Only Forward

(12) Release

    Ross leaned over and kissed me totally by surprise as the airplane we had just boarded a mere five minutes ago began rolling down the runway.  As it lifted into the eastern sky, I smiled.  Ross pulled a couple inches away and crinkled his cute little eyes.  "Why aren't you kissing me back?" 
    I laughed.  "I just can't believe this is my life."
    He seemed to think about that sentence for a second.  "As far as I know, your name is not scheduled to perform tomorrow morning in New York City."
    I tilted my head at him.  "Okay, hot shot.  I'm not blonde and part of your sibling group, but neither is Ellington and he doesn't get this crap."
    At the sound of his name, the drummer lifted his head and peered over at us.  I smiled sweetly and Ellington went back to his snoozing.  Ross watched our silent exchange as a front row seater and just pursed his lips.  "And?"
    I shook my head.  "You are stubborn, Ross Lynch."
    He shrugged, as if he had no idea what I was talking about.  "I guess it's a good thing you love me," he merely replied.  I rolled my eyes, grabbed his chin with my forefinger and pulled him back to me for a kiss. 

Two weeks before.....

    Remember that flat tire day, when my mom practically took out a loan to purchase a dazzlingly unneeded red gown for her younger daughter and then we subsequently accepted a taxi ride from my boyfriend's family after their super secretive downtown meeting?  Okay, now that you are all caught up, you will remember that Ross wanted to take me somewhere if I was unwanted by anyone else.  I envisioned a night out under the stars and made sure I dressed cute, which made him smile, I suppose, since he looked me up and down with a sneaky grin, but I got super confused when he drove me to a small brick building and escorted me up what resembled alley-way back stairs into a dark loft.  Only it wasn't dark and it wasn't a loft.  There were stadium like lights positioned along the walls to showcase the center of the room, where a collection of instruments poised themselves, ultimately waiting for talented fingers to snatch them up and harmonize a tune til the strings collapse from abandon use. 
    Ross pointed at a single chair, apparently set for me and slung an acoustic guitar around his neck.  After floating his fingertips along the strings as if feeling them for the first time, he lullabied me to hazy heaven with adorable remakes of silly love songs.  Then he turned serious.  "I'm going to sing you an original.  In fact....well, just listen...."
    It was beautiful. I think I cried.  "Are you going to release any of your songs ever?"
    Ross haltingly grinned and then set his guitar down.  "As long as you don't spill the beans to anyone......?"
    "What?"
    He clicked on a computer key and through the invisible stereo speakers wired somewhere in this studio contraption of a room, what sounded like a legit album track began streaming clearly.  Ross smiled, pointing his finger up towards the ceiling.  "Friday's announcement has to do with this song.  Well, a collection of our songs."
    I raised my eyebrows and waited for him to continue. When all he did was smile, I threw my hands in the air.  "Too much vagueness, Ross.  Just tell me!"
    Ross altered his voice to a whisper, as if he was worried the walls would eavesdrop our conversation and telegraph the message to the media outdoors.  "We got a record deal with Hollywood and will be releasing singles and an album soon."
    I shrieked and squealed and he drilled his eyes into me.  "Not so loud."
    I laughed.  "Why? Cause the floorboards are going to leak your secret?"  I laughed again at myself this time.  I created a pun in my retort and did not even mean to.  Ross was still just staring at me, so I jumped up from my chair, grabbed his hands and bounced around the room.  "This is such awesome news.  We should be dancing!" I swayed my hands with his, exaggerating a wave motion.
    He cracked a smile finally.  "I'm so happy to have someone besides my siblings to share this with."
    I beamed.  I was proud to be the first person he relayed the news to.  "What do we need to get prepared for Friday night?  Is that going to be the official release-to-the-public-the-news night?"  It had finally clicked in my head. 
    Ross nodded.   "Normally, it would take longer than this, but the sibs and I have been independently trying to put out songs for the last couple of years and staying up to date with technology and systems and such.  So we had demo tracks to turn in for listening and editing already."
    I smiled.  "And the album?"
