Real As It Gets : RUMOR CENTRAL: 03 - Softcover

Reshonda Tate Billingsley

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0758289553 ISBN 13: 9780758289551

Publisher: DAFINA BOOKS, 2014

Synopsis

For once, everything in Maya's life is falling perfectly into place. She's getting serious media cred uncovering the source of a new designer drug doing major glitterati damage. And the new man in her life is giving Maya all the cool bling and attention she craves off-camera. But the truth behind her scoop is about to cut too close to home and put Maya and her family in the crosshairs. Soon, she'll have to decide just how far she can afford to go to save her family, her career. And herself.

About this title

About the Author

ReShonda Tate Billingsley has made a career out of getting the 411 and spinning a story, hard truths and all. Before writing full-time, she worked as a reporter for The National Enquirer (you wouldn't believe what she's uncovered!) and as an anchor and reporter for NBC, ABC, and FOX television. The author of more than two dozen books, she won the 2012 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Fiction and is a five-time winner of the National Association of Black Journalists Spirit in the Words competition. Visit her online at rumor-central.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Real As It Gets

RUMOR CENTRAL

By RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY

KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

Copyright © 2014 ReShonda Tate Billingsley
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-7582-8955-1

CHAPTER 1

The image on the screen gave me chills.

I knew Savannah Vanderpool. She was a beautiful formerMiss Teen Miami who had branched out to movies. We'dtaken some modeling classes together when I was in middleschool and although I didn't talk to her much anymore, wekept in touch through Instagram and Twitter. It wasn't oftenthat I gave other girls props. But Savannah had earned hers.She was Beyoncé, Ciara, and Meagan Good rolled up intoone. A class act, that's who Savannah was.

Was.

Because this chick I was looking at right then, was anythingbut classy. She looked like a crackhead, meth head, anddope fiend rolled up into one.

Savannah's eyes were sunken, almost like her face wasswallowing them. She had dark circles around her eyes and herface was taut and dry. Her skin was sagging, looking like it wasjust hanging on to her bones. Her once-beautiful blond hairwas stringy and the dark roots were showing. The only modelingshe could do now would be in a "just say no" drug ad.

"Maya," my director, Manny, whispered in my earpiece."Go! You're live!"

I caught myself. I didn't usually let anything get me offmy game when I was in hosting mode at my talk show, RumorCentral, but seeing Savannah's picture had definitely left mespeechless.

"Wow, I guess you can say I'm a little stunned myself," Icontinued, turning my attention back to the camera. "If youknew Savannah Vanderpool like I knew Savannah Vanderpool,you'd be just as shocked."

We'd gotten the story about Savannah being arrested justminutes before I was going on the air. My producer, Dexter,had handed me a sheet with some limited information andtold me to wing it. I had no problem with that because dishingdirt was what had made me so popular on Rumor Central.I was even used to dishing dirt about my friends, especiallybecause I was usually the one who had dug up the dirt. Eventhough I'd stopped airing my friends' dirty laundry, I had noproblem digging in other celebrities' backyards. I had to.Since I started Rumor Central four months before, it had becomeone of the hottest gossip shows in the country. Wewere now shown in seventeen major cities and my popularitywas through the roof. Celebs as big as Usher and Rihannacalled me when they wanted to "slip" out a little gossip, andother celebrities tried to become my best friends to keeptheir dirt off the air. So, a little scandalous story never shockedme. But this picture of Savannah—I wasn't ready for that.

"This is just in to the Rumor Central studios," I continued,"so we haven't been able to get all the details, but rumor hasit that this mug shot is from Savannah's arrest last night aftershe caused a scene at the Sports Illustrated reception. Apparently,she arrived to the event high, dazed, and acting out.Witnesses say she was actually in a psychotic-like state. Organizerssaw her and refused to let her go on stage. We're toldSavannah was so high that she took off all her clothes andbegan running through the party screaming and crying as shedestroyed everything in sight."

