Bad By Myself ✔️

14. Just Kickin' It

Every man wants a woman that can cook him up a good meal
A woman he can treat like his homie
Take her out on the ave and just chill
And every man wants a woman
That ain't good for just lying on her back
And I'm that kind of woman
So before me and my man get in the sack
I tell him to...
-Xscape

She was going to do whatever. She could leave Spitfire because he never seemed to want to go public with their relationship, or she could stay and just be happy she had the man she loved. She was going to stay, but she was going to have her cake and eat it too like he was.

Craig and his boys were pretty much blowing up now, so she rarely got to see him anymore. He was traveling more than her. So she needed some other guy to keep her company when Spitfire was otherwise occupied with Asia or whatever else hoe he was with. She did not think for one minute that she and Asia were the only ones he was fucking. People talked in the A, and they said he had lots of side chicks.

Spitfire was rich, famous, and fine! In the A. Enough said.

She heard M'Liyah was working with some new singer named Tempo, and when she went to The Spit Pit to check him out, man, he was fi-one! Why all the hot ones had to be all over M'Liyah. They were heads down at a table working on something when she walked in.

"Yo, y'all, what's up?"

"Hey Gin," M'Liyah said. "You must be bored to come down here when we don't have to work."

"You always working."

"Have you met Tempo? He's signed with Spitfire but he's based in LA and he came out here so we can finish this song."

Why the fine ones gotta sign with Spitfire? Like, that would be a problem.

"Tempo. What kind of name is that? A stage name, cuz you're a singer?"

"Yeah, I guess. My real name is Tim Porter...my boys just always called me Tim Po...then when I got to singing, Tempo."

"Cute. My silly name Ginger, who knows why that's my name. My hair was reddish growing up, so I think somebody thought I was a redhead."

"Your hair is not red," M'Liyah said with a laugh.

"And your mom named you after Aaliyah, but wanted to be different. And Melodie...of course she has the music name." Ginger pulled up a chair beside Tempo. "How old are you?"

He smiled and looked her up and down. "How old do you want me to be?"

"Old enough I'm not robbing the cradle. You look young."

"Oh my gosh," M'Liyah said, putting her head down on the table.

"I'm nineteen."

"Eh, a little youngish, but I can work with that."

"Umm, you're only eighteen, I bet you can work with that."

"Tem, we really need to finish this song," M'Liyah said.

"Okay, give me and your girl five and I'll get back at it."

M'Liyah sighed, got her phone, and walked out of the studio. Cool. Private time with him.

"So you wanna hang later, show me around yo city. Take me out on the town? Cook me up a home-cooked meal?"

"Man damn, it's like that? Let me think, hmmm, not! Who do I look like? Do my ass look like I cook a thing? Better stop at Taco Bell boo."

"Where's that southern hospitality?"

"I ain't from the A! I can heat up some ramen noodles for you."