Tonight was fun to say the least, especially since this is the first time in a long ass time that Rosie and I were not ripping each others throats out and hung out. Watching Rosie dance along to the music during our rehearsal was cool; it made it feel like we were actually making good music for once. Also, it was nice to see someone vibe with a beat that I made for another artist without knowing it was my beat. As much shit as Rosie gives me, I sometimes think she really likes my company. I always enjoy hers.
“So, was that some unreleased stuff you guys practiced?” Rosie started off the conversation as we walked down the street. We left Tanner and Dani’s place once we started getting complaints from their neighbors, but it was also getting late and I didn’t want Rosie going home by herself in the dark. She’s wearing a whole ass ballgown for fuck’s sake.
“Yeah,” I said, looking around the neighborhood. “Dani and Tanner are the true artists; I just produce their beats and shit.”
“Yeah? How did you start doing that for artists?” Rosie asked. She was intrigued in the conversation which made me feel good.
“In high school, I was the musician for all of the vocal performances,” I explained, reminiscing about those days. “My last year of high school was also my dad’s last year teaching the vocal program there. After awhile, I just started to get those vocal majors asking me to produce beats for their senior projects and shit like that.”
“Damn, was your high-school, like, pretentious and serious like that?”
“It’s one of the top schools for performing arts in the city,” I emphasized. “Many of them go on to do big things, like dance productions, Broadway shows; someone actually got signed to a record label when I was a freshman in high school! These people are no joke.”
“Do you want to be behind the scenes of making the hits, or do you ever want to release the solo stuff you do? Like, the song you did for the ‘Welcome Back’ showcase was really good.”
“Oh really?” I asked, remembering that night. “From what I remember, you walked out in the middle of that performance.”
“Do you want the compliment or not?” Rosie rolled her eyes as she said. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“To answer your question; I prefer being in the back,” I explained. “There’s something so fascinating about the process of creating something for the intention of another artist. Dani and Tanner were the first to get samples from me on a more business level.”
“Have they always been a duo? Like, musically?” I nodded my head, answering Rosie’s questions.
“They started dating because of some assignment they had to do together in high school,” I explained. “Tanner had asked me to work with him at the time, but… well, my girlfriend at the time was the person I chose to work with.” I remember that time of my life like it was yesterday. I didn’t know much about Kalia’s life outside of school at this point, but I was still very attracted to her. Plus, her ability to the drums was very sexy.
“Ah,” Rosie reacted. “Teenage, puppy love; gotta love it.” I looked at Rosie; thankfully she didn’t know who I was talking about.
“Love just sucks now,” I added, rolling my eyes thinking about what my love life consisted of now.
“Tell me about it,” Rosie also added, kicking some of the garbage on the ground toward the street. “It’s like that shit doesn’t exist anymore.” I looked at Rosie as she spoke. Was she talking in general or by experience?
“It’s out there,” I began to say. “We’re just not looking in the right places for it.”
“You don’t look for love in places though,” Rosie corrected me. “It’s supposed to come spontaneous, when you least expect it; when you’re not looking for it.” I thought about Rosie’s words, but didn’t want to add salt to the wound. I know this applies to more than just romantic love at this point. I know she’s probably looked for love he entire life; I witness her doing so with Prescott all the fucking time. But if she knows this much about obtaining love, why does she still look for it? Is that her way of getting love if she forces it upon herself?
We finally get to Rosie’s apartment building; normally, the sidewalk is empty this time of night as the vendors are all gone by this time. I was shocked to see a car parked out front; it wasn’t a vendor though. It was the love that Rosie was talking about.
I turned around to see Rosie’s face, in which she immediately turns pale. She’s looking at him coming out of his fancy car, looking pissed off.
“Prescott?” Rosie finally says. Prescott slams the door of his fancy car shut, walking up towards her.
“Where the fuck were you?” Prescott spat out. “You’re just going to embarrass me in front of all those important people?”
“You say that all the time,” Rosie pointed out. “I got bored, so I just went out for a bit. I lost track of time-“
“When are you ever going to get it though your stupid head of yours that every time you decide to rebel or do some stupid shit, you make me look bad. Like for fuck’s sake, are you capable of being a decent, classy person? Or is that asking for too much?” My face was starting to get super hot from the immediate anger I was feeling. I wanted Rosie to deal with this on her own and stand up for herself. Instead, she’s shutting down. She’s crawling back int her shell to just allow him to treat her this way.
“Can you at least talk to her like she’s a fucking human, dude?” I finally said, not caring whether or not Rosie liked it or not. “You expect her to be a classy woman but can’t even talk to her like a decent man.”
“Don’t you have a girlfriend you should be checking on? I heard some questionable things about her time on set in that little movie of hers,” Prescott looked at me and said. “Stay out of my business and worry about yours.”
“Don’t you have a girlfriend you should be checking on?” I spat back, walking towards Prescott. “Or that girl at the party a couple of weeks ago was just your cover-up since you can’t keep a girl in your life without paying her money.”
“Micah!” Rosie finally said, walking up towards me. I don’t listen to her though; this guy needed someone to finally say it to him.
“These girls don’t owe you shit just because you pay for pussy, asshole.” I looked directly into Prescott’s eyes, showing him how a real man looks like. At this moment, I didn’t care what Rosie had to say or if I crossed a line. It was about time Rosie saw who this asshole was.
“Is that what you think I do?” Prescott laughed as he said. “Rosie; baby, you gotta start telling people the entire story… you’re not as innocent as you’re pretending to be.” Prescott then looked at me, walking up to my face, not scared of me or my confessions. “Surely you’ll stop trying to save a girl that don’t want to be saved.” Prescott walks away from me before calling out for Rosie, I look at her, hoping she doesn’t follow him.
“Rosie, don’t.”
I look at Rosie, clearly conflicted in what she should do versus what she needed to do. She was much better than this; time ad time again she has shown me that she was much more worthy and demanded it whenever he wasn’t around. She knows just how much of a shitbag he was, and I’m here to protect her. Why was she making it so hard for herself?
Rosie looks away, following Prescott back to his car. She doesn’t look back. I don’t either.
Letters From Liz. 