Page 88 of Feeling Blue

“Aye y’all, put your phones in the air for my boy, Young Scooter! A real muthafucking legend! My friend left way too soon! I’on know if y’all miss my nigga like I do, but rap ain’t been the same for me since he left. Shit, life in general! Some hearts are just irreplaceable, and Scooters was one em’. I won’t ever get over missing him. Ball in Heaven until I get there. We miss you!” She screamed loudly, her voice cracking.

Forever took a step toward her, ready to snatch her off the stage for hugs if need be. She hadn’t taken his death well, and with it still being so fresh, anytime she spoke of him, Forever was immediately on guard.

“Y’all just give me a minute,” Goody mumbled in the mic before dropping her head and wiping at her face with the backs of her hands.

In a rush to get to her, Forever took off, but was halted when Marcellus grabbed her hand, stuffing the handkerchief from his suit in it.

“Give this to her,” his words were quick, as was Blue’s movements.

He’d used Forever’s waist to pull her out of Marcellus’ grip within seconds. Too worried about Goody to entertain them, she touched the center of Blue’s chest and pleaded with her eyes for him to behave before leaving him her phone and taking off toward Goody. She was still crying, and the fact that the deejayhad begun to play “Columbia” by Young Scooter hadn’t made anything better.

Strutting fast and tall, Forever glided across the stage with urgency but still gracefully. Her long hair blew behind her as she came into view. The moment the lights shined on her, she nearly fainted, she was so nervous. There was no way in the world she would ever be able to do what Goody did. Noise from the crowd must have gotten Goody’s attention because she raised her head and fell into Forever the moment she was close enough.

“How you go from cussing to crying that fast?” Forever tried to be as lighthearted as she could, which helped because Goody laughed through her sniffles.

“Him not being here just ain’t right.”

“It’s not, but neither is you out here crying in front of all these people. People work hard for their money. Nobody paid to watch you cry, hoe.”

Seconds later, laughter could be heard around the room. Forever stepped back just enough to pat Goody’s tears dry.

“You done being a punk bitch?” she questioned in a sympathetic tone, drawing more laughter from the attendees.

“Fuck you, bitch,” Goody finally laughed for real and began getting herself together.

It took her a minute and a few screams from her fans before she was back to herself. With her hand still clasped tightly with Forever’s, she faced the crowd.

“Y’all not seeing my personal Barbie doll, right here! Real talk, this a bad muthafucka! Y’all see her?” Goody tried to spin Forever around but, of course, she shook her head, even trying to pull away, but Goody wouldn’t let her. “My girl don’t play about me and I damn sure don’t play about her. Her nigga always saying she’s too small to be so big, and I never really understoodwhat he meant, but I see it now. I finally get it, Blue!” Goody smiled at the tears rising in Forever’s eyes before looking over her head at a smiling Blue. “She fine as hell, but she’s also a real nigga’s bitch, so don’t go getting y’all asses in my sister’s DMs harassing her.”

Forever snickered while falling into the one-sided hug Goody pulled her to. “I really hate you. I’m finna go. Get back to your show, sista.”

“Everybody, tell Mrs. Rose goodbye.”

Forever couldn’t stop the embarrassing laughter and blushing that overtook her as she turned to walk offstage as the crowd yelled exactly what Goody told them to. It didn’t help that she caught Blue’s eyes on her the entire way. With him smiling just as hard as her, she couldn’t stop herself from switching harder in a hurry to get to him.

“Can’t tell me dick won’t make you move. Look at her happy ass running to that man. Her lil’ boyfriend over there waiting on her y’all. Do me a favor and don’t be like her when y’all grow up. Make these niggas wait!”

The crowd laughed loudly before Goody resumed her show.

“Aight, I’ma do this last song for my guy, then I’m out of here!”

The beat to Master P’s, “I Miss My Homies”dropped at the same time the arena went completely black, only glowing from the phone lights of the crowd and large photos of Young Scooter working with her and various other artists, pictures of him and his kids, and photos of him alone plastered on the Megatron behind her.

“Rest In Peace, Kenneth!” Goody screamed before rapping along with Master P.

Thankful to be at the edge of the stage, Forever hurried off and right into her man’s arms. Goody was about to have the whole arena in tears, and Forever wanted no parts of that. She was a crybaby just like Paradise and would be in shambles like the rest of the world.

“Aye, I fuck with Slim Goody the long way,” Blue told her as soon as she was wrapped in his arms.

Forever’s body relaxed beneath his touch. His embrace was warm and tight, like always. Gone was the rigidness from earlier, and she inwardly thanked God for it. With her head on his chest and eyes closed, Forever tightened her grip around his waist.

“And I fuck with you.”

“Look at me and tell me that.”

Forever’s head dropped backward, allowing her room to stare at him. “I fucking love you, gang.”

“You being ghetto?”

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