Ain't Nobody Like You

Chapter Three

"You seein' anyone?" Bizarre asks me suddenly.

"Bizzy!" Marshall snaps at him.

"What?" he says confused.

"Nah man, she's with that guy. The one with all the fuckin' hair." Proof says. "Guy looks like a fuckin' girl."

I can't help but laugh at that as Bizarre asks, "She's still with that actor motherfucker? Cooper or whatever?" 

"Yeah, man, uh...Daniel Cooper! But wait, didn't they break up? I-" Proof starts before I cut in.

"You guys are just a bunch of gossips aren't you? You could just ask me, you know?" All eyes are on me expectantly now. I've been here with them for only a few minutes now, talking about music when my least favorite topic was brought up. It's a bit amusing seeing the two men gossip like that, but not when I'm the center of it. I sigh. "Yeah we broke up a while ago."

"Why?" Proof asks, then adds with a smile, "I mean who the fuck would break up with you?"

"He didn't break up with me. I broke up with him. And it really doesn't matter why." I brush the question off, keeping my voice light.

"Yeah, what matters is you're single and its time to mingle girl!" Bizzare says while doing a little shimmy towards me.

I breath out a laugh, "No. Hell no. I'm not dating. That's the last thing I need to do right now. Sorry Biz, but I'm swearing men off."

"Damn, what the fuck did this guy do to you?" asks Proof half-jokingly.

"He did enough." The room goes silent a moment, and I realize how much of a mood killer I've been, so I change the topic to something more interesting. "But let's not talk about me. What's your guys story? How'd you all meet?"

That was enough for Bizarre and Proof to give me the full background on all of them, including Marshall. Speaking of, he seems a bit more distant than earlier. He hasn't really talked since Bizarre brought up my dating life. Except to voice his annoyance at any embarrassing story the guys told of him. Maybe I overstayed my welcome.

They tell me about life growing up in Detroit, building their own rap careers, and the other members of their rap group D12. When Bizarre finishes an entertaining story about some rap battles in Florida, there's a break in the conversation so I stand up telling them, "I should get going but..." I look to Marshall, "When can I get your album? I want to hear the rest of it."

Marshall sits up a little from where he was leaning back on the couch, looking surprised, "Uh, the LP ain't droppin' for another 2 months-"

"But he sells his other albums at his shows", Proof interrupts.

"Shows? You've got shows?" I smile at Marshall.

Marshall starts to respond but Proof cuts him off again, and Marshall shoots him a dirty look that he doesn't seem to notice while Bizarre holds back laughter, "Yeah, he's been rappin' at all sorts of venues. He's playin' the Whisky A Go Go tonight. You wanna go?"

"Oh uh," I pause to think. It's not that I didn't. I actually really do want to. But I don't get asked to go watch someone perform at a club like this very often. Usually it's all very planned, and there's some kind of security involved. All of which I hate, and why I don't often make such plans. Besides, it's probably best I shouldn't. I don't want Marshall to get the wrong idea.

"She ain't gonna go there, man." Marshall states. Does he look disappointed?

"Why not?" Proof asks.

"Yeah, why not?" I ask. I know why I won't go, but why does he think I won't go? Marshall looks over at me, with a look that's almost challenging.