Sugar

Part 8 D:

"Ben honestly, I try and work with you and you refuse, cause you're beaming off coke. Are you serious?"

"You're my assistant." He hisses "Not my manager, not my fucking baby sitter. Your job is to do what I tell you to do, not lecture me about my choices as if you're fucking better than me when you were drinking lean last fucking night."

There's a beat of silence before I reply "You're right..." His eyes narrow and I drop my head, exhaling smoke.

"But I'm not fucking wrong either." He bites his lip and crosses his arms, glaring at me. "Mhm, whatever. You can think whatever you want, but I'm the one making the decisions here, not you." I grit my teeth. "And what? I'm supposed to just wait around until you decide something? I can't have your interests in mind?"

"Yeah, that's exactly what you're supposed to do. You don't need to protect me from myself like I'm some naive fucking child!" I scoff and stand up, putting the cigarette out with my shoe.

"Alright. Call me when you're ready to start working then." I get in my car and slam the door behind me, holding back tears until the studio door closes behind him.

It looked like Warlord Miami in there and I'm supposed to just ignore that? Just last night he took care of me when I was high but God forbid I do the same, but that wasn't the same.. fuck.

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The next day I find myself anxious, I can't stop checking my phone, and the next day is the same. And the next until I finally give in, and punch in Ecco's number.

Hej, do you need any help w your Serenade feature? I'm going crazy cooped up.

Yeah yeah I'm in the studio rn, pull up.

When I walk in I'm a little surprised to see Bladee sulking in the corner ignoring me. Luckily Ecco stands up and greets me with a smile and a big hug.

"Alright, show me what you've been working on!" He pulls up a chair for me at the computer and gestures for me to sit. He starts playing a rough draft of the track, pointing out which parts he likes or wants to change as I nod along.

"Can you translate this part for me?" Ecco grins as he roughly translates to explain the meaning behind each lyric. "Yeah, I'm glad you're going through with this, I think it's going to sound really cool." "Mhm yeah, I think so too, I just gotta figure out the right instrumentals to really make it right, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah I know, you're a perfectionist." I say teasingly, Bladee's glare searing into my skin. I understand the irony of working on his project in front of him... without him but, if Ecco wants my help, that's different. I lower my voice and lean in, "If I go outside will you tell him to go talk to me?" Zak nods, "Yeah, course."

I'm sitting on the curb with my headphones on, so I'm startled when Benjamin sits down next to me, a hint of a smirk on his face as he jostles my shoulder with his. "Hey you're supposed to be inside y'know.. Helping me with the music."

I whip around to him, scanning his expression with confusion plastered across my own. He scoffs, his smirk growing wider and he pops a filter between his lips. "What? You're not happy to see me?"

My eyes snag on his adam's apple, shifting as he speaks. I hide a grin as I shrug nonchalantly. "I'll be happy once you apologize for being such a wanker.."

He chuckles, feigning annoyance, "Mhm yeah, sure, whatever you say. I'm sorry for being a wanker. Happy now, princess?" "Yes. Thank you... I'm sorry too." Our eyes catch for a second and he smiles before looking down to light his cig.

"I'm curious why you were so bothered by me being a.. what did you call me? A wanker?" I cross my arms over my knees and rest my head, "I was worried." He raises an eyebrow, studying me for a moment to gauge my sincerity. "About what exactly?"

I sigh, "I dunno it just looked like you were recording warlord in there.. and I know I wasn't around for that but... you understand where I'm coming from right?" He nods solemnly, processing what I said.

"I understand that, but I should tell you we learned from that.. About our limits and stuff, so it wont be like that again. Now, can I ask you something else?"