Chapter Three

Charlie

I watch as Thomas Mason scans the crowd of high school punks around me. My agent is looking for talent, and not in a sexual way. I’m not his only talent, but I’m the only one who is actually booking gigs at the moment. He’s a younger guy, only six years older than me. At thirty he prides himself on still having all his hair and an ability to pull tail. That’s what he characterizes as a successful look.

“Models can be discovered just going about their business,” he says to me, “models that bring me my big break.”

“I thought I was going to bring you your big break,” I say a little hurt but mostly frustrated we are here.

“You will too if you can find someone to sing with you.”

“I told you, Thomas. I’m a solo act. What’s not to love?” I turn around in a slow circle with my arms outstretched earning me an eye roll.

“You are a rich kid using daddy’s money to play Guitar Hero on the weekend. You need someone to make you relevant. You need a rag to riches storyline. You’re never going to get that so we have to combine you with someone else. Besides duets are all the rage right now.”

“I don’t even play video games,” I mumble to him. I swear the man is such a dick sometimes. Well, it’s nothing that I haven’t been called before, so I shrug it off.

“You know what I mean.” He straightens his tie and buttons up his suit jacket. Thomas’ thing is to wear the most ridiculous ties he can find. This one has kittens on it playing with little planets. Where does one even get such a tie? Did he get it for a buck fifty at Goodwill? I’m about to ask him, but he opens his mouth before I get a chance.

“You think some high school kid singing with me is going to look right to the world? I’m twenty-four years old and devilishly handsome.” I grin.

“We aren’t here to see a high school kid Charlie, we’re here to see an adult.” Okay, an adult. I’m still not overly happy about the idea. The last thing I need is to have to carry someone else while I’m performing. Besides, I don’t really like sharing the spotlight. Call me a jerk, but hey, it is what it is.

The kid on stage finishes up his long set of beat boxing and break dancing with a spin move and then they introduce the next act.

“This is her.” Thomas grabs my arm and points as a petite brunette woman in a bright purple dress trips onto the stage. I had missed her name during my complaining.

I tilt my head trying to get a better idea of what she looks like since Thomas and I were late and currently stand on the wall at the back of the gymnasium the charity concert is being held in.

“What’s she doing?” I ask as the woman stands completely still. Her song has already started and I’m pretty sure she missed the intro.

“I don’t know,” Thomas says putting a fist under his chin and leaning on the wall.

I watch as the woman turns around and faces the side of the stage. If this is the woman he thinks can sing with me, he’s been drinking. She looks like she’s afraid of her shadow. Hell, I bet if someone shouted boo she’d likely faint. That’s so not what I am looking for. If I were looking. Which I’m not.

“Dude, there’s a totally hot chick named Savannah who wanted me to swing by her bar later. I got some decent drugs, and they aren’t going to do themselves.” I tell Thomas. Hey, don’t judge. We all have our vices and standing here listening to a high school, grade school, or whatever the hell kind of show this is, is making me wish I was drunk or stoned. Hell, at this point, I’d take both.

She starts to sing. My head whips around as the first words and notes tumble from her mouth, and I’m speechless. In spite of the fact she’s facing the side wall, it doesn’t take away from her voice. For a moment I forget what I was saying. I am sucked in by her haunting melody. She’s chosen a good one from the seventies about hope and loss. It makes me think she knows good music at least. After she makes it through the first chorus and there’s a break she turns.

Despite being a distance away I can almost see the thought process going on in her head as she wills herself to face forward. The result is the beautiful voice projected out into the audience. Everyone cheers for her encouragingly and find myself joining in. If she can get past whatever strange stage fright she has, she might be good for me.

I do have a nagging voice telling me I’m a solo act, I can’t have a partner, but her voice is drowning it out a bit. She hits some surprising notes and I feel the hair on my arms stand up. The song finishes and everyone’s quiet just for a few seconds before bursting into applause. I feel strange like I’ve just witnessed something incredible.

I tell myself that’s silly in a high school gymnasium, but even as she leaves the stage I still have the chills.

“Come on, Lila will be telling her we’re coming about now. Let’s catch her before she runs off.” Thomas says moving forward.

“She didn’t even know we were here?” I ask thinking that seems almost cruel.

“No, it’s fine. Lila knew she’d be nervous, so she said she’d handle it.”

Lila is the woman Thomas has been seeing. I think it’s getting pretty serious. They’ve been together for a little over six months. I don’t keep up with their relationship but I just heard her mention it the last time we had dinner.

I think over my short career as a musician as we walk up to the stage. I’d loved to sing and play guitar in high school. I was all about talent shows and charity concerts. Dad hadn’t come into money until my junior year when he inherited the company from his father. It was a complete change for my whole family. I hadn’t always been the spoiled kid everyone thought I was when I attended this high school.

I liked to think that was the rag to riches story Thomas was looking for, but he didn’t seem to think it would be enough.

Lately, I’ve been playing whenever someone wants me to. I can afford to pay Thomas even though my gigs make pennies because I have the money. It probably isn’t the picture of a starving artist he’d been looking for, but he’s sticking with me. I feel like he must believe in my music enough to push for me to move forward so I trust him with this whole singing partner thing.

It is going to be an adjustment, but I think I can do it. Being in the high school takes me back. I had performed on that very stage. Now it seems like that was decades ago. I look around at all the students as they go up to the stage to congratulate their fellow students and teachers. All the stereotypes are still represented, just in a different era.

I think back to when I was in high school and try to remember what my plans were then. I’d always wanted to sing, and my father had wanted me to work for him. It is part of the reason we aren’t close. He doesn’t think I’m taking advantage of the opportunities I’ve been offered. I don’t think he supports me no matter what I do.

We may both be right, but we’re both certainly stubborn.