Omniscient POV:
"Ladies and Gentlemen," Jimmy Kimmel began, standing in front of his desk as the audience's applause died down. "Our next guess is truly a sweetheart that I've had the absolute pleasure of meeting today. Beginning her career just about three years ago in Europe, where she was born and attended college, she quickly rose to stardom after the viral release of an EP the year she graduated. Her then debut single, 'Careless,' sold out worldwide and she didn't stop there, wowing us with a hit album that's immediately gone platinum with over three hundred million streams on Spotify and Apple Music." Standing anxiously behind the curtain, Lauren wore a smile of blatant surprise in response to a seemingly colorful introduction. "After spending most of her career in London, England, she's recently decided to kick things into gear here in the U.S. This young lady has quickly taken the nation by storm and I have a feeling she's just getting started. So without further ado, please welcome Ms. Luna Re to the stage!"
Dazzling music cued as velvet curtains parted, revealing a bashfully beaming Lauren. The sight of a standing and applauding audience and smiling production members as well as host made her feel like a peacock in the zoo. She didn't mind it though, seemingly.
A light hug was exchanged between the two. "Thank you so much for having me. Hi you guys!" Lauren greeted the audience before taking a seat along with the smiling host.
"Oh the pleasure's mine, how are you?"
"I'm great, and you?"
"Good, good-"
"I love this tie," she lifted a hand to point at it with a smile.
That got him to appear flustered, gaining a reaction from the audience. "Oh thank you, that's sweet of you-"
"Of course," Lauren said softly.
There was a slight pause, as he regrouped, before Kimmel leaned forward as if there wasn't an audience. "So Luna.."
Lauren raised a skeptically amused brow, glancing between him and the audience. "Yes?..."
"I've got a question for you.."
She grinned, shrugging a single shoulder. "And I may have an answer-" the audience snickered while Kimmel smiled.
"What prompted the move from the London to the U.S?" Lauren could feel all eyes on her as he leaned toward her, on his elbows, with a curious grin. "Was it the no Chick-Fil-A?" The audience laughed as she dropped her head with a chuckle of her own. "Or the lack of bottled water?"
"Well, if you must know," she began, crossing a leg over the other as she leaned on her elbow as well, mirroring his position. "Though you've got to know the right places and the right people, the bottled water in Europe is pretty exquisite. At least where I lived, that's for sure-"
"Was it really?" Kimmel day back in his seat, seemingly taken aback. "Was it all fresh and magical?" He asked, sparking his fingers with the words. Lauren laughed,
"It's refreshing I guess you could say," she said. "But no, those two aren't exactly the reasons- though I do love me some Chick Fil A."
"Oh don't we all-" she laughed again, along with the audience. "So what was it?"
Drawing a moderate breath, Lauren adjusted in her seat.
"Uhhh..it was my team," she nodded. "And my manager and all that- They saw that I'd begun getting a lot of attention from the U.S after some time, you know with videos and things like that from what I was doing in Europe. So when people were asking for more concerts and photo shoots and things here-"
"They suggested you move?"
"Yes they did," she exhaled a breath.
"And do you like it here?" Kimmel asked.
Best efforts in mind, Lauren forced a shy smile. She didn't want to think about how the second she flew back to the U.S, she'd subconsciously hoped to see a specific familiar face. She didn't want to think about the mild pain that striked her chest once she visited her father and he absentmindedly asked about that person. She didn't want to think about what the U.S. reminded her of; the fond memories she left behind and the immense heartbreak she carried with her overseas. She tried her best not to think about any of that at all.
"Yes, very much so," the young artist replied softly.
Kimmel then grinned knowingly. "And is that because of a certain someone?" He wiggled his eyebrows in contribution as Lauren expelled a light laugh.
"Oh my gosh, you're making me feel embarrassed-"
"Oh but Luna! The people want to know- and I promised a little birdie we'd get some sort of answer from you tonight-"
"Mhm," she jokingly shot a look. "What is it?"
"Nothing bad, I promise," he assured. "But uh, is it true....that you're engaged?" Subtle gasps and murmurs followed the question as Lauren bit her lip while keeping her eyes on her lap. "And not only engaged, but to hip hop producer and former rapper, Micah Styles." More gasps and murmurs.
