AMINA WAS A nervous and sweating mess. She paced back and forth backstage as Mavis tried calming down the anxious woman.

"I don't get paid enough for this." Mavis admitted frustratedly, causing Luca to snort and Amina to roll her eyes.

Everything that could go wrong would go wrong knowing Amina's luck. She had to make a well respected woman respect her-even though she was told she wouldn't earn her respect no matter what.

Beverly was a well known interviewer. Being known as the first woman to have her own show, she's grown a large fan base and viewers to have more than thirteen seasons of her show. She's earn respect of feminist and woman all over the world for not being the afraid to speak her mind and be herself.

Amina exhaled deeply, pulling at her fingers as she looked between Mavis and Luca.

Mavis was typing away on her phone as while Luca leaned against a wall.

"You okay?" Amina asked him, pulling on her pointer finger nervously.

Distract herself from being nervous-focus on someone other than herself in an uncomfortable situation. Call someone out when you want to know answers.

He had been acting distant since he came with her and Mavis to the studio. He acted how he was around Brandy and Mavis-and Amina was t sure how to think of him doing that around her.

Luca opened and closed his mouth. Sighing, he winced slightly as he stepped closer to Amina. "I'm sorry if I pushed you or made you feel obligated to do something about my needs."

He wasn't upset at her or their night-he was guilty. What for? She still couldn't understand.

Amina knew he was drunk-Luca was always drunk. He handled himself and at times seemed and acted sober when he was anything but. Drunk people talk nonsense but Luca didn't-every word he spoke was a plead to her, Amina just switched it back to him.

Give a hopeless person hope-make them believe in themselves when no one else is willing to do what they need.

"It's fine, Luca. Really," she soothed, putting her hand on his shoulders. "It's fine."

Luca shook his head. "I'm sorry for even mentioning it to you. It was ignorant and selfish of me to put my problems on you. Especially on a special night for you."

Amina put her hands into her pocket as she gave Luca a soft smile. "Trust me Luca spending the night with you was way more fun than being in the club."

She didn't know if her want her to mention everything he told her that night. How he wanted to burn Hollywood to the ground. She wasn't even sure if she wanted to bring it up.

Hollywood did something to Luca, something that changed him to the man he is today-a man who was on the brink of going to prison or dying from alcoholism.

Amina clenched her jaw as she quickly began to blink. Just thinking about all the horrible rumors she heard about Luca and other artists was making Amina sick. Hollywood was a place, and yet this big place did so much damage to a young Luca and many other young artists and shaped them into the depressed people they were today.

She needed to change the subject-for both her and Luca's sake.

"Is Beverly that bad?"

Before Luca could say anything, Mavis's voice suddenly cut in. "She's the worst." She stood one front of Amina with a stern look. "Make sure to rethink everything before saying it."

"Okay."

"Don't say anything snarky." She moved a curl behind Amina's ear as she lifted her chin up higher. "She doesn't like being called out or feeling made fun of. You can't sound smarter than she is or try to correct her, even if she's wrong."

Amina nodded her head, taking all the information in.

This was going to be fine-she could do this. She could make a racist ignorant woman not make Amina look like a fool and learn to respect her. She could do that.

"Here." Mavis said, taking Amina's hand and putting a small device in it.

"What's this?"

"Brandy wanted to take precautions since this is a huge impact for your career."

Nothing like having an apparent racist white woman influence the minds of people on what they should listen to

Luca took her hand and grabbed the device. He placed both her device and mother one in both of his hands. Taking one and placing it in his ear, Luca motioned the device to Amina's ear as she quickly caught on.

Grabbing the device back from him, Amina cautiously placed the piece in her ear.

"How does it feel?" Mavis asked, swatting Amina's hands down as she fixed her mass of curls to cover both her ears.

"Weird." she admitted.

"Your hair will cover it, and the cameras are angled to you left side so no one should see the piece even if the curls move." Mavis explained, stepping back to make sure she couldn't see the piece through Amina's hair.

"Why do I need this?"

