It’s not about being stubborn. It’s about accepting help being a foreign concept for someone like me. I choke down the rising snort and type.
Me: That’s rich coming from you when I doubt you’d accept it if you were in my shoes
Bubbles pop up for a long time, too long for his response to simply say:
Reid: Whatever
Reid: Maybe we haven’t changed as much as we thought
Maybe not.
Me: I hope that’s not true
Me: But who knows
Reid: Their business must be doing good if they keep offering you a position
Me: I guess so
Reid: If they need help with any connections or shit let me know
Reid: I know a good photographer if they need one
Me: Why would you do that? You don’t even know them and I don’t think you’re the type to do something out of the kindness of your heart
Maybe I’m fishing here. Maybe the drinks have gone to my head and I’m searching for something that could very well squash my rising hopes with a single text.
But maybe…
Reid: If they’re important to you then it’s important to me
Reid: Or whatever. Forget I said anything. Don’t have any more drinks tonight
I can’t help the smile that sits on my face as I reread his last texts over and over.
Even with the alcohol clouding my brain, I most certainly will not be forgetting he said anything.
Not at all.
12
Reid
The line wrapped around the front of the building and down the street is a sight I haven’t seen in a long, long time. A familiar buzz warms my skin and causes my heart to jump up into my throat in anticipation. But it’s not for me.
Not anymore.
This is all for Nikolai and his album release party tonight. He arranged drivers for each of us, and mine dropped me around the back as requested. Not sure if that was from Nikolai, Arun, and the label, in a way to keep the attention on Nik tonight, but either way I’m grateful for it. I slip in the back where security already knows who I am and waves me past. I run a hand through my hair and tuck part of it behind my ear.
Should probably get a haircut soon. My sides have grown out long enough to tickle my ears.
The venue is packed with people, fans and industry people alike. Although there’s a bit of separation with ropesand extra security that keep too much mingling between the two from happening.
Neon signs cover the walls and all the lighting has been swapped out for colorful bulbs, decorating the room in an ambience of color. It screams Nikolai, and I wonder if he had more creative control in Whisper Me Nothings if our album visions would’ve looked like this.
I make my way to the bar and get a drink before turning around and surveying the crowd. The people on this side, folks in the industry, give me a wide berth, even as they come over to the bar.
Producers that we used to work with give me tight smiles and small waves before ducking back over to their original crowds. The label executives that we used to work with barely even glance my way. I know we pissed them off when we refused to make the last album we were contracted for, but that was a long time ago.
