Once again, Desdemona and Jeff sit in the big chairs across from Johnson and Smith.
"What did we tell you about going too dark?" Johnson bites.
"What we mean is," Smith says, putting her hands up. "This new intro...we can't put that on the radio?"
"Why?" Desdemona asks.
Smith turns to Johnson. Johnson grabs a piece of paper and reads off of it.
"In the town next to mine, there's a boy who is sick of hearing, all you..." He trails off.
He looks at Desdemona.
"Faggots," She leans forward. "There's a boy who is sick of hearing, all you faggots must die."
Everyone raises their eyebrows. As if they have never heard it before. Johnson clears his throat and goes on.
"And he knows exactly why. So he must...slit his wrist and die."
They turn to Desdemona. She could feel even Jeff, staring at her with anger. She takes a deep breath.
"Okay it's dark, but in the context of the song..."
"We can't have that." Smith cuts her off, "We can't have kids killing themselves. Mentioning...that...can lead to..."
"What?" Desdemona bites. "That's not how that works, okay. Besides every other song on my last album, was about suicide and death."
"But that's different," Johnson speaks up. "That was before you received mass public attention. We now have a responsibility."
"Responsibility?" Desdemona bites again. "Exactly, a responsibility to share the stories of a young gay and trans teens that felt they needed to kill themselves to escape the horrible homophobia..."
"But, do you have to say it like that?" Smith says. "Using...that word."
"Faggot?" Desdemona yells. "That's why I need to use that word."
She turns to Jeff, "Come on, you know that we have to stand up and take back the word faggot. If this is going to be an album for gay people, it should be about real gay issues."
Jeff stares down at the floor.
"Then there's the verse about murder," Johnson goes on. "On the other side of the country, there's a young girl. She wears pretty dresses and has pretty hair. But they don't believe she's a her, so they bash her in."
"I believe in that verse," Desdemona says, but quieter this time, seeing Jeff not looking at her. "Jeff?"
Jeff takes a deep breath and stands, "We will discuss it and get you a rewrite by the end of the week."
Desdemona gets up. Jeff follows.
***.
"When you're the king's daughter," Caroline sings while playing the guitar in Desdemona's living room. "Beautiful roses grow along the castle walls, and I think about you, my love. Even from behind the beautiful walls, my heart is still with you."
Jesse walks in wearing a football jersey. The girls don't notice.
"Don't matter how far apart. It remains in your pocket."
Desdemona rolls her eyes. Caroline stops playing.
"You sound good...but what's with these lyrics?"
"I liked it," Jesse says. "I've never heard you play before."
"Thanks, bro," Caroline puts down the guitar. "Dez has been giving me lessons."
She scoots closer to Desdemona.
"But see," Caroline points to the paper in Desdemona's hand. "It gets better."
"You need to get to that part sooner."
"Like here?" Caroline asks, brushing up against Desdemona's cheek.
Jesse raises his eyebrow.
"That works," Desdemona says focusing on the paper more than on Caroline. "And what about swapping these lines?"
"Yea, sure," Caroline responds, placing her arm over Desdemona.
Jesse rolls his eyes. It seems obvious his friend wasn't interested in his little sister. But it is creepy to see Caroline flirt like that. Riley and Justin come in wearing football jerseys.
"Game is on. Time to clear out."
"Okay." Desdemona gathers her papers, "We will go out to a movie or something."
"You don't want to watch the game?" Jesse asks.
"No. I've watched enough football for a lifetime," Desdemona chuckles.
"What about you, Care? You like football."
"Nah," Caroline picks up the guitar and follows Desdemona to her bedroom. "Can we take the motorcycle?"
"Dez doesn't let anyone on her bike." Jesse says.
"She lets Caroline on it," Riley mumbles to him.
"I don't know," Desdemona says, walking through the kitchen grabbing her keys.
"I want to ride on Esther." Caroline says coming into the kitchen, "Please."
"I bet she's going to do the puppy face," Justin whispers to Riley and Jesse.
"The puppy face?" Jesse asks.
Caroline frowns, biting her inner lips and bats her eyes.
Desdemona huffs and then says, "Fine. Get my helmet."
Caroline smiles, grabbing the helmet, and they walk out together.
"What was that?" Jesse asks.
Riley and Justin chuckled sitting down on the couch.
"We don't know when it started," Riley says as the opening titles roll. "But when Caroline wants something, she does the puppy face. Dez almost always caves."
