Almost Famous: The Next Phase

Chapter 1

I heart was beating rapidly in my ears and I can feel my body trembling with fear as we stared at each other. Prince dropped his arm away from the door completely in shock. I don't even know if he was going to say anything at all. I was praying to god that maybe he didn't hear me the second time because now I was ready to make a run for it. The room was too silent for too long and I couldn't take it anymore.

  "I'm....so....sorry....that was-"

Prince interrupted me and told me to repeat myself for a third time.

  "Huh?" I asked him blankly.

  "Tell me again." He said softly.

  "I.....I.....like.....you......to....tell Andre for me....that I like him.

Prince blinked his eyes shook his head and smile.

  "That's not what you said. You said you liked me! Don't lie Regan we both know you suck at it." Prince giggled.

  "No I didn't!" I said jumping on the defensive.

  "You did! Mouse I heard you! I only wanted you to say it again because I wanted to see if you believed it yourself! You can't fool me mama we've been friends since we were-"

  "Five....yeah....I know."

The embarrassment that came over me was beyond overwhelming. I looked passed him at the door and pushed passed him quickly.

  "Wait! Where ya going? What about the show?" Prince asked confused as I opened the door and ran out of his room.

  "I'll be back later." I said as I held back my tears.

I left his house and ran home and didn't stop until I got there. As I burst through the front door I heard my mom in the living room on the phone talking to someone when she called out to me.

"Mouse? Baby is that you?"

Ignoring her call I ran straight to my room and slammed my door and started to pace a hole into my floor. Punching myself in the head several times in the process I was literally beating myself up about what had just occurred just a few minutes ago.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! UGH! Why did I do that! What the fuck was I thinking!?!?!" I shouted at myself as I paced with tears streaming from my eyes.

The more I paced the angrier I grew. The more angry I became the more my eyes filled with tears. The more I cried the more embarrassed I felt. There was no need to tell prince I liked him when he's already liking another girl at school. There's no telling if he even sees me that way anyway! While I was giving myself more of a verbal punishing there was a soft knock at my door.

"Mouse?" I head my mom call again from the other side.

"Not now Ma." I said back to her still pacing angrily.

"Honey let me in. Please?" She said with a smile that could be heard from where I stood.

"No!"

"Why not? Was it Andre?"

"MA! STOP! And no it wasn't Andre this time."

"Well then maybe since you won't let me in you can come to me and talk about it? Maybe over your favorite? Hot cocoa and peanut butter cookies?"

Although tempting I was too mad to answer at the moment so I just stood still and thought.

"Baby? Please? It's not right to have your mother standing out in the cold hallway now is it?"

Somehow she was able to get a laugh out of me to calm me down. Shaking my head still holding that smile I went to the door and slowly opened it only exposing an eye and a curl or two.

"I'll come down on one condition." I demanded playfully.

My mom crossed her arm and looked back at me through the cracked door with a raised eyebrow.

"Alright. Let's hear it." She said.

"I get the car to Skipper's show tonight and....you don't laugh at what I did and today."

My mom let out a sigh and dropped her arms to her sides.

"Alright deal. Now will you please come downstairs and out of hiding?"

"Open the door and I'll come out." I giggled.

She pushed the door open in its entirety and pulled me out into the hall.

"There's my silly girl. Come on and have cookies with me. I was in the mood to bake today." She said heading down the steps.

I followed behind her hoping that when I got be her age I didn't turn into the crazy baking nurse. Once I got down to the bottom of the steps I rounded the banister and sat at the table while my mom poured my hot pink tie dye mug full of hot chocolate and spraying a t huge mountain of whipped cream on the top.

"It's gotten pretty cold for it to only be September. I hope you wore a jacket while you were out early young lady." She said to me as she filled the second mug for herself.

"Yes ma'am. How did you know I even left? I thought you were sleeping?" I asked curiously.

"I was but the sound of Skippy outside with that deep voice of his. I swear that boy could make the sun rise with that voice." She said with a laugh.

I on the other hand wanted to change the topic but unfortunately Prince was the sole reason why I came out of my room talk to my mom in the first place. My mom brought over our piping hot mugs first followed by the plate of fresh cookies she took from the cooking rack on the counter.

"Now. What's the trouble?" She asked me as I reached for a cookie.

I can't believe I'm really going to tell my mom this story but here goes.

"Ma promise you won't laugh ok?"

"I won't. Promise."

"I uhhh.....I told a boy I liked them."

I slumped down in my chair and closed my eyes waiting for my mom to start her outburst of laughter.

"Oh! Which boy?"

"Prince."

She looked at me with those big brown eyes of hers and smiled.

"Don't worry dear. This time about twenty years ago I told a guy I liked him too."

Suddenly my embarrassment washed away and sheer curiosity took over as I sat up straight at the table.

"Really? Who?" I asked as I reached for a cookie.

"Your father." Was all she said as she picked up a cookie and took a bite.

Suddenly I didn't feel so stupid anymore.