The Come Up (Book II) : PRODIGY

Chapter 30 - The Fight

The car rumbles on, the quietness suddenly deafening. I wish Emil was still in the car so I didn't feel completely alone and exposed after what he did.

Chanel pulls up the TMZ website on her phone and begins reading out loud.

"According to a reliable source, rapper, Prodigy and close friend Emil Valdez were seen leaving Atlanta's Performance Theater late Saturday night after a show. The dynamic duo Cocoa-Yeena are seen snuggled up to the rapper who very recently released a project based on his relationship with singer and rapper, Chanel Little. Sources say, the four headed back to the Hilton hotel and weren't heard from for the rest of the night. Yikes." Chanel finishes with a loathing expression on her face.

"I understand how this all looks and sounds." I keep my eyes on hers and I feel that she still does not see me.

"How do you get in these predicaments? How are you placed in these situations?" Her shoulders move up then fall as her sentence ends.

"I was really tired of those girls, the moment they came into the dressing room." I admit.

"They were the girls in the dressing room? So y'all were hanging out, basically after I told you I wasn't comfortable with that ." She concludes.

"Briefly but only because Emil wanted to hangout with them. This was all against my will and I didn't want to kill his party. I was just going along with it but you're right I should have said something." I comment, hoping she might understand and give me a break.

"And then you got this picture floating around with their breasts all up on your arm. It just looks so bad. I don't think you understand how bad it all looks. Cause you're just going to look like a dog, and men can look like that without problem . But women are going to look stupid. We always look stupid when y'all do some dumb shit."

The car bobs and weaves and I stay silent to give her sometime to cool down. Fear sets in that maybe this allotted time isn't working and she's just getting more and more upset as her brain works.

"Why didn't you tell me you had girls at the hotel. Why did I have to find out from the press? Why did I have to find out about a collaboration with you and Mila from Mila. Why do you keep these things from me like it won't suddenly get out?" Her voice is soft and wondering, I suddenly feel like a piece of shit but none of these situations were meant to hurt her.

"I was going to tell you, Chan." I start.

"Yea." She nods, fed up with my response. It's been the response the last few weeks. I understand why she would rather not hear.

I stop talking.

"Who's this Cocoa girl? Do you like her?" She questions.

"Of course not. Emil liked her friend. They had sex in the room and Cocoa and I went out on the balcony." I say telling her everything she needs to know before she finds out another way.

She sighs something loud.

"What happened on the balcony? Tell me everything, Trev" She sighs.

"Nothing, we just talked about the struggles of being up and coming artists. She was telling me how her Father left and she's been having to take care of her brother and Mom." I respond.

Chanel's face looks indifferent.

"I'm sorry for how it all looks but between us, baby- Can you just look at me for a second." I ask in my softest voice.