Hell To Pay

Muddy Water

Chris is back on the band again, with all the chaos left behind, Sam is also back with some jobs at MTV which is pretty much the same. Shows production, over and over again.  Sometimes she just miss of being on the road, every city, every continent, every single new stuff that she can learn.

"You know I think I'm gonna transfer you to another show." Brad is now the new head of the show 'Making of' that Sam working on. This guy has a lot of plan ahead such as involving more interns into this show so people who's likely 'senior' with lot of experience can walk to the top shows.

"Me? Why?" Sam looks at everyone since she's the first person that Brad mentioned. "Your work on Foo Fighters' episode is great and they need you on VMA."
"They what?"
"Put you on VMA."
"You're kidding, right? I love to do Making of." Doesn't matter what Sam said about it, Brad doesn't seems about to change his mind. "I know you do, that's why you're made for another great show."
"But...."
"Wait... There it is, I've been told that you are called to have a meeting for VMA. Right now." Sam, with a big sigh leaving the room and head to the grand meeting room with a bunch of executive and much important people that she's not comfortable with.

She step into the room in the middle of brainstorming in which makes it really awkward because she has no idea what's going on. "Excuse me..."
"Samantha? Come in, sit wherever you want and we can continue."
"Alright." She pick the seat that available where there are another two women who looked incredibly smart and very serious about this discussion.

"We need a new award this year." The guy who lead the meeting now throw the cue to people there. Expecting some insights. "We need more pop sub genre because pop has evolved a lot and we can't put all of them on one category." The woman on her left now speaks and flip her notes to presents her idea. "Same thing with rock, you can't put them in one genre. There has  to be more of....." Sam replies with such a lower tone, express her disagreement but not wanting to make a grudge or something. "The case is, pop sells much than rock these days." In defense, she brings out the stats which Sam could't fight. "Alright." She's giving up and decided to listen to people instead.

"What about the best music video in the past that should have won the moonman?" One guy in the front is actually bringing up a good idea and Sam finds it quite interesting. "That's an idea I can agree with." She says, which makes the guy looks behind him and smiles to her. "Hey thanks."

"A good one. Actually." The idea is now being written on the board as consideration. Then the lead man throw another question to them. "Who's gonna be the team for this award, Daniel?" He ask the guy who came up with the idea. "Umm... I don't know, maybe that new girl behind me?" He looks behind and Sam gives him a 'no' sign, quoting, "No, sir. I'm just the sound girl. I know nothing about this."
"Well, actually, I ask Brad to send you here not to be the sound girl. But because I like the way you handled the Foo Fighters' episode beyond your jobdesk."
"Wait, what?"
"Exactly. You'll learn something new today. I need you to bring the outstanding personality out of you again." Sam almost lose her ability to talk. She didn't expect to work in something that's not on her job list.

"You understand?"
"Umm... Yes. I do." That's all she can muttered to him and then he continues the meeting for further discussion.

••••••

"Yeah, so they transferred me into VMA. I didn't agree but, what can I say?" Sam is on the phone with Josh meanwhile he's in the middle of making a very important decision. "Uh? It's a good opportunity. I guess?" For her, he sounds not really focus or into the conversation. "Are you okay? Did I cut you in the middle of something?"
"It's not umm... actually I'm in front of your brother's band.."
"Geez. Oh my... I'm so sorry. I didn't know I really interrupt you. I'll call you later."
"No, I'm sorry because I can't listen to what you said earlier. I really sorry." She feels bad to put herself first before Josh's. It's kinda not fair that he's always listening to her but she can't even read the situation. "Okay. Bye Josh. Love you, wish the best for you."
"Yeah. You too. See you later."

She decided to go back to where all those working people are. She saw Daniel on the edge of throwing his pen. "Hey, hey, slow down. What's going on."
"I got this list they gave me, I have to sort of contacting them and some of them, well...not very nice. I guess. I don't know... I'm so done with U2. I really don't wanna deal with another rock band." He throw his head back and sighs.

"Hey, it's my job as well. Let me help you. How many that you already contacted?"
"6 or 7. Just look at the list. I circled people that I reached. The rest is yours."
"Let me see...." Out of all the people in the list, it's such a horror for her to see Foo Fighters in the list. Like, she knows she can just ask Chris to tell his band, but as a representative, she has to tell each one of them and give them the invitations. And she can't just give it to Daniel again, based on how damned he is already.

"Ah.... I see. Alright.." she forced a smile and take the list. "Let me handle this. You can just....relax. Right?"
"Right. Thank you so much Sam. I really do."
"Naaah. It's partly because it is my damn job."

••••••

On her way back, she got 4 invitations on her that already have each member of the band's name. Also another 3 invitations for another artists.

"Ughhh, should I just break the rule and go with telling Chris only? Ask him to share the invitations? But it seems like not acceptable as a professional." She walks inside a public rest area just before she reaches the apartment. After reached out for her keys, she unlocked the door and step in. Tired, she doesn't even say anything and just really needs to probably goes with Chris. After thinking about it, she feels like it's a better idea to just tell him and let him tell the band instead.

"Chris? Hey Chris! Can we talk?" She lift her face and shocked to see the entire band in the apartment. "What the..." There are Dave, Nate, and also Taylor along Chris on the couch. "Umm.... Sorry Sam, they really insist to going here, and sort of welcoming me again. So..."
"Oh, yea...yea, don't... don't mind me." She looks down and quickly hide all of the invitations.

"You said you wanna talk to Chris?" Taylor then speaks as Sam is about to goes inside her room. "Ah, you guys are here, better for Chris to spend the time with you. I can talk later."
"No, we're just hanging around, nothing important. We can leave if you want...."
"Or, just join us!" Nate then stands up. "Come on. Am I the only one that feels like we haven't hang out together for a long time? I mean...you and the band."
"I'd love to but...."
"Also, I think we need to apologise both to you and Chris. Properly." He sighs and looks at her, giving a cue that the band really want to fix a gap between them and Sam. "Alright. Alright... What could go wrong? And honestly, things that I want to talk to Chris is supposed to be talk to you all. It's my duty but I thought about ask Chris for a help."

"What is it?" Chris yelp with curious drawn in his face. "You guys are nominated for a new category on VMA."