On the Flip Side

by Nikki Carter

  “Sunday,” he calls just as I’m about to make a clean getaway.

  I stop in my tracks and hear his footsteps behind me as he walks up. “You change your mind about seeing me?” he asks as he spins me around and pulls me into a hug.

  I hug him back. Dang me! The plan was to act hard, but hugging someone tight is soooo the opposite of that. Total fail on my part. I get negative points for my hardness factor.

  “I look crazy,” I finally say after we’re done hugging, but Sam still holds me in his arms. “Let me go upstairs and change.”

  “Nope. You look awesome. Let’s go get something to eat!”

  He leans his head in to kiss me, but I turn away. I just got a mental picture of him tongue twisted with someone else, and it wrecked my flow.

  “You don’t want to kiss me?” he asks.

  “Nope. You already got some lip gloss on you.”

  Sam reaches up and touches his face. “I do? Where? I thought I got that off!”

  He bursts into giggles as I give him a light jab and pull out of his embrace. “Very funny, Sam.”

  “Okay, okay. I understand. Don’t kiss me, right now. You don’t have to. But can we go to our spot? I came all the way down here to get some Busy Bee fried chicken. Let’s go!”

  I put my hands on my hips and poke out my lips. “Seriously? You flew down here to get some fried chicken?”

  “Well, I was telling everybody that I was coming to see my girlfriend, my boo, the one I’ve been missing like crazy, but she just dissed me hard. She ain’t even comb her hair when she came downstairs, and she would not let me kiss those pretty lips.... So since she ain’t missing me back, I want some chicken!”

  Dang him! If I could wipe this stupid smile off my face I would!

  Instead I shrug. “Okay then. Chicken it is. You driving?”

  I hike up my sweatpants and sashay past Sam to the door of our residence hall. Since I’m in so-called diss mode and all that, we can just go get our grub on. He can just keep his tainted lips to himself and buy me some chicken.

  “You’re treating too, right?” I ask.

  Sam bursts into laughter as I stand next to the door. “You’re waiting for me to open the door aren’t you? You diss me and then you want me to be a gentleman?”

  “Yeah? And?”

  Sam smiles, and dutifully opens the door for me. “I guess I deserve this.”

  “Yep, you kinda do.”

  Before Sam got here, I didn’t really know if we could get past his stupidity with the girl. But now that I see him, and I can tell that he really cares about me, I think maybe I can forget about it all.

  Maybe.

  As long as he doesn’t do any other stupid things.

  8

  Newcomer Sunday Tolliver continues to impress with each single off her album. “The Highlight” is her first ballad to get radio play and it truly displays her vocal gifts. The song left me with chills, and I don’t get chills easily. I’m looking forward to the video, which, I’m told, was filmed at Zillionaire’s Atlanta mansion to accommodate Sunday’s full-time schedule as a freshman at Spelman. With yet another reality show about to debut, and an album full of single-worthy hits, is there any way Sunday can top her success? Award season is coming up. Expect to see Sunday represented heavily at the AMAs, the Grammys, and the VMAs.

  Oh, and by the way, her new single debuted at number one on the Billboard Pop and R & B charts. Sunday Tolliver seems unstoppable.

  “The blogs just love you, don’t they?” Piper asks as she finishes reading the Sandra Rose post about me.

  I finish folding the last of my laundry and put it in my dresser drawers while I ponder an answer to this question. The blogs do seem to love me—now. But I know that could change in an instant. All I have to do is say one wrong thing to a fan on a bad day, or cross paths with a person who has something to gain by dissing me. It’s a scary place to be. Mystique tells me to live in the moment. She says if I worry about what could happen, then I’ll never enjoy what’s actually happening.

  “I just take it for what it is,” I reply. “Free publicity for the record. The single making it to number one is important to me, because that means ring-tone money and downloads on iTunes and Amazon.com.”

