Chapter Five A

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All right, enoughs enough.

After spending a good fifteen minutes absentmindedly watching on as Mya and Curtis practically mauled one another on the basketball court, Christina outwardly commented that if the other woman was going to make it to her show on time, her and Curtis would have to put their brief make-out session on hold.

"Girl, we have more than enough time to fool around before my gig tonight...! You know it only takes me ten minutes to get ready."

Even though Christina knew that was true and was more than happy that her friend had finally found someone--who seemed to be able to make her happy, at the moment--she couldn't help but open her mouth to protest the comment. But before she could get anything out, Curtis interrupted her, with: "Well, if that's the case, since you don't have to be back at the Hard Rock for another two and a half hours, what do you say we go back to your room and find something for us to do to kill some time."

A comment which caused Mya to slyly grin from ear to ear before coyly responding back with: "I thought you'd never ask."

"Oh, give me a break!"

Without even bothering to hold it back, Christina turned her attention towards the man beside her and slightly laughed at the pained expression on his face.

Serves him right..! He should've known--after our night at B.O.B's--that hanging out with these two all week would be like watching a soft-core porno featuring your little brother and sister seven days a week.

With that thought in mind, Christina jokingly replied: "And just think, we have to put up with this for another seven days."

A comment which caused Marshall--while absentmindedly staring at the two people in front of him, who looked like they were three seconds away from starting round two of another heavy make-out session--to quickly imagine what it would be like to see that display of affection everytime he turned around.

"Excuse me while I go gouge my eyes outs."

Six hours later

After watching Mya perform at the Hard Rock--to nearly a sold out crowd--Christina found herself seated in her hotel room; with one hand on the remote control and the other hand on her cellphone.

"So, how did our girl do..? She didn't sing that one song that I don't like, did she...? You know, the one where she keeps hoping that her boyfriend will get struck by lightening or washed away by the sea. Then tells him that he can get burned by a fire as long as he doesn't bring it back to her...is any of this ringing a bell?"

Unfortunately...it's the only song that Mya has ever written that really shows how much all of her ex-boyfriends have hurt her in the past. Christina inwardly thought to herself, before outwardly retorting: "No, she didn't sing that one...she mostly stuck to some of her new songs; which thankfully enough are a little bit more happier--"

"And a little bit more raunchier, I presume?"

Without even bothering to lie to her mother, Christina outwardly joked, "You know it," before continuing on with: "But she did a really good job...maybe even, too good of a job. I think a couple of her performances might have pissed Curtis off a little bit. I mean...he knows that when she's onstage, she's just doing her job. But I know it hurts him to see her be able to flirt with all these other guys in public but not even be able to be seen with him if Marshall and I are not with them...I feel sorry for the both of them."

"I do too." Shelly quickly agreed, "but I think that until Mya's ready to come out with there relationship, he's just going to have to respect her decision and give her some time--hopefully in the end, it'll pay off for the both of them and you as well."

What...?

Not really understanding what her mother meant by that statement caused Christina to open her mouth to ask the older woman that said question. But unfortunately before she could do so, a knock was heard at the door.

I wonder who that is.

As if reading her daughter's mind, Shelly replied: "That's probably your partner-n-crime wondering if you want to hit the midnight buffet with her."

After slightly laughing at the comment and outwardly replying that the older woman was probably right, Christina quickly made her way to the door; as a security precaution, looking through the peep hole first, before opening it for the person who was on the other end.

What's he doing here? Christina inwardly thought to herself, but knowing that her mom would probably have a fit if she knew that it was the blonde rapper at the door, she instead of asking Marshall that question outloud, chose to ask the woman on the phone if she could call her back later.

"All right, but try and do it some time tomorrow 'cause I think I'm going to go and put this tired body to rest."

"All right." Christina quickly replied, before telling her mother goodnight and inwardly telling Marshall to come inside.

"Sorry...I didn't mean to interrupt."

"It's okay." Christina reluctantly replied, while waiting until the older man had come fully inside before shutting the door behind him. "I didn't expect to see you for the rest of the night...I thought you were just going to go call Hailie before turning in for the night."

After slightly smiling at the mention of his baby girl, Marshall nonchalantly replied: "I was....but that was before our friends decided to let me in on the fact that Mya's room is directly next to mine--quite loudly, I might add."

Ouch...!

"Better you than me." Christina half-jokingly replied, before reluctantly returning to the couch that was situated in the middle of the room and hitting Marshall with a questioning stare. "So, what brings you to my room--besides the fact that you couldn't stay in your own room?"

While quickly putting both of his hands in his pockets--a habit which Christina silently guessed he did when he was pretending to be nonchalant about something--Marshall outwardly replied: "I was on my way down to the casino when I remembered you telling Curtis that you wanted to hit some of the tables before we left tomorrow."

Even though it was true that she had been practically dying to hit the tables ever since she stepped foot in Vegas, Christina wasn't too sure if she wanted to hit the tables with Marshall.

I know we've gotten along on the phone and in front of Mya and Curtis, but can we really hang out together without wanting to strangle one another?

