Encore || Drake

Unsolicited Advice

"You said you'd die for me..." I ended the song smoothly.

The piano finished its last delicate notes and the crowd erupted in cheer and applause, it was opening night. My body was shaking with electricity, I had never heard a noise so loud before. I took a bow towards the audience and the same to the band, catching Lawrence trying to hurriedly wave me off stage out of the corner of my eye, I walked briskly off the stage with a wave towards the audience.

"This isn't your show." He said smartly.

I ignored him and made my way back to my dressing room. I felt like I was on top of the world, my first performance in front of a whole arena of people. Even though I couldn't see anything but the first few rows and the specks of cell phone lights, it felt magical. Everyone singing along with you and cheering for you was a priceless experience. The only thing that would have been better if it were actually my own songs.

Making my way through the hall I received plenty of high fives, and congratulations on my way to the dressing room. Even some of the dancers had some nice words to say. I opened the door to the dressing room and Blair was sitting at the vanity applying her makeup. I placed my guitar on it's stand and plopped down on the sofa she had moved in.

"You rocked it out there." She said, applying mascara with her mouth wide open.

"I know." I smirked at her.

She chuckled.

"You don't have to be like that. You're not special. All tour babies get picked on during the first few days." She said putting the brush back in the tube and turning to me.

"I'm familiar with hazing, I was in band at an HBCU. You guys are just annoying." I laughed.

She laughed too.

"I went to Howard, how about you?" she asked.

"Clark."

"Nice, I dated some Clark guys." She turned back to the vanity.

I nodded awkwardly.

I was starting to get irritated by the huskiness of her voice for some reason, it reminded me of a porn star.

"What? You know Clark had all the fine frat boys." She said applying a hefty amount of highlighter to her cheeks.

"I wouldn't know, they never paid attention to me and I returned the same energy." I shrugged.

"Just because you were an ugly duckling in college doesn't mean you can't acknowledged those men were fine." She chuckled.

"No need to use the past tense." I said sinking back into the couch with a sigh.

She turned back to me on her stool with a confused look.

"Okay, do you have some serious body dysmorphia issues or something? You're gorgeous. Your skin is amazing, you face is gorgeous, your body... even though you hide under those baggy boho clothes I can tell you're thick." She scoffed. "So, stop it."

I felt an honest bit of confusion.

"Really?" I laughed.

She looked at me annoyed.

"What? You didn't get any play back home? Did all the girls look like Rihanna or something?" she asked.

"I didn't go out much." I shrugged. "I'm mostly hit on by perverts on the internet."

"Look, let me put it to you this way." She leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees. "Aubrey has never talked to any of us, barely looks our way, and he literally coached you out there yesterday. You have that weird black indie girl vibe guys love these days. Embrace it."

I placed my face in my hands to hide my blushing. No one over the age of 50 had really ever complimented me on my looks before this much outside of the internet.

"Meanwhile, here I am putting on fifty pounds of makeup so I won't look like The Nun from that damn movie on stage." She said returning back to applying her makeup.

"Hey, you can't look good with makeup without a good base."

"Thanks." She smiled. "Are you going to go get a seat to watch the show?"

I shook my head. "I don't really listen to his music, but don't tell him I said that." I giggled.

"Aw, well, still come watch for the experience. It's great. Fan or not, trust me."

"I'll consider it."

I saw here eyes still on me in the mirror and pretended not to notice, waiting for whatever she was going to say next.

"Can I give you some advice?" she finally said.

"If I say no?"

"If you want to make it," she said ignoring me, "don't fall for him."

I gave her a confused look followed by a laugh.

"Excuse me?" I said.

"I mean it." She said beginning to apply lip gloss. "And I know you're thinking it wouldn't happen, or you aren't attracted to him or whatever, but just keep that stored in your mental bank."

I looked at her for a moment, completely lost. Never in a million years would I even think of trying to get close to a famous rapper in that way, especially one who I had never even looked twice at. Well, he did look nice yesterday at rehearsal but that's not the point. This was never happening.

"Sure." I said, hoping to just dismiss the whole awkward conversation.

I put my headphones on quickly from my bag before she could start issuing more horrible advice.