"Well," she drew out before giving her attention to the audience, then the host. "It was supposed to be a secret, then a surprise. But since the cat's out of the bag, yes," she nodded, sheepishly smiling at the audience's awes. "Yes we are."
Jimmy sat back in his seat, seemingly astonished as if he hadn't the slightest clue. "My God, I'm blown away." Lauren chuckled at his dramatics. "How long have you guys been together?"
She glanced toward the ceiling with squinted eyes. "About...a little under two years. Our anniversary of being together is in September."
"And, can I ask, how did you guys meet?"
Lauren sucked in a breath. "See, now we're in troubled waters-" the host and audience threw back a laugh. "Micah's going to swear up and down I'm telling the story wrong."
"Oh I'm sure he'll be fine. Plus he's free to tell his side when he joins us in three weeks," Kimmel said, smiling as he propped his chin on his hand, encouraging Lauren to spill the beans. She exhaled a laugh and did so.
With the caution of her boyfriend listening and watching backstage, Lauren told their story, keeping things very short, cordial, and movie-like. She could only hope Micah would approve once she returned backstage. It came time to wrap up the story, and after the audience's applause, the room fell quiet again.
"So Luna, I know you've got a performance for us here in a minute-" the audience cheered, making her graciously crack a smile. "But before we get started, let's talk a bit about your impressive career so far."
"With pleasure," she nodded with a grin.
Kimmel took out a vinyl version of her debut album from under his desk, and Lauren tried to hide her flush of mild embarrassment. A stunning photo of her resided on the front, below the title.
"Your recent first album, N.A.I.V.E.-" Lauren nodded attentively, subconsciously holding her breath. "It has been very successful thus far." Her hands clasped together before she pulled them into her chest. "But as we see here, the letters of the word are abbreviated, indicating they each mean something. Is that right?" A toothless grin washed across her face as she nodded again. "You wanna tell us what it means?"
The twenty six year old drew a breath before speaking as clearly, and non-nervous, as possible. "Well it stands for 'nourishing acceptance inflates vagile expression.'"
The host sat back in his seat with a perplexed expression while the audience muttered thoughts of wonderment. His knitted features advocated elaboration, so she did.
"And what that means is, the more you accept yourself, and who and where you are, in regards to life itself, the more access to subconscious freedom and mobility you allow yourself." More inquiry for elaboration fell within Kimmel's expression and Lauren swallowed a laugh, displaying a smile. "It's like this. If I go through life having negative attitudes about this or that, or myself, and if I refuse to open my mind to myself and life with its endless possibilities and perspectives, I've limited myself. And with limiting myself, I've denied myself a sort of freedom, in a sense, and I've confined myself into a box. And it's called the specific word, naive, because, with being an adult and growing up, many of us forget that. Life gets hard and gruesome on us and we give up on that wishful thinking, that optimism. Younger generations are viewed as premature, or naive, because of that outlook without knowledge of the real world's cruelty. But what if, instead of giving up, we persisted within that mindset as we age. I'd like to think the world would be a much kinder place, wouldn't you Jimmy?"
Her smile could also be expelled as a smirk as she teasingly leaned forward to rest an elbow on the chair's arm with accommodation of the audience's marveled applause.
"You're truly something, Ms. Re, that's without a doubt."
Lauren was now trying to suppress a quipped grin as she sat back in the plushed chair. "I have my days."
The remark received a laugh.
"And along with that you have a new song for us called-" he started for her to finish.
"Yes, it's called 'Hard'-"
"And this is a song on the album that's a bit different from the others, yes?"
"Yes," Lauren nodded, bashfully smiling. "It's uh, a bit slower and more mellow in contrast to the others on the album that are a bit more upbeat."
"Well I guess we should hush up and let the people hear it then, huh?" He stood and she followed, brushing her clothes as if her nerves were on them.
"I guess so," Lauren said through a laugh, tugging her ear as she made her way to the stage.
As she settled onto the stage and discussed the key and main points for the song, Jimmy Kimmel began another introduction.