After thinking back to there brief conversation at the B.O.B--where Marshall had insinuated that Justin wore makeup, leading her to tell the older man off--Christina opened her mouth to decline the offer, but interestingly enough before she could do so, Marshall continued with: "I think I still owe you one from earlier..."

From when...?

After quickly taking a second to think about it and then remembering that she had won the bet surrounding Mya and Curtis, Christina let a small smile grace her face as she jokingly replied: "Thanks for reminding me...I almost forgot."

"Dammit...! I knew I should've kept my big mouth shut."

Not really knowing why, Christina found herself laughing at the comment and then afterwards, surprisingly replying: "Let me just go grab my wallet," while inwardly telling herself that if she just kept the conversation between her and Marshall light, they'd be okay.

Hopefully...

"You ready to go?" Christina asked the older man, a minute later; after stepping out of her bedroom and--interestingly enough--finding Marshall in the same place that he was in when she had left him.

"Whenever you are." Marshall nonchalantly replied back, before silently following the younger woman outside her room, down the hallway, and towards the elevator that would lead them to the MGM's casino.

"What do you want to play first?"

After looking around the room for a second, Marshall's face brightened up when his eyes locked on a game that him and his crew used to play in the back of their tour bus. "Are you good at craps?"

"Somewhat.." Christina lied, while inwardly telling herself that out of all the tables and machines in the casino, Marshall would have to pick the one game that she had trouble with. "But blackjack is my game."

Figuring that Marshall would say that they should split up then caused Christina to inwardly retort: Atleast I brought my wallet, just in case. But interestingly enough, she surprisingly found out that she still didn't need it as Marshall nonchalantly retorted: "Then blackjack is what we'll play."

Okay...I wasn't expecting that response. Christina inwardly thought to herself, while allowing Marshall to take her hand and lead her to the blackjack tables. Maybe Mya's right...maybe he has changed a lot since our feud first started.

As soon as the pair reached one of the crowded tables, the petite brunette couldn't help but slightly roll her eyes when she realized there was only one seat available and Marshall was already sliding into it. Or maybe he's still the same anti-gentleman that I disliked before.

Interestingly enough before Christina or anyone else at the table could scold him for making the younger female stand, Marshall gently tugged on Christina's hand, that was still in his; pulling her onto his lap.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Without even bothering to take his eyes off the cards that the dealer had just handed him, Marshall quickly whispered back, in a nonchalant voice: "Just giving the reporter, standing over there by the potted plant, something to put in his article."

"What repor-" Christina quickly began. But as her eyes landed on the thirty something year old man, who was standing on the other side of the room, trying to blend in with the wall behind him, she couldn't help but inwardly reply: Oh, that reporter.

"Any more questions?"

Turning back to Marshall, who she could tell was doing his best to hide a small grin, Christina willed herself to loosen up her tense posture as she sarcastically replied: "No, smartass."

Three A.M.

After walking away from the blackjack table with a total of one hundred and seventy-five dollars each, Marshall and Christina found themselves making there way back towards there rooms three hours after they entered the casino.

"You think the two love birds have finally called it quits for the night?"

While nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders, Marshall jokingly replied: "Hopefully...but if not, there going to have one very angry white rapper to deal with in the morning."

"Like you're not always angry." Christina sarcastically retorted, before she could stop herself; interestingly enough causing Marshall to chuckle.

"Very funny."

"I thought so." Christina jokingly replied, before stopping in her footsteps as they reached her room and letting out a small yawn. "Well, this is my stop....I had an interesting time tonight, Mr. Mathers. Maybe we can do it again some other time."

"Maybe..." Marshall hesitantly responded back; afterwards waiting until the petite brunette had a chance to insert her key into her hotel door, before continuing with: "How about tomorrow?"

What?

Noticing the look of surprise on Christina's face as she turned back to face him, Marshall let out a small laugh, before quickly replying: "I'm not asking you out on a date or anything, so pick your chin up off the floor...I just figured since we're not leaving for Oakland until six tomorrow--and Curtis and Mya will probably be holed up in there room until then--we could take advantage of the time we're given and go out and tackle Vegas together; possibly getting our pictures in the papers, while doing so."

Knowing that her and Marshall being seen sight-seeing together in Las Vegas would defiantly get their pictures out there and in the papers caused Christina to inwardly think to herself: He sure knows what to do to get us some publicity...I wonder if he tries this stuff on a regular basis.

With that thought in mind, the petite brunette outwardly replied: "What time should I be ready?"

A question which Marshall shrugged in response to, before nonchalantly replying: "I like to sleep in, so...around nine?"

Nine...?

Knowing that she was used to sleeping in later than that caused Christina to inwardly ask the older man if that was his idea of sleeping in. But realizing that she was too tired to even argue with him at the moment, she instead of asking that question outloud, simply replied: "I'll see you then," before ducking into her hotel room and silently shutting the door behind her.

"Great..! Now, I have to get up in five hours...I hope Mya knows she owes me her first born after this."

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