Hollywood Bleeds

twenty five

IT'D BEEN OVER a month since Amina had heard or seen Luca. When he had left the room red faced and exhausted, she knew whatever he and Bella had talked about was heavy.

She remembered how he had walked up to her as she leaned back against the wall in the empty hallway. Remembered how he snaked his hand around her neck and kissed her passionately without even saying anything. The kiss was long, heavy, but almost like a goodbye.

He didn't let go of her, he held her closely to his chest as he tilted his head to get better access of her mouth. His hands shook behind her neck as his cheeks warmed. She remembered pulling away from his lips as he softly chased after them, before opening his eyes.

"You're my number one."

And after that, everything was a blur. His multiple kisses before he and Atticus walked her to her car and said goodbye. A goodbye she didn't think would last longer than a day or two-not four weeks turning five.

She'd been in the studio since his goodbye, secretly hoping to catch him walking by, but also because Brandy was searching through her old music to see if any would be good for revamped versions.

Brandy sat beside her in one of the cushioned chairs as they both stared down at his laptop that was clicking though all her filed on her old flash drives. They'd been through four out of nine drives, and found over seventeen songs worth rewriting and five songs worth sampling for other artists because they aren't to her style.

"Why did you choose me, Brandy?" Amina questioned suddenly.

What made her so special? It's been a question she wanted answered since the first time she started with his label. He didn't treat her any special to try and get her to be on his label like other artists-if anything, he didn't try at all to persuade her to be a part of his label.

There were hundred of thousands of woman that had the same or even a better voice then Amina, yet brandy let her sign into his label. Why? She knew what she had but she didn't understand it he saw what she did. Did he see a woman who was trying to change the sexism in Hollywood? Trying to bring light into the body categories for young woman around the glob-to show them they don't have to be skinny and blonde to beautiful like Hollywood was perceiving it. Did he see someone who's Vice was distinctive enough to o her own? Did he see Amina Ryan at all?

"What?"

He had started to pay more attention to her after Luca's sudden goodbye. He started to listen to her intakes and acting like a manager should be with his artists. She was still upset with what Luca told her about what he'd really done with him, but she didn't know how to act without him knowing she knew. At the moment it was professional, an artist talking to her manager and producer about her future projects.

"Why did you chose me to be a part of your record label?"

"Why did you sign to be on mine?" He replied back sarcastically with a smile. He sighed at he gave Amina a blank stare at her serious one. "You're everything Hollywood loves."

"Am I though?"

At the moment she was, sure. But what about in five years? What about in ten? We're people willing to just stick with her for the moment because of diversity? Or will they try to find anyway to cancel her because they didn't want a woman of color to be a top charter?

"Well sure you are," he muttered as he turned his day to fully face her. He leaned his elbows against his knees as he leaned in. "You got the look, personality, and most definitely the voice." He smiled at her as he winked, "you're everything."

Amina smiled, nodding her head. She didn't understand why she was suddenly so scared about all the why's in her life. He wasn't wrong, she knew her voice was good-and her fan base was helping her get over her insecurity over her voice. All she needed was to be as confident in her voice as she was in her place in the future.