The Butterfly Effect

𝖝𝖛𝖎𝖎𝖎 | 𝔞𝔠𝔱𝔢 𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔰: 𝔰𝔠𝔢𝔫𝔢 𝔡𝔦𝔵-𝔥𝔲𝔦𝔱

July 9th, 2020

 10:08 A.M

Kian and Madison's Airbnb, Toronto, Canada

"You got into a fight with some dudes and wound up in jail. Now Madison is angry at you for being irresponsible." Theo recalled. "I can't help you, bro. Madison is right. You're an idiot."

"You're not helping."

"What have you done since that night to make up for yourself?" Theo asked. Kian scratched his head with a wince. "Nothing? And she went to the studio today? I bet she's making an angry song about you right now."

"Oh my god, I think I might've found a friend more annoying than Zaire. Bravo." He sarcastically clapped. "Now, since you're obviously not going to be of any assistance today, let me show you to the door."

"Madison has put up with your shit for nearly a year. I'm sure she's used to your antics by now. Where did you sleep last night?"

"In bed with Madison."

"The fact that you were even in the same room as her without her recoiling at your touch says a lot. I think she's over it by now. Crisis averted, and everything's back to normal." He pats Kian's shoulder. "And you..." Theo turned to face Nathan, who was quietly reading over the script for the upcoming music video. "What's up with your girl?"

"Your advice will not help me. Kelis Carter is a different beast. Madison might get over it, but Kelis will give me the cold shoulder for a long time. All I have to do is let her calm down for the next three weeks, and then we'll be cool. But I'm not going to poke that bear until then."

"If I remember correctly, this Kelis is the one you were with for three years."

"Yessir."

"And you two used to fight all the time?"

"Yep."

"And when you fought, did you use this same three-week method?"

"Uh-huh."

"You do realize that the methods you're using to solve this problem are the same methods that led to your breakup and toxic relationship?" Nathan dropped his pencil and his eyes widened in response to Theo's observation. "If Kelis truly 'takes no bullshit,' as Zaire claims, she'll probably get angrier the longer you don't apologize. And avoiding her like you did when you were in the relationship will remind her why you didn't work out."

Kian knowingly nodded as he met Nathan's terrified eyes. He chuckled as Nathan frantically packed his belongings. "Yeah, you better go right now. She's getting angrier by the hour."

"Shit!" Nathan exclaimed while he darted out of Kian's Airbnb.

"You think he will make it in time before she gets irrationally angry?"

"Him? With that girl?" Kian pointed to the door Nate exited. "Not a chance."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If Beth had to hear another depressing piano song, she didn't think she would end the day without strangling Zaire. First, it was Liability, then it was When I Was Your Man, and now it's Call Out My Name.

"Alright enough! That's enough!" Beth waved her hands around before slowly closing the fallboard. "I've seen many shades of Zaire. Happy Zaire, angry Zaire, nervous Zaire, and last but definitely not least, stoned Zaire," she said, eliciting a small smile from him. "See? That's what I want to see. I miss happy Zaire."