Ain't Nobody Like You

Chapter Ten

For the next three days, I'm back in the studio. Most of my time is spent locked in the recording booth, finishing the vocals for my song. We make a lot of adjustments and changes, trying to find the best sound. I go in early and stay late, putting in the hours to perfect the track.

On Friday I had a meeting with my label, just two days after the picture of Marshall and I appeared in the L.A. Times. There's only so many times I could avoid them before they forced me to come in. I got the sense I was in trouble for something, and I felt like I was getting called into the principle's office.

I'm no longer under any obligation to make music for them, but I'm still under contract till the end of the year. Meaning I can't do anything without their consent or release any more music outside of their label. They weren't happy about the picture, no surprise there, and have been giving me a hard time. I wish they'd leave things off on a positive note before we end things all together.

My new label I'll be signing to this new year is actually Interscope Records, the same label as Dre and Marshall as well as countless other artists. I had been looking into different ones but Dre convinced me it was the only choice. And I wish I signed with them from the beginning because Interscope will give me complete and total creative control over my music and has no desire to control my personal life either. This is the beginning of a new phase of my career.

Knowing I'm now just down the hall, Marshall has been frequently dropping by every day when he has free time, sometimes even with Proof. Either to chat for a few minutes, share whatever snack he's eating with me, or just do something goofy like smushing his face against the glass window to make me laugh. I always enjoy his visits. We manage to find spare moments alone together too and, unable to keep our hands off each other, end up locking lips more times than I can count. Proof walks in on us enough that he tells us he'll hose us down the next time he has to see it, but we just get sneakier about it.

It'll be tough, having to leave for Miami on Sunday. Having to leave him. It's been a very long time since I've had a person I didn't want to leave. But with Marshall, I want to spend every free moment I have with him. There's a lot of insecurity that also comes with leaving.

When I leave, will this be the end of whatever has just begun between the two of us? Would we pick up where we left off when I return? Should I talk to him about us? Are we dating exclusivily? Is this just a fling? Or do I stop trying to put a label on us, relax, and keep having fun?

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Bree, the amazing personal assistant she is, asked my driver, to pick me up at the studio and take me directly to the airport where she has arranged a private jet for Miami tonight. She said Murphy would meet me at the airport and assured me my luggage would be in the car. Everything is all set for me. The only thing left to do is say goodbye to Marshall.

He's alone in the studio writing in his notebook when I find him. He has on a basketball jersey and jeans. Wearing his headphones, presumably listening to a beat to write rhymes to, he doesn't hear me approach.

His expression is hard as he stares at the page in front of him, mouthing along some lyrics he's forming in his head as he bobs his head and gestures with one hand. I almost don't want to disturb him, but I have to leave soon.

Gently, I lay my hand on his shoulder. He looks up and his face softens when he sees it's me.

"You busy?" I ask him when he takes his headphones off. I lean against the recording console near him.

"For you? Nah." he shuts the notebook and stands up, coming towards me, "You leavin' soon?" 

He knows I'm flying out tonight, I told him days ago. We've just avoided talking about it since.