I took a deep breath as an earlier photo of Savannah asMiss Teen Miami flashed on the screen.

I continued. "Our sources tell us Savannah was high onK2, a hyped-up version of Kush, the popular synthetic drugsweeping the country. We don't know much about K2, butyou'd better believe that Rumor Central is all over this storyand we'll keep you updated. I'm your girl, Maya Morgan, andwe'll be back right after this."

I tossed to the break and motioned for my new assistant,Yolanda, to get me some water. Usually, we kept it light andgossipy on Rumor Central. I didn't get all deep into stories, andthis was exactly the reason why. These kinds of stories werejust too much.

"You okay?" Yolanda asked as she handed me a cooledbottle of Fiji Water.

I took a sip of the water. "Yeah, just trippin' over that picture."I glanced over at the photo, which was still up on themonitor. I'd seen Savannah about six months before and shehad looked fine. How could someone get like that in just afew months?

Dexter came over to me on the set as Yolanda scurriedaway.

"Great job, Maya. I got some more details. Apparently, thisK2 is more powerful than Kush, and it's getting really hotamong celebrities. It looks like spices, or potpourri, and theysay it was created in China or Korea as a plant growth stimulant.It's about ten times more potent than meth."

"Just wow," I said, shaking my head again at the picture. Iknew some celebs that dabbled in drugs, but judging fromthe way she looked, Savannah had done a lot more than dabble."I just can't believe that she's fallen off like that."

"Do you know Savannah?" Dexter anxiously asked as heran his hands through his head full of bright red hair, somethinghe did whenever he was excited. "I mean, personally? Ifigured you did since you know everybody."

Dexter was right about that. Before I was on-air—first asone of the five members of the Miami Divas reality show, thenas the host of my own show—I was already at the top of thefood chain as the leader of Miami's "It Clique," as one magazinehad put it. In fact, that was why I'd been approached todo the reality show in the first place. Miami Divas hadn't doneas well as they'd wanted, so they'd canceled it, fired the otherfour Divas, and given me my own show. That had been thesmartest thing since the invention of the Internet, because inno time, I became the go-to chick for all the latest celebritygossip, dirt, and entertainment news. Rumor Central had exceededeveryone's expectations and had even been picked upby networks in several other cities.

My BFF, Sheridan, had been one of the original MiamiDivas who was fired, and that had led to a whole lotta drama,but we'd squashed that and were back to kickin' it. I couldn'tsay the same about the other busters from Miami Divas. Shay,Bali, and Evian still had stank attitudes about the way everythinghad gone down. (They claimed we'd had a pact to sticktogether and I sold them out by taking my own show. As ifany of them would've turned it down if the shoe was on theother foot. Whatever.) Bali didn't even live in Miami anymore,and he still let me know he was mad with messy textmessages, all of which I just ignored.

"So, do you know her or not?" Dexter asked again, snappingme out of my thoughts.

I knew he wasn't asking out of concern. He was probablytrying to see if I could get some kind of inside scoop.

"Yeah, I know her. Or, at least I used to know her," Ireplied. "The Savannah I knew would never allow herself tolook like that." I pointed at the screen.

"The research department is trying to see if we can findany other celeb arrests behind this drug," Dexter said.

I didn't get it because drugs were whack. Anything thattook me off my A-game, I didn't need to be doing. And asfabulous as I was, I didn't need anything messing up my flawlessbronze skin, long, all-natural, soft brown hair, and perfectPilates-toned body. I was a quarter-piece (because a dime justdidn't do me justice). So, no way would I ever let some kindof drug—be it weed, X, coke, or anything else—take thataway from me.

Savannah used to be the same way. Was K2 powerfulenough to make her change her mind? I glanced at the pictureagain. Obviously, it was, because Savannah had basicallythrown her life away for it.

And that, I would never understand.

