That was always the hope.
Sasha opened the door and I followed.
We ran down a hallway.
“We didn’t get changed,” I said.
“No time,” she called out.
She turned the corner and suddenly came tumbling back.
A split second later, a guy appeared with his hands out.
I came to a quick stop as Sasha let out a yell and touched her chest.
“Holy fuck,” the guy said. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Sasha said.
“What happened?” I asked.
“She ran right into me,” the guy said. “Are you…” He pointed to my outfit. “You’re the singers?”
“Yeah,” Sasha said. “I’m Sasha. This is Abby.”
“Oh, nice,” the guy said. “I dig the clothes.”
“Yeah, they’re the best,” I said.
“I’m Kent,” he said. “I’m handling the recordings. We’ll get you singing and then I’ll pass it off.”
“How many people are singing today?” I asked.
“We have like… I don’t know… two dozen,” he said.
I sighed. “Okay.”
“Let’s go,” he said. “I was just going for a little break…”
He put his fingers to his mouth and winked.
“Right on, dude,” I said.
He turned and Sasha locked her arm to mine. “Are you excited?”
“Yeah,” I said.
We went into the studio and it brought back a lot of memories for me.
Sasha’s face lit up with glee. She gasped and turned in circles. She looked like a little kid in the world’s biggest toy store.
For me, I knew what it was all about.
“What is this for?” I asked Kent.
He made a gun with his fingers and pointed it at me. “Can’t tell you.”
“Really?”
“Totally,” he said. “But let me just say… it’s a big deal.”
I nodded and smiled.
Sasha went to sing first.
She ran through four different parts of songs. Just to test her range.
Then it was my turn.
I stepped into the booth and put the headphones on.
“Can you hear me, Abby?” Kent’s voice rang in my ears.
I gave a thumbs up.
“There’s four parts in front of you. Sing your heart out. We can run through a few takes if you want. Can’t be here all day though.”
I gave another thumbs up.
Sasha stood behind Kent and looked so happy for me.
I appreciated that.
I took a deep breath and music started playing in my ears.
I cleared my throat just to hear my own voice for a second.
Then I started to sing.
I shut my eyes and chased the world away.
When I finished my parts, I opened my eyes and took off the headphones.
Kent stood up and clapped for me.
So did Sasha.
“Fucking hell, Abby,” Kent said. “That was impressive.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Hey… you two seem cool enough. Want to know what this is for?”
“You said you couldn’t tell me,” I said.
“Yeah, I know. Fuck that. Come with me. Just don’t make a fucking sound.”
“Ooohhh, I like this,” Sasha said.
Kent took us from the studio to a set of steps.
We walked up the steps, our feet echoing all around the concrete walls.
“This is going to get my ass fired,” he said. “But with a voice like yours, Abby, you should know what opportunity is in front of you. This is the chance of a lifetime.”
“Sasha was good too,” I said.
“Yeah, she was,” Kent said. “But you… they’re going to love you.”
“They?” I asked, my heart starting to race.
My version of they was different than Kent’s.
He opened a door and put his fingers to his lips.
We crept down a narrow hallway and he stopped.
He pointed and nodded.
“Check it out,” he whispered. “Just don’t go all fangirl on me.”
“I won’t,” I said. “Trust me.”
I walked toward a tall and skinny window.
I saw another recording area.
And then I saw who it was.
I dropped down out of sight.
Kent laughed. “Told you.”
I looked at Kent. “Is this a joke?”
“No,” he said. “This is for real.”
“Who is it?” Sasha asked.
She moved to the window and let out a gasp.
I slowly inched back up and stared at them.
At him.
I was frozen.
My mind screamed to move.
But it was too late.
Reed had already turned around and was staring right at me.
5
REED
“You really opened this song up, Reed,” Nash said. “This is really good.”
I opened my mouth and saw movement from the corner of my eye.
I turned and blinked a few times.
There was a narrow window to the back hallway.
And I was staring right at Abby.
Abby.
My Abby?
Looking at me?
I hurried to the window but she disappeared.
“What are you doing?” Jay asked.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Sab said.
“How do I get to the fucking back hallway?” I called out.
Nobody answered me.
I ripped open the main door and ran toward the steps.
What the fuck was Abby…
Then it hit me.
She was here to sing.
Toby said he was going to get a group of singers together and let us choose who we liked best for this song. The singers weren’t allowed to know who they were auditioning for.
I ran toward the back steps and kicked open the door.
I heard voices below, followed by a door shutting.
I took the steps three at a time until I was on the ground floor.
When I ripped open that door, Kent spun around.
“Sorry, bro,” he said. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
“Where’d she go?” I asked.
He pointed to the door.
I ran and slammed my shoulder off it and stumbled outside.
There she was.
Abby.
Hurrying toward her car.
“Abby!” I bellowed.
She and another woman turned around.
The other woman’s jaw dropped.
She slowly looked at Abby, shocked that I knew her name.
Abby shook her head.
She went for her car again.
When she got into the car and started it, I knew I was fucked.
I gritted my teeth and dug in my pocket for the keys to my motorcycle.
I got on my beast of a ride and took off like I was an outlaw in a TV show.
The engine screamed like a hungry lion as I throttled it as hard as I could to get some damn speed and kill off the distance between myself and Abby.
I cut out of the parking lot to the main street, cutting off two cars.
They beeped at me.
I didn’t give a shit.
I spotted Abby’s car and throttled the motorcycle again.
When I finally got up on the ass of her car, I saw her look in the mirror.