Mavis flapped her hands as she looked between Luca and Amina. "Luca is gonna talk to you though the other end if you need help."

Amina raised her eyebrows alarmed. "Help?"

"Encouragement." Mavis corrected.

"So you're basically going to be talking me through this? Calm me down?"

Luca scoffed shaking his head. "No."

"What are you doing?" Amina asked as she watched Luca pull out his ear piece and put it in his pocket.

"Take yours out." he instructed, watching the people around them to make sure no one will see their suspicious behavior.

"I thought Mavis said Brandy wanted to-"

"Doesn't matter what he wants," Luca said, cutting her off with a frown. "What do you want, Amina?"

It doesn't take her a second to reply, "I want to talk about my EP."

Luca nodded his head as he took his ear piece back into his hand. "Do you trust yourself and your emotions?" He lifted the piece to her view. "If you want me to help you, I will. I always will. But know that this is all on you, and you're not going to get this chance again, especially with Brandy."

Amina swallowed slowly. This could be her last chance to talk with her own voice-to say what she wanted without having someone do it for her.

Was that what she was suppose to expect in the future? To have Brandy's and others words come out of her mouth? To not even have her own opinions and thoughts without having to go though it with Brandy? She gave away her freedom to her opinions when she signed her contract-and Luca was now just making her realize that.

Amina placed her hand on top of his as she slowly brought it down. The device hiding in his closed hand. "I trust myself."

Luca smiling, placing his hands in his pocket. "Then I do too."

She let out a deep exhale at his word, a nervous laugh escaping her lips.

Luca sighed, giving her a reassuring smile. "You're going to be fine."

Amina player with the ends of her curled anxiously. "What was your first interview like?"

"It was good, can't say the same for the others." He admitted with a sour tongue. "I didn't have Beverly thankfully but I'm also not an African American woman." He bumped his shoulder against hers as he muttered, "I had it easy compared to you."

Amina let out a nervous laugh. Rolling her shoulder back, she looked at Luca helplessly. "How can I make this go smoothly?"

"Call her out."

"What?"

"If she does something rude or harsh call her out." He shrugged casually as people began to walk past them in a hurried manner. Beverly must be off her smoke break. "She can't do anything since it's on live air. Make her look like a fool."

He was giving her the exact opposite advice Brandy and Mavis gave her. To call out an interview who had the respect of everyone and had one of the most watched late night shows in America. Calling out such a respected woman Lon wasn't anything for Amina to do-especially since she didn't know Beverly.

"But Brandy-"

"No one puts these asshole interviewers in their place. And the ones that do earn respect from them and get treated with it." Luca sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You have to show them you're not going down without a fight to earn respect. That's how I did it. That's how Mavis did it. That's how we all did it. Only thing is for you that you're trying to earn the respect of a woman who doesn't deserve it."

Amina chuckled bitterly, shaking her head as she groaned in her hands. "I should've stayed in Queens."

She knew this was going to be hard-but now was her time to earn respect from people who thought she didn't deserve it. The interview wasn't just for her EP, but for the people who thought she was a one hit wonder, or someone who's voice didn't put them anywhere near special like other woman's. This interview was to show people she was here and she wasn't leaving or going down without her voice being heard.

"Are you ready?" a new voice questioned hurriedly, causing Amina to look up from her hands and to a pale faced man.

"Yes."

He let out a relieved breath as he quickly took her elbow. "Okay, let's go."

Amina gasped as the man pulled her on stage. Looking over her shoulder, she frowned nervously at Luca who gave her a charming smile and a thumbs up.

Looking back in front of her, Amina watched as staff and crew began to walk along the stage and audience members chatting among themselves. The man stopped walking as he gestured for Amina to sit down on the small couch.

Beverly sat in her seat as the makeup crew pampered her face with powder and eyeshadow. The large wooden desk hid her long tanned legs that were shown perfectly from her short black dress. The woman didn't look a day over thirty, even though she was turning fifty that year.

