"He's gonna say 'how much it that dog in the window'. Then beep beep. Kick kick, clap. Kick kick, clap. You do that three time then what?" He tossed the red ball at me.

"Then into Automatic and we do the peophile down the street dance."

"Ye-NO!! What?!?"

"Oh come on that shit is weird. I'm not doing it. I'll two step it around Prince, you can keep that."

"Fine!....Give me back my red ball." I rolled my eyes and threw the ball at his knee cap, it bounced off and rolled across the room. He looked at the ball then back to me.

"I ain't gettin' it." I scoffed.

"Sometimes your a child."

I smiled. "So they say."

He groaned and walked across the room to get the ball, he shot a scowl at me before he went back to take his seat. "Then what's after that?" He tossed the ball back.

"Automatic, the breakdown dance with all the air humping and a briefing of D.M.S.R."

"Then.."

"I run off stage as fast as I can."

"Good job!" he smiled, giving me little golf clap. "I taught you the show in less than two hours. Now if only Prince could do the same."

I rolled my eyes. "When hell freezes over."

I forced myself off the couch and walked over to the closet. I started to pull out my clothes so I could get dressed later on. I occasionally casted a few glances at Jerome was staring at the ceiling musing about God knows what. He was adorable sometimes.

"Ya' know Jasmyn I think it's really cool that you and Prince are still this close."

I squinted. "What do you mean still?"

"Ya'know he's with gonna be with someone else for the rest of his life and I think it's cool that y'all don't have any bad blood."

I knitted my brows and whipped around. "What do you mean rest of his life?"

His eyes widened and he dropped his head with a sigh. "Prince told me I had a big mouth."

"Jerome. What do you mean by rest of his life?"

He cupped his hand over his mouth. I clenched my jaw and flexed my finger trying to calm myself. "Jerome Benton if you don't start talkin'.." I gritted out.

"Look Jasmyn" He put his hands up to guard himself. I scooted the coffee table of the way with my foot and he started crawling over the couch, trying to get away. "I think this is something you should talk to Prince about."

"Jerome!!!" I jumped on top of the couch. He whimpered sliding towards the wall.

"I think you should ask Prince...but later on!!" He warned me. "It's the man's birthday, give him a break. You only turn 28 once."

"You better hope you make it to the front door if you don't tell me what the hell your talking about." I pointed at him sternly, murder in my eyes.

He looked past me and then refocused in on my eyes. "My names Bennett and I ain't in it." He bolted over the couch, he hooked his arm around me and slung me out the way, which sent me flying over the couch.

I pulled my self up,using the back of the couch for leverage. "JEROME BENTON!! BOY IF YOU DON'T COME BAC-!!"

The door slammed cutting me off. I threw my head back and groaned as loud as I could.

"Ain't that 'bout a bitch." I punched the back of the couch, releasing some of the building up irritation. I took deep breaths trying to calm myself. Me and Hannah took yoga together one time and we left 10 minutes into the class. As soon as we hit the door a wave of heat slapped the fuck out of both of us and it was at that moment we knew. That was for white folks, we stayed for the breathing and trying to connect with our higher whatever the fuck, then that we left that bullshit.

I ran my fingers through my bangs to pulls them out my face, which is hard for kinky curly hair, and looked around for a minute. My mind was racing a million miles a minute contemplating everything that had just taken place. Nevermind the fact that Jerome just threw me over a couch. That part is nothing. The fact that Jerome said Prince was gonna spend the rest of his life with someone else, has me tripping balls.

I ran to the bathroom to get tissue to blot the oncoming tears from my eyes. I don't know what the hell is going on and what Jerome meant. Well I have a clue and it's eating my heart alive. I know for a fact that Prince wouldn't do that. Prince wouldn't actually marry Susannah. He would never do that. Would he?

