Chapter 3 PROPOSAL AND REJECTION

ROSA'S POV

I stayed in a place till the stampede ended, then I looked around. Shit. What the...the entire club was empty. Did the guys also follow? I was the only soul left in the club.

I got up and walked forward slowly towards the stage admiring the decorations and sighed. How I've long dreamed of being on a stage like this, singing my heart out. I gritted my teeth and shook my head. I didn't want to think about that now. I don't want to get depressed.

I climbed the stage and looked around to see if I was being watched. I stood and faced the large empty rows of seats before me. Imagine if these seats were filled with my fans and here I am singing and screaming into the mic with all my might. I chuckled and felt a tear escaping my eyes. So this is how it feels. It's so beautiful I can't even explain it. I wiped my eyes. I'm not gonna cry about that anymore. I've long wept for that enough so, not now.

I looked back behind me and spotted the stage background design. A slight opening in the middle revealed that there was a room behind it. Inquisitiveness got the better of me and I looked around before sneaking in through the curtains.

I smiled and nodded with discovery the moment I got to the other side. This is the backstage where all the preparations were made. I looked to the right and spotted a portable practice studio with a mic and headphones.

I beamed. That is totally not resistible. It's been my sole attraction all my life. I can't miss this chance now that I found it. My eyes glittered with desire when I saw it. Maybe it won't hurt to give it a little try.. I looked around and briskly walked up to the studio.

I beamed and flipped the switch. I put on headphone and cleared my throat and sang a few sofa notes. Damn. The effects were Incredible. I chuckled and thought of one of my long dumped lyrics. Well, it all came flooding back to my memory. It's actually just so hard to forget a song written by me. I sang softly listening to myself in the headset and flowed with the rhythm.

Immediately, all the pain and burden I've carried for years about having to do what is not me floated and elevated off my chest. I felt free as I shut my eyes and sang with all my heart letting the lyrics rhyme according to my desired mood. A tear slipped out of my eyes as I felt profound joy. Then all of a sudden, I heard a loud crash through the headset and jerked my eyes open.

I immediately took off the headset and turned to see the almighty Lord and master of music, C.Jakes, staring at me like he had seen a ghost with his eyes wide and mouth agape.

I gulped. Looks like I have crossed the line. I immediately dropped the headset and turned to the other exit of the practice room.

"I'm sorry." I said and dashed off with all my might. Few steps to the door, strong huge powerful sturdy arms gripped me giving me the creeps and I jerked in shock yelling a little.

"Hey wait. I'm not here to hurt you." He said and soon had me trapped against a wall. I had nowhere to escape to. I gulped...

I clasped my hands together as if pleading. "I'm sorry. I had no intention of storming your studio I just....I just......... Jeez, I'm sorry please. It won't happen again."

He just stared at me and chuckled in amusement. "I'm not bothered about that." He said with that deep soft silk voice of his. I slowly looked up at him and felt my eyes water as I gazed into those heavenly crystal blue almond shaped eyes of his. He's a god. Seeing him up this close was making me giddy. I felt like I was dreaming. This can't be real can it?

I was lost for some seconds staring at him and blinked rapidly before taking my eyes off his crystal piercing gaze. My veins throbbed and my heartbeat raced, pounding rapidly. My goodness. I was finding it hard to breathe.

"I have to admit....." He began. "You have the most stunning beautiful voice I've ever heard." He said with a chuckle and I felt my cheeks heat up. Damn this feeling. It was all too much to bear. It seems fantasizing about him from afar didn't do a thing to take away my secret crush on him. Now that he is up close, I can't even breathe.

"I have to go." I muttered and tried to find a way to get past him.

" Hey wait." He said and held my shoulders to stop me. At that moment, I felt a sudden jolt of electricity pass through my veins at the contact. I shivered.

"Are you cold?" He asked and I chuckled nervously. I am going insane. Crazily insane. And if I don't do anything to get out of his radar right now, I will definitely explode.

"I'm fine. I need to get going. My friend is waiting for me." I muttered but he held my arm stopping me in my tracks. Oh my God. Won't he let me go?

"Hey uh.... what would you say about having a collaboration with me? I have a forthcoming project and I'm in dire need of a stunning voice like yours to back me up."

My heart pounded hard. This has to be a dream right? No. It can't be real. Nah it can't. I'll just have to ignore this dream and continue my journey out of here. I tried to move but he didn't let me go.

"Please." He pleaded. "I can't bear to see a talent like yours go to waste.

Okay. This is not a dream. No. It has to be a dream. The whole freaking Christian Jake is right with me at the backstage of this prestigious club and is asking me for a collaboration??!!!!! I'm going nuts. I bit my lip and turned slowly to him.

He flashed me that mind spinning glorious smile and my heart raced the more. Can't he just stop that? I'm about to explode. I swallowed hard. "I....I...i-i...I...I d-don't know w-what to say."

He chuckled. " I understand. Just say you will and I will take you away from here and bring your name to the top of the charts. What's your name by the way?"

I blinked. " Uhhh..... Rose."

He chuckled. " Wow. That's a beautiful name. Just like your hair."

I felt my cheeks swell and bit my lip. He should just stop it. My heart thumped harder.

"What do you say, Rose?" He asked, looking at me expectantly.

At that moment, the words and sentence that have always haunted me for three years now came floating back to my memory and my heart fell. The sentence that said;

"My decision has been made. You are definitely going to NYU to study chemical engineering. Failure to comply with that, I never knew you as my daughter."

Tears slipped out of my eyes and I sighed deeply. He examined me deeply. "Are you okay?" He asked and tried to help wipe my eyes.

I chuckled softly and moved away from him. I wiped my eyes. "I'm fine but.........." I looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I can't. I have to go."

" But wait........"

I turned and immediately dashed off out of the club to my hostel where I could cry out my eyes.

This is the reason why I never wanted to remember this.