Fireworks 1 and 2

Jungle: Chapter Thirty-Four

    After exchanging kisses and touches in the dressing room, Drake showered and changed clothes again. He had to appear in the VIP area for meets and greets. The room was filled with excited fans. He spoke to them, took pictures with them, and autographed whatever items they had handy: CDs, t-shirts, etc. Some of them requested pictures with Mia.

    Once the meet and greets were over, he and his entire entourage headed over to Liv for the after party. He was exhausted, but remained energetic and kept the dancers in the club going. With a microphone in hand, he stood next to the DJ booth and sang a few songs. Then he spent the rest of his time with his arms around Mia, swaying side to side with her.

    Seeing her on the other side of his hotel room door had completely thrown him off. It had been a complete surprise, and somehow she'd gotten Tank on board - usually, Tank told him everything. The surprise was a pleasant one, and was sorely needed. In a perfect world, she would accompany him for the rest of the tour. But this world isn't perfect, he thought while dancing slowly with her. Far from it. She has her own career to think of, and she can't just turn her back on the opportunity to write with Nicki and Bey just because I want her around while I bounce from city to city.

    "Thank you for pushing me to perform with you," she told him, raising her voice over the music.

    "You had fun, huh?"

    "It's always fun, performing with you. And it was amazing, hearing the audience sing my lyrics back to me. I've never felt a rush quite like that."

    He knew the rush she was speaking of. For a split second, he regretted pressuring her to perform onstage with him. Feeling the surge of love from a crowd that size one time was never enough. She's going to catch the bug, if she hasn't already, and she'll want to become a music artist. Once that happens, we won't just be separated when I go on tour. Then she would start touring. I'd hardly ever see her.

    The slow song faded into one that was more upbeat. She pulled away from him and grabbed his hands, tugging on them and being playful.

    He tried to smile, but the thought of her becoming an artist and what it could do to their relationship scared him. I want to support her. I want to support whatever it is that she wants to do, but the less I see her, the worse it would be for our relationship. I don't know how to tell her that without seeming like a selfish jackass.

    She laughed. "Loosen up, will you? You're so stiff."

    He finally managed a smile and tried to focus on enjoying the moment instead of fearing any potential dangers that were ahead.

                                                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "I still can't believe they knew all of the words to the song."

    "They've had the album for close to half a year now," he pointed out. "They'd better know the words."

    "What did you think of my performance?"

    He reached up and angled an arm behind his head, staring up at the ceiling of his dark hotel room. "I thought you did an amazing job. Your voice was amazing. You looked more confident moving around the stage."

    She traced invisible lines into his abdomen while resting her head on his chest. "I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would."

    He closed his eyes and turned his head to the side.

    "Maybe...maybe I could do it. Maybe I could be a singer." Her voice carried a tone that said she was looking for his affirmation, his encouragement.

    His arm reflexively tightened around her, as if on some level his body sensed the impending distance that would separate her from him. He stared off into the dark, trying to think of how he should respond.

    "Aubrey?"

    He glanced at her out the corner of his eye. "Yeah?"

    "Do you think I should go for it?"

    "That's...that's not something I can answer for you. I told you that."

    She frowned up at him. "I just want your opinion. If you were me, would you do it?"

    He released the breath he'd been holding. "I mean...if it's something I really wanted, then yes. I would go for it."

    "I think I will," she said softly.

    "But..."

    Her brows drew together. "But?"

    "I just want to make sure you know that it's not something you have to do," he said, choosing his words carefully. "I have enough money to take care of both of us, if you just wanted to focus on writing. The songwriting deal you worked out with Oliver was also very generous, so...it's not like you're hurting financially."

    "It's not about the money," she told him. "It's more about freedom as an artist, and protecting my art. If I sing the words that I write, I can make sure that as few changes are made to the work as possible. I can convey the message that was meant to be conveyed."

    "Oh." His mind raced, trying to come up with some kind of argument as to why she shouldn't become an entertainer. All of the arguments he could think of sounded selfish and hollow.

    "Do you think..." She hesitated.

    "Go on," he encouraged.

    "Do you think our relationship would last? With two entertainers in it?" She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear. "If both of us are successful and both of us are touring, then it would mean we were seeing each other less."

    This was it. This was his chance to speak his mind, his chance to voice his concerns about her becoming a music artist. If there was any moment when he could speak up, now was it. But he was tongue-tied. He couldn't think of the words he wanted to say, and the moments dragged out to the point where his silence could be interpreted as doubt. He had to say something. "I think...I think that..."

    Her eyebrows rose. She was hanging onto every word, no matter how repeated.

    He sighed. "I think that our relationship could withstand anything," he said finally.

    She smiled and kissed him. "Me too...although, I could barely stand being away from you for a few days. We would work something out, though. I'm sure we can make it work."

    "Yeah," he muttered. "Your flight leaves out tomorrow?"

    He felt her nod.

    "What time?"

    "Early. Ten-thirty."

    "Ugh."

    "Yeah, but you don't have to worry about it. Tank and I can catch a cab. You can sleep in."

    He caressed her upper arm. "I should go with you."

    "No, it's fine."

    "At least have my driver take you instead of catching a cab. I'll text him in the morning."

    "Okay."

    "Hey."

    She was back to tracing patterns into his stomach again. "What?"

    "I love you."

    "I love you, too."

    He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her, hoping for the life of him that his words were correct. Hoping that their relationship actually could withstand anything.