Blink Back to Let me Know

New Perspective

I was working. I was having a great time. This might be the best job ever. It defiantly beat cleaning hotel rooms. I helped a girl pick out a record for her boyfriend. We settled on The Bones of What You Believe by CHVRCHES. I stacked and organized records. And every two hours, on the hour I sang. I was half way through my 8 hour shift and it was 2:00 in the afternoon. It was time for me to sing.

"Now most of you don't me, or have never heard me. But I'm Pierce, and every two hours I sing. I'm gonna sing Belle of the Boulevard by Dashboard Confessional off the album Alter The Ending. Let's hit it!" I tapped my fingers on the glass counter of the record store. 

I looked around the store as I was singing. There were wooden stages of records all around and stairs leading to more records, the microphone for announcements (and singing) was on a raised wooden platform with a glass case and desk where the cash register was. Next thing I knew the song was over.

They were clapping. "You are so good!" A girl yelled out, and then came up to me.  

"I'm Carrey, I work for Fueled by Ramen, the record label. I want to see you perform original material. You have talent, do you play with anyone else?" She handed me her business card.

"I want my friend Scarlett to sing too. I was in a band back home in Wisconsin, but they all went off to college. I play guitar. Scarlett and I are complicated."  I said, I was sweating and nervous. I mean she worked for a record label. 

"I want you two at the studio at 9:00 am, tomorrow. The address is on the card. We'll send a car. I'll need your contact info. You need two original songs." She said and then took down my contact information.  I finished out my shift giddy, and then walked upstairs to tell Scarlett.

"Scarlett...we have an audition for Fueled by Ramen. You have to learn two of my songs. You can have the lyric sheet, the lady approached me after I sang at the store. I was thinking you would sing some parts of it. I have one song to start." I pick up my guitar and play the song.

"I like it, what are the words?" 

I hand her a paper with the words. 

I sang most of the song and she chimed in with a part of the chorus, and verse. It turned out really well. I think we got it. The other song turned out good too. We practiced for about five hours before sitting down on the couch. 

"Scarlett...we can do this. I know we can, and maybe we can do us. Like a relationship, something between us." I said, nervous at what I was saying.

"I agree on both parts. But you said the car comes at nine am, so let's get some sleep." She pulled down the murphy bed, and tapped on it. 

"I want you here, with me. No sex, just cuddles." I followed her instructions and laid in the tiny twin bed next to her. 

She was so bony. I could feel her ribs when I put my arm around her. She was really too skinny. But I wasn't focused on that- I focused on the fact that tomorrow might be my big break. I might make it. And I didn't even need the band. I just needed the girl I met at rest stop out of pure luck. Somebody was watching me, I guess. 

The car came at nine am, promptly. We got in. Scarlett was wearing short tight leather black shorts, and a floral bra top or bustier, whatever ever you want to call it. I was wearing tight skinny jeans with rips, and a Panic! at the Disco t-shirt. My hair was done fluffy and I had put foundation on to cover the light scar on my face from the plate. 

Neither of us talked on the car ride, but she grabbed my hand. We got to the recording studio and they led us into a booth. Carrey was there along with two guys I didn't recognize. They had us start to play and to introduce ourselves.

"Hi, I'm Pierce and this is Scarlett. We're gonna sing 3 songs, The original songs are Rivers of a Misadventure, and Flying to Remember. The cover is New Perspective by Panic! at the Disco.  So let's hit it." 

We sang and I think we did a really good job. My voice sounded great on Flying to Remember, and New Perspective. Scarlett sang a lot in Rivers of a Misadventure. Now they were about to come out and tell us what they thought. I saw them getting out of their chairs. I was about to puke from nerves and put my arm around Scarlett.