You Need the Darkness to See the Stars.

Big Decisions

MacKenzie's POV

After Brantley and his team left Rachel and I got to work on my schedule for the next few weeks. She was pushing me to move my career more towards music and away from the acting and modeling. Of course the options were there, but she said we needed to capitalize on my voice. YouTube was a great foundation but it could always be better. To me it just felt like they were trying to use mine and Brantley barely existent relationship to their advantage.

"Kenzie, how do you feel about writing an album? Or recording even? I know you got songs. Why don't you share them with the world?" Rachel asked.

"Because it's my story and I don't know if I want to share it with the world. And on top of that. I'm not trying to have my career be built solely on what me and Brantley may or may not even have." I said losing my temper a little. "You do realize that everyone is going to think the only reason I have a career is because of him....NO ONE will take me seriously." I said.

"You already have a career as a YouTube star....we are literally just making it bigger than that. I'll admit that the timing of all this is not great but think about it this way. If it doesn't happen now. It's gonna happen again somewhere down the line. If not with Brantley, someone else. So the there's two ways this can go down. We deal with the issue now. You're already trending. And your channel has been busy all morning. So people are already aware that music isn't just some over night thing for you. You're names been out there for a while now, you're just getting more attention. Your other option is to run and hide from this opportunity for you to be something great. Just go back to modeling and maybe some acting jobs here and there. Just some things to keep you content, until you're out of the spot light. But by then the buzz has died down and instead of headlining shows you'll be paying to see headliners...."Rachel said with conviction. I was wide eyed and speechless.

She basically just treated my life. And I wasn't sure how I felt about it.

"If it's nothing like you say it is, then you'll have nothing to worry about. Tabloids will eventually drop the bomb about the split or whatever they decide to spin. And when that happens you can already have a career. Or you can be yesterdays news trying to get back in the spot light." Rachel said. "Just think about it, okay Mac?" She grabbed her things. "Have a good night. I'll see you tomorrow." She walked out of the conference room. I sat there for a little bit thinking about this whole situation. It just irritated me more. What the hell was I going to do?

I got up and pushed the chair in grabbing my things and leaving the building. I went to my car got in and screamed at the top of my lungs letting my frustration out. Once I was done, I continued on like nothing happened. Putting my seat belt on and starting the car. Just then I got a phone call. I looked down and I saw that it was my mom. I couldn't handle her right now too. I just needed to think.

When I got home I went to the liquor cabinet and pulled out the whiskey. I grabbed a glass and went to my music room, closing the door behind me. I sat at the desk, grabbing the key out of the pen holder sitting by the monitor. I unlocked the bottom drawer of the desk and pulled out a bag of weed, rolling up a joint. Once it was ready to smoke, I poured myself a more than generous drink. I pulled up a file of the few demo's I have recorded in that room, clicking play before lighting the joint and taking a sip of my drink. I slipped my shoes off and propped my feet up on the desk getting comfortable in my chair. I listen to the 5 songs over and over again. Judging if they were even worthy of an audience or a radio station. Then I thought about the real reason this all bothered me. I get that they were just trying get me out there while all eyes were on me. But I had morals just like anyone else. I didn't want to use this tabloid shit with Brantley to jump start my career. It wasn't right.

I downed my drink and poured another. I was about half way through the joint when it was taken from my hand after I had ashed it. I hit pause on the key board and looked to see who it was. Brantley was leaning on the desk hitting the joint.

"You should really consider leaving the door open when you smoke. Unless you're trying to hot box it in here." He said hitting the joint again, handing it back to me. He came up next to me and hit play on the keyboard. These Four Walls (by Miley Cyrus)started back up again. I wrote this song a couple months before Charlie and I officially went our separate ways. We both sat there listening. As the next song was starting I went to hit the pause button and Brantley smacked my hand away. Pointing a stern finger at me, shaking it.

"Do not touch the keyboard MacKenzie. I'm listening to it." He was scolding me. I sighed and threw myself back in the chair. 'Just great'. I thought to myself. I finished off my drink, sliding the glass next to the bottle. Covering my face with my hand I just sat there and waited for my judgment. As if I wasn't dealing with enough already.

Brantley's POV

As I sat there listening to MacKenzie's demo's I could see embarrassment creep over here. What's funny is, I was the same way when it came to people listening to my music. In the music business they are always looking for something different. With the amount of judgment in this town a lot of people never make it as far as I did. The next song started. I heard the guitar strumming it started off slow. I liked it. I looked at the title, Break Down Here. I turned it up some more, and saw the date  on the file was more recent. I closed my eyes and listened to the song. When the chorus hit I got goosebumps. I love when songs do that to you. I kept listening. Once all the songs had played, I looked at MacKenzie.

"Rough day, darlin'?" I asked caressing her face.

"Yeah. Actually. I've got a big decision to make." She smiled weakly.

"Want to talk about it?" I asked not trying to push too hard.

"Rachel, she thinks it would be best to move away from the modeling and acting. And go into music. Singing. Recording. And she thinks I should do it now while I'm in the spot light, trending as, 'Brantley Gilbert's Secret Girlfriend'. I don't think it's right and no one is going to take me seriously. I'm more concerned about how this is going to effect us. I really like you Brantley, we've only known each other a few day, and I want to keep getting to know you. I just don't want the pressures of the whole world knowing and having some sort of opinion about it. Everyone's going think I just used you to jump start my career." She said sounding defeated. Covering her face again. She was right this was a rough day and an even tougher decision.

"Kenz, people are gonna think what ever the hell they want. What matters is that we know the truth. If you want to keep seeing each other and see where this goes I would really like that. No pressures added. If Rachel is offering to give you the resources to make your music career take off then let her! Because this.." I said point to the monitor. "...This good fucking music and people are going to love it. You just need to have faith in yourself sweetheart." I spoke. I took her hand and pulled it away from her face. I bent down and kissed her. It was a long slow passionate kiss.  I pulled away and looked into her blue eyes.

"You need to say yes." I said in a low voice. "To Rachel. And to being my girlfriend." I smiled. "We can figure all the rest out later." MacKenzie gave me a small smile.

"Okay." She said agreeing with me. I smiled wider than I ever thought possible. Kissing MacKenzie again. I picked her up from the chair and spun her around. She smiled and started laughing.

"There's my girl." I said smiling. Holding her in my arms. I couldn't ask for a better day. This was perfect.
And hopefully Kenzie's outlook on the day had changed too. She was going to be a fucking rockstar!!
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Thank you for the votes! I hope everyone is enjoying so far. I noticed there was over 350 over all reads so far. That's so fucking cool! You guys are amazing.