Heather P.O.V
The audience in front of me keeps cheering as I wave at them. Ellen was sitting by my side waiting for the audience to stop clapping and screaming. When I notice some of them crying I had to get up from my chair and go towards them to offer them a hug.
"They don't wanna hear your answers they are here just to look at you!" - She says gesturing her audience.
"Thank you!" - I smile and blow some kisses on their way carefully to not touch my lips and ruin my red lipstick.
"Okay, so this game is called Burning Questions and you hit the button for no particular reason after you answer." - She explains to me, pushing a red button in front of me.
"It has no purpose whatsoever?" - I look at her pushing the button just like she did.
"No reason, we just like pushing buttons."
"Me too." - the audience laughs.
"First question... What's your new single called?"
"You know I can't tell you that." - I answer hitting the button.
"Well, I tried y'all!
"What body part are you most proud of?"
"My character."
"What are your 3 fav body parts on a man?"
"Eyes, " - I think about Marshall's back head, and his neck or his member but I won't say those, so as Ellen is waiting for something spicy to come from my mouth I continue "smile and character!"
She laughs as I try to maintain an innocent expression.
"Are you lying?" - She looks at me teasingly.
"Of course not!" - I act offended.
"How old were you when you had your first kiss?"
"14, with my high school boyfriend!"
"What's his name?"
"I'm not going to tell you his name, Ellen. No!"
"He must be someone famous too than." - She raises an eyebrow. I act unbothered.
"What is your favorite curse word?"
"You know I'm not about that life."
"True! I have met a lot of people in my life and Heather just won't curse." - Ellen talks to the camera, then continues "Who's your first celebrity crush?
"OH, hmm probably DeVante Swing or River Phoenix."
"So you were into light-eyed boys. Are you still into that kind of feature?"
"I- I don't know..."
"What's the strangest thing you are afraid of?"
"I would say those huge steel barrels in factories, you know what I mean?" - I ask when she gives me a strange look.
"I know what you mean but why?"
"I don't know, I'm just afraid of them."
"Have you ever been anywhere near those?"
"No!"
"Than why would you be afraid of them?"
"I don't know! You said strange."
"What's the dumbest way you have hurt yourself?"
"I was in New York one time with some friends and we were too drunk. A bee happens to fly nearby and I guess my senses become oversensitive so I tried to pet it." - I say recalling the episode from the weekend in New York with Marshall.
"Oh noo..."
"Yes, don't look at me like that, I was not being reasonable and the fuzzy fur of the bee beckoned me to do it."
"Okay, you are weird.. next question is... Are you dating anyone?"
"Yeah, Ellen we celebrities are weird people just like everyone else. We are afraid of stupid things and wanna pet bees." - I say ignoring the other question, acting like I didn't hear.
"Alright but my question was, are you dating anyone?
"No!"
"Were you in New York this weekend?"
"No!"
She looks at me with a raised eyebrow and I stare back at here. She can't know, can she?
"Marshall are you listening?" - I ask as he is driving his Escalade. It's 10 pm. He has just finished for the day and has an appointment with Mr. Cartoon. But as I was intoning my concern around Ellen's questions he is staring the road and looks lost somewhere in his thoughts.
"Yeah baby, I'm listening." - he snaps out and places his hand on my lap for me to take it.
"What's bothering you?" - I ask throwing the concern about our secret not being so secret anymore. His shoulders shrug and his fingers brush mine.
"It's nothing, I was just thinking about something Jimmy said earlier." - he answers and leans toward me to kiss my lips.
"Do you want to talk about it?" - I ask after giving back the kiss. I really want him to know he can talk to me about anything. Marshall is the kind of guy that won't share anything about what's going on with him if you don't show interest.
"It's just about a song, baby, nothing to worry about." - He smiles at me and pets my thigh.
He parks the car next to an SUV. The place looks empty. Marshall told me that Cartoon won't say a word and at 10 pm there is no one else there, that's why I accompanied him to add something to his daughter's name tattoo.
I get off the car fixing my black dress and when I get near him his palm slides into mine intertwining our fingers.
"Are you going to get something?" - he asks on my ear walking with me pressed on his side.
"No!" - I giggle when he places a kiss on the side of my jaw.
"How about my name in here?" - he playfully slaps my butt.
"Never!" - I laugh taking his hand back in mine.
As we walk inside, I first notice 4 low-riders in a huge empty space, then a group of people coming out. They pass by like they are the popular kids in high school. A pair of big blue eyes stare at my face and then travel down my arm. I let go of Marshall's hand immediately hoping the blond girl with black eyeliner and green eyeshadow didn't notice us holding hands.
She then looks at Marshall. Disappointment travels her pale face but she was quick to recollect herself. I accelerate my step to get away from her and her crew sight. As I keep walking away my heels clicking echos in the empty space. I feel my blood rushing on my face and my hands feel way too hot.
