Phoebe's Performance

Day One

Author Note: 29/07/2017

Hey, this is a draft of my book. I will have the whole thing up for a little bit because I'm sending it to beta readers but then I'll take it down and fix it up and improve it etc etc etc. 

So, grateful if you could give it a read if you like it. Or if you don't, please feel free to let me know what you didn't like / what make you check facebook so I can fix it.

Thanks again for getting here.

xxx

Alicia

Chapter 5

"This will be your office." The room is situated down the long expansive hallway I walked through yesterday. The location is between the house entrance and music room. Annika strides to a large desk in the corner with a computer. My attention is riveted to the framed posters and pictures covering the walls like paint. I can't even tell what colour the paint would be because there are too many frames with pictures of a man sitting behind a grand piano at different iconic places.

"Is this Otto?" I ask not having met him as my curiosity takes over and scans the figure in all the pictures. Most photographs have him wearing a tuxedo. He's platinum blonde, blue eyed and undeniably handsome. For some reason I'd expected a music geek and I place him to be in his mid to late twenties due to the lack of lines on his forehead and white in his hair.

"Oh yes," Annika says, there's pride in her voice.

"Were there pictures taken recently?"

"Only a few years ago."

"Is this...is this Prince William?" My mouth falls open as I notice a picture with Otto shaking hands with someone who appears to be royalty. I glance at Annika, there's amusement behind her gaze as she nods.

"How impressive," I say unable to stop ogling at a series of framed photographs. I point to another picture of Otto hugging Justin Bieber and then Otto on the sofa with Oprah.

"Don't be intimidated by his success," Annika laughs. "He's usually quite down to earth until..."

"He broke his hand?"

"He should be here soon. He knows you're coming." Annika glances toward the door and then looks at her watch. Tiny little beads of sweat form on her upper lip. While we wait I'm pulled toward a frame with a New York Times article. I hastily scan the article's content and raise my eyebrows at how the New York Times describes him, "Otto Arnold is the sexiest pianist on the planet."

"This is absolutely incredible," I say. "I'm looking forward to meeting him."

Annika doesn't appear to hear what I've said because her gaze is fixated on the doorway. Indeed, he looked quite attractive in the pictures. But sexy? It must be a puff piece because most classical musicians are geeky and don't scream sex appeal.

Another framed article from Forbes Magazine lists Otto Arnold in the top hundred most influential people in the world. My brain whirs at the compliment as I consider well known influential artists such as the Beatles where the Beatlemania phenomena spread across the world. Then more recently, in the 90's, Nirvana rocked the world with their song "Smells like Teen Spirit" which led teens into the grunge era.

Could Otto Arnold, from Crouch End, London, really be like those artists? Does he really have that reach?

The last wall is covered with plaques and awards, mostly from winning competitions. Hours could be spent reading the descriptions of all these displayed accolades. This room is like a physical curriculum vitae.