Bully

Chapter 39: Professional

**ABRIELLE'S POV**

I stayed in bed the whole rest of the day just trying to let my knee rest. It was still bothering me some the next day when I woke up. I took a hot bath, got dressed, packed up my bags, and called in for room service for breakfast. Jake finally came around knocking on everyone's doors to let them know they had fifteen minutes to get downstairs to catch the busses. With a huff, I grabbed my bags and opened my door. The walk was slow to the elevators.

I handed over my room key once I made it downstairs. The busses pulled up in front of the hotel so I began making my way out to our bus. I had to email my photography professor some of the photos I'd taken of the band for that project so after setting my bags on my bunk, I took my laptop and had a seat at the kitchen table. I was in the middle of drafting my email when Eric and Bill boarded the bus. The tall bassist smile at me as he passed me to set his bags down.

He plopped down next to me which made me nervous. Slowly, the rest of the band boarded the bus along with Jake. The busses jerked signaling we were now headed towards the highway. Eric had leaned over and was checking out some of the photos I'd added to my email. I sent it off hoping he would like what I'd done. Clearly the bassist wanted to see my photos, so I tabbed back over to Photobucket so he could browse what I'd done. He leaned over my shoulder and I was worried he could hear my heart pounding in my ears.

"So, Miss Abrielle. I talked to the label and they love the cross snow angel photo. They want to use it for the cover for the winter song that's about to be released. They're prepared to pay you $2,500 for your photograph and this song is the only thing the photo will be used for. No merchandise, nothing." Bill told me making my jaw slack and a few guys chuckle, "However, if this song becomes popular, they want to use it for merchandise to promote it. You will be given a percentage of the profits from said merchandise. If you agree, of course. Is this acceptable?"

"Y...yeah. Of course." I stuttered.

"You're really a professional now, sweetheart." Eric whispered in my ear making my face flush.

"They will mail you out a check once I talk to the label again and let them know you agreed." Bill smiled at me.

I couldn't believe it. One of my photos was about to be used for a major band. A very well-known band! To promote a song. It will be seen on all the music streaming platforms! It was so hard to comprehend. He told me how awesome my photos had turned out making my face heat up once more. I exited out of Windows and got to working on another school project. I had to make an Infographic so to start off with, I had to figure out what I wanted it to be about. It had to be three pages long. Eric just sat there watching me looking things up and after a while, I forgot he was even there.

Today was a traveling day which meant we wouldn't get to the venue until very late tonight or early tomorrow morning and the show was tomorrow night. We stopped to fuel up the busses so we took the opportunity to get off the bus, stretch, and head inside to get a bite to eat from the fast food joint inside. To my luck it was a Subway. The boys let me go first since my knee was still bothering me. I already knew what I wanted. It was one of two sandwiches I always got. Today it was footlong tuna on 9-grain wheat with pickles, onions, and black olives. I paid for my sandwich and hobbled back to the bus.

I was happily munching away on my lunch when Eric boarded. He sat down across from me and took his sandwich out from the bag. Barry was next to board and sat with Eric. Normally my family would make fun of me for liking something so simple as tuna but these guys seemed happy I was eating at all. Brent and Zach sat on the couches. Bill and Jake headed to their own bus before we hit the road again. Having a full tummy and with my knee still hurting, I put my laptop up and crawled into my bunk and closed the curtain. It wasn't long before I'd drifted off to sleep.