Fireworks 1 and 2

Jungle: Chapter Twelve

    Dinner was tense. Drake tried to start up conversation, but Mia was good at politely shutting him down with one word or noncommittal responses. After awhile, he stopped trying and they lapsed into silence. They avoided looking each other in the eyes, both wishing that the earlier interview hadn't even happened. Because they were just fine before this.

    Once dinner was finished, Drake called for the car, helped her out of her seat, and escorted her out of the restaurant. The paparazzi were still there, yelling and clamoring for photos. Mia waved at them with her dazzling, picture perfect smile. He hated that she felt the need to wear a fake smile. If she was pissed off at him, he would rather her be real.

    She was new to this industry. When you were new, you felt the need to make sure you were smiling when the camera flashes went off. Over time, once you reached a certain level, you ceased to care. Why? Because even if you tried your best to make sure you were smiling in every photo, paps always found a way to get unflattering photos where you aren't smiling. Once you realized that, you cease to care altogether.

    He kept a guiding hand at her lower back as she climbed into the car, trying to ignore the fact that her dress clung to her body in the best way. Trying to figure out a way for her to understand that he hadn't meant to be shady. Hiding the Vanessa encounter from her was in no way because he wanted to keep the scheming, manipulative witch as an option. She would never be an option; she should have never been an option. Vanessa was only a way to pass the time, he thought to himself as he seated himself beside Mia. She was a way for me to distract myself from thinking about Mia when her and I were in that rough spot before she came out to Calabasas. I was never seriously interested in Vanessa. It was strictly sexual. Not that speaking those words to Mia would make him sound like any less of a scumbag than her current perception of him.

    It was tough for him to sit beside her without talking to her or touching her. Over the year they'd been together, interaction between them had always been natural. They were always talking or joking, or touching, or singing to each other, or finding some other way to show each other affection. And now... now, there was a Grand Canyon-sized gap between them despite the fact that they only sat half a foot apart.

    The driver put on music, tuned into a satellite radio station that played hip hop and R&B. Jhene Aiko was currently singing lyrics that compared her booty to groceries. Usually, that line made him smile. Currently, all he could think about was the fact that if he wasn't careful, he could lose the woman who'd become very important to him... a woman that he couldn't imagine having to live without.

    "I should have told you about the Vanessa thing," he told her, no longer able to tolerate the silent treatment.

    She turned her head and looked at him.

    "But you don't have anything to worry about with me going on tour," he said, emotion laced throughout his voice. "You're the woman I'm with. You're the woman that I want. You're all that I want. I just...I didn't want to bother you or worry you about Vanessa. And whenever I think of Vanessa now, I think about Trevor and what he did to you. I curved her. I just wanted to leave her in the past. Because to me, that's exactly where she is."

    Mia lowered her gaze.

    "I would never hurt you," he added. "Ever. You know that. I've told you that. We're stronger than this. Aren't we?"

    Her hesitation spoke volumes.

    Worry set in and his brows drew together.

    She sighed and lowered her eyes. "Yeah. Yeah, we are."

    "Are you sure?" he asked her. She didn't sound convinced, which was making him feel doubtful. The last thing he wanted was to leave out on tour without them being in a good place. Something like that would weigh on his mind. It would affect his performances. He also didn't want her sitting at home stressing out while he was gone.

    Taking a deep breath, she nodded her head again. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure."

    He slid an arm across her shoulders and leaned in close to her. "I really don't like it when you're mad at me."

    "Then don't do anything that would make me mad," she muttered. Still pouting that cute little pout of hers.

    "Also..."

    She arched an eyebrow at him.

    "I understand why you felt the need to smile for the cameras tonight," he said. "But in general, if you're mad at me, you don't have to walk around smiling all the time just for the sake of the cameras. If you're pissed off at me or in general, just...be you. Once you start playing up to the press and the cameras, it's a tough habit to break. And I just want you to be you. Be real. Okay?"

    "Okay," she said softly, looking like she was truly weighing his words.

    He kissed her on the temple, feeling a huge sense of relief.

    The driver pulled the car into the back lot of the Staples Center. Drake withdrew one of his phones from his pocket, selected a phone number from his recent call log, and lifted his phone to his ear. "Yeah. It's Aubrey. I'm in the back lot. There should be passes waiting for my guests and me, and someone to escort us to the locker room area."

    He got out of the car and helped Mia out, with the phone cradled between his ear and his shoulder. His driver started to describe where he was going to park, but Drake covered the receiver on the phone with a hand and told the driver, "You can park the car, but you're coming in with us to watch the game. We'll wait for you by the door."

    The driver, a tall, well-built man with dark brown skin and long dreadlocks, smiled. "Sure, thanks man."

    Drake ended the call with the Staples Center representative and repocketed his phone.

    Mia stepped up onto the walkway leading to the back entrance, but stopped and turned. She looked back at him. The gentle Los Angeles breeze blew her hair across her face.

    He was smart enough to know that she hadn't completely forgiven him yet. A situation where information was withheld from a significant other had the potential to create a rift, a divide between two people. There was the possibility that a seed of doubt was planted. Once a seed of doubt was planted, it often led to a complete lack of trust. Without trust, any relationship was doomed. She hasn't forgiven me yet, he thought. But it's a first step.

    She gave him a small, faltering smile. His baby girl, trying to give the appearance that she was no longer worried about what would happen when he left for tour. Knowing her, she was giving him that smile for his sake and not for the sake of her own pride. She knew what this tour meant for him and his career and didn't want him to have to worry about her worrying.

    He smiled back to her, and his smile was unwavering.

    She extended her hand to him.

    He accepted it and stepped up onto the walkway with her. Then he slid his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. Together, they walked towards the entrance door to the stadium. She hasn't forgiven me yet, but I'll do everything in my power to make sure that she trusts in me by the time I have to fly out. Because at this point, I can't lose her. If it came down to it...if I had to, I would be willing to postpone the tour so I could make things right with her. She is that important to me.