    Ross walked in and out of all the various equipment scattered in the room.  "Between Riker, Rocky and I, we have enough lyrics to encompass four albums or more.  We mostly have to hit the studio seriously to blend vocals and tweak the harmonies and eliminate the non good enough tracks."
    It sounded like I would be seeing less of him in the next couple of weeks but that was okay.  I needed to keep my head on straight with my job and I did not need to worry about that yet anyhow with Friday night around the corner.  "I have the same question, though." I repeated, asking for his attention with the direction of my words.  "What needs to be done before Friday?"
    "If you mean, 'what can you do to help'?  Mom took on the job of catering finger foods and Hollywood has reserved us a place where it is to be held.  They gave us an assistant so that Mom could work with her over alignment of food and the presentation of it all with tables and guests and such.  I'm sure Mom would love to have an aid with that.  Normally, Rydel would be her right-hand person, but Rydel's got ties to the band first and foremost."
    I nodded.  "Uh, obviously.  Gotta have at least one source of estrogen flowing through the microphones."
    Ross looked at me and shook his head.  "You are something else, Laura Marano."
    I smiled.  "I hope I am. The world can only handle one of me, I promise.  And yes, I'll help your mom with any of it.  She will have to push me away if she doesn't want the aid."
.......................
The Hilton hotel banquet room that is usually simple and white had been totally transformed in a modern styled album party, lights, drinks, speakers, stages and yards of silver tablecloths. Stormie has outdone herself majorly but you could definitely tell she loved her kids and wanted the whole world to know it.
For the first hour, random people I had never seen before either set up shop among the various tables or gathered around, looking very business like. I made sure they all had something to drink and that the centerpieces were perfect. Stormie is a perfectionist, I learned through the whole debacle, so I checked and re-checked my steps for her satisfaction.
Finally I ran into Ross, looking dapper in leather jacket and combed hair. He pecked me on the cheek. "Where have you been all this time?" He quieted curiously, apparently missing me.
I smiled and leaned into him. "Verifying the perfection of your mother's hosting "
Ross shook his head. "Mom does too much. Come this way. I want you to meet someone."
He led me around tables to the stage where the rest of the band was. Rydel spotted me and smiled. She looked adorable with her blonde hair in waves, a pink mini skirt and sparkled white blouse. A cameraman stood stage left left, capturing every second. Before Ross could get me to whoever it was he was determined to introduce to me, someone announced over the center microphone to "grab your glasses and celebrate. The moment this talented group of siblings have been working towards for many years is happening before their eyes. Please welcome to the stage, Mr. Hebron Nelson, of Hollywood Records!"
The microphone was passed to a handsomely dressed business man with a heart warming smile. Ross and his siblings grinned eagerly as he approached the stand. Applause sounded and he bowed his head just a slight before waving it all away. "The clapping belongs to R5. We signed a contract with them earlier this week for their very own debut album and a single off the presses midnight Friday."
He paused and waited for the vicious cheers to calm a bit. I recognized next Friday to be exactly one week away but had total faith in the band as I was sure Ross had last night previous played for me what was to be their debut single. But Mr. Nelson was still talking and I returned my ears to paying attention.
"We are honored to be their team and the ones to make their dreams a reality. Congratulations R5 and welcome to the Hollywood family!"
Applause ensued again even though the band began to strum and play music. How could they not? Before Mr. Nelson set the microphone down, he echoed something about potential singles so the band played what sounded like a verse of this and a chorus of that.
Mr. Nelson looked pleased as he took his seat among other Hollywood Records representatives. I wondered how many of them had actually spoken to the band or just done mouth to mouth.
Eventually, R5 took a break. I stood off to the side to catch Ross. He, however, beelined straight for me.
"You sounded amazing!" Were the first words out of my mouth.
Ross laughed. "You know what's also going to be amazing?"
"What?" I asked eagerly.
Ross smiled at my innocent excitement. "In two weeks, we will in New York, playing on the Good Morning America stage!"