  Piper stretches out on my bed and continues to play with her phone. “Girl, I wish I had a talent that could make me lots of money. Then, I wouldn’t have to worry about all this financial aid and what not. I’m only in school now because my foster parents pulled some strings. I don’t know what I’m going to do at the end of the semester.”

  “What’s the problem?”

  “Technically, I can’t be listed on my financial aid paperwork as an independent adult, because I’m not twenty-three. I have no idea where my mother is to get her to sign off on anything. My foster mom is trying to talk to the financial office to get a waiver for me, but they may not be able to do it by the end of the semester.”

  “So you might miss half of the year?”

  Piper nods. “I should be able to come back next year, but it would really annoy me if I got behind in my studies just because my mom is holed up in a crack house somewhere.”

  Long pause, because I have no idea how to respond to this. I couldn’t imagine what I’d do or how I’d be if my mom was a drug addict. Piper even being in college is probably incredible. I bet no one thought she’d make it this far.

  “Did you talk to them about work study? I think Gia is supposed to be doing that next year.”

  “I did speak with them about that, but work study is a part of the financial aid program. I can’t do any of that until I’ve got all the forms completed. But I’m not gonna worry about it now. My foster parents paid half of my tuition this semester and got me a scholarship for the other half from Gamma Phi Gamma.”

  “Maybe you do have a talent that can make money. Your nails always look really good. Do you do them yourself?”

  Piper looks down at her set of acrylics. “Yes, I do them myself. I used to charge girls in the foster home, for little designs and stuff. I also do tattoos, but I probably wouldn’t be able to do that on campus.”

  “Um, no to the tats, but yes to the nails! Mostly everyone on campus is half broke. How much would you charge to do a full set?”

  “I don’t know. Fifteen bucks?”

  “If you could do ten people a week that would be a hundred fifty dollars. That’s more than you’d make at a fast-food restaurant.”

  “Probably. That’s a good idea. I’m going to get some flyers made. But wait. I don’t even have cash to get any equipment. I’ve barely got enough money to eat off campus.”

  “I’ll buy you the supplies. You can pay me back next year, when you get that first financial aid refund check.”

  Piper’s eyes light up, but then she looks suspicious. “Why would you do that for me?”

  “I guess because your situation really sucks and I’m feeling grateful for my mom and my blessings right now. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, heffa.”

  Piper laughs out loud. “Okay, I’m just going to say thank you.”

  “And I’m just going to say you’re welcome.”

  “Guess who I saw at Busy Bee’s last night?”

  I already know who she saw, because Gia filled me in late last night after they got in. Gia and Ricky were on a “double date” with Kevin and Piper. Well ... sort of. Kevin didn’t realize he was going on a date until he got there, and apparently he wasn’t happy. But they saw DeShawn from my video shoot.

  “Who did you see, Piper?”

  “Gia must’ve already told you, but we saw DeShawn and he asked about you. He wanted to know if you’d broken up with your boyfriend yet.”

  To be honest, DeShawn hadn’t even come to mind since we shot my video. I was pleased that he asked about me, though. I mean, I am a girl, and he is ridiculously gorgeous.

  “What did you tell him?” I ask.

  “Nothing. I didn’t tell him anything. Not even when he gave us ticke
ts to their game in Jacksonville, Alabama.”

  “He gave us tickets? Are y’all going? When is the game?”

  “It’s this coming Saturday, and Gia is definitely going. You know she gotta see her little boo play ball and everything.”

  “How are y’all getting there?” I ask.

  Piper grins which lets me know her answer before she speaks a word. “We were hoping you would drive.”

  I let out a big sigh. “Well, I’ve got a show on Friday night at The House of Blues. I probably won’t feel like driving. Who else has a license?”

  “I bet Gia’s friend Kevin would drive. He seems really responsible.”

  “You like him.”

  “I do, but I’m not sure if I’m his type.”

  I think back on what Gia said about Kevin and wonder if Piper’s crush is a lost cause.

  “You think Meagan will want to come too?” I ask changing the subject from Kevin.

  Piper scrunches up her nose. “I need a break from her. Plus, I think she likes Kevin too.”

