New Chains, Same Shackles|| Book II

Chapter 5: King Tulip

I stir feeling a cool breeze dance gracefully across my bare skin. I lift my head groggily and see my bare legs tangled up in the messy sheets. The window cracked open ajar so that the crisp morning air could seep in.

It made me feel an odd sense of peace but only for a moment. That is until I finally realized it wasn't my window I was staring at and neither was the bed I was waking up in.

I sit up in a frenzy not recognizing the room I was in until my fears are laid to rest once I vaguely remember last night. I grin at the memory of me and Scrim drunkenly sneaking into his house at the early hours. After that my memory becomes fuzzy.

I groan and throw the covers to the side heaving myself up off the bed. I then sloppily throw on a hoodie I found next to his bed to cover my bare thighs. I cautiously wander out of the messy room that was on the second floor. I go and look over the balcony overseeing the spacious living room down below.

Although, it was a ghost town. The house was strangely silent with the exception of low chatter coming from the end of the hall. I follow the faint noise curiously. I gaze around the foreign house and let my fingertips lightly brush over the walls as I tip-toe down the dark hallway.

"They changed so much, you know what I'm saying? How did these two motherfuckers, from New Orleans. How did they change, how did they change music?"

I hear Max's faint voice from behind a closed door. The brief words seemed to give me an unusual sense of Déjà vu. When a nostalgic-like beat began playing afterward It finally clicked that it was part of the conversation we had that night at their party.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion trying to grasp how they got a recording of our conversation and why. It was odd but that didn't stop me from hesitantly wrapping my hand around the doorknob. I slowly pushed the door open.

I noticed Scrim first, who was bopping his head up and down. He was too immersed in something on the computer in their studio to realize I even opened the door. My eyes then instinctively trail over to the others. I gulp nervously at the surprised pair of hazel eyes starring me down from the corner of the dimly lit room.

My breath hitches and I tense up seeing the younger-looking girl, from the party they threw last month, perched proudly in Ruby's lap. I nervously clench my teeth and bit my lip as I awkwardly stand there in nothing but Scrim's hoodie.

The thick tension in the air is relieved a bit once Scrim takes his headphones off and asks Ruby what he thought of the beat so far. When Ruby doesn't answer, Scrim turns to him only to see him glaring directly at me.

Scrim follows his gaze until it lands on mine. His eyes light up but only for a moment before he nervously turns his attention back to his cousin who had a growing scowl. All the while, the girl's eyes dart between me and Ruby in confusion.

"Mornin' shawty," Scrim clears his throat and gestures me over, "—come'ere an listen to this new shit we workin' on," he says ignoring Ruby's disgruntled groan.

I shake my head, "Uh, I was actually finna go smoke a cig," I say pointing my thumb in the direction as I awkwardly turn and back out of the door frame.

I let out a long-awaited breath of relief. I couldn't help but feel my heart sink into my stomach as I walk back into Scrim's bedroom. I slide the glass doors open and step out onto the balcony. The chilly air nips at my legs making my hair stand up straight.

The cool concrete on the bottoms of my hot feet became comforting. I let out a deep sigh once I press the hot lighter to the tip of my cigarette. The burning toxins fill my lungs with joy and melt away my troubles. I felt helpless at that moment.