"Is Lucky your real name?" the deep voice on the phone asked.

After spending the afternoon doing phone interviews, the different voices melded into one. She was so tired she couldn't even remember the voice's name. All she remembered was that it started with an H.

Harry? Henry? Humbert? He doesn't even know my real name, why should I care about his? she thought. I'll stick with Harry.

Olivia "Lucky" Saldano stifled a yawn before answering. She knew her answer didn't matter much. No matter what she said, she'd always be called Lucky whether she liked it or not.

"No, it's Olivia, Lucky came from my parents," she said. "When I was born, the doctor said I was lucky to be alive. My father started calling me Lucky and the nickname stuck."

Lucky sighed with annoyance. She didn't know why she gave the interviewer so much information, but she couldn't help herself. Whenever her nerves got the best of her, she babbled. She had hoped she would get used to it, but it never happened. She didn't know how many interviews she had done that afternoon, but each time the phone rang the butterflies in her stomach kicked into high gear.

She wished she didn't have to do any interviews, but that wasn't what the record label wanted. She had only been signed a month, but she already knew there was only one way things happened--the label's way.

Lucky wondered if it should bother her more. She thought about the interviews and articles she had read with artists talking about being owned by their label like a form of slavery. But it really didn't bother her much. She was living her dream.

"You're getting ready for your first tour now," Harry said. "Have there been any concerts that made an impression on you?"

"Well, I've only been to one concert, Silverlight, but it was amazing. I'll never forget it. I begged my parents to let me see them three years ago."

"Their final tour?" he asked.

"Yeah, that one, but at that time no one knew it was their last tour. Everyone thought Silverlight would continue forever. Jude Morrison played this drum solo that was out of this world. It had so much feeling and finesse to it. There we were in an arena, but he made that moment so intimate. I knew right then what I wanted to do with my life," she said as the smile on her face widened. "I swear every time I write a song, I imagine him playing it."

Lucky bit her tongue before she said how much she had always loved Jude Morrison. While her friends had posters of Silverlight's lead singer on their wall and in their lockers, she had Jude's. He was the only reason she wanted to see Silverlight.

Sitting in a wood-paneled office, musty from decades of use, Lucky couldn't be happier to talk about her rock star crush. She imagined some of her heroes sitting there decades before her, fielding stupid interview questions over the phone too. It was surreal.

"So is it clichéd to call this your lucky break?" the interviewer asked.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, this time forgetting to cover it up. For as long as she could remember, people came up with ways to use the word 'lucky' to describe a situation with her. She knew landing a record deal was amazing, but to her the real lucky break was being able to get away from her parents for the first time.

"I've heard things like that my entire life. You'd be surprised at what people come up with. But no, I wouldn't call this my lucky break. I've worked hard to get to where I am. I deserve this," she said.

"I'm sure you do. A Berklee degree is nothing to sneeze at. Especially when you graduate early like you did. Would you mind telling us some other ways people have used your name? I think our readers would be interested in that."

"Off the top of my head, there was this guy who declared it my lucky day before he asked me out."

"And did you go out with him?"

Lucky's laughter filled the room. "No, but not just because of that. I didn't have time for a social life. I’ve not been out with anyone."

"You've never been on a date??" he asked, sounding shocked.

Dammit! She knew she'd end up saying something she would regret. She chewed her bottom lip as she wondered what to say next, but she knew the truth was the best route. "Umm…no. I uhh…didn't get out that much," she stammered.

"But while you were in college, surely you did some partying. What about high school?" he asked.

The intrusive questions were blasted at her at top speed, but she didn't know how to stop it. She wanted to hang up the phone and pretend they lost their connection, but she knew she'd feel bad about doing that. Too nervous to think of a witty way to end the interview, she decided to answer.

