Roots Beneath Ideals
Cheers!
Each of us, Michele, Vic, Mike, Joe, Mitch and I held in our hands the contract that Equal Vision and Michele worked out together. Steve and a few other representatives were in the room along with us, but didn’t say much. I really had to thank my law teacher for making us really look into how to read a contract and crap like this. Otherwise then I’d probably be derping around. We went over a few details and things that needed to be adjusted for everything to work out. And everything did.
“So what do you think any objections?” Steve asked.
I raised my hand while rereading the packet.
“Yes?”
“So I know there’s really no such thing as a vacation for music artist, but when would they really get time off since we’re already talking about putting the guys back in the studio for their first LP and a tour?” I asked
“I thought you and Vic were over so why does it matter and I’m pretty sure you’ll be leaving for school later on this year.” Joe said.
“Oh I’m sorry; I didn’t realize you didn’t want to be around your family anymore. Now shut up before I do it for you.” I threatened then took a deep breath to relax my nerves. “Back to my question please?”
I did not want to deal with this bullshit this early or at all as a matter or fact. I wish we were alone so I could have knocked the shit out of Joe. I can’t wait till we get out of here so I can.
“Well, they might have about two months off after touring to go onto another on, but in that time too I would like them to begin writing new material.” Steve answered my question.
All the guys nodded besides Joe who was pouting.
I flipped through a few more pages and then nodded my head myself, “Well that’s it for me, I’m done interrogating you now. You can relax now. Michele anything from you?”
“Everything seems in place now. Guys do you have anything else to add?” Michele asked.
“Yeah, where do we sign?” Mike asked.
Steve clapped his hands, “That’s what I’m talking about.” He got up and handed out pens and showed where the guys and Michele needed to sign. “I want you boys in the studio in two weeks time; we’ll set up another meeting for the end of the week.”
At once we all got up and shook hands with one another and exchanged a few more words and we were out of the building to meet up with our family.
Mike did a weird dance towards everyone and yelled, “We have a record deal, we’re going to be rockstars!”
“Finally!” George celebrated with Mike.
“Of course now we need to celebrate. Dinner is on me.” Dad announced.
“Awesome!” the guys shouted.
“Guys stop shouting, this is a working area.” I said, but I wanted to explode myself.
“Okay let’s get home and get ready.”
We made our way back home and decided we would go to Red lobster, but half of us hate seafood, so I have no idea how this was going to work out. Mitch and Joe met Mike, Vic, and I at our houses so we could all leave out together. While I waited outside for everyone, Joe came out to join me.
“Hey.” He said leaning against my car next to me.
I rolled my eyes at him and continued to text Ashley about the good news.
“I know I really stepped out of place today. I’m really sorry.”
“Sure you are.” I half acknowledged him.
“Keri I mean it.”
I shut my phone and looked Joe in the eyes, “You’ve always been a jerk to me, even in high school, so why are you so sorry now?”
“I… Um… You’ve been through a lot lately. You don’t deserve my bullshit and I shouldn’t be giving it to you. I’ve just been so-…”
“You’ve been so what?”
“Keri I’m in love with you. I always have been.” Joe pinched his nose and groaned, “Shit.”
“You what?” I asked stunned.
He refused to look back up at me, “Do you remember the day in high school we teamed up to do those pranks?”
I thought back on that day. We did team up as a truce for a while. Joe had walked me home as we planned our next attack and he kissed me.
“I thought you were just in the moment. I was shocked, but I didn’t think much of it.”
“Well I did. Everyday. I hated myself for a while and… wow… We shouldn’t be having this conversation anyways. You hate me and I’m supposed to dislike you. So just forget I said anything, it’s not like I had a chance or anything.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you do this? You are a complete jerk for days on end and then you become this complete sweet heart. I hate when you do that.”
“I know, I’m sorry. Its hard to be one way when you’re in love with your best friends girlfriend… Well ex- girlfriend now. You get my point.”
“Thanks for making my dinner and life ten times more awkward. Dealing with one guy just isn’t enough is it?” I mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I heard everyone begin to walk outside and we each pulled off together. The looks on the other people’s faces in the restaurant were priceless. It was like they’ve never seen a group of like a hundred. Dinner was nice though and not awkward, thank god. I really felt like Vic was going to do his worse and pop the question. I knew he wanted to and kept praying every time he shifted, it wasn’t to get up and do just that. I was sure that Dad would have tried to kill him also and we don’t want that now do we? Maybe a few months ago yes, but now, not so much.
I wonder if things could really go back to normal with us. I wonder if I could really trust Vic again and love him the way I used to. The way I still do.
Just to see him smile the way he does, the way he used to when everything was okay, it was so nice. It was full of life again. Everyone’s smile was that way. But why shouldn’t it be that way? From all of the tragedies that we’ve been through, we needed this breath of fresh air. We all needed to really smile again.
“Just for tonight and tonight only until you are twenty-one and legal to drink, you each will get a glass so that we can have a toast.” Dad said once our waitress came back out with a bottle.
“Dad it’s illegal for you to serve us alcohol especially in public.” I said.
“Well look at my daughter being all legal. It doesn’t matter because you do it anyways, you always have. Don’t think because I’m gone I don’t know what you kids are up to.”
