The Singer and Her Bodyguard

Walking Away

Thoughts and prayers are being sent out to you guys right now! Love you all!
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"You two broke into my house, stole my cd, and replaced it. You broke my statue, you hacked my camera system. Do either of you realize how much trouble I could get you into right now?" Larry scolded them both.

"You have no proof." Josh told him. Maya looked at him like he was crazy. Larry snapped his gaze over at them.

"What?" He glared at Josh. "What did you say?" He asked him. Josh stood his ground.

"You cant prove that it was us. You're just assuming. Its our word against yours." Josh stated. Maya closed her eyes and sighed.

"Maybe I wont be able to prove that it was you two, but I am still your manager." He pointed his finger at Maya.

"You wouldn't let me do my own music, make my own stuff! So I decided to take my life back, and if you're not careful Larry, you might not be my manager any longer." Maya informed him. Larry pursed his lips together.

"You're right. You're absolutely right. You know, being a manager is a wonderful thing. I get to make all kinds of decisions when it comes to your career. Like for example, if you want to go on this world tour, if you want to play the music that you wrote, and more importantly if you dont want me to go to the police with this story that I have, then you'll have to do what I want."

"Are you blackmailing me?" Maya asked shocked. Josh glared even more.

"Maya if you want to make your own music, you want to write your own stud and produce your own sound. Then he has to go. No more being your bodyguard, and no going on the world tour." Larry told her.

"No wa-"

"Maya stop." Josh interrupted. Maya snapped her head at him as her eyes went wide in shock. "Is that really what its going to come down to. You're seriously going to make her choose between me or her own music?" Josh asked him.

"If that's what it really takes." He crossed his arms. Josh nodded his head slowly.

"Well then, I'm about to make it easy for her." He told him. He looked over at Maya who was shaking her head at him. "Good luck on your tour, Maya." Josh walked out of the room.

"Josh!" Maya called after him. "I cant believe you." She glared at Larry. "The first chance I get, I'm getting a new manager." She told him. Larry scoffed.

"You cant fire me, kid. You're under contract. Besides, your parents have to be the ones to have the final say. And what are you going to tell them? You fired me after you broke into my house and fell in love with your bodyguard?" He raised his eyebrow at her. Maya shook her head before taking off out the door and down the hallway. She went down the steps and rushed outside to catch Josh.

"Josh!" She yelled after him. He turned around and stared at her.

"I'm not going to be the reason you have to give up your music, Maya. I wouldn't be able to live with myself." He told her.

"You said it yourself! Larry has no proof that we were the ones that broke into his house! Its our word against his!" She argued.

"I'm not worried about that, Maya!" He exclaimed as he walked closer towards her. "You dont think that a story like that could ruin your career? Sure you wouldn't get in trouble for it, but do you really think any other manager in this town would be able to trust you enough to take you on? It would ruin your career, and no matter what Larry would still get what he wants. I'm not going to be the reason that happens."

"You wont be! That would be my decision!" She yelled at him.

"For as long as I have been here, all you have talked about is creating your own sound. Wanting to release your own music other then having Larry be the boss of it all. Nobody should take that away from you." He countered. He handed her the keys to the car and turned to walk away.

"But none of that means anything to me if I dont have you by my side!" She yelled out. "Dont you get it, Josh? I love you!"

Silence filled the air. Josh had stopped walking but kept his back turned. The last time one of them had said those words, it had been him out of instinct. She didnt say it back, he hadnt expected her to, and neither one of them had brought it up again afterwards. Sighing as he turned around and stared at her.

"I love you, too. Thats why I'm walking away." He admitted. He turned back around and continued up the street.

Maya bit her lip as she tried to keep tears from falling down her face. She didnt want to cry, not now anyway. Her fists tightened and she felt like hitting something... or someone.

The door of the studio opened and Larry took a deep breath as he stepped beside Maya.

"It's for the best, you know." He told her. "He was just distracting." Maya shook her head as she turned towards him.

"I wrote and produced that cd. I wouldnt have been able to do it if it werent for Josh. You heard the label, they loved it. This is going to bring so much glory on you, so why are you doing this to me?" Her voice broke as she stared at him.

"One day you're going to thank me. Maybe it will be after this world tour, but you'll see. It's better this way." Larry placed a hand on her shoulder but Maya shrugged it off.

"I'm done for the day." She said bitterly. Larry didnt say anything. Maya walked over and got into her car. She rolled the window down and looked out one more time. "I will find a way to get you off my back. Mark my words." Larry just stared at her as Maya rolled the window back up and drove away.
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