"Solo said you was out here." Tyler replied.
He shut the door behind him.
"I needed a smoke." Rose sat by the staircase outside.
It was getting dark already.
Tyler made his way over, shutting the door behind him.
"Why you being so quiet today? I miss your loud ass."
"I don't know," she shrugged. "Just thinking I guess."
He took a seat beside her.
"About what?"
"Stuff...things..."
"Nigga, like what though?" He chuckled.
"Never mind." Rose placed the cigarette between her lips, breathing in again.
"Abel?"
"I'm over that." She looked at him. "You really like her huh?"
"Des? she's growing on me."
"You look happy."
He nodded, smiling.
"You?"
Rose furrowed her eyebrows.
"You happy?" he asked again.
She breathed out, taking his hand into hers as they intertwined fingers.
"I'm okay. I'm still finding my way through all this shit.."
He stared at their hands. It felt natural.
"Imma be here. Always." Tyler's thumb glided over the side of her hand.
"I know."
"Tyler—,"
They undid their fingers quickly.
Tyler stood up, facing Des.
"You wanna go babe?" Des asked, "It's getting late."
Tyler nodded. He looked over at Rose, a slight sympathetic smile pulling at the corner of his lips.
"I'll see you around. Nice seeing you again." Destiny smiled at Rose.
"You too."
...
Next Day
"You ready?" Tyler asked as Rose got into the passenger seat.
She nodded.
They had been asked to do an interview together that would end up going on youtube for a well known music magazine.
Tyler agreed since he knew Rose would get more recognition. He knew she deserved it.
Once there, they made their way to a set up in a small studio with cameras.
A producer came and mic'd them up, directing them on how it would go.
"So we have this series on the channel where we get artists and producers to talk about how they came up with the song, but this is the first time we're doing an artist and writer," The producer continued, "...So all I need you guys to do is pull from these cards and read the questions. You'll answer eachother's cards. Sound good?"
They nodded.
"We'll edit all the awkward pauses and things like that...Okay, shooting in 1, 2," and the set lights adjusted to them.
"Aight," Tyler began, taking a card from his hands. "What was your first impression of me?" He looked over at Rose.
"Oh wow."
Tyler laughed, "That's it?"
Rose smiled.
"What did you think of me?"
"First off, I noticed your voice, obviously, and then I thought your pants were sick. That's when I was like, oh yeah, she gets it."
Rose laughed. The crew behind the camera did too.
They continued joking about the next set of questions, how they met, how the first time in the studio went, how many of the songs came about, and a few stories Tyler would joke about. Finally, the last card was read by T.
"Do you think.." he raised an eyebrow as he read the card, "...there needs to be chemistry to make a good song?" He furrowed his brows as he looked at the camera. "Nigga this sounds like we on some dating show."
Rose thought about it.
"Uh, yeah. We're both extremely picky with the people we choose to be around, we like the same things too, so..." she responded.
"What she said. It's easier when you have the same mind states."
They wrapped up the interview, and it was finally over.
...
After their interview, Tyler had dropped Rose off at her studio. He had a couple meetings to get to.
She received an unexpected call a few hours later after a snippet of their video had surfaced.
"Hey, it's Destiny."
"Hey, what's up?"
"Are you busy?"
"Nah, I'm at the studio right now." Rose put down her drink.
"I was just gonna ask if you wanted to come over to mine to take some headshots and see where I shoot."
"Uh..." Rose didn't have much planned anyway. "Sure, I'll come over."
"Okay perfect! I'll text you the address right now."
They hung up.
Rose furrowed her brows; it was a strange call. Destiny hadn't been this forward—ever.
...
Rose got to a loft building about ten minutes away from her own place.
She made her way up the elevator, reaching the loft. It was nice, the building looked similar to her own.
She knocked.
"Hey! come in!" Destiny opened the door, "you want something to drink?"
Rose followed her inside.
"I'm good thanks," she looked around. "This is nice. It's super roomy."
"I know! and the natural lighting that comes in is perfect." Destiny poured herself some water.
"So this is your set up?" Rose asked, walking over to where her camera stuff was set. There was a white cloth that hung from the wall, a stool in front of it.
"Yeah, take a seat."
Rose did.
"I just thought since we're gonna be seeing eachother more I could get to know you a little more, you know?" Des replied, walking over behind the camera.
"Oh, yeah for sure."
"Things are going great with Tyler so...you probably won't be seeing the last of me anytime soon," she chuckled.
It sounded a little passive aggressive, but Rose ignored it.
Destiny aimed the camera at Rose.
"Raise your chin up a little more...yeah like that." She took a few shots.
"So I saw a snippet of that interview you and Tyler did this morning."
"Oh it's up? I didn't even see."
"Yeah," she took out her phone, walking over to Rose as she showed her the snippet.
It was the chemistry question they had answered.
Rose was able to see the comments under the video—the way they look at eachother! and they're definitely into eachother...were just some that she was able to make out.
Destiny pulled away.
"So I was just noticing the way you look at him..." Destiny got behind the camera again.
"What do you mean?"
Destiny's tone changed.
"I'm not stupid, Rose. And I'm sure you're not either."
Rose furrowed her eyebrows.
"The way you held Tyler's hand at Frank's party? You didn't think I didn't see that? The way you look at him every time he's around," she walked closer. "But I don't blame you. He's perfect. But we're happy. And I don't want anyone coming in between what me and Tyler have."
Rose got up, chuckling.
"I fucking knew it."
She was threatening. It was a completely different Des that Rose had come to know.
"Whatever you think T and I have is literally nonexistent—,"
"Then leave us alone."
Rose bit the inside of her cheek; she was fuming.
"Look, I know being physical with him was fucked up. I get that," Rose grabbed her bag. "But you can't make me stop seeing my best friend."
Des walked over, crossing her arms.
"If I see you try anything with him I promise you won't see him again."
Rose rolled her eyes, she had nothing left to say. She left.