The Eye of the Storm - Sequel to The Oncoming Storm

Chapter 9

Jezebel got up from her spot on the couch when she heard a knock at the door. She knew exactly who it was before she even opened the door.

"Sorry it's so late. Did I wake you?" Prince said softly, his puppy dog eyes looking up at Jess.

"Nah, I was up watching TV. Sleep is for the weak. Anyways, come on in!"

Prince followed Jess inside her apartment. It's been a while since he's been here. The place pretty much looks the same as he remembers it. Jess sat back on her spot on the couch and patted the spot beside her for Prince to sit down next to her. He sat beside her and leaned his head on her shoulder as she ran her fingers through his curls.

"So... I take it things didn't go so well between you and Apollonia?"

Prince sighed deeply. "Well, we talked. And things seemed alright. She said she still loves me... but then I asked her to move back in with me and she freaked out. I don't know what happened. One minute I think we're getting back together and the next she's running out the door saying she'll never move back in with me. I don't understand."

"You gotta give her some time. I know it hurts and you wish you could just have everything be fixed and back to normal, but these things need some time. You have to be patient with her. Time heals everything."

"Time is all we got," Prince muttered more to himself. Jess didn't know what he meant by this, but she saw the pain in his eyes and decided to change the subject.

"So you play at the club tomorrow night?"

"Yeah, but my band hates me and Morris is out to get me, so I can only imagine how that's gonna go over." Prince sounded miserable.

Wait to go, Jess, good job picking the right subject. "Well I'm not doing anything tomorrow night, so I could come see you play!" She tried again to cheer Prince up.

"Well you can come if you wanna hear a half-assed attempt of me trying to play songs that everyone hates," Prince said in a woe-is-me voice.

"Goddammit, Prince, cheer the fuck up, would ya? You're so fucking depressing."

"Geez, sorry for being depressed I chased my girlfriend away again!" Prince said in an offended tone. He breathed heavily. "Who am I tryn'a kid, Apollonia doesn't need me weighing her down. I'm too damaged for her. She has a future and I don't."

"Prince, please don't say stuff like that." Jess wrapped her arms around Prince's neck and hugged him from behind. "Hell, I'm damaged too! I think I can argue I'm a bit more damaged than you are, Prince. We're both broken people, but that doesn't mean we don't have futures. You'll get your Apollonia back, just give her some space. Maybe she'll come to you this time."

"Jezebel?" Prince's voice was low and deep.

"Yes?"

"What did you dream your future would be like when you were younger?"

His question came out of nowhere, and Jess had to stop and think about this one. "Gosh... I really don't know, Prince. You know I was always kinda go with the flow, remember?" But secretly Jess was thinking about her senior year in high school, when she thought her and Prince would someday get married and travel the world together... "Hey I bet I can guess your dream," Jess broke herself from her thoughts.

"Okay, go for it!"

"You dreamed of being a famous musician, making it big someday!"

"I still dream that dream!" Prince chuckled.

A big smile formed on her lips. She got a slight chuckle from Prince, that means she's successfully cheering him up.

"Why you got that goofy smile on your face?" Prince teased.