On a Sunday afternoon, Dazzy and Kat sat together in the basement of Johnson C, the house on campus where they lived with five of their friends. Dazzy\u2019s recording equipment was out, along with the laptop he used to write lyrics. He lit up the bong sitting on the table in front of him and took a sizable rip. The smoke billowed majestically into the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMan, I\u2019m just trying to get some inspiration out here,\u201d Dazzy said. \u201cSchool and baseball are cool and everything, but the grind is giving me writer\u2019s block for real.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBaby, I know you got a dream, but shouldn\u2019t you be grinding on the other stuff?\u201d Kat asked. \u201cYou got midterms this week, and that geology requirement sounds like it\u2019s kicking your ass. Plus the season\u2019s about to start, and that thing sure ain\u2019t helping you stay in shape.\u201d She pointed at the bong, which sat next to a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos and some beef jerky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, don\u2019t talk about my bong, that\u2019s my baby,\u201d Dazzy retorted as Kat pouted. \u201cI\u2019m good though, I\u2019m chilling. I\u2019ll study and hit the gym tomorrow. Today is a me day to work on my creative shit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, your creative shit isn\u2019t gonna pass your classes or win ballgames,\u201d Kat argued. \u201cYou\u2019ve already been turning up all weekend, how much more you time do you need?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBaby, I appreciate you trying to make me a better man,\u201d Dazzy said as he put his around her and leaned in. \u201cBut I got this.\u201d He pounded his chest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly, Dazzy\u2019s favorite Art Gallery Villains song started playing from his phone. He picked up the call. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Mama,\u201d he said to his mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey sweetie, your father and I are just checking in. How\u2019s everything going?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dazzy looked at the bong on the table. \u201cFantastic,\u201d he said smoothly. \u201cJust studying for midterms and working hard in the outfield every day. You know how it is around here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s great, we\u2019re excited for you,\u201d his mother said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His father cut in. \u201cHey, Daz. So you\u2019re not still trying to work on any of that music career business, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course I am, Dad,\u201d Dazzy asserted. \u201cIt\u2019s one of my dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut honey, you don\u2019t have time for that,\u201d his mother said. \u201cSchool and baseball are what\u2019s important right now. That, and your beautiful girlfriend. Hey Kat, if you\u2019re there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlso, man, it\u2019s just not realistic,\u201d his father said. \u201cYou need a good, solid, stable career path. You\u2019re majoring in business for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou’re right, I am, it\u2019s so I have the skills to grow my stuff,\u201d Dazzy replied. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be working a boring-ass 9-to-5 for the rest of my life. I\u2019m going to do something that makes me happy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDazzy, watch your language, boy,\u201d his mother snapped. \u201cAnd you need stability after you graduate. A steady income.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want you to grow up and be some Soundcloud rapper fool like Big Pimp or 7even-11even or any of those clowns. We want to keep being proud of you,\u201d his father added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, that\u2019s not what my music is like at all. You can be proud of me, but go off,\u201d Dazzy said coldly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust consider what we said, dear,\u201d his mother said. \u201cThat\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll right, man, good luck,\u201d his father said. \u201cTalk to you later. We love ya.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYup, thanks. Bye.\u201d He hung up and looked over at Kat. \u201cHey, don\u2019t look at me,\u201d she said. \u201cThey\u2019re 100 percent right.\u201d Dazzy sighed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On a Sunday afternoon, Dazzy and Kat sat together in the basement of Johnson C, the house on campus where they lived with five of their friends. Dazzy\u2019s recording equipment was out, along with the laptop he used to write lyrics. He lit up the bong sitting on the table in front of him and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","WB4WB4WP_MODE":"","WB4WP_PAGE_SCRIPTS":"","WB4WP_PAGE_STYLES":"","WB4WP_PAGE_FONTS":"","WB4WP_PAGE_HEADER":"","WB4WP_PAGE_FOOTER":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ootb","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n