𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ²

fifty.

CHAPTER FIFTY
beautiful

Tiana

Tiana and Hakeem were on stage, getting into position. The curtains were closed, so the audience couldn't see them yet. Tiana hoped the curtains never opened up because she really didn't want to do this. She wasn't strong enough to do this.

"I know you ain't scared," Hakeem said from beside her, which made her jump a little. "Oh shit. You really are scared."

She wrapped her arms around herself timidly. "I'm not scared to perform, Hakeem."

"So why you shaking like you in an igloo and shit?"

"Maybe because Freda and Blake are on the loose? And they're crazy as hell!"

"You know Pop handled Freda. She ain't bothering you no more. And as for Blake-"

"As for Blake nothing! There's absolutely nothing stopping him from showing up!" Tiana snapped.

"Yeah there is. Security."

"Oh please. He'll shoot their asses too with that big ass assault rifle of his."

"Do you see how many people are here, Tiana? If Blake shows up, someone's going to spot him and call the cops. So trust me, he knows better than to show up," Hakeem said confidently.

Mhm...

Now Warren was introducing them, so Hakeem kissed her cheek and spoke reassuringly. "We're gonna kill this shit."

Or they'd be killed.

Hakeem quickly went to the back of the stage, and Tiana stood front and center while holding her mic and taking deep breaths. The curtains opened and she swallowed hard as everyone stared at her.

Her body started to tremble, and her insides were screaming because she was panicking. She usually liked the spotlight, but not tonight. Not when there were two maniacs on the loose.

The music started playing and that was her cue to start singing. She sang with a shaky voice, and her hands were shaking too. She might end up dropping the mic...

Her eyes darted everywhere as she sang, trying to find Freda or Blake. It was so dark in the crowd, she could barely see anything. There were so many people there, she wouldn't even see them coming.

She got to the part where she was supposed to sing the chorus with Jamal, but he wasn't there. That realization made her freeze up even more. How was she gonna do this without him? He was her partner in this.

The music was still playing, but Tiana wasn't singing. She looked around fearfully. She wanted to run off the stage because everyone was whispering about her. She really was about to run, but heard someone singing from the audience.

Jamal.

Jamal slowly limped his way towards the stage while holding a mic of his own. He held on to his side, and she could see the pain on his face, but he fought through it just to help her out.

What a true friend.

Jamal looked up at her as he sang the chorus, and Tiana looked down at him, still shocked that he was singing from off stage. Jamal reached his hand out towards her, and she held it. She instantly calmed down because his presence was soothing. She gained the guts to sing along with him.

Now it was Hakeem's part, so Tiana needed to disappear to the left side of the stage, but she made sure to quickly thank Jamal first. He really saved this performance.

Jamal smiled and mouthed, "You got this." And Tiana believed she did have this now. Thanks to him.

The stage lights revealed Hakeem sitting on the stairs in the back. He began rapping, and everything played out exactly how it did at their dress rehearsal with some minor changes. Like how Jamal sang the chorus with Tiana from his spot below the stage. Whenever she was supposed to sing to the audience, she held Jamal's hand and sang to him instead because he really was a lifesaver.

When it got to the part where she was supposed to show Hakeem and Jamal both some love, she could only show Hakeem some love. He stood behind her while holding her, and they danced together. But Jamal showed them mad love because he somehow got the audience to sing along with them. Jamal faced the audience and sang with them as Hakeem and Tiana did their thing.

Tiana began freaking out because she was supposed to slide away from Hakeem and switch to dance with Jamal, but she couldn't do that anymore. What was she gonna do?

She guessed it was Hakeem's turn to be a lifesaver because Ro was right, he did know Jamal's choreography. Her man really was dedicated.

It got to the part where she was supposed to reject both Hakeem and Jamal, but fuck that. They both had helped her out big time, so she was picking the both of them. She wrapped her arms around Hakeem's neck as she closed the song out.

The audience went wild. They were cheering for her and Hakeem, but she knew they were mostly cheering for Jamal. And they should. He was the true star of the show.

Tiana hopped off the stage and gave Jamal the biggest hug ever. "Thank you so much! You're a lifesaver!"

"It's no problem. I know you'd do the same for me."

Hakeem patted Jamal's shoulder with a grin plastered on his face. "You actually did better than me for once. Good job."

"Oh shut up." Jamal laughed.

Then they heard Warren say, "Let's give it up one more time for Tiana, Hakeem, and Jamal Lyon!"

The cheers were deafening as they all bowed, but Jamal was having trouble standing back up. Tiana looked at him worriedly. "You okay?"

Hakeem's eyes widened. "Hell na, he's not."

They looked at Jamal's side and there was blood on his shirt. They lifted his shirt and saw blood soaking through his bandage. It wasn't a lot, but it was noticeable, and it was freaking them out.

Tiana inhaled sharply. "Oh shit, Jamal!"

Just then, Tory came walking up to them with pizza in her hand. "Jamal!-" Then she noticed the blood. "Oh shit."

Warren came running too. "What happened?!"

"His wound is bleeding!"

Tory was trying her best to stay levelheaded. "Shit! Okay, we need to get him out of here right now!"