Intoxication.

21.

Prince's Pov:

Being back in my hometown was a trip. Everything felt so surreal as Sanaa and I walked around the streets of Minneapolis. Seeing all the sights, felt so familiar yet completely foreign at the same time. "You think we should stay at a hotel for the night?" She had asked, pulling out her cell and I thought for a moment. That's a good question... "I um, I think we should be okay to stay at the house..." My voice was soft, the nervousness evident and she quickly grabbed my hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Once we reached the house, it was as if all of these memories came flooding back, hitting me hard like a tidal wave.

Immediately I could remember being a kid again running along the front lawn, the sounds of my parent's voices laughing and joyful before everything changed for the worst. "You can do this..." I chanted silently in my head, releasing a shaky breath before letting my index finger ring the doorbell as I rocked unsteadily on the heels of my white Converse sneakers.

There was sounds flowing behind the door before it finally opened my eyes meeting with a pair of blues. "Um, who are you?" She asked, running a hand through her curly blonde hair. Of course she wouldn't know who you are. Clearing my throat to get rid of the nerves that were slowly eating me apart, I held out my hand, licking my suddenly dry lips. "Hello, I'm um, I'm John's son? You must be his w-wife, Melanie right?" "It's Melinda" she corrected before squinting her eyes, looking me up and down with a hint of disgust.

"John! Someone's here to see you..." She finally called out before walking away and that's when I heard it. His voice. "Mel what did I tell you about visitors?" His voice was deep and gravely as he approached and by now I was sure I was about to pass out. A business suit had adorned his stock frame,  similar slightly older hazelish green orbs had gone  completely blank of any type of emotion once we locked eyes.

"Skip?"

"H-Hey dad..." My voice trailed off, my hand latched on to the back of my neck, rubbing it nervously. He then glanced over to Sanaa, who had mostly been quiet and she gave a small smile which made my heart skip a few beats. "Nice to finally meet you Mr. Nelson. I'm Miss Lathan. Prince's guardian-" "What happened to Mattie? His mother." He rudely cut her off, immediately expecting an explanation but Sanaa didn't let that phase her as she simply continued. "She thought it was best if I would take care of him from now on..may we please come in?" Sucking his teeth, John didn't respond as he opened the door more wider for us. 

I silently took in my surroundings, surprised at how everything looked so different. There were pictures hanging everywhere. Mostly of Melanie (I couldn't sworn that was her name) and their kids. There was also tons of awards and medal plaques around from his successful career of being a jazz musician. It stung deeply to notice that there wasn't any traces of myself or of my mother in the house.... almost as if we didn't exist in his world. "So, how have... things been here?" I found myself asking and the new wife simply scoffed at my comment while John chuckled, shaking his head as he examined me over.

"Still haven't gotten that growth spurt yet huh?" He smirked, letting his vision finally settle on my hair. "And what the hell is this?" He motioned over to my light brown locks. I had forgotten they were straightened now. Before I could answer Sanaa beat me to it. "He just wanted a change, that's all Mr. Nelson. The style is quite popular back in Cali." She tried to joke but he didn't crack a smile. I could feel my heart pounding again as he bit on his tongue, holding back on what he really wanted to say.

Dinner that night was definitely awkward to say the least. No matter how hard I tried Melanie just wouldn't warm up to me. John also seemed to be very distant as well. They only people who remotely seemed interested in seeing me were their kids, Aiden who was eight and Mariah who was now five. To say I felt like shit would be an understatement. I could feel the tears clouding my vision as we ate dinner but I refused to let them fall. I refused to let them see me like this. "...So what's the real reason why you're now here?" John spoke after moments of uncomfortable silence. Fiddling around with the cloth napkin that sat on my lap, I tried to find my voice. "I, I just..." I couldn't find myself to say the words. The words that I had been wanting to say to him since I left. I missed him. I missed mom. I missed us being all a unit. I missed us being a family.

"You know, I thought you would've had your life together by this point. I thought you would've stopped acting like a lil bitch by now..." John's tone was harsh and his wife scolding him for cursing in front of their children. "This is exactly why I had to get away...how can I treat you like a son when you don't even act like one? You can't fend for yourself. You never stand up fro yourself...you always acted like such a lil punk... Since the time you were fucking born" John spoke and it felt like someone had punched Prince in the chest. "Now wait a minute, you have NO right to talk to him like that!" Sanaa spoke up, her voice firm, no longer being able to sit there and remain quiet. Meanwhile the tears were threatening to fall at any minute down Prince's face. His hands were trembling underneath the table.

"Who the fuck do you think you are bitch? You best Stay out of business that ain't yours..." John barked and by now Sanaa could've sworn she saw red. Standing up from the table, Prince quickly dashed for the front door, Sanaa following him as the sounds of his father mocking him could still be heard.

Sanaa had found the teenager crouched down in the grass, his shoulders hunched from crying, his head buried in between his arms. With tears now in her own eyes, she helped him stand up before managing to call a taxi to send them to the nearest hotel.

The ride was quiet once the finally reached their destination. Sanaa didn't know exactly what to say as Prince simply kept wiping at his eyes with so much force that they had became bloodshot. Taking a seat on the edge of the hotel bed, his head dropped. "Forget...forget what happened back there okay?" She spoke but he didn't respond. "Prince?" Her voice was laced with concern. "Go away" he murmured softly. "Pri-" "I said fucking go a-away!" his voice loudly cracked, startling her to the core.

Standing up from the bed, Prince tried to walk away but Sanaa crossed his path, her hands on her hips. "Move." He tried to warn, his voice filled with desperation but she wouldn't budge. "S-Sanaa...please" his voice came out in a pained whisper, his frame trembling, crumbling in front of her and he tightly shut his eyes. "I, I just...I just wish I could be gone and never have to come back here...I just want to disappear" he choked out as she pulled him closer into her warm embrace. The lavender and vanilla scent emitting from her caramel skin invading his senses, intoxicating him. Burying his face in her dark tresses, his arms tightened their grip around her waist, giving a good squeeze and she had gasped lightly against his ear causing him to shudder. He cautiously let his hands trace up and down along her arms, loving the feeling of her soft skin against his finger tips. It was calming to him. "I, I'm sorry" he managed to breathe out in voice that didn't sound like his own. "For what?" She questioned innocently before leaning back slightly to look at him.

"For this.." Prince whispered, gradually closing in the small space between them, his lips meshing delicately over her own. At first Sanaa had been hesitant to respond but his kisses now had became more urgent, a powerful need embedded within each peck as he broke away to catch his breath. "Make me forget...take away all this pain I feel in my heart...that I feel in my soul. Please San..." He begged against her lips, the fresh tears trickling down his cheeks.

"M-Make me forget about it all..."