Loft Music

Chapter 1

"Jessa, you’re on stage in 10, why the fuck are you not ready?" Aubrey’s set planner shouted at me.

I made a face at her as I put in my other earring, I never liked Jeanine, even her name pissed me off. Just as I was about to reply back to her, I felt a cold hand on my shoulder.

I instantly jumped back, shocked from the cold and I heard a faint laughter beside me.

"You’re gonna kill it J," A voice whispered in my ear.

I turned around to see him. Even in my 6 inch heels I was just barely taller than him. His hair was whack today even more than usual. I smiled wide at him before ruffling his hair slightly.

I owed everything to Abel, and I don’t think he’d ever realize it. I knew the kind of guy he was, he wasn’t exactly closed off about the life he lived, but I never knew that side of him. He was never that guy with me. We’d been friends for a long time, since before the release of House of Balloons.

He used to always be in the studio sometime close to me, and eventually we both recognized the talent of the other. We started hanging out more, mainly just studio shit, opinions and that stuff. Soon enough it became a regular thing. After House of Balloons blew up, we stayed in touch, never collaborating but always there for opinions.

Just a few months ago, while Abel was on his Fall Tour, he called me, informing me of his chance to tour with Drake, and that he wanted me to come too. I joined the Would You Like a Tour while Aubrey was still touring North America, and eventually Abel joined us for the Europe leg.

All of it was surreal, and I owed a lot to him.

"Jessa, 5 minutes." Jeanine shouted at me as I gave one last look in the mirror at my outfit. My stage outfits were generally quite tame, and I often

wore them for the rest of the evening.

Abel smiled at me, he was ready for his performance after mine as well. He was dressed in all black with a leather jacket over his XO sweatshirt. He grabbed my hand and lead me to the curtain where I would be going on stage again in just 5 minutes.

He stayed with me until we heard Jahron finish the end of his song. He wasn’t officially part of this tour, but since Aubrey had signed him to his label, he was here for promotional purposes. He was incredibly talented, and one of the first artists I ever collaborated with.

As I walked on stage, Jahron came to meet me halfway. I wasn’t sure they realized yet that I knew how to walk in heels without falling.

"Give it up for my girl Jess," Jahron shouted to the crowd.

"Hi baby," I said smiling at him, just jokingly of course. The thing I loved about this group of people on tour was that they treated me like one of the guys, not some girl they all wanted to fuck and never see after that.

I heard the audience scream, and we laughed before I heard the music of our song playing in the background, cuing us in that it was time to shut up.

Jahron started his intro,

"I’m out of your league, baby

I’m out of your league, baby

Baby cause I’m ballin’

For a minute”

And I heard all the girls screaming “Party,” sometimes just looking out at the audience made me so proud that I was doing something that I loved with such amazing talented people.

I started my verse, and I could just feel the energy of the crowd.

“One, two, one two…

Thought I told you not to trust these hoes