Rumor Central (18 page)

I
didn't even want to get out of bed. It wasn't that I was that distraught over having to continue the show; it was that I couldn't stand people trying to boss me around. And yes, Tamara was my boss, but I still wasn't having it. I'd made up my mind that I was going to talk to my dad when he got home. He was going to have to help me figure a way out of this job.

I was waiting on him when he got in that evening. He looked at me and could immediately tell something was wrong. “Hey, sweet pea,” he said. “What's going on?”

“Nothing,” I said, meekly. I hadn't figured out yet how exactly to present my case.

He removed his jacket. “Now, you know I know better. What's wrong?” he repeated.

“I'm tired. It's like everybody at school hates me.” I decided to start there, then ease into the stalking part because he would be furious that I was just now saying something.

“Since when do you care about someone hating?” he said, smiling.

“I don't, really.” I shrugged. “I don't know.”

“I think you're a little frustrated right now. And while I don't exactly approve of all the gossip, you're making a name for yourself. Some of the interns at the office were talking about you at the water cooler yesterday.”

I cocked my head. My dad's office was definitely upscale. “Really? Why didn't you tell me?”

My dad shrugged. “I'm telling you now.” He grabbed his briefcase, opened it, and started ruffling through some papers. “But I support whatever you want to do. Although I don't believe in quitting. Morgans aren't quitters. We see things through to the end, no matter how difficult.”

I sighed. That was my dad's motto for everything. When I wanted to quit ballet, he wouldn't let me. The same went for violin, French lessons, and every other thing I'd ever done.

I heard my cell phone ring and used that as my excuse to bail. “Let me get that.” I quickly left the room and raced into the den, where my cell phone was.

I groaned when I saw Tamara's cell phone number, but went ahead and pressed ANSWER anyway.

“Hey, how are you?” she asked.

“Fine,” I said, curtly.

“Look,” Tamara said, “Maya, you know how much I like you and I apologize for being so blunt earlier. But you caught me at a bad time. I'd been putting out fires all day and just was in a foul mood. You don't know how much I had to fight to get you all the perks you wanted, then you wanted to turn and bail on me.”

“I didn't want to bail on you,” I said, falling back on our leather sofa. “I just . . . I don't know, all of this is just getting to me.”

“Why? You said yourself you aren't friends with these people anymore. You're on the verge of superstardom and the show has done so well in the ratings there are talks of taking it syndicated.”

“What does that mean?”

“That means we'd take it national,” Tamara said.

This was my first time hearing this. “You mean I would air in more than Miami?”

“Yes,ma'am, you'd be airing all over the country. Maybe the world. It's not a done deal yet, but it's looking real good.”

I hoped she wasn't just saying something to keep me from being mad. But then, Tamara had always been about the business. “Wow,” I said, as visions of Emmys, Grammys, and MTV Awards flashed through my mind.

“But that good news isn't actually why I was calling. I was actually calling to tell you . . . are you ready for this?”

“What?”

“You know all the drama Usher was going through in his custody battle? He wants to talk to you about it.”

“Are you freakin' kidding me? How does Usher even know about me?”

“I told you, Maya. You may be local, but your name is already spreading across the country. He rarely does interviews. His audience is young women and he wanted a platform that he knew wouldn't bombard him. And he's here filming a movie. Our people got with his people and they want you to come on set to film him. That is, of course, if you still work for us.”

Me.
And Usher?
Oh my, God! Sheridan absolutely loved Usher. She would die a slow death at the thought of me getting to interview him.

Forget everything I'd been feeling earlier. “Oh, I definitely still work for you.”

“So you're no longer bummed about the job.”

“Yeah, I'll get over it,” I said, laughing.“Usher can make a girl get over anything.”

Tamara laughed with me. “That's my Maya. Oh, and just so you know, everything is set for the Drake concert at your school. Just another reason you can't go anywhere.”