"That sounds annoying."
"I actually like it when Caroline is here, it brings out a sweet side of Dez." Justin comments.
"Is she over here a lot?" Jesse asks.
"Yea. Hey, can you get the chips?"
He goes to their pantry, "But as just a friend, right?"
"Yea, Dez wouldn't fuck with you like that," Riley says as the game starts.
"Also Darla would murder her. She's hella jealous." Justin adds on.
"I thought Darla didn't get jealous."
"Oh, Darla is very territorial." Riley tells him, "Just not about sex. But it doesn't matter how many times she has told Caroline. Caroline won't stop."
Jesse sits on the couch with the chips and turns to his focus on the screen.
***
"That's bullshit," Caroline says after Desdemona tells her about the meeting as they walk out of the movie theater.
It's hot outside so Caroline takes off her hoodie, showing some skin that Desdemona can't help looking at.
"I know, right," Desdemona says, playing with her keys.
She takes a small glimpse at the little cleavage peeking out of her tank top.
"You're the artist. You are the one in charge of the music." Caroline leans over the motorcycle.
"Really?" Desdemona says, noticing the curves of her hips and her cute ass.
"Yea, they're like marketing people or something right? Isn't their job to sell you? They work for you."
"I don't know about that."
Caroline brushes her long brown back, "And Jeff didn't say anything?"
"Nope." Desdemona shakes her head.
She's actually getting really turned on. She had to stop thinking about Caroline like that.
"Well, isn't it his job to defend you? Shouldn't he be telling them to let you create?"
God, her lips looked so lick-able.
Desdemona does not say anything but shifts her eyes.
"You okay?" Caroline asks, hopping on the back end of the bike.
She looked down at the ground, "I'm going to take you back home."
"Now? It's like 8:30?"
"I gotta go to Darla's. Plus maybe it's best to at least try to get on Celia's good side."
***
Desdemona pulls her bike up to the gate of the Abrams' mansion. Caroline gets off the bike and hands her the helmet. Desdemona puts on a helmet. She waves and drives off without saying anything.
Caroline is confused. She turns around to the small silver box by the gate and types in the code to open it. As she walks through the front lawn, she looks back to see if Desdemona might come back.
She enters the house and goes to the kitchen. She is surprised to see Jesse drinking ice tea with Celia. They both stare at her.
"Hey, how was the game?" Caroline asks just to fill the silence.
"Pretty good. But I'd thought about leaving early so I can talk to you about something. So Dez drove you home?"
"Yea, she just dropped me off and left. Apparently she just had to go over to Darla's."
"Well Darla is her girlfriend...you know that, right?"
She really didn't like his tone.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Care," Celia says leaning forward. "We are worried that you might be getting some wrong messages from this girl. And that you might get yourself into some complicated situations."
"Oh because you don't want to see me with a woman."
Celia rolls her eyes, "Oh come on Caroline. I don't care if you are gay, bi, pan or whatever. But I don't want you to get yourself into something you can't handle."
"What and who I do, is none of your business," Caroline says before turning away and stomping out.
***
Desdemona knocks on Darla's door. Darla opens it wearing nothing but an over-sized T-shirt.
God, she's so happy to see Darla. She is so horny, she was surprised she was to drive straight. Caroline pressing into her didn't help.
She grabs Darla's waist and attacks her with kisses. She slides her hand down to Darla's tight ass. They back petal to Darla's room. Her roommate didn't seem to be home so it was perfect. She really needed something rough and loud.
Darla is an amazing kisser, and her long red hair so soft. It's almost as if Darla was built in a lab just for her.
Darla lays on her bed."I don't know what has gotten into you. But I like it."
***
Jeff sits at the board in the studio, "Ok Desi, it's almost done, you can do it."
The audio engineer starts the track.
"If I am a child of God, then I think he has disowned me."
Desdemona sings and plays with her guitar.
"God must hate me if he made this way.
Please bleed me dry, so I can feel clean.
I cry in the shower, bathing in holy water.
Maybe I'll feel better, after the exorcism."
The door opens and Caroline sneaks in.
"Why was I born so different? Can't among the living."
Caroline waves and smiles at her.
But I can feel them stare."
Desdemona waves and smiles back..
"You say, look, she's not like us.
She needs an exorcism."
Caroline sits down next Jeff, staring at Desdemona with heart eyes.
"It's too late for an exorcism."
Jeff leans back.