"God, why are you so stubborn? Just try it out? You've got a full audience out there so why not just see what their reaction is?" I argue.
It's been a week since I started working for Trixie Mattel, and apart from getting her to start recording some of her more folk-inspired songs, we haven't made much progress. Courtney suggested for me to see Trixie's concert to get some inspiration for artwork and general art direction, but I mostly only agreed to go because I need Trixie to start believing in the sound of her newly recorded songs.
"And what if they hate it? Then I could damage my career more, and we'd be back to square one with the record." Trixie replies, her voice shaky.
"Trix, listen to me. It's gonna be okay, and even if it isn't, at least you'll have tried. Take a risk, do something new, and let them hear your real artistic voice." I tell her. "Those songs are beautiful, and they're gonna see that."
"What would you know? You hate live music.." Trixie mumbles with a cute little pout.
"True, but I loved your song, and I remembered that song for years. This kind of art, honest art, it sticks with people."
"God, it's annoying when you're sorta wise."
"So what I'm hearing is; I'm right." I say with a bright smile.
"No, no, no, incorrect. I'll take your advice, but we have yet to see if you're right about it. If I wake up to a storm of tweets harassing me tomorrow, I'm gonna be suing you." Trixie replies as she adjusts her dress, getting ready to go back out for her last set.
"Trixie, are you ready?" Courtney asks from the doorway to the girl's dressing room.
"Yeah, all set." Trixie replies, following Courtney out of the room.
"Good luck, Barbie! Don't fall of the stage and die a gruesome death!" I yell after her.
"Thanks, whore!" I hear her yell back from the hallway, followed by her signature laugh which sounds more like birds screaming then a sound made by a human, which makes me break out in laughter too.
Okay, so maybe some progress has been made, to be fair we are joking more these days and after all she seems to have given in. Still, I'll believe it when I hear her actually sing one of them live. Even getting her to sing them in the studio with only me, Courtney and her producer Pete present has been close to impossible, so I can't help but doubt that she'll actually find the courage to sing them now. I hope she will though, I wasn't lying to her when I said the songs are the kind of art that sticks with people. I truly believe that once people hear what she can write when she writes from the heart, they'll never settle for anything her company tries to give her.
I walk out of the dressing room and into the shadows of the wings. There's something special about watching her on stage from here, it's as if I'm both part of her world and not at the same time. Maybe I find safety in it because that's how it's always been with us, it's always been me loving her from the cover of the crowds and her being just out of reach, always the one to rush off towards what's next.
She's been performing all her hits so far, upbeat songs like Malibu, Girl Next Door, Break Your Heart, and Hello Hello. It's what they all expect her to keep going with, songs that fit the retro Barbie vibe of her brand, I can understand why Trixie's so scared to move away from it. But as good as her hits are, they'll never live up to the heartfelt songs she's got locked away. They're so raw and honest, so vulnerable, so real.
"Thank you, thank you. It's nearly the end of the night, but it sounds like you guys are eager for an encore. And well, who am I to refuse?" Trixie says, earning massive applause and joyful screams from the audience. "I've got a bit of a surprise for you, it's a new song that might possibly, maybe end up on my next record... It's called Moving Parts... I really hope you guys like it."
I holler from the wings, feeling excitement rush through me from her taking my advice. She's doing it, she's actually doing it, she's risking it all. I can't help but feel exceptionally proud of her, my smile widening as I hear her strumming the intro.
"Living's like a jigsaw
And the farther in you go
If you're missing pieces
Never really know
When you're ticking like a timepiece
On which you can rely
Wonder why you wind it
When you're running out of time"
I see people in the audience turn on the flashlights on their phones, waving them slowly to the sound of the music. Some are holding up their phones to film, and I can't help but hope that it spreads online and gets a good reaction.
"Sometimes there's a danger of choking on the parts
No one gave a warning to the breaking of your heart
Pick up all the pieces and go back to the start
Never losing, only using all your moving parts
All your moving parts"
Soon enough the song is over and for ten long seconds the hall is completely silent, so silent that Trixie breathing softly into the microphone sounds like a storm blowing. And then it's broken, wild applause breaks out as the entire room rises up from their seats.
"Thank you so much, and good night!" Trixie says, clearly relieved, before unplugging her guitar and leaving the stage.
"You were amazing!" Courtney says, giving the Barbie a huge hug as soon as she's put her guitar down.
"Thanks, but can you get of off me now? You know I'm not a hugger." Trixie whines.
"Shush." Courtney replies, hugging her for longer, making Trixie smile despite her words. Once Courtney actually does let go of her, she walks over towards me.
"Hi." She says, sounding unusually shy.
"Hey, you did great." I tell her honestly.
"Thanks... and thank you for pushing me to do that, it actually felt really good to sing that song."
"You're welcome. Are you finally gonna admit that I was right now?"
"Nope." She says as she tosses her hair over her shoulder and heads off to her dressing room, and all I can think of is how, even after all these years, she's still got me wrapped around her finger.
YOU ARE READING
The Top Of The Mountain ✔️~ trixya
Fanfiction"One day you'll wake up and realize that you've spent all your life rushing towards your next goal, and not a second on enjoying what you've achieved." Time moves fast when you're rushing. Life can pass you by before you even realize it. And what's...