"My parents were very strict. They still are. I think it scared a lot of friends away because they had much more freedom than I ever did." She paused for a moment, wishing the interview would end. Unfortunately, she wasn't that lucky. "I lived at home in college. I didn't grow up very far from Boston, so it was an easy commute. Plus I spent as much time as I could in the rehearsal rooms practicing and writing. Sometimes I could only get in at 3 in the morning, but the time didn't matter, it's what I love. Music was the one thing my parents never restricted me with."

Lucky looked up from the old desk chair as Chuck Russo, her album producer, opened the door and signaled time was almost up. Nodding at him, his jet-black hair gleaming under the fluorescent lights, she was grateful for the excuse to end the interrogation.

"It's a shame, you have a really pretty face. Maybe once you're on tour you'll get out more. Thank you for answering my questions."

Lucky cringed as she hung up the phone. She knew what the interviewer really meant--you have a really pretty face for a fat girl. It was something she had been hearing a lot lately, and she didn't like it one bit. Pretty was pretty, whether someone was fat or not.

She didn't consider herself fat, but she definitely wasn't skinny. Lucky never thought much about her size until recently, when the record execs made it a big deal. Lucky was confident in who she was, but lately with so much fuss being made about her appearance, she wondered if she was being naive; something she was often called.

Entering a small powder room to the side, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her light brown waves hung down her back, almost to her waist. The length of her hair reminded her that she hadn't had a haircut in years. Her dark brown eyes had the same slight upward slant to them as her mom's, making her look a little exotic especially combined with her high cheekbones.

She pinched her full cheeks then sucked them in, accentuating her cheekbones. There wasn't any point in it. She knew nothing short of a miracle could make her look thinner. She simply needed to get the naysayers out of her head.

Smoothing down the boho-style peach tunic she wore over a faded pair of jeans, she hoped one day the looks and words of others wouldn't mean so much. For now though, they did. While she thought nothing could shake her confidence on stage, she was beginning to feel less sure of herself off of it.

Hearing a soft knock on the door, she shook her hair with her fingers. She hoped the musicians arriving for auditions today would be more concerned with talent than if she ever had a boyfriend or what her real name was, but she doubted that.

"Just another minute," Lucky yelled.

"Hey, it's me, open up," said the soft squeaky voice of Jordan Blake, Lucky's best friend.

Jordan and Lucky had met on the school bus ride home when they were five years old. Seated next to each other, they put their feet up against the back of the seat in front of them and discovered they had the same shoes on. They had been best friends since.

Jordan's blonde pixie cut suited her. She was petite, small boned and fragile looking, but her blue eyes heavily lined with black kohl hinted at her toughness. Wearing a pair of work boots with black leggings and an oversized shirt, she looked like Tinker Bell gone bad.

Even though they had drifted apart after high school, they still considered themselves best friends. Jordan had grown quiet over the years and kept more to herself than ever. But Lucky knew she shouldn't take that personally.

Lucky kept quiet about how much Jordan had closed herself off over the past three years. She knew it was better to stay friends than force Jordan to talk about things she didn't want to discuss. Jordan didn't have anyone else to talk to so when she was ready, Lucky would be there. And no one else understood the dynamics of Lucky's home better than Jordan. It went unspoken, but they knew if they didn't have each other, they wouldn't have anyone.

Lucky knew her best friend had problems at home and would do anything to escape. What she didn't know was how bad things really were for her. Jordan never spoke about it and Lucky knew better than to ask. When Jordan was ready to talk, she would.

When Lucky got word of the tour happening, she knew Jordan would jump at the chance to go with her. The words had barely come out of Lucky's mouth before Jordan said she would go. She even agreed to join Lucky for band auditions.

"All done with the interviews?" Jordan asked as she entered. "Did any of them call you Olivia?"

"No. I don't think they even care what my real name is. Everyone's focused on Lucky."

"Lucky you," Jordan said with a grin. "Have you heard from your parents today?"

"What do you think?" Lucky asked sarcastically.

Lucky showed her her cell phone with multiple missed calls and texts. "I told them I had a busy morning with back to back interviews before meeting the band. They wanted up-to-date details though."

