Spin it Like That Read Online Free Page B

shades were drawn and that Mama was comfortable, we got ready to go to practice.
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell her?” Derrick asked on the way to school.
    â€œYou know she’s just gonna say no,” I said. “I’ll wait until Daddy comes home. I know I can get him to say yes.”
    Derrick nodded and turned on the hip-hop station. We were nodding to an old-school rap when the announcer broke in.
    â€œWe interrupt this program for a late-breaking announcement. Dexter ‘DC’ Chamberlain was arrested outside his Manhattan office today in connection with the murder of West Coast gangsta rapper Malik, who was killed two years ago.”
    Derrick and I looked at each other. I turned up the radio just as we pulled into the school parking lot.
    â€œThis is not the first time Chamberlain, who is the founder of DC Records, has had a brush with authorities. He has launched the careers of several well-known gangsta rappers. We will bring you more details as they become available.”
    â€œMan, that’s messed up,” Derrick said, shaking his head.
    â€œYeah. Do you think they’re still going to go through with the parties?”
    â€œWe’ll see,” Derrick said. He reached for the door handle and climbed out, but I didn’t move. “It’s going to be fine,” he said through the window. “Even if this doesn’t work out, it’s not your last chance. You can still win the record deal with Impact.”
    I nodded. I was already starting to blow up, and although the gig with DC would generate more hype, I would be just fine without it. My skills spoke for themselves.
    Impact Records had only been around a few years, but they had a great reputation. Kyle had told me that the guy who started it had once been DC’s protégé, but he didn’t like the gangsta rap and controversy that DC Records was known for, so he had started his own label. I had quite a few CDs by Impact artists, and all of them were good. Once Derrick and I won All-City, we would be a great addition to Impact’s roster.
    â€œYou coming?” Derrick asked.
    I got out of the car, and we headed to the auditorium, where we met Kyle, who was also graduating. Loretta was only a junior, so she was still in class, but knowing her, she would find a way to come to the auditorium to hang out with us.
    â€œDid you hear about DC?” I asked Kyle as we waited for practice to start.
    â€œYeah. I’m not surprised he’s been arrested. I told you he’s bad news. Did you ever talk to him?”
    I stood to let a few kids into our row; then I told him about the job.
    He nodded. “That will be good exposure for you,” he said. “It’s coming at a good time, too. Let’s make up some flyers announcing that you’ll be in All-City so that you have a lot of support behind you. We can pass them out at Twilight every week.”
    â€œThat’s if I still have the gig,” I said.
    Kyle shrugged. “If not, we’ll get you another one. It’s not like you’re not good at what you do.”
    Before I could respond, our senior class advisor, Mrs. Winston, called us to order and went through a rundown of the ceremony. I tuned her out. I couldn’t understand why we needed to practice walking in and out of the auditorium. We had all done it hundreds of times. A couple of lyrics popped into my head, so I grabbed my backpack, got out the notebook I usually kept with me and jotted them down.
    I was humming, and so engrossed in what I was doing that it took a few seconds for it to register that Kyle was nudging me.
    â€œWhat?” I said, annoyed.
    Mrs. Winston was staring at me. I stared back, not having a clue what was going on.
    â€œMiss Richardson, would you care to join us?” she asked.
    â€œOh.” I jumped out of my seat and headed to the front of the auditorium. Derrick had gone up to ask her a question earlier, so he was