WILDFIRE
By Aysia Anderson (a.k.a. Nikki)

Chapter Six: Grammy Girl

"I can't believe that I get to perform with you in front of millions of viewers on The Grammy Awards." Camille beamed proudly as she straddled Usher's lap after he had sat down on her couch in the den. They had been seeing a lot of each other recently and though neither of them liked the whole boyfriend/girlfriend terms they were certainly acting like an item.

"Are you excited?" he smiled up at her with his brilliant white teeth. Every time she ever saw him he looked gorgeous. At the time he had on a pair of stone-washed jeans with a chain wallet attachment and a white screen tee shirt. Casual for him was still glam with his platinum chain hanging from his neck and two large diamond studs in his earlobes. She almost felt inadequate in her plain spaghetti strapped yellow shirt and black shorts.

"Yeah, I'm excited! I've got stage fright out of this world when it comes to singing but it will all be good with you up there with me." she kissed his lips gently.

"Girl, I've seen you onstage. You aren't shy at all about what you do." he kissed her back, sliding his arms around her waist to draw her nearer.

"That just makes me a really good actress because I always feel nauseous."

"It's just butterflies. If you ever stop getting them then something is definitely wrong." Usher commented, "Damn, you know you're sexy as hell right?"

"Maybe in comparison to Eve."

"What's wrong with Eve? She's a nice looking girl."

"With her makeup on." Camille laughed before sliding off of his lap to answer the ringing telephone. She didn't dislike the girl but she couldn't help thinking back to when she had first seen her as an extra on one of DMX's videos before she released her first album. She remembered thinking someone had been beaten repeatedly with the ugly stick.

"That's cold, Camille." He disagreed and slouched down into the couch while she picked up her call and lifted the remote control to turn on the television.

"Hello?" she asked casually, picking up the cordless, and coming back to sit at Usher's side before draping a recently waxed and smooth leg over his.

"Hey, Chamomile." Justin greeted though his greeting didn't hold much
of a spark. He sounded down about something. "Are you busy right now?"

"Am I busy?" she tried her best not to giggle as Usher pulled her back over onto his lap, kissing her collarbone, and said that she was indeed entangled at the time into her neck. "Not really. What's going on?"

"I just wanted to know if it was all right for me to come over so we could hang out? I haven't really seen you in a while." Justin explained the reason behind his call. "I just got some time off `cause you know I've been busy recording the new album and all but…"

"Oh? How is that going for you?"

"The album?"

"Yeah, what else, silly?" Camille giggled into the phone as Usher lifted her shirt to just below her breasts and kissed a moist trail over her stomach. She had told him that she was going to get a personal trainer to work on her paunch but he had disagreed with her and told her that he loved her body the way that it was. Every girl in the world that was appealing wasn't a size zero.

"I've been working with a few new producers but I figured that I definitely needed to work with Timbaland again because the man is pure genius."

"Absolutely," she agreed. "You should tell him that I want to work with him too. Working with him my follow-up album would blow this one out of the water."

Justin scoffed into the phone, "I love your album, Camille. It's astounding because it's your own distinct voice and no one has a sound like you do."

"Ah, you just don't want competition on the charts."

"Right. You broke every record in the book with your album and have you checked out all of your Grammy nominations? I didn't even debut at number one with Justified. I was the runner up."

"I remember that." she nodded as if he could see the gesture. "Lose Yourself was a hard song to compete with. Eminem has mad lyrical skills."

"That man makes shit rhyme that other MC's wouldn't have ever thought about." Justin commented in reflection. "You think I could get him on my album?"

"Not a chance in hell!"

Usher looked up into Camille's eyes, drawing her closer so that he had her undivided attention. He didn't care about her talking to Justin on the phone. He just didn't like being on the backburner to anyone. "Get off the phone," he mouthed with a pleading stare.

"No," she mouthed back before returning to her conversation. "Justin, why don't you come over in an hour so we can order a pizza or something? Is that cool with you?"

"Yeah, that's cool. I'll see you a little later then?"

"Most def. Later." she hung up the phone and set it down on the coffee table behind her. "Did you have something to say that couldn't wait?"