“And on that note, I gotta go. I got to call Davion, the girl who does my eyebrows, and my stylist. I have to be on point for this interview.”

“Well, Maya that won't be hard because you're always on point.”

“Thanks, Tamara.”

I hung up the phone. My attitude had done a one-eighty and I was excited beyond belief.

I
leaned in and checked my appearance in the bathroom mirror. My eyes were puffy and red. I guessed that's what a late night of partying with celebrities would get you.

After my interview with Usher, he'd invited me to a private party and I'd kicked it all night long. I hadn't gotten home until almost three in the morning. Good thing my parents were sound sleepers and they hadn't heard me come in. It was difficult because this balancing both worlds was kicking my butt. I'd actually started counting down the months until graduation, and trying to figure out how I was going to break it to my parents that that whole college thing they'd been planning for me wasn't going to happen. Everything was on hold for
Rumor Central
. I knew they were going to trip, but I really didn't see what the big deal was, especially since the whole reason people went to college was so that they could make money, and I was definitely making money.

I looked at my watch. Valerie was running late. She was supposed to meet me in here five minutes ago. She'd been acting funky ever since my story. She really needed to get over it or I was going to have to look at replacing her.

I was just about to text Valerie when the door swung open. “Here you go,” she said, handing me my English homework.

“Thanks for doing this,” I said, deciding not to fuss about her being late. “There's no way I could've gotten this done without you.”

“How was the party?”

“It was awesome.” I was just about to go into all the fabulous details when I noticed the look on her face. She'd actually come to the interview, but she hadn't been invited to the after-party. I hadn't really thought it was a big deal because she's not about that life, but she still didn't seem her usual self.

“What's wrong with you?”

I hoped she wasn't about to tell me that she was upset about the party.

“Oh, just the same drama,” she said.

I suppose at that point I probably should've asked her more details, but I really didn't care. I just needed this homework.

“So, are you sure everything on here is right?” I asked.

“Yeah, the stuff is a breeze.”

“See, that's why I had you do it. I probably would still be working on it,” I said.

“So, any updates on the Sheridan story?” Valerie asked.

“Still working on it,” I said with a smile. “I'm going to find that kid if it's the last thing I do.”

“How do you even know Glenda's child is even alive?” Her question caught me off-guard. This was the first real conversation she'd had with me in a while.

“Maybe she's not, but I at least want to get a picture.” I tucked my homework in my bag.

“Why are you so gung ho on this?”

I turned to face her. “Because I need to knock little Sheridan and her mom off their high horses.”

“Maybe you should just leave it alone.” I know she wanted to say something about the trouble she was getting into behind the story. But shoot, the damage had already been done. There was no sense in me bailing on the story now.

“Maybe you should just stick to English homework,” I replied. Debbie Downer needed to go somewhere with all that negativity.

“I'm just saying, this isn't about me. I mean, Glenda Matthews is pretty powerful.”

“And yeah, so is Maya Morgan,” I reminded her. “And whose side are you on anyway?”

“All I was trying to say is that you said yourself that you were getting tired of all the dirt and gossip.”

“I was, but I've suddenly been rejuvenated.”

I was tired of talking to her. For a minute, I'd found myself really liking her. But now, Valerie was really starting to work my nerves.

T
his should be one of the biggest days of my high school career. I mean, all that hate was gone out the window. Well, except for my former crew. My classmates were jocking me like the superstar that I was and I was about to go on stage to introduce Drake. I'd taken pictures, done interviews, and everything, and now I was about to go on and introduce him. But I was so nervous, I could barely think straight.

One text had ruined all of my excitement.

The fact that I was wearing a peach jumpsuit meant the stalker was right here. But in a sea of people I had no idea who it could be.

All of this had me completely shook up. This wasn't a game anymore. I'd made the wrong people mad. It had to be Evian and her people, or I wouldn't put it past Sheridan's mom to hire someone. But then again, Chenoa and Blake were pretty mad.

