Water Under the Bridge ›› n.h. mature

Twenty-Eight

Kate Marshall

"He really is a sweetheart," Gina said to me in between songs. I was only half listening as I thought about my lyrics and took in this massive empty stadium I was in. "Don't you think?"

"Huh?"

"Liam. He's a very sweet guy."

"Oh. Yeah, totally. Hey can we run that one again? I don't like how I did the bridge."

My band was half asleep as they started from the top but not all at exactly the same time. They were dragging today, probably from sleeping on a bus as well.

"I just think it could be big for your career if you dated him," Gina pushed, ignoring that I was about to start singing. "I mean pretended to date him."

This "rehearsal" was definitely just a front to get a chance to push their plan on me again. When Gina wants a true rehearsal to happen, she cracks the whip. Every minute of her day is calculated. She once told me she has never watched Netflix. Who has never watched Netflix?

So if she is spending our rehearsal talking about me pretending to date Liam, it's because she planned to and is seeing that plan through. Maybe that's why the band seems unprepared to rehearse as much as I'm asking them to.

"I want making good music to be big for my career," I replied.

"Kate, I know where you're coming from. You're a sweet girl from small town Ireland who wants to get to the top with honest work. But all I'm saying is a little publicity isn't cheating."

"It feels like getting fame for the wrong reasons."

"It gets people to pay attention to you! It gets them to listen to your music. What does it matter if they listen because you're dating someone they love or if they listen because they stumble across it or it gets recommended to them? The second way happens a lot slower too."

"I guess..."

"It's a way of demanding the attention you deserve. Do you ever wonder how much good music is out there that doesn't get listened to because no one ever discovered it?"

"I get it. I see what you're saying. Maybe if I was actually dating him I would agree, but I would be faking it for attention."

"Just keep thinking on it. You have a little more time before..."

"Before I get kicked off the tour if I don't?"

She sighed. "Kate, just consider it."

"Can we practice some of the new stuff I've been working on?"

"Yeah. Actually your writing team will be in town tomorrow for a writing session so keep the ideas coming," Gina said.

"Seriously? That's great!"

"I've seen your wheels turning lately. We need to get those songs out of you!"

"Happy to," I said with a grin. Now that I would love to do. That's truly working for it. I am excited to show them "Comeback," which is what I've been calling my most recent tune I was working on. Niall gave me the idea. Niall has given me many ideas lately.

Rehearsal wrapped up nicely with only a few more hints from Gina about Liam. I'm just trying to brush it off and ignore the subtle "do it or else" vibe the entire management team has been putting off.

When we got back it was already late evening so I grabbed a quick salad for dinner and prepared to settle in to get my thoughts organized and my writing notebook ready for when Jake and Anne get here.