ODAAT: Volume 2, Chapter 6

 

Record Label

I'm waiting in the boardroom on the top floor of the label’s office. He told me he was negotiating his next album, but he never told me why. He planned to have me singing on the album, which required convincing his label that I could be added to his contract. It also meant that I'd have to sign off on some of the album concepts. I figure it meant I would be touring with him too. Not because I want to, but because it was going to be required. Jared took my shift at Reggie's so I wouldn't have to rush to get back on the plane. Reggie didn't seem to mind. He had told me last week that since Jared started coming around, business was booming. I noticed it without him having to say so. Jared started playing acoustic sets a few times a week. That brought in a whole new crowd. Then, when the word got out that Jared was a regular, other bands wanted to start playing. So, Reggie had to hire double the staff, buy double the liquor. But, he didn't have to pay double for entertainment. Jared got back into the groove of being the center of attention. It was easy for him. He doesn't seem as jaded as he did a few short months ago. He's willing to sit down and talk to his fans. But, he doesn't forget about me. He doesn't ignore me, instead offering smiles from across the room. God, my heart melts when he looks at me that way. With this sparkle in his eye, his teeth lightly pulling at his bottom lip. I've been thinking about him in ways I shouldn't be. But, that's why I flew to New York. That's why he's taking my spot at the bar tonight. I had to come here. I had to confess my thoughts. I had no idea what else I was going to have to do. I am happy Jared took my shift, since I have no idea how long I'll be here for.

When I got to the building, I had the secretary page him. I wanted to talk to him about Jared. The second I got to the top floor, I was greeted by a small group of people. Then, I was dragged into a boardroom. Everyone was so excited to see me, referring to me by name. I didn't recognize a single one of them and I'm pretty sure it was because I didn't know them at all. After a few hours, we grew more familiar. I'm not sure how I feel about complete strangers knowing who I am. It takes time to adjust to that level of fame and I haven't had enough. It's now been two hours since I walked through the door. I've paged over at least 10 contracts, signing off on different aspects of the album. One of the contracts was a clause for content ownership. It gave permission to the majority party of any content created by both. I'm glad I understand what all the legal jargon means. I always read Hunter the contracts he signed. His manager didn't like that, but, I think she was jealous of me. Once upon a time. She won in the end, because he was more committed to his lifestyle than he was to his life. I think he realized the error he made. Or, maybe he didn't. But who cares about Hunter? He's still in California having sex with random people to fill a void in his life. Playing music on the side only out of a habit he can't bring himself to break. With no passion and no fire. Fuck Hunter. He was nothing more than a waste of space. Samuel was right. I'm happy he's out of the picture.

Finally, I see him coming down the hallway, accompanied by a flurry of executives. They are guiding him to the boardroom, where I'm sitting. It's been so long since I've seen him, I almost forgot what he looked like. He's got black bags under his eyes, proving that he hasn't been sleeping. He already told me he was having trouble sleeping because he was here and I was there. I believed him, but, now I can see it. His normally confident walk is exhausted as his shoulders seem to slouch forward. He tries to straighten them as he walks into the room. But it doesn't work. He's wearing jeans and a t-shirt and it looks like it took him effort to even bother getting dressed. His hair is ruffled and looks greasy. He hasn't showered in a few days, either. When he sees me sitting at the table, his eyes light up. I realize no one told him I was waiting for him. I stand up to greet him, professionally holding out my hand. He pushes it back towards me with his chest as he wraps both his arms tightly around me. I think I hear one of the female assistants muttering "aww" under her breath as she scurries out of the room. I look up at him, a little confused. His lips are against mine in seconds and I almost completely forget where we are. I stumble backwards from the pressure of the collision. He moans softly into my lips and I realize he doesn't care what these people think. I also realize he really did miss me as much as he claimed over the phone. I don't know why I had let myself doubt this. Him. I should have known that if he could have been home with me, he would be.

One of the contracts I saw was a division between his old label and his new one. That contract had nothing to do with me, but it was sitting on the table. Of course I paged through it when I was left alone in the room. I was bored and curious, more than anything. The contract was talking about the switch in record labels. It turned out his last record label didn't want me to be a part of the album. He had this plan for a handful of duet songs, but the label wasn't interested in mixing business and romance. They were afraid of a separation and said it wasn't professional. He was determined to bring his idea to life, which put them at a stalemate. So, he dropped his former label, opting for a label that would be more open-minded. He had to sign a whole new set of contracts, agreeing to a certain amount of albums in a two year period. He had to agree to predicted record sales. He had to agree to PR for the new album, which would have to include everyone on the album. But, they were giving him some creative freedom, and that was enough for him. I don't know why he didn't tell me that he was switching labels. I don't know why he was so determined to have me on his album. I would have been just as happy to sing on stage. Or not. I would have been happier to step out of the spotlight completely. But it's obvious that isn't a part of his plan.

He steps back, looking down at me with such an excitement in his eyes. I didn't know what I was going to say to him when I got here. For a while, I forgot why I even came. I was too crowded by legalities to remember my own name. He sits down beside me, without saying anything. The team of executives sit down in various places at the big wooden table. They start talking about the record, inquiring about when we're going into the studio. He explains that his goal is to record during the tour, which is starting in three weeks. There's a brief discussion about the press release he'll have to hold, announcing his decision to switch labels. There might be a few photo shoots and interviews as well. The whole time, he looks over at me with this light that I could swear was brighter than the sun. And I can hear everything they are saying in one ear, but the other only hears his laughter.