Pop Life: Volume 2

Chapter 28

A few hours had passed and I had found myself in Prince's bedroom laying on the bed alone. I turned to the clock on the night stand and noticed that I must have been there since we had made up. It was just a few hours shy of sundown and I knew that I definitely missed breakfast. Realizing that René could have been taking me for a fool and that Prince was wandering Paisley alone with no one around I got out of bed and went to search for him. I tried not to make a lot of noise walking across the hard floors beneath my feet and I ran to look for him. The fist place I checked was his studio in the second floor. The lights were out and the door was closed but I went and checked anyway. Prince wasn't there. I then went a few doors down to his music room. No one but Dez was there.

"Hey Mighty Mouse! You alright?" He asked as he racked his bass next to him.

"Have you seen Prince?" I asked him trying not to show my panic.

"Oh he's in the basement. Not sure what he's doing though. He's been down there for a few hours. Told us not to follow him."

"What about René was she with him?"

"Nah. She was escorted to a guest room and has been there since."

I felt a little relieved hearing that Prince and René weren't alone together.

"Thanks Dez. See you guys at dinner."

"What's the rush girl?"

"Me and Prince aren't done with our last conversation."

I left the room and hopped on the elevator and went down to the mysterious basement that everyone was prohibited from. The elevator door slid open and I was met by security.

"Good evening miss Regan."

"Hi Brian. Where's-"

He stopped me before I could ask.

"Down the hall to the right. White door with gold knobs. He's been expecting you."

I was actually getting clearance this time. This was getting very interesting. I made my way slowly down the hall to the white door with the gold plated knobs. I knocked a few times before I entered because I wasn't sure what to expect from the other side. I slowly opened the door and peeked inside to find a dim lit room and a focus Prince sitting on the floor with a notebook next to him. In front of him was a black box.

"Hey." I said still at the door.

"Hey." His deep voice replied softly.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

I walked in slowly and closed the door behind me. Prince never looked up from the box sitting in front of him. I sat in front of him the black box now sitting in between us. We both say in silence as we both looked at the thing in front of us.

"So is that it?" I asked him worried.

Prince didn't speak he just nodded yes as his eyes were still fixed on the box.

"And you're really gonna keep it?"

He never answered. Just nodded yes. My frustration was beginning to get the best of me but for my own good it was better if I stay as calm as possible.

"Do you really think having a gun is going to solve anything?"

He finally took his attention from the box in front of us and locked his eyes in mine. They were sad and dark. It was also very eerie how he looked at me. Like he was looking into my soul.

"Just answer this question then. Why hide it from me?"

He raised his head a little to get a better look at my face.

"For the same reason you're hiding things from me. You're afraid of being judged by the one who loves you."

The room fell silent again and I ran my hands through my hair.

"I wouldn't have judged you Prince."

"Don't tell me that. It's bullshit Regan. You know it."

"What's bullshit is that you have a gun and if you use it on Marcus you're music and your career will be fucked."

"So what? You don't care about the persona remember?"

"Yes I remember Prince but you know your world is nothing but music and without it you would die inside."

"I can still play no matter what happens!"

"What happens when you lose your fan base? Or your deal with Warner? Shit Prince what about Paisely? What happens if you lose this place?"

"If I lose it all to keep you safe then that's what I'll do Regan! Why don't you understand that!?!?"

"No you don't understand that throwing your life away over that scum of the earth is no way to keep me safe! You know in your heart that's not the way! My God for a genius musician you can't possibly be that fucked in the head!"

"I don't care Regan! If I lose it I lose it! You are more important than the material shit!"

We sat and locked eyes with each other in anger. Neither of us were getting nowhere.

"So you would abandon your life in the name of love."

"If that's what you wanna call it then so be it baby doll."

I had given up all hope of getting through to him.

"Fine. Throw your life away! See if I care." I stood up and headed to the door.

I turned to find Prince getting up from the floor following behind me. As I opened the door he grabbed my hand.

"Hold on sweetheart." He said to me softly as he finally showed his face.

"What? You made your decision already. What more is there to do?" I asked him frustrated.

"Why is my career so important to you?"

"Because I watched you bust your ass day and night writing songs and playing at those wanna be clubs back home. You made your own dreams become reality! And you would throw all of that away? For love? For me?"

Prince knew in his heart that ending his careen also meant ending his life. He was sure that he wanted to do it to keep Marcus from ever harming me or anyone else ever again but he wasn't sure if he wanted to put his life on the line anymore now that he saw how happy I was when he jump started his own life as a star at First Avenue and how hurt I would be if I had to watch everything he worked for go up in flames.

"Can I make a deal with you?" He asked as he wiped my tears.

"Yeah. Sure."

"If you promise me to tell me everything about what you were going to tell Andre I'll get rid of the gun. Deal?"

I let my head fall into his touch as I answered him.

"Ok."

Prince pulled be close to him and held me.

"We'll figure something out. I swear we'll think of something else." Pence said as I cried in his arms.

This was the just the beginning of our dark conversation and it was only going to get darker by the end of it.