Deal With It (On Hold...)

Chapter 8

Crunching on some cereal, rain fell against the window. Milk dribbled down my chin as I watched the traffic lights pass. It's been three days since my party and Dameon's announcement. Magazines and newspapers were splashed with his smiling face. His life dissected for the world to see, now given no privacy. He gave the 'Longing' magazine an exclusive interview, being interrogated by some overly flirty chick. You couldn't avoid him, he was everywhere. His smile littered the sidewalks in billboards, newspaper stands and people reading gossip magazines. It was hard enough to try and forget him but now it was like the world was taunting me with the past. A past that was meant to be forgotten for a reason. No one deserves to live my life; past present or future. Today was the first recording session with Dameon, the first of many. I'm nervous about what's going to happen because Dameon is Hunter... Just like I'm Penny and Daily.

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Small groups of teens gossip, their high pitches laughed piercing my ears as well as the another pedestrians wincing evident on their faces as they passed by me. The occasional person bumped me as I made my way down the street. Up ahead, the recording studios sign was bright, a neon light outlining the words 'Downtown Recording Studio. inc.'. Someone rammed my shoulder as they passed, causing me to stumble forward onto the sidewalk. People kept walking and stepping on my hands as I tried to stand again. I was already late as it is. The crowd parted slightly as a large male body made his way towards my figure on the floor. As he stood in front of me, the sun darken his face as he looked down at me. He bent over slightly, extending his hand. Dylan stood in front of me, a smile wide on his face. Smiling back at him, I took his hand and he pulled me up. "What you doing out here Penny?" he asks as we walk together to the studio." Pausing as he opens the door for me I answer saying "I wanted to walk today Dylan, please don't tell me off." He chuckles. "Honestly, you treat me like your father sometimes." I freeze in the middle of the lobby and look at him as his face changes into shock when he realizes his mistake. "OMG! I'm so sorry honey I didn't mean it like that..." He trails on before a whoosh of air escapes him as I through my arms around his chest, squeezing as hard as I could. "You, Jamie and Jesse are the only family I have since... Don't ever forget that I'll always love you guys." I speak firmly as we hug. The secretary behind the desk keep shooting us weird looks. Sometimes I wish I could turn down Dylan's hotness sometime.

The lobby doors are flung open as Jamie walks though, her heels clicking on the tiles. She spies us talking and pops up behind Dylan's back. "About time!" she snaps at us giving poor Dylan a heart attack by scaring him. Eyeing me she points at me "And YOU! Don't get me started on you, you leave without telling me and I looked for you every where! WHERE WERE YOU!" Jamie shouts at us. Sighing, I grab her arm and lead her to a door which will lead us to a recording room. And Dameon. "I walked, OK. I just needed a... change of scenery" I say as I lead her down a hallway. Standing in front of the, Jamie rolls her eyes. " Oh so now its fine for you to leave without telling me on a day of RECORDING! What were you thinking Penny?" she says sarcastically. Huffing slightly I open the door and flicking on the light was a simple dresser with all the make up and hair that would make me Daily.

Finishing up, Jamie lightly dusts on some powder on my nose. Giving me the all clear, I stood. As Jamie packed the makeup away and stashed my clothes, the door opened and Dylan walked in. Jamie and Dylan briefly nodded to each other as I left with Dylan tailing me. Today was going to be big. This was the first test of my hidden identity, especially because Dameon used to know me, right down to my dark deep secrets. The fact I was meeting him as Daily scared the hell out of me. If he found out... The consequences would be horrific. The recording door loomed ahead of us, ominous. The light flicked overhead. Someone really needs to fix that. ASAP.

A door opened, the light spilling onto the hallway and I heard it turn off with a click. Dameon walked out of the bathroom whistling to himself. As he noticed me and Dylan standing frozen in the hallway he stopped and looked. And looked. And looked. His stare kept me shifting from foot to foot, staring at the ground examining that suddenly important string of carpet on the floor. Dylan cleared his throat behind me. "Hey P.. Errr Daily what are we doing in the hallway? Oh" Jamie walks in from behind us, looking at out unusual, awkward staring commotion that seed to have started. Dameon broke contact with Dylan's and my eyes, flicking up to look at Jamie. He's so different compared to the other times we've met I though, but then again I didn't have a mask on. "So are we ready to begin?" Dameon asks Jamie, blatantly ignoring me. Huffing slightly, I continue to walk forward brushing past Dameon slightly on my way to the recording room. Nudging the door open, I stepped up into the recording room. Behind the glass, the padded room and two microphones were set up ready for me and Dameon. The first of many sessions to perfect the music. The IT guy sat at the desk ready to work. Walking into the enclosed room, I sat in one of the chairs provided. Dameon steps into the both, mimicking me sitting on the other chat in front of me. He passes me a page of the lyrics, highlighted where I was to sing. Looking up at him from under my eyelashes, he's watching me expectantly at my reaction. I had only briefly glanced over at the lyrics when I was doing the competition, only a few lines which now seems really unfair to everyone else who had entered.