5В Seconds OfВ Summer. Lie toВ Me
The next morning I was full of beans. No wonder, because I’m gonna have a meeting today with the label. I had to meet with the director of the studio and start discussions with him about writing new singles. The problem was that I didn’t have the inspiration to write anything. But I hoped that the Los Angeles hot air and searing sun would give me the energy for new beginnings. The hardest part of everything is the first step. It gets easier from there.
I made myself some black tea and looked out the window. We had a view of the road. Because we lived in the suburbs, my impressions of the city hadn’t been the best so far. But I knew there was more to come. Although how to say. I just hoped.
I didn’t wake my sister. For all I knew, she’d been talking to the Tea Knight all night. I wonder what she liked about him. Lizzie, though she flirted with almost every guy, she was not a crush. Apparently, this Richard is a really nice guy.
I got dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and typed the address of the studio into my phone. An hour walk? That’s great! I was in the mood for a walk. I put on my headphones, put on The Offspring – Have You Ever, and left the apartment.
It’s amazing how music sets the right tempo for something. It’s as if the world is getting brighter. The people walking outside with their dogs weren’t so dull anymore, the sun felt like it was baking, and the air felt electrifying. I stepped forward confidently, hoping to see the studio I would be working in for the next seven months.
An hour later I reached the large business center. A typical building of glass, concrete, and the tears of genius architects whose wishes were not heard in the construction of this facility. In general, everything is gray and ordinary, but… Art will be made here, so who cares what and how, right? I’m here for the work, not to judge the beauty of the buildings.
Yes, I always wanted to be an architect or an engineer, but I always thought I was too stupid for that. In fact, my father told me every day that I was too dumb for something. That was the thought I grew up with. Yes, I drew well, even too well, but as soon as I imagined someone on the news talking about how a building had collapsed on people’s heads and then in the left corner they showed my picture as the negligent architect whose mistake had ruined lives, I felt sick. Yes, I may be a drama queen, but I’d rather not get involved in a story at all than get involved in something risky. Although sometimes I am a risk-taker. Too risky. I had a shitty under-ex-boyfriend who…
В«How long are you going toВ stand there?В» AВ female voice distracted me from my thoughts.
IВ turned around.
В«ExcuseВ me?В»
В«Hi,В» the girl with the blond hair smiled at me. В«Are you new? Or aВ guest?В»
«Oh, I… uh…» I hesitated.
В«Lindsay?В» she asked.
В«Yes,В» IВ was surprised that she knewВ me.
«I’m Chris. Jerome said there would be a new girl. I remembered your name,» she got ahead of my questions.
В«Whoa, cool,В» IВ said at aВ loss.
«Let’s go,» she took my hand in a friendly manner and pulled me forward.
This gesture confused me, because IВ am not aВ fan ofВ physical contact. InВ fact, what the hell?
IВ released my hand, trying not toВ let her know IВ was uncomfortable.
«Diana will be here soon. She’s my manager,» Chris informed me, not paying attention to my gesture.
В«Manager?В» IВ was surprised.
«Yeah, I know it’s too early for her, but everybody needs helpers,» Chris kept babbling, and I was trying to figure out what she was.
Yes, her blond curly hair and brown eyes were trustworthy, but why was I nauseous again? Maybe I should have had something more substantial than tea for breakfast. Don’t make this up, Lindsay, it’s going to be okay.
В«Jerome, meet,В» said Chris, opening the door toВ some office.
I went inside and looked around the bright room. At the big white table sat a dark-haired, Spanish-looking girl, Jerome (who I’d met in Ottawa in person before), some guy (probably my mentor), and… THE TEA KNIGHT? I recognised him from the photo Lizzie showed me. What the hell was he doing here?
I didn’t show that I was very surprised at how small the world was.
В«Friends, IВ want toВ introduce you toВ Lindsay. The new member ofВ our label,В» Jerome greeted me as he rose from his chair.
Jerome was about thirty years old. He was of medium height, brunette with blue eyes. I’d say he’s my type if he wasn’t chubby and married.. Those two points automatically ticked him off my list of blue-eyed brunettes. Yes, I have that list, I repent. What can I do if I have that type?
«Hello, everyone!» I hesitated. What’s wrong with me! Pull yourself together!
I’m usually a lively person, but something in this city kept me from revealing myself. When I came to LA, it was like I was trapped in a dungeon. Brrrrr…
Jerome pointed out at our first meeting that he rarely met people inВ his life as full ofВ beans as IВ was. And now IВ feel like an amoeba. There could only be one reason: people. If something was wrong with them, IВ was becoming В«differentВ».
Stop thinking, Lindsay! You’re ruining everything.
