N.E Heartbreak

Chapter 39

This chapter is dedicated to my sister @MiNiMe_1321 who has always put up with my endless night talks about my story ideas. And she was the first one to actually read this story and vote on it. So thanks sis😊

Chapter 39
Jackson

2016

"Do it again." Uncle Brooke snaps at Kim, Lucy and me.

"We've done it thirty times." I breathe out.

"Perfectly." Kim gasps.

"And do it perfectly thirty-one times," Uncle Brooke says. "Again. Since y'all complaining, I'll count you in. Now you have to do it another time after this one."

We roll our eyes but quickly get into position to perform Schoolin Life, Down, Doo Wop, Run the World, Runnin, and In My Feelings. The six songs were some of the biggest hits and the most liked songs. They each also had great choreography so they were picked to be in the movie. Brooke has us performing the songs and dances over and over until our feet ache. Lucy actually twisted her ankle a few days ago trying to do the ballet bit for Down.

That didn't stop us from practicing to our fullest. We thought we wouldn't need the boot camp but it turns out that we do. We thought we moved like our moms and aunts but we were proven wrong as Uncle Brooke watched all six of us dance to Schoolin Life for the first time since we were little kids. Apparently we had grown our own way of performing their songs so now we have to be stripped back down to our basics.

"Great. One more time then you get a break. And I'll turn on the AC." Uncle Brooke says as Auntie Steph and Cassie and my mom walk into the studio.

"Goddamn. I almost forgot how Brooke teaches." Auntie Steph laughs with her sisters.

"Last time I saw y'all sweat this bad, we were stopping Brooke from making y'all work so hard," Mom says. "Work them harder, Brooke. Next time we walk in I want to see them passed out on the floor."

"Mom." I look at her in shock.

"Jackson," she laughs. "You'll appreciate it for the movie."

"Speaking of the movie," Auntie Cassie smiles. "They are finally letting you girls meet the Littles and Bigs that will be playing NE. After you finish here, we'll all walk over."

We smile to ourselves as we do the songs all over again. Thirty-two perfect times later, we walk out of the small room in the studio we've been using to practice for a much bigger room just down the hall.

"Alright, guys. Shut up and listen," Auntie Steph shouts as she enters the room ahead of us. "JKL are here and ready to meet their onscreen best friends."

"Go ahead." Mom pushes us. We step into the room to see five guys around our age and five teenage-ish boys. Kim grabs my left arm tightly as she takes in Algee Smith who is leaning, shirtless, against the wall with a bottle of water.

I see Lucy's eyes look Luke James up and down with a mix of disgust and awe. I don't mean to— because I love Chance with everything in me— but I can't help looking at the other three guys: Woody McClain, Elijah Kelley, and Bryshere Gray. Each one of the guys don't have shirts on.

"Kimmy!" Bryshere smiles and runs over to his best friend.

"Bry Bry!" Kim squeezes her best friend in a hug. He spins her around as they laugh. "I mean, Mister Michael Bivins."

"More like Hakeem." Mom jokes and we laugh. Bryshere rolls his eyes.

"Well, at least they know each other," Elijah Kelley says. He and the others walk up to us. "I'm Elijah Kelley. I'm hoping to portray Ricky Bell, but, you know, pictures on the wall over there show about three other guys I can be replaced with."