When I look back up at the stage, Shad’s looking right at me. Jaw clenched. Holding the mic right below his mouth. The screams of the concert fall away. The doofus beside me. The bitch in front of me. They’re all gone.
Only me and the man who tripped me up.
I can’t even begin to describe how I feel toward him. I’m pulled in so many directions, but they all lead to the same thing.
Him.
He glances next to me briefly. A smirk pulls one corner of his mouth up, as he lifts the mic up to his mouth.
“If you a OG Shotta fan, then you know I started out in a duo. My nigga YB, may he rest in peace. He the coldest rapper I know,dead or alive. And there’s a song he made that went viral years back called ‘Be My Girl.’”
My eyes stretch. I love that damn song. An old clip of Sean I watched years ago explained that he was a lover boy at heart, and wanted a song to play to his wife when he knew he met her.
In my periphery, I see the screen behind him change. At first, it was old clips of Shad performing, and him in the studio either making beats or in the booth. Now it’s the music video to the song. Amateur is hell, with a young Sean and his love interest filmed around the Center.
“This one’s for you shorty,” he croons into the mic, before turning to center stage and singing the chorus. Sahara and her friend squeal like he was talking about her, and I stifle my laugh. What a dumb bird.
“Why was he staring at you just now?” Brandon says into my ear.
I turn toward him as he straightens, an unreadable expression on his face. I shrug, and he leans closer again.
“I get he’s your people, but that seemed personal. Who exactly is he to you, Macy?”
I lick my lips and he turns so I can speak directly in his ear. “He’s Sadé’s father.”
He whips his head back like I spit on him, and grabs my hand. I let him lead me out into the hall so we don’t make a scene, but as soon as we clear the area I snatch my hand back.
“You got me, your man, at your baby daddy’s concert?” he fumes.
I really try to hold in my laugh, but I can’t help the smile that forms. “Who said you were my man, Brandon?”
“This shit isn’t funny, Macy. That nigga’s dedicating songs to you and shit like I’m not the one rubbing your feet after a long day, like I’m some sucka nigga. Nah, fuck that. Let’s go.”
I take a step back from him toward Shaddy. “I’m not leaving. If you gotta problem, I understand, and you can let me know you made it home, but I ain’t got no problem. You was laughing in his bitch’s face like a groupie, and I don’t feel no way. She’s right in front of us, so clearly we not on that.”
His lips form a straight line. “So you not coming with me?”
I buck my eyes and shake my head. “No, I said that already.”
He narrows his eyes before waving me off and stomping toward the exit. He looks back one more time, like he thought I was supposed to follow him, but I just fold my arms and jut my hip out, before he finally leaves the building.
He can’t possibly even think to be my nigga letting Shaddy scare his ass off like that. A real nigga would have got on that stage and boxed him up.
I slide back into my seat. Dal dramatically looks behind me, before narrowing her eyes. I just shake my head, and reach for her drink before I think better of it. Ain’t no telling how she uses her mouth now.
All the guys start filing up onto the stage. Shaddy has shed his shirt and bulletproof vest, leaving only his chains on his glistening chest.
He daps up everyone, leaving Set for last. Shaddy smiles up at his brother and my heart pangs. I can only imagine how they were when they were younger.
“Thank y’all for rocking with me tonight, foreal. I know y’all missed me, and I had to go up with my city as a welcome back. A lot of bullshit been happening lately… a pussy nigga tried to take out my muthafuckin’ brother.”
The crowd boos as Set wraps his arm around Shad’s neck.
“Right? Muthafucka who grew up with ‘em, tried to break bread with ‘em, wanted to be ‘em, tried to take him out on some sneaky shit. Like he don’t know this muthafuckin’ Foe Dub, and a warrior never dies, especially not at the hands of a coward.”
Shaddy grins, looking like the devil himself. Dal and I exchange glances, before turning back toward the stage. The guys back off the stage, and I catch Set throwing a worried glance at Shad’s back.
“I know you watching bitch. And just know, this shit only ends one way.”
