Hip Hop Heat (5 page)

By Sunday afternoon, deep depression had sunk in. Lalana didn't want her time with MC ROC to end, but knew the clock was ticking. Her thoughts constantly strayed to what life would be like after her whirlwind weekend.

ROC was on the phone when a knock came on the front door. Lalana answered it. Logan gazed at her with emotion-filled eyes.

"You okay?" he asked quickly.

Lalana was just about sick of this guy. She couldn't understand why he continued to question how she was doing. She was spending a
dream-come-true
weekend with her favorite rapper and this joker wanted to know if she was okay? She was more than okay. Lalana smiled and nodded.

"ROC's using the phone out on the deck," she said, holding the door.

"Oh, ya'all 'bout to go somewhere?" he questioned.

"Um, I don't think so. I believe we're spending the day in."

Something flickered in Logan's eyes that Lalana couldn't read. She didn't know why this man affected her. He may have known her back in high school, but everyone had grown so much since then. Lalana didn't need his protection.

She watched Logan's eyes dart around the room.

"So, I know you're fine, but, you doing okay? I mean usually the chicks are damn near losing their mind by now, you know, toward the end of the weekend." Lalana swallowed hard.

Logan's eyes widened, as though he just realized he said too much.

"I mean, what's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Nah, it's cool, Boo." ROC's voice startled her. She quickly turned, wondering just how much he had overheard. "I called him here. I need him to make a run for me."

When it became obvious to Lalana that ROC thought she was questioning why Logan was there, she pulled back a bit. She left the men talking near the door and eased herself into the master bedroom. She felt herself grow misty-eyed thinking about their time together. She couldn't believe she was already nostalgic. Lalana ran her fingers along the edge of the bed and pictured her and ROC making love in the shower all over again.

And what the hell did that friggin' driver mean telling her how other women behaved, like he was trying to judge her? She considered saying something to ROC about it, but didn't want to cause friction. While she was just a visitor, she didn't know what ROC's relationship was like with Logan.

Lalana could still hear ROC talking to Logan and wondered how long they would be. This was cutting into what little time she had left with ROC. It was a thought that stayed fresh on her mind.

An entire hour passed before ROC walked into the room.

"Sorry 'bout that, Shorty, had some business to handle. Dude's 'bout to make a run for me, and by the time he gets back, I'll have him drop you at the label," he said, as casually as if he was discussing the weather.

Lalana's heart sank to the bottom of her feet. Her mouth felt dry. Swallowing became a challenge. Lalana knew her time was running out, but his blunt manner just didn't sit right.

She got up and walked away from the bed. With her back turned to him, she asked, as nonchalantly as she could, "How long you think he'll be?"

"Well, knowing him, he'll probably show up around six or seven."

"Oh." Lalana refused to face him. She did not want him to see the water pooling in her eyes. Why did she think she deserved to be treated differently? Because she had won a
contest
? Was she hoping ROC would see something so unique in her that he'd tell her to leave her old life behind and join him on his ever-changing adventure?

The phone rang. As ROC answered, Lalana told herself it was time to stop thinking about the ticking clock. It didn't matter at all.

"Hey, I need to take this in another room," he said, motioning toward the phone.

The moment he walked out of the room, Lalana felt a sense of loneliness like nothing she had ever experienced. He was just in the other room, but how could he choose to spend time on the phone instead of wrapped in her arms?

"Hey don't forget, you get to keep all that stuff," he said, sticking his head back into the room. And just as quickly as he had come, he was gone.

Did he think that's what it was all about for her? So what if she walked away with a few designer outfits? The sad truth was, each time she looked at the clothes, lingerie and shoes, it would bring back sad memories of her time with him. Lalana wondered if she could handle that.

She packed her things, still focused on highlights her weekend. Once she gathered her things, Lalana dragged her bags out to the living room.

She found ROC sprawled out on the leather sofa watching music videos on mute with the phone glued to his ear. The sight was heartbreaking to Lalana.

"You cool, Shorty?" he asked, and pulled the phone from his ear temporarily.

Cool? She didn't answer right away at first. Did he really want to know?

"Damn, Dawg!" he screamed into the phone. He howled with laughter.

"Oh, shit, you wanna sit here?" he asked, straightening his body to make room for Lalana on the sofa.

She wanted to cry.
Why won't he get off the phone
? Did he not care that their time together was coming to an end?

"Dawg, I'ma check wit' you later," ROC said into the phone. Lalana breathed easier. But instead of taking her into his arms after he hung up, MC ROC sprang up and rushed off to the kitchen.

"Yo, I'ma 'bout to have a beer," he called. "You want one?"

She didn't answer. Then she heard ROC's phone ring again.

Lalana felt almost glad to see Logan several hours later when he returned to the house.

"Oh, it was real cool hanging wit' you," ROC said as she gathered her bags, as though Lalana was just an afterthought.

She stood stunned next to Logan, who wore a look on his face that said, simply,
I told you so
. Lalana hardly looked forward to the long ride back to the city.

As Logan took Lalana's bags to the car, ROC's cell phone rang. She thought he might let voicemail answer, seeing as she was about to leave. He answered.

With the phone held to his ear, ROC crossed the entranceway to Lalana and gave her a half-assed hug.

"Stay sweet," he whispered.

Lalana was hot. All day ROC treated her like some kind of stranger. But for him to be so dismissive? She knew their coming together was just a result of the contest; but she thought there was a real connection, as well. He had complimented her! He gazed into her eyes! They strolled the beach. They showered together. How could he not feel something?

ROC closed the door behind Lalana as she stepped off the front porch. Her heart sank.

"Yo, Lalana!" she heard a moment later. She wheeled around to look at him.

"Yes?" she smiled.

"Don't forget, the new album drops August first!" ROC called to her. "Make sure you and your girls cop that." He closed the door again.

Lalana was outdone. Her stone face broke, and a frown eased across her mouth.

"Hey, c'mon," Logan said. "Traffic's gonna be heavy."

Only then did Lalana pull her gaze from the front door.

"Oh, okay," she mumbled.

Instead of the Bentley, Logan helped Lalana into a Lincoln Town Car. "I tried to warn you," Logan started to explain. "I know you got used to riding around in luxury, but this is a good as it's gonna get."

Once seated, Logan walked around the car and climbed into the driver's seat. "So how was your weekend?"

Lalana was in no mood to have a detailed discussion with some freak harboring a high-school crush.

"Well, at least you'll have pictures to show to your friends," he responded to her silence.

"I didn't take any pictures with ROC," she whispered, fighting back tears.

Lalana swam in her own thoughts for the ride back. How could she get back into ROC's world? She convinced herself he only started acting standoffish upon realizing their time together was coming to an end.

ROC's silence in their final hours together spoke volumes to Lalana. She reasoned that he simply didn't know how to express his feelings. She was used to men bottling up their emotions. Then, the way he called her back after he'd closed the door and she was nearly at the car? Well, now she saw that for what it really was. He clearly had to give himself one last glance. Why else would he do that just to mention the album's release date? ROC had to have known Lalana would be well aware when his new album would drop. Thinking about it, she felt suddenly happy for being able to see through the smokescreen ROC had put up.

"You may not think you took pictures," Logan said suddenly. "But trust me, somebody did. I think he stopped using Paparazzi for these. I wanna say he's got a photographer on retainer."

"What are you talking about?" Lalana asked

"I'm just trying to remember how these things go. I mean, usually, it's Greg, my driver who handles ROC. Or is it Melvin?"

"You've got two other drivers?" Lalana asked. She wasn't quite sure
why
she asked, but she did.

"Oh, I've got a fleet of drivers, at least 12, but like I said, there are certain clients I like to handle personally, because their business is very important to me."

"How long have you been in business?"

"Let's see, I'd have to say at least 15 years now. I started out small, and things mushroomed. I guess you could say I've been lucky."

Lalana was surprised to find herself interested in what Logan was saying. "So, what did you mean about the pictures?" she asked.

"Oh, well, just don't be surprised if pictures of you pop up in some of the rags," he said easily.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Um, tabloids."

"You're trying to tell me that MC ROC would print pictures of me and him in tabloids?"

"Not necessarily. I mean it don't happen all the time. Some of these weekends never make it to the trash papers. But I'm sure you signed a release, just in case he needs to drop hints about his manhood. Or if record sales are slow, it could work as a much-needed boost to keep his name out there." Logan shrugged. "You know, as another marketing tool."

He couldn't be serious. Why was this man messing with her?

"Are you saying that he purposely uses women in case he needs to get his name in the press?" Before Logan could answer, she added: "I just have a problem believing that."

"You never struck me as the type who didn't want to face facts," he said.

This man was starting to get under her skin. How dare he sit here and insinuate that
she
was being used? He was probably just jealous. It was so obvious that he harbored old feelings for her. Lalana made a mental note to call MC ROC the moment she got home and tell him all about his so-called
driver
.

"Damn, what was her name?" Logan questioned aloud, obviously talking to himself. "Tiffany, yeah, that was her name. But you know what, she actually made it into one of his videos. Which song was that?"

It was as if a light went off in Lalana's head. Did he just say some woman made it into a MC ROC video?

"You say she made it into one of his videos?" Lalana asked as gently as possible.

"Oh, she was last year's winner," Logan responded. "And like I said, next thing I know she's in a video. I can't remember the song, but now she's on one of those lame reality shows."

Lalana began thinking of a few reasons she might want to stay in touch with Logan, after all.

"You are fucking lying!" Tina spat.

The popcorn in Lisa's hand was held between wide-open lips. She too was stunned by the words that had just come out of Lalana's mouth.

"You're telling us MC ROC's dick is really 12 inches long?" Tina blinked.

"Yes, girl. I am telling you with God as my witness. It's probably even longer and he ain't lying in his songs when he brags about going all night long, either," Lalana confirmed with conviction. "And let's just it's true God gives with both hands; because he knows how to use it too!"

Lisa couldn't stop shaking her head. Tina wanted more details. And just telling the story made Lalana feel like she was still in paradise. How she longed to be back at that beach house! She fantasized nonstop about that walk along the beach. The sight of that sunrise still haunted her in her sleep.

Lalana had already told the entire story once from beginning to end,and she didn't leave out a single detail. This was the Q and A session; and even
it
was helping Lalana relive her glorious weekend as if it had ended minutes, instead of two weeks, ago. It had all but killed her to hang on that long without dishing to the girls, but Tina was traveling for work and Lalana wanted to make a big deal out of sharing details of her whirlwind weekend. She struggled, but forced herself to wait for their next get-together.

Forget the fact MC ROC hadn't taken any of her calls since then. It took a full week for Lalana to learn the number she'd been calling didn't even belong to ROC, but to one of the guys in his entourage.

Still, she understood such measures were only in place to keep MC ROC safe. She could just imagine the groupies struggling to get near him.

"So he still hasn't called you back?" Tina asked.

"Nope, not yet." Lalana flopped down on the sofa. "But I'm sure he will. I just think he's not getting my messages."

Lalana remembered the way she made love to him; the way he took her with such great force. Each time they came together it was as if they'd been crazy about each other for years. Their chemistry was palpable. Lalana knew he felt the same; and she was sure he wouldn't be able to stay away.

"Yeah, that has to be it," Lisa tossed in with utter insincerity. Lalana rolled her eyes.

"What about that driver?" Tina asked. "You try calling him?"

"Yeah, I've talked to him a few times. But..." Lalana trailed off.

"But what?" Tina asked. "Seems to me like he would know more than you think. I mean, come on. The driver sees everything, right?"

"Normally, I'm sure," Lalana answered. Her plan to keep in touch with Logan in order to at least determine where he had been driving MC ROC seemed after a few phone conversations to be an ill-conceived plan. "He's just always talking about our high school days. Who wants to go back there?"

"Have you ever thought that maybe he doesn't quite know what to discuss with you, so he's picking a topic he finds safe?" Tina said.

Lalana considered the possibility. "He just seems weird. I mean, always going down memory lane and shit?" Lalana waved a dismissive hand. "I just wish I could call him up and be like, okay have you been driving any hoochies around for my man ROC?"

"Yeah," Tina said, "now that would be the business for real. Especially if he would act as your extra set of eyes and he was cool with it. Shit, you'd be on top of all the business for sure then."

