Almost Famous: The Next Phase

Chapter 12

The guys and I waited outside while we waited for Prince to come out and give us the good news that he and his father came to some sort of common ground. It almost felt like we were waiting for a long time as we sat out in the damp air. None of us said much of anything as we sat around waiting and watching for the door for our friend to come outside so we could go home. It was getting to be at least an hour since we left him inside with his father to hash things out and in a way I was starting to worry a little. Andre looked over at me and shook his head.

"Mouse I feel like you set this up." he said harshly.

Craining my neck from around Morris to see Andre I can tell that he was trying to find someone to pin this on. Unfortunately for him none of this was my idea and I had no problem letting him know that.

"Listen moron! If you feel like poiting fingers you might wanna point them in Jerome's direction! Oh! Wait! I forgot! HE'S NOT FUCKING HERE!" I hissed and turned my back away fromt he rest of the guys.

Dez came up to me and gave me a side hug and smiled.

"Don't get too upset Regan. Andre's just mad cuz it's passed his bedtime and his mama told him he has a curfew."

Morris let out a loud cackle and joined in with the jokes until Andre was so mad that he was ready to fight tooth and nail for his pride than sit and let his friends rip into him. Just as Andre was nearly fed up the door came open and Prince's dad walked out to a waiting car at the curb. He didn't say anything to us. He just got in the driver side and closed the door. He didnt look all that happy. He almost looked as if he wanted to cry. I felt bad seeing him like this but it made me question what went down between them. Andre and I caught a glance at each other and with a simple facial expression I can tell he was asking me what happend. I could only give him a plain and average shrug of the shoulders and a slight shake of the head "I don't know" gesture.

"You think we should go in a see what's up?' Morris asked.

"I think we should just give him a minute." I replied looking at the door hoping to see him emerge from the inside.

"Man damn! How much longer we gotta wait out here? It's starting to get cold and I ain't got all god damn night!" Morris whined as he pulled up the collar to his jacket.

"Well then if you don't wanna wait then you can leave! You were begged to stay you pompus ass!" I scolded whipping my body around in a full 180 to face him.

"Look I get that he's got his daddy issues but it can't affect the rest of us getting home."

"And yet you're still here and you're still complaining like a two year old!"

"LITTLE GIRL!"

"LITTLE BOY!"

Morris and I stood toe to toe and Dez was too busy laughing at us to intervene between us seriously.

"Alright you two that's enough. Y'all fight like y'all married or something." Dez joked.

"She wish!" Morris retorted.

"Ya daddy wishes too don't he?" I snapped back.

"Leave my daddy outta this. Least I got one." I heard him say before turning his back.

That was one line he knew not to cross and he definately crossed it.

"You freckle faced light skinned BITCH!" I shouted at him before taking off full speed to punch in in the back of the head when Andre grabbed me midway and held me back.

"Morris you wrong!" Andre yelled as Dez took over and held be back from trying to kill their friend.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean for it to come out the way I said it. I loved Mr. Will like m own daddy. I'm sorry Regan. I am." Morris said remorseful.

It was enough to keep me from killing him but not enough to sudue my rage inside.

"Don't you EVER say anything bad about my father EVER again." I said to Morris angrily.

"Foul as hell man." Dez said to Morris.

Morris dropped his head and didn't say much else to us because he really felt bad about what he said. It took another five minutes to just get over it and forgive Morris so he didn't look so pitiful. We sat around and waited for another couple of minutes for Prince to come outside and meet us and before long time started to slip by us and we were all starving.

"What is he doing in there? Its almost midnight and I'm ready to eat and go home!" Andre exclaimed agitated.

"I'm not sure if I even wanna go in there. The place is about to close and I'm not trying to get locked in there with this fool." Morris replied.

"Well we have to find him eventually. We can't just leave him. He did ride here with us after all." I said.

The streetlight changed from green to yellow to red then back to green again before I made up my mind and decided to go back inside and find Prince and see what was keeping him.

"Dre? You guys go. I'll stay back with Skipper and we'll catch the bus home."

"Like hell you are! I'm not letting y'all do that!" Andre snapped.

He hated when I told him that I would do something alone. It almost freaked him out at the thought of me being in a public place after hours by myself. If I didn't know any better I'd say he was temporarily body snatched by my dad. I knew that would be his reaction if he were still alive.

"Dre it's cool I'll stay with her. You and Morris can get outta here." Dez volunteered.

"You sure? We can still wait." Andre asked concerned.

"Guys! Stop treating me like I'm a child I'll be fine by myself! Really!" I said trying to convince them to leave me behind.

"Who's gonna save ya scary ass when the boogey man comes and takes you away little girl? Huh? Now if Cymone said we can wait then we'll wait! Stop being so damn hardheaded!" Morris said.

"Gee Day I didn't think you gave a shit!" I replied sarcastically

"Yeah well.....I do. You're family. And if I didn't care then....I wouldn't be a good friend."

Morris smiled at me and raised his arms signaling me to come over and give him a hug. I smiled back and hugged him tightly letting out a comforting sigh.

"You're too cool for school Morris." I said as he let me go.

"Yeah I know. Now get outta here and find my boy. We'll be here when y'all get back." Morris replied shooing me off.

I went back inside the club to find it very different from when we had left it just a few hours ago. The place was once filled with what seemed to be hundreds of people now an abandoned dance floor with a few drunken patrons lingering at the bar and tables. I hurried to the backstage area where the dressing rooms are and found that their dressing room was the very first door just left of the stage. The door was cracked and there was very little light inside. From what I could see was prince sitting in a chair at the mirror staring back at himself with tears streaming down his face. Something went down between him and his dad and judging by his outer emotions it wasn't at all how any of us had hoped. I'm sure Prince wanted to gain some sort of peace between him and Mr. John but that wasn't the case at all. I guess he needs a friend now more than ever.