Amina cleared her throat slowly, wondering whether or not she was going to acknowledge her and greet her like most hosts would. After a few tense minutes Amina knew she wasn't going to get any words from Beverly until the show started.

She cleared her throat as she turned her body to face Beverly. "Hi, it's an honor to be here today." She watched as the makeup crew stopped touching her face and stepped back. "Thank you so much for-"

"Save the chit chat for when the cameras roll." She wiped the corner of her lips as she flicked her hands towards Amina's direction. "And someone fix her hair god it looks like a lions head."

A woman stepped in front of Amina, but she quickly shook her head.

With a clenched jaw, Amina looked in front of her to Mavis who talked on her phone and Luca who stood a few feet behind Mavis with a tense face.

Slowly, people moved off stage as the audience members say quietly in their chairs as Beverly situated herself behind her desk.

"Okay in 3, 2," the camera man counted down until the red light beside his head turned a bright red.

"Welcome back everyone!" Beverly joyously exclaimed, The audience clapping loudly. "Today we're joined with over night sensation Amina Ryan!"

The camera turned away from Beverly and on Amina as she smiled gracefully. "Thank you so much for having me."

Amina refrained using a bitter tone like she wanted too.

She needed to smile and laugh-needed to do everything that showed Beverly she wasn't affected by her words and was relaxed.

"It's not a problem sweetie!" She joyously said back, her lips pulled into a large smile that wasn't present when Amina first introduced herself to her. Beverly adjusted herself in her chair as she fully faced Amina with crossed hands over the desk. "So tell me how are you enjoying Hollywood?"

Amina smiled the way Mavis showed her to. "It's nice, much more different than Queens for sure."

"I can imagine." She raised her eyebrows as she gestured with her hands moving forward. "How is the transition into though from going from Queens to well the best place on earth?"

Best place on earth? Had this woman lived anywhere outside of Hollywood? This place wasn't anywhere near being the best place on earth, and the people didn't help it either.

"Weird at first but wasn't as hard as how I expected."

Beverly smiled as she nodded her head excitedly. "Now, if I'm correct, this is your first ever television interview?"

Amina nodded her excitedly, causing the audience to laugh. "It is."

Even though Beverly was a complete bitch to Amina, this still was her first interview and she had to be happy for the opportunities Brandy and Beverly gave her. She was on live television going to talk about something that held all her love and a piece of her.

She daydreamed about this opportunity since she was a teenager. Pretending she was on a talk show and talking about her music as if she was really in front of a camera and interviewer.

"How are you feeling then?"

"A little nervous to be honest." Amina admitted with a nervous laugh, cashing the audience to laugh at her antics.

"Aw it's alright first time chitters," Beverly said amused, patting her hand on Amina's leg before putting it back on her desk. "So tell me, who is the one person you dreamed to be interviewed by when you were just a kid?" She added with a high pitched laugh, "you can say me, don't worry."

A movement to her side caused Amina to look away from Beverly and to Mavis who nodded her head at Amina. She wanted her to say Beverly-she didn't want her to say the truth.

She knew Beverly expected to say her name, but Amina wasn't going to give into peoples expectations.

"Joseph Montez was." Amina admitted just as Mavis shook her head and turned around to talk further into the phone.

"Joseph Montez?" Beverly repeated sarcastically. "A man of course."

Was she really trying to subtly call her sexist for looking up to having a man be her first interviewer rather than Beverly? She was trying to make Amina feel bad for her dream, but she wasn't going to let Beverly embarrass or put down Amina for who she looked up to-but when it came to people of color who went through so much hate to get a chance to have their voices heard.

"Not just any man, the first Puerto Rican interviewer to get his own show." Amina corrected, a smile dolled on her lips.

"Why him?"

"Because his show talked about things other interviewers didn't want to talk about." She informed, adjusting herself in her seat as she watched Mavis pace back and fourth frustratedly. "He's a very open, humble, kind hearted man who I always looked up to. It's a bonus that his show was on antenna rather than cable." She smoothed down her skirt as she looked at Beverly with a charming smile. "Like yours and the other interviewers shows."

