" I said how could he ohhh noo...."
" Better, but this time when you end with the 'noooo', hold it out for a couple of more seconds. And you're stalling after the 'ohhh'. Don't do that. Here, like this...... I said how could he ohhhhhhh noooooooo."
Meghan, watched his lips and studied his tone intently. As he finished he turned to her awaiting for her to take one more go at it.
A soft clear of her throat, she set her fingers against the ivory keys and tried again. This time perfecting it.
" I said how could he ohhhhh noooooooo."
" Perfect!" He beamed.
Pleased with him being pleased with her, Meghan began to tinker a random tune on the piano. Her hair done in a cute messy bun, she started to play the beginnings of Monkey and the Weasel.
" You know, you kinda have a knack for this sort of thing. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you've been doing this for years." She spoke without even a bat of an eyelash.
J.C. peered at her from under his lashes as she pretended to busy herself with the piano. Relenting under his boring gaze, she cracked a smile which turned into them both sharing a few laughs.
" Just go get in the booth." He demanded with a light shove to her arm. Rising from the leather bench they shared, Meghan raised her arms above her head for a quick stretch under the eyes of J.C.
" I'm goin, I'm goin." She mumbled as her barefeet padded across the carpet and into the booth.
J.C. who had already taken his seat behind the soundboard busily set up the controls to synchronize with her vocals all the while Meghan merely sat in the stool provided and waited.
" Alright mami you ready?" He questioned peering at her through the thin glass that seperated the two.
She opted to respond with a nod. Placing her headphones on her ears, she stood from her stool and took her position behind the mic. Her eyes momentarily scanned the lyrics she had brought with her before giving him the thumbs up.
He nodded. " Now remember, this is just a test take so there's plenty of room for mistakes. But if you do screw up, keep in mind that I show no mercy." He quiped.
A tiny smile crept onto her face with a narrow of her orbs. Tilting her head to the side she rolled her eyes upward.
" Just a warning." He added for fun. Even though she acted as if her patience were wearing thin with him, he knew better.
He chucked silently.
" Ok. Let's hear it."
Reaching over to his left toward the top panel, J.C. pressed down on a tiny black button and as soon as he did the result was the soothing sounds of a soft melody echoing from the speakers. The music consisted of a studio violin but the notes of a piano were all her.
Firmly holdling the phones to her ears with both hands, Meghan gently closed her eyes and let the melody consume her as she began to effortlessly belt out the lyrics.
How could he be so cold to me? When I gave him everything. All my love, all I had inside.
How could he just walk out the door? How could he not love me anymore.
Won't somebody tell me, so I can understand.
How could the one I gave my heart to? Break my heart soo bad.
How could the one that made me happy? Make me feel so sad.
Won't somebody tell me? So I can understand,
If you looooove me how could you hurt me like that.
How could the one I gave my world to, throw my world away?
How could the one who said I love you, say the things you say?
How could the one I was so true to, just tell me lies.
How could the one I gave my heart to go and break this heart of mine.
Tell me.
Reclining in his seat, J.C. gazed at her form intently. It was undeniable that the girl had a voice on her but with all of the filters and backtracks she uses in her albums, she has never really got to showcase it but at a rare moment like this he was more than happy to sit back and witness it for himself.
His cell vibrating in his pants pocket, J.C. was pulled from his trance as he retrieved his phone. It had already stopped before he had the chance to answer so he viewed the id and made a mental note to call that person back.
Finishing off the last line with a sweet high note she brought her voice down a few octaves adding in a few ' ohhh's' and ' mmm's' here and there. Holding out the last 'ohh' she slowly brought the song to a close.
Sitting up in his chair, J.C. fingered the button that halted the music. Pressing down on the control that activated the intercom he grinned with satisfaction.
" Meghan. Wow, that was...that was amazing. Beautiful job mami. Beautiful."
