The Beautiful Katastrophe

(VIII) Hero

     After attending the most exciting KAT meeting ever, I had to go meet Michael at yet another photoshoot for another magazine.

     I tried to chat with him about the meeting, but it was impossible to catch his attention for more than five seconds.

     I asked to hang out with him, wherever, afterwards but he had other plans.  I've never really been the jealous type, but definitely territorial.  I voiced my frustration to him with a smile and just kept it moving.

     Back at home, I was cleaning up my bedroom.  There were so many other things I could've went out and did but I guess I was somewhat desperate to stay close to my phone.

     It rang just as I made my way into the bathroom.  I jogged back to my room and picked up the phone with deep exhale. 

     "Hello?"

     "Little girl, why are you so hard to get in touch with?"

     "Who is this?" I asked.

     "How dare you not know who this is?"

     "Jerome?"

     "Where have you been?"

     "Hi, chocolate drop! I miss you!"

     Jerome Benton was someone I became friends with in high school.  It was freshman year and we had about all the same classes.  He was now, actually, working for Prince as part of his group The Time.  Jerome had just come off tour with them.

     My sister, Lizzie, was too busy running around everywhere with my mom trying to start her music career, so Jerome was my go-to for the Minneapolis gossip.  The most shocking was that Prince fired his longtime friends Jimmy and Terry from their roles in The Time.

     "They didn't show up to the San Antonio show," Jerome told me.  I knew he was a bit hurt because Terry was his brother.  "Prince had me go on stage and play the bass guitar."

     "What?" I couldn't help but to laugh.

     "Well, it was unplugged.  He was the one actually playing backstage.  I was just the prop."