"Yeah," Usher leaned back into the couch and smirked when she leaned forward against him, her elbows propped up on the back of the couch on either side of his head. "Give me those lips."

////

"Personally, I will not lie, I had a little sweet spot for Usher. I liked the way that he and Camille were but at the same time I had to root for Justin as well." Nastassia laid out her take on everything while Gary nodded that he was hearing her. "They just made a lot of sense coming from the same R&B world and everything. There were so many things that she could learn from him in a musical aspect and relationship-wise I knew that she could tame him. He definitely was a bit of a player."

"Did he ever cheat on Camille" Gary asked the question that was on the minds of everyone in the room.

"They never really were officially an item for him to cheat on her, you know? They weren't what you call friends with benefits because they hadn't actually been friends first but if it could have been considered a relationship then it was an open one."

"So they were free to see other people?"

"Yes, and they both did see other people. That was why their seeing each other was only speculated in the press and never confirmed. They would go out somewhere together and people would try to say that they were the next Hollywood couple but the next night she would be out with someone like Jon B. or Michael Ealy and Usher would be seen with Free from 106 & Park or some model that he had met at a show. They were just kind of dating around but continuously dating each other."

"All of this was fine with Camille? How did Justin feel about it?" Gary inquired.

"Camille was fine with it because she was young and she was having fun. She was with these guys that she had watched on television and was living this dream life. Justin didn't really say too much about the whole thing because he knew that it wasn't his place to but he definitely dropped a few hints that he wanted Usher out of the way."

"He thought that they might get serious?"

"Oh, yeah. Usher was definitely a threat. He and Justin didn't get along, they didn't like sharing time with Camille, and they definitely couldn't spend time together with her because they would bicker and drive her insane." Nastassia sighed heavily. "She just wanted to keep both of them in her life because they meant a lot to her."

"So when did the juggling act come to an end?"

////

Justin stood in front of the smoking grill with his metal spatula in hand in the backyard of his home. He had decided to have a barbeque with all of his friends so that everyone could release some stress that had been building for the Grammy's. A lot of the people in his inner circle would be performing there in a few days and he knew how important it was for them to relax and get their minds straight.

Even though it had been against his better judgment he had also invited Usher to come to his little shindig. He had done so because he knew that he and Camille had grown close and he didn't want her to think that he hated him. He cared a lot more about her feelings than maybe he should have. She was being respectful though. The only touching that Justin had noticed going on between them was the occasion push or slug in the middle of playful conversation.

"I'm shocked that you didn't impose a no touching rule." Nastassia commented, walking up to Justin and kissing him on the cheek. "I'm proud of you."

"Don't be. It will go straight to my head."

"Luckily not to your hips." she joked with him.

"So do you have any idea what her performance is going to be like?" Justin inquired, flipping a burger on the grill, as both Camille and Usher disappeared around to the side of his house and out of view.

"Not really. It's all hush-hush and she won't even tell me much about it. All I know is that somehow Usher is in the act."

"That's cool."

"That's cool?" Nastassia stared at Justin questioningly. "Since when are you so chill about the two of them?"

"Look, Camille and I have talked. They're not an item or anything, she's just having fun and know what that's like because I definitely have my fun too, but it's nothing serious. I can sit here and be a jerk about it or…"

"Wait her out until they go their separate ways?"

"Precisely!" he laughed.

"You are a sick boy."

Camille leaned back against the side of the house with her arms crossed over her chest unsure of what to say or how to react to the information that had just been given to her. It didn't add up. There were only four days left and now all out of the blue there was a change in plan.

"Camille, I'm sorry. There's nothing that I can do about it." Usher apologized. "Say something?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to say what you're feeling right now."

"I'm fucking pissed off! How do you think I feel?" she struggled not to scream at him and tightened her arms around herself as not to physically attack him. "How long have you known this?

"I just found out, C, I haven't been holding out on you about it. I wouldn't do that." He smoothed his hands over her arms comfortingly. "I don't agree with it but these people control my career and they've never steered me into the wrong direction."

"They don't want you to be seen with me, Usher, and that's fucked up."

"It's not that. They just don't think that we should be performing together just yet. We still haven't come out as a couple and…"

"Only couples perform together?"

"Baby," he couldn't help but to smile, "have you seen us together?"

