DeeDee got up early to work on the piece she was writing about WaxLyrical. The words flowed easily. She tried not to gush. As soon as she was done with a draft, she emailed it to Jimmy and he wrote back a few minutes later.

Fantastic. It’s a beautiful piece of writing DeeDee and the picture is great. You’ve removed the rough hip-hop exterior and dug to the man’s core. I bet a lot of people don’t know this side of him.

He paused and teased her a bit.

And – you can tell the photographer loves her subject.

She decided to ignore Jimmy’s silly ‘love’ comment but it annoyed her a little. No. It annoyed her a lot, actually. She phoned him and even before he said hello, she gave it to him.

“Look, Jimmy, all I’m interested in is whether or not he approves of what I’ve written. So just stop with the innuendos and all the other stuff. I’ve had enough of that.”

“Whoa … slow down. What did I say wrong?”

“All these warnings about WaxLyrical. I’m a big girl. I know how to take care of myself. All I want is an interview with the man and that will be it.”

Her phone beeped. “Got to go Jimmy. I’ve got another call coming in.”

It was WaxLyrical! “Is that my famous journo friend from last night?”

She heard her laugh turn into an embarrassing giggle. She wondered where he had got her number from, but didn’t ask.

“Hey. I’m so sorry. Can’t make it this morning. My manager, the woman I was with at my show, is demanding that we meet to talk about last night and stuff. How ’bout tomorrow?”

“That might be hard for me … you see Jimmy was going to give me a ride to the coffee place. He works during the week so I don’t know … maybe I can just send you what I have done already for you to read.”

“Do that, hey, but I’m happy with whatever you’ve written. It’s your piece, after all.” And then he continued, “I could arrange to pick you up tomorrow. I mean if transport is the only issue.”

“You’re sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble?”

“Course not. I’m the one who messed up your plans and I’d like to see you again to talk some more. Just me and you. No-one else…”

Her heart started its pitter-patter, bang bang bang; she felt the blood thrumming in her head.

“Let me make it up to you, hmm? You there, Sweets?”

“Yes. I’ll email the article. I’ll let you know about tomorrow.” Her hand was trembling as she put the phone down.

DeeDee looked at her computer screen. Did he just call her ‘Sweets’? She thought maybe she had heard wrong. Her heart beat faster. He couldn’t have. But anyway, what did ‘sweets’ mean? Jimmy called her that all the time. And she had called Jimmy that too – as a joke. Her mind raced on: what if WaxLyrical hated what she had written? She held her breath and hit ‘Send’. And her heart beat even faster.

For the next three hours she switched between Facebook and Gmail. Nothing. And then just when she was starting to get a stomach ache from all the worry, his message arrived.

Thank you for this. It’s beautiful. But, hey, I’m not sure if it’s good for my badboy reputation. Now we really must meet tomorrow, so I can thank you properly.

He had signed off with a huge smiley that had swivelling hearts for eyes.

She immediately sent Jimmy an email.

WaxLyrical says he can’t make it today.

She left out the bit about meeting WaxLyrical alone the following day. She wasn’t sure why.

I’m still editing the piece. There are a couple of things I want to add. But I’ll call you.

Then Jimmy called her. “I just saw WaxLyrical walk into the place where we were supposed to meet. I was on my way there when I got your text. I saw them walking in. Odd.”

“Yes, he said his manager said they had to meet.”

“His ‘manager’? Is that what he calls her? The way he’s holding her hand says she is not just a manager.”

“Yes, well … It’s none of my business who he spends time with.”

“Well, just so you know… Be careful around him, DeeDee. WaxLyrical is a player-extraordinaire. I saw how he looked at you. He was salivating. And I saw how you looked at him.”

“Stop it Jimmy. You don’t own me. And why would he call someone his manager if she isn’t? I mean, why would he need to lie to me?”

Jimmy made a noise that sounded like a cough and sneeze together – a snort. She decided there and then that she would no longer confide in him. She logged on to Facebook and immediately forgot about ‘Mother Hen’ Jimmy. WaxLyrical had posted a song: Beautiful. There were already over 100 likes, but he’d inboxed her.

Ignore all those ‘likes’. The song I posted is for you. Only you, Sweets. Now send me a pic so I have something to remind me of how beautiful you are. See you tomorrow.

I’ve got loads of pics on Facebook, she typed back.

No. I want one that you haven’t shared with anyone else.

Why?

Nje.

Nje?

Nje, nje.

It became their private joke. It explained their relationship. WaxLyrical said they did not need complicated reasons to explain why they were together. They were together ‘just because’. She sent him a smiley as she tried to decide which picture to send him.

Another message arrived in her inbox – from WaxLyrical again. She stared at it for a long time and didn’t respond.

Thanks, Sweetness. Damn, how am I going to sleep tonight? You’ve got me so worked up.

DeeDee wondered how she was going to sleep that night. But, clearly, that message wasn’t for her. Then uncertainty hit her. Maybe it was? She sent him a picture that Jimmy had taken at his show. It took forever to upload.

WaxLyrical responded immediately.

Oh … you look so yummy. You’re even more beautiful than I remember. Damn. But, hey, just know that I will never pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do.

If DeeDee had known that WaxLyrical was lying right next to the woman he called his manager when he was sending her syrupy messages, she would have cancelled their appointment, blocked him, deleted his number and run as far away from him as he could – but she didn’t know.

WaxLyrical had her just where he wanted her. Confused. Unsure. Excited. Wanting him to think she was wonderful. And truth be told, even if she had known where he was and what he was doing, it wouldn’t have mattered. She knew that what he felt for her was so special that she, DeeDee, was going to win his heart forever.

***

Tell us what you think: Is WaxLyrical a manipulative playa or is DeeDee just naive and vulnerable?