Free Rumor Central by Reshonda Tate Billingsley Page B

She’d gotten Chenoa on board, and she had been surprised at how much money she’d earned and how fast. Chenoa had quickly recruited some more girls. I’d been stunned at how they’d been able to keep it under wraps. It wasn’t until Chenoa acted so stank in the hallway the other day, that it even dawned on me that this was exactly the type of story Tamara and Dexter wanted.I probably should’ve been nervous because I knew today’s show was about to take my beef with the former Miami Divas to a whole other level. But Maya Morgan was destined for stardom and if this was how I had to get it, then so be it.
    The makeup artist patted some of the shine off my nose, then gave me a reassuring look as if to say, You got this .
    I smiled. I knew I did, but I felt more nervous today than I had on the first show. Maybe because I knew that I was about to reach the point of no return. Naturally, the producers had been thrilled about the cheerleader story. The research team had dived in and in less than twenty-four hours had confirmed enough for us to run with. We weren’t like the real shows that had to confirm and validate everything. We just needed enough to keep us from getting sued. They were having a harder time confirming details about Ms. Matthews (yes, I had run straight to the producers and shared that story. And ?) so that story had to wait. Still, I had no doubt that they’d get enough. But for now, it was all about the cheerleaders.
    I wasn’t completely stupid though. Evian’s family was ruthless so I wasn’t going to tie her to the ring, but I was going to expose it and if she started tripping with me, I would quickly remind her that if anything, she needed to be thanking me for keeping her name out of it. I had just planned to pretend the station was on to the story anyway.
    I waited for the director to give me my cue to go live. And within minutes, he was counting me down.
    â€œAnd five, four, three, two, one . . .” The director waved for me to start.
    And start I did.
    â€œHey, hey, hey, what’s up? Welcome to Rumor Central , where we dish the dirt on the celebs you love,” I began. “You’ll want to make sure you don’t change that channel because have we got some dirt for you. It involves some Miami cheerleaders who are giving new meaning to the phrase ‘we’ve got spirit.’ They have spirit, yes they do. Just ask the clients of their private escort ring. That’s right, the ladies of one Miami cheerleading squad are known for their antics on the field, but it’s off the field that they are making their biggest moves.”
    I knew that it wouldn’t be difficult to figure out which school it was. We’d blurred the cheerleaders’ faces, but they still had on their maroon and white uniforms. I knew this story would make the school look bad, but Tamara wanted scandal and I had to deliver.
    â€œThis award-winning cheer squad is great at getting the fans riled up, but they’re even better at reining the men in,” I continued. The video cut to another picture of three cheerleaders wearing sexy little outfits.
    â€œThat’s right, rumor has it that these seventeen-year-olds are playing with the big girls.” I leaned in. “But we’re not ones to gossip, so you didn’t hear it from us. Stay with us. We’ll have all the scandalicious details after the break.”
    After the commercial, I continued spilling the dirt, tossed to another commercial break, then finished out the show.
    I’d barely taken my mic off when Dexter came racing on to the set. “That’s what I’m talking about! That’s what we need! Maya, that show was fiyah!”
    I laughed at his attempt at using slang.
    â€œOh, I guarantee you that this story will be in all the papers tomorrow and that’s just what we want,” he continued, his excitement overtaking him. “We just want to be able to