I Hate You, Don't Leave Me (D.L)

Good Plan

“Yello?” Richard said. “Rich! It’s Lindsey!” “Lindsey! What’s up, man?” “Not much. Anyway… Guess who has mad skills on a guitar and can sing like a rock ‘n roll angel?” “Lindsey, don’t flatter yourself.” Richard scoffed. “Not me, dumbass. Though, I do have mad skills. No! It’s Demi!” “Demi? As in our Demi?” “Yea!” “And you know this how?” “Well…” Richard began laughing uncontrollably. “You got her in the sack, didn’t you? Oh, man! Well done!” “It’s not like that.” Lindsey hissed. “Sure… Whatever, man.” “It’s not, Rich, okay? I love her!” Richard went quiet. “You… Love her?” He asked. “Yes. I love her… like I loved Stevie.” Richard whistled. “You really like her then.” “Yea! And she is insanely talented and I want to help her realise that!” “Wait, hold on. She doesn’t know you’re calling?” “No. She says she doesn’t want people to know she’s musical. But she is far too talented to just become the manager of a studio company.” “Hey, she’s already insanely rich, isn’t she? Maybe she doesn’t want to become a rock star.” Lindsey picked up a piece of paper from the floor. “She writes her own stuff too.” “How do you know that?” Richard asked. “I’m got the lyrics to the song she was singing before in my hand.” “Sing them to me.” “Okay... But you’re so hypnotizing..." Lindsey sang the song the way he remembered Demi singing it. Richard whistled again. “Okay. I hold my hands up. She’s good. And I haven’t even heard her sing or play.” “But you will. I’m gonna ask her to sing with me and I’ll record it.” “Good plan.”

“Lindsey, what’re we doing here?” Lindsey had led Demi back into the studio after having breakfast, ready to put his plan into action. “I was just wondering if you’d sing with me.” Demi sighed. “Lindsey… I don’t know.”  “It’s only us. Please?” Lindsey pouted, putting on his puppy dog eyes. Demi laughed. “Okay! I’ll do it, fine.” Lindsey grinned and grabbed one of his guitars. “Okay. How about one of the new songs from Tusk?” Lindsey asked, sitting with Demi on the floor. She shrugged. “Which do you know?” Lindsey asked. Demi thought about it for a while. “Any of them?” Demi asked. Lindsey nodded reluctantly, hoping she would pick one of his. “I know Beautiful Child really well. I was with Stevie when she wrote it.” Lindsey sighed quietly, but Demi heard. “I know Save Me A Place really well too.” Lindsey grinned. “Okay! We’ll be my song first. You can sing the lead; I’ll play and back you up. And then we’ll harmonise on Beautiful Child.” Demi nodded. They began to sing and it seemed like there was nothing beyond the four walls of the studio. Their voices intertwined like nothing Lindsey had ever heard; not since he’d first sang with Stevie, that is. They sang both songs straight through and, once they'd finished, Lindsey smiled at Demi for no reason. “Why’re you smiling at me?” She asked. Lindsey leaned forward and kissed her. “No reason.” When she went to get a shower before they went into the studio for the day, Lindsey quickly called Richard once more. “Are you at the studio?” Lindsey asked. “Yea. Did you record her?” Richard replied. “Yea. I’ll bring it with me. Then you can hear what I’m talking about.”