"Who are you?" A guy with glasses asked.
"I'm Athena. I was told to make sure all of this was figured out."
"That's hilarious. Like a little girl could figure this advanced of a situation," another man spoke up. This man was bald and wore a suit.
"Uh, excuse me, not only was that some what sexist, it's bad enough that someone as compulsive as you couldn't even figure out what the hell is wrong, what makes you think I can't?" I say.
"Because you're-"
"Please Mr. Sentey, just sit down," The guy with a black t shirt on said. He looked familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
"What even is this dilemma, anyway?" I asked.
"Shawn here has a new album coming out and we're trying to get a tour ready. The problem is we don't have the money. We can only hope the money from this album will help pay for it, but if it doesn't, Shawn could lose his whole career due to unpopularity. The whole label could drop him," the same man with glasses who asked me who I was said.
"Well aren't you in a problem. Uh, well, how many followers do you have on social media?" I asked.
"80 million on Instagram," the man with the black t shirt said. He was sitting down, elbows on the table, fingers intertwined, and eyes stared ahead, never leaving me.
The office room was set up with a huge, oval table, and to the head of the table was a projector. I turn my head to the board, opening a new page. It was one of those boards you draw on with a pen thing and the computer draws it, then projects it.
"Hope that wasn't important," I say as it erased all of the work previously on it. I write the number 80,000,000 on the board and step back.
"Shawn, this is ridiculous. She doesn't know what she's doin-"
"Let her do the damn work. She's solving more in five minutes than you did in a week," The man with the black t shirt yelled. So, that must be Shawn.
Wait, Shawn Mendes? He was like, my favorite singer when I was in middle school. I think he's like, 23 now. Wow have times changed.
After I finished writing the number, I spoke up.
"How many of these fans do you think are teenage girls?" I say.
They sat silent.
"About 53.8 million are active accounts, 41.7 of them are girls," the man with glasses spoke up.
"Wow. There's your problem," I say. "You need to expand your fan base. God, men are idiots," I say, putting down then pen.
"How do I do that?" Shawn asks.
"Well, what is this new album about?" I ask. They all look at me in confusion. Even Shawn. I scoff.
"Is it about stupid love and breaking up songs? Is it about how you don't have fucking time for any girl? Is it about failed or just relationships in general?"
They looked at me with confusion.
"Are the songs moral in some way shape or form, about love?" They were silent.
"Oh my lord, how does she know?" one of the guys whispered.
"Oh dear," I say shakily. I sigh.
"You need to make a new album. One about things that aren't cliche. Songs about stories and that will speak to the brain and not just the heart. Like about morals of overcoming depression or anxiety, or about divorced parents or education."
I continued. "I bet you, maybe not all, but some of your fan base doesn't even like your music, much more your looks. I'm sorry but it's true. You gained fame after a vine of you singing shirtless, am I wrong?"
Shawn looked up at me, I looked at the rest of them. They still don't understand.
"Ed Sheeran. Right? He may not be the best looking person. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in his song 'Take it Back', he quoted how he is a singer you never want to see shirtless. He was sleeping on the streets some nights. He has overcome so much and is an even bigger artist than you."
I think they understand. I believe I have their full attention.
"You have so much potential. You are an amazing singer. Show me that. I want to see better." I paused. "I'm done now."
A moment later, the door opens.
"Have I gone deaf?" The guy who brought me in this room busted in, Jeff, I believe.
"I think we figured out how to go on tour. Athena here just resolved and we have a plan," The guy with glasses said.
"That's great, Andrew. Athena here is actually an intern. But, if it's fine with you, she can be on Team A. I mean, this is a miracle."
"I think we will, Jeff. Thanks for bringing her in here. Uh, Athena, we have some paper work to fill out. If you'd like, we can talk numbers and fill you in," Andrew said as everyone else sat up and walked out of the room. Shawn continued to stay seated, looking at the floor.
"Uh, it wouldn't hurt to see. I mean, I have time to kill," I say. The last guy closed the door and it was just Andrew, Shawn, and I.
"Great. Take a seat."
"So, we need to make a whole new album?" Shawn asked, staring at me.
"Well, yeah. But that should be easy if-"
"Yeah. Okay. I can write 12 new fucking songs in a week," he fired.
"Shawn, come on. Do you want to lose your job? You can write songs in like, 5 minutes," Andrew said. Shawn scoffed, and spun around on his spinny chair. God, he probably thinks I'm a bitch.
"It's a great plan, Athena. Shawn here just really wants to go on tour right away. He hasn't gone anywhere except Canada for a few months now," Andrew said.
"Okay, well. Once you release these new songs, it'll bring a variety of different audiences and you can go on a world tour." I continued, talking to Shawn specifically.
"You don't need to make 12 new songs. I'm sure some of them that you've made for the other album can be used. And, if you want, the songs that you don't use can be a mini album, and can be released limitedly. That'll bring more money in. More songs, more money, more stops of tour, more happy fans."
They both look at me. I shift in my seat, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"She's going on tour with us," Andrew sighed. Shawn takes a long stare at me. He nods his head and Andrew sticks out his hand.
"Welcome to the A Team, Athena."
