Ain't Nobody Like You

Chapter Forty-Three

September 6, 2001

The curtains rise as the music starts, the VMA crowd going crazy.

"M. T. V.!" Ja yells, beginning our performance.

I'm wearing a white skirt and long sleeved crop top that crosses in the front and ties around the back with a hat to match. The heels I'm wearing are so cute but so high that I hope I don't fall as I strut around stage and sing, smiling and waving at all my fans. 

Ja meets me in the center of the stage. Arriving only this morning, there was not a lot of time to practice or rehearse for this performance together. We're basically just winging it and having fun for the only performance we'll have together of our song since Ja won't be able to join me on tour.

Marshall stayed in Detroit, the girls having a school thing that he didn't want to miss earlier. So I attended without him, here representing the both of us since 'Stan' is up for five awards. And one for 'I'm Real' too.

I wave to Angie in the crowd. She's my date for the show tonight, having come to New York to help me with a surprise anniversary gift for Marshall. 

It'll officially be one whole year tomorrow. Even right now it makes me smile like an idiot. We've really made it. 

Because of performing at the VMA's, planning a tour, Marshall's upcoming movie, taking care of two kids, and just the regular day to day craziness of our lives we actually celebrated last week by going on a romantic getaway. Just the two of us, doing basically nothing but making love all day. It brought me back to a year ago when we locked ourselves away in my apartment, consumed with nothing but each other. I love that that hasn't changed. That we are still as obsessed, still as in love.

We finish the song and the crowd cheers for us as I walk offstage with Ja. It was so much fun performing.

"That was awesome." I say completely out of breath.

"Yo, we're hittin' up a few clubs. You comin'?" he asks.

"I'm gonna pass. I have plans." I tell him. Those plans might just be me and Angie eating junk food in bed and ordering a pay-per-view movie, but I prefer my plans anyways. 

"A'ight. Hit me up some time." I nod and we part ways. I'm congratulated on my performance by anyone I bump into until I finally see Angie, meeting me backstage with Tony beside her. 

"Girl, you looked so hot up there." she says.

"You killed that Katie." Tony adds, fist bumping me as I thank them.

"Wait is that..." Ang moves aside some of my hair to see my neck better, "Is that a hickey?" 

I push her hand away, embarrassed, "Stop. Is it that noticeable? I tried to cover it with makeup but...Ugh. I almost killed Marshall when I saw it this morning. He couldn't of been more pleased with himself though."

"He put his mark on you." Angie giggles. It's the truth. I swear that's why he did it, knowing I was about to go on live tv today. I'm sure his thoughts were that if we're not publicly official he can at least let people- Ja Rule specifically - know I'm not available. The speculation of who did it will be all over the tabloids in the morning. But I don't really care. 

I lean against Angie, suddenly tired. "I think I'm going to wait and see if we won any awards and then we can leave. It's only the next few categories left anyways."

"Oh good. I'm so tired. And starving! They don't feed you at these things?" She complains as I laugh, agreeing. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get some food and go.