Star: Tyler, The Creator

28. Stung

One Month Later

"Rose!"

She turned, squinting her eyes across the club.

"Congrats baby!" It was Kali.

"Thank you! I can't believe it," Rose hugged her.

"The album was amazing. You produced it all yourself right?" Kali asked.

"I did!" She spoke over the loud music.

They talked for a little more before she excused herself, Rose making her way over to where Frank and Solange were.

"Fuck, y'all really didn't have to do all this!"

"What? and have you all alone the night you drop your first album?" Solange laughed.

"It's not even a big deal. It's only the first."

"And us being featured on it isn't a big a deal?" Frank furrowed his brows.

Rose laughed, nudging him.

For the past month and a half, Rose had tried to get her mind off Tyler by finally sitting down and finishing her own album.

It was on the back burner for a while, since she'd been just writing for other people.

The songs on the album were intimate, a lot about Tyler, Abel, past breakups, things she wanted to get off her chest.

Frank and Solange rented out a club just for her album release, despite Rose begging them she didn't want anything too big.

Regardless, they didn't listen. It was packed.

Rose took a sip of her drink as she went back to the night Tyler and her had last spoke, two weeks after he left for tour.

"Hey, I thought you weren't gonna answer." Rose sighed.

"I got some time alone."

"How's it going?"

"Good, it's crazy out here. Only the second week and I ain't even tired of it yet." Tyler replied lowly.

"That's good, I'm glad...listen, about that night."

"You don't gotta say anything. It was an in the moment thing."

"Yeah, sorry. I didn't think about Des.
I just—,"

"Hold on, fuck, they calling me, I gotta go."

"Oh, okay. We can talk later?"

"Yeah, yeah. I gotta go."

"Bye."

He hung up.

Since then, no contact has been made by either of them.

"Rose!"

Rose looked over, snapping out of her thoughts. Her eyes widened when she realized who was next to Frank.

"Hey, so you the one everyone's been talking about."

"No one's talking about me." Rose chuckled, walking over.

It was Drake, a well known friend of Frank's.

"It's a pleasure to meet you finally. Loved the album. I told Frank to set something up for us. Need you on my new shit." He took a sip of his drink.

Rose smiled.

"That'd be amazing."

After talking a little, Rose excused herself. She made her way up to the roof of the balcony. She needed some fresh air. It was crazy overwhelming.

She pulled a cigarette out from her bag, lighting it as she looked through her phone.

Instagram wasn't her favorite to be on, but the notifications were blowing up all of a sudden. Everyone tagging her in a bunch of shit. Instagram music sites tagging pictures of her and Drake together.

She sighed, wondering how Frank was able to keep his whole career on the low—it seemed impossible to do with everyone watching your every move.

"Hey, you good?" Frank walked over.

"Yeah, just needed air."

"It's crazy down there. I didn't even know Drake was coming."

Rose breathed out smoke.

"You talk to Tyler yet?" he asked.

"Nope. He probably doesn't even know I have an album out."

"He'll come around."

Rose bit her lip.

"I fucked it up so bad."

"Nah, you did what you felt was right in the moment."

"Kissing him while he had a girlfriend? It was fucking stupid."

Frank sighed.

"Either way you were gonna take the risk."

Rose breathed out.

"I just wish he was here."

Frank nodded, pulling her in.

"It's your night tonight. Don't make this shit about him."

...

The next morning, Rose woke up from a pounding headache. The last thing she remembered was some uber dropping all three of them off at Frank's place.

She got up from the sofa, realizing Frank was passed out in a beanbag across from her, but Solo wasn't anywhere to be found.

Rose made her way to the kitchen, putting some water on the stove.

"Fuck," She massaged her neck.

Rose grabbed her phone, checking to see what she missed.

Frank Ocean, Drake, and Solange Among Others Spotted at Rose's Album Release

Among other headlines.

Still no sign of Tyler, no texts, not even a congrats or anything. It stung.