Chapter Ten #3
Logic had known about the performance for a week, but his nerves still got the best of him.
Truth Gentleman’s Club was packed from the VIP sections in the back of the club to the booths in the front.
The dancers were in rare form; it was ladies’ night and the cover charge was $100 per person.
The high entrance fee weeded out the real from the wannabes, so the club was full of ballers.
Terri struck a deal with the owner so that Logic would receive 40% of the door profit.
The setup was perfect. All Logic had to do was perform five songs and then host for the rest of the night.
Things would’ve been perfect… if he could gather the strength to leave the locker.
“Stage fright?” Czar squealed. “We sitting in a dressing room with naked females. The fuck you nervous for?”
“And how the fuck you gone be a rapper with stage fright?” Rahlo griped, pinching the brim of his nose.
“Yall gotta remember he’s been behind the scenes this whole time. All this shit new to him,” Al explained, staring at Joe’s camera.
“I feel sick.” Logic held his stomach.
“Aye.” Czar snapped his fingers at Joe. “Are you getting this shit? This nigga look like he about to pass out. Where Alice at? He needs some bread or something.”
“Who the fuck is Alice?” Al asked.
“The assistant, that’s her name, right?”
“Nigga, no. The girl name is Alicia.”
“Alice, Alicia, Adele, all the same shit. Tell her to get this nigga some bread before he throws up on these people floor.”
“Mannnnn.” Rahlo scratched the top of his head before running his hands down his face.
He wondered if this was the type of stress Terry dealt with when he was first signed.
Then again, Rah was a natural born performer.
“Look, bro, this is just to help you get comfortable on stage. Go out there, rap yo shit, make mistakes, do whatever you gotta do, but you gotta do it in front of people. You’ll get better in time.
It’s one thing to rap in a booth, but to do it in front of a crowd takes a lot outta you, and if you wanna sell out stadiums, performing is part of the package. ”
“Right,” Czar agreed. “I remember the first time I went on stage I tripped over the microphone cord and fell.”
“Straight up?” Logic peered over at him.
“No, nigga.” He frowned, causing everyone to laugh. “I’m a G. The fuck I look like tripping on stage. I’m going to get some lamb chops and go home to my wife and kids. I don’t do good with motivational speeches and shit. Give the nigga a blunt, he’ll be aight.”
“I’m right behind you. Lo, get your shit together and let’s make this money.” Rahlo patted his shoulder and followed Czar out of the dressing room.
“I’m going to get a lap dance while you figure your shit out. Deep breaths,” Al said, heading to the door.
“Wait, that’s all the inspiration you giving me?” Logic frowned.
“Nigga, we surrounded by big booties and titties. That should be inspiration enough.”
“You right, you right.” Logic chuckled at himself. “I’m thinking about this shit too much.”
“I’m always right. Buck the fuck up and show these niggas how a real Detroiter do this shit. Take off your shirt if you have to, hoes love when niggas take they shirt off.”
“I’m not taking off my shirt, the fuck I look like? Trey Songz?”
“Aye, I’m just saying,” Al laughed. “Come on, Joe, let’s get some footage of the club.”
When the door closed, Logic dropped his head and took deep breaths. The urge to vomit stirred in the pit of his stomach, sending him running toward the bathroom.
“Whoa, slow the fuck down,” a feminine voice hollered behind him as he damn near took off her shoulder when he ran by.
“My fault,” he paused. “I-
“It’s always you.” Tyler shook her head. “And you call me clumsy.”
“Let me find out you stalking me.” Logic grinned as the urge to vomit lessened.
“You wish. I didn’t even know you were here.” She folded her arms across her chest.
“Sure you didn’t.”
“Swear, I’m here with my best friends. We’re celebrating,” Tyler stated excitedly.
“What are we celebrating?”
“We?”
“Yea, Imma come have a drink with you.”
“And what if Dex was here?”
“I’d still come have a drink with you,” he cockily stated.
“Problematic ass.” She twisted her lips. “Umm, my contract just ended and I decided not to re-sign.”
“You independent?” Logic grinned.
“Yep!”
“Hell yea!” He stepped forward, reaching for a hug. Lifting her arms, Tyler wrapped them around his neck as Logic’s arms roped her waist. Burying her head in his chest, Tyler inhaled as her body relaxed in his arms. Slightly nuzzling her neck, Logic placed a kiss on her cheek before he pulled back.
“I’m proud of you, baby girl.”
“Thank you,” Tyler beamed.
“So no more songs about niggas doing you wrong?”
“Nope,” she giggled. “Anyway, what are you doing hiding in the locker room? You a pimp on the side or something?”
