Boy Trouble (17 page)

1.
Initially, Maya decided not to run the video of Mynique and Demond fighting outside of the club. Why do you think she didn't? Why do you think she eventually decided to show it?

2.
One of the things everyone kept telling Maya was that she needed to mind her own business. Should she have done that, or was she right to be concerned? Where should she have drawn the line?

3.
Why do you think Maya was so concerned with her friends' relationships? Do you think she would've been as concerned if she'd had her own relationship?

4.
Sheridan never saw her relationship as being abusive. Why do you think she ignored the signs?

5.
Kendrick seemed to bring out the worst in Kennedi. Do you agree that she was obsessive behind him?

6.
Why do you think Kennedi never told Maya that she was the abusive one in the relationship?

7.
Maya forgave Kennedi for the accident that could've killed her. Do you think she was right to forgive her?

8.
Why do you think Maya was so worried about having someone fill in for her on
Rumor Central
?

9.
Although Marisol went too far in her anger at Maya, do you think she was right to be upset with Maya? What could Alvin have done differently?

10.
Why do you think Maya finally decided to give Alvin a chance?

I
needed my own page in Webster's Dictionary. That's because, if you looked up the word
fabulous,
there I was. If you looked up
phenomenal
, you'd find my name. If you looked up
all that and then some
, yep, there I would be. Yeah, I know, nobody even uses dictionaries anymore, but you get what I'm sayin'.

I am Maya Morgan and I'm off the chain.

I know that sounds arrogant, but it is what it is.

I can't help who I am. And right about now, I'm also the happiest girl on the planet. I was the most famous young talk show host in the country. My television show,
Rumor Central
was still number one (as if there was anything else to be when it came to me). I was six weeks away from graduating high school. I had even managed to pull up my grades, even in that stupid calculus class, which yours truly was now rocking a C in.

And now, I had finally found love with the guy of my dreams. Yeah, I know, at one time I'd thought that was Bryce, my lame ex-boyfriend, but Bryce was a
boy
. My new boo is a
man
. Actually, my new boo is Alvin Martin, my best friend, which is probably why our relationship is going so well.

I dabbed some lip gloss on as I leaned into the mirror and smiled. We were at an Entertainment-industry party, and Alvin had once again held his own, which made me love him that much more. Alvin and I were from two different worlds. Alvin was a geek; I was a goddess. Alvin preferred to stay in the background. I loved my fame. Unlike my other exes, Alvin let me have my shine with no complaint. I couldn't say the same about Bryce, who went to school with me and couldn't stand all of the attention I got, or my other ex, R & B singer J Love, who was always competing with my shine.

Alvin took a backseat and let me do me. Of course, I couldn't forget how well he treated me, nor the fact that he was stupid rich. And now that I'd cleaned him up a little bit, he wasn't half bad looking. I still hadn't been able to get rid of those Coke-bottle glasses, but I was working on it.

I noticed the girl washing her hands in the sink staring at me.

“Hi,” I said, when I really wanted to ask her what her problem was.

“Oh, my God,” she said, slowly. “Are you Maya Morgan?” I gave her a small nod and a smile, and she started jumping up and down.

“No way! No freakin' way!” She fumbled to get her phone out of her purse. “Can I take a picture with you?” She was already on the side of me before I could answer, so I just smiled as she snapped a selfie.

“OMG, I'm so putting this on Instagram,” she said as she began tapping away on her phone.

“Nice to meet you,” I said, dropping my lip gloss back in my purse and stepping around her to go into a stall.

She grabbed my arm and the look on my face must've made her think twice because she dropped my arm and said, “Sorry, I'm just so excited. Just want to say I love your show. I'm so glad they took you off
Miami Divas
and gave you your own show.”

I smiled. I was happy about that, too. Although my former co-stars, Evian Javid, Bali Fernandez, Shay Turner, and my BFF, Sheridan Matthews hadn't been too thrilled about it. But whatever.

“Well, I really need to go,” I said, pointing at the stall.

“Oh, sorry,” the girl said, still excited. “I'll let you go.” She giggled as she made her way out the ladies' room.

I hated public restrooms, but all of that Fiji Water (because I didn't do alcohol) I had been drinking was running straight through me. So, I stepped into the stall, thankful that this place at least kept their restrooms clean. I was handling my business when I heard the chatter of two girls as they walked in. I didn't pay them any attention until I heard one of them say my name. That made me stand on alert because of the nasty way it rolled off her tongue.

“Girl, did you see that nerd boy Maya Morgan is with?” one of them said.

“I did. Everybody's talking about it,” the other voice replied.

“I'm like, seriously, you dumped J. Love for
that
?”

“For real, what I wouldn't give to have J. Love. He is so fine!”

“Baby, fine ain't even the word. And from what I heard, he was really feeling her and she dumped him for
that
.”

Their laughter mixed with water running as I stood deathly still, both angry and shocked.

One of the girls continued. “But did you see him on the dance floor, though? He doesn't have any rhythm.”

As mad as I was, they were right about that. Alvin's attempt on the dance floor had been embarrassing to say the least. Still, I couldn't appreciate them talking about my guy like that. Even so, I couldn't bring myself to come out of the stall.

“All I know is I
used
to envy Maya Morgan, but honey, if that's the best she can do, I think I'll stay me!” Their laughter drifted off as they walked out of the restroom.

I didn't move for a few minutes, then finally pushed open the door and made my way out the stall. I stared at my reflection in the European-tiled mirror. Had I really been reduced to that chick who got talked about in the bathroom?

Were people really talking about my man?

Finally, I took a deep breath and told myself it wasn't about what they wanted. It wasn't about what anyone wanted. I was feeling Alvin and he was feeling me. And that's all that mattered—right?

I shook myself out of my trance, washed my hands, and headed back out. I had just walked back to the VIP area when I saw Alvin standing outside the roped area.

“Hey, babe, what's up?” I asked, wondering why he was out here and not inside the VIP at our private table.

“I came to check on you because you were gone so long and now they won't let me back in.”

“What do you mean they won't let you in?” I didn't wait for a reply as I stomped back to the bouncer standing at the door to the VIP room.

“Excuse me. My boyfriend said you won't let him in. He has a VIP bracelet,” I said, trying not to get an attitude as I jabbed my finger in Alvin's direction.

The burly bouncer looked at me and then looked at Alvin. “Oh, dude, my bad. I thought you stole that or something.” He stepped aside and then giggled to his friend, “I didn't know they were letting bustas in the VIP now.”

I rolled my eyes as I stomped past them, Alvin right on my heels. This was the second time tonight someone had disrespected my man and I was getting fed up. I had tried my best not to be
that
chick. But these people were definitely trying to push me.