Erica Clifford - Completed

Two

The floor is a pretty good place for me to write. I can have everything I need with easy access. Pen and paper, guitar on my knee, keyboard on the other side. My safe haven. 

Until there's a knock at the door. Like right now. I pulled my hood over my head and sighed as I opened the door. 

"Sorry Erica. I know you said you had this room,  but your da- I mean Mr Clifford said you'd be okay to give it up for one of the signers?" I closed my eyes and looked down the hallway where a young lad and his friends stood, leaning against the walls. 

"Sure thing Marg." I nodded and opened the door. "Might take me a sec to sort everything though." 

"Can they come in whilst you do?" 

"Their prerogative but I'm not speaking." She smiled sweetly. She knew too damn well by now that's how it worked with me. I didn't like being disturbed and it would put me in a foul mood all day but that wasn't anyone here's fault. I pulled my hood down, putting my headphones on and loud so they didn't think I was ignoring them. I was. But I wasn't ignoring them if that makes sense. I'd learned a few years ago now, it was just easier to keep myself to myself here. Anywhere in fact. 

I gathered the papers first, closing the front cover of my book and turning it upside down so my name wasn't on show as I put it on the side, moving to put my guitar there next. 

I gave them a half hearted smile as the filtered into the room. I saw their mouths move but just turned my attention to the keyboard, picking it up with ease and walking it back to the desk and reconnecting it up. 

I hadn't been in here long so I had nothing else to collect. 

"Usual places if you need me Marg." I pulled the papers into my arms and walked past her, down the long corridor. The unclaimed empty office it was. 

I knew it was supposed to be mine. That's why no one in this packed out office had claimed it. No name on the door like the rest, just a few desks, a book shelf and my guitar stand. That was dad's hint. The stand for my guitar. He knew if that was in there I'd use it more than the general use areas. He was right but that's only because it was empty and people didn't stumble in there and try to start conversation. 

I stopped as my dad stood in the middle of the hallway with his arms crossed. closing my eyes and adjusting so I could pull my headphones down. 

"Yes?" 

"Please tell me you weren't rude to them." I looked behind me and rolled my eyes, pushing the office door open and walking in, dropping my books on the desk before pulling my headphones off completely and putting them on top of the books. "You need to get to know them if you're writing for them Erica." 

"Yeah, maybe but not when I'm in the middle of writing something when you send them down. I've lost the flow now and it's going to take me ages to get it back. I had the whole thing in my head." 

"If you take this room, no one can disturb you." He raised his eyebrow, crossing his arms again as I scoffed. 

"Not happening." 

"You're in here enough anyway Erica. What difference would it make having your name on the door and putting some pieces in here that you use." 

"Because it wouldn't stop there dad would it? After the office it would be we should give you a specific title so people don't think I'm just handing over an office. Then oh but you could do this easy task and before you know it I'm CEO." 

"Angel." 

"Dad. I've told you this before. I can't do it. Give it to Mia. She's much more personable than me. She gets on with everyone who's ever met her." 

"She's too childish." 

"She's 18. Of course she is. I was a nightmare at her age remember?" He sat down on the edge of the desk and relaxed his arms to the side of him, grabbing my book and flicking through it. 

"Some of these are good." 

"And some are shit. You're point?" 

"The jobs not entirely people Erica. It's being able to know if a song is going to do well, being able to tell people's personalities and if the public is going to click with them. All of those are things you do anyway." 

"Dad. Stop." I pulled the book from his hands. "Can you leave now?" 

"What are you doing for lunch?" He stood up and turned to me. I shrugged. "Come to my meeting with me." 

"Dad-" 

"It's not a question. Just sit in the corner. No one has to know you're my daughter. Anyone asks, there's no where else for you to work as a song writer and I need you to meet the new guys anyway."

"Aren't I underdressed for a business meeting." 

"As my daughter, yes. As a song writer for the studio. No." I scrunched my face up and he grabbed my arms, squeezing tightly. 

"Fine." 

"Good. It's at 12. You've got 20 minutes." I sighed. 

"Well I might as well come now then right?" He smirked and stepped back, grabbing my book and handing it to me before walking out. 

He really bugged me sometimes. He knew me so well. Where I'd be, what I was doing, how I'd be doing it, how to get his own way. Stupid father daughter connections. 

Welp. He won. He's dragging me to a lunch meeting. 

I text Mia as I walked behind him slowly. 

HAHAHA. Good luck 
OOO
Try get some photos. I need to know if it's worth me coming down or not. 

Knowing dad's taste in men. Probably not.

I snickered and dad turned his head as we reached his office. 

"Just Mia. Nothing concerning you, keep walking." I pushed his back as he stopped and I caught up to him and he chuckled. 

Stupid father daughter relationships.