𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲, 𝐥𝐮𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫: 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐰

"You want to collaborate with a garage band?!"

Later that day, Aurora and the group went to the record company to pitch the idea. She had expected Barry to react this way, but he hadn't even heard the band yet. Aurora stood in front of Barry, who was laughing with a cigar in his hand. The boys and Kelsey stood behind her. When Aurora had called her record producer an asshole, they hadn't expected him to be this bad.

"Sweetheart, they don't even have a record label," Barry scoffed.

"I know. This could get them noticed," Aurora countered.

Barry sighed and stood up. "You said I could pick anyone. I pick them," she insisted, unwavering.

Barry scanned the three boys behind Aurora. They were clearly intimidated by him. "It's your funeral," he shrugged before sitting down.

Aurora crossed her arms. "You haven't even heard them play," she said.

Barry shrugged again and placed the cigar in his mouth. "Whatever. I want a song by Monday."

The group raised their eyebrows. "M-Monday?" Alex stammered.

"Did I stutter, kid?" Barry retorted.

"You're giving us till Monday to write a song?!" Aurora asked, clearly annoyed. Three days to come up with a number one song? That's all he was giving them?

"Look," Barry spun his chair around to face the kids. "You guys are the writing geniuses, apparently. Surely you have something."

Aurora rolled her eyes. This was typical Barry. "Come on, guys," she said, signaling the group to follow her out of the studio.

"Monday, sweetheart!" Barry called out as they left.

Once in the elevator, everyone let out their frustration.

"What is with that guy?" Alex asked.

"Why does he always have a cigar in his mouth?" Reggie added.

"It's practically his pacifier," Aurora said, arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

"How do you deal with that guy?" Luke asked, walking over to her.

Aurora shrugged. "You get used to it after a while. But he's still a pain in the ass."

The elevator doors opened, and the group walked out into the nearly ninety-degree weather.

"I think we should spend today writing," Luke suggested. "I'll show Aurora some of our songs." He turned to Aurora. "You still have your journal?"

Aurora nodded. "Perfect," Luke said, opening the driver's seat of his car. Everyone else piled in, with Alex in the passenger seat and the rest in the back.

"Can I make snacks?" Kelsey asked.

__

"Hey, how was it?" Melanie asked as the kids walked into the house. She was sitting on the couch, watching General Hospital.

"Turns out Aurora wasn't lying when she said her record producer was an asshole," Alex said.

"That bad?" Melanie asked, standing up.

"No, we got the gig, but he's just a dick. We have to write a song by Monday," Luke said.

Kelsey led Aurora inside. She wasn't used to such a small home but she liked it. The clutter gave it character and made it feel homey.

"I know it's not the Four Seasons, but..." Luke said, noticing Aurora looking around. "No, I love it," Aurora replied, causing Luke to narrow his eyebrows in surprise.