Melody 5 - Rising Stars

12 (iv) - Jadine

--- JADINE ---

“I should have known,” fumed Lyric.  “I thought you’d come to my flat to see how I was doing, maybe chat about old times.  Here’s a crazy idea - I even thought you might have wanted to just see me.” 

“I do want to see you,” said Jadine.

“No Jay, not see me and ask me to produce another track for you,” sighed Lyric.  “Just see me!”

Jadine knew she was asking a hell of a lot of Lyric, especially since they hadn’t been in touch since that night with Rhian and Psylence, but when it came to the band, Jadine was prepared to do whatever it took.

“I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t a big deal,” pleaded Jadine.

“Jay, I refuse to get sucked into your craziness.  I’m still working with The Aura Kicks and finally doing my own stuff again.”

“Really?” asked Jadine.

“Not as a rapper,” said Lyric.  “As a producer, with guest vocalists.”

“That’s great,” smiled Jadine.

“Yeah, it is,” said Lyric.  “So I don’t have time to…”

“Who are you working with?”

“What?”

“On your tracks,” said Jadine.  “Who are the guest vocalists?”

“Look, it’s early days, so I don’t want to say.”

“Is one of them Arianne Blixx?” probed Jadine.

Lyric sighed.  “She’s demoed a couple of tracks, yeah.”

“I bet she loved that,” sniped Jadine.

“Look, Arianne’s a good singer.”

“She’s okay,” conceded Jadine.  “So has she tried to get back with you yet?”

“Look, you pretty much told me that you had no interest in me…”

“Ah!” smiled Jadine.  “You’ve tried to get back with her.”

“No!” said Lyric.  “Look Jay, it’s none of your business who I’m with or what I do with them.”

She knew Lyric was right.  She had no right to ask who he was hanging out, professionally or otherwise.  Even so, she couldn’t help feeling riled at the thought of Arianne Blixx slinking back into his life.

“Fine,” sighed Jadine.  “Look, I know you said you didn’t want to see me again if we couldn’t be together, but this is important.”

“Jay, I’m painfully aware that Melody 5 is more important than anything or anyone else in your life!”

Jadine felt the sting of his words, but refused to be deterred.

“Please, Lyric.  It would really help Rhian and get back at Psylence.”

Jadine could sense his interest was piqued and hastily carried on.

“It’s a diss track about Psylence,” explained Jadin.  “Have you seen his video with Rhian that’s doing the rounds?”

“Who hasn’t seen it?” said Lyric.  “It’s all over the internet!”

“So the girls and I wrote a diss track to help Rhian get over what happened,” enthused Jadine. 

“Well done you,” said Lyric, clearly not eager to find out more.

“But it’s so good, we want to use it to put down Psylence and perform it at the Festival.”

“That’s in two days!” said Lyric.

“I know, so we need a storming hot backing track - as soon as!”

Jadine was almost breathless with excitement.  Although she wasn’t thrilled about why Melody 5 were getting so much publicity – namely because of Psylence’s video and Amy’s steamy dates with Jake Miskew – it was great for their online viewing figures.  And Lena had even heard rumours that the Festival organisers were considering bumping them up to the main stage.  So why wasn’t Lyric more excited for them?

“Jay, I’ve got to move on with my life,” said Lyric.  “I can’t be a bit player in yours when it suits you.”

“You’re not a bit player,” said Jadine softly, changing tactics and taking a step closer to him.  “Far from it.  It’s complicated with you and me, that’s all.”

“Jay,” said Lyric, lowering his voice.  “I can’t.”

Jadine sensed that Lyric wouldn’t budge and knew there was nothing else for it.

“Then you leave me no choice.” 

Jadine took another step closer until their faces were almost touching.  The scent of him reminded of her of the night she’d slept in his bed next to a restless Rhian. 

“Jay, don’t mess with me,” warned Lyric.

“I’m not,” she said softly, as she gently glided her hand down his taut chest.  “They’re going to mess with you.”

She quickly stepped back and opened his front door.  Quick as a flash, in bounded Amy, Molly, Rhian and Kat.  Within seconds they were jumping all over him.

“Lyric, please do it!”

“Come on, pleeeeease!”

“Pretty please with a cherry on top!!”

“Lyric, you’re our lucky charm!”

“Lyric, we’ll love you forever and ever!”

“Lyric, you’ve got to do this!”

“Psylence is a total wanker and this track will totally put him in his place!”

“STOP!  NOW!” yelled Lyric.

All the girls backed off and held their breath.  Lyric looked over at Jadine, who raised her eyebrows hopefully.

“Okay, I’ll do it,” he said.

They all let out a cheer.

“On one condition,” added Lyric.

“Anything, anything,” chorused the girls.

“Jadine goes on a date with me.”

Everyone turned to look at her.

“No way!” she cried.

“Then no track,” said Lyric bluntly.  “See ya!”

“Hang on a sec,” trilled Jadine.

She could feel five sets of eyes burning into her, all waiting for her to change her mind.  She didn’t like being cornered like this, but what could she do?

“Fine, one date,” she said.  “But after the Festival!”

“Oh, this is so romantic,” cooed Rhian.

“Hardly,” said Jadine.  “I’m being blackmailed.”

“Because you had to think about it for such a long time,” teased Amy.

“Up yours,” shot back Jadine. 

“Maybe you could double-date with Amy and Jake?” teased Kat.

“No thanks!” said Jadine brusquely.  “Right, let’s record this track.”

Jadine marched into Lyric’s front room.  “Where’s all your gear?”

Lyric grinned.  “The Aura Kicks let me use their studio now.”

“Perfect,” smiled Jadine.

She had a feeling everything was finally going to work out for them.