Perspectives

Chapter Twenty-two

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Phase two of Kayson's damage control regime was to capitalise off of the buzz of Abs' seizure being made public via social media. Though he did not completely agree with the age-old adage that 'all press is good press', as a manager and a friend, he was determined to make something good out of the unfortunate situation. He was eager for Abs to release new music, but Abs was not connecting to any of the unreleased material from before the seizure. Abs was in a completely different place in his life and did not resonate with the options available. He also did not feel right releasing music that 'glorified' drug use after what he went through. Abs did not want to appear like a reformed saint, however, he felt that he had a responsibility to use his platform wisely.

Abs eventually let Kayson hear the rough demo he recorded of 'Chanel's Paradise', a song he wrote without any intention of releasing it. As soon as Kayson heard it, he dragged Abs to the studio to record it professionally. Abs was apprehensive about releasing something so personal to him but understood it was a disservice to hide such a beautiful track. In the song, he crooned about his appreciation for Payton, referring to her as her middle name 'Chanel' to maintain anonymity.

He rapped about how they peeled back each other's layers and had a deep connection. He illustrated how she stepped up for him during the most complex time of his life, made him feel supported and never turned her back on him no matter how difficult his life became. The song followed a storytelling format and in the second verse he detailed the night they sat in the bath together with the candles and music in the background and described it as paradise. He explained that he felt locked away from all the bad in the world when he was with her. It was a masterpiece. The melody, the hook, the lyricism. It was some of his best work and birthed from a mirage of pain and appreciation.

Both Abs and Kayson could not believe the traction that the song got. It was being coined as a 'hood' love song and a renowned music blogger described it as reminiscent of the classic Youngs Teflon - When Thugs Cry. Youngs Teflon was one of Abs' favourite rappers and he held that song dear to his heart and never imagined he could write something that touched people in a similar way.

Payton was able to hear it a few hours before it was released and it the first time in her life, she felt like she could cry from happiness. It was an indescribable emotion, and it was difficult to vocalise how appreciated and meaningful it made her feel. The wordplay and metaphors he used made her beam with joy and it was as if she had a permanent smile on her face ever since. Payton listened to the song an unhealthy amount of times and the finishing touch of it all was the song title because she could not even remember telling him her middle name. That made it all the more sentimental and reflected just how attentive and loving he was. She loved how personal it was to them because it meant that nothing and no one could ruin their moment. A song was something she could have with her forever and was truly a priceless gift.

"You should have let me record a fake voice note for the intro so I could be out here like India and Ari." Payton joked with him before he took a nap, referencing the girlfriends of popular rappers.

Whilst he slept next to her, Payton played Chanel's Paradise on the loudest volume with the noise cancellation feature active on her Airpod's. She mouthed every word and every melody, sometimes even humming along with the distorted and sampled singer's voice that was integrated into the instrumental. Abs' phone lay on the bedside table closest to Payton whilst it charged and was dormant and unimportant to her until it lit up with a phone call. Her eyes automatically darted to the screen and she saw 'Naomi' written on it whilst it rang silently. Payton took in a breath through her nose and tore her eyes away from the phone screen, intent on ignoring it completely. She saw the phone ring two more times through the corner of her eye and flashbacks from Samson's party several months ago came back to her. Though a long time had passed, she never forgot the scene that Naomi caused and the rancid way she spoke to her. She remembered every insult, every taunt and every attempt to publicly humiliate her. She remembered how she vowed that if she ever saw her again she would make her regret being born and she remembered how she let the opportunity slide when she bumped into  Naomi at the hospital.