𝐒𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝, 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐧

31. Reacquainting

Monday/August 24, 1992

It was a day full of no work and all play, or really playing catch-up. After our morning romp in bed, Prince ran off to Paisley Park and I was in the kitchen talking to Ada on the phone. "I'm okay, I'm okay." The entire weekend I was worried about her but she finally called and said she and Nessie were good and just recovering. "But back to work. Back to reality."

"Yeah, he just left," I told her, giving the heads up.

"Ugh. Well thanks for checking up on me, sweetie."

"Of course. And I'm sorry again about-"

"Oh stop. It's Analia's fault. Did you talk to Celeste yet?" That was a no. "Aívy!" I told Ada it would be happening very soon.

After my shower my first stop was downtown to meet up with an old friend. At one point in high school I considered Amber my best friend. We mostly had every class together and told each other secrets. But I was never as special or important as Austin, which I learned to accept. What're you gonna do, they're twins. They had a closeness that was gossip-worthy actually. No one could ever stomach watching them hold hands in the hall as he would walk her to class, then the kiss on the mouth at departure and 'love you.' I somehow got used to it.

"Uhh...what do you mean you're living with him?" Whenever Amber didn't understand something or believe it, she'd show disgust rather than interest. It always got to me. I already wanted to run out of the diner. "Don't roll your eyes, Ivy. Seriously, it's been how long since we talked?" About two months away from a year. "When did you guys move in together? And why?"

"Why?? Uh..." How do you even answer that? It wasn't until this moment though that I realized the words 'I'm living with Prince' sounded bizarre! Saying it to Nessie or Deondrea felt normal, but someone pre-Paisley Park? Awkward. Someone I went to high school with. Someone who knew me when I had a normal life and used to listen to his records with me. Before I was kicked out of Hushhh, I never got around to telling Amber the truth about Prince and me, so she was completely lost. "I'm doing music with him. We grew closer-"

"Music?" The green of her eyes seemed to deepen in color. "None of that depressing piano stuff, right?"

"It's not depressing, Amber. And do you not watch the news? Read the papers?"

"You were in the papers?? You have a song out?"

"No, not yet. But I toured with him."

"Wait, when? I know he was on tour but I didn't know you were with him. So you're like, sleeping with him too?"

Sighing, I stuck the straw in my mouth, wishing there was more drink in my cup, but the whistling noises made it apparent I was sucking on air.

"Ivy no middle name Valentine." She snatched the empty cup and slammed it clumsily on the tabletop. "Did you have sex with him?"

"Yes."

"He popped your cherry? When?"

"Months ago. Like last Christmas."

"What?? This is insane!"

"Shhh!"

"I can't believe you're just now telling me. I'm surprised you even called me." So was I. But Judy was bugging me about the calls she'd been getting from her. "Vinny said Prince made him fire you. Is that true? And was he really the reason you cut your hair? It was like Twiggy short. I'm glad it's back. It was just weird. It wasn't like you. I knew something was off. What's going on?"