I hear the huge steel door close. I don't know if Marshall is following me or if he stopped. I don't even know where I'm going. I come to a stop when I see a bold chubby guy with a goatee throwing used needles on the trash. The small room has some red lamps lightening it.
"Hey Em! There you are!" - he greets Marshall first, I guess he followed me.
"Yo dawg! Sup Estevan?" - The other guy in the room who's checking out some photos mutters something without looking up.
"Heather Shields, a pleasure to have you in my shop! I'm Mark." - he says walking up at me and extending his hand. I take it, slightly, avoiding more contact with him as my hands are shaking. Marshall looks at me sideways.
"Hey!" - I greet him with my voice cracking the word in half.
"I almost can't believe all these beautiful girls coming in my shop today." - He smiles.
"Dude, can you step off of my girl while I'm standing right here?!" - Marshall sound annoyed at his tattoo artist flirting with me. Mark and his friend both snap their heads in his direction. Marshall puts a hand on the small of my back in a protective way. I want to slide away, I want to disappear because I don't know these people. And just minutes ago, Christina Aguilera saw me holding hands with Eminem.
Mark shows me a red couch to sit. It looks dirty and from the pictures hanging on the walls it looks like a lot happened on that couch, so I don't sit. Marshall takes a seat on a black tattoo chair and Mark sits beside him.
"So what are we doing?" - Mr. Cartoon sits beside Marshall and checks his forearm out.
"I want something around Hailie's name. It looks too plain, you know?" - Marshall touches his inked skin, looking unbothered from the whole situation. I want to scream at him. I want him to tell me she won't say anything. I want him to ensure me of it. But instead, he is explaining to this guy with a tattoo gun in his hand what he wants around his daughter's name.
The buzzing of the machine starts, and the numerous needles make contact with his skin. He doesn't flinch, he just looks around the room. My mind is racing. I need to talk to him and I can't do it here. I need to make sure his ex-girlfriend won't spread the information. As I think about how this wouldn't be happening if I wouldn't be too eager to pass time with him I almost miss his conversation with Estevan.
"How's the album going?" - Estevan asks taking his camera and snapping a picture of Marshall.
"It's going well. It will probably come out next month."
"When are you going back to Detroit?"
"As soon as I finish one or two more songs, I'm outta here." - Marshall talks, his Detroit accent starting to really show. He winces for a second then looks up at me catching me staring. Can he read my desperation and panic? His blue eyes leave mine quickly.
"Why. ain't Los Angeles chicks good enough for you?" - He laughs and Marshall follows him too. I shoot a glare in his direction
"He already got the best chick of America." - I interfere immediately not liking Estevan's comment.
"True that! I envy this motherfucker tho!"
"As you should!" - I arch my eyebrow crossing my arms over my chest. He looks at me narrowing his eyes.
"Don't bother my girl Este." - Marshall holds his free hand out for me. I get away from the table I was sitting and take his hand. He throws the hand around my waist and places a kiss in my arm.
I check the watch on my wrist every 5 minutes impatient for them to finish. I have to tell my dad myself before this goes to him from somebody else.
When Mark is finally done with him, he cleans his skin and wraps it giving Marshall some advice to take care of the newly inked skin. I am already at the door, eager to leave and be able to talk to him.
"See you bro!" - Estevan and Mark both bump shoulders with Marshall.
"If you change your mind you know where to find us." - Mark says to me holding his hand up.
"Goodbye, guys!" - I smile at them and walk out before Marshall.
As soon as we get in the car I turn to face him.
"How could you be so unbothered?" - I snap and his eyebrows knit as he turns the engine on.
"It doesn't hurt much!" - he answers showing me his forearm which as already bleeding in some places.
"I'm not talking about that. I am talking about your ex!"
"Why would I bother?" - he is too calm for my own likings. I take the seat belt off as I felt like it is suffocating me.
"What do you mean why would you bother? She-"
"Put the seat belt on!" - he interrupts me.
"Her crew or she can sell our relationship to the magazines, and I was telling you Ellen was already being shady today so how are you so calm?" - I snap at him, angry at me, angry at the situation.
"Baby, C'mon now. If Ellen knew something the news would be out there by now." - he says in a low voice as if he is talking to a kid.
"That's not true. That's not how LA works. They are probably finding a way how to milk our relationship. And add Christina to this... just what they need." - I slap his hand away when he tries to touch me.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" - he snaps at me frowning.
"You really don't understand do you?"
"Understand what Heather? If this blows out I'm the only one who's gonna lose here."
"Are you seriously making this about yourself?"
"Hell yeah, I'm making this about myself. I might lose my life over this. Did you forget your fucking father and bitch ass uncle are trying to sabotage me as hard as they can?"
"I didn't forget..."
"Than why are you making a big deal out of it? What're you afraid to lose? Your pink car or the sparkly pillow?"
