Catcall [MIKA Fanfiction]

Chapter 8: You Make Me

MIKA's POV

Once I stepped inside the building I realized how nervous I was. I was shaking as I made my way to the front desk and checked in. The lady gestured for me to sit on the large brown couch in the lobby. The place smelled like coffee and was practically empty. I sat straight and folded my hands in my lap. I kept my bag close by. The contents of it were going to make my dream a reality.

The woman at the front desk offered me coffee but I politely declined. I was too scared to drink or eat. What if it messed up my voice? I watched the clock on the wall, just waiting. Everything had to be perfect if I was going to get this.

What was taking so long? There was nothing worse than having to wait so long, knowing that your success was right ahead of you. The minutes dragged on and my mind thought it would be great to scare me into thinking I'd lose my voice, or perhaps break something.

"Micah Penniman?" someone called. I snapped out of it and looked up to see a man in a suit smiling at me. He showed me to his office and gestured for me to sit in a chair. He sat in front of me. In the far corner of the room was a polished grand piano.

"Alright Micah, so you're here today to show me what you've got. Now I'm on a limited time schedule so no pressure but you've only got one shot." the man explained. I nodded. I was ready for this.

"Actually my name is Mika." I corrected.

"Oh dear I'm sorry, Mika." he apologized.

"So what do you have for me?" I was going to own this. I immediately reached for my bag and dug through my demos for 'Grace Kelly.' I skimmed past 'Over My Shoulder' and 'Love Today' and other works I had written and performed myself, but everything was so messy in my bag that I didn't see 'Grace Kelly' the first time. I carefully sorted through them again. No 'Grace Kelly.'

I felt a lump in my throat. It had to be there. I remembered putting it in this morning. I glanced up at the man who was waiting impatiently. It had to be in here somewhere! I was on the verge of panicking. This was my one shot. This could either make or break me.

I tried to calm myself and not show any signs of trouble. I slowly counted each plastic CD case. I read each name carefully, praying that one of them would say 'Grace Kelly' and this evening wouldn't become a mess.

11. I counted 11 demos.

And I originally had 12.

Risha's POV

I took it. I know I shouldn't have but I did. I was mad at him for not believing me when I told him about the rat and the note. I was mad that he was ignoring me. I needed him these last few days when I felt so unsafe.

I clutched the little plastic CD case under my arm and walked faster than usual. I kept looking around and checking my surroundings, as if someone was going to call me out for suspiciously carrying a stolen CD.

It wasn't that hard to steal, to be honest. Mika came into work all dressed up today, carrying an unusually large bag that he hesitantly stuffed in his locker. After that he went around boasting that he was escaping this place and getting his music career started. He talked to us like we were peasants. So I went to check out what was so important in his locker. I knew his combination, since his dyslexia always messed him up and he used to ask me to help him open it up. In there I found his bag, which was filled with his demos. Among them was 'Grace Kelly,' that amazing song that he had played for me once. I figured that's why he was so cocky. He knew that track was going to get him signed.

And, well, I took it and he didn't notice.

As I made my way home I realized what exactly I was holding. This wasn't just a good song. This could be the track that gets him signed and makes his career. And I had taken it and messed it up for him. The feeling of guilt suddenly hit me. I was practically holding his career. Even if I hated him with a burning passion I couldn't mess up his entire life. This was wrong. This was very very wrong.