✧

"—Are you stupid!"

I rub my temples softly before letting my hands cover my eyes that remain dark and tired. Sleep didn't seem to come to me as well last night, which was unfortunate considering I have work today.

   But Darren's many calls last night — some drunk, some sober made me stay up worrying. Questions raced through my mind; Where was he the whole time? Why couldn't he find me? Was he with another girl the entire time?

     Eventually once my alarm clock had reached 4:00 in the morning, I realized I was overthinking and that I needed to push all of it away and go to bed. I had only gotten two hours before I was awoken my alarm clock and forced to get out of bed.

    Brenda decided a hot cup of coffee and brief conversation was necessary in order to wake me up, until the conversation headed in a direction I hadn't wanted it to.

     "How am I stupid for not wanting to be apart of that?" I ask in irritation because the whole deal wasn't intriguing to me, Prince or no Prince I would've said no.

      Brenda gawked, "It's Prince! He makes people look at others from who is that to I need to get their album." I sneak my lips into my mouth before sighing and taking a sip of coffee.

      "I'm not even that good and from what I hear he won't tolerate decent he wants people who are devoted and have talent. I have neither."

"Girl, hush." Brenda exclaims. "You can sing whether you want to admit it or not." I give a weak smile but continue to block out her words.

"I don't know. I came here to finish school not be apart of . . . that." I say and give a brief gentle laugh to relieve the tension running in the room. "Even if wanted to I couldn't. I threw out the number." I wait for an incredulous outburst but only get silence and a disappointed expression from Brenda's end.

Deciding that the conversation was finished, I emptied my coffee cup and bided a goodbye to which Brenda had not responded to. While on the walk to work, my phone began to buzz against the side of my jeans causing me to slide the device out of my pocket and answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey Denise, baby it's me." I rolled my eyes and tried to hold my temper as Darren's voice flowed through the phone. I was still pissed at what had happened the night before and how he said pretty hurtful things over the phone once I had gotten home.

    His words were that I was overreacting and that there were so many people there's no chance I would've been able to find you. It was all excuses to me and if he knew that he most likely wouldn't have seen me throughout the night why would he invite me?

       I didn't know anyone on a personal or social level in that room so the fact that Darren would put me in that predicament left me extremely heated. Even thinking about it caused me to drift off from the conversation until he called my name again.

       "What do you want? Your not drunk are you?" I cautiously questioned, pulling a dollar out of my pocket for the homeless man who vigorously shook a paper cup in my face. "No. I'm completely sober." He answers truthfully.

     I scoff through my nose before weakly smiling at the man and continuing on my way, "From the incoherent voicemails you left I can tell you had a fun night." He sighed over the phone but it didn't cause my demeanor to weaken.

     "Denise. ."

     I interrupt quickly, "No, um actually Darren just forget about it. If you called to apologize then get it over with, because I know your not sorry. You had fun and you don't regret it. I don't expect you too, actually." When the last words left my lips I finally saw Italiano's in my vision. Carefully, I crossed the street and headed in that direction.

      "Actually I was calling for something else." Darren reveals slowly. I am slightly surprised but answer nonetheless.

        "A-About what?"

      "Well." He sighs, "Are you aware that Prince wants to work with you." I nearly halt my actions of walking until a lady behind me runs into the back of me abruptly. She mumbles frustratedly past me but I don't bother to apologize.

     I shake my head, "Why won't he leave it alone — I said no, twice." At this point I could confidently state that Prince didn't take no for an answer, in different circumstance I would admire that. But when it involved me, it was frustrating.

     "I think it would be great Denise. Seriously you have to be around this guy he—"

     "Trust me Darren I've met him and he's constantly stressing that I need to work with him. Unfortunately he doesn't understanding someone denying his request." I respond before he can fully get his sentence out.

    Was it such a crime that I just didn't want to have albums or a bunch of random strangers screaming my name or my name in the papers? My life was standard, nothing extraordinary and damn shoot me if I wanted it to stay that way.

"Just think about it, I'll send you his number and if you want to call him — great. If you don't, that's fine too." He coaxed softly causing me to suck my teeth and sigh.

"Fine, send it to me later. I have to go." Without waiting for a response I hung up the phone and walked into Italiano's prepared to start the day.