Replacing the headset back onto it's holder, Meghan could feel her cheeks begin to warm up. She was never one for compliments. She may have gotten them every five seconds of the day but that didn't mean that she was any more used to them.
" Thanks Jace." She responded in a more firm tone so that to hide her bashfulness.
J.C. who pretended to swipe away a tear had yet another distraction as his phone buzzed again for the third time in one hour. The call must have been important as for this time he caught the person before they could hang up.
" Hey, Meghan take five. Sorry but..." He lifted his phone and wiggled it as a signal that he had a call.
" Oh, no problem." She dismissed lightly as she gathered her papers. " While you're out I'm headed to the fridge. Do you want something to drink?"She asked peeping her head through the leather door of the booth.
With a soft ' no ' and a smile she watched him saunter out of the door and into the hall. Fully removing herself from the booth, she trudged over to a small square table near one of the black couches against the wall. Dropping her papers onto it, one fluttered onto the ground but she was already on her way into the small kitchen that was connected to the booth.
Rummaging the fridge and deciding on a simple bottle of water, she closed the door shut with her foot. Untwisting the cap, she took a small swig. Her eyes catching a Chinese delivery brochure left on the counter, she stepped over resting her elbows on the counter and idly read it. Bottle still in hand, she used her right foot to scratch just below her ankle on her left foot.
" Sorry about that. It was my brother." At the sound of J.C.'s voice, Meghan instantly looked up from her read as he entered the studio. " Seems that he's deciding to fly out here and monday for his business and apparently he needs me to be his personal chauffeur for the day."
Meghan stepped into the room just as he shrugged off his brown coat and draped it over the back of the couch.
" I don't run a taxi cab company. Who does he think I'am?" J.C. remarked with a quick rub of his slightly stubbled chin. His hair remained in springy curls as he left it earlier.
" Well, you definately could have fooled me." She cracked plopping down on the couch next to him. She patted his knee for good measure as he sent her a glare that read ' you think you're funny.'
" Oh, lighten up."
His eyes darting toward the table infront of them, he stole a tissue from the Kleenex box and threw it at her. It fluttered into her lap though it was meant for her face.
" Why aren't you practicing on the piano?" He beseeched. She watched him rub his eye with the palm of his hand.
God did he have such gorgeous eyes.
" Same reason why you're not." She replied as she pasued to sip from her drink. " I'm taking a break."
He sent her look.
" Well, breaks over." He announced suddenly coming to a stand. Meghan stared at the hand that he had held out for her. She took note of the silver band on his thumb. " C'mon girl. I don't have all day."
She relunctantly latched onto it and let herself get pulled from her comfortable spot.
" You're worse than Johnny you know that? And that says alot considering that the man is actually my manager." She commented as she passed by him.
He chuckled at her back before joining her side at the bench. Their knees occasionally bumping one anothers.
" Doesn't matter to me none. As long as I'm still getting paid then I'll be whoever you want me to be."
Meghan sharply turned her gaze onto him with her jaw slightly agape.
" Jace!" She exclaimed.
The look on her face was priceless and that was all that he needed as he fell into hysterics.
" I'm playing, I'm playing." He spoke through giggles with his hands up and surrendering. " You know I love you girl."
" Right." She voiced as she cut her eyes at him ." I need to get my water." Retrieving her forgotten water across the room, mid sip she stared at him under her lashes and nearly choked on it from laughing as he began to suggestively waggle his brows at her.
With a shake of her head, she took her seat placing the bottle by her foot and sat up straighter.
" You need to be evaluated." She muttered but loud enough for him to hear and lightly bump her knee as she flipped through the pages of her lyrics journal until finding the song that she was looking for.
Setting it up on the stand for the both of them to see, J.C. and Meghan soon got to work as they turned her scribbles into what she hoped would be another multi-platinum record. Though her current record ' Breathe Heavy ' was still fresh from release, it didn't hurt to get an early start on another project so soon. In fact, Johnny, her manager was all for it.
