𝐍𝐄'𝐒 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 | 𝖬𝖨𝖪𝖤 𝖡𝖨𝖵𝖨𝖭𝖲

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟏

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐘𝐏𝐒𝐎

" 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋, 𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 to sell it if our money was right, B." Mikes voice broke me free of my thoughts. "If you stick with Bobby Brown your gonna be back in Roxbury, a bunch of broke ass has-beens." That hit me causing me to snap. "Shut up, Gary!" I shout. "You understand me? You gonna be broke and back in Boston! Look, I know we don't alway get along. And I knew we don't agree on everything. But trust me, guys like Bobby are gonna ruin everything for you and your families. You wanna do that to your mom? Calypso?" He asked me. I didn't answer nor look at him. "Ron, you wanna do that to your mother? I'm not telling your mothers your not getting paid tonight. You can't tell them, and you can tell them way. Now, you guys need to take a vote. By a show of hands. . Who thinks Bobby should be out of this group?" Gary asked us.

"Ron?" He placed his hand up first. "Rick?" He placed a finger up with his head down. "Calypso?" I was looking down with my hand keeping it up but I place a finger up to show my vote. "Ralphie?" He hesitated to put his hand up but he still did it not looking at anyone. "Mike?" He hesitated too but he still placed his hand up. That was it; Bobby Brown was kicked off of New Edition.

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𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐀𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 I woke up and my first thought was Simone. I was going to see her and hopefully bump into Yara. I drove there by myself and didn't tell anyone without a care in the world. Walking into the hospital and walk to the receptionist. "Hi, I'm here to see Simone Lacher." I said politely. "Yes, she's in room C47." The receptionist said and I thank her before going to the C level. I found her room and see she was asleep so I walk in and sit on the chair beside her bed. "Hey, Simone. Your probably still asleep since your a deep sleeper so it'll be easier for me to say what I need to say." I said taking a deep breath before taking her hand. "Simone, I'm so sorry. When I was on tour with the guys, I never noticed your dad would come back. And whatever he said to you about me, it wasn't true. You and Yara are like sisters to me and I'd do anything for you both. I was so caught up with my music that I didn't protect you. I'm so sorry I didn't protect you." I started crying when my voice begun to crack.

I felt her hand caress my thumb. I"It's not your fault, babe." I heard her voice speak and I look at her to see Simone was waking up. "You aren't supposed to be the person to multitask when it come to fame." I heard Yara's voice behind the door. I wipe my tears. "We're you guys listening the whole time?" I asked with a soft smile. Yara nodded and I look at Simone. "I only heard up to 'I was so caught up' part." We laugh and Yara said down on the other side of the hospital bed. We talked all about what they missed and what not until we got back to the elephant in the room. "I'm gonna file a restraining order." I told Simone. "Oh, you don't have to do that." She said kindly looking down at her lap. "It's not a question. I'm gonna file a restraining order and your gonna live with me. I'm not gonna want to worry about what is to happen if you are out of my sight." I said looking straight at her. She sighs but agrees and Yara approved.

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𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋, I got a text from Mike saying that the group wasn't signed to MCA. I was meeting up with them at Soul Train. I was wearing a blue sequin dress. Mike told us everything and we end up quiet. "So what do we do about all this?" My brother asked Mike. "What we do is fight back. We refuse to do any promotion. No concerts, no interviews, no videos, no shows. None of that. We're gonna attack him where it hurt. We're gonna take his money." He told us. My brother was hesitant about this. "If we do what you saying we do, Mike. We're not only attacking his money, we're messing with out own pockets. How we supposed to get paid, Mike?" Ricky said sitting on the ground. "I need my checks so I can move. Alright. I'm trying to buy a house." Ron said looking at Mike. A girl walks past us making Mike quiet down. "I just moved my mom out of the projects, man. The money can't stop." Ricky said.

"Are y'all listening to me? Because you're not seeing the big picture. If we get rid of Gary, we can go negotiate our own deal at MCA and really get to this paper. Cause right now, the money we gettin is just an allowance, man." Mike said. I lean my head back on the wall. "Look. It's only for a couple more years, alright? After that we can do what we want." Ron said. I stay quiet because I knew when to open my mouth. "Where you at with all this, Rizz?" Mike asked Ralph. "Sooner or later we've gotta realize ain't nobody gonna look out for us. That's where I'm at." A lady came telling us we were on. "Our next guest are one of the most positive examples for young people in the music industry has had to offer in recent years. So please welcome the guys from New Edition and Citrina." I heard the host say. I walk last and Mike leans his forehead on mine before we walk to the stage. We sung 'Count Me Out' until we finished and left the stage.

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𝐈 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 money to move out the projects and buy a house but not just one for me but two for me and my girls. I was unpacking my things with the girls and it was coming along. We were listening to the radio till I heard my song. I was able to get MCA to release my album and people are loving it. "And here's a new one from Citrina called 'Hot Sugar'." I heard the man on the radio say. We stop and dance to the a bit. I heard my phone ringing so I turn down the radio and answer the phone. "Hello?" I said and it was Mike. "Hey, can you meet me somewhere?" He asked me. "Yeah, where?" I said holding the phone with my shoulder. "I'll text you the place. I'm going there now." He said and I told him I'll be there. "Hey, babes, I gots to go somewhere. I'll be back." I shout to them. "All cool. We'll be finished packing by the time you come back!" Yara shouted back. I change into jeans with a short red jean jacket with the shoulders cut out and a long white long sleeve shirt dress. I saw that Mike texted me the address and I drove there.

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