Love Thy Neighbor ~ Part 2

Remember When Daddy Came Home?

My mom talked with me when I got home. She was proud of me, but she was a little mad I let Shaka get a spot too. Well... not a little. Let's say my bruise is...worse.
~The Next Day~
Yesterday, I went on the date with Shaka. He asked me to be his girlfriend, of course I said "YES!" My mom didn't care as long as I was responsible about it. I could tell she was still mad that I let Shaka get on the team too. His parents didn't care either. I think they love it! I was on the porch with Mazzi, Shaka, Grayson, and Elvis, practicing the songs we made. The group is called 'Mazzi and The Miracles'.
Mazzi: "One, two, three, four. 🎶Mazzi🎶!"
Shaka: 🎶Shaka🎶
Grayson: 🎶Grayson🎶
Elvis: 🎶Elvis, let's go!🎶
Boys: 🎶Bop, bop, bop, bop bop, bop, bop, bop, bop bop,"
Mazzi: 🎶Hey! I like how this sounds! Keep on going, Get on down!"
Boys: " 🎶Mazzi, Mazzi, Mazzi, Mazzi, Mazzi And the Miracles! And you know there's none of this! Bop!🎶
They put their hands on their chests and look down. I notice Jade was now on the porch clapping.
Jade: "You guys sound amazing."
Grayson: "Thanks."
Shaka: "Thank you."
Jade: "What do you guys call yourselves?"
Elvis: "I don't care what you call me, as long as you call."
He goes in for a hug.
Y/n: "You're still trying too hard."
They fist bump.
Mazzi: "We're called Mazzi and the Miracles."
Jade: "Why not just 'The Miracles'?"
Y/n: "You know he's the best singer here."
I say laughing.
Shaka: "I'm hurt."
He says dramatically touching his heart.
Jade: "When one person gets the spotlight, it always causes jealousy."
Elvis: "Not me. I'm like the deep-voiced guy from Boyz II Men. I'm just happy to be here."
Shaka: "And I'm the cute one, who eventually goes solo and realizes....he's not as good as he thought."
I got up and stood next to him. He put his arm over my shoulders.
Y/n: "At least you're still cute."
Mazzi: "It's still weird even when y'all are dating."
He says sighing.
Grayson: "And I'm the wild one who never combs his hair and throws TVs out of hotel windows."
He looks at me as I wave under my neck.
Grayson: "Until I find the love of a good woman and settle down."
He steps towards Elvis.
Jade: "Heh. Well, there's only one thing you're missing."
Mazzi: "Private jets?"
Shaka: "Limos?"
Grayson: "Groupies?"
Jade: "Yes! And I can help you get all that."
Elvis: "How?"
Jade: "I'm gonna be your manager."
We all start laughing at her.
Grayson: "What?"
Elvis: "Yeah! We have Y/n."
Jade: "I'm serious! I've been looking for a pet project."
Grayson: "Um, we're performers. Not puppies! Right dogs?"
The boys start barking.
Y/n: "Ignore them please."
I say knocking Shaka's arm off my shoulder.
Mazzi: "Well, what can you bring to the table that
Y/n can't?"
He says walking towards her.
Jade: "Paying gigs, exposure."
Y/n: "You don't think I did that?"
Jade: "Plus a makeover. Y'all could use a glow-up."
Mazzi: "Let me talk it over with the guys and Y/n."
We huddle up.
Elvis: "You know my vote. I'm with Jade."
All: "Yeah."
Y/n: "Me too. With mixing the music and writing lyrics, I need some help."
Mazzi: "Thought so. Just wanted to make her work for it."
We separate.
Y/n: "We'll give you five percent."
Jade: "Ten."
Mazzi: "Five."
Jade: "Okay. That's two more than I was hoping for. All right, now back to rehearsal. Come on."
We sit by each other as the boys get ready. I grab my laptop and turn on the music.
Mazzi: "One, two, ready, go."