"They should've come out to LA with us then."

"Noooo," Lucky said, her eyes wide with pretend fear. "Trust me when I say they wanted to. I told them the label said they couldn't, that they'd be a distraction. Do you realize this is the first time I've been away from home?" Lucky shook her head as she thought about her life at home before groaning. "You won't believe this. I told the last interviewer I've never been on a date. I really have to learn when to shut up."

"I can't wait until that interview comes out. I'm so buying that magazine," Jordan said with a laugh. "You've been on a date though, why didn't you tell them about that?"

"Ha! Tell them about being such a loser that for me to go to the prom, my mom had to find me a date? No thanks!"

"Oh, give me a break, that guy was crazy about you. And if I remember right, he was pretty cute too."

Lucky rolled her eyes. "That guy had a girlfriend. Plus he wasn't crazy about me, he was just crazy, period. Besides, he was only doing his aunt a favor."

"But Mom, Jordan's my best friend. Why can't we share the limo?" Lucky asked, trying to keep the whine out of her voice. She wanted to have an intelligent conversation with her mother and not be treated like a child.

"Lucky, I've told you before, you're not allowed to drink," her mother said.

"I'm talking about the limo though. Riding in the same vehicle to prom. This has nothing to do with drinking."

"Yes, it does. Jordan's boyfriend is twenty-one. That means he can buy alcohol. I don't want you sharing a car with someone who can buy alcohol."

"Then I sure hope the limo driver is underage," Lucky said sarcastically.

"Don't get smart with me, young lady. You know what I mean. You can get a limo for the prom, just share it with one of your other friends."

"I don't have any other friends," Lucky said, frustration filling her voice. "Jordan's the only one who puts up with the constant checking in and everything else I have to do. I mean you guys even call the theater to check the time the movie's over so you know when I'll be home."

"What about that Sean boy down the street?" Lucky's mom asked, ignoring her. "I ran into his mother at the supermarket. He's going with his girlfriend, and I don't think they have a limo yet."

"Yeah, just perfect, Mom. I can share the limo with two people I barely know and my stranger of a date. What a special prom memory that'll make."

"At least you're going. Be grateful for that," her mom said, her tone sharpening. "And your father and I expect you home right afterwards. You can visit with Jordan the next day if seeing her at the prom isn't enough."

"No, I can't see her the next day. She's going away for the weekend. Like every other kid in school." Lucky hugged herself. It was just another time where she felt completely left out and punished for no reason.

"Well, that's fine that they all have such neglectful parents. I can't help it if we worry and protect you," her mom answered.

"If only my mom knew what a perv she set me up with for prom. I had to keep pushing him away," Lucky said as she shook her head.

"Well, at least you didn't tell the interviewer you've never been kissed," Jordan said.

"What are you talking about? I've been kissed!"

"Okay okay, yes, you've been kissed. One kiss." Jordan giggled.

"Don't you start. It counts. I'll never forget Tommy Hearon. How he waited with me for the school bus. The way he leaned in towards me..." Lucky's voice trailed off dramatically.

"The way his braces got caught on your lip."

As they laughed, Chuck popped his head back into the office. "Lucky? It's almost time. Are you ready?"

"Yes Chuck, I'm coming." She turned towards Jordan. "Let's go! I can't believe this is really happening. I've been dreaming about this my entire life."

Chuck Russo was known as the dream maker. When record companies had a lot riding on a new talent, they called Chuck in as the producer. He had an uncanny ability to get unknowns onto the charts.

Lucky completed her album with Chuck just a couple weeks before. Using studio musicians helped the process go smoothly. But now that she was going on tour, she needed a band. Since Chuck was the most familiar with her sound, he had offered to help.

Lucky grabbed Jordan's arm and pulled her out into a busy corridor with pale green tile flooring and rust-colored walls. As they walked down the hall, they passed gold and platinum records. The old recording studio was exactly like Lucky imagined.

