Realest

1 .

"Ayo Chano!" Donnie called from the living room. I popped off the couch and shoved the handful of popcorn currently balled in my fist, into my mouth.

"This better be important, Blue Bloods is on." I spoke behind a mouthful of buttery popcorn, I stood in the doorway.

"Who's this beauty?" Donnie asked, picking up a picture frame off of my dresser.

After realizing what he was talking about, I kissed my teeth and charged after him, determined to get the portrait out of his hands. To my surprise, he let go of the frame easily and gave me a weird look.

"What?" I asked, trying cover up the action .

"Who is she?" He asked, with less curiosity in his eyes. He rubbed his scruffy beard.

"No one of importance." I left it at that, and with the picture I left the room.

This was the only thing I had left of her. And even though I don't give any fucks about her, this is the only thing I have left of what we had.

I shook my head, shaking away the flashbacks of our last interactions.

I plopped back down on the couch, taking one last look at the beautiful picture before sticking it under a couch pillow.

I sighed, grabbing another handful of popcorn from the third bowl I've had today.

"No needa getting comfy now my boy, we gotta rehearsal in five." Donnie came and sat down next to me, putting his feet up on to the coffee table.

I rolled my eyes. We've rehearsed five times this week already, just to record a free album.

"I know how you feel faaam." He laughed at how awkward he sounded using the abbreviation. "I'm tired of practicing too, but in the end, it's all worth it." He got up and patted my back before walking off.

I took a deep breath before getting up and turning off the television.

I grabbed my bowl of popcorn, but before walking to the kitchen, I closed my eyes and lifted my head.

All for the fans, do it for the fans.

After my 5 seconds of self prep, I dumped the remaining kernels and headed upstairs to the studio.

•••

"Chancelorrrrr! Glad to see you man." Jamila greeted me as I walked into the sound booth. Jamila was short, had clear brownskin and wide smile. She was a feature on our soon to be released album. Despite the fact that she was kind of annoying, the song she performed with me had to be my favorite on the album, Sunday Candy.

"Glad you could make it Mils." I responded with ten times less the amount of excitement she had, dappin her up regardless.

"Yea man, of course.. I can't believe I'm working with the amazing Chance the Rapper and The Social Experiment.. Couldn't miss it."

I cracked a smile and nodded in thanks to her implicit compliment.

"Donnie, what's the haps?" I asked, mainly to get this ball rolling, the faster we start, the sooner we can be done.

"Well, we can start off by recording Sunday Candy, since Mila actually came through on time..." He continued to talk, but as I stopped listening , it all sounded like hog wash. Everyone kept with their conversations, but I paid them no mind. My thoughts drifted deep, the framed picture popped into my mind.