"Here it is, Luna Re's hit single, from her debut album, N.A.I.V.E., 'Hard.'" His words were met with moderate applause before the room fell silent and Lauren closed her eyes.
To her bare protest, her mind wandered to a certain someone that she fought hard long ago to extract from her mind. And now, it seems as if nothing was accomplished because here Lauren was, absentmindedly thinking of her source of previous heartbreak, again.
Nonetheless, as the music began, there lied her comfort and she motioned her body to allow her voice to soulfully sing.
(Heavy suggestion to play the song below ;)
What do I do this for?
Why do I move?
Why do I dance when I am feelin' low?
I am trying so hard (Hard) to get this far (Far)
What is this for? Huh, tell me
I been strapped up, war ready
When I apply they refuse
But I don't get discouraged, I just refute
No time to rewind, shorty, fast forward
Pick up the pace, peep the dashboard
I'm on my way
I'm 'bout to break the bank
What do I do this for?
Why do I move?
Why do I dance when I am feelin' low?
I am trying so hard (Hard) to get this far (Far)
🎶 🎶 🎶
I am trying (Trying, trying)
What the hell you want? (Want)
Blood is all I've got (Got)
Broke but I'm still finna stunt
Bro, I'm fabulous
Love and drugs is all I need
I'm giving everything
I'm trying, I'm trying
What do I do this for?
Why do I move?
Why do I dance when I am feelin' low?
I am trying, trying hard (Hard), get this, get this far (Far)
~~~~~~
Lauren's POV:
Even as members of my team continuously spoke to me on the way from my interview back to my boyfriend's place, it seemed to have been going in one ear and out the other. I heard them though; a flight in the morning back to Atlanta, a performance that night, a fitting the next day, and lunch with my label after that. Surely there were more details, but I got the gist. And thank God for Fallon who was keeping tabs on everything my manager notified me of; there's no way I could've gotten it all with everything on my mind at the moment.
The interview I had today left me nervous and questioning a lot of things. Kimmel's question about Micah didn't have me surprised really. Rumors had been spreading about our engagement for the last two weeks. When he asked about how we met, however, I got a bit angsty inside.
Given any chance, Micah's taken the opportunity to pick fights with me here and there out of nowhere. Sometimes he'll blame me for it, saying it's my attitude or actions, that I'm acting like I'm not in a relationship and wanna be single. Other times he'll simply get silently pissed and ignore me until he sees fit to acknowledge my presence again. And at first, I wanted to be understanding and compassionate about his actions, but lately I'm fed up with his bullshit.
And it doesn't help that last night, I thought I saw someone that I thought I'd never see again. I simply blamed it on the alcohol and acted as if it never happened, but then today.... I couldn't seem to get her out of my head. More like the memory of her....the memory of us, but still. After seven years, and I've just now come to accept that us ever reuniting was merely a fantasy, there she was.
Honestly, it'd pissed me off.
~~~~~~
"Hey baby," Micah called from the couch, playing his game, as I waltzed into the kitchen.
"Hey."
I could feel his head turn as I peered into the refrigerator.
"Wrong witchu?"
With a sigh, I closed the chilled door. "Nothing, just tired." Taking my pre-made sandwich and a water, I made way for the stairs. "I'm taking a nap-"
"Hold on, not so fast." Hearing his tone change, my head turned. "Come here." Those words from him never failed to make my body tense.
I complied, setting my lunch on the counter with a skeptical look on my face.
He patted the spot beside himself on the sofa before pausing the game, taking off the headset, then turning to me calmly. Though his exterior worried me, I tried my best to act as normal as possible. This could either be a really good talk, which usually led to sex, or a really bad one, which led to fearful tears and maybe an ice pack.
The couch plunged lightly as I took a seat, tucking my right foot under me and letting the left touch the floor.
Micah reached up his sizeable hand, and I went still in an attempt not to flinch as he then pushed a stand of straight hair behind my ear. "You look pretty baby," he said.
A smile crept onto my face,
"Thank you-" he scooted closer to me, still stroking my hair. "Did you like the interview?" I asked, trying to defer whatever his intentions were right now.
"I did actually," he pulled back and glanced up, as if remembering something astounding. "And you wanna know something, the craziest thing happened while you were on stage-" Unkind knots formed within my stomach again, and I held my breath.
