SANTA MONICA, California -- This time the boy is not hers.

Monica, who famously sang "The Boy Is Mine" with Brandy in 1998, is eyeing the infidelity tale "Don't Gotta Go Home" as the third single from her album After the Storm.

"It talks about something that I have never actually experienced -- it's about a woman who's in a relationship with a married man," Monica said at the recent Vibe Awards. "She is the mistress, as you would say. And it just tries to tell the story from her point of view."

"Don't Gotta Go Home" features DMX, who alternates lines with Monica, rapping lyrics such as, "Baby, it's like I love my wife/ But we going through things and I ain't going home tonight." Later, Monica responds, "Baby, I can treat you better than she can/ It doesn't make sense to keep on loving and keep on trusting/ When in return all you get is nothing."

"X, of course, he delivers because he is quite an energy," Monica said. "We had a good time doing it because we have one of those types of relationships that makes it easy for us to work. We have an understanding for each other, so it came out really good."

Monica will ultimately let "the people" choose the follow-up to the Missy Elliott-produced "Knock Knock" (see [article id="1473460"]"'Knock Knock,' Who's There? Monica And Missy Elliott, Bringing The Heat"[/article]), but she thinks they too want to see a video for "Don't Gotta Go Home."

The singer is hoping to launch a tour in early 2004, and in the meantime has been working on another element of her career.

"I've been kind of sneaking around [Hollywood], taking some meetings and seeing what's going around," said Monica, who starred in MTV's "Love Song." "I am looking forward to doing another movie."

And if acting doesn't work out, there's another job she can perform in front of the camera: She recently hosted the American Music Awards pre-show with 'NSYNC's Lance Bass.

"I must admit I had a good time interviewing the artists because I feel like they feel more comfortable with me," she said. "They don't feel like they are being questioned, they just feel like they are talking and socializing, so it was cool."