CHAPTER 2

I hadn't been able to get that picture of Savannah out of myhead all night long. When I'd left the station after the show,I'd tried to call my friend Kirby. She and I used to take modelingclasses with Savannah, and I knew the two of themtalked regularly. I was hoping Kirby could tell me what wasgoing on, but I hadn't been able to get in touch with her.

I glanced at my watch. Late again. Since I hadn't sleptwell, I was running late for school. (Oh, who was I kidding? Iwas always running late.) But this time I was later than normal.It was almost third period.

"Who's the fiercest chick at Miami High?" a voice frombehind me said just as I entered the building.

I turned around and smiled at my BFF, SheridanMatthews, looking her usual fly self in an orange Juicy Couturejacket and Rockstar jeans.

"Why, me, of course," we both said together, although Ididn't have my usually oomph.

"What's up with you?" Sheridan asked, losing her smile."You seem out of it."

"Just tired," I said.

"Me too," Sheridan replied, yawning as she got in stepwith me. Sheridan was the daughter of the legendary GlendaMatthews, who was probably the hottest singer/actor in Hollywood.Ms. Matthews wanted to keep Sheridan away from theglitz of Hollywood, so she kept my BFF in Miami with some oftheir family, who were supposed to keep an eye on her. NoticeI said supposed to, because those shiesty relatives just took Ms.Matthews's money and let Sheridan run free. That was perfectlyfine with Sheridan, though. She loved not having to answer toanyone. Fortunately she had a good head on her shoulders andstayed out of trouble. Well, major trouble, anyway.

Sheridan and I walked past a group of students who weredragging up the walkway, late as well. Because of all themoney our parents paid for us to go to the prestigious privateMiami High School, the teachers often cut us slack when itcame to things like punctuality, but I'd been pushing my lucksince I'd started hosting Rumor Central. Not only was I latealmost daily, my grades were plummeting because I barelyhad time for anything outside of the show. I'd been trying toget my academic act together since my mom had threatenedto make me quit my show if I didn't get my grades up. (As ifthat would really happen.) Even still, I wasn't trying to flunkout of my senior year, so I'd been working on getting mygrades up. There was nothing cute about being dumb.

I'd given up on the whole tutor thing because I hadn'thad much luck with that. The last two tutors I'd had hadturned out to be psychopaths (long story). Now I was justtrying to do it myself.

"I know I look fabulous, and my body is here, but mymind is still snuggled up under my pillow," Sheridan said aswe walked into the building just as the bell rang, dismissingthe second period.

"Who are you telling?" I said. "It took everything underthe sun for me to come to school today, but I have Mrs.Washington's test next. She said if I miss it I'll get a zero sinceit's a major grade, so here I am."

Sheridan stopped and stared at me. "Are you worried aboutyour grade in her class? Is that why you look all stressed?"

I shook my head. My grades were concerning to me, butnot enough to lose any sleep over. "Nah. Did you see theshow yesterday? That's what's on my mind."

"Oh, yeah," Sheridan said, scooting out of the way as twoof my silly classmates nearly knocked us over as they played inthe hall. "Idiots!" Sheridan snapped, then turned back to me.

"I tried to call you last night after I saw that. Is that the Savannahthat you used to model with?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that's her. Wasn't that story wild?"

"Yeah, she looked horrible," Sheridan replied. "Whathappened to her?"

"What do you think happened? She got strung out, thenshe flipped out at a party. I haven't been able to get muchmore info than that." I was hoping that I could talk to Kirbysometime today because I really wanted to know what hadhappened to Savannah.

"I just can't believe it. I mean, didn't she just score thatSports Illustrated cover?" Sheridan asked.

"Umm-hmm," I replied. "But I'm sure they don't wanther posing now." Savannah was just two years older than me,but she had already scored some gigs even seasoned modelscouldn't get. "Can you ..." I stopped talking as my ex, BryceLogan, walked toward me in the hallway. His arm was plantedfirmly around this girl named Callie, and she was gigglingand smiling at him all dreamily. Yes, Bryce had money, looks,and physique. He was all that and then some. But, he was alsohistory, which meant that he wouldn't be getting the time ofday from me. I was all prepared to ignore him, but he tried toignore me first.