“Uggh,” I muttered. I used to think it was cute being hated, but now I didn't even know where to zero in to find out who it was that was making my life a living nightmare.

I screamed as I dropped the mic and dove to the floor. “Dang, you a'ight?” one of the stagehands asked.

I looked up nervously, my eyes darting around as I wondered why no one else was taking cover.

“Get down, get down,” I hissed. “Someone's shooting.”

He looked at me like I was crazy. “Ugh, no. A light bulb burst,” he said, pointing up to one of the lights on the ceiling.

Several of the technical people started laughing as I tried to regain my composure and stand up.

“Sorry, I—I guess I'm a little nervous.”

“My grandmother used to always say if you scare easily, you ain't living right.” He laughed.

I wanted to tell him nobody asked him about his stupid grandmother. My look must've told him I didn't see anything funny because he turned and scurried away.

“Maya?” Tamara said, putting her hand on my shoulder, causing me to jump again. “What's wrong with you?” she asked, looking at me strangely.

“All this noise and people sneaking up on me. It's just too much,” I snapped before I knew it.

“Whoa. Take a deep breath, chill out.”

I inhaled, then exhaled. “Sorry. Just a little stressed.” I wanted to tell her about the text, but my mom was standing right behind her and if I uttered a word about a stalker, my mom would march me right up out of there and not let me continue. And since that wasn't an option, I just remained quiet.

“So, what's going on? Are you ready?”

“Yes,” I said, looking out over the audience. “Let's just get this over with.”

O
kay, enough was enough. I'd gone from thinking there was something wrong with Valerie to having no doubt.

This chick had just rolled her eyes at me.

I turned my back on her, but suddenly whipped around and I could've sworn she was mocking me with her hands behind my back.

I was mortified and hot at the same time. I frowned and my eyes narrowed. It was obvious I must've been boring her. We had only been talking about an idea for the show. And it was her job to listen to me and take part in our brainstorming session. But she had an attitude and this time, wasn't trying to hide it.

“You done yet?” she asked dryly. She even twisted her neck when she asked the question. And to think, I'd just got through defending this trick. Word about her parents tripping had gotten back to Tamara, who'd asked me about it. After I'd come to Valerie's defense, Tamara had said, “You sound like you're best friends with the girl, the way you're taking up for her.”

“Never that,” I replied. “I just feel sorry for her sometimes. She's such an outcast and I know she just wants to be me. But overall, she's all right, especially because she does my homework without complaining.”

Valerie had popped up in my dressing room just moments after that conversation. Maybe she'd overheard me. Maybe that was why she was standing here giving me bonafide attitude. Seriously, she acted like she could've been doing anything else in the world but working with me.

It wasn't that I needed her to hang on my every word, but she made me feel like I was wasting
her
time.

“What's going on with you?” I asked.

My tone softened and I even adjusted my thoughts about the attitude she had been dishing my way. Maybe she was worked up about something else, something entirely unrelated to me and the job we had to do.

“What are you talking about?” she snapped.

It wasn't the question she asked, but
how
she asked it that really rubbed me the wrong way again. She had more attitude than I had seen in quite a while, and I couldn't remember a time when I'd seen it coming from
her
of all people. I wasn't sure what to make of it.

“Do you have something else you need to be doing right now?” I asked. This time though, I threw just as much attitude back as she had thrown to me.

Her hands went to her hips, her face twisted, and I could've sworn she sucked her teeth.

“What's that supposed to mean, Maya?”

Even the way she said my name sounded like I'd stolen her boyfriend (as if her lame behind could even get one).This was ridiculous. It seemed like every day the number of people who were mad at me, didn't like me, or tried to kill me with their eyes, grew.

The last thing I needed was Valerie of all people jumping on that bandwagon, too. The rest of the entire student body had that covered. But, Valerie and I
had
to work very closely together. If drama jumped off between
us
, I'd really have issues. Without her, I'd really be struggling. I could admit that.