Two hours later and Meghan was ready for another break but J.C. was not having it.
" I'm thirsty Jace! My throat feels dry enough as it is and I'm not going to be sounding like an old smoker on my next album because you want to be a workaholic all of a sudden."
Letting out a deep sigh, he let his shoulders slump a bit, his black 'Rocker' T- shirt showing his muscles flex under the material, as he relented to her whines and that one threat she gave him earlier.
" Fine. Take five. Go get another bottle of water or something."
Meghan had already bounded over to her oversized Gucci bag near the drums as she dug through it for some change.
" Nah, I'd rather get a Creme Soda from the machine outside. Speaking of the vending machine, do you have any spare change on you? Possibly in the form of a quarter? I only have bills."
Zipping her bag, she set it back in it's original place before trampling over to J.C. as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a fistful of loose change.
" Why should I give you a quarter?"
He questioned with a raised brow as if he were upset with her standing before him.
Snatching the quarter from inbetween his fingers she turned her lip at him while slipping on her blue and pink wedge sandals with diamonds on the strap.
" Because you owe me for the quarter that I let your ass borrow yesterday." She pointed out using the same tone and attitude as he used on her seconds ago.
Already on her way out the door his voice called after her so she shifted sligtly so that she was facing him as her hand remained on the handle.
" Yeah?"
" Get me a Pepsi." He cheesed with a child like expression.
She caught the quarter that he flicked in the air with a playfull groan and disappeared into the halls.
Taking a moment to read her horoscope off a poster plastered on the wall, she politely greeted the receptionist Melinda before halting at the illuminated vending machine with a oversized photo of Sprite on the front. Dropping the money into the slot, she fingered her selections and waited as they tumbled down. Bending down to grab the ice cold cans, she chewed the inside of her lip and stood.
As quick as she was to turn around she hadn't felt the prescence of a person standing behind her and abrubtly ran into the chest sending her drinks falling to the ground.
" Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know anyone was behind me." She apologized already moving to pick up the drinks.
" No, It's my bad." Said the other as his hands already snatched up her Creme Soda. " I shouldn't have been stand-."
" Trace?"
Still crouched low to the ground, Trace immediately lifted his head only to have his eyes connect with her confused ones.
" Meghan? What are you doing here?" He fired as they both came to a slow timid stand.
Her eyes darted down the hall slightly before holding his again.
" Uhhh, I'm working. I should be asking you that question?" She shot back.
His hand scratched the base hairs of his neck. " Oh, you know. I'm just......hanging out."
Hanging out? She knew exactly what ' hanging out ' meant. It meant that Justin wasn't too far off somewhere.
" Whoa, long time no see huh?" He spoke with uncertainty.
" Yeah it has been." She responded just as hesitant.
" Sooooo...."
" Soooooo...."
" How ya been?"
The question came out simultaneously and at that they both began to chuckle. It wasn't an uneasy chuckle but it wasn't a comfortable one either.
Trace was first to respond.
" I've been doing good." He said with a sure nod. " How about you? I've been hearing a lot about you lately. How is everything going?"
" Great. Just fine I guess. Back into doin the whole recording thing so...yeah. I'm doing good."
" Cool."
" Yeah."
As Trace began to rock on his heels, Meghan let her eyes divert over to Melinda who tried to be discreet in watching the two but failing miserably.
Meghan had to smile at that.
" Ummm, I should get going. I need to go and finish up some things. My producer is in there waiting for me." She somewhat lied as she gestured her thumb toward hall 'C'.
Trace nodded understandingly.
" Oh, sure of course. I wasn't trying to hold you up or anything."
" No, it's cool. Ummm, it was nice seeing you Trace." She offered him a genuine smile this time.
" Yea you too." He said returning his own crooked grin. He looked down at the Creme Soda he still held in his hand. " Ooops...umm I think this belongs to you."