"Well if you love him so much why isn't he interviewing you instead?" she laughed along with crowd, but her eyed told Amina her words were anything but carefree.

"Oh trust me, I'm planning on it."

She was getting angry and annoyed-she was making a fool out of Beverly by not backing down and giving into the Hollywood ways. She wasn't going to change her answer just because Beverly disagreed with them, and she most definitely wasn't going to lie about anything she believed in.

Beverly nodded her, a tense smile on her lips. "Now I can just imagine how proud your parents must be of you. Such a bright woman with a beautiful voice who stole the hearts of millions overnight."

Amina swallowed slowly.

She watched Luca from the corner of her eye step beside Mavis with a clenched jaw and annoyance etched on his face.

Either she knew Amina's story and wanted to antagonize her-or didn't bother to learn anything about the entire reason Amina's sitting in her chair.

Amina laughed, clasping her hands together. "Well I hope so. Couldn't ask them considering my mother passed away a few years ago and my dead beat dad was never in my life."

Perhaps her sarcasm wasn't meant for live TV.

She was nervous and didn't know how to answer a question that made her slightly uncomfortable so she decided to laugh it off with the first thing that came to her head.

Beverly nodded her head, smiling at the camera. "That's right, your mother was the woman you wrote the single for."

"One of them, yes."

"Goodness you must've loved her."

"Of course," Amina stated confidently. "She was my mother and father first and my best friend second."

"That is just the sweetest," Beverly stayed with a pout and puppy eyes. "Isn't that the sweetest."

The audience clapped.

"How old are you Amina?

She leaned back into the couch with crossed fingers and a smirk. "Nothing google couldn't answer."

Beverly laughed along with the audience as she etched on. "Seriously, how old are you?"

Amina's laughter died down as she smiled. "Twenty seven."

"Wow," Beverly said in a shocking manner. "Twenty seven and you're just beginning to become famous?"

Amina slowly nodded her head. "Seems to be."

She didn't think of her age and stardom corresponded with each other-but Beverly seemed to think differently.

Where was she going with this?

"You don't think that's too old to now just becoming a singer?"

"No, not at all," Amina disagreed. "Age shouldn't be considered a con when it comes to singing. If you're good you're good. If people want to hear your voice they'll hear it no matter your age."

Beverly nodded, acting as if she agreed with Amina's words when in fact she felt opposite. Smiling at the camera, Beverly pulled out a cardboard picture from under her desk as she held it up for the audience and camera to view.

"This is your latest photo shoot from SMAC's magazine." She let the camera zoom in on the photo. "May I add you look absolutely gorgeous." The audience claps as Amina smiled gratefully at them. "Do you believe that someone of your age would want to be connected to body empowerment? Meaning someone who looks and acts the way you do affect the minds of young girls all around the globe."

Was she calling her a bad role model for little girls? The photo didn't show anything inappropriate at all. It showed Amina in a bathing suit with her natural hair. Her suit wasn't anywhere close to be considered disturbing-but of course to most people a woman showing skin was cool widening disgusting.

"I'm not Hollywoods ideal woman, and nor do I look like it." Amina cleared her throat as she stood up straighter. "I grew up having to look up to woman who looked nothing like me. I want to be a role model to girl who have my skin color or my hair and have them know that no matter what they look like or where they come from, they could make it to the highest places if they just believe they can."

Beverly nodded her head as she placed the picture back under her desk. "Of course."

The interview was ending soon and yet they barely touched the topic on her EP-the supposed main focus of the interview.

"My EP focuses on that. The whole aspect of love, to body shaming and even to being sexualized as a woman." she informed with a steady smile as she watched the audience reaction to her words.

"There's only five songs on this EP?"

"Four." she corrected.

"Only four songs?" Beverly said with raised eyebrows, her tone in a astounded way.

"It's an EP." Amina said through laughter.

Laughing was her way of becoming comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. She'd usually resort to yelling or sticking her ground but considering she can't call out a talk show host on her bullshit she'd have to resort to laughing at her.

