#3 Turn Up for Real

by Stephanie Perry Moore

  “What are you trying to say?” Ansli said to me.

  Feeling bad that I upset the wrong sister, I uttered, “I’m not trying to offend you or anything. I’m just saying that boys have tough situations, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad boys we need to stay away from. And just because I was talking to somebody doesn’t mean I was trying to sleep with them.”

  “Slade!” my mom said in an appalled tone.

  The limousine couldn’t have gotten to our home any faster. I couldn’t wait to get out of the stuffy car. As soon as it parked in our circular driveway, I jumped out.

  “You better talk to that girl!” I heard my dad say to my mom as I started walking down our long driveway toward the street.

  My mom called out, “Slade, come back here so you can get your stuff out of the car. Nobody’s going to carry your stuff into the house, girl.”

  “Isn’t that what a limousine driver is for?” I yelled.

  “Slade, get your tail back up here. Your mom wasn’t asking you,” my dad shouted.

  So I turned back around. I was so frustrated. My head was pounding.

  “We got it,” Shelby said, as my sisters got all of my pageant wear.

  “Good girls. Take that stuff on in so I can talk some sense into your sister.”

  “Talk some sense into me?” I questioned, feeling like I was growing in the moonlight and wasn’t trying to let anyone, even my mom, belittle me.

  “Yes, honey. I was glad you came back out and congratulated the queen, but I don’t know what’s going on with you. Sometimes you make me want to scream. I know teenage girls are a handful, but you I don’t understand. At least Sloan tells me what she’s thinking, and Shelby makes a case for what she wants. You, you just try to be some maverick. And don’t get it twisted. That may be your school mascot, but it’s not reality. You don’t run anything around here. You just can’t go off when you want to. We searched after the pageant over thirty minutes looking for you. We didn’t know if someone had snatched you up or what.”

  “Snatched me up, Mom? Really?”

  “Yes, really. There were some strange characters, and nobody knew who they were, and we couldn’t find you. You’re a gorgeous girl, and you were very depressed. I was worried. Just don’t hold your emotions so close to your chest, Slade. It’s time to grow up a little bit, babe,” she said.

  She patted me on the shoulder and left me outside to think. I looked up at the beautiful, early October evening sky, and my heart longed for the night to give me direction. Of all the sisters, I had been the one who stood on my faith the most. I wasn’t overly religious or anything, but the gospel hymns my grandmother used to sing stuck with me, and I believed the words. But it had been a long time since I sung any of them. Now more than anything I needed the Lord to show up, so I started singing an old treasure that always gave me hope, “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.” I sang:

  “Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by. Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry; While on others Thou art calling, Do not pass me by. ”

  Then I stopped singing and shouted. “I don’t have any friends. I don’t have a crown. I don’t have my dreams. Could You help give me a life?”

  About thirty minutes later, after I had taken a bath, I turned on my computer to see what I had been missing. I had an e-mail from the queen. “Call me. Let’s be friends,” Charlotte wrote.

  I wanted to yell, “You’re the last person I want to be friends with!” So I turned off the computer and went to bed, hoping that the stranger was okay. He wouldn’t leave my mind.

  I wasn’t a fan of school, but I sure loved being in glee class. It was a combination of singing, acting, and dancing all in one. My skinny, strawberry-blonde teacher Ms. Oxford had been on Broadway herself. She talked in an Irish accent, but used slang like she was from Harlem. The class was mixed, with a diverse group of characters. Jocks, geeks, all races, sizes, and genders too. If you had spunk and talent, the class was for you.

  We’d only been in school a little over a month and a half, but I still didn’t have any real buddies. When three girls, whom I called a modern day TLC because they were cute, cool, and charming, walked in, I caught myself staring. I didn’t know much more about them besides that they were juniors like me, but their friendship was one I longed to be a part of. They were huddled up, laughing. I was so into looking at the sassy threesome that I didn’t even realize that we had a guest enter the room. Everybody rushing up to shake his hand, like he was somebody important.