"What happened?"
Trying to seem as oblivious as possible, I mentally hoped maybe he'd ease up on me. Though, that hasn't been the case lately.
Micah then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and craned his neck toward me, his pleasant expression now gone cold. My eyes fell to my lap, focusing on my fingers while they nervously twiddled.
"Lauren."
"Yes?"
"Who the hell is Dylan?"
Releasing a breath of slight relief, the tension fell from my shoulders. Then, realizing what must be going through Micah's head, I quickly glanced at him and shook my head.
"Micah, it's not what you think, he's just a friend from high school."
My fiancé turned his attention forward, then slowly nodded his head. "Just a friend from high school huh?"
"Yes, I promise," I assured gently, touching his broad shoulder that was in line with my chin, even as he was sitting down. "I haven't spoken to him in years, Micah."
"So how in the hell did he get your number and why was he texting you early in the morning and late at night?"
Just as I was about to defend myself with an explanation, the question of how he knew the exact time arose in my head.
"Did you go through my phone?"
My fiancé slowly sat up and faced me, his head now high above mine, anger behind his eyes.
"Does it matter?!"
My head hung in response to his heightened yet roaring tone. "No," I muttered.
"Good, now let me ask again. Who the hell is Dylan, Lauren?"
"He's just a friend Micah."
A hand snatched under my chin to lift it up, quickening my breaths and widening my eyes as they looked upon a choleric expression.
"Don't fucking lie to me!-"
"I'm not!"
"So why is he texting your phone about calling you and shit?!" His grip tightened, causing me to wince as my head slightly shook along with his words. "Do you think I'm fucking stupid?! Huh!?"
"Micah, please," I whispered, trying to swallow the forming lump in my throat. "I don't know, really. I saw that text yesterday and forgot to respond. He probably got my number from Aria. That's her boyfriend."
The hold under my chin loosened and I immediately dropped my head again, trying to calm my breathing and heart rate. Micah did know about Aria, and I thought he knew about Dylan too, but I guess he forgot, or was never really listening.
My past is something I hardly talk to him about nowadays, or anyone really. He knew of them due to "getting to know me" when we first met. And sometimes Aria and Silas would contact me just to check in. It wasn't often, but they would, and I'd be glad. Hunter and I lost touch about two years into college; around the time Sade and I stopped communicating completely. I missed her, my best friend. But after college, and starting a hectic music career, I decided to just suck it up and let what were my best friends be just what they'd become. The past.
Micah stood abruptly and tramped toward the kitchen, then retrieved my phone. My eyebrows furrowed as he came to sit down beside me and held it out to me,
"Call him. Right now. And put it on speaker phone."
Seeing it best not to argue with his demand, I warily took the phone from his hands, as if it weren't my own, and obliged. After going to my messages and finding the number, I hit the call button and pressed the speaker button.
"Hello?" Dylan said.
I exhaled a breath, trying to hide a grin from my boyfriend. "Hey, Dylan, it's me-"
"Lauren?" His voice held a pleasant surprise. "Lauren Johnson?"
"Yeah," I chuckled, trying to keep my eyes away from Micah's intense gaze of suspicion. "You sent a text, saying you wanted to speak over the phone. I'm sorry, I know it was yesterday-"
"Oh no worries, I know you're quite the celebrity these days-"
"Oh shut up," I laughed, then quickly suppressed it once glancing at the furrowed brows before me. "Anyway, what's up? Something wrong?"
"Oh no, nothing's wrong. But I did want to check with you to see when you'd be free next. And I know that's nearly impossible with your lifestyle and all but it's important, I promise."
I sighed. "I don't know D, let me text my manager real quick and see what he says."
"Okay, that's alright, whatever you need."
As Dylan went on to discuss why he needed me back in Florida, the anger and tension within my boyfriend's built body subsided. I was relieved, to say the least, for I now felt off the hook, even though I didn't even do anything.
Dylan suggested a date and time, and after confirmation that I'd be off from my manager, I agreed. The chatting and catching up was brought to its limits by my boyfriend's presence and tempered mood.