Boys: 🎶Bop, bop, bop, bop🎶
Mazzi: "Hey! Can we turn it up just a little bit? Make you do it just like this, Like that🎶
Boys: 🎶Like this, that and that, bop!🎶
I look at Jade, but I see Mr. Jeb walk out.
Jeb: "You guys sound blessed and highly favored."
Mazzi: "Thanks."
I stand up in front of Mazzi.
Y/n: "And they happen to be available this Sunday."
Jeb: "Do you sing gospel music?"
Boys: "No. Not really."
Y/n: "Uhh they don't bu-"
Jade: "Of course they do! Of course they do."
She says covering my mouth with her hand. I look at her like 'are you for real'. This ISN'T gonna turn out good.
Jade: "They'll be suited, booted and 15 minutes early. Do we have a deal?"
They shake hands.
Jeb: "Yes, we do."
Jade: "Okay!"
Mr. Jeb walks inside as Jade removes her hand.
Jade: "See there? Manager."
Y/n: "Next time, see if you can 'manage' to get us some money."
Boys,Y/n: 🎶Bop!🎶
Jade rolls her eyes.
Mazzi: "Let's go inside. I'll make some cookies."
They start going inside while Elvis and Grayson went home.
Shaka: "Y/n, you coming?"
Y/n: "I'll be there in a second."
I sat on the bench and started going through my songs.
Y/n: "So Miss 'MANAGER' I have a song called
"Swing Low" or I can finish a gospel song I started."
Jade: "You just randomly have a unfinished gospel song?"
Y/n: "You never know. Some problems call for drastic measures! Anyways, it's called
"Feeling Blessed" which I think is the better option."
I play both song beats for her.
Jade: "They should do 'Swing Low'."
Y/n: "Are you sure? It's more of a hip-hop song and I don't know if it's made for the House of the Lord."
Jade: "As the manager, I think that song is the better choice."
Y/n: "Ok."
Jade went inside while I finished up the gospel song, just in case...I close the laptop and walk inside.
Y/n: "I smell cookies!"
I set the laptop on the side table for the couch and walk to the table. Shaka was playing Mr. Jeb in checkers. Shaka made a move and high-fives Mazzi. Mr. Jeb laughs and takes 3 of Shaka's checkers. Shaka's mouth drops as Mr. Jeb smirks.
Y/n: "Oof, that's tough."
The front door opens and everyone else comes in.
Ami: "That was so much fun!"
Cocoa: "Yeah!"
Ami: "Y/n!"
I hear her come down the step. She runs and hugs me.
Y/n: "What's up, little one."
She went and sat opposite of Mazzi.
Cocoa: "Ann's parents really went all out for her baptism party."
Moz: "Really? I thought everyone got a ride in the
hot-air ballon to signify their journey to heaven."
M'Dear: "They should have gotten her a submarine to signify her journey down under! That girl is bad!"
Jeb: "Nellie, the girl is 11. She's got plenty of time to turn it around."
M'Dear: "That's what they said about her brother."
Y/n: "Pffff. He'll be getting out soon."
I say eating a cookie. M'Dear high-fives me.
M'Dear: "That's exactly what I was thinking."
Shaka: "Oh no Mazzi, she's converting Y/n too!"
M'Dear looks at him at he shuts up.
Ami: "I want to get baptized. And when I do, can I get a hot-air ballon and a chocolate Bible?"
Everyone looks at her.
Jeb: "Baptism is a serious decision. It's about more than a party."
Ami: "Is it hard to do?"
M'Dear: "Oh, well, it's not easy. You have to be ready to commit your life to Christ and answer the altar call at the end of Sunday service."
Ami's face brightens up.
Ami: "I can do that! 'McKellan residence, this is Ami.' "
M'Dear and Jeb look at each other.
Moz: "That's not what she means, baby. And you know, you've got to put your head underwater to get baptized."
Cocoa: "And you know how you hate that."
Ami: "Can't I just run through the sprinklers?"
She looks at Mazzi and shrugs.