She accepted it and was just about to thank him for it when she heard a voice that sounded like it was coming their way. Both turned their attention toward hall ' A ' in time to see Justin who was gabbing away on his cell phone appear. He looked deep into his conversation and didn't bother to acknowledge any sort of human prescence.
At the sight of him, Meghan felt her veins run cold and the need to throw up came real fast to her stomach. But she held it down just enough.
" Yea so, bye Trace."
" Bye Meghan." Before he could even get her full name to fall from his lips she had already hurried off down the hall. The last thing his vision caught was the back of her designer spaghetti strap camisole top.
" Hey man," Trace turned to face Justin who pat him on the shoulder. " Who's the chick that you were just talking to?" He asked dropping some change into the machine.
Trace looked down the hall again then at Justin who had already gotten his Creme Soda and was taking a sip.
Trace glanced at the can in his hand and raised a brow before shrugging. " No one you know." He told him.
With a shrug of his own, the two walked side by side back into their rented out studio for the day.
Meanwhile, Meghan had just stepped into the room to find J.C. glancing down at his watch impatiently as he sat on the couch with her notebook in his hands.
" Took you long enough. Damn, was there a line or something." He spoke at the sight of her.
Ignoring his comment, she handed him his drink then snatched her notebook away from him.
" Ever heard of privacy Jace?"
He snatched it back before she could even blink.
" No." He simply commented as she relaxed into the couch next to him. " Seriously though, why the hour long wait?"
Popping the top on her can, she set it to stand on her thigh as she pulled her legs under her. " No reason. Just a familiar face."
" Anyone I know?" He said watching her from the side as he drank from his Pepsi. He noticed her stall for a bit and her change in demeanor upon asking.
" Nope." She lied then quickly took a sip.
As much as he wanted to push the question because he was one of the few that knew when she was lying, he decided not to. One because if she lied then that meant she obviously didn't want him to know and two, it really wasn't any of his business in the first place.
" Ok." He responded.
Meghan knew from the way he said that ' ok ' that he didn't believe her but she wasn't going to say much else about her encounter with Trace moments earlier. Though it was good to see him but at the same time strange it was better to forget it ever happening. And just like that it was forgotten.
The silence that fell over them was about to drive her out of her mind. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, she had just grown used to him talking her ear off these last couple of days but now his eyes were just wandering the instruments in the room.
With her foot, she dented her big toe into his thigh to gain his attention.
Staring down at her french manicured toe then at her, he smirked. " What?"
She shrugged with a smirk of her own. " Nothing. You're just quiet."
" Would you like me to say something?" He questioned fiddling with the silver Tweety Bird charm wrapped around her ankle.
" You have been for the past couple of days. Why all of a sudden bequiet now?" She shot back propping her elbow against the back of the couch to lean her cheek into her palm.
J.C. stared at her this way for a minute. " Just thinking about some things." He finally replied resting the back of his head against the soft cushions. His other hand still holding his drink.
" Some things?" She questioned with a look. " Care to share?"
With a lazy loll of his head in her direction his eyes caught her's again and she held his gaze. " Nosy much?" He smiled.
" Eh," Untucking her legs from underneath her body she stretched them out so they were lying in his lap. " Only when it counts." She joked lightly.
Letting his hand rest ontop of her jean clad legs, he began to absentmindedly run his fingers up and down the gold patterns threaded into them.
Not taking his touch as any sign of affection, Meghan shifted a bit so that she could lean forward and put her now empty can on the table. Sitting back again, she took his hand that had been grazing her thigh and began to delicately massage his long fingers.
" Talk." She commanded.
Letting out a soft chuckle, he did as she and placed his drink on the table before settling back into the couch and using his other hand to trace the outline of her jean patterns.
" Ok, it's not a 'something' more than it is a 'someone'." Her eyes quickly brightened at the mention of a person. Gently cocking a brow she let him continue as she worked wonders on his fingers.