People casually walked the halls, some in suits, but most in jeans or shorts. It reminded Lucky of when she was in college and she thought about how all her hard work, all the hours she spent writing and rehearsing, had led to this. She couldn't stop smiling.

Entering the rehearsal space with Jordan, Lucky spotted Chuck pacing the floor while talking into his cell phone. He was a short, thin man, attractive for his age, despite his unnaturally black hair that hung straight to his shoulders. He had a black goatee which was sculpted to a point at his chin and made Lucky think of the devil even though she had no reason to.

"She's not going to go for that, and I wouldn't blame her." He paused as he listened to the other person on the call. "No, if that's what you want, then get your ass over here and tell her yourself."

He hung up and motioned to Lucky to sit with him at a long table that faced the stage. About ten musicians milled about, strumming and tuning their instruments. Chuck slid a list of musician names with their experience towards Lucky, then leaned in towards her.

"Your label is coming in. They have some requests."

"Is that who you were just talking to?"

He grunted and nodded as he straightened to sit in his seat properly. "I should call them demands. I don't think you have a choice."

"What is it?"

"The line-up. They want her added to the band." He motioned towards a corner where a woman not much older than Lucky leaned against the wall, ignoring everyone. She was tall and thin with long legs in a pair of tight jeans and a crimson V-neck sweater. She whipped shoulder-length platinum blonde hair aside as she waved off a guitarist who tried talking to her.

"She looks like a model. Can she play?"

"I don't think they care." Chuck pointed to the name Kat Krave on the list. Beside it was the word keyboards and a listing of tours she had performed on.

"At least she's experienced."

Chuck shrugged but didn't say a word. He picked up a pen and circled several names and pointed them out to Lucky as a tall man in a light grey suit and silver hair entered the room.

Richard Black was the owner of Black Dog Recordings and made it his business to find the right talent and then make them better. He didn't consider himself to be in the music business. His business was making money.

As a promise to his sister, he went to his nephew's performance at the Berklee College of Music a few months ago. He agreed to listen to his nephew play but didn't agree to give him a deal. While he was there, he heard an amazing soulful voice singing rock 'n' roll with a band. The sound brought him back to his youth, something that happened every time he found real talent.

Asking around, he discovered his find was named Lucky Saldano, a multi-instrumentalist who had a knack for writing catchy songs. She had a sellable name, a sellable sound, and while he thought she was pretty, he didn't think she had a sellable look.

"Lucky, can I talk to you in the sound booth?" Richard asked before heading into the partially enclosed area towards the back of the room.

"Is something wrong?"

"You need to understand something about this business. It's a business about image. I'm sure you know you're a beautiful girl, but you're also a big girl. Big doesn't sell. I've asked other artists of mine to lose weight, but since we're moving so quickly with you, there isn't enough time."

"What are you trying to tell me? Other than I'm fat," she said angrily.

"I'm being honest with you, Lucky. You have to understand the business. Tomorrow before you leave LA, we're doing a photo session with your band. I want Kat Krave in those pictures and on the tour. I need a look I can sell. I need sexy. Look at her. I'm sure you understand."

He walked out, leaving Lucky dazed and hurt. She felt the sting of tears filling her eyes as she walked back to Chuck. Tapping Jordan on the shoulder, she motioned to her that they were leaving.

"Chuck, pick whoever you want, I trust you. I understand now about Kat. I don't have a choice. I'm going back to the hotel. Just do me a favor and make sure you pick the best drummer here. You know I need to connect with him on stage or nothing will go right."

"No problem, Luck. Why don't you and Jordan go sightseeing? I'm sure you've never been to LA before, there's a lot of great things to see."

She nodded and left, not wanting to be there any longer. She felt betrayed, but she only had herself to blame. Richard Black was right. Despite what she might want to think, this was an image business, not a talent business.

"Chuck's right. Let’s have some fun. Screw Richard Black.”