This was the first time I went to a girl’s house that didn’t result in us making out or fucking; yet alone with my DJ equipment in my bag. I don’t know what was the sudden change in Rosie’s liking to me, but I didn’t want to question it. Maybe she finally dumped that lower and is now seeing shit clearer. I know that wasn’t the case, and I didn’t want to put my hopes up for her in that situation anymore. Every time Rosie and I end up being in a good place, that asshole comes around and ruins everything.
I can’t lie, seeing Rosie walk away from me toward Prescott that night was the last straw. I went home feeling exhausted from the night I had. I was mentally exhausted from the constant thoughts of Rosie with Prescott. I couldn’t help but worry about her; what if he does something stupid tonight and I let that asshole just take her away? What if I’m responsible for whatever happens to Rosie since I was the last person she was seen with? I was glad to see Rosie come up to my table at the study lounge the other day simply for the reason that she was okay. But, I had to realize tat Rosie is an adult, and I can’t control her or influence the decisions she makes. I can only really be her friend, and although friends support each other’s stupid fucking decisions; I am not making it known anymore that her being with Prescott bothers me.
Again, who am I to her to even be influential?
I finally arrived at Rosie’s place; it doesn’t bring the greatest of memories being here. Rosie doesn’t live in the greatest side of the neighborhood, and quite frankly her apartment is just this big, open space of nothing. But, I understand her logic of wanting to live in her own place; she just wanted to live a normal life after living an uncommon one back home. I began to walk up the 10,000 steps toward her front door, instantly becoming out of breath when I reach the top. I knocked on Rosie’s door before she quickly answered it. She looked at me like I had 2 different heads on my body.
“Dude,” Rosie said, opening her door wide so that I can enter. “Did you marathon from your place to mine or some shit?”
“No,” I began to say, trying to catch my breath. “But try walking up your Great Wall of China steps with this heavy ass equipment.” I set my bag down on the ground.
“It’s good exercise,” Rosie added before closing her front door. I looked around her apartment as I started to take my equipment out of my bag. It looks a lot different than the first time I was in her; it actually is starting to look like an apartment of a college student. “You want something to drink? Alcohol is not an option.”
“You’re really against drinking, huh?” I asked, watching Rosie take out a water bottle from the fridge.
“Nothing good comes out of a person when they drink,” Rosie explained as she handed me the bottle. “You either say some dumb shit or puke up some dumb shit. I didn’t take you to be such the drinking type.”
“I’m not,” I corrected Rosie, plugging in the wires of the mixer. “I’m a social drinker.”
“Isn’t everyone under those standards?” she pointed out. I rolled my eyes at Rosie as she laughed.
“I think you just answered your own dumb question,” I teased, setting the laptop and Bluetooth speaker. Rosie crossed her arms as she stepped back, looking at the setup.
“You have to do this for every gig you do?” I nodded my head, opening the program up on my laptop. “That’s annoying.”
“That’s why thy tell you to get there an hour before the gig starts,” I explained. “It takes like an hour for everything to be set up.” I plugged in the LED lights, turning Rosie’s apartment to our very own nightclub setting. Rosie cocked her eyebrows at the lights began to circulate around the room.
“So, have you’ve been working on new music for yourself?” Rosie asked. “I know you’ve been busy making stuff for Dani and Tanner.”
“Actually,” I started to say, queueing up the next song. “I was working on this remix and was going to put it out sometime this week.” I began to play the remix from the speaker, bumping my head to the beat. I look up at Rosie, sitting with her legs crossed on top of her couch and also bumping her head. It made me feel good knowing that someone like Rosie, aka the type of person that solely only listens to a specific genre of music, was enjoying the mix I created.
“Dude, this song was legit my childhood,” Rosie mentioned as he danced along. “Doing all the dumb TikTok dances in elementary school.”
“Me too!” I excitingly said, bouncing my body to the bass of the song. Rosie started to really get into the mix, singing along to the lyrics with her cellphone acting as a pretend microphone. I got up from behind the mixer and began singing along with her. We both began to just dance around Rosie’s apartment; the LED lights flashing along the walls and the music blasting from the speaker. It felt like it was our private party; no one but us two just having a good time vibing out.
I enjoyed seeing this side of Rosie; the one where she’s happy and fun and lets loose. Her curly hair bounces with every jump she made. She would make a great hype girl, that’s for sure. In this moment, I was dancing along to my new song with my best friend. Rosie had been my best friend for awhile now, but I didn’t know if Rosie considered me to be her best friend. But, something tells me I am. I wonder just how many people have seen Rosie like this: carefree and energetic and happy. Even I haven’t seen her this happy in the couple of months I’ve known her. I’m glad she trusts me enough for her to be this vulnerable.
The song comes to an end, and Rosie eventually walks to the table to grab her water bottle and catch her breath. I do the same, waiting for her to say something.
“That was so fucking fun,” Rosie finally said, taking a sip of her water. “And that track is dope as fuck. Are your performing it at a gig or something?” She’s so fucking excited; it’s great.
“Nothing lined up yet, but for sure after seeing the reaction it got you,” I mentioned.
“You should throw a party,” Rosie suggested. “Like a party for all the 2010 babies, play music from our childhood and shit. I think it’ll be fun!” I took what Rosie suggested into consideration. Sure, I did gigs at other people’s parties, but it would be cool to throw one of my own.
“You know, that’s not a bad idea,” I said. “It’s actually a pretty good one. Have some performers do a segment and shit, and then just have all of us party all night.”
“Dude, you can even have the party here,” Rosie pointed out. I looked around her apartment once more. It wasn’t like her apartment wasn’t good; it was more so the entire layout of it.
“I wouldn’t want to intrude in your home, Roe,” I said, walking back to the mixer to find the next song to play. “I could fin some studio to do it in.”
“And spend more money than you need to?” Rosie questioned. “Come on.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said, playing the next song. “This song would definitely make an appearance at that party though.”
“Dude!” Rosie said, excited. “Yo, I haven’t heard this song in literal decades; how the fuck did you find this?”
“An artist never reveals its secrets,” I teased, turning the turntable to create noticeable scratching noises on the track. “But if you really wanted to know; my brain is just one huge repertoire of music.”
“Only a pretentious artist would give an answer like that,” Rosie said before nudging me in the shoulder. She laughed before she started to dance in the middle of her apartment. I like seeing Rosie like this, if I haven’t mentioned so already. I like this Rosie. I like Rosie like this.
Letters From Liz. 