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104

"hi Jacques." i crawl onto the side of the hospital bed and kiss Jacques' cheek. "baby, can you hear me."

silence. i talk anyways.

"things have been really crazy lately. my song is out, as you know, and i'm kinda...famous because of it. like, i have this really important TV interview and it's very exciting, but...i don't know. it's not as exciting as it should be."

i quickly shake my head. "i'm grateful, obviously. this is the second best thing to ever happen to me." i sigh. "but you were the most important thing to ever happen to me. and i wish you were awake to enjoy it with me."

i lay my head on Jacques' shoulder. "when you wake up, everything will be different. we'll move out the hood and...and we'll get an apartment, an even better, fancier one than the one now with an even better view. we'll go on a lot of romantic dates; maybe we can even go to California. Or Cancun. i know how much you wanted to go to Cancun.

"it'll be just the two of us. well, maybe Lara will come with us sometimes. but we'll be a couple; living life, on vacation. And when we come back...we'll renovate the cafe and run it together. maybe turn it into a talent agency as well. whatever we do,  it'll be amazing. because you're amazing and you make me want to be amazing."

i look down at my phone. "i have to go. i love you to the moon and beyond, Jacques Walters. i'll be back." i softly kiss his lips. "don't wait up for me."

i walk away and head to the care. it was almost definitely my imagination, but i swear i could feel him smile.

an hour later, i'm in my dressing room (yes, i had a dressing room!) pacing nervously. voices echoed loudly in my mind. you can't mess this up Janet. this is the opportunity of a lifetime; if you can't get through this, you'll never be able to get through anything.

Lara, meanwhile, was sitting at my vanity dresser. after a few minutes of watching me through the vanity mirror, it was clear that she had had enough. "Janet! Take a chill pill or a thousand!"

i felt the blush curl up my cheeks as i prepare to dramatically fall over, (i don't, of course; i lay down very lightly on the floor, careful not to mess up my dress or my hair.) "i'm sorry. i just....my mind is all over the place. i can't focus."

"well girly, you're gonna have to." Lara turns around. "why don't you take a look at the refreshment table."

i scoff. "i don't stress-eat, Lara, that's all you."

"but the chocolate-covered pretzels..." i glare at her and she loses the words. "alright, fine. Janet, i know this must be so hard for you, without Jacques here to support your big moment, and it's increasing your already-hyper nerves. but Janet, i am here for you.  the fans are here for you. you are here because you love music and you worked hard to prove that love. don't let your fears stop you from living your dream."

i smile, throwing my arms around the girl, not caring about messing up my dress in that split second. "i love you; you're so wise."

"don't credit me for these words; Beyonce told me this."

i snort, playfully shoving her off of me. "get out of here!" Lara may have produced for some of the biggest names in music, but i know for a fact she had never met any of them.

"what? it's the truth." Lara retorts. i roll my eyes. suddenly a man popped his head into my dressing room. "Janet, you're on in ten."

i squeal along with Lara, then squeeze her again. and i leave with the man to go to what was soon to be my first interview.

guys this book hit 1k reads!

thank you all so much!!! to celebrate, chapter 105 is going to be 1k words.

in the meantime, enjoy this well overdue chapter.