The next morning I was awaken my the smell of breakfast. Like actual breakfast. Not that gruel shit we had to eat at the orphanage. I opened my eyes and realized that last night wasn't a dream. I really was sent to stay at Prince's house overnight. Since we got off to somewhat of a shitty start on the way here yesterday I better go and redeem myself. Amazing how all I had to do was steal a guitar to get away for a night. As I sat up in the bed there was a knock at the door.

  "Carlyn? Are you dressed?" I heard a deep voice call from the other side.

I was never the type to go to bed without clothes on. It felt weird. I for damn sure wouldn't do it here. This guy might have a motive. The knock followed by the voice called again.

  "Carlyn? You awake in there?"

I put my braids up in a ponytail and answered.

  "Yeah I'm awake! Come in!"

The door came open and Prince stuck his head in.

  "Well good morning little lady? Sleep well?"

I gave him a small smile.

  "Yes I did. Thank you for asking." I said to him in the most proper tone I could give.

He laughed as he came all the way in the room and stood at the tall dresser.

  "Don't try to put up the good girl front now. I met the real you already."

I raised an eyebrow at him and smirked.

  "Dude you only think you met the real me. I'm full of personalities."

  "So am I." He shot back.

This guy was a damn puzzle that I couldn't put together. He was dressed as if he was going to a business meeting. He had on a red suit with matching pants and heels and a black fedora with a red feather. I looked at his hands and he had on a huge white gold pinky ring with a black stone in it. The sight of him made me want to ask.

  "What's with the suit? Going to a party?"

  "Not quite. I have a tv interview in a few hours. You should come!"

  "Me? Come with you?" I giggled.

  "Well sure. I figure you don't know much about me. Or good music. It will be a learning experience you can use for later."

  "What do you mean for later dude?"

  "Oh! So you....don't remember the real reason why you're here?"

I suddenly remembered and when I did he saw it on my face a smiled.

  "Yeah you know now dontcha?"

I stood up from the bed and walked over to him.

  "I don't know the first thing about playing music by myself."

  "Yeah you do."

  "No.....I don't."

  "If you didn't you wouldn't have come back to return my guitar. You would have just sold it."

  "I only gave it back because I didn't want to hurt Joey."

He paused for a moment.

  "The little guy I met last night right?"

  "Yeah that's him. He looks up to me and I hurt him by hurting you and it wasn't right."

  "I see you're not heartless after all."

  "Whatever. I'm going to breakfast."

  "You know where you goin'?"

Shit I forgot I'm new to all of this. I didn't wake up in Minneapolis. I woke up in Chanhassen. I turned away from the door and gestured him to lead the way. He shook his head and laughed at me.

  "You got a lot to learn sweetheart." He said.

I walked behind him and mocked him behind his back. We got to the kitchen and it was something out of a restaurant. This place was just full of surprises. As we cut through the kitchen we went to another huge room. It looked like a club of some kind. There was a stage up front and tables and pillows everywhere.

"Pick a spot and have a seat." Prince said.

I picked the table closest to the stage and sat down. Prince sat in the chair across from me.

"So! What's the breakfast menu consist of?"

"Whatever you want it too! I had the staff make everything."

"Bawlin like that huh?"

"Yeah I guess you can say that."

The staff had brought out a huge plate of pancakes and fruit salad. I was never so in love in all of my life with the plate that was placed before me.

"Thank you lord for the gifts I just received!" I said in excitement.

I scarfed down my breakfast as fast as I could. Prince watched but I really didn't care. The food was just that good.

"Do you eat often over there where you are?" He asked.

I tried to talk but I had so much food in my mouth that I had to chew and swallow it before it all flew out on him.

"I do but I don't wanna eat that sh- stuff."

Nice save Carlyn! You just save yourself a quarter!

"Well geez is it that bad?"

"Yeah it's that bad. That's how I met my friend Erin. The girl I was talking to at The Avenue."

"You do know Erinalia don't you? She told me about you. You like guitar playing. That's why you come there."

Oh no. The lie is coming to bite me in the ass. Again with the honesty bullshit. The lord is testing me.

"That's not exactly how I met her."

"It's not? Then how exactly did you meet?"

I took a deep breath and told him everything. He was shocked to hear that I was digging in First Avenue's garbage for something good to eat. I just hope that I didn't cost Nali her job. He took off his fedora and sat it on the table in front of him.

"Please don't punish Nali because of me." I begged.

"Punish her? What for?"

"Because she was keeping me out of the trash and packing me extra food. She's was just being nice."

"I know she was. I've been where you are."

"Stop bull- messin' with me!"

Nice save again! $.50 banked!

"I'm not messin' with you I've been on the streets before. I've been broke and homeless when I was a kid. I was put out at 12."

"At least you were older. My mom dumped me at a playground at 5."

"You remember your mother?"

"Barely. I don't know why but she said we were going to go out and play and when I came down the slide she was gone. Haven't seen her since."

Prince looked sad. His eyes scanned my face for emotion but I didn't have any for myself or for my mother. I changed the topic from me to him quickly.

"What about you? I'm sure your parents love you now that you're rich and all."

With a sad sigh and a deep voice he responded.

"My parents have passed."

I felt bad for even bringing it up.

"Wow.....sorry dude."

"It's ok. We weren't on good terms sometimes but I loved them. Just wished sometimes they did me that's all."

"Well at least you had parents."

"Not really. I had a father sometimes. I barely had a mother when I got a certain age. Which is why I play music a lot. That's my family."

"Guess we have something in common then."

I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"So! How about that interview Hun? Still want me to crash it?"

His smile got bigger and he stood up from the table.

"Sure! You know I like you now that you're not swearing so much." He said.

"Eh I tend to grow on people." I giggled.

That was the start of our relationship. Now for the REAL story.