Whatever. I just laughed as I opened my locker andpulled out my binder. The last thing I was going to do wasgive him any satisfaction that he was even on my radar.

"So that's how he's going to play it?" Sheridan asked,turning her nose up at Bryce. He and Callie had stopped atthe end of the hallway and were kissing all over each other.How tacky!

"He can play it however he wants," I replied, not lookingover his way even though I could see out of the corner of myeye the way Callie was eyeballing me. "Bryce can have thatD-list chick." Bryce had been my boo. I'd thought he was mysoul mate, but we broke up because he let people fill his headwith a bunch of lies about me—twice. He tried to apologize,but I didn't get down like that. If a guy was going to be withme, he was going to be ride-or-die and nobody would beable to tell him something about me to make him just dumpme (although I would never admit to anyone that Bryce hadactually dumped me and not the other way around).

"Yeah, he needs to know you've moved on anyway,"Sheridan said, raising her voice so that Bryce could hear.

He didn't look up, but I could tell by the way his bodytensed up that he'd heard her.

Moved on? Not quite. J. Love, the R & B singer who hadjust dropped yet another chart-topping hit, was still goingafter me hard. And I had been tempted to give him someplay, but he'd dissed me, too. And although I may eventuallygive him a second chance, he was going to have to work hardfor it, something he'd definitely been doing.

I glanced down at my diamond tennis bracelet, whichSheridan quickly noticed. "Is that another gift from J. Love?"she asked.

"Yep." I held up my wrist, revealing my ruby watch. "Andthis is a gift from Alvin."

Sheridan was definitely impressed, but still she shook herhead. "Nice. But I don't know why you're wasting your timewith that nerd."

"Alvin is cool," I said. Alvin had helped me do somecomputer stuff when I had been trying to track down thiscrazed fan who was stalking me a few weeks before. And althoughhe'd ended up being a great guy, he was still toogeeky for my taste. And Maya Morgan doesn't do nerds. Yes,I'd taken him to our winter dance, but that was about the extentof it. We talked on the phone almost every day and jokedall the time. I really liked having him as a friend, but I didn'tsee it going any further than that.

"Must be hard being you." Sheridan laughed.

I didn't. "It is."

"Well, you can have your pick of guys. Alvin, J. Love, andI'm sure you could get Bryce back if you wanted."

"I don't," I said without hesitation. "That hoochie canhave him."

"Well, I'm just saying. If you did want him, you could gethim. J. Love wants you. Alvin wants you. Must be nice." Iknew Sheridan was stressing because her boyfriend, Reginald,had moved away, and although lots of guys tried toholler at her (since she was almost as cute as me), none ofthem were on her level, so she was single and hating it.

"Nah, right now I'm just doing me," I said.

The show was keeping me busy. Digging up dirt and gossipon celebrities wasn't easy, and since I no longer ratted outmy friends, I had to work even harder to get the scoop.

We stopped in front of my third-period classroom. "Well,let me get in this class and get ready for this stupid test. I'lltalk to you later."

Sheridan waved, then bounced on to her class down thehall.

I walked in and slid in a desk near the back, where I usuallysat. I looked at the empty seat in front of me, then leanedover to the girl who sat on the side of me.

"Hey, where's Lin?" I made it a point to sit behind Lin Vobecause he was the smartest boy in the class and I might needto borrow some answers from him for today's test.

The girl—I didn't even know her name because she wasa scholarship student and didn't run in my circle—replied,"Girl, you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" I wanted to add, "Dumbo," because if I'dheard where he was, I wouldn't have asked her.

"Lin got on some of that stuff."

"What stuff?"

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Real As It Gets by RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY. Copyright © 2014 ReShonda Tate Billingsley. Excerpted by permission of KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Edition details

• Publisher: DAFINA BOOKS
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0758289553
• ISBN 13: 9780758289551
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256