"Why an EP over a single? You don't know how big you status is yet to be have you first release an EP."

Amina nodded her head in agreement as she folded her hands over her lap. Mavis has gone over this question with her, Amina memorizes it after being asked it fourteen times throughout the hour car drive. "Brandy thought it was a good idea considering how the singles I'll be releasing on the EP were already released songs with horrible quality."

Beverly nodded her head slowly, her face morphed with confusion. "So you're just re-releasing old music?"

"Yes." Amina admitted slowly, unsure of where this would lead with her blatant answer.

Was she trying to make her sound like a money hungry singer? Because if so she would succeed if Amina didn't speak up.

Beverly frowned as she moved her hands back and fourth in a gesture. "So in reality your fans aren't getting anything new? You're pocketing money while they stream to something they couldn't listened on YouTube years ago?"

She knew she could answer this in two different ways-her way, or Brandy's way. She didn't know why, but she found herself searching for Luca throughout the widest age chaos for a source of comfort and reassurance. When her eyes found his brown ones, they watched his head slowly nodded as a smile graced his usual frowned lips.

"Have you ever watched a bootlegged movie?" She probably shouldn't be asking that on live television, nor should she expect a rich woman to admit or even know what a bootlegged movie is or have the experience of watching.

Beverly laughed. "No."

"Okay, then wouldn't you rather watch a movie in HD quality than the bad one?"

"I never watch anything that isn't of the highest quality."

Amina refrained herself from saying anything bitter back.

"I can hope my listeners will understand." Amina leaned against the armrest as she inches closer to Beverly's desk. "If they like my music then they'll support me with this decision. I'm not charging them once so ever and I only did the music I've released before is because my upcoming album I wanted to be fresh and new." She sent a wink Beverly way which reacted in audience laughing. "High quality."

Beverly took another picture out from under her desk and brought it up to view. "This is the cover art everybody for her EP. Isn't it gorgeous?" A loud applause from the cored. Goodness did they clap at everything? "It looks quite similar to Kelly James album design though."

"I drew the cover art myself." Amina informed with a tight smile. "Was a drawing I made when I was seventeen for my mother." Amina crosses her hands professionally as she looked at Beverly with a large fake smile. "Self drawing isn't unique when it comes to album designs."

Beverly quickly nodded her head, lacing the picture down.

How much longer could this last? It felt like Amina's fakeness was dying down and she couldn't refrain herself from speaking her mind for much longer. All the lessons to control her tongue didn't seem to help all that much when it came to Beverly.

"You know there have been rumors about you and my Luca Jackson."

Amina raised her eyebrows at Beverly statement. "Is that so?"

Oh this wasn't going to end well if the conversation kept going this way.

Amina looked at Luca from the corner of her eye, seeing him glare at Beverly with a clenched jaw as Mavis shook her head quickly.

Beverly nodded, smiling at the audience as she leaned in closer to Amina. "A close source tells me the two of you are quiet close."

"Right," Amina muttered amused, a large smirk on her lips as she slowly nodded her head.

This was pathetic.

She came to talk about her music, and yet she was talking about her status with Hollywood biggest bachelor with the worst reputation that everyone seemed to forget.

"That's it? It must be true then!"

Amina shrugged her shoulder casually as she looked at the audience with an amused smile. "Well he's your Luca Jackson, surely whatever was happening he'd tell you." Amina rolled her eyes when Beverly began to clap loudly along with audience. Turning back to Beverly, Amina turned her smile into a thin line. "We're friends, that's it. We aren't quiet close as your insider put it."

"Sure sweetie," Beverly muttered amused as she waved Amina off laughing. "But is it true that he and Jacob Manning aren't friends anymore? And all because of Bella Arkhart?"

How did this conversation divert to something completely opposite of the reason Amina came there for? At that, why was everyone so worried about the trio? Why was what happens to them so important to new anchors?

"I'd really not like to talk about this." Amina shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "It's not my business nor anyone but theirs."