  I shake my head. “Nope. She’s talking to another guy at Morehouse, I think. She hasn’t said anything else about Kevin.”

  “Then, I guess it’s okay. I just ... well ... she’s always reminding me of how privileged she is and how underprivileged I am.”

  “She does that to all of us, Piper, not just you.”

  “But the difference between y’all and me, is that y’all really do have something. You’re a freaking celebrity. Gia doesn’t care about what anyone thinks on anything. I was really hoping that my first roommate would be like a sister to me, but Meagan and I aren’t bonding at all.”

  “Look at it this way. It’s only a year, right? Next year, you’ll get a new roomie. Maybe we’ll all move off campus together.”

  Why did I let those words fly out of my mouth? That was definitely a thought that should’ve stayed internal. I don’t think I know Piper well enough to live with her. Gia is a no-brainer. She’s absolutely gonna be my off-campus roomie, if I can convince her that living in a penthouse is better than shared bathrooms and crummy kitchen space, because when I finally get a check from Epsilon Records (it’s supposed to be soon), I’m buying some property.

  “You’d want me to live off-campus with you?”

  “I mean, unless you’ve got some secret life I should know about ...”

  Piper jumps off the bed and literally tackles me with a hug. “You really are my friend, aren’t you?”

  Gia walks into our room and shakes her head when she sees us. “Piper, you have got to be the huggingest person I know. Good grief. What did Sunday do? Tell you your hair was cute?”

  We all bust our guts laughing at Gia. Then Piper says, “No. She said we’re moving off campus with her next year.”

  “That’s what’s up!” Gia says. “But did you talk her into driving to the game on Saturday?”

  “Halfway. I talked her into going, but she wants Kevin to drive.”

  “So y’all just scheming on getting my car, huh? Do y’all even want me to go, or do y’all just want the keys?”

  Gia and Piper surround me in a hug sandwich. “Of course we want you to go,” Gia says. “We loooooove you!”

  Looks like I’m going on my first college road trip! Score!

  “Look at this mess. Y’all got me hugging folk too!” Gia says.

  Sister love! The only thing that would make this picture complete is if Sam was here too. Seeing him for just two days wasn’t enough. It’s been a week since I’ve seen him, and already I miss him.

  I know that if I want to enjoy kicking it with my friends that I have to put all of that sadness out of my mind. I’ve got to be strong until the next time I see my boo.

  I just hope Sam is missing me as much as I’m missing him.

  9

  “Sunday, are you going to let me put these eyelashes on you or not?” Regina, my makeup artist, hovers over me in the cramped House of Blues dressing room looking ready to attack me with a pair of mink eyelashes.

  “My vote is no,” I reply. “Those things look like caterpillars.”

  “They’ll make your eyes pop when you’re on stage.”

  “Then my eyes shant be popping!” I say. “I’m not getting those things glued on me. Then they’ll still be stuck to my eyes tomorrow when I go to the football game. No thank you.”

  Regina sighs and turns to Mystique for support. “Mystique, will you do something? She’s impossible.”

  “Well, she doesn’t have to wear them. Do something really dramatic with her eye makeup. Line the bottom and top lids, and put something glittery on top. That should make her eyes pop too.”

  Regina puts her hands on her hips and scowls at Mystique. She’s chewing her gum so hard I think she’s gonna break a tooth. I’ve never seen her this irritated, although I have gotten on her nerves plenty of times with my refusal of all things glam.

  “You think I don’t know how to make her eyes pop? You want to do the makeup now too, Mystique? Don’t you do enough already? Let me do what I do, and you do what you do.”

  Mystique leans back as if the words are blows. “No one is questioning your skills! I’m just trying to make sure my artist isn’t stressed out before her show.”

  “Am I stressing you out, Sunday? Huh? Am I really stressing you out?” Regina asks.

  I let out a small chuckle. “You are stressing yourself out, I think. I’m straight as long as you don’t try to put those caterpillars on my face.”