"Do you see me laughing right now?"

"Don't be mad, okay? It's not too late for changes in the performance."

"It is too late, U! There are only a few days until the show!" she felt the tears welling in her eyes and turned away from him so that he couldn't see her cry.

"Baby?"

"No, no." she shook her head, moving from the side of the house and walking around him. "Can you leave? Just leave. I don't want to see you right now."

////

"After all of that drama Camille and I had thought about just showing up at the Grammy Awards together because Justin was going with NSYNC and Nelly with the St. Lunatics. I didn't want her to fly solo but her parents wanted to be there and that was cool so it was going to be the four of us like a little family." Nastassia giggled with Gary. "Still, though, we all knew that she still wanted to show up with Usher because she did really like him. Even though his people were deathly against him being seen with her onstage they hadn't said anything about them coming to the show together. They took that and ran with it…"

////

"You look really beautiful tonight." Usher commented on Camille's appearance once she had opened the door to her hotel room. Her hair was pulled back into twists that cascaded into ringlets down her back and her dress was a soft sea foam green. Her accessories matched her outfit perfectly but he couldn't see anything beyond her face. "Why am I listening to these people?"

"They've never steered you wrong with your career before." Camille brought up his own reasoning from the last time that they had held this conversation. She wasn't trying to pick a fight with him but she wanted him to know how stupid his own words had sounded.

"Camille…" his voice trailed off for a moment. "There is no other woman that I would rather spend this evening with than you. I'm not up for anything this year so there's no real reason for me to even go to this show but I want to be there with you. I want to see you win all of those awards and take the audience's breath away."

She smiled half-heartedly at his words before taking a deep breath. "I am so going to hate not being able to kiss you anymore."

"Then kiss me goodbye now, then."

Camille stared up at him and took a step back into her hotel room knowing that she shouldn't be giving in to this. He had sacrificed her entire career because of what "his people" had thought. As much as she liked him how could she still want to be entangled in his arms.

Usher stepped mutedly into the room with her and let the heavy door close behind him. He didn't want this to be it with them because he had genuine feelings for her that had sprung up a few weeks after he had met her. He knew though, that once they go to the ceremony she wouldn't be able to forgive him for not following through with his promise. It wasn't sinking in yet.

"I am going to regret this day for the rest of my life." he breathed in shakily.

"I regret it now." Camille closed her eyes as he kissed her and for as long as she could she pretended that she was just a normal girl, he a normal man, and that it was just the beginning for them instead of the end.

////

"So she and Usher arrived at the ceremony together? There wasn't much talk about that from what I remember." Gary tried to recall the past event. It had been such a long time ago but things that happened in the limelight could be rebroadcast over and over again for years.

"They did show up together but halfway down the red carpet they ended up meeting with me, Usher's mother, and Camille's parents. So once again it came off as if they were just hanging out instead of it being something more than that. For all intensive purposes that's all they were doing by that time." Nastassia explained. "All of the emotions that they had for each other they tried to get out before they got there."

////

Camille didn't remember ever being so nervous in her entire life. She had barely been able to stumble onto the stage and take her position in front of the microphone stand and because of that reason she was thankful that all of the lights had been off while she made her entrance. She could hear the presenter, Gladys Knight, saying endearing things about her before finally saying her name amongst thunderous applauds.

The lights were blinding as the performance stage was suddenly lit up and Camille could feel the eyes of everyone in the auditorium focusing on her. They were all applauding before she had even begun to sing a note and she knew what they were all waiting for. They wanted to see if the number one recording artist could deliver vocally when she wasn't hiding in a recording booth.

Anxiously Camille took a deep breath and scanned the audience for a familiar face. Once she had spotted that individual she raised her arm into the air and pointed her out. With a smile she announced that the song that she was about to perform was for Linda Henderson, her mother, and instantly she felt the fear and doubt that had been consuming her lift.

