The Higher We Soar

7. The introduction of a kick

"Hey, you wanted to see me?" I ventured, poking my head into Sophie's office with a hint of uncertainty.

"Absolutely!" she glanced up from her sea of papers with a warm smile, "How are you?"

Stepping into the room, a slight unease settled in me as I suspected the purpose behind this summons, and it wasn't only about my well-being.

"I'm alright," I responded with a feeble attempt at optimism, stopping behind the chair but refraining from sinking into it, "Or something like that."

Sophie's chuckle momentarily eased the tension, "That didn't sound too convincing," she observed with a twinkle in her eye. "Can I help you somehow?"

I offered a sheepish grin in return, a faint shake of my head accompanying it, "No, I guess not. It's just... you know how it is. Loads on the plate," I admitted. "By the way, today was the last session for that computer game promo. I know you couldn't be there, but it went well! You can give it a listen with Eddie later. I just have this one jingle left, and then I can fully focus on Sterling."

"Yes, about that..." Sophie leaned against the desk. "That's what I wanted to talk about. I have some news. You have not one jingle to compose now, but two... would that be okay?" She cast me an unsure look. "And Anthony has his hands full with the newborn at home, but we still need the underscore for that historical documentary... So I thought you could take over?"

"The newborn?" I quipped, raising an eyebrow.

The producer laughed, "I'm sure Anthony would be delighted, but no... I'm talking about the job."

"Sure, sure... His hands full my ass," I huffed in jest. "He's just taking revenge on me because I got the job with Sterling, not him."

"It's possible," Sophie lowered her voice, still smiling. "Well, who cares? I'm thrilled with how it turned out! Tony's good, but he's not you. Don't tell him I've said that, though. So... Can I count on you?"

As if I could say 'no'.

"Absolutely," I assured her, a sense of pride fighting with determination and sudden tension. "That's why I'm here. Anything else?"

She regarded me thoughtfully as if weighing whether to delve into the topic or not. Eventually, with a sigh and her brow slightly furrowed, she decided to continue, "I've got feedback from Sterling. I know you talk with her a lot, but it's an official one from her team."

There it is.

"And...?" my heartbeat quickened.

"Well. They had a few small suggestions, but overall, they like it so far! I know it's only a few compositions, but you already knew that I thought you did a truly solid job. That track for the message scene? Pure magic. You absolutely nailed it," a little pause. "However-"

"Uh-huh," I crossed my arms over my chest, carefully studying her facial expression. "I knew there was a fuck up following. Otherwise, you wouldn't start with all these compliments."

"Oh, come on. It's not exactly a fuck up," the producer chuckled, trying to lighten the mood before delivering the news. "The climatic scene..."

With a sigh, I rested my hands on the back of the chair, "Just hit me with it."

Sophie's expression shifted to a more serious demeanor, "Elizabeth mentioned it lacked a bit of a certain... kick."

"A... kick?" I echoed, perplexed.

"Yes, a kick," Sophie affirmed, then furrowed again. "But she was rather vague about it... Can you work on it? I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"Oh, s-sure," I replied, trying to sound confident. "It's probably the most orchestral piece of all already. But no problem..."