He grinned. " By that face that you just made I'm pretty sure that you already know it's a girl that I'm talking about so I'll just get right into it."
" Hmmm, actually I was going more for a gu-"
" Shut it." He warned with a gentle squeeze of her calf.
" Shutting." She said. " Go on."
She listened intently as Jace seemed to get lost into his own world as he spoke of this girl. From all that Meghan had gathered she was funny but at the same time sharp witted, she had what he liked to call ' classic beauty ' and really knew how to hold her own. He said what made her soo amazing was that even though the last few months of life consisted of a few rough and tumbles here and there she never let any of that bring her down. She never let herself get caught up in things that she's never wanted to do. She's always had a mind of her own and in her type of work environment, he appreciated that about her. He adored how she wouldn't allow the dumb things to get into her head. He found it sexy that she carried her own opinions and did things her way.
But what he admired most about her was that no matter how hard it got for her....she always remained the intelligent, sweet, person that he knew her to be. Except for a few minor appearance alterations here and there but he didn't let her know that one.
Halting in her massage, Meghan sat back a bit stunned. If J.C. had all those wonderful things to say about just one person then that person must really be something.
Something like lucky because guys like J.C. were one in a million. Atleast that's how she felt.
" Wow. Sounds like you have found yourself a really special young lady." She spoke kindly picking up where she left off as she tended to the muscles in his hand.
He nodded his head then looked to the ceiling. " She is. Definately."
" Have you made any move to ask this ' friend ' out to dinner yet?" She questioned with a small laugh.
When he informed her that it was a ' friend ' that has currently left him infatuated she couldn't help but think that with all of the friends that he has it could be just about anybody. Hell, it could even be Avril Lavigne! She did somewhat fit his description.
Sort of.
" No, not yet. Honestly I'm a bit nervous on what her answer will be. The last thing I want to do is get rejected. Talk about a bitch ass blow to my ego." He admitted.
After a brief fit of laughter at his comment, Meghan rested his hand that she massaged on her lap and gave it a gentle squeeze.
He whined with a small pout. " Why did you stop? That was feeling really good mami." He wiggled his hand hoping that she would continue in her wonderful doings but frowned when she only tugged on his index finger.
" Because you're not paying me." She quipped with a smile then adjusted her leg as he playfully applied pressure to her knee cap. " But yea, as soon as you get your answer you better call me and let me know." She mildly warned. " Just in case I have to have a talkin to this girl who would be a fool to turn down J.C. Chasez."
Attempting to hide his blush, he settled for a goofy grin. Another comfortable silence consumed them. As he traced the designs of her jeans, Meghan had her attention focused elsewhere. More so in her notebook she had placed in her lap. She would occasionally hum a few tunes here and there in which he would enjoy listening as she hummed whatever soft tune it was.
Shifting so that he was sitting up straighter, Meghan ignored his movements not noticing how he would gently squeeze her leg every so often.
J.C. let his eyes drift over to her face and before he could stop himself he removed her notebook from her lap and the hand that she used to twirl a strand of her hair around her finger, he took into his.
Her attention now focused on him she watched as he scooted closer to her and with the shyest of smiles began to rub circles on the back of her hand with his thumb.
" Meghan? Will you go out on a date with me?"
Stunned, Meghan could only stare into his eyes that were sincerely gazing into hers with a look of confidence and hopefullness. She stammered in her brain a bit to find the words but after a second of gathering her composure she threw her legs down so that her feet were on the carpet and shifted so that she were closer to him.
And she was close enough in which the scent of his Addidas cologne lingered in her senses a bit.
Glancing down at her hand still in his, she looked to him as she fixed her mouth to speak.
" Jace, I-"
Then there was a knock at the door.
TO BE CONTINUED.......
Song Credit: Aaliyah ' The One I Gave My Heart To '
Author's Chapter Notes:
:)
Story Tags: cheaterj soloj marriedj