Wasn't looking for love but you gave me
A new take on my life, yes, you saved me
And I don't know what I would have done if you
Hadn't come along

There was a whisper in the dark
A hidden place within a dream
A break in the rhythm of my heart
Separation from reality
There were words drifting in the breeze
Tears were raining from the sky
You came right in and set me free
You found a love hidden deep inside

A group of small children began to file onto the stage as Camille dove back into the chorus of the song. One of the smaller girls held on to Camille's hand, visibly nervous, and for a moment she saw herself in her. They all began to form a semi-circle around the young singer and joined her in singing. It was viewing gold to see her standing there in a shimmering white tube dress surrounded by children of the world singing their hearts out.

Wasn't looking for love but you gave me
A new take on my life, yes, you saved me
And I don't know what I would have done if you
Hadn't come along

Easily the young singer shifted into the bridge, the song being chopped for medley purposes, and kept her eyes focused on her mother's. For a moment she felt tears forming but she didn't know where they were coming from. It could have been because all of her dreams had come true in one night or because she knew that she was making her mother proud. She lived for her mother's happiness.

It would take a lifetime to find a love as deep as mine
You took the backseat in order to watch me shine
I never knew that this was how life could be
And I'm so proud to see that you're the gift God has given me…

Camille's voice engulfed the entire arena as she held her note for as long as she could. The slow beat of the music that she had been singing over suddenly began to morph into that of one much harsher. Her voice continued to carry until the new beat had set in and the sound of a heavy hip-hop club single had infiltrated through the speakers. It had been unexpected to the audience but at the same time it was well-received.

As the small children's choir was ushered off of the stage Camille's dancers began to take over. Out of nowhere there was a club set and extras partying and dancing on-stage. Once her main dancers had taken their positions around her she looked out over the celebrities and fans that were now standing on their feet and asked them one simple question: Are you ready?

Are you ready for this
This everlasting bliss
Table dancers and Cris
Change your life then you're dismissed
Are you ready for me
Got lost in the beat
Feinting for my ecstasy
You know what this means

Camille separated herself from her dance troupe and singled out one of the male dancers. As she started from the second verse of the song they began to dance seductively together. In the beginning she had seemed very much attracted to him but she lost interest quickly as were the words of the song and the movements of the dance.

I was just being kind when I gave you my time
You're running out of this wine
And all I want to do is grind
Stop, what's your partner's name
He's spitting crazy game
I think it would be a shame
If this whip could make him tame…

Everyone onstage froze as an explosion ripped through the arena, fireworks ricocheting into the air. The crowd was guffawing as a masculine hand slid across Camille's abdomen. She turned slowly to face him and smiled discretely as his hand shifted with her and to the small of her back. Justin was a natural onstage and was unfazed by the thunderous applause that erupted because of him. The music started again and Camille bent back and snapped back up to him as he continued the verse where she had left off.

It's not a worry of chance
Get down and shake that ass
When it's low I'll refill your glass
I'm going to make this last
Put this song on repeat
We're turning up the heat
So addicted to this beat
There's no time for sleep

Justin bit his bottom lip as Camille began to grind her ass into him painfully slow. The dance move was in the choreography but they weren't intended to be that close. It wasn't as if they had really had time to work out the kinks since he was only filling in for Usher, but still he wanted to curse her out for what she was doing. She was toying with his hormones when they both knew that she wasn't going to give him any.

Girl, don't you dare slow it down
The music is so loud
This is something profound
Bring on the second round

Are you ready for this
(Are you ready for me)
If I could just get one kiss
(Too late, boy, you've been dismissed…)

The audience was in hysterics as the music faded out and Camille walked seductively away from Justin who was in turn following after her as if completely enraptured by her. They didn't stop walking until they were finally back behind the stage where they both immediately proceeded to lose their minds. Camille threw her arms around his shoulders and he lifted her into the air, spinning her around, as he wrapped her in a bear hug.

"Oh, my God!" she shouted, "Did we just do that? We just did that!"

"That was fucking awesome, Chamomile!" Justin agreed, setting her back down onto her feet and releasing her from his vice-grip. "Did you hear them out there? You had the elite out there dancing in the fucking isles, C!"

"I was so scared I was going to miss a step or something, J! Oh, my God!" she could barely control her excitement. "Like when the dancers came out and we were all supposed to be completely in synch with each other…I mean, they were all in sneakers and club outfits and there I was in a white tube dress and high-heeled white boots."

"Nah, I was watching from the side. You were on point."

Camille took a deep breath, still smiling, "Thank you so much for that."