“Fuck outta here,” Logic chortled. “I’m supposed to be performing.”
“Really? That’s exciting!” Tyler exclaimed, reaching out to touch his chest.
“Yea.” He slyly glanced at her hand before she snatched it away.
“Hmmm, you’re not giving excited. What’s wrong?”
“Not trying to sound all soft and shit, but this my first time doing this. This rapping on stage is blowing me.”
“I get it.” Tyler pushed the loose strands of hair behind her ear. “When I moved from behind the camera and started performing on stage, I was a nervous wreck.”
“And now?”
“I block out the world, get up there and sing my heart out because being on stage is my safe place. I can be whatever I want to be up there. It’s like having a superpower. If you want, I can help you.”
“How?”
“Rap to me.”
“What?”
“My section is right across from the stage. Just focus on me and ignore the background noise.”
“What makes you think I wanna rap to you?” Logic cocked his head to the side. “Especially after you hung up on me. I was singing my heart out to your pretty ass and you said click.”
“Oh, my bad.” Tyler dropped her head. “I had a situation.”
Reaching up, Logic touched her face and lightly tilted her head to the side. He examined the healing cut on her lip and frowned.
“If I see one more mark on your beautiful face, I’m going to fuck that nigga up.” His nose flared.
“I’m a big girl, I can handle it myself.”
“I don’t doubt that you can, but I’m starting to take this shit personal. Nigga putting his hands on my future wife.”
“Future wife?
“You know what’s up.” Logic licked his lips.
“There you go flirting with me, doing that smoldering thing again.” Tyler playfully rolled her eyes. “So are you going to rap to me or not?”
“What if I have a girl out there and she gets jealous?”
“Then the bitch should be back here giving you some motivation.” Tyler twisted her lips. “Now shut up, take a shot, and get up there and do your thing.”
“You sound like that nigga Al.”
“Then he’s a smart person. I’ll see you out there... Logic.”
“You finally called me something other than lame, creep, and stalker.” He grinned. “I didn’t think you knew my name.”
“Don’t get happy, homie, it’s not that serious.” Tyler laughed over her shoulder. “Worry about this crowd knowing your name, they been waiting for a while and they kinda restless.”
“Go sing one of your male-bashing songs until I’m ready.”
“Boy bye. It cost 100k to get my pretty ass on the stage.”
“That’s the price tag?” He licked his lips.
“Yea, for a feature nigga, don’t play.” Tyler pointed her long nail at him.
“Just checking.” Logic held his hands up.
“Whatever. You better be good or I’ll be the first one to boo you off the stage.”
“Straight up?” He chuckled, watching her thick ass switch away, leaving him with a smirk plastered on his lips.
???
Tyler returned to her section, where Bobbi, Aria, and Shane were still turning up.
They tossed money in the air, popped bottles, and shook ass to every song.
Although the club was lowkey, security posted up outside their section in case fans decided to get rowdy.
Thus far, things had been pretty calm. When they first arrived, Tyler took a couple of pictures with fans, but Aria cut it short.
They were there to party, not smile in people's faces all night.
“You brave.” Shane turned his nose up. “I could never shit in a public place.”
“I wasn’t shitting.” Tyler poured herself another shot.
“You ain’t gotta lie to kick it,” he jested. “I got some wipes in my purse if you need to go back in there and rewipe.”
“Shut up, I wasn’t.” She slapped his arm. “Oh, this my song!” Tyler started popping her ass to Glo’s Whatchu Kno About Me.
“And every time I pop out, you know I A-T-E,” she rapped. The mesh leggings Tyler wore did a poor job at concealing her thick thighs and meaty cheeks. Her booty moved like water in the thin fabric, putting a few of the dancers to shame.
“I’m that bitch, hoe, get like me!” Aria hyped her best friend up with a couple of pops on the ass.
“Dex gone fuck you up, girl,” Bobbi stated, with a shake of her head. She lowkey hated hanging with the trio because she always felt like the odd man out.
In her own friend group, Bobbi was that girl.
Her friends looked up to her. They stayed complimenting her outfits, shoes, and new bags.
The women she ran with followed her lead and were always down for a good time.
The attention was always on her, and Bobbi liked it that way.
She was the main character, but with Tyler, she was simply an extra.
The part that pissed her off the most was that Tyler didn’t even try.
She was effortlessly funny, pretty, and people loved her.
Before Tyler could respond to Bobbi’s comment, the lights started dancing and fog filled the air. Dancers walked out from the back holding up flashing signs and glow sticks as someone lowly growled over the speakers.
“Ok, put a show on then.” Aria pulled out her phone to record. She had been to Truth plenty of times, but this was new.