57. "I want to be famous."

                                    

                                          
"No. Do it again." He spoke through the speaker, and I shoved the headphones off. Glaring through the window, I lifted my arms to ask why, and he just shook his head.
"What am I missing? I did it twice  already." I asked, wiping sweat off my forehead. Looking into the camera I placed in front of me, I sighed. We, of course, decided to film these recording sessions, not of anyone else, just in the booth of me to add as bts videos later on. 
"You don't sound sad enough. Or even desperate enough." His voice boomed through.
"Well, I am fucking sad and desperate right now, so I'm sure it sounds perfect." I snapped and then bit my lips. "I'm sorry. Rough morning." I sighed, and he gave me a small smile.
"I watched your live last night. I assumed, and by the looks of it, my assumption is right? Want to talk?" He asked and then stood up, but I quickly shook my head.
"No, thank you. Really. But I just need to sing." I put the headphones back on and gave him a weak smile, and he sat back down.
"Okay. Last try."
***
"You did well. It sounds perfect. You sound great." Leeroy sat next to me on the sofa, a glass of whiskey in his hand.
"Thank you. It was difficult to let the emotions out but not enough to start crying. I almost did, near the end." I laughed awkwardly, and he joined in. Then the door opened and Calvin, Jason, and another guy I didn't recognize walked in. Stopping at the sight of me, they stared, as if waiting for an explanation or invitation.
"I'm recording." I answered, scanning them all up and down as they scanned me. I was in a sweatpants and oversized shirt today, all black. Like my insides right now.
"Can we join? We're bored. And got kicked out of my house because my boyfriend has an old friend over, and we apparently made a lot of noise." Jason shook his head, his muscular arms crossed over his big chest. As I stared at his arms, I thought of Changbin since he was basically the same size.
"Yeah, sure. It's a long day. I booked the studio for all the free time he was willing to give. Which is a lot. So I'll be here a lot." I tried giving them a wide smile, but it felt like it cracked my lips and tore my cheeks, so I just gave up. Leaning over, I took Leroy's glass from his other hand. Ignoring his incredulous stare, I took a sip before handing it back.
"The nerve of this girl." He shook his head, and I shrugