CHAPTER FIFTY
officially together

Hakeem

Hakeem sat on his bed, staring at the conversation he had with that unknown person. They had said they were his biggest fan, but everyone always said that, so how was he supposed to know who they were? Hakeem had asked them for a name, but they never responded.

The part that was really bugging him was when they said they'd always have his back. What the hell did that mean? Well, he knew what it meant, but why did they need to have his back? Nothing was going on.

Hakeem was getting ready to text them for some more answers, but then he got a call from an unknown number. He had a feeling it was them.

He quickly answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, Hakeem."

Their voice sounded like a robot, and he was confused. "Why is your voice disguised?"

"I'm the one asking the questions," they said. "You and Jamal are on good terms now?"

"I never said we were."

"Then why go on Instagram live and call off the hit?"

"Because the beef is between Jamal and I, no one else. I shouldn't have involved in the world," he said.

"Well, that's unacceptable. I think the world needs to be involved."

Hakeem slowly stood up now. "What the hell are you saying?"

"I'm saying I'm always gonna have your back."

"I don't need you to have my back. Who the hell is this?!"

"I told you, your biggest fan." Then they hung up, and Hakeem stared down at his phone in alarm because that person was crazy as hell. Hakeem was sure they were going to do something to Jamal, despite him calling off the hit, so he had to tell Lucious.

He ran into his room. "Pop! Something weird is going on!"

"Something weird is always going on in this family, son."

"I'm serious! I think Jamal is in danger!"

Lucious looked real serious now. "What makes you think that?"

"I've been in contact with one of my fans, and they keep saying they have my back. They just called me from an unknown number, saying I shouldn't have called off the hit, and that the world needs to be involved in Jamal and I's beef. I think this fan is going after Jamal!" Hakeem summed up.

"What fan?!"

"I don't know their name, and I don't know how they sound because their voice was disguised. But we gotta do something!" he urged.

"Call your brother. Now."

Jamal

Jamal looked down at his phone and saw that Hakeem was calling. It actually made him laugh. "Well, well, well, look who's calling me. My bitch ass brother."

"What does he want?" Tory asked from the side.

"I don't know. I ain't answering."

"What if it's important?"

Jamal gave her a pointed look. "Hakeem never says anything important. He's probably gonna talk shit." Jamal rejected his call, but Hakeem called again. Jamal rejected it again and turned his phone off.

"That's cold," Tory joked.

"I think I deserve to be cold," he joked back. "But can I ask you something?"

Tory plopped down on the bed. "Anything."

"Things aren't awkward between us, right?"

"Why would they be?"

"Because we had a one night stand, but I'm gay. I don't want you thinking I was using you-"

Tory shut him up. "Jamal, the only awkward part about this is the fact that the world knows what we did."

Because of him. "Yeah, I kinda fucked up by telling the reporters."

"You did, but I don't feel used. I wasn't expecting anything to happen between us afterwards because like you said, you're gay. We had sex to distract ourselves, and I know that. And it worked."

"So you don't regret it?" he wondered.

She didn't. "I don't regret it, and I'm always down to do it again if that's what you need."

Jamal snorted. "I think one time's enough. But there's one more thing. We didn't use protection, and Cookie's concerned that-"

She shut him up again. "You don't have to worry about babies, Jamal. Trust me, we're good."

He was relieved. "Okay, cool."

Then someone banged on the door ferociously, and Jamal stared at it confused. Who would be at his door at this time of night?

Tory was confused too. "Who's that?"

"It better not be Hakeem." Jamal opened the door and saw Mateo. "Mateo? What are you doing here?"

"You had sex with Tory?!" Mateo spotted Tory on the bed. "Oh wow. She's here. What, you two were about to have sex again?"

Tory stood up, offended. "We weren't, actually. It's messed up that you would assume that."

"What's messed up is Jamal telling me this was a fake relationship, then turned around and had sex with you!"

"Why does it matter, Mateo?" Jamal said with an attitude.

"It matters because you're gay. Or, at least I thought you were."

"After Tory and I had sex, I felt nothing for her afterwards. So yeah, I am gay."

"Does that make you feel better?" Tory asked him.

"Yeah, a little bit." Then Mateo looked around. "Why are there alcohol bottles laying around? You're a drinker now?"

"Yup."

"Since when?"

Tory answered for Jamal. "Since you cut him off. Jamal was depressed as shit. He even wrote a song about you."

"Tory-"

"No. He needs to know how much he hurt you, Jamal."

"Let's not act like Jamal is innocent. He hurt me more than I hurt him. This fake relationship you guys have going on hurts me every day!" Mateo exclaimed.

Tory had an idea. "If Jamal and I break up, will that make you feel better?"

Was she crazy? "Tory, we can't break up. The public-"

"The public needed to believe you were straight, and they do now. So my job is done."

"But-"

Tory didn't let him finish. "But nothing, Jamal. You told me you wanted Mateo back more than anything, right? Well, he's right there. You gotta take this chance."

"What about us?"

"Nothing's going to change. I told you I'll be here as a friend. Call me whenever you need a shoulder to lean on." Then Tory grabbed her stuff. "Oh, and don't worry about me telling the world the truth. Your dad made me sign an NDA."

Jamal chuckled because that was definitely a Lucious thing to do. Then he smiled at her gratefully. "Thank you, Tory. For everything."

"No problem. Now, go get your man."

She waved and left, and Mateo felt bad. "That was actually sad."

"I'm not sad because I love no one but you, Mateo."

Mateo matched his energy. "I still love you too, Jamal. I never stopped. But I don't love that family of yours, except for your sister. Your mother is decent too."

"Don't worry about them. Just worry about me."

"That's kinda hard to do when they're always getting in between our relationship. Your brother and his big ass mouth, and Lucious and his cock blocking, is too much to deal with."

"There's not gonna be any more cock blocking because I don't live in that mansion," Jamal said. "And I think Hakeem's learned his lesson."

Mateo laughed at the thought. "Yeah, you gave him the business at that dinner party. I was impressed. And horrified, but impressed."

"I kinda did it for you. He was disrespecting you."

Mateo knew he wasn't lying. "Yeah, you're always defending me. The fact that you don't stand down to anyone is what I love about you."

"So does this mean we're officially together?" Jamal asked, praying he said yes. He needed him in his life again.

"I still hate the fact that we have to hide from the world, but yeah, we're officially together."

That was all Jamal ever wanted to hear.