✴️

|Monday, December 18th, 1986|
|Saint Paul, Minnesota|
|Cray Plaza|
|8:00 pm |

Michael

I was currently in downtown Minnesota, in a meeting with a filming crew that had agreed to join in helping me create all of my short films for the BAD album. So far, since not all the songs were finished, we had to only pick and choose the songs that were done to make films out of.

We were sold on Smooth Criminal, Speed Demon, maybe Liberian Girl, I wasn't sure on that one yet. I also wanted BAD to be on the list, but ever since Prince turned it down, I don't think I wanted to do it anymore. It wouldn't be as good as I pictured in my head. If he had just listened to the song first and heard me out, then I probably wouldn't be as upset. The fact that he didn't give it a chance was my problem. I cursed to myself, "Fucking Idiot."

A young gentleman that looked like he was in his early 20s, looked up at me from the information he was writing down on his notebook, "Is there something wrong, Mr. Jackson?"

Thank god I'm black, if I wasn't, you would of seen my face turn a bright red from embarrassment. I quickly covered my mouth, wanting to slap myself across the forehead.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized sincerely. "Nothing at all, I'm sorry."

He nodded, completing forgetting that I just cursed out loud and continued to write his notebook.

Well, that wasn't awkward at all. At the meeting, everyone including me and Bill, were sitting at a large table. Some people were engaged into their own conversations while I was engaged into my own thoughts. I was letting this work me up too much, I know he's an asshole, but I dealt with assholes everyday, I shouldn't be shocked.

Two seconds later, I heard the door open making a loud squeaking nose from someone coming in. I look up from the table to see who it is, my heart instantly drops to the floor and my blood starts to boil.

"Sorry. I'm fashionably late," Prince said, popping his collar to his black leather jacket, behind him was a very tall, huge, white man who had a white long beard. He actually would pass as Santa Claus if he wasn't standing behind this fool he calls his boss. I'd know I would hate working for him, he probably makes his staff's life a living hell. Besides, I'm still trying to figure out what he's doing here. This was beyond inappropriate. 

The men at the table were sitting there in shock, some were looking at each other in a  confused way and whispering. Jesus, he really had the nerve to do this in front of all these people.

"Fancy seeing you here, Michael," Prince stupidly said in a fake manner. I have no idea how he knew that I was here. I looked around at everyone in the room staring at me, my heart began to beat fast and I smiled nervously. This was so humiliating. He knew what the hell he was doing.

"Prince," I chuckled, wanting throw every curse word in the book at him, but played along.

"What are you doing here?" I said with my teeth clenched the whole time, signaling him to leave. Prince walked further into to the room, and I realized that he was holding a cassette player in his hand. His body guard walked in behind him, and sat down on a black chair in the corner.

"To surprise you, of course," He said very in a perky voice. I tightened my fists, fighting back the urge to cause a scene.

"So I thought about what you said," He says, setting the cassette player onto the table. "And I changed my mind about the song."

My eyes pierced through his soul intensely, still once again, trying to calm down. That was a load of BS, he didn't change his mind. He just wants to pull this in front of everyone else just to make me look bad.

"But I made some changes to it, if you didn't mind," Prince smiled innocently, taking the tape out of his pocket and sliding into the cassette player. My eyes widened, and my heart started to beat even faster. He did what? Oh hell no. I knew this wasn't going to be good. I had to stop him.

"Prince-" I said, but he cut me off and pressed play. The intro of my song was playing as usual, and I furrowed my eyebrows. I looked around the room to see people staring between Prince and I. They were just as mortified as I was, especially for what the words were going to say on the cassette.

"Latoya's mine.." The music began, flaring out of the cassette player. My mouth dropped wide open, in complete shock, feeling horrible.

My heart felt like it was going to explode since it was beating so fast. First, he starts off my song with Latoya's mine, which is suppose to be, your butt is mine. Then right after that, he continues to make sexual remarks about my sister and as the song continues to play, the more trashier it gets.

Words couldn't explain how foul this was. It was so awkward in the room, you could hear nothing but a pen drop, and the music playing. I looked around the room once more to look at everyone's facial expressions completely emotionless. No one knew what to say. Prince of course, was standing there with his arm rested on the cassette, bobbing his head to the song and smiling like an idiot. I took very deep breaths, and my foot started to tap very fast.

