50 Shades of Drake 1 and 2

Chapter Thirty-Eight

     Aubrey looked out of the window of the jet plane, lost in his own thoughts. Wondering what Destiny was doing this very minute. Wondering if they'd ever meet up again. It wouldn't be any time soon. He was on his way to Toronto to visit his family and friends. He straightened the cuffs of his suit jacket as he continued to look out of the window.

    He remembered a time when his private jets were filled with jokes and laughter and good vibes. Back when he was an entertainer, his crew would travel with him. Lifelong friends, who all now leaded their own lives. Married with children, homes filled with light, laughter, love, and happiness. They still checked on him and he still checked on them. They all supported him no matter what he chose to do. If he'd continued entertaining, they would have continued to go along for the ride. When he made the decision to stop entertaining, they were still willing to help with the artists he'd signed.

    "Did you need me to refill your drink?"

    He glanced up at the stewardess, then lowered his gaze to the empty shot glass on the table in front of him. He gave a slight shake of his head.

    "Is there...anything else I can help you with?" she asked, not budging from her spot in the aisle.

    She was tall, slender, blonde. No hips, no curves, but pretty in the face. Her shape, or lack thereof, in no way appealed to him. Her eagerness to maintain her status in the mile high club also did nothing to add to her appeal.

    "I'm good," he said. "Thank you."

    She attempted to mask her disappointment, gave a curt nod, and walked away.

    He adjusted the cuffs of his suit jacket.

    The jet touched its wheels to the ground close to its projected landing time. He gathered his carryon luggage and exited the jet once the pilot announced he was able. He hated airports. Airport environments were loud, chaotic, and disorienting. He walked briskly through the airport, and glanced at the watch on his wrist.

    Loud screams echoed throughout the airport and bright lights flashed.

    He brought a hand up to shield against the blinding, flashing lights that went off in his face.

    "Aubrey Graham! Aubrey Graham! You've singlehandedly caused mayhem in D.C. with your remarks in The Hilltop about the politicians that failed to help you get your music educational program off the ground. The politicians are responding to that criticism. Do you have anything to say?"

    "Why did you namedrop the politicians who wouldn't help with the project?" another journalist asked.

    "I have a lot to say, actually," Aubrey said, straightening his suit jacket. "Which camera should I look into?"

    "Mine!"

    "Ours!"

    A crowd started to gather around them. Aubrey smiled and chose one camera to look into.

~~~~~~

    "You're not getting tired of having these movie dates?" Chad asked, flipping through television channels.

    Destiny shook her head. She sat on his couch with her feet tucked beneath her rear end, eating ice cream out of the carton. "We can go out next time," she told him.

    As he flipped channels, there was the briefest glimpse of a familiar face.

    "Hold it," Destiny said, lifting her hand. "Flip back."

    Chad looked back at her with furrowed brows. "Okay." He turned back the channel.

    Aubrey's face filled the television screen. He looked to be standing in an airport.

    "So, we wanted to know why you decided to name the politicians in The Hilltop article," a journalist who was off-screen questioned, thrusting a microphone in Aubrey's face.

    "The answer to that is simple," Aubrey responded. "There were individuals who vowed to do all they could to get the program off the ground. Those individuals failed to keep their word. They should be held accountable for that."

    "Why did you conduct an interview with a college newspaper instead of the Post?" the journalist asked.

    "There are not many journalists who I trust to remain ethical in their writing," Aubrey said, and his eyes were focused off-camera, most likely at the journalist who was asking the questions. "I agreed to do the interview with Destiny Richards of The Hilltop for several reasons. I have a high respect for Howard University. I always have. I also have a high respect for Ms. Richards as a journalist. After meeting with her, I felt that she would write the article from an ethical, unbiased perspective."

    "What was your reaction once you read the article?" the journalist asked.

    "I thought the article was written very well," Aubrey said, and at this point he turned his eyes to the camera.

    Destiny's heart stopped beating in her chest.

    "I want to thank Destiny for agreeing to interview me. The interview went...very well." He smiled and held up his hands. "That is all I have the time for today. I do want to add that I will be moving forward with the program, on my own. I will report back to you all once it is a thriving success. Thank you."

    Ice creamed dripped from her spoon into her lap as she stared at the television screen.

    "Destiny," Chad said softly.

    She blinked over at him. "Yes?"

    He gestured to the spoon in her hand.

    She lowered her gaze to the spoon and cursed under her breath. Drops of melted ice cream were beginning to make a colorful pattern to her jeans. With a sheepish shrug, she set the spoon in the carton and the carton on the table, and worked at rubbing out the ice cream from her jeans. "Better my jeans than your couch," she muttered, still working at getting the ice cream stains out.

    "What he said just then...that the interview went very well," Chad said, rubbing his temple. "Are you sure nothing happened between you and him?"

    She shrugged her shoulders without looking up.

    "Destiny."

    "What?"

    "You can be honest with me."

    She looked up at him. "I thought the only reason you asked that night is because you wanted to know if I was single."

    "That was the reason," he said. "But now I'm asking because I want to know."

    She ran a hand through her hair. "Something happened between me and him," she said simply. "Are you happy? Does knowing that help you?"

    He sat back in the couch and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why couldn't you just tell me that?"

    "I didn't think it was any of your business," she said flatly. "And I don't make a habit of talking about past relationships or past...whatever that was."

    "What happened? Why didn't it work out?"

    "You don't need to know all of that, Chad," she told him. "But yes. Something happened. And it's over now, so it's a non-factor."

    "So you two are completely done?" he asked her. "He doesn't text you or call you anymore?"

    She glanced at her phone, which she'd set on the coffee table. "We don't communicate through texts or calls, or any other form of media."

    Chad nodded.

    "Can we watch a movie now?"

    "Yeah, sure," he said, and changed the channel.

    Aubrey's face faded from the screen, but not from her mind.