Pop Life: Volume 2

Chapter 8

That night Prince cleared Paisley and it was just the two of us. I was too afraid to be left alone still so I stayed in the studio and watched him work for a few hours. I sat on the floor by his sound board while he was writing a new song.

"Whatcha workin' on up there Skippy?" I asked him playfully.

"You sound like a five year old calling me that!" He laughed.

"Ok I'm sorry. Mr. Nelson what new creation will you be blessing the world with this time?" I said deepening my voice.

Prince got so much of a kick out of it that he had tears in his eyes from laughing so hard.

"That's good mouse!" He said still laughing.

It made me happy to see him like this. It made me forget about the night before where he almost went crazy.

"But seriously what are you working on?" I asked him as I sat on my knees to see over the sound board.

"Well it's nothing right now but it will turn into a song later. I'm just trying to see what fits for now."

"Prince Nelson! Genius at work!" I said as I walked my fingers up his arm.

"This is usually what I do. The music comes later."

"You still play your drum kit?"

"What the hell kinda question is that? Do I still play my drum kit. I have you know I can out drum Morris or anybody out!" His conceited and cocky attitude was evident in his body language.

"Oh yeah? Then get with it! I wanna see!" I challenged.

"Alright it's a bet! I'll call Morris tonight and we'll see! If Morris wins I let him play on my next record and you get to take me to whatever place you want me to go.

"And if you win?"

"If I win......you my love you have to make love to me for a week AND feed me crunch bars afterwards."

"That's not a real offer!"

"Oh yeah it is! Don't wuss out now!"

"Prince you know that's the most bizarre thing I've ever heard!"

"Either make it a bet or quit."

"That's crazy!"

"Does that mean you're quitting?"

"No! It's a bet! May the best chump win!"

"Shake on it."

We shook hands and stared each other down. I knew Prince didn't like to lose and honestly neither did I.

"Just for that I hope you lose!" I said to him pushing the back of his head as I headed for the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" He asked me.

"I have to pee. Why wanna watch?" I asked him sarcastically.

Prince scrunched up his face and shook his head no.

"Exactly! Didn't think so." I giggled.

He turned back to the soundboard to scribble his lyrics down and I left out of the studio. I made my way down the hall to one of the many extra rooms that was used for hang out spots. As I went to open the door I heard something fall down in the empty lobby. I slowly walked back towards the steps and peeked past the wall to see what made the noise. I couldn't see anything but a small box outside the door.

I backed away from the wall slowly and headed quickly back to the studio.

"Prince!" I shouted as I reached for the door.

I ran inside and slammed the door closed leaning against it.

"Regan what's the matter???" He asked concerned.

"Someone was just outside!" I explained.

"What are you talking about?"

"Someone was on the grounds! There's a box outside the door!"

"That's impossible! Tony's on the gates tonight!"

Prince looked worried as he ran out the studio and down to the lobby. He went to the receptionist desk and found a single walkie talkie sitting on the ledge. He turned it on and tried to reach out to Tony.

"Tony? Are you watching the gate?"

There was nothing but static. Prince tried again.

"Tony can you hear me?"

Nothing. Just static. He tried one more time.

"Tony come on man where are you?"

Nothing but static.

"Prince?" I called worried.

"What the hell? Where is he?"

Prince and I looked at each other. We both knew something wasn't right.

   "Prince I don't like this. Tony answers all the time. It's not like him to not answer." I said.

My heart was starting to race.

  "I know. I'll go find him."

  "Wait Prince don't leave me!" I yelled in a panic.

  "Come on." He took my my hand and we went towards the kitchen to see if we could possibly track down Tony's last ware abouts.

  "You think he might have gotten hurt?" I asked him worried.

  "I hope not." He said.

We were both conceded for Tony's safety as well as our own.

  "Stay close to me Regan. Whatever you do don't leave my side."

I shook my head and agreed. I stuck to Prince like glue as we continued to look for Tony. We covered the kitchen from end to end and didn't see anyone. We doubled back to the long corridor and made it back to the lobby.

  "Prince I'm scared." I said as my voice shook with fear.

  "Don't be. We'll figure this out I promise." He assured me holding on to my hand.

We heard a door slam closed from the other side of the lobby just past the steps. I clenched on to Prince by the shirt and pulled myself closer to him.

  "Someone's inside! Oh my god someone's inside!" I said as tears began to stream down my face.

  "Get behind the desk." Prince commanded.

  "No I won't leave you!"

  "Regan just get behind the desk now!" His deep voice startled me into doing what he said and I quickly ran behind the receptionist desk.

  "Get down and stay down until I come and get you."

I did what he said and got under the desk and pulled the chair underneath with me. I sat on the floor with my knees to my chest and put my head down trying to control my breathing so I wouldn't be heard. I had no idea what was going on. There was no noise and I couldn't tell if Prince was still in the room or not. Then there was the sound of footsteps faintly coming towards the lobby. They slowly grew louder and so did my fear. My heart was racing so loud that I thought it could be heard and I just might get caught. Before long the footsteps stopped in the center of the lobby.

Complete. Silence.