CODA

Seven

"My hands will not stop shaking." Carter whispers to Olive as they wait to be called in for their meeting.

"Take a deep breath, Car. We got this remember." Oli grins, reaching to squeeze Carter's hand. "Just like Calum or Luke. Deep breaths, they're all just humans."

"Right." Carter nods, bitting the inside if her lip as she thinks of Calum. No one knows about the kiss, no one knows she let him kiss her. That it was a great kiss, that his lips lingered the perfect amount of time against hers to make her whole body tingle and warm up. No one knows that the scent of coconut and stale smoke has been on her mind for the last thirty-six hours. No one knows, and for now she's going to keep it her little secret.

Her thought is interupted as her phone vibrates in her lap, turning it to find none other than Calum's contact on her screen.

Calum

Good luck, Car. Let
me know how the
meeting goes.
Remember, you
deserve this. 🖤😙

thank you. I'm
trying to stay
calm. I don't think
I've ever been this
nervous in my life.

I'm taking you to
dinner Friday to
celebrate okay?
Just us?

Are you asking me
on a date, Hood?

Definitely. Don't
turn me down.
Please...

What if we don't get
the label deal?

We still need to
eat Friday night.
Dinner? I'll pick
you up at 7?

I'll be ready.

"Aniston is ready for you ladies now." Carter quickly shuts off her phone, leading the girls past the receptionist into the office.

"Good morning, ladies. I am Aniston White, one of the talent scouts for Hollywood Records, in association with Republic Records." The middle aged woman stands, shaking hands with each girl as they introduce themselves.

"Please have a seat." She motions, taking her own behind the large oak desk. "Now, Carter and I spoke quite a bit on Saturday evening, and she told me about your band and mission with your platform should you get one. It's unique. It hasn't been done before, and it is definitely something that has piqued the interest of many of us here within the building. I have friends in the industry already competing for your band to work with their own artists, and you're not even signed yet. So why don't we work on changing that." Her face breaks into a smile as she says it.

"We would love to show you why we should be signed." Delanee nods.

"I heard the two originals you girls sang Saturday evening. And it sounded like you have more done or partially done as well?"

"We have one that we have nearly perfected. Along with many partials. Carter has been working exceptionally hard to get some songs to final stages for us before today." Ava nods.

"Do you have the lyrics or music to any of those for me to see?"

"I have my notebook with the completed, or nearly so, marked." Carter nods, pulling it from her bag. "As well as some home recorded demos."

"And the one we are almost ready to start playing is here." Olive adds, handing over her book as well.

The girls steal glances at each other as Aniston looks through the pages of Carter's book, tapping her fingers or nodding her head as she looks over the lyrics and music. The room a deathly silent as they wait.