We Made You || An Eminem FanFiction

Negotiations & Sarcasim

May 2009

I sat in the large office looking around, my eyes landing on every single platinum and diamond plaques decorating the walls.

"So basically, you want to put two recovering alcoholics together in close proximity for a long period of time? Sure, this is going to end well" His sarcasm laced voice said, cutting through the silence of the room.

"Marshall this could do well for both your careers, publicity-wise, the underdog gets on top again after the hiatus" Paul, his manager said "You could use the story of helping each other through a dark time"

"That would mean we'd have to look in love, even in a relationship, I don't look in love Paul, this isn't going to work, it's fucking stupid" He said, eyes falling on me, my skin prickled under his hard angry gaze "No offense Harley Quinn, you're hot enough and all"

"I think it could work" Audrey, my Manager said finally speaking up.

"This is humiliating"

Everyone turned and looked at me.

"It's not meant to make you feel.."

"We're both recovering addicts, I had a very public meltdown that I'm still trying to get past, and suddenly you're trying to lob us together in a house and expect the world to believe that a country singer and a rapper fell in love? Through what? AA meetings?" I said, frowning at the idea.

Marshall smirked and sat back.

"Harley, it won't pan out like that" Audrey sighed "If anything this is what can bring two strangers together"

"And you're saying we really don't have a choice... as human beings?"

"There is room for negotiation... sorry to say, but both your labels are... dead set on it"

"This is fucking wack, it's not going to work, no one will believe this" Marshall snorted rolling his eyes picking up the contract to read again "I hope you like missionary Harley Quinn, because rumor has it I'm really bad in bed"

I wish he'd stop calling me that.

"How long?" I groaned.

"They want us to aim for a year, then see how both your careers are at this point"

"And what's that suppose to mean?" Marshall sneered, eyes narrowing "I'm pretty sure mines doing just fine, why the hell do the label heads seem to think I need to have a woman in my life in order to be better?"

"It's not that Marshall" Paul sighed scratching his beard "It's about sales, they're hoping it will gain you more country and female fans"

"Pauline" Marshall said dropping the contract back down and closing his hands together "If the women don't like me up until now, hate to break it to you, they never will"

"Fronting as a couple will help that, women will see you with sweetheart Harley and won't be intimidated by your body of work"

"You're fucking with me right?" Marshall snorted, raising his eyebrows and poking his cheek with his tongue turning back to Paul "She's fucking with me right?"

"This will work Marshall, you have to trust us"

"First you want a complete stranger to move in with me then you want me to cut my balls off and act like some loved up weirdo for the sake of a few more sales? What the fuck?"

"He's right" I said, once again gaining everyone's attention.

I wish they wouldn't do that.

"let's just get down to the negotiation and rules for now, shall we? There are a few things we have to run through"

"Wait... they've got rules now? On a fake relationship??"

"Yes, two big ones, first one is no infidelity"

"What the fuck" Marshall grunted standing up "Its not a real fucking relationship, how the fuck do I get off?"

"They don't want to risk one of your groupies or god knows what spilling the beans, so make friends with your hand"

"Second is telling the arrangement to anyone outside, it's forbidden and will result in fines and consequences with the label contracts"

More groaning as Marshall slumped down into his seat deeper.

"Marshall a lot of other celebrities have done this"

"Faked a whole ass relationship for sales?"

"Yep"

"I heard Kim Kardashian did it with that basketballer" I said quietly.

I trusted Audrey to make good decisions for me as my manager, but this one seemed so... unreal.

I don't know how it was going to work, we're completely different people.

———

I sat in the car on the way back to my home, I was exhausted for sitting and negotiating terms between Marshall and I all afternoon.

I wish I could have a strong drink and pass out, but couldn't.

I would have to have a bath and hope to God it would help my insomnia.

"It will be worth it" Audry said coming from next to me "He's not that bad of a guy"

"He literally has a song of him killing his ex-wife" I said quietly, staring out the window.

"That was years ago"

"Well, if you can't find me, check his basement"

Audrey laughed and went back to watching the road out the window, as we pulled up and drive through the gate of my home.

Country music star Harleen Aldridge, once the top-selling country music artist of 2006 until she had a nervous breakdown at an awards show and made a complete spectacle of herself.

I use to drink so heavily id wake up in weird places, thank God no one ever found out except for my manager.

After my meltdown, most of my family disowned me from embarrassment and now I'm here.

In my big old house.

Lonely and one year sober.

The hard part is that my demons keep telling me the sobriety is all good and well when you have loved ones to share the happy moments with.

I don't have either really.

I waved to Audrey as I made my way up.to my front door, opening it to be greeted by the silence of my home.

God, I hope this whole thing worked smoothly and we didn't hate each other because I would be leaving the comfort of my own home to live at his massive probably equally as lonely house.

With nothing to do and the demons screaming for a drink, I headed to the studio for a few hours to work on my record.

I was so close to finishing it, just in time for its release in a few weeks, I was only 3 songs away.

After the day I've had, I didn't feel like singing, I felt like screaming.