"For what?"

"For coming out there with me onstage and just picking up the pieces for me because you didn't have to do that."

"Hey," Justin shook his head, "I wouldn't have let you go out there by yourself. I don't know the circumstances of why Usher suddenly had to pull out at the last minute instead of performing with you but I would never let you down like that."

"I know you wouldn't." she looked over him wondering why in the hell she wasn't with this man.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" he drew her into his arms one more time. "Congratulations on winning all of those awards tonight, Camille. You swept like five categories."

"Can you believe it? Shit, there's still record of the year left but I know I didn't get that one so is it okay if we just get out of here now? I don't want to be caught up in traffic."

"You're not going to the after parties?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"Camille, you have to stay for the end of the show." Justin disagreed with her decision while peering back out onto the stage. "They're announcing the nominees and everything right now anyway so you're not going to be able to get out of here before anyone else."

"Sweet," she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. There was no reason to go back to her seat because by the time she got there everyone would be clearing out. As expected she smiled at the cameras that were backstage once her name was called along with the other nominees and then continued standing at Justin's side.

"And the winner of record of the year is…" Mary-Kate Olsen began to announce while standing at the podium along with her twin sister, Ashley, "Disillusioned by Camille Henderson! This album was produced by Ice Berg, Cue, and Camille Henderson with assisted production by…"

Camille could barely breathe after hearing her name being called. She didn't know how she had gotten herself to walk but she was out there, once again, in front of the thousands of viewers. Her production team were already making their way up to the stage and, against his will, Justin had ended up standing at her side amongst her entire entourage.

"I should not be up here." he whispered to her as her album's producers took their turns to give their thanks on the microphone. He felt a bit overly conscious standing before their musical peers with her fingers intertwined with his.

"I'm sorry," Camille apologized. "You're my security blanket."

"Yeah, I guess." Justin chuckled, kissing her on the side of her head before really thinking things through.

"Oh, they're going to think you're dating me now!" she laughed before one of her producers gestured for her to approach the podium and have her say. Justin let her hand go and began to clap along with everyone else as she stood before the microphone.

"Wow, this night has been so wonderfully amazing! I don't even know what to say." Camille beamed. She didn't want to repeat herself because she had already been up there five times that night so she didn't know who else to thank. "Um, once again I'd like to thank God for all of his blessings and for allowing me to share my thoughts with the world, my mom and dad for always believing in me and supporting me, all of the people that bought my album or downloaded my songs online…I'm not against it." she laughed.

"I'd like to thank all of my producers that are standing up here with me right now for believing in my dream and helping me to make it into a reality. Thanks to my road dogs, Nelly and Nastassia, and Justin especially because you are always there for me when I need you," she turned back to face him, "and you did me proud shaking that ass up here tonight but anyway," she turned back to the audience after he had winked at her, "thank you all for making this the best night of my life. Goodnight!"

Holding her sixth Grammy award of the night in her hand Camille made her way off stage with Justin at her side and her producers following suit. She knew that she had embarrassed him but she didn't care. She was just excited that all of her dreams had come true and that he had been there to share them with her.

"Chamomile, hold on a second." he stopped her, pulling her off to the side as everyone backstage began chatting or departing the premises.

"What's up?" she held her award up to him proudly before taking it into both hands and holding it in front of her stomach. "I'm all ears."

"There's something that I've been meaning to ask you."

"What's that?"

"All right. I don't know how to say this without it coming off really weird but," Justin took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "You want to go out with me sometime next week?"

Camille couldn't hide the giddy smile forming on her face. "Like on a date?"

"Cam…yes, like on a date." he rolled his eyes at her immaturity. She was sure as hell not going to make things easy on him even if they were closer than anyone else.

"Really?"

"Okay, forget I ever asked."

"No, no! I'm just playing." she touched his arm lightly to calm his nerves. "I'd love to go out with you on a date."

Justin licked his bottom lip, "I'd love to take you out on a date."

Camille couldn't help but to egg him on though she was seriously accepting his invitation. "I love being your best friend and all but I can't pretend that I don't want to know what has all of these other girls out here so crazy about you."

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Maybe it's the same thing that makes me so crazy about you."

Dare to find out?