Rhythm of Heartbreak

Chapter 9: The Task at Hand

Jess's bitterness toward Rick Reed had originally come from wanting to impress Shaun, but those old feelings returned with even more intensity. Years of dislike for Shaun's rival came flooding back. She had spent a lot of time preparing a perfect comeback for when they would meet. Now, standing in the elevator, her well-planned words seemed to disappear. Her composure slipped as her mind raced, struggling to find a response. Despite her efforts, her voice stayed silent, revealing her inner struggle.

But I should not be hating Rick Reed anymore now that Shaun is no longer her ally, her thoughts echoed. 

Rick cleared his throat, looking confused and frustrated. The silence between them was awkward. When it finally broke, Jess was embarrassed. She looked into his hazel eyes and noticed a hint of irritation—or maybe annoyance.

"Are you going to get out of the elevator, or are you planning to stay here all day?" Rick's voice was full of sarcasm. "Some of us have things to do, and your being here is pretty inconvenient." He stood just outside the open doors, looking impatient and stiff.

Jess's mouth fell open, her face turning red. She was caught off guard by his bluntness, and his words made her feel even more self-conscious. She realized how silly she must have looked, standing there frozen.

"Mind if I step in?" Rick raised an eyebrow, clearly impatient. "If you're not leaving, I'll just use this space while I wait for you to snap out of it."

Rick's words stung Jess. She was caught off guard by how rude he was and just stepped aside to let him in. Before the elevator closed, she glanced at him one last time. His face was blank, and as the doors shut, Jess just stood there, mad at herself and tongue-tied. That smirk on Rick's face was the last thing she saw, and boy, did it stick with her.

Jess felt a chill run through her. She wanted to yell or kick something, anything to let out her frustration at how badly she'd handled that. She'd acted like some starstruck fan, totally out of her depth.

Admiration? Yeah right, more like a nightmare, she grumbled at the elevator door. Noticing a few people giving her odd looks, she high-tailed it out of there, her mood now thoroughly soured by the whole mess.

Her day had started so great like a dream come true. Now it felt ruined by this run-in with Rick Reed, all because she'd acted like an idiot. How did things go south so fast? Jess couldn't help but think about her crummy luck.

At the bus stop, she replayed everything in her head. Why was Rick even in that building? Was he working on something there? The thought of possibly running into him again at work made her stomach churn. What if she had to work with him? "God, I hope not," she thought.

The bus pulling up snapped her out of it. She plopped down by the window, trying to lose herself in the city views - all concrete and neon as far as the eye could see. The endless sprawl of the city, with not a tree in sight, just made her feel even more out of place. She missed her old hometown, where things were simple and predictable, nothing like this crazy city.

Closing her eyes, Jess tried to focus on her new job. This was her shot to make something of herself, to prove what she could do. Sure, the pressure was intense, but Jess was dead set on making the most of this chance and killing it at work.

For the rest of the ride, Jess's mind was racing. She felt a mix of excitement and nerves about what the future held.

***********

"You've gotta be kidding me!" Jess blurted out, her voice shaky and high-pitched.

She'd been working her butt off for weeks, barely sleeping, getting ready for her big break. But this? This was way more than she'd bargained for. Alexander dropping this bomb like it was no big deal just made her want to crawl into a hole.

"Yeah, the boss and I figured the Music Awards would be perfect to kick off your career. You'll be the opening act, setting the mood for the whole shebang. Pretty cool, huh?" Alexander said, announcing it with excitement.

The Music Awards were huge. All the big names would be there. Just thinking about performing in front of them made Jess feel like she was gonna throw up. One slip-up and she could kiss her career goodbye before it even started.

She looked at Alexander, trying to keep it together. "Look, I'm grateful and all, but isn't this a bit much? I'm still new, you know?"

Alexander brushed her off. "You'll never know what you're capable of if you don't push yourself. This is your shot, Jess. You gotta take it."

His words made her feel both pumped and terrified. Jess felt the knot in her stomach tighten. She was about to really freak out when she caught Alexander's little smirk.

"Oh, and by the way, you won't be up there alone," he said, his voice softening a bit.

Jess just stared at him, confused.

"You'll be performing with Rick Reed," Alexander added, looking pretty pleased with himself.

Jess felt like the floor had dropped out from under her. Performing with Rick Reed? After that disaster of a first meeting? It was too much. Her head started spinning, and everything went fuzzy. As she started to black out, a tiny part of her was almost relieved. At least she could avoid dealing with this mess for a little while longer.

As Jess passed out, she knew she'd have to face the music when she woke up. But for now, she let herself drift off, grabbing a moment of peace before all hell broke loose.