Chapter 18
Jones: Y’all IG official, huh?
His text included a link directing me to an IG post that included a pic of me and Ishmia, a pic I was familiar with since I’d watched her take it while we were in bed together and post it to her IG page, adding me as a collaborator. This meant it was on my page, too. Instead of replying to him, I decided to check my IG profile, quickly wishing I hadn’t. Since my page was public, there were tons of comments under our pic.
@icyfann100: OMG! He’s cute.
I liked that one, but a lot of the other ones?
Wow.
@sensational808: Does his bio say he plays hockey? She went from Smoke to a hockey player? MAJOR downgrade!
@bearilla7: A hockey player? WTF?
@realtalkgg3: Fine as she is and she got with a broke dude? Damn.
Why the hell did I have to be broke?
Backing out of the IG app, I finally responded to Jones: I guess we are.
Jones: Where your ass done snuck off to? That don’t look like your crib.
Before I could reply, I felt someone sit down next to me on the studio’s sofa, looked up to see that it was Bubbles, Ishmia’s assistant. She’d introduced us when we arrived at rehearsal that morning.
“I hope you ain’t texting no bitch. My girl likes you, and I don’t want her hurt after that shit she went through with Smoke,” Bubbles said. I think she was trying to whisper but was failing miserably.
“Uh,” I began, but was quickly cut off by Ishmia whom I didn’t even realize had moved so close to me.
“Bubbles, stop. Leave him alone,” she ordered.
“I was just saying…” Bubbles muttered.
“And your ass is gonna be ‘just saying’ in the unemployment line. Don’t talk to him again. I mean it.”
The whole room fell silent, the music stopped, and Bubbles wordlessly stood from the sofa and left the space. I just sat there staring at Ishmia because what the fuck was going on?
“Everybody, take five…or ten. Take ten,” Ishmia said to the room at large.
I took that to mean everyone except me, so I didn’t move a muscle, and when she slid into my lap and rested her head on my shoulder, I did what felt natural. I wrapped my arms around her.
“What was that about?” I softly asked, kissing her forehead.
She sighed. “That was about me retaining control of my life. I…before last year, I didn’t have much of a say about anything, not my music, my money, not even my love life. I’ve taken all of my power back, and I’m not letting anyone, not even Bubbles who I love dearly, snatch it away from me. You’re my business. Not hers.”
“Okay, but I think she was just looking out for you. I mean, she was a little abrasive, but I understand where she was coming from. She said she doesn’t want to see you get hurt like you did with Smoke.”
She chuckled bitterly. “She don’t even know the half of what I went through with Smoke. You and me? We’re in a-whole-nother galaxy from that shit I was in with him.”
I nodded, and as bad as I wanted to know what happened with Smoke, I knew this wasn’t the time to discuss it. “Okay. You good, though? I don’t want you to be upset.”
“I’m better than good. I’m in your arms.”
* * *
Nearly a week into my time in L.A., I’d yet to be given a tour of her palace and had only spent time in three or four rooms, not that I cared to venture into any room she wasn’t occupying. She was like a neodymium magnet. Her pull on me was insanely strong, and I don’t think it had anything to do with my fan status which, if I were to be honest, still existed. It was just her. She was so damn layered, so much of her an enigma that I was totally and completely enthralled by her.
At the moment, we were in her backyard late at night after an especially long day of rehearsing. We were lying naked in a cabana, and the effects of those herbal smokes of hers had both of us feeling nice. Her ass was my pillow as I lay there thinking about how surreal this whole situation was. It felt so good being with her.
“The music industry is not a good place for a young girl. You have to have protectors, people around you who never let you out of their sight, people who say no to the crazy shit we’re asked to do. People with their eyes open wide enough to notice those who don’t even bother to ask and just take. I thought I had people like that in my corner. Turns out, I didn’t,” she said out of nowhere.
“I’m sorry to hear that. If I was there back then, I would’ve been that someone who protected you,” I said.
“You’re only what, four or five years older than me? There wouldn’t have been much you could’ve done, Orlando, but I appreciate the sentiment.”
“Ish, eighteen, nineteen is old enough to know right from wrong, and one thing I learned from my mom was to respect women and speak up for what’s right. Not only would I have protected you, but I would’ve also blown the whistle on whoever I needed to.”
“And they would’ve destroyed you.”
“It’s a chance I would’ve been willing to take. I’d do it today if need be.”
Her voice quivered as she whispered, “But you barely know me.”
“I gotta know all your ins and outs to do the right thing? I wasn’t raised like that, Ish.”
“Smoke used to call me that. Ish, I mean.”
“Oh…want me to stop?”
“No, I like it coming from you. It kinda cancels out him saying it.”
“Good.”