Do it for the memories and for Baltimore

Chapter 5

Another day came around and I woke up believing that my whole 4 day experience in Maryland was a dream, but was pleased that everything had in fact really happened and today I was already working with my first clients at the studio. I had set my alarm for 7am which was 30 minutes earlier than Ive been waking up before so I could take it easy in the mornings. I made myself my favourite breakfast, bacon and scrambled eggs, since I now had extra time, and I watched the morning news to pass the time while I cooked and ate. Since I took a shower the night before, I had even more time to plan out my outfit and even check out the band that I was working with today. Once I was dressed and had my laptop bag and purse ready, I grabbed my laptop out of my bag and went to Breaking Instinct’s website.  It turns out they were a punk band from the other side of town. I listened to some of their demo songs they had on the website and sort of liked them, but they were for sure missing a few elements.

It was just after 8:00 and I packed up my laptop once again and left my house. On the drive to the station I was thinking of things that I could add to the band’s sound and hoping they’ll be accepting of my input. I sat on the train, once again in my usual spot, and went back to the band’s website on my phone this time to listen to the rest of their songs, through my headphones of course. Then, we stopped at the next station and I found myself looking for the handsome stranger once again.  For some reason I couldn’t help myself and I kept searching through the group of people for the mystery man. The crowd of people cleared and there I saw him, sitting in the same spot as he did yesterday, the handsome stranger. I found myself stuck in  some sort of trance as he did not have his hood on and was looking better today. I saw his brown hair. It was such a nice light shade of brown and went across the side of his face. And then I saw his eyes once again, still insanely beautiful, they looked like two little pools of chocolate. He wore a black jacket, heavier than the one he wore yesterday, which was smart, after all it is still winter in Baltimore. Also, a really nice pair of brown combat boots, making his legs in his dark blue jeans look even greater. I lowered my head as I smiled to myself, hoping no one would see me crushing on the man diagonally across from me.  It seemed like he had a usual spot too as he was sitting in the same spot once again. Throughout the ride, I kept looking over at the man, probably almost every minute to see what he was doing or if was looking at me, but he seemed to have other plans. He rarely looked around the bus. He was looking out the windows, fiddling with his laces on his boots, playing on his phone, or just closing his eyes once in a while. “Maybe I should just give up on this stupid fantasy that he’ll notice me and like me” I thought to myself. He exited at the same stop that he got off of yesterday, and the next station over, I got off the train too.

The short walk later, I was at the studio, greeting the secretaries and others mingling around the lobby. I had to give myself props for remembering most names, and the ones who I hadn’t quite remembered had mentioned their names when I was talking with them, so it looked like I didn’t forget them at all.

“Morning Rachel. How are ya doing today?” Pete said approaching me holding an empty coffee mug and filling it with the coffee that was made in the pot on the counter beside me.

“Hi there Pete. I’m well, and you?”

He took a sip of his coffee. “Good, I’m doing good. Are you ready for today?”

“I sure am! Honestly, I didn’t think I would have my first clients already, but I have to give credit to you and the rest of the marketing crew and agents for spreading the word of me being here.”

“Hey, what else are we here for! Well the band called about 5 minutes ago and confirmed that they’ll be coming here around 11:30, so that gives you a few hours to familiarize yourself with the equipment and setup in the studio you’ll be working in today. You guys are gonna be in Studio 4, one of the smaller ones seeing as they are just a local band and couldn’t book the larger studios.”