Keep on Keeping on BOOK ONE

Chapter 2

Monday 10am I was at the record label waiting for Panic! to turn up for our meeting. I had some ideas I wanted to run by them for promotion for their next tour. The new album was going to be released very soon, so I wanted to get a jump on ideas for the tour when dates were announced.
I sipped my coffee typing away on my laptop and writing notes. I heard someone approach the room. The door was open. I glanced up from my laptop to see Brendon walk in wearing  sunglasses.
"Good morning, Brendon." I said.
Brendon just grunted. "How was your weekend?"
"From what I can remember, it was fun." He replied and laid his head on the desk next to my hand. He was facing away from me. My text notification went off. I checked, and it was a text from Patrick. I giggled at it and put my phone back down as I wrote some more things down.
"Does my particular state amuse you, Maddison?" Brendon asked.
"Pardon?"
"You heard me. I mean, it must do. Otherwise, why would you laugh?" I sighed and rolled my eyes. I had been around bands long enough to know how to deal with a strop or someone attempting to be a diva. "Don't roll your eyes at me either." I flipped him off." Or flip me off."
He turned to look at me now. " I am glad I amuse you. Means you think about me." He grinned. Just as I was about to answer, the rest of the band came in, and the meeting was underway.

"I really like the input you had to say in there, Maddie." Dan said as we walked out of the conference room. Brendon was behind us all. "You have some excellent ideas for the band. I am looking forward to us all working together. Isn't that right, guys?" And everyone agreed with Dan. I said my goodbyes and walked into my office. I had some stuff to type up and print off. I also needed to book some spots for Panic to promote the new album. I decided to do that first. I picked the office phone up and started calling around the production companies to get the band booked. As I was on the phone, Brendon stood in the doorway, leaning against it, staring at me.
I was talking to a production assistant for the Jimmy Fallon Show.
"The 5th? Yep, yep. Probably the lead single from the album. 3 minutes 30. Aha. Thanks, Jay. It's been way too long." I laughed at Jay, "Oh well, I am on the road now instead of in an office more than anything. Without a doubt. Yep. See you soon. Bye, Jay." I hung the phone up and wrote the booking in my diary and put it on the bands calendar on my laptop and sent them all the email.
"Yes, Brendon? What can I do for you?" I asked him.
"Well -"
"BRENNY!" He got cut off by someone screeching his name. It was like nails on a chalkboard. Brendon looked to see who it was.
"Oh hey Sarah. This is the bands new assistant, Maddison." Brendon introduced me.
"Hello." I said, getting up to shake her hand, but she turned away and saw someone else she knew. I stopped and then my mobile rang. I picked it up.
"Hey babe. Tonight? Do we have a date tonight?"
"Yes. Art gallery, remember?" Patrick said. "I will pick you up at 6 pm, and we will get some dinner first."
"Ok." I sighed after I had hung up. "Crap." I forgot that Brendon was standing there.
"You ok?" He asked, stepping towards me.
"Yea. I forgot I had a date with my boyfriend tonight. Soooo, not in the mood for dinner and an art gallery on a Monday night for a date, you know?"
"Sounds like party central." Brendon laughed. I looked and started to laugh with him.
"Oh yea, it's such a vibe." I rolled my eyes for the second time today.
"Bren, are you ready?" Sarah stuck her head into my office.
"Yea, sure. See you soon, Maddison." Brendon said and waved as Sarah pulled him along.
I sighed and sat back down at my desk. I worked until lunchtime and then went to Subway and got a salad and a coffee. As I walked back to the office, I saw Brendon and Sarah arguing in the parking lot. I frowned. I thought that they had left hours ago. I had to walk past them to get into the building.
"YOU ARE FUCKING HER AREN'T YOU??" Sarah yelled. I kept my head down and side eyed Brendon. He was exasperated. He ran his hand through his hair, making his hair stick up more. I giggled. I shouldn't have.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU LAUGHING AT BITCH?" Sarah said. "Are you fucking her too?"
I sighed looked up at the sky and let myself back into the building.
I sipped my coffee and ate my food at my desk. One of my work friends, Cleo, came and sat in my office with me and we ate lunch together.
Cleo did a similar job to me. She was with Paramore. They were on hiatus at the moment, so she was basically just doing bits of admin until they came back, or she was temporarily given another band to look after.
"How's the baby?" I asked her.
"He's loud. He has a hell of a pair of lungs on him." Cleo laughed. Her and her wife Rae had just had their son through IVF. He was 3 months old now. His name was Piers. He was beautiful. Cleo opened her phone to show me the latest pictures.
"Omg, look at those chubby little cheeks. Cleo, he is divine. How you leave the house on a morning I will never know."
"Yea, he is a good baby. We got lucky." Cleo said. Brendon appeared at my doorway again.
"Twice in one day, Brendon. People will talk. " I winked at Cleo.
"Mads, I gotta get back to it. Cleo said, standing up.
"Sure. I need more photos soon. My uterus needs them." I laughed. Brendon stood to one side to let Cleo pass. "What's up, Brendon?"
"I just wanted to apologise for earlier." He said. I put my hand up to signal that there was no need for an apology.
"It's all good. That's your personal life. It's not my business."
"Oh, ok. It's just that you laughed again."
"Yea,because your hair is sticking up." I remarked.
"Oh." Brendon chuckled. "Anyway, I gotta go. You enjoy your date." Brendon said, winking at me as he left.
I think it's going to be a lot more interesting working so closely with this band than I first thought.