Chapter 9*~

 
Hold on (Hold on)
Stay strong (Stay strong)
Press on (For me baby)
I care 4 you ( I 4 for you) 
Hold on (Hold on)
Stay strong (Stay strong)
Press on (Press on for me)
I care 4 you (baby)

She turned around and looked at her best friends. “I’m going to have a heart attack, I mean performing at the Grammy’s is a big thing, and I’ve only performed once and that was awhile ago.” She shrugged, “Do you know how big this is?”

Sydney shook her head, “We know it’s big, but you’ll do fine, besides your band is pretty good.” She turned around and looked at them playing. “Your going to be wonderful, you’ll look wonderful and you can sing, so be happy for that alright.”

“For once listen to Sydney.” Jamie said and laughed. “She has a good point, your really good, and besides you’re a wonderful looking girl, even if you had one slip up, no one would notice because your such a beautiful woman.”

“Also, don’t worry about Issabell she’s in great hands.” Valerie smiled, “She’ll be with us all night, and trust me as long as Karen doesn’t keep rubbing off on her we’ll be fine.”

“Hey,” Karen said and looked at Valerie, “Thank you very much I teach Issabell all the good things.”

“You all need serious help.” Aaliyah shook her head and laughed. “I’m glad though we still have a month to practice, but every time we say its like that long away it always comes so much faster.

“So where’s Izzy now?” Jamie asked and looked at her.

“She’s with Justin and Christina, they went out for lunch, which works out for me.” She said and shrugged, “I can get some things finished.” She looked at them and smiled, “But it’s my break and I need to take the puppy’s for a walk so come on or I’m calling your parents like you all always do to me.”

“Alright lets go then.” Valerie said and smiled as they walked out the door together and walked down the street.

“When was the last time we all actually walked together?” Karen asked and saw Sydney laugh.

“I believe it was the night before Issabell was born. We all got together and Liyah was complaining about her feet hurting.” Sydney said and laughed.

“Yeah she was like, ‘If you make me come back out here like this I’m going to kill you.’ “ Valerie laughed as they turned the corner to her house.

“Hey, I had every right to want to kill you all.” She looked at them.

“Also you still scare so many guys away because you have a bad attitude.” Jamie said and looked at her.

“I don’t have a bad attitude.” She said and opened the door to the house.

“I hate to agree with her, but sometimes you do have a bitchy attitude.” Karen said and looked at her.

My attitude is bitchy, cuz my period is heavy
I used to drive a Chevy, put twenties on that baby
My nigga was the shit, but then that stupid nigga left me
And now I'm lovin' Larry, but Larry go with Terri
And Terri is a freak, but it's his baby she will carry
The life he live's a fairy, cartoon like "Tom and Jerry"
My flow is legendary and your style is temporary
Yeah, you need to worry, like Jason, it gets scary
The words that I spit don't fit in that category

“Alright fine I admit that sometimes I can be very cruel, 99.99 percent of the time they deserve it.” She said and put leashes on the puppies. “If some of them weren’t so stupid maybe I wouldn’t be so cruel.”

“There has always been two things I wondered about you, why you have a bad attitude and how you stay that thin all the time.” Valerie said and laughed.

“You all scare me, really you do.” Aaliyah said and handed Sydney a leash.

So Many Times You Guys Would Come Step To Me
I Guess You Call Yourself Booking Me
But Do I Look Easy? (Well, It Ain't)
Well, It Never Hurts To Try
I Just Might Let You Call Me
I Hope You Don't Plan On Buggin' Me
That Would Be Ugly

“Liyah, be truthful about what I’m about to ask you alright.” Sydney said and looked at her. “Now do you still love Justin?”

Aaliyah stood there for a second and looked at her before she locked the door behind her. “I….I guess I do, but he’s a married man, sure I love him but it’s not the same way I loved him years ago.”

To Many Times I Hear Trying To Knock My Crew
Well, We've Got Something For All The Fools
It Ain't Just Rhythm And Blues
If You Just Quit Trying To Complete (Yeah)
No Telling What You Could Be
Might Even Be Doper Than Me, I Doubt It
 

“Have you told him how you feel? Because if you don’t your just hurting yourself.” Sydney said and watched the others nod.

“No, I’m not trying to cause anymore trouble between him and Christina than I already am.” She said and looked at them as they walked.

“Have you forgotten one thing?” Valerie said. “She took him away from you.” Valerie looked at her. “If she would have stayed away from him and would have left him alone you wouldn’t have this problem now.”

“Look sure she did, but I could never just blame this on her, ever.” Aaliyah said, “Why? Because you can’t be taken away unless you want to be.” She shrugged and laughed a little, “Obviously he didn’t care a damn about my feelings because he wanted to be taken away.”