В«Meet the guys. This is Diana.В»
AВ dark-haired girl responded with aВ beautiful smile and hugged me. How tactile they allВ are.
В«Welcome,В» she said, continuing toВ smile.
В«Nice toВ meet you,В» IВ smiled.
«I’m Richard,» the guy nodded to me.
Oh, trust me, tea knight, IВ know who youВ are.
В«AВ singer, too?В» As IВ recall, Lizzie said he had his own construction business.
Was he lying to her? Oh, he’s…
«No. My company will be building a new block for you. I’m here on a case,» the guy replied.
Okay.
«And this is Armie, your mentor,» Jerome pointed at the guy who didn’t even bother to stand up to greet me. Hmmm.
В«Hello!В» IВ smiled at Armie
В«Good afternoon,В» he nodded toВ me. В«Colleagues, IВ would like you toВ leave us alone. We need toВ have aВ word.В»
Whoa, what seriousness.
В«Yes, ofВ course,В» The guys answered inВ unison and left the room.
IВ glanced at them and turned around at the sound ofВ the chair pullingВ out.
Armie stood up, and IВ was surprised.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m 5,2 feet tall, and Armie is… I don’t know how to tell you this. I had to lower my head slightly to look him in the eye.
В«Lindsay, have aВ seat,В» he told me. В«This is going toВ be aВ serious conversation.В»
There’s something about him that doesn’t feel right…
After five minutes of talking to him, I understood why my mother had told my sister and me to stay away from short men – they were terribly complex people who only spoke doggy-style, that is, barking. There were a lot of swear words in his sort of business speech. And we’re in negotiations, man!
Armie was the dumbest asshole IВ had ever seen inВ my life. His arrogance made me want toВ laugh and cry. But the only thing IВ did was get angry. His pompous tone made me wonder what IВ was actually doing here. Do IВ have toВ work with him for seven months? God forbid!
В«Do you understand?В» he asked sternly.
В«Du yew andestend?В» IВ mocked him inВ my head.
В«Yes,В» IВ just let itВ out.
IВ swear, one more second, and IВ hit his own little head on the table.
В«When will you be ready toВ begin?В» he took the bottle from the table and began toВ drink water from his throat.
В«Tomorrow,В» IВ said.
В«F*cking cool,В» he replied.
Swear words? Again?
I struggled to control myself so I didn’t smack him in the smug face with my bag.
Yes, I swear, too, but there’s a time and a place for everything.
В«You are free toВ go,В» he said, and IВ stoodВ up.
В«Goodbye,В» IВ said, and without waiting for him toВ answer, IВ left the office.
Oh, my God, what was that!
IВ walked outside and ran into Richard, who was lighting aВ cigarette.
В«Will you?В» he picked up the cigarette.
«No, I don’t smoke, thanks,» I brushed it off.
В«And you look like you could use it right now,В» he took aВ drag.
«Armie’s an asshole,» I said into the air.
В«Armie?В» Richard wondered.
В«My mentor.
В«Ah,В» just said the guy and took another puff.
«I’m thinking of going to Jerome and asking for a change of mentor,» I confessed. I don’t know why I’m telling him this, but I need someone to talk to right now.
В«And what happened?В» Richard asked.
«Armie is arrogant, pompous, swears a lot, and I’m sure in the future it will end with one of us stomping the other to death.»
В«What?В» Richard laughed.
«Armie is as tall as a sixth grader. You’ve seen it,» I remarked.
В«Well, yes, IВ have,В» The guy nodded again.
«So, have you seen Jerome? – I inquired.
«It’s a mistake,» Richard observed.
В«What?В»
В«ToВ go straight toВ Jerome. Be patient.В»
В«Be patient? IВ look like that kind ofВ person?В» IВ was starting toВ get annoyed with his tone, too. IВ hate the endured people.
В«You want toВ leave at the first conflict. What about fighting and all that?В»
«Let’s leave the fighting to the fighters. I’m not in this internship to be sworn at by Mr. Little Pants,» I said carelessly.
В«Weakling,В» he scratched his chin.
В«What?В» IВ wondered.
«Don’t go to Jerome. He’ll tell Armie, and he’ll get even angrier. And they won’t change your mentor.»
There’s some truth in what he said on the one hand. On the other hand, I’m too stubborn, and if I get it into my head, I’ll do it. And, plus, no one dares talk to me in that tone of voice like Armie did.
«We’ll see,» I parried, heading back indoors to find Jerome.
В«Bye, Beauty!В» Richard shouted afterВ me.
В«Screw you, assholeВ», IВ thought.
CHAPTERВ 3
There are two sides toВ every coin.
