Cloud Chasers

nine | two suns in the sunset [pt. two]

They took an Uber and stopped at Harvey Road, a more abandoned part of Okin.

When she stepped out of the car, she saw a gate that said Harvey Road Studios.

She'd never heard of this record label. The voice on the intercom let them in after Chase identified himself. They were told to take the elevator to the first floor and, there, they were greeted by a man in his forties wearing a gray suit and stylish glasses.

"Chase Journey, hello, I'm Jarryd," he said in a very camp voice, extending his hand toward them.

For a moment, Joyce imagined Chase kissing his hand. "And you are...?" Jarryd asked, looking her up and down.

"She's just a friend," Chase said.

He smacked his lips. "Right. So is the rest of the band coming or...?" he purposely stopped as he stared at Chase with raised eyebrows and hand flapping in the air.

"It's just me. There's no band," Chase said with his brows knitted.

"Oh," Jarryd said and stayed with his mouth in a circle for a while. "Didn't you read about us wanting bands to audition?"

"Yeah," Chase said and cleared his throat. "It said 'bands preferred', not wanted."

Jarryd grinned for a millisecond. "Oh well, please follow me," he then said and trotted away.

Joyce turned to Chase and squinted at him. He barely glanced at her.

They followed him to a small stage with drums and three microphone sticks. Facing the stage were three chairs, one taken by a megaphone. Jarryd sat in the middle one and gestured Chase toward the stage.

He reluctantly got up on it. "Isn't there, um, like a stool or something?" he asked.

Jarryd raised a single brow. "You need a stool?"

Chase sighed. "No, it's fine. Don't worry," he said as he adjusted the microphone.

The silence that followed as he took out his guitar and got himself ready was one of the most uncomfortable ones Joyce had ever been part of. She was standing in a corner with her arms crossed and her foot tapping on the wooden floor.

"Whenever you're ready," Jarryd flapped his hand in the air.

Chase smirked and closed his eyes for a small second. Then he began to sing one of the songs he'd already played for her.

As far as Joyce was concerned, that was his best performance so far, he was so good.

But, halfway through it, Jarryd grabbed the megaphone and shouted in it, breaking the magic moment Chase had created. "Alright, alright." His voice came out much louder than Chase's, so much so that Joyce jumped.

"Jeez, is the megaphone really necessary?" Chase asked using the microphone, covering his ears.

Jarryd gave a half-shrug. "It's more of an accessory," he said without the megaphone. "Thank you, Chase, we'll let you know," he said as he stood up.

Chase rushed the guitar back into its case and seemed eager to get out of there. Jarryd accompanied them to the elevator, as they all exchanged fake smiles at each other.

"That went well," Joyce said once they were outside.

"What are you talking about? That was humiliating," Chase snapped.

"He said they'd let you know," Joyce argued.

"'We'll let you know' means not interested. This was a waste of time," he said.