The Darkest Days

24. Shoots And Calls

The final edits were sent to the record company and an affirmative response was received two days later for the song they were prepared to publish: Little Love by Mary The Alpha.

"The success of this clip will set a tone for you." Their manager, Jeff said. "We've applied for synchronization rights, so before the release that should be out of the way."

Blue Hearts was only releasing a video format of the cover song, not selling CDs or any other audio formats; hence, they only required synchronization rights and not mechanical rights.

"We've been in studios before," Vanessa said, "Audrey for vocal recordings for dances and I for my covers. But it's always rented through a friend. We've never had our work published."

"It hasn't sunk in till now." Audrey laughed. "Weeks and it hasn't."

"Well," Jeff cleared his throat and looked up from his phone at the girls sitting on the other side of the outdoor table of a cafe. "Sink it in. According to what I've been told," he sipped his coffee latte, "in the press con tomorrow, William Saint will have you right by his side."

Vanessa did a double take. "What? But it's his private conference?"

"It is. Amongst all the other announcements, he's gonna gave a statement about the new addition. It was planned for Lily but obviously, now it's you."

Audrey spoke up. "But no one told us before."

"What do you think I'm doing right now?" Jeff laughed and raised his hand to call the waiter. "Besides, the final decision was made just this morning."

"Okay.. um," Vanessa cleared her throat, "what're we to do?"

A female waiter with a strong Australian accent approached. "Do you need anything else?"

"Just the bill, please." He said to her and then turned to the girls before him. "The journalists might ask you a few questions but mostly it'll be all professional. Don't worry, we know it's your first time in the public eye so we're careful with what they ask you."

"So it'll be all over the media tomorrow." Vanessa said. "So can I confirm it to my friends back home? They've been after me since weeks."

"Yes, you can." He replied. "Tomorrow at 7AM someone will come by your place to pick you up, stylists will dress you so the sooner you arrive, the better."

"You got it."

....

The next day it was printed in papers, magazines and tabloids in the Hollywood section with a brief description about the girls' past, which surprised them as they hadn't told anything personal to any member of the press during the conference. It had been basic introduction and how-do-you-feel type of questions.

"The company released it later." Jeff informed. "What else will they say other than about you? You've got no music out yet."

The text wasn't nearly as true. It just covered the upper layers and missed half the essential stuff but of course, not everyone needed to know the bad and deeper side of that essential stuff.

Vanessa saw messages from her old friends in school about how they saw the article in the newspaper.

Liam screamed his head off in joy over the phone for Audrey.

Jake even cut the article out and decided to frame it.

No news from Luke.
No news from Mason.

"Luke's my ex boyfriend, so it's understandable why I'm mentioning his absence. Why would you mention Mason?" Vanessa wiggled her eyebrows with a smirk while lying on the queen size bed and holding her body up on her elbows as she gazed at Audrey in front of the mirror.