With that in mind, I did a mental check and readjusted my tone and my attitude—again. Maybe Valerie was fighting with her parents again. I had no clue what was wrong with her, but I knew I needed her to get it right. The way she had talked to me and the way she was acting were not good. And this was the only pass she was going to get.

“Seems like you're mad or something,” I said. “I'm trying to figure out whether we can finish taking care of ideas for the show, or if you want, we can try to do this later.”

When I said it, there was not a hint of attitude in my voice. But her body language made me feel like she still had major beef with me.

“I'm fine,” she said, but she sounded fake. “So are you any closer to figuring out who was stalking you?” That seemed to come out of nowhere.

“No, but I'm sure it's Sheridan or it may even be Bali.” I hadn't heard from Bali directly since his father withdrew him from school, but I had been getting these hang-ups from some anonymous number that could have easily been him. “Or, it could even be one of the people I did a story on,” I added, even though I was no longer sure.

The door opened and for a change, I was glad for the distraction, or at least I thought I was until my eyes fixed on Jennifer Graham.

“Umm, what's going on in here?” she said.

Jennifer, Valerie's friend, looked back and forth between the two of us after she asked her question. I knew she wasn't expecting an answer from me. I had barely said two words to her our entire time in high school. And if Valerie was mad at me, I was double sure that she was, too.

“I told you to wait 'til I call,” Valerie said to Jenn before I could respond or react.

“Yeah, but that was like almost two hours ago. How was I supposed to know you still wanted me to wait?”

Valerie rolled her eyes again. I wasn't used to all of this attitude coming from her. But I fell back and let those two go at it.

The two of them exchanged awkward glances and I suddenly felt like I was out of place.

“I told you I'll let you know when I'm done,” Valerie insisted.

She spoke to Jenn through gritted teeth. All of a sudden, Jenn's entire demeanor changed.

“Well, when you didn't call, I didn't know what to think,” Jenn tried to explain. “How was I supposed to know you guys weren't done yet?” She shrugged.

“Go back and I'll call you, like I said,” Valerie snapped.

My eyes grew wide as I watched the two of them. It was something about the way Jennifer acted that caused an alarm to go off. It wasn't just that she had an attitude with me, too. It was almost as if she was nervous around me. Like she had something to hide. Then the way she cut her eyes at me, throwing me daggers, raised a red flag. I hadn't thought about it before. Even though we'd never run in the same circle or anything, she had never been an issue to me.

But now, in my opinion everyone was suspect.

After Jennifer walked out of the room, I realized something. Outside of that one evil look, she'd never once looked me directly in the eyes. She hadn't even spoken to me. And what was all that talk about waiting on a phone call? Suddenly, my mind raced back to moments when I'd seen Jenn and Sheridan talking over the past few weeks. It was always in hushed tones, like they were conspiring together. I knew that Jenn used to tutor Sheridan, last year. But as far as I knew, she hadn't started back this year.

A thought suddenly occurred to me. Jenn hated me for getting her mom in trouble behind the Glenda Matthews story. Sheridan hated me for doing the Glenda Matthews story. If anyone had motive and would want to shut me up, it would be those two!

That would also explain why all of a sudden, Valerie was throwing major attitude my way.

It had finally started to make sense to me. What if Valerie had found out what Jenn was doing and she was trying to gauge my temperature to figure out what I knew? I couldn't imagine that she would be in on it, but I could definitely see her trying to help her girl out.

I thought about trying to feel Valerie out, but she seemed even less interested than before Jenn had walked into the room.

“You know what, we don't have to do this now,” I said.

Valerie didn't say anything. That confirmed for me that I must've been on to something. The way I saw it, if Valerie had issues with her parents, the moment I called her on it, she would've started spilling.

But when Jenn had walked in unexpectedly, Valerie had become even more upset. The change was like day and night. There had to be something there, and I knew I'd have to find a way to get to the bottom of it.