Beverly rolled her eyes, slapping her hands on top of Amina's folded ones. "Oh come on! Spill what you know."

Amina smiled widely as she patted Beverly hand on top of hers. "What I know is that my EP comes in three days on all music platforms and I'll also be having an Instagram live thirty minutes before the release to talk to fans about the backstory of each song."

Her response angered Beverly. The woman quickly took her hands back as she turned to the camera with a fake smile.

"Well you heard it here everyone! Make sure to stream Amina Ryan's debut EP when it hits music platforms on July 3rd!"

The man behind the main camera held his hands up as he counted down to five with them.

"And cut!"

Before Amina could even turn to her, Beverly pointed an accusing finger in Amina's face. "How dare you try and make a fool out of me on my own fucking show!"

Amina raised her eyebrow at the old woman's wrinkled finger as she turned to the audience who were quickly getting ushered out the studio by crew and security.

"Let it go, Beverly." Luca stated, quickly walking across the stage to Amina who quickly stood up beside the red faced Beverly.

"I don't want you on my show every again you ungrateful bitch!" Amina's eyed widen at Beverly sudden change of time and attitude. She looked at Mavis who was quickly shaking her head as she made her way to them. "Should be grateful someone like you even had the opportunity to sit in that chair." She remarked bitterly with a look of disgust.

All the lessons of controlling her anger and learning to calm herself down were down the drain at that moment.

"Someone like me? What the fuck is that suppose to mean?" She asked lividly, turning fully to Beverly who stepped back to the other side of her desk.

Mavis grabbed Amina's wrist and pulled her to the opposite direction of Beverly. "Come on Amina! She's testing you! Don't give her the reaction she wants."

She was right. The best way to anger someone was to be respectful and show them they didn't affect them. Could she do that? Act as if Beverly worries didn't affect when in reality that's all they did? She had to-she needed to learn to.

"You don't deserve to be here." She really wasn't helping herself out. "Go back to your garbage of a place you came from."

Amina quickly turned around lividly. "No but a white woman would?" Amina steed at Beverly with a proud smile and shoulder rolled back confidently. "I'm the first person of color to be on your show. That doesn't make me look pathetic, it makes you look like a racist bitter old lady. I'm going to make history Beverly, let's see what you'll be remembered for."

And with that, Amina walked away from the angered woman and straight to backstage. Making her way to the room she had her belongings in, Amina quickly walked there with shaking hands and a burning throat.

As soon as they stepped into the guest room, Mavis turned to Amina's bright faced. "What the fuck were you thinking? Do you have any fucking idea what you just did? Your career is done for if she speaks out about this shit!"

If she lost her career over speaking her mind then this wasn't a career worth having.

"I'm not sorry."

"What the fuck is the point of giving you anger lessons if your not going to lesson your anger Amina!" Mavis groaned into her hand frustrated. She looked back up at Amina defeated. "You have to realize that being a celebrity comes with keeping a foot in your mouth."

Luca scoffed as he took a drink of water with shaking hands. "Y-You should really listen to your own advice Mavis."

Amina sighed, rolling her eyes at Luca who looked at her taken back. He was drinking at a time like this. It was barely twelve and he was already almost done with the bottle.

She didn't know why seeing him drinking was affecting her. She knew he drank and was labeled a drunk, so why was this bothering her when she's seen him drunk before?

Mavis scoffed. "Unlike me though I've been here for years. She's just starting out and already starting a bad reputation."

Luca opened his mouth to speak up, but Amina quickly spoke up. "Me speaking my mind shouldn't give me a bad reputation, and if it does then I'll be Amina Ryan with a reputation of speaking my mind."

"Don't pull a stunt like that again Amina." Mavis warned, glaring at both her and Luca as she threw the door open and stepped into the hallway. "Let's go."

Amina didn't wait a second as she followed behind the livid Mavis as Luca and Atticus followed close behind.

She hoped her release party wasn't going to be as much of a disaster as her first interview was. She needed something good to happen after being told her career might be over before it even began.

She needed a sign of hope.