Fireworks 1 and 2

Jungle: Chapter Twenty-Five

    "Were you going to tell me?" Mia asked Drake, setting her phone down.

    "Of course, yeah."

    She pursed her lips shut to keep herself from expressing her doubt.

    "I was."

    "Didn't we just get over another situation like this, with Vanessa? The deja vu is killing me here. Why was Rih there?"

    "She invited me out to dinner."

    Mia rolled her eyes. "Of course she did. And you told her no."

    "She wants to talk about us collaborating on a track."

    Mia didn't respond. She turned her head and crossed her arms over her chest.

    "I wanted to tell her no. Trust me. But when she and I work together... I don't know, magic happens."

    "Magic happens?" Mia repeated.

    "You know what I mean. You're making this way bigger than it is."

    "Considering what she told me at the VMAs, and her initial approach to us before our interview, do you think it's wise to even interact with her?" she questioned. "I don't like this. I don't."

    He stared at her for a long time, then shrugged. "All right, then I'll cancel."

    She shook her head. "Don't cancel on my account. If you want to meet with her, meet with her."

    "Not if you feel that intense about it." He picked up his phone.

    She continued staring towards the window to her hotel room as he slid his finger across his phone's screen. The jealous girlfriend side of her wanted to let him text Rihanna and cancel. Whether or not they made 'musical magic' together, Mia got nothing but bad vibes from her on both of the occasions she'd had the chance to speak to her. Ultimately, she wound up rolling her eyes and groaning. "Okay, wait."

    He moved out of frame for a few moments and when he returned, he was holding a hookah pipe. "Yeah?"

    She turned her eyes to his adorable face and said, "You can meet with her."

    "I don't have to. I'm at a level in my career where I don't actually need her or anyone else featured on an album for it to succeed. So...if you're going to have a problem with it, tell me. Tell me, and I'll cancel."

    But if I tell you that I will have a problem with it, I'm some overly jealous, clingy girlfriend who's holding you back. I refuse to be that girl. "I'm fine with it. I trust you."

    "Oh, you do?" A wry chuckle sounded from his lips before he took a puff on the hookah pipe. Several beats passed where he sat silently, eyes fixed on his screen to give the impression that he was maintaining eye contact with her. His eyes narrowed and he turned his head. "This isn't something I have to do, Mia. My and Robyn's combined fanbase make for great billboard chart response and career high moments, but those career moments aren't worth you agonizing over it. So, say the word, and I'll call her up to decline."

    "It's fine."

    "When women say the word 'fine...'"

    "Will you just..." She shook her head. "Can we talk about something else? Anything else? How was the rest of your day? You can leave the Rihanna part out. All the way out."

    He laughed, deep and throaty. "The day was good. I rehearsed, I got to see some of my extended family out here. Very busy, very crammed. The rehearsals went well. With each tour, I can tell my voice is improving."