I mean he is married to his music. Wendy and Lisa are apart of his music. Susannah is attached to Wendy and she's attached to Lisa. So it's not crazy to think that. Prince told me that he would never get married because his father told him to never get married. He specifically told me this. Prince Rogers Nelson told me this. I don't even think Prince likes the idea of marriage. But thinking is one thing knowing it another.

I looked over at the clock and noticed that it was time for me to get dressed. I, at this point, honestly didn't wanna do this anymore. But I came here for a reason and I don't even know if that's what Jerome meant. I mean it's Jerome, he don't know nothing. It's times like this I missed the hell out of Hannah. She would give me some sort of encouraging speech.

I can see her now, rolling her neck and wagging her finger at me like she was my mother.

"Jasmyn stop cryin' and stop whinin' over some dude who didn't deserve you in the damn first place. Your better than this and your stronger than this. You need to handle your shit bitch. Pretty girl don't cry. Are ya' ugly?"

"No" I answered out loud, a little offended.

"Then shut the fuck up."

I smiled a little. I missed the hell out of her. Naomi and Gigi are my babes. Hannah is THE babe. Babe of my life.

I gave myself one final look in the mirror. "Ok." I exhaled and headed out to meet the driver.

___________________________

"Hey... hey... hey... hey." I was hip bumping with one of the stage hands to the music. I got here after the costumes change, thankfully.

Prince's music just makes you forget all your worries, everything you ever cared about and it's all about the party. I looked back at the stage and got the chance to see Prince groove his way from the piano, funk face in full effect to the middle of the floor. He busted into the dance solo of a life time.

Boy was feeling that funky music. I squealed right along with all the other girls in the crowd when he let one of his jacket sleeves down.

"Turnaround." I said along with Prince, and frowned my face up. The beat was infectious. I waited until Prince gave the next que and the band stopped so I ran out while the crowd was screaming. I ducked my head down so he wouldn't see me and I stepped to the mic.

"Uhm.." I giggled, when the lights came up. "Could everybody be quiet for just one second."

I looked over to see Prince, beaming but so shy at he same time. "Jerome." I beckoned and he grinned like a hyena as he brought Prince over. All Prince kept saying was 'no no no'.

"This is a um..a very special day." I interlocked my hand with his and he clenched it tightly. "And from the people that love you the most, we wanna sing happy birthday."

As the crowd started singing, I tried to pull away to let Prince have his moment but he wouldn't let my hand go. So I stood there with him, happily. It warmed my heart to see him so happy.

"Very ni-." I squealed when I hit Prince's chest. He picked me up and span me around, the crowd cheering behind us. This is everything I imagined for us. I had to be dreaming because it felt like it.

He set me down and placed the wettest kiss on my cheek before he strutted back to the mic.

"I could've stayed in Uptown and partied but I wanted to come here and party with y'all.....woof!"

I sort of blanked out onstage. I was so high off performance adrenaline that I barely remember anything, which is pretty common. I performed with Stevie Wonder one time at the Soul Train Awards. I blanked out onstage. I watched it when it came on TV the next day and nearly pissed myself.

I was running around the hotel room, screaming"I performed with Stevie Wonder!?! Are you serious!!!"

I ran off the stage and ran into Susannah. "Sorry girl." I apologized breathlessly.

She huffed and rolled her eyes.

I scrunched my face. "Well fuck you then bitch." I looked her up and down.

"How about you find yourself somethin' else to do then follow behind my man."

"How 'bout you find a note." I snapped.

She gasped. "You can't talk to me like that. I have the ring."

The words hit me like a truck. "You have the ring?" I repeated. She flashed a stunning gold band, round diamond that seemed to be approximately 2.2 karats, measuring about 8.3 milimeters, secured in a 6-prong setting. I don't know much about diamonds, i'm just saying.

I grabbed her hand to get a better look at the ring. She smiled smugly as I analyzed it, the tears starting to cloud my vision again.

"I have to go my fiancee, is waiting to sing with me." she flipped her hair and walked onstage leaving me to stand there feeling betrayed and stupid.