Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 60750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“Wait. Really?” Cameron’s eyes light up with excitement. “We’re actually going to go on the road?”
“One thing at a time. Let’s say it’s a possibility. We focus on the album first,” Gregory insists. “And if that’s any good, we’ll get you a schedule for a mini-tour to start.”
“Hell, yeah!” Cameron shouts. “Finally!”
Gregory smiles as he turns to look over at me. “Van, I was hoping that you’d be willing to work with Alyssa on the lyrics. She’s a pretty strong songwriter already, but I’ve always thought that you have a sort of Midas touch when it comes to lyrics.”
“Shit,” Cameron murmurs. “Might as well cancel the touring plans, then. Those two hate each other’s guts.”
“Come on, I don’t hate her,” I clarify carefully. “I just think she needs to learn how to take advice when it’s being given to her by an industry professional.”
“See, Cameron?” Gregory’s tone is lined with sarcasm. “Van doesn’t hate Alyssa. His ego is just too big to know how to work together on something instead of completely taking it over.”
Gregory chuckles before he goes on. “I think these writing sessions will be a good experience for both of you, Van. And yes, working together means listening to her too. Get on it, whenever Alyssa gets back.”
“Will do.” I nod, flashing him a fake smile. I’m irritated by his assumption that I have a big ego, instead of acknowledging the truth.
I don’t have a big ego, Gregory.
I just have big, girthy talent and I know it.
“Sorry I got back so late,” Alyssa apologizes as she walks into one of the smaller studios that I like to use solely for my songwriting. “I just…I had to…”
“I don’t care,” I interrupt, noting that she’s now wearing a completely different outfit. Gone are the crop top, skirt, and heels, now replaced by her usual blue jeans and T-shirt, her auburn hair tied up in a ponytail. She looks like she’s on her way to run a few errands, and I can’t help but smirk, thinking of Alyssa getting into an argument with a bank teller about how much she’s allowed to withdraw from her checking account on a daily basis, or picking out fabric softener in the grocery store—
What the hell?
Since when do I give two shits about what Alyssa Smith does in her free time?
“Right. Of course you don’t.” She sighs and moves closer to where I’m crouching over a brown desk. “Cameron told me that I could find you here. He said that Gregory gave us the greenlight for our debut album?”
“That he did,” I reply, bringing my attention back down to the lyric sheet in front of me.
“And you and I are supposed to work together on the lyrics,” Alyssa says, before taking a seat right in front of me. “Which I have to say, kind of feels like a recipe for disaster.”
“What makes you have to say that?”
“I don’t know, maybe it’s the fact that you hate me.” She lets out a light chuckle.
“Why does everyone think that?” I press. “I don’t hate you, Alyssa. Trust me. If I hated you, you’d know it.”
“I thought I did,” she says, looking thoughtful. “So, what? Are you saying that you actually like me as a person?”
“I don’t know if I’d go that far,” I answer as I turn to look up at her. “But…I will say that I respect your creative process, even if I fight back against it from time to time—”
“All the time, Van—”
“And furthermore, you should know you don’t need to dress up like those other girls,” I continue. “If that’s what you think you need to do to make it. The way you were dressed earlier…” I shake my head before I finish with my thoughts. “You never need to do that, Alyssa. That’s for people who aren’t talented. You can go twice as far, looking the way you do right now.”
“…Thanks.” There’s a small smile on Alyssa’ face. “You never let on that you thought that I was talented.”
“Marginally.” I smirk, tapping a pencil against the paper on the desk. “But it’s a lot easier to start with something than absolutely nothing.”
“…Why are you in a band, anyway?” Alyssa asks. “No offense, but you don’t really seem like the teamwork type.”
“Simple,” I start. “Because Cam and Rhys are my best friends, and they wanted me to be in a band with them.”
“Yeah, but wasn’t that like, back in high school? You never tried to branch out on your own?”
“This might surprise you, Smith, but not everyone is interested in grabbing the spotlight,” I reply. “Besides, being in front of anything is like having a target on your back.”
“What do you mean, a target on your back?”
“You’ll learn soon enough, princess,” I say. “This industry likes to chew up pretty young girls like you and spit them out just as fast. We’re all just working on behalf of a ravenous beast, but at least we can try and have fun doing it.”