  Ms. Oxford said, “So, I can tell all that hand-shaking means you’re giving somebody mad respect. You must know who he is.”

  “Yeah, Mr. Mundy from Mundy Records,” a dude from the back shouted out.

  “That’s exactly correct. The record label that’s known for breaking new talent in the city of Charlotte. And he’s here today to talk to you guys about something special. So without further ado, I turn the mic over to Mr. Brian Mundy,” Ms. Oxford said.

  Everyone around me stood, clapping. The opportunity to be signed to a record label was a dream come true. Mr. Mundy motioned for us to sit.

  The tall, handsome, well-dressed man in his forties said, “Why, thank you guys. You all appreciate that I have a business that puts out records. Well, I couldn’t do what I do without great talent, so I am in awe of you. Your teacher has been sending me demos. Anyway, let me say she has inspired me to go ahead and start another big talent search, and I am only inviting select schools that have people in glee club to enter. I need to put out a new hit. It’s hard times even in the record business, so I’m just going to be real with you guys. If you got your ‘A’ game, and you’re ready to break out and do big things, then you might win this contest.”

  “What is the winner of the contest going to get?” the same guy from the back shouted out.

  “What’s your name, young man?”

  “You want to know my real name or my stage name?” my classmate asked.

  “I want to know whatever name you want me to know,” Mr. Mundy said.

  “Oh, then I’m Flo Breaker.”

  “Oh, you from Florida?” Mr. Mundy sought to confirm.

  “That’s right.”

  “Wow, that’s wassup. You can’t steal the Florida name and not bring it.”

  “I can sing, but I want to be a rapper.”

  “Alright, alright, I’m going to be real honest. I am looking to sign a male soloist or a female group.”

  The threesome in the front was all giddy. They were waving their hands and bumping each other. They looked real desperate trying to get his attention.

  Finally, he looked at them and said, “Unless there is another member of your group or one of y’all isn’t in it, I’ve got to be honest again, I’m not that interested.”

  The shortest one in the middle, whose name I think was Taylor, asked, “Why not?”

  He answered, “Because I like even numbered female groups. It just keeps the drama under control.”

  The one with spunk said, “Sir, I’m Dayna, and you need to hear us first. We bring it, we are good, and we’re just what you need for your label.”

  “Alright, but I’m already telling you.”

  Ms. Oxford cut in and said, “Yeah girls, you’ve got to understand when a record label is telling you what they want, don’t try to give them what you have. Figure it out. There’s plenty of talent in this room. You need to add somebody to the group if y’all need to pair up.”

  “But I don’t even need to try.” Flo Breaker uttered in a melancholy tone.

  “You told me you’re a rapper and a singer. I might be interested. All of you, if your group is phenomenal, if you’re something other than what I am looking for, then you got to go for it. You’ve got to believe in yourself. You’ve got to make me as an executive want to change my mind. But just know my eye is going to be looking out for a female group that is even in number or a male singer. I don’t care if he’s singing countr
y or R&B, but I do want him to sing. If you guys have any more questions, I will be here for a little while, but start singing, start practicing. Here’s the catch, competition is next week. Your teacher has all the particulars.”

  Finally when Mr. Mundy was gone our teacher told us to line up. We needed to practice our chords and sing some. I just happened to be standing near the threesome. I don’t know if I was a little too loud or what, but they looked at me like I had the plague.

  Caylen, the third member of the group, said, “We need to talk to you as soon as class is over.”

  “Okay,” I said.

  “Okay, focus young people. Let’s go,” Ms. Oxford said, knowing that rehearsal was gonna be hard, as we all were in dreamland.

  But it seemed like it was taking forever. I had no idea what they wanted to talk to me about.

  When the bell rang, Dayna and the others stepped right over to me and said, “Look, you tryna get a record deal?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “But I’m not even trying for the contest because I’m not in a group.”

  “Well, you hear what he told us?” Taylor said in a sweeter tone.

  “Yes, that you’ve got an odd number,” I replied.