We said our goodbyes for now and I hung up with a faint sigh of contentment.
I looked at Micah, silently yet foolishly expecting an apology. Refusing to meet my gaze, he simply stood with a huff and strolled toward the stairs.
"You're not mad?" I called.
"Nope," he responded, walking up. "I'm coming with you."
That sentence alone prompted my entire body to freeze as my face went stale.
He's what!?
~~~~~~~
Sade's POV:
"Okay, I want designs for fashion week all turned in by the end of the week." Charlie nodded, sitting in the chair in front of my desk as I paced my office. "And tell Jones I want the fragrance department's final product report by Monday morning, no exceptions." Her fingers typed on the screen as I spoke. "What else...oh, did you get back with Melissa on her appointment? I've already drawn up some designs for the AMAs for her."
"Yeah, I spoke with her assistant just this morning." I nodded, stopping to glance at the view before the glass window. "And, just to remind you, you've got a fitting with Alyssa tomorrow morning, a phone call meeting for your Zara collection, and Diana says to call her when you get a chance."
My eyes rolled while I scoffed at her last words.
"Diana needs to leave me the hell alone," I muttered, walking back toward my desk. "Asking personal questions and shit," I sneered, plopping into my chair.
Charlie turned to me in her seat and chuckled. "Isn't that what she's for, boss?"
I cut my narrowed eyes at her. "Yeah, but she ain't gotta be so invasive," I complained, shaking my head as my face scrunched in annoyance.
"So, you're paying her for the therapy...but you don't want the therapeutic part?" Her lips puckered in confusion and she tilted her head at me.
Even knowing she had a point, I still cut my eyes at her before narrowing them again. "Shut up, Charlie."
My assistant's attention returned to her iPad as she chuckled. "Sure thing boss."
"Would you mind relaying the message to Ghana that I'll be out for a few days in two weeks. Just to prepare her."
Charlie shot a look of shock from her iPad up at me. "You're taking off?"
"Just for about three days, maybe two and a half."
"Three days?! What in the- you never take off," she said with surprised amusement.
My body drew back in defense. "That's not true, I take off-"
"Tuh," my assistant playfully rolled her eyes. "If you call popping up and lurking around the office 'just to check in' and ordering sublime instructions from behind the scenes 'taking off,'" she gave me a look, quoting her last words, "then surely I need a revised definition."
Shaking my head at her second point, I chuckled to myself. "Shut up Charlie."
"Seee-"
"I'm just...passionate about my work. That's all."
Another look in my direction, though I chose to ignore it. "Mhm," she muttered, returning her focus back to her iPad. "What's the occasion?" she asked, organizing something on the screen. "If I'm allowed to ask."
I sighed. "I'm not entirely sure, but an old friend from high school contacted me. He says it's important that I'm in Tampa two weeks from now, and that my attendance to this dinner he's set up, is mandatory."
"This Aria's boyfriend?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot you know who Aria is-" I waved a hand of laughter.
Charlie chuckled. "So, is Hunter tagging along?"
"Yeah, he called her too. But she was already at my house when I spoke to him, so it was a two for one."
"And this is two weeks from now?" I nodded. "And you want me here, or with you?"
The question stumped me. I hadn't thought about that part.
"It's best you stay here," I said with a shrug after a moment. "I need someone I trust to keep everyone in check while I'm gone. I don't have the patience for returning to a shit show."
My assistant laughed. "Alright boss, whatever you say."
Shaking my head with a smile, I tended back to my own work on the laptop before me.
Though I'd never admit or acknowledge it, the dinner two weeks from now made me nervous. The question from my therapist had my mind on subconscious alert, in search of a potential answer. And it didn't help that just two nights ago, a part of my life I thought I'd buried and would never see again, reappeared right before my eyes.
At first I thought it was a dream or drunken hallucinations. But then the next day, Hunter brought it up, putting my denials to rest. It was real; I'd seen my ex girlfriend, a person I considered my soulmate, the love of my life.
One look at her and suddenly, everything I told myself about being moved on and ready for someone new, for something new, and that it was just wishful thinking that we'd find each other again, it'd all washed away. One look at her and suddenly, I thought, what if?
~~~~~~~~