We all looked down, ashamed.
“But like I said, only for tonight I’ll let you get away with it.” Dad poured a glass of whatever and handed them down the table. “To the boys for getting their first record deal. Cheers to you.”
“Cheers!”
“So what do you think any objections?” Steve asked.
I raised my hand while rereading the packet.
“Yes?”
“So I know there’s really no such thing as a vacation for music artist, but when would they really get time off since we’re already talking about putting the guys back in the studio for their first LP and a tour?” I asked
“I thought you and Vic were over so why does it matter and I’m pretty sure you’ll be leaving for school later on this year.” Joe said.
“Oh I’m sorry; I didn’t realize you didn’t want to be around your family anymore. Now shut up before I do it for you.” I threatened then took a deep breath to relax my nerves. “Back to my question please?”
I did not want to deal with this bullshit this early or at all as a matter or fact. I wish we were alone so I could have knocked the shit out of Joe. I can’t wait till we get out of here so I can.
“Well, they might have about two months off after touring to go onto another on, but in that time too I would like them to begin writing new material.” Steve answered my question.
All the guys nodded besides Joe who was pouting.
I flipped through a few more pages and then nodded my head myself, “Well that’s it for me, I’m done interrogating you now. You can relax now. Michele anything from you?”
“Everything seems in place now. Guys do you have anything else to add?” Michele asked.
“Yeah, where do we sign?” Mike asked.
Steve clapped his hands, “That’s what I’m talking about.” He got up and handed out pens and showed where the guys and Michele needed to sign. “I want you boys in the studio in two weeks time; we’ll set up another meeting for the end of the week.”
At once we all got up and shook hands with one another and exchanged a few more words and we were out of the building to meet up with our family.
Mike did a weird dance towards everyone and yelled, “We have a record deal, we’re going to be rockstars!”
“Finally!” George celebrated with Mike.
“Of course now we need to celebrate. Dinner is on me.” Dad announced.
“Awesome!” the guys shouted.
“Guys stop shouting, this is a working area.” I said, but I wanted to explode myself.
“Okay let’s get home and get ready.”
We made our way back home and decided we would go to Red lobster, but half of us hate seafood, so I have no idea how this was going to work out. Mitch and Joe met Mike, Vic, and I at our houses so we could all leave out together. While I waited outside for everyone, Joe came out to join me.
“Hey.” He said leaning against my car next to me.
I rolled my eyes at him and continued to text Ashley about the good news.
“I know I really stepped out of place today. I’m really sorry.”
“Sure you are.” I half acknowledged him.
“Keri I mean it.”
I shut my phone and looked Joe in the eyes, “You’ve always been a jerk to me, even in high school, so why are you so sorry now?”
“I… Um… You’ve been through a lot lately. You don’t deserve my bullshit and I shouldn’t be giving it to you. I’ve just been so-…”
“You’ve been so what?”
“Keri I’m in love with you. I always have been.” Joe pinched his nose and groaned, “Shit.”
“You what?” I asked stunned.
He refused to look back up at me, “Do you remember the day in high school we teamed up to do those pranks?”
I thought back on that day. We did team up as a truce for a while. Joe had walked me home as we planned our next attack and he kissed me.
“I thought you were just in the moment. I was shocked, but I didn’t think much of it.”
“Well I did. Everyday. I hated myself for a while and… wow… We shouldn’t be having this conversation anyways. You hate me and I’m supposed to dislike you. So just forget I said anything, it’s not like I had a chance or anything.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why do you do this? You are a complete jerk for days on end and then you become this complete sweet heart. I hate when you do that.”
“I know, I’m sorry. Its hard to be one way when you’re in love with your best friends girlfriend… Well ex- girlfriend now. You get my point.”
“Thanks for making my dinner and life ten times more awkward. Dealing with one guy just isn’t enough is it?” I mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I heard everyone begin to walk outside and we each pulled off together. The looks on the other people’s faces in the restaurant were priceless. It was like they’ve never seen a group of like a hundred. Dinner was nice though and not awkward, thank god. I really felt like Vic was going to do his worse and pop the question. I knew he wanted to and kept praying every time he shifted, it wasn’t to get up and do just that. I was sure that Dad would have tried to kill him also and we don’t want that now do we? Maybe a few months ago yes, but now, not so much.
I wonder if things could really go back to normal with us. I wonder if I could really trust Vic again and love him the way I used to. The way I still do.
Just to see him smile the way he does, the way he used to when everything was okay, it was so nice. It was full of life again. Everyone’s smile was that way. But why shouldn’t it be that way? From all of the tragedies that we’ve been through, we needed this breath of fresh air. We all needed to really smile again.
“Just for tonight and tonight only until you are twenty-one and legal to drink, you each will get a glass so that we can have a toast.” Dad said once our waitress came back out with a bottle.
“Dad it’s illegal for you to serve us alcohol especially in public.” I said.
“Well look at my daughter being all legal. It doesn’t matter because you do it anyways, you always have. Don’t think because I’m gone I don’t know what you kids are up to.”
We all looked down, ashamed.
“But like I said, only for tonight I’ll let you get away with it.” Dad poured a glass of whatever and handed them down the table. “To the boys for getting their first record deal. Cheers to you.”
“Cheers!”
5/28/13