I was jolted awake by the sound of small pebbles pelting against my window. I groggily opened my bleary eyes to check my alarm clock, and the numbers blinked back at me: 1:13 AM.
I sat up in bed with a groan, rubbing my eyes and feeling both confused and disoriented. I padded over to the window, peeking through the curtains with a mix of alarm and annoyance.
And there he was—Prince, standing outside with a handful of rocks in his hand, like some sort of quirky midnight messenger. I spotted his buddies, Morris, Terry, and Andre hanging out by his car on the curb.
Still feeling confused, I drew back my curtains, mouthing at Prince, wondering what he wanted.
Prince motioned for me to come outside, his expression urgent. I hesitated for a moment, feeling a sense of unease. But then Prince looked up at me, his eyes pleading, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity and concern.
I sighed and opened my bedroom window as quietly as I could, only feeling slightly embarrassed at my appearance– having a scarf tied around my head, braless and in a nightgown– they were outside of my house at 1 AM!
"What's up, Prince?" I asked tiredly, trying not to draw attention to the fact that I looked a hot mess.
His expression turned serious, and he spoke in a hushed tone. "I need you to do me a solid," he said urgently.
"Help? At 1 AM?" I raised an eyebrow, still trying to piece together what was happening.
Prince nodded at me, his eyes full of concern. "We have a gig tonight, in forty five minutes, but our Dez jammed two of his fingers playing ball and can't perform. We need someone to fill in for him," he said, he explained, his voice brimming with desperation.
I blinked, processing the request. Me, performing with Prince and his band? The idea was both thrilling and absolutely nerve-wracking. Though I could hold my own during a casual jam on any day of the week, I wasn't sure if I had the chops or the nerve to pull it off.
But then I looked at Prince, his eyes full of desperation, I sighed, feeling a sense of compassion building within me.
"Okay, I'm down. I'll do it," I said softly, feeling a rush of nervousness. "What do I need to do?"
Prince beamed at my response, visibly relieved. "Just grab your guitar and come with us," he said, gesturing towards his car.
...
When we rolled up to the venue, the pulsing beat of music and the hum of laughter greeted us, filling the air with an electrifying atmosphere. My heart raced with excitement and nerves as we stepped out of the car, ready to take the stage.
Prince shot me a confident grin, his eyes shining with reassurance. "Just follow our lead," he said, his voice oozing with coolness. "We got this. Be cool."
I nodded, trying to shake off the jitters, and as we positioned ourselves on stage, the energy of the place enveloped me. The crowd's chatter mixed with the buzz of our gear, and in that moment, everything else faded away. It was showtime.
As the music kicked in, I slipped right into the groove, blending with the band like we'd been playing together for years. The crowd responded, their energy feeding ours, and it felt like I was apart of something bigger than myself.
The cheers and applause roared like a tidal wave, and my heart swelled with joy and pride. The sheer thrill of performing with this talented crew, in front of such an enthusiastic audience, was unlike anything I'd ever experienced.
When the last note faded away, we took our bows, soaking in the adoration from the crowd as we made our way off stage. Prince turned to me, his eyes filled with admiration. "You were out of sight!" he said, his voice genuine and filled with emotion.
