guys need to stop speaking in sync all the time. One day it'll get creepy." I said making them laugh and we drove to the location.

─────────────────────────────