The Beautiful Katastrophe

(XVII) Alpha

     "Before you start the car, you need to talk to me."

     Prince turned the key in the ignition and ignored my demand.

     We were riding down the highway, ten minutes past the moment I met Susannah in Lisa's living room.

     "You assumed."

     I snapped my eyes to him.  "Excuse me?"

     "I never said I just got to L.A."

     "I talked to you the night before.  You were home.  And you couldn't make my party because you were busy making deals for the movie."

     "Yeah.  I was here."

     I turned away and stared ahead at the winding road.

     "I really couldn't make the party that night.  I'm sorry.  But I was calling you from Lisa's phone.  You never asked where I was.  That's why I never picked up when you called. Because I wasn't home."

     "Right..." 

     "Are you mad?"

     I folded my arms.

     "Kat?"  The car slowed down and Prince turned into a gated parking lot.

     Once the car settled between two white lines, he cut the engine.  "Are you ready to talk to me now?"  His tone was serious and almost somber.

     So, I decided not to comeback with sarcasm.  It was hard to get him in such an attentive and vulnerable state. 

     "You told me you were at the airport."  I looked at him, turning my body just slightly his way.  "You lied."

     "I was at the airport. I was dropping Brenda and Susan off."

     "So, why did you not tell me where you were when you got here?  You intentionally hid it from me."

     "I wasn't ready to see you."

     I questioned him with my eyes.

     "When I first got to you, I told you I wanted to talk.  You completely pushed everything off, just to have sex with me."

     I sighed while rolling my eyes.

     "Then you left."

     "You said you wanted to talk about the show."

     "I lied."  Prince looked at me with pity.  "I know we went a long time without speaking but damn...  Do you not know how to read me anymore?"

     I turned away from him.

     "You know I hate this..."

     Prince never liked explaining himself.  If he had something to say, whether it be 'I love you,' 'I hate you,' or 'I'm sorry,' he'd say it through a song.  But I was a rare exception sometimes.

     "I remember a time when you knew me better than I knew myself.  That's why I fell for you so hard.  But I swear, as soon as you realized there was more to our chemistry than sex, you started acting...stupid.  As if you just didn't understand why or how I put up with all of your bullshit.  I was just another one of your boyfriends.  There's honestly no way for me to know for sure if I'm really the only guy you've ever been with but I take your word for it because I love you."

     "You are," I mumbled.

     "But the whole point of that dies out when you've literally been in bed with over fifty-six different men.  Just because it never got as far as intercourse doesn't mean you're exempt from being considered promiscuous."