Desire

Night on the Town

Desirée's POV

"What else could there possibly be?" He leaves me in suspense and changes the subject. We talk and talk until the theatre is empty and cleaning staff start to walk out. He stands from his seat and holds out his hand to me. I take it and follow him as he leads me through the theatre. Down some stairs and around the corner we find ourselves at a black door. He knocks gently and we are welcomed by a stage hand.

"This way please." We follow the young man through an empty dressing room. I marvel at the mirrors adorned with lights and racks covered in costumes. I touch the tutus of the sugar plum fairies and marvel at the textures before me.

"Close your eyes." I look around uneasily until I give in to his mystery. A thick cloth I can only assume is his scarf is wrapped around my face as an impromptu blindfold. He holds my hand, guiding me through a hallway. It's cold and the floor feels solid beneath my feet. After a little walk we find ourselves in more open air and the ground sounds more hollow. Prince removes my blindfold and let's go of my hand. "Open"

I open my eyes and look out at the theatre from the perspective of my dreams. The lights shone brightly on the stage and here I am standing in it. Bathing in their hot light. I can't help but just stand there shocked and amazed.

"I never thought I'd see something like this. Especially not from this side of the stage." I walk to the end of the stage and sit at its edge. I allow my back to fall and meet the ground. I look up at the catwalk and the curtains and the chandelier. "These stages are built on a slope so people have a better angle to see. It's like I'm laying on a hill."

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Prince watched lovingly from afar as Desirée used her talents on the stage of her dreams. His smile faded at the realization that he will meet the man that shattered that dream in less than 24 hours. They returned to their room and he listened to every story she had to tell. The night came and went, as did the sound check, the rehearsal and the show. Most people credited his disposition to nerves but a knowing glance reminded him that Andre knows the truth.

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Prince's POV

"Me and Andre have some things to work on. We're headed to a studio on the other side of the city. Wendy and Lisa said something about going to a club. Why don't you go out with them?" She rolls her eyes, grabbing her bag and walking to join them.

"You better be in that bed when I wake up tomorrow." She calls to me from the door.

"I will!" I holler back. Andre walks in from the other door and looks at me.

"You ready for this, man?"

"As ready as I can be."

"Come on. The car is out back." I follow him to the car and nod at his choice. The older model will make us blend in. The tint will keep us from being recognized.

The hotel isn't too far from the venue. We make it sooner than I thought. The hotel is small and unassuming. No one would expect some king pin to hideout here. We sit in silence for a while when theres a gentle tap on the door. A tall woman, a little darker than me, looks around anxiously as I roll down the window.

"Follow me and your friend can come too." I look back at Andre and we both get out the car following this woman through a side door of the hotel and up to a suite. A tall muscular white man stood up in the corner. With his jet black hair slicked back and his shirt unbuttoned to reveal a series of gold chains. He looked like all the things Desirée said he was.

"Have a seat, fellas. I'm not inhospitable." We cautiously take seats on the couch opposite of him and he chuckles. "So you're Prince, right?" I nod "Yea, I've had a lot of girls make me a lot of money to your music." He lets out a hearty laugh through a snarl revealing a single gold tooth on the side of his mouth. He pulls a wooden box from under the table and opens it. I look to Andre hoping he might know what's inside. Tony bends down behind the box as a trail of smoke appears in the air. "Cubans, just had my guy bring 'em in with my latest shipment. You smoke?"