Reflections || Prince

Reflections || Chapter 7

1983

Valerie Thomas

"Go head, Val!" Smiling, Tracee clapped her hands together and cheered during one of my photoshoots. One of the photographers continued snapping away to take various pictures as different songs thumped here from this towering stereo.

Recently, my best friend had spent quite some time working on many projects and still traveled all over the world to cover interviews. No matter what, I was joyful and happy to see Trace during my career, even now. These days, I still needed her.

During this photoshoot, I channeled my inner badass. Wardrobe today included everything from crop tops and jeans to silks blouses and miniskirts. With every picture, I smiled and posed with the happiest grin on my face. I deserve it.

For the longest time though, my self-esteem wasn't great. Hell, when Tracee and I met in high school, someone had bullied me on our first day of classes. At that time, I was only fifteen years old. Looking back, Only cold-hearted folks had the nerve to raise their kid like that. Looking back, I still cringed about the memory.

Back then, I glanced around the cafeteria and struggled to find an empty seat. Just when I planned to walk out and eat by myself in the hallway, this voice called. I turned my braids around and saw this girl waving towards the left for my attention.

"Hi, I'm Tracee! Would you like to sit with us? I'll scoot over. Hold on." The girl beamed, waving frantically again. She grinned, showing off purple lip gloss. Her single Afro Puff stumped highly. Her friends were just as sweet, echoing greeting for little ole me now. This entire group was so pretty and nice. My heart swelled.

"Sure." To be honest, I was extremely nervous that day, but allowed myself to sit down. Tracee had introduced other girls around her. I nodded time and time again, already smiling between bites of my school meal. I introduced myself soon after.

"I'm Valerie." I planned to smile near Tracee again, someone had the gull to hurl this rotten banana peel towards the back of my head. Immediately, voices all over this cafeteria gasped or fumed with anger. Staff hurried to contact the Principal.

"What in the world?" Tracee jumped out of her seat and hugged me without a second thought. I couldn't even rush to sit in the bathroom alone once lunch ended. Tracee and her friends were all there, listening as I cried to the mirror. Sobs echoed from those hollow walls. I'd already puked in the toilet at least three times before.

Momma picked me up from school instead of letting the bus drop me off and by that next morning, even that bully was already expelled.

Returning to reality now, I ruined my beautiful makeup with tears from the past. Between my blinks, I noticed Tracee opening both arms to embrace. Through years. both knew that today was different from that high school nightmare. Time changed.

"Fuck that bully." Clearing my throat for a moment, I tried to laugh while still wiping more tears. Tracee nodded frantically, completely understanding what I meant. Across from us both, the photographer still snapped away with his camera.

When those pictures finally released to newsstands, some few images showed Tracee and I hugging. Of course, my heart swooned once again. Tracee would always stand right in my corner, unlike many other people who I knew before.

____

Days later, we visited Momma's restaurant to pick up comfort food. We'd just come back to my place and tried to catch up once more. Tracee would head out in the morning to review a David Bowie concert. In addition to obsessing over his groundbreaking work, we both admired that creative genius even more now.

Bowie had recently confronted MTV's racism towards Black artists on national television. I'd never forget laughing with Trace as we watched the battle. "VJ" and interviewer Mark Goodman offered useless arguments throughout that broadcast.

Once I cleaned up the kitchen and Tracee crashed on my sofa again, I finally decided to call Prince again. He'd asked about seeing me once more, but life became so hectic for us both that I still couldn't figure out when to make time.

"Hey," he picked up on the first ring this time. Silence reached my bedroom as I gently closed the door behind me, trying not to wake Tracee on my couch. There was no other choice. Her grumpy self would've argued with me all night long.

"Hey. Did I wake you?" I nearly gasped for a moment. Prince offered his low voice once more, but his tone still sounded different. Of course, I couldn't put my finger on why he was so gentle now. His simple tone had sent tingles down my spine, too.

"No. It's late over here and I can't speak too loud because everybody's sleeping." How are you?" There was a rasp in his response this time. I found myself grinning all over again. Who knew that someone's voice could actually make me blush?

"Good. Had a photoshoot today. I'll send you the magazine." I just wanted to pace around the room, but my phone cord wasn't long enough to stretch away from the nightstand. I rolled my eyes, but still sat on this bed. Silence then fell once more.

"Cool, thanks." Despite the exhaustion in his tone, I could tell that he was still happy. I could only imagine if he smiled in person right now. Another round of silence fell between us, but I wouldn't let this talk tonight become awkward.

"I've seen your Rolling Stone cover with Denise. Have you settled down?" I teased while winking for a moment, even though we couldn't see each other. Their chemistry on camera looked amazing. Maybe their connection was genuinely deep.

"It's complicated." Prince said to me.

"What are you talking about? Chemistry doesn't lie." I told him back.

"I don't really know what to tell you. Sorry." Prince whispered in return.

"Okay, sorry for asking, then. Good night. We'll hopefully see each other again soon." I planned to leave this conversation, but Prince stopped me.

"Wait, please?" Prince called out, not yelling too much.

"Yes?" I still didn't know what to think.

"Are you busy tomorrow?" Prince asked.

"For once, no. Why?" I responded.

"I just mailed a plane ticket." Laughing, Prince hung up before I could ask any more questions.