Once on my floor, I nestled into my cube and prepared for the morning scrum. My plans for automating Tweets had gotten provisional approval. Ajit anticipated no problems implementing the proposals. He wondered why they’d never coded it before. The meeting went smoothly, signing off on estimates and deadlines.
I was in a fine mood as we broke up and I headed back to my desk where I discovered an email from Lars telling me I was free to post the blog I’d set up. Holding my breath, I hit submit.
And just like that, my name was on the front page of theRock Paper.
The adrenaline from that experience came rushing back as I clicked through and watched one of the videos. Would I get lucky enough to do it again? I composed a quick email.
Lars,
Thank you for this opportunity. I wanted to let you know that Adam Copeland loved this idea so much he invited me to their rehearsal on Friday. Please let me know your thoughts. I’d need to clear it with Byron of course.
Layla
There. I wanted to get that on the books. My stomach swirled with excitement. My God. Walking Disaster in a small room. Just me and them. Could I make a request? I wished I could post about it to the fan forum and solicit opinions on what to ask them to play.
I wished I could tell the posters anything about this at all.
As I stood to go grab a cup of coffee, Gabe stepped out from between the cubes, blocking my path.
“Now I understand why you found my review too critical.”
“I never said your review was too critical. I only questioned your assumptions and conclusions.” I tried to move around him, but he put his hand over the nearest cube wall, and I realized I’d be doing the limbo to get through him.
“This is a well-respected music magazine, Layla. Do you know people read us to get an objective opinion about the music from reviewers whose expertise they value?”
“Yes. I know that, Gabriel. I think I even complimented you on your writing. If you recall.”
He moved an inch closer. “Yet, it’s funny what passes for journalism when you lose that objectivity.”
I stopped looking for ways to get past and met his eyes. “I’m sorry?”
“I read your article this morning. If you can call it that.” His jaw clenched. “You basically just gave free advertising to your boyfriend. And ‘hands off, ladies’? I don’t think I’ve ever read that printed in a music magazine in my life.”
Was he truly offended as a writer? Or just jealous? I rolled my eyes. “Are you fucking kidding me, Gabe? This very magazine once printed a fifty-page spread of the pretty boys of rock. You know who was in it? Micah Sinclair.”
“The fact that you know that is troubling.”
“The fact that you find it troubling means you don’t know your audience.”
He glowered at me, then moved out of my way. As I passed, he hissed, “Maybe I should write a balanced point of view of that new song you just posted.” His threat registered, and I paused long enough for him to know he’d made an impact. “The drumming sounded . . . what would we say? Maybe like a poor attempt to copy The Who?”
I tried not to laugh. Shane would no doubt find that insult rather amusing. Complimentary even. I flung the back of my hand dramatically across my forehead. “Oh, no. Please don’t compare him to Keith Moon.”
Then I shot him a death glare and stalked back to the kitchen in a much shittier mood. I muttered to myself, “Douche!” I let it go and focused on cramming the little coffee packet into the machine. I slammed the flap closed a little too hard. As the coffee sputtered out, sending lava-hot drops onto my skin, a Walking Disaster notification ringtone exploded.
I grabbed my phone to silence it and quickly check what the emergency was.
Ash had texted:Is that where you were last week? OMFG. Why didn’t you tell me?
Crap. I should have given her some warning. Now I was going to look like I didn’t trust her. Or worse. Like we weren’t close enough friends to share that kind of news.
I texted back:It was top secret.I lowered the volume on my phone, knowing she’d want more intel, and sure enough, it vibrated seconds later.
How did it happen?
I befriended Jo.That was the truth at the end of the day.
Congrats! It’s amazing. Can I post it to the forum?
