The Runaway

Seventeen: A New Chapter

"Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me.."

Prince's POV:

April 24th, 2016.

"You know what?" Grace exclaimed on top of my piano in Studio B with the widest smile on her face. "The Gold Experience is now my favorite album of yours,"

I stopped writing and my eyebrows raised. "Excuse me? How do you know about that album?"

Laughing, Grace Ventura, the one who eventually took my last name, smirked and ate a piece of popcorn. Her eyes held playful emotions and a little bit of shyness, nativity.

"I told you lover, I know everything." She now laid on her stomach, inches from my face. "Billy Jack is my jam. Although, I can't curse..ya know, being an Angel and all or whatever.."

Matching her smirk, my head shook and we stayed staring at one another until she decided to kiss me, slowly moving her lips in sync with mine, humming when I stood to deepen the kiss with ease. Her arms wrapped around my neck and without thinking, I pulled her body off the piano, causing a giggle to sound throughout the room.

"P!" Grace mumbled teasingly, her legs wrapped around my torso. "You're stalling,"

Indeed, I was.

"And?" I replied with sarcasm, kissing her again before I felt that all too familiar head tilt and smirked with humor as Grace kissed the corner of my mouth. "What are you going to do about it?"

Her eyebrows raised. I could feel the motion on my cheek. Her reply in my ear, yet it was loud enough that it echoed.

"See lover, I would do something about it." Grace started, staring at me with a wide smile. "Ma un po' mi piace questo.."

Our lips danced once more when I put her down and I found myself leading us across the room to imaginary music.

Our bodies close.

Kisses every now and then.

Somewhere in between, real music began to play through the speakers and every time Grace would move, she'd slide across the floor. Acting like she hadn't left me and wasn't physically mine anymore, I watched the one I loved mouth the words to Wake Me Up Before You Go Go a few feet away as she danced in the middle of the floor, eventually outstretching her hand.

"May I have this dance amante?" She asked, sensing my hesitation and biting her lip. "Come on, you know you want to!"

I had became so high-strung and serious after Grace's transition that I'd lost what it meant to be truly happy. When we were together, I was forced out of my comfort zone in the most loving way.

Running in the rain.

Painting in the park.

Giving out free tickets to my shows in disguise.

No other woman ever compared to Grace Ventura. She had characteristics that I yearned for once she met the one above. I yearned for the normalcy we had. I didn't care about fame. I didn't care about the money. Music didn't even bring me the joy it once did.