I turn in my seat and put back on the seat belt and cross my arms over my chest. I am afraid of losing him. That's what I'm afraid of. But since he wants to be rude about it I'm not going to answer him and I'm not going to talk to him either.
"I was joking. Baby come on, it was a joke." - he whines after trying to talk to me for the past 15 minutes. I keep looking outside and avoid his hand every time he reaches to touch or grab me.
"Can you at least turn and stay in the car like a human being?" - He pokes my butt turned to him. I turn my head just enough to shoot a sideways glare at Marshall but refuse to throw a word in his direction.
"Baby!" - he calls again resting his hand on the side of my thigh.As I start noticing a police car after us it doesn't take too long for them to light us up. The flashbacks from the first time I got pulled over hit me like a truck. I start panicking.
"Marshall!" - I whisper worried and scared. My hand unwillingly grabs his hand as he looks at his rearview mirror.
"Fuck! I have a gun with me." - he rushes his words leaning over me and opening the storage compartment. A heavy piece of metal falls in my naked legs. It is cold, black, and shiny. I look at him terrified and my anxiety reaches the sky in a matter of 2 seconds.
"Gun? What gun?"
"They can't find the gun in me. I've already caught a gun brandishing case." - he blurts. I look at him with furrowed eyebrows. I am not understanding anything. He hasn't mentioned a gun brandishing incident at me. He hasn't mentioned a lot of things probably. But a case? A related to guns case? "Put it in your bag!"
"I am a black woman!" - I scream at him on the edge of tears.
"I'll make sure they don't search you. Baby, I can't risk..."
I don't know where my brain is or if it has any logical function at the moment because I take the gun and throw it in my purse. I would never agree on doing something like this if we'd be in another situation and that's when I know I am helplessly in love with this man. The officer comes to his window with a flashlight on. Marshall opens the window.
"Good evening officer!"
"Good evening sir! Do you know the passenger?
"What's the reason for being pulled over?"
"We got a call that a black woman was threatening a white man." - he shamelessly brings the words out of his mouth. Marshall puts a hand on mines.
"She is my girlfriend!" - says he a little too loud looking at the police officer. His voice rough and his hand soft.
"May I have you ID sir, the ma'am's ID too?" - I look at Marshall reaching for my bag and begging for him to understand he has to do something to avoid me opening my bag.
Marshall opens his wallet and hands his ID quickly. Maybe to reveal his identity and avoid them questioning us any further.
"We got Mr. Eminem here. Look at this." - I can't tell if he is happy for seeing Eminem himself because my nerves were on the way of my brain normal function. "Step out the car please."
"Why?"
"Sir stop resisting and step out of the car!" - the order is pretty clear. I mentally scream at him to get out of the car before escalating things any further.
"What's the reason officer?"
"We have orders to search you and your car for guns Mr. Eminem. Now step out of the car!"
"Fuck this shit!" - he curses and gets out of the car. "I have nothing on me. Fuck you all. Government's marionettes." - the police officer makes him put his hand on the car and starts searching him.
If he decides to search me too I am done. I will end up in jail. I carefully place my purse in my lap acting like it's casually there.
"M'am step out of the car!" - another police officer has approached me. I don't know if he has been there all along but my mind didn't register him. I did as I was told. When the street light hit me a glimpse of realization hit him. I waited for him to put my hands in my back and slam me on the sidewalk. My heart thumps in my chest and I feel a little dizzy.
I wait for the harsh concrete to hit my body and face but it looks like they are taking forever. I snap out of my thoughts and notice the officer searching the car. I casually keep my purse hanging on my shoulder.
"The car is clean!" - the officer states and then looks at me, up and down for the longest minute of my life then turns the flashlight off and takes a step back. "Have a nice evening Miss."
I make sure my face stays neutral as I get in the car, looking forward, and never turning my head neither left nor right. When Marshall finally gets in the car and the police car gets away we both sigh in relief. I notice I had my hands in fists when Marshall's hand rests over my fists around the purse.
"I'm sorry!" - he whispers pulling me into a hug. " I shouldn't have made you go through this, baby. I am sorry."
He repeats in my ear and places soft warm kisses on my cheek. His arms wrapping around me like shields. His chest is a safe place his heartbeat is a safe sound. I rest my hand on his chest and close my eyes. Marshall's soothing voice is as dangerous as fighting against feathers. I should ask him about the gun incident, I should freak out about how he willingly put me in danger but instead his "I'm sorry's" and "baby's" somehow weight more and I forget all about it. Because I love him.
"I'll always have your back!" - looking up to catch his eyes the words leave my mouth. Marshall studies my face, his fingers carefully touch my cheekbone and slide along my jawline.
The blue soft eyes drop to my lips then raise again to find my brown ones. They don't look blunt and closed. His voice comes out mellow and cloudy. The kind of clouds you see when the spring comes.
"I love you!" - but the words hit me like a strong summer cloudburst. Unexpected.