  Regina sighs and gingerly places the mink insects back in their plastic container where they are a safe distance from my eyes.

  Mystique talks to me while Regina works on my face. “Sunday, are you sure you want to do your show with a live band? There’s still time to do the tracks if you want.”

  I furrow my eyebrows in a frown and Regina pops me with a makeup brush. “Stop moving!” she fusses.

  “Ouch! Mystique, I am a musician and this is a small venue. No background tracks. That’s lame.”

  “Okay, I was just asking. I didn’t want you to think you had to do this like you’ve got something to prove. Everybody knows you can sing.”

  “I’m not trying to prove anything. I just know that I hate tracks. I hate lip synching and all that.”

  “So, if you go on tour this summer, you’re going to use a live band?”

  She asks this question as if there is only one acceptable answer, and not the one I want.

  “Well, that’s what I thought. Is it not doable?”

  “Um ... well, I don’t think Epsilon Records will want to send you on tour with a full band. Maybe if you do some tour stops with me, and I have a full band ... yeah, maybe that will work.”

  Regina looks up at Mystique. “You never have a full band. You always sing to a track.”

  Mystique looks away from Regina’s glare. “Yeah, well, I’m an artist too. Sunday isn’t the only purist in the music industry.”

  I don’t know what just passed between Mystique and Regina, but there seems to be some hidden conversation in their facial expressions. Mystique seems really uncomfortable all of a sudden.

  Mystique says, “I’m going to make sure that everyone in the band is straight, and then I’m going to sit in VIP with Zac and Big D.”

  “Zac is here?”

  “Yep. You’re one of his favorite artists right now, honey.” She kisses me on the cheek and then wipes off her lip gloss.

  Regina is silent for a few moments until Mystique has gotten out of earshot. Then she makes a sound like she’s sucking her teeth.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  Regina clears her throat. “Okay, Sunday, I’m gonna tell you something, and you might not believe me now, but you will down the road.”

  “Okay ...”

  “Mystique is not one hundred percent in your corner. She is not ready to give up that throne, baby, and you are coming hard and strong.”

  “I-I’m not trying to take her throne.”

  “You don�
��t have to be trying. But it’s happening anyway. I heard from a very, very trusted source that she is the one behind that ecstasy getting slipped in Sam’s drink.”

  “Unh-uh! Whatever! I don’t believe that.”

  “My friend who is a makeup artist in Zac’s camp said she overheard the girl in the bathroom talking about it. The chic was some random video vixen, and she said Mystique had paid her one thousand dollars to get Sam in a compromising position.”

  “Yeah, well, if that was true, why hasn’t the picture been leaked yet?”

  “I haven’t figured that part out,” Regina says, “but maybe it has something to do with the fact that Sam confessed everything to you. I bet she never expected him to do that.”

  This is information overload. Too much dang information. This is stuff that Regina should’ve kept to herself. Mystique is my mentor, for crying out loud. If she didn’t want me around, why would she even give me a record deal?

  “I owe all of this to Mystique. I wouldn’t even have a gig if it wasn’t for her. Shoot, I wouldn’t have a record deal if it wasn’t for her.”

  “Yep, and she wants you to never forget that too. Just ... just watch your back, Sunday. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about her.”

  “Okay.”

  Gia, Piper, and Meagan all storm the backstage with their backstage passes. They’re all smiles, which I need right now since Regina just totally wrecked my flow with her overshare.

  Regina says, “You’re all done. I’m going to watch the show. Knock ’em dead.”

  “What’s wrong?” Gia asks as they crowd my area.

  I consider telling them, but I think if I share the story it’ll make my mood worse. I need something to get me up.

  “Nothing. Just nerves, I guess. Did you guys get good seats?”

  Gia nods. “We left Kevin and Ricky out there manning our table. We’re front and center. If you get nervous just look at us.”

  Dilly walks up to us. My friends squeal when he kisses me on my cheek.

  “Hey, Sunday. You ready?” Dilly asks.