Jeb: "In our church...there's only one way to do it. That's total submersion."
She looks nervous and sighs.
Ami: "I may have to rethink this."
Moz sets some popcorn on the table. M'Dear and Ami start eating some.
M'Dear: "Anybody else thinking about getting baptized?"
I reach to get some but she slaps my hand.
Y/n: "I've already been baptized."
M'Dear: "Right, forgot."
I grab a handful of popcorn. She looks at Shaka.
Shaka: "I'm not really into the God stuff. Grandpa, can you pass the popcorn?"
Jeb: "Popcorn is only for believers."
Mazzi puts his hand up.
Mazzi: "I believe."
Mr. Jeb passes the popcorn. I walk to Shaka.
Y/n: "That's too bad."
I look at him.
Y/n: "You can have some of mine."
M'Dear: "What about you Jade?"
Jade: "Oh, no, thank you. I know where Mazzi's hands have been."
Y/n: "Exactly why I got mine handful first."
Mazzi hits my leg.
Y/n: "Hey, you know it's true."
Jeb: "She was asking if you believe."
Jade: "Oh, uh, I'm still up in the air about it. I don't know that I believe anything."
Y/n: "You're telling me that after surviving the raccoon attack, you still don't believe in God?"
Shaka: "Not exactly. She didn't even get touched."
He said rolling his eyes.
Cocoa: "Well, I believe, like the Dalai Lama says-"
M'Dear: "We're not concerned about all that. We are trying to save these kids' souls."
Jeb: "Moz you've got to talk to your children and set them on the right path."
Moz: "Mm. Okay."
Ami gasps.
Ami: "I got it! You can dunk me in Jell-O, then I can eat my way to salvation."
She says sticking an arm up.
Y/n: "You've got the right idea but wrong solution."
Cocoa walks by me. She stops and pushes my hair out the way.
Cocoa: "Are you ok?! Who did this?"
Y/n: "Uhh, I'm fine, I- I just ran it the door frame."
Moz: "Sideways?"
Y/n: "Um, yeah..."
Cocoa: "Ok."
Mazzi looked at Shaka.
Shaka: "Y/n, Mazzi, let's go to our room."
We walk to their room and they shut the door as I sit on Shaka's bed.
Shaka: "What's really happening?"
Y/n: "What?"
Mazzi: "We all know your not clumsy enough to run into a door frame."
Y/n: "Guys I'm fine it's-"
Shaka: "No. It's not fine!"
He sits next to me. I look down.
Shaka: "Look at me."
He lifted my chin.
Shaka: "I want to make sure you're ok at all times, but I can't do that if you don't tell me what actually happened."
Y/n: "I'll tell you half...I didn't run into a door frame-"
Mazzi: "Duhhhh"
Shaka: "Dude! Stop talking."
Y/n: "Somebody hit me..."
~Time Skip~
We were at church now. I'm  a little nervous.....nope I'M TERRIFIED. I have a HUGE feeling
Reverend Jeb won't like the song choice. Besides that, I totally killed it with the suit color choices, plus, Shaka looks great in green.
Jade: "All right, guys. This is our big shot. Do it the way we rehearsed and, when the crowd goes wild, I'll have earned my 10%."
Mazzi: "Five."
Y/n: "And you say 'we' like you made the choreo."
Jade: "Just checking. Heh. Come one."
Shaka looks at me.
Shaka: "What's wrong?"
Y/n: "Huh? Nothing."
Shaka: "I know when somethings wrong by your face. You're making the face."
Y/n: "Fine, I'm scared that your grandpa won't like Jade's song choice."
He puts his hand on my shoulder.
Shaka: "It's ok if he doesn't. You know I'll blame Jade. Anyways, when are you gonna tell me who hit you?"
Y/n: "Never 'cause you'll hurt them."
Shaka: "Uhhhh, fine. I'll figure it out soon."
Jeb: "Church, give it up for Mazzi and the Miracles."
They walk in and I follow with Jade. Everyone starts clapping.