I wish I could take the cassette player and the tape to shove it up ass right about now.
Soon enough, finally, the song stops. Prince presses the stop button on the player and the room was still in silence.

"So, what do you think everyone?" Prince asks, questioning the whole room, not making eye contact with me.

Couldn't take it anymore, that's it. I slowly sit up from my chair clearing my throat, "Prince, do you mind stepping out in the hallway with me please?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw his bodyguard stand up, walking over to Prince's side. Prince turned around, shook his head and patted his shoulder, "It's alright, I got this."

Prince turned right back around, "Sure."

I fake smiled, then I pushed my chair out of the way and walked to the door with Prince following behind. I twisted the knob, stepping out in the hallway, closing the door behind us.

"Is this a joke to you, Prince?" I said, in a whisper tone but still shouting.

Prince stupidly put his hands up in defense, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't try to play all dumb with me, you know what you did!"

"So, what did I do? You're still not answering the question."

I squeeze the bridge of my nose, "First, you deny my song, which you didn't even get a chance to fully hear. Then, you suggest to play a stupid game of Ping Pong. I left your house, accepting that. Then, you have the nerve to come in my meeting, a very important one, and make a fool out of me, especially in front of all these white people!?Do you know how that makes us look, Prince?"

Prince had his arm crossed, thinking that me yelling at him was funny so he just laughed.

"It's not funny, Prince. The people in there was a filming crew, one of the best! I was having a discussion with them about my short films!"

"Wait." Prince put his hand up, stopping me, "You're gonna be in a movie?"

"What?" I said confusingly, "No, for my music videos!"

Prince chuckled, "Then why don't you just say music videos?"

I sighed, rubbing my face, "Listen Prince, bottom line, what you did just now was very unprofessional. Who do you think you are?"

Prince just stood there, with a closed smile, staring at me. I rolled my eyes, putting my hand on my hip.

"What?"

"Payback's a bitch, ain't it?"

Ah, hell. I already knew where this was headed. Quincy was a hundred percent right. Why didn't I just listen to him?

I sighed, "Prince, if this is about what happened at-"

"Damn right it is." He said in a deep tone, his voice was already naturally deep but I guess when he got angry it got even deeper.

"Prince, that was like two or three years ago! I feel like the only one who still cares about it is you! Why can't you just let it go?"

"Cause you humiliated me, Michael." Prince stepped towards me, "It's easy for you to say, you weren't the one who fell off the stage. That's the reason why you called me up, that was your plan all along."

Was he hearing himself right now? Why was he blaming this on me? None of that was my fault. If he was expecting some type of apology from me then he wasn't getting one.

I stepped towards him, slightly closing space between us, once again, towering over him and looking him straight in the eye, "Prince, how was I suppose to know that you were gonna loose your balance and fall off of the stage? That wasn't my fault! I told James to invite you on stage because I thought it would be fun to have you up there! I didn't plan to set you up to fail!"

This whole argument was stupid, completely stupid. While I had business to attend to in the room, I was out here, explaining myself to this nutjob. Which, I didn't have to explain myself at all.

"You can give me all the exuses in the world, Jackson." Prince says, "I still got my revenge. All of it."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

"You didn't think the film crew was actually gonna agree to work with you, did you?"

"You're wrong, they actually did, way before you got here." I crossed my arms, thinking that I had him beat.

"Michael, how do you think I knew you were here?" Prince asked, "They told me you were here."

"And why would they do that?"

"Because they work for me, what else?"

I was so mad that I felt like a vien was popping from my forehead, and I inhaled.  sharply. You've got to be kidding me.

"No they don't. I don't believe you."

"Yes they do. Come on man, you're in Minnesota. You expect to go to a business meeting for filming and execpt them not to be involved with me?"

"So what if they're involved with you? That doesn't mean they have to work with just one artist."

"Touche." Prince agrees, "But, since you're the other artist, I refuse to let that happen." He smirks, then looks at the door.

"Gentleman." He calls out, suddenly everyone from the meeting comes out of the room and into the hallway, including his bodyguard.

He looks back at me, "Sorry but" He pauses, sliding on his sunglasses, "They don't work for peasants."

"Let's go." Prince says, walking pass me with everyone following behind him.

He just stole my film crew.

Bill comes out of the room, looking speechless as ever. He looks at me, with his hands up in confusion.

"What just happened?" He asks

I officially had enough of Minnesota. I shook my head, not wanting to talk about it, "Let's just go home."

✴️