Perfectly Different

Preview

The sound of loud banging on my front door, followed by the crash of thunder outside caused me to pop up out my sleep. I looked over at my alarm clock and it was three forty-five in the morning.

I could already tell exactly who it was by the consistency in the knocking. I rolled my eyes then reached for my robe. I had on a bralette and some boy shorts. I'll be damn if he ever gets to see me without clothes on again. He ruined that for himself.

After tying my robe, I unlocked the locks then flung my door open. "What?" He had this look on his face that I couldn't quite read. It wasn't his usual mean mug and he definitely wasn't smiling. Something was wrong. His jacket had a few wet spots on it which let me know it had started raining.

"We need to talk." Without waiting for my response, he walked right past me taking his jacket off, then sat on my bed. I had a studio apartment so everything was basically in one room, except the bathroom.

"Excuse you, I never invited you in." He just stared at me with a blank stare. I rolled my eyes then locked my door back up. I turned to him and folded my arms. "Why are you here?"

"Just left the studio." "Again..why are you here...at my place? Or I got one better. Why are you not with her...at her place?" "Why you always gotta start that shit? And why you covering up like I ain't seen all of you already?" I rolled my eyes ignoring his last comment.

"Are you serious right now?" "Obviously if I didn't want to be here then I would've just went home." "No Dre! I'm not playing this game with you anymore. You don't get to use me when it's convenient for you."

"Li, it ain't even like that. By now you should know how this fame shit work. What you want me to do just give up my career, my life?"

"I never said that." "Then what? We both knew from the beginning shit could get real. Don't start tryna play some kind of victim now." "How the fuck am I playing the victim?"

"Because you already know why I picked her." "Here we go with this publicity bullshit. Fuck that! You did that shit for you, not us! I told you I didn't care what people had to say. Where is it written that because we work together, we can't be together?"

"You work for me, not with me." I hadn't realized how emotional all of this was making me. I thought I was done letting him get to me. I quickly wiped my face as the warm tears slowly trickled down. God I hated him right now...but I loved him even more than I hated him.

He let out a deep breath then walked over to me. I looked away as his tall figure hovered over me. The rain picked up and was now knocking at my window, accompanied by the thunder and lightning.

"Listen, us publicly getting involved with each other wouldn't just effect me. You already know how I feel about you. Once word got out that we were together, people would be hesitant to work with you. On top of that I got some wild ass fans out there. This business is cut throat."

He gently grabbed my chin, moving my head to look at him. I was so over trying to please everybody else. What about what I want? Who said I couldn't have both him and my career? Fuck what they had to say!

"So what now? Am I suppose to just sit back like some side piece while you go off and live happily ever after with someone you don't even love?" He slowly paced around the room. "I don't know."

"So just let me go then." "What?" "Obviously this is all too much for you and I can't sit here and pretend that I'll be alright." "It's not that simple." "Then make it." "Naw. You make it."

"What? No. I already told you I can handle it all." "If we gone be together then I don't want you touring anymore unless it's with me. No other artist." I let out a laugh until I realized how serious he was.

"You're crazy. Why wouldn't I be able to tour with other artist? That's my career, my life." "Li, you see what kind of shit go down. I can't have my girl out there wildin out."

I was so confused. Why was he being so difficult. Like damn, love should never be this complicated. "I can't do that." He laughed, shaking his head. "Exactly. You see how I'm feeling now." "I guess so."