✧

     Weirdly, my palms had begun to sweat once I saw the message Darren sent that held Prince's number. I thought I could just delete it and it would go away, but I'm sure eventually I would've regretted it.

    If Prince saw something in me already and hadn't even heard me sing or dance, I was sure that it was a high possibility he would be impressed with what I had to offer. I had to take a chance, but whether I wanted to go through with it or not left me at a cross roads.

   Eventually, I waited until I was comforted in the confinement of my room after work to enter his number into my phone. The ringing sound pulsed through my ears and my heart began to pick up speed yet I remained calm.

    I anxiously waited while the phone continued to ring and went to speak when the sound halted but a voice interrupted me.

"If you would like to leave a voicemail, please press on—"

I pressed the end button on my phone and tossed the device away from me. Now I knew I couldn't say I didn't try. I called, he didn't answer but it's not like I expected him to anyway. He was Prince, a man who's life in the papers mainly consisted of sex, parties and more sex.

    It surprised me at first when I had read it, since I had considered the fact he possibly could've been attracted to the other sex. However those thoughts vanished from the way he had looked at me last night, haunting eyes locked on my lips while he filled my personal space.

He was definitely attracted to women. At lease, I hoped he was. I shook those thoughts away and settled on calling it a night early. So with that, I slid out of my clothes and under the covers before turning out the lights.

   However unfortunately for me, my slumber was interrupted from a loud ringing emerging against my bed.

    I groaned then took a short glance at the clock; 3:00 am it read. I grumbled under my breath at the fact someone was calling me at hours like this at night.

    If it was Darren calling again while drunk, I definitely would have to tear him a new one. To disperse of my suspicions, I picked up the phone heatedly.

      "What!"

      "Someone's a little tired."

     It seemed that after every single world that left his mouth, I immediately have a reaction to freeze into my place. However, it was currently three O'clock in the morning so I no longer had the patience.

      "Who is this?" I demand, even though I'm sure of the culprit that awoke me out my slumber.

     I can feel him grinning over the phone, "I'm sure I don't need to answer that."

     "Who do you think you are calling me at this time of night!" I irritably hiss and lift myself up from under the covers.

     "You called me first." He accuses, confused.

     I scoff while glancing at the clock, "That was eight hours ago."

     "Guess I'm a little late at returning your call then." He responds smugly. I nearly want to reach through the phone and slap him, but since it is inhumanly impossible I settle on managing to control my temper.

   "Are you insane?"

   "Maybe, a little." Prince answers without a beat. "Look what did you call me for?"

    I raise a brow, "You called me."

    "We're not doing this again. You called me earlier." He reminds me causing my mind to trace back off to his preposition.

"Yeah. I'm considering taking you up on that offer of yours." I say, hitting my lip. The line is quiet for a few seconds leaving me to believe that he might've hung up. It's silent for a few more seconds until his voice comes back through the phone.

"You busy tomorrow?"

I am taken back at the change, "No, I'm off on Saturday's."

"Alright well there's this restaurant called Ivy's, you should come over tomorrow and keep me company over dinner." He smoothly offers, causing me to bite my lip and run my fingers through my hair briefly. Dinner — with Prince?

I shake my head, "I can't, I have a boyfriend."

"Girl I'm not tellin' you to drop your pants. Just come have dinner with me — strictly professional." I release a quick breath before licking my lips.

   Judging on Prince's suggestive tone I could only guess that what he has planned is strictly unprofessional. "If it makes you feel more comfortable you can bring a friend."

I weakly smile at the image of Brenda's face if I told her that we would be having dinner with Prince. Most likely she would be ready to leave before the day even started.

     "Fine. But bring a friend for her." I say, hearing him sigh heavily.

     He answers, "Alright, it's a double date I guess."

     "Business." I correct him without hesitation.

     "Right. Whatever you say." He dismisses. "Be there at seven." I nod my head even though he doesn't see me and the one goes back to a dead silence.

      Finally he speaks, "Goodnight." I find myself holding the phone tightly to my ear but quickly loosen my grasp and allow the gentle smile to disappear from my lips.

      "Night." I hang up the phone soon after, yet stare at the phone in a trance for three minutes.

    I knew that getting involved with the life of rich and famous possibly wasn't going to be in my cards but I had no other choice but to take a leap of faith. It was only through hope and luck that I wouldn't land into a pond of disappointment instead.