From School Girl To Superstar

Chapter Seven Official Debut

Marinette's POV

Things were going smoothly, I had finished recording all of the songs for my first album and Vanessa had already arranged the concert hall and all the interviews for the following weeks. Everything was falling into place for the next few months which were going to be busy.

I was working with a choreographer for one of my other songs on the album. It was faster and much more powerful than most of the other songs, but despite that, it was my favorite. During this time I was also working on my stamina and keeping my voice stable while singing and dancing. I wanted to put on the best concerts possible and not many singers do this kind of thing anymore, so I think that it would be interesting.

My choreographer instructed me patiently, keeping my movements to the beat of the song and tone of the lyrics. I had originally told him that I wanted to keep my choreography appropriate for my age, I never saw the point in trying to be older than what you were, so my idea is that my music and style will mature along with me. I don't want to stir up controversy by acting, dressing, and dancing like I'm an adult.

Vanessa comes in just as we are about to go through the choreography entirely to makes sure that I have it down. She's staring at her tablet while simultaneously writing severely things down in her notebook. She looks up at me. "Marinette, great news. We finally have a set date for your official solo debut!" she bounced happily with a smile on her face. I bounce on my heels.

"Finally, took them long enough. We can talk about this in a minute, I have to go through this choreo." I respond. She nods and sits down, continuing to write things down. I nod to the choreographer and he nods back. I quickly get into position as he starts the music.

I panted after the fact, my heart hammering against my chest. Amazingly enough, my stamina had risen high enough that I wasn't completely dying, but my muscles were shouting in protest nonetheless. I looked at Vanessa who was clapping with a smile on her face. I walked toward her. "You've improved so much in the past few weeks. Which is great because your debut is in three days." I froze.

"Excuse me?!" I was shocked. I knew that the end of the summer was coming up, but I had no idea they would schedule it this soon.

"I know Mari, I was pretty surprised too, but they genuinely think that you are ready," she said, putting her hand on my shoulder. I took a deep breath. I needed to pull myself together, I trust everyone here, and they would never want me to fail. If they thought that I was ready, then I had to be ready. I gave Vanessa a smile.

"Alright then, let's get to work!"

Adrien's POV

I sat in the backroom of a TV studio, pretty out of it. I had finally gone to that interview that I had missed constantly, Nadhia seemed happy to see me but I could tell that she was confused by how much we had pushed it back. She came to ask me about it after the show and I told her that several other arrangements just came up and couldn't be moved.

I took a swig from a bottle of water and my thoughts wandered to Marinette. She hasn't called me all week and I worried about her for a bit before I remembered that she was working on an album, so I left it alone.

My phone started ringing and I picked it up, not looking at the caller ID. Mainettes frantic voice came from the other end, speaking a mile a minute. I sat up and called to her.

"Whoa, slow down Princess. What's going on?" I hear her take a deep breath.

"My official debut is in three days." I freeze

"Hold up, say that again?" I wasn't sure I heard her right.

"Adrien, you heard me correctly, and I am just as shocked as you are."

"But how could they have made it so soon, you've been working on it for less than a month!?"

"They think that I'm ready, and I trust their judgment, " she said, her voice sounding completely calm and trusting. I sighed.

"Personally, I would've waited until you feel that you were ready."

"Sure and then that official debut would never see the light of day." she laughs.

"That's true." I laugh along with her. "So, do you think that you're ready for how much work you'll get after this?" I hear her sigh over the phone.

"I have no choice, but I'm gonna do my best."

Tomas' POV

Sitting in my apartment and chewing on the end of a pencil, I looked at the notebook page full of half-completed lyrics. I ignore the opening of my door and call out I whoever just walked in.

"If this has something to do with my paycheck just put it on the kitchen island please."

"Wow, ok rich guy, " a familiar voice called out to me. I turned around to see Luka standing there in a leather jacket, a white shirt, and blue jeans.

"Oh, sorry man, " I laughed sheepishly. "Hey, where have you been? I haven't seen you in two weeks." His teasing expression falls, replaced by a disturbingly serious one.

"You know exactly where I've been Tomas..." I sigh and put my notebook and pencil to the side. Luka sits beside me, putting his head in his hands. "Nothing happened again, thank god."

"What did you do?" I asked him, rubbing his back in slow circles.

"I just kept to myself and stayed in the corners, no one noticed me..." He sighs heavily. "I hate this."

"Then why are you still here..?"

"Because MR has the best opportunities for young artists. As much as I hate the things that are in my contract, what is being offered to me in terms of getting big in this industry is an offer I'll never get again."

He was completely right. MR is the biggest record label in France, which meant that we had the highest number of successful artists under our belts. MR has more connections in this industry than anyone, which is why most people dream of getting the opportunity to be signed to the label or even just work here in general.

But that also came up with many darker corners of the company that only those who are involved in it know about it. Luka looked at me.

"You know that your time is coming up Tomas, you'll have to get involved, it's in the contract."

"Yeah," I sighed. "I know that, and Mari will have to as well." Luka shuddered.

"She wouldn't be safe there. No way in hell. She wouldn't be the same angel that we know, and that scares me."

"Yeah, me too Luka," I sighed heavily.

"You can't keep this from her, sooner or later shes going to find out, and she'll be mad at you because you didn't tell her." I sighed.

"But either way, I have to keep it from her, that's also in my contract. But in any way, this isn't going to end well Luka, I need to keep her out of the loop for as long as I can, it's better for her"