Lalana could only hope. She didn't want to come right out and ask Logan questions about MC ROC. Truth be told, their conversations were awkward at best. She often labored through his random high school-related monologues, or try to remember some obscure event he seemed convinced she'd remember.

"I think you need to realize it ain't gonna be easy to get with him again," Lisa said.

"I don't know if that's a given," Lalana replied. "I feel like, if he knew I was trying to hook up again, he'd be game."

She didn't care whether her friends believed her. She felt deep in her heart that she and ROC shared a special bond. It didn't matter that he'd done nothing to get in touch with her. She chalked that up to him being really busy with his pending album release.

Thinking about that upcoming event also made Lalana think about the new plan she was hatching.

"Oh, hold up," Tina interjected. "Isn't he signing copies of his new album out in The Grove?"

"I wasn't gonna say anything, but I plan to be there front and center," Lalana replied. "That way I'll know for sure he'll see me and we can get this thing back on track."

"Are you serious?" Lisa wanted to know. "I don't know if I'd wanna date some rapper."

"MC ROC is not
some
rapper," Lalana shot back.

"Just because you fucked him don't mean he's anything but a rapper, Lalana," Lisa snickered. "I'm just saying. You can't be serious about trying to get with him again."

Lalana looked at her strangely. Of course she was serious. Why wouldn't she be?

"You want me to go with you?" Tina asked.

Lalana didn't know how to answer that. She wasn't sure what kind of plans MC ROC would have once he saw her; maybe bringing company would be a bad move.

"Ummm, I don't know if that's a good idea, I mean, once we hook up, I'm thinking he may wanna go kick it or something."

Lalana envisioned spending time with MC ROC like she did during their weekend together. She figured she'd suggest they go out to Malibu again. That had started off so well: breakfast on the deck overlooking the ocean, the walk along the beach. She told herself ROC seemed at peace while they were there.

"What's up with you and ol' boy we picked up at the club a few weeks ago?" Lisa asked Tina, changing the subject. Lalana's eyes lit up. Finally they could talk about someone else.

"Who?" Lalana asked, smiling. "What club?"

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Like you would've gone if you were here. Besides, this was when you were rubbing elbows with Hip Hop's elite."

"We went to that club out in Marina Del Ray," Tina offered. The big girl's club. It was all right."

"If you consider being the only skinny girls in the place," Lisa frowned. "I hate going there with those big girls hating and shit."

"So what happened?" Lalana asked Tina.

"Oh, his name is David and we still kick it," Tina confessed with a smirk. She was significantly more private than Lalana.

After her friends left, Lalana called Logan to see if she could squeeze any information out of him. She left a brief voicemail message when he didn't answer, then hung up and tried to think about what she could wear for her next visit with MC ROC.

Not five minutes had passed before Lalana's phone rang. Logan's number popped up on her caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hi, beautiful," he greeted.

Lalana felt awkward, but went with the flow. "Hey, I was just calling to see how you were doing."

"You wanna go grab a drink or dinner?" he asked.

Silence.

"Lalana?" Logan asked. "Can you hear me?"

Lalana wondered whether to feign a bad connection or go along with his offer.

"Um, dinner?" she asked.

"Or a drink - it's up to you," Logan answered. "Or we could do both," he quickly added.

"You know what, yeah, that sounds like a good idea. My girlfriends just left; they're hitting a club tonight, and I wasn't in a partying mood. But dinner and a drink might be nice."

"Okay, where can I pick you up?"

"I live in Carson."

"Let me get your address. I'll plug it into my GPS system."

Lalana got ready. She picked out a sexy outfit that gave her confidence, showered, and had just finished her makeup when her phone rang. Lalana grabbed for it quickly, figuring Logan was lost.

"Where are you?" she questioned.

"Aaaeeey, Shorty," ROC's voice rang out.

Lalana's pulse raced.

"Yo man, you there?" he asked.

"Um, ROC," she said slowly.

Just then her doorbell rang. It had never seemed so loud.

"Oh, you got company," he said. "I didn't want nothing'. I was just thinking 'bout you. Go 'head, I'll holla at you later." The line went dead as Lalana's doorbell chimed again.