Beauty and a Beat (A Bruno Mars Fanfiction)

16. Choose

"Hey! Phil! That thousand bucks, do you have it now?" Bruno walks in the studio with a victory smile

"What?! No way!" Phils answers with laughter. He seriously doesn't believe his friend but Bruno really seems to speak the truth "She's crazy!"

"You can be sure about that, she tattooed it down!"

"Who's crazy? And who tattooed what down?" Jessica speaks at the door. Bruno looks in her voice's direction. She's standing there with cups of coffee in her hands.

"Hey! Baby!" Bruno greets. He didn't expect her to come. She should be casting for some rolls or shopping with her friends, he's not sure. Jessica walks towards him, butterfly kisses him and sits on his laps

"Iced Cappuccino for you" She put down a cup of coffee on the table in front of him and hands another to Phil "And Milk tea for you, Phil"

"Thanks" Phil says and has a sip.

People may say Jessica is using Bruno for his money, maybe she really is using him for his money 'cause for sure she's using his money but Phil has to admit; this bitch knows how to win his friend's heart.

Just since he knows Bruno, back then where everyone still called him Peter, just since then, he's seen this guy been through many difficult time, chose many wrong choices and did many mistakes. Bruno has a ragged past that not everyone can accept but this Jessica can. Phil thinks that as long as Jess can make his friend happy, it's worth the cost.

"So... who's crazy? Are you guys talking behind my back?" Jess asks.

"Nah, we're talking about Mari, Marianne" Bruno Answers.

"the one from New York you used to tell me about her?" Jessica asks. He did tell her about this Marianne sometimes. She doesn't quite remember anything but she's in New York and studying at NYU

"Yeah"

"She's interesting" Jess says but she isn't really interested. When she finds out it's not her story, she doesn't feel like to give it any attention so she changes the topic to her story "I'm just drop by to serve you guys coffee"

"Thanks, baby" He says and kisses her cheek

"I'mma hang out with Tiara" She says "so bye, see ya at home" she says and kisses him again "and see ya later, Phil"

"Did Marianne really choose your version?" Phil asks after Jess left.

"You want me to call her?" Bruno dares. Phil curse and hands Bruno the bill.

Time goes by, and for Bruno, everything seemed to go right after New York. They work on some songs but not every song worth putting in the album, and as soon as they have a few good songs, they came back to the same stage where they can't find anything new for days and then weeks. Finally, after a month of nothing progresses, Bruno decides to go back to New York.

"NO" Jess says after she heard of his idea "I'm so lonely when you're not here. Stay with me, please"

"Come with me then" Bruno offers.

And in her mind she has only one answer and it's a 'no'. she wouldn't go back to that filthy city for nothing. She can't live in that city, not for another minute. She grew up there and the city left nothing but scars. "Can't we stay here? You have the studio and everything"

"I don't know Jess. It worked in New York once. I hope it'd work again this time"

"Don't go, please" She begs but she saw it on his face. He has already decided it "Choose!" she commands

"what?" He asks as he has no idea what she's just said.

"You have to choose between me and New York" She commands with strong voice but her eyes are full of tear that ready to drop any time.

"This is nonsense, Jess. It's not like we're moving. It's like vacation. It's not that big deal!" Bruno tries to use reason on her but he knows from her motionless and teary eyes, she's not ready for any reason on this Earth. The picture annoys him so much that he raises his voice "What's wrong with you Jessica!"

"Choose it!" She yells back and tears run down on her cheek

"No, don't make me choose" He lowers his voice. "I don't want to lose you"

She plops down on the chair as he leaves the room. She sits there, crying. When she thinks maybe they should talk, she's too late. There's a note on the fridge door says

"I'd be already on my way to New York when you see this.

Mars

PS. I'll always be there when you want me, only this time 'there' means New York"

Jessica calls him immediately after she finished the note but there's no signal.

"Shit" She curses at the wind and instead of chasing after him which is the first thing that came to her mind, she just grabs a bottle of wine and let her blood filled with alcohol.