Almost Famous: The Next Phase

Chapter 6

  "So tell me what happened?" I asked as our hands were intertwined together and we laid out on the treehouse floor gazing out of the reflective plexiglass above our heads.

"I wish it was easy for me to explain." Prince said with a sigh.

"Well just start at the beginning."

His thumb danced across my knuckles as he would let go of my hand on occasion then wrapped back around my fingers to their original position. Turning his head to me he gave a quick smile and scanned my features. I knew he was scared but he was never one to admit fear even if the world could see it written all over his soul.

"Prince you know I'm not here to judge. I'm only here to listen." I told him giving him the reassurance he was looking for.

Prince closed his eyes and turned his head back to its state of looking above before he let out another sign of possible doubt.

"I just wish he's see me as his son and not some type of burden."

"Why wouldn't he? I'm sure he loves you regardless."

"You might think so. I don't."

"Prince no matter what the case is he's still your father. He had to love you. I mean no man could ever look at their son or child for that matter and feel like they could never love them."

"My dad changed after the divorce."

"But that wasn't your fault though."

"You sure?"

I sat up and looked Prince in his face intently. There was a moment between us  that I felt wasn't right. I was going to fix it one way or another.

  "Look kid I don't what your deal is but blaming yourself for your parents issues is something you shouldn't be so upset about. No I don't know about the emotions you go through during that stage in your life but I'm sure it's almost the same as.....a parent dying. No matter how you look at it.....a loss.....is a loss. The only technicality is that.....you still get to see both of your parents intentional or not. I only have my mom. No matter what's going on just.....be glad that you have both of yours to fight with."

Prince's eyes widened a little as he turned his head to me. He looked like he understood but looking like that to me wasn't enough. I wanted to hear those words. I wanted him to say he understood. The ill fated silence deafened the world around us. Sure the sun was bright and the air was cool but there was no sound. Not a bird chirping. Not a car blaring it's horn. No dogs in the distance barking. Just dead silence. Until.....

  "Regan he said that I'll never be as good as him when it comes to being a man....or a musician."

And there it was. The root of the problem. As my mind tried to process the sting of his father's words his eyes began to well with tears. His pride was much too strong to let himself cry it out so he turned his head away once again and wiped his tears away then faced me. When Prince turned to face me he saw the sad and hurt expression I wore on my face for him like a glove. I couldn't stop myself from tearing up and it was wearing on my heart that those were Mr John's choice words for his boy. What kind of man would say to his flesh and blood? I know hearing it first hand from the man who raised you hurts much worse than hearing him repeat it to someone who he was willing to vent to. Prince gave me a grin and raised his gentle hand to my eyes and wiped away the tear that had escaped down to my chin.

  "Hey now. Don't be sad for me. I'm a big boy I can handle it." He said softly to me as he took his free hand and pulled a strand of hair from my wet cheek.

  "It's just so unjust. Why would you say something like that to someone who had your blood running through their veins? I would never in million years-" I stated until he cut me off by pressing his two fingers softly against my lips.

  "Shhhhhh. Don't worry about it. For what it's worth I have you and your mom as my safety."

  "But Prince I know that you're hurting."

  "Their only words Mouse. Besides. Even if he feels the way he does.....I still love him. I still admire his craft and.....maybe one day....he'll come to a show and realize that....he was wrong about what he said. My dad is in just as much pain from when he left my mom. I think he knows he made a mistake....and now he's regretting it. Will he admit that to me? Not in this lifetime. Is he at home in the house by himself haunted by his mistakes? I'm sure. But you're right I can't keep blaming myself for how he feels inside. I can't let that break me. And because I have someone like you in my life.....I won't."

As Prince's smile grew I began to feel the pain in my heart fade slowly away and my tears suddenly subsided. The everyday sounds of the world were beginning to come back all around us and I felt better about the situation. Prince took my hand and held it by his heart.

  "Feel that? I'm alright. There's no need to worry."

His strong heart beat against the back of my hand softly and in time with my breathing. Closing my eyes it felt as if his heartbeat grew louder and louder. I fell in love with his internal metronome as it kept the timing of the rhythm around us. I could feel the sunlight warming my body from head to toe as I fell deeper into the sound. It didn't take long before Prince called my name adding to the music my mind began to play. When I opened my eyes the sound of his heart disappeared from my ears and my eyes met his. The way the light hit them made the tint of green shake me to my very soul. My mouth went dry and my heart raced a little causing the hand he was holding to sweat. What is going on with me? I need to break this spell that I'm in? When he said my name again it sent a small chill through me.

  "Regan? Is something wrong?" He asked.

  "N-no.....I was just....thinking."

That was the only excuse I could give him since the last time I was accidentally honest it backfired in my face. This time I decided to hold on to this secret.

  "Are you sure?" He asked again as we were now nose to nose.

  "Y-yeah. I'm sure." I stammered out.

  "Mouse?"

  "Uh huh?"

  "I want-"

  "Yeah?"

Was this it? Was this going to be the moment that we kiss for the first time? Is this even real? We closed our eyes and were just a mere three quarters of an inch away from our lips touching when....

  "YO! SKIP! C'MON MAN WE GOT PRACTICE IN FIVE! HURRY UP MAN!"

Damn. So much for that.