  “Right, we need one more to be a modern day En Vogue. Do you want to be in our group?” Dayna asked.

  Looking at the three of them and thinking I could be a part of their group made me all excited. I’d heard them sing during class. They had skills, and I guess today they finally heard. And though I always wanted to be a solo act, if being in a group could get me out there, then maybe that’s what I needed to do. Like my grandma always said, “Nothing was wrong with casting my net on the other side of the boat to catch fish.” After all, Beyoncé started in a group.

  So I looked at the three of them and said, “Yeah, I’ll be the fourth member of your group. Let’s go win this thing.”

  Taylor hugged me. Dayna and Caylen gave each other high fives. Then the four of us let out a loud scream.

  CHAPTER THREE

  SWAGGER

  “You want to go where, Slade?” my mom asked a couple days after our blowup.

  “I’ve been invited to a slumber party.”

  “You’re sixteen, honey. You know I don’t allow you girls to stay at other people’s houses,” she said, not moved by my disappointed face. “Besides, the answer is also no because I don’t even know who you’re even talking about.”

  “It’s a girl named Taylor who is in my class. Her mom is an elementary school teacher. She wants you to call her so you feel comfortable about the situation. I said we’d call back. Please, Mom, please!”

  “No, Slade, you know it’s a rule that I have. I can control what goes on here, and you can invite your new friends here, but I’m not allowing you to go to somebody else’s house. You’re just not going.”

  I wasn’t trying to get all big and bad with my mom, but she was wrong. I was sixteen, and since I was almost seventeen, it was about time I stood up for what I believed in. She was an attorney. I had to speak her language and make a case for why she needed to chill.

  “What are you afraid of, Mom? You raised me right. I’m not going to be influenced by anybody else. Plus, her mom is a teacher at an elementary school. She teaches music, for goodness sake. It’s a two-parent family.”

  “That doesn’t matter to me.”

  “I’m just giving you all the facts. It’s a good home. She doesn’t have an older brother. No one is going to be walking around naked.”

  “Watch your mouth, girl.”

  Irritated, I said, “I’m just sayin’. You have nothing to fear. I gotta grow up sometime, Mom, and make my own friends. The Sharp sisters are tight. With Dad running for mayor and all, the whole city knows that, but you know I’m the outsider. That’s why I hang with you more than anybody else. Shelby and Ansli pair up, Sloan and Yuri pair up, and then it’s just me. I finally found some girls my age that want to hang with me, some other juniors that want me to be in a singing group with them.”

  “You want to be in a group now? Slade, really?”

  “Mom, come on. Let me try my passion. I’m just asking for one night. Progress reports came out. I’ve got all As and one B. My room is spotless. I never give you any trouble. Give me a little leeway. Haven’t I earned that?”

  “Alright, alright, I’ll see, but I can’t believe you have me dealing with this now. You girls know I’m stressed dealing with this election. Get her mom on the phone.”

  Thankfully, the two career women talked like they’d known each other for a long time. They were definitely cut from the same cloth, and my mom felt comfortable that I could go, even though she did insist on dropping me off and meeting the rest of the girls.

  The girls’ reactions upon seeing me varied. Taylor was all excited to see me, and she reached out and gave me a hug. I guess I just assumed that the other two girls were on board with it; after all we had to practice, we had to bond, we had to really be a group. But I sensed—since their noses were all up in the air and their eyes were staring me down like I was the enemy or something—that Dayna and Caylen weren’t too happy to have me there.

  When Taylor told me to follow her to her room to put down my bag, I just shot a straight look at her and got right to the point. “Do Dayna and Caylen not want me here or something?”

  Almost laughing, like what I said was crazy, Taylor uttered, “No, that’s just how they are. The three of us have been tight for so long. Forgive them.”

  “No, and I’m uncomfortable. I’m not trying to push myself on nobody,” I told her as I rolled my eyes.

  Trying to calm me by nudging me a bit, Taylor said, “You heard Mr. Mundy. He’s only looking for an even-numbered female group. They need you.”

  Standing boldly to not budge in my thinking, I responded, “Oh, so I’m supposed to be okay with however they treat me?”

  “You want to sing, and without you the three of us are good. With you … we can be great. So much is on the line. We just need to put aside all the drama. Let’s get to know each other … it’ll be fun!” Taylor put her arm underneath mine and escorted me into the basement.

  “So does this mean we can do what we’ve always done?” Dayna said to Taylor.

  “Of course we can. If Slade is going to be one of us she’s got to go through with the ritual,” Taylor replied.

  “Then what are you waiting for? Why didn’t you put the video in?” Caylen asked.

  “What video?” I yelled from across the room. I didn’t know if they were trying to keep it a secret or what, but I heard them, so I asked.

  Caylen asked, “Where is it, Taylor? Let me just pop it in. You think she can fit in with us?”

  In a rude voice, Dayna said, “We’ll see.”

  Taylor went behind the couch and pulled out a folder. She handed Dayna a DVD, and the three of them got all cozy in front of the TV. When the screen came on, there was a girl undressing in front of another girl who was already nude with a guy lying there looking. The two girls started making out, and the three of them were laughing. They didn’t seem to be aroused. They were, for sure, amused, but I was completely uncomfortable and didn’t understand what all this was about.

  “Look over at Miss Prissy turning red,” Dayna teased.

  “Are you a virgin, Slade?” Caylen asked me in a real seductive and weird kind of way. I just frowned at her like it was none of their business.

  “I told you she wasn’t our kind of girl,” Dayna said to Taylor.

  With much attitude, I gasped, “Well I don’t know what your kind of girl is, but if y’all trying to feel all up on me and do some freaky girly night out, I’m not in.”

  Then Dayna got up in my face and said, “What? You calling us freaks?”

  Stepping up even closer to her, I said, “If the shoe fits.”

  She pushed me. I pushed her back. I didn’t know who Dayna thought I was, but a punk wasn’t it.

  Taylor stood firm between us and said, “Okay, okay, stop you g
uys! Listen. Slade, we do this because we’re trying to get great moves. Yes, we went to a producer’s house one time, and he told us watching this kind of stuff relaxes us, makes our bodies all loose so we can be better artists. So, that’s what we’re doing. Nothing more, nothing less. No one is trying to touch you or have you touch them.”

  “And you believe this guy?” I uttered, thinking that was ludicrous.

  “Regardless, watching this is fun, and I don’t got no problem saying I like it,” Dayna tried to get in my face and say.

  “Well, if you got a good voice, who cares how you work it? Turn on a dang mic and let’s practice. You want me out of this group? If we don’t have any harmony, I’m out anyway. I don’t have to just conform to y’all’s ways. You got to conform to mine too. I’ve got talent. Y’all asked me to be in the group,” I said.

  I went over to the TV, turned it off, turned the radio on, and started singing whatever was on. It was an old tune by Destiny’s Child, “Survivor,” but when they got up and started singing with me, something clicked. I thought I wanted to walk out, but the sound the four of us made was a groove I couldn’t get without them, and I didn’t want to.

  “You can’t break up with me. I love you. I’ve given you money. I made you feel good. Now, you’re just going to dump me? What’s this about? Another girl or something? It’s nobody that’s going to treat you like I am,” I heard Taylor cry out.

  She was so upset. She actually awoke me from my sleep. The four of us had conked out on her family room floor. I looked over and saw Dayna snoring and Caylen slobbering. I didn’t want to get in Taylor’s business, but she had it going on. The last thing she needed to be doing was getting all upset over some guy. So, I went up to her and motioned for her to hang up.

  “Huh?” she said with her ear still to the receiver.

  I held my fingers like a phone and placed my hand down like I was hanging up. I was real adamant. Later for that loser. His loss.

  “Alright, fine. I’ve got to go,” she finally said, and as she hung up the phone, she fell right into my arms. “He just broke up with me like that. I don’t understand.”