Quiet Storm

17| "Four Letter Word"

           1994'
   THREE WEEKS LATER...

"How you feeling?" Amirah nudged Miyoko's arm as she plopped down on her bed. She had a huge smile plastered on her face as she watch Miyoko zip up her suitcase. She had finally got word from Arlante that they would be going on Tour. They were traveling to six cities in six days.

Miyoko couldn't even explain the emotions going through her body. She was anxious, excited, nervous and worried all at once. Going on tour was a big deal. She was a special guest going on tour with the hottest rap group out at the moment. U.N.I.T.Y was the hottest out alongside OutKast.

Everywhere she went there were people selling CD's and bootleg copies of U.N.I.T.Y's debut album. The label did a lot of prompting to help spark conversation about the upcoming male group. The next step U.N.I.T.Y needed was more press. More interviews and more photo shoots.

"I'm nervous honestly." Miyoko half smiled, looking at her friend with her hands pressed to the side of her on the bed. "This is my first time ever going on a tour and I just don't know what to expect. You know."

"I feel you but on the bright side everyone is gonna know who Miyoko is. After this tour you can start doing your own album. Arlante can literally produce all your shit for free."

"Yeah I know but I do wanna give it some time. I don't wanna rush into everything too fast."

"Rush?" Amirah reiterated, scrunching up her face. "You talk about your relationship with Arlante more than your relationship with music. You either hungry for this shit or not, Miyoko. Time is ticking."

"I know I know but I don't wanna rush my creativity. I don't wanna be just another female rapper. I wanna make history. I want people to remember me in ten years from now."

"And they will." Amirah scoffed. "I mean shit you got the sex appeal, the body, the look and your music speaks words."

"Yeah that's nice an all but forget the looks. I don't want people to talk about that. I want them to talk about my music and what it's done for them. I don't want them to think of Miyoko and say 'oh yeah Miyoko could've been a model or this and that." That was mostly what guys have told her before. They're not gonna remember you for your music only for how you look and she didn't want that. As if they only took male artist serious and not females.

"We'll look babe there's gonna be people who look at you from different perspectives. Either way it's a win win." Amirah told her. "Have you told Keena yet?"

"I did and surprisingly she didn't throw a fit about it."

"Oh you don't say." Amirah leaned back, looking at Miyoko with wide eyes. "She must be back on good terms with her baby daddy or talking to a new man. You know she's only nice when she has a man on her roster."

Miyoko shrugged her shoulders. "Welp, I wouldn't know."

Keena was still her usual self but she had some good days. There were times where she wanted to hold a grudge against Keena for putting her hands on her but she couldn't because of Amina. Miyoko wasn't the kind of person to hold grudges so it was always hard when she wanted to in her mind.

"You got everything together?" Amirah stood up, holding onto the handle of Miyoko's suitcase.

"Yeah." Miyoko rubbed her sweaty palms against her jeans. "I think I'm all sorted." She sighed, looking at Amirah with puppy dog eyes.

Amirah chuckled. "Why're you looking at me like that?"

"Come with me!" Miyoko exclaimed her hands in a praying position. Amirah burst into laughter as Miyoko rolled her eyes. "Please."