Spin it Like That (17 page)

“Man, my life can't get any crazier,” I said just as the phone rang again.

I don't know why I answered it, but I immediately regretted that I did.

“Good morning, Jasmine,” a chipper female said.

“Jessica?” I asked, realizing it was DC's assistant.

“Yeah. Hold one second for DC.”

Before I could respond, T's latest hit was blasting through the phone. Once again curiosity got the best of me, and I waited about thirty seconds before DC came on the line.

“Jasmine,” he said, “I'm sorry to hear about what happened at your place last night.”

“I just bet you are,” I said.

“I don't know what possessed Ron to act the way he did. I want you to know that this is no reflection on DC Records. When can we get you in the studio?”

I thought about my promise to hold up my end of the contract, and I realized it wasn't worth it. I'd already lost my brother, I'd almost lost my parents and, just like Derrick had told me, I was selling my soul to the devil if I recorded with DC.

“I'll have to talk to my attorney,” I said.

“About what?” DC said. “You signed a contract. We have a deal.”

I knew he was right, but I still wanted to try and get out of it. “I'll have my attorney call you,” I said, and hung up.

I spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what I had done with the contract. Uncle Henry had called and said he would be over later that evening and that he'd like to see a copy of it.

Kyle and I looked for hours, but I couldn't find it. By the time he left that evening, I was beyond frustrated, and I found myself getting mad at my brother. When I lost things, he was always the one who told me where they could be found. I realized just how much I missed him. I walked into his room and looked around. Everything was just as he had left it. A few boxes were packed with the stuff he'd been planning to take to school with him. I looked at it and felt my eyes filling with tears, knowing his dreams of becoming a doctor would never be fulfilled.

I glanced around and spotted the framed newspaper article from the night we had won All-District. We both looked so happy.

“I miss you, Derrick,” I said. “You always had my back. What am I supposed to do without you?” I sat waiting for him to answer, but no answer came.

Finally I decided to go sit in his car for a while. It always made me feel closer to him. I got in and turned on the radio and just sat there chilling, thinking about my brother and all that had happened since the beginning of the summer. When I thought about the day he died, the tears came. I had said such horrible things to him, when all he was trying to do was protect me.

I realized he'd been right. I had been acting like a witch. I thought about all the money I had made and how it had caused me to disrespect my parents, my brother and most of all myself, and I just cried harder. I didn't like the person I had become. I had totally gotten away from my love of music just to chase the money, and that wasn't cool at all.

I reached into the backseat for the box of tissues Derrick kept there and ended up feeling up under the seat for it. I was just about to give up when I felt it. I grabbed the wad and realized it wasn't the tissue.

My heart started thudding as it hit me what I held in my hands. Even in death, my brother was helping me out. He had led me right to the contract.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I hurried to my room to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me, and they weren't.

I had never been so glad to see a stack of paper in my life.

When Uncle Henry arrived, it hardly took him a minute to look through the contract.

“Who signed this?” he asked when he got to the final page and glanced at the signature.

“I did,” I said.

“Were your parents there with you?” he asked, looking at Mama and Daddy for confirmation.

“No,” I said.

He laughed.

“This agreement isn't binding,” he said, tossing it aside. “You're a minor. You can't sign a contract.”

“So I don't have to record the albums?” I asked.

“Not one line,” he said, turning to Daddy. “You would have known this if you'd finished school. This is basic stuff.”

Daddy looked like he was about to go off, so I quickly said, “So what do I tell DC?”

“Nothing,” Uncle Henry said. “I'll deal with him.”

I just nodded. “So I don't have a record deal?” I said. The thought actually made me kind of sad.

Uncle Henry looked at me, and his face softened. “Not this time, but that doesn't mean you can't get one.”

“You know, you can still go to school if you want,” Mama said. “I'm sure under the circumstances we can talk to some people and get you in somewhere.”

“I guess,” I said. “I really haven't thought much about college since I decided not to go. I was planning to pursue my music, you know.”

“I know,” Mama said, and for the first time, I felt like she really did. “You're only sixteen. You have your whole life ahead of you. Why don't you take a few months and decide what you want to do? Didn't I hear you and Kyle talking about doing an album yourselves? You can work on that for the next few months, and if it doesn't work out, you can start school in the spring.”

I thought about what she said and nodded. “Thank you,” I said, standing up and giving her a hug.

“For what?” she asked.

“For not killing my dreams.”

Three years later

I
stood backstage at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan, taking deep breaths. In all the years I had been onstage, I could never remember being so nervous. Despite my nerves, I knew I was going to be fine.

“Hey, beautiful,” Kyle said, coming up behind me with a dozen roses. He gave me a kiss, and I couldn't help but smile at the tingle that ran down my spine.

“Hey, baby,” I said.

“You ready?” he asked.

“As ready as I'll ever be,” I said.

All around us people were hustling, getting ready for that night's event.

“Are my parents here?”

“Now, you know not to even ask that. Your daddy has two digital cameras and a video camera. He and your mom are sitting in the front row.”

I went and peeped out from behind the curtain and spotted my parents. Mama must have felt me looking at them, because she turned my way and waved before nudging Daddy, who immediately began taking pictures. I blew them both a kiss and then headed back over to Kyle.

“Do I look okay?” I asked, straightening my clothes.

“You look fantastic,” he said.

Suddenly I heard the music start, and Kyle leaned over and gave me another kiss. “That's from me for good luck,” he said before planting another one on my cheek. “That's from Tony,” he said.

“Oh, why does the kiss from your brother have to be on my cheek?” I joked.

“Because no one touches those lips but me,” he said, and grinned.

I just laughed.

“I'll see you later,” he said. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I said.

As people began making their way onstage, I stood back and watched in awe. I had been working my butt off for the last three years, going to school year round, to make my dreams come true, and I had pictured this moment in my head so many times. I couldn't help but smile. I was actually living my dream.

Someone touched me and indicated it was time for me to make my way onstage. I smiled my thanks, straightened my outfit one more time and stepped from behind the curtain to deafening applause. The spotlight almost blinded me, but I had practiced walking to the stage so many times that I didn't need to see where I was going to make it to the center.

I grabbed the microphone as the crowd quieted down. Just as I was about to speak, someone screamed out, “I love you, Jasmine.” I knew it was Kyle, and I grinned.

“I love you, too,” I yelled. I looked at the people behind me. “Y'all ready to do this?” I asked, and they nodded.

I turned back to face the audience.

“Good evening,” I said, “and welcome to NYU's 2010 graduation. My name is Jasmine Richardson, and I am your valedictorian.”

The applause started up again. After it died down, I began my speech.

“Three years ago, like many of you, I was undecided about what I wanted to do with my life. My brother, Derrick, had recently been killed, and I just knew I wanted a career in music. It wasn't until I signed a crazy contract with DC Records, which is now out of business, thank God, that I realized that I wasn't as smart as I thought. I realized that there are a lot of people who want to be the next big thing, and while there's nothing wrong with that, I also realized that we need people behind the scenes who have others' best interests at heart.

“I've been working for the last three years, going to school year-round, to do my part to make that happen. For many of you, the real world begins tomorrow, but for me, I have three more years of law school.”

There was a loud round of applause.

“I don't want you to count me out of the music game just yet, either. Most of y'all have seen me around campus, deejaying at parties and singing at different functions. What many of you don't know is that I've also been busy working on my first album, which hits stores in a couple of weeks.

“Some of you are probably wondering what this has to do with you. Actually, more than you think. I said all this to say that wherever life takes you, always remember to follow your dreams and to do what makes you happy. Even if no one else believes in you, believe in yourself. Good night and God bless.”