Caught Up in the Drama Read Free Page A

rims, but I wasn’t in a laughing mood. “Mama, it’s not like that. There is some clean rap out there, and Sisco is one of those clean rappers.” That was true for the most part. With the exception of a song called “The Freaks Are Out,” Sisco stayed pretty clean.
    My mom wasn’t convinced. “Doesn’t he have a tattoo?”
    I rolled my eyes in frustration. “That doesn’t mean anything,” I whined. “He’s the biggest rapper in the country, and I have a chance to be in his video with him.”
    â€œThat would’ve been nice . . . if you were someone else’s child.” My mom waved me off as if to say the discussion was over. “But congratulations on winning.” She patted my cheek as she headed into the kitchen.
    Alexis shot me a look and whispered, “Go after her.”
    I motioned for them to follow me. “Mom, listen,” I said as we all followed her into the kitchen. “Seriously, Sisco doesn’t curse in his raps. That’s why he’s so popular.”
    My mom turned toward me and wagged her finger. “If you think that I’m goin’ to be okay with my only child being a video vixen, you got another think coming.”
    My mom really needed to turn off the TV. How did she know about video vixens? “I would be singing, not just some dancer,” I protested.
    She stopped for a moment, like she was thinking. “You’d be singing?”
    â€œThat’s what I’m trying to tell you. I would be singing a duet with Sisco.” I stepped closer. With the best puppy dog look I could muster, I continued, “Mama, this is a once-in-a- lifetime chance.”
    â€œMrs. Harris,” Jasmine said, stepping up next to me, “Camille can blow. For real. I mean, she shocked all of us.”
    â€œAnd I have all of Sisco’s songs on my iPod,” Alexis said. “I could let you hear them so you could see that Sisco really is one of the good guys.”
    â€œAnd I’m sure they’re not going to have her in any skimpy clothes or anything,” Angel said.
    My mother sighed like she knew she was going to have to at least hear me out. “Well, exactly what would you be singing?”
    â€œOne of his songs,” I said, guessing, because what else would I be singing? “Please, please, please, Mom. Say yes. Because I’m under eighteen, they won’t let me do it without your permission.”
    My mother looked like she was thinking about it. Finally, she said, “Now, how am I supposed to look Reverend Williams in the face with him knowing my daughter is in a rap video?”
    That was an easy question. “He’ll be proud that I’m not out in the streets robbing and killing people,” I said with a wide grin.
    â€œYou wouldn’t be doing that regardless of whether you were in a video or not.” I stuck out my lip in a playful pout, but she scoffed. “That’s not working. Do I have to give you an answer tonight?”
    â€œI told the producer I would call her tonight and tell her.” I’d met with Sisco’s manager for a few minutes after the show, along with two of his producers. They’d all seemed nice, although one of them, a young woman named Taraji, had seemed irritated the whole time.
    â€œWell, can’t that producer wait until tomorrow?” my mom asked. “It’s already late.”
    â€œI can’t wait!” I cried. “I’m gonna go crazy if I have to wonder all night long whether all my dreams are going to go up in smoke.” Okay, so I was being a little dramatic, but whatever worked, worked.
    My mother, who knew me all too well, smiled slyly. “Okay, Miss Drama Queen.” She blew a defeated breath. “Fine, you can do it, but only after I hear some of the songs he sings on Alexis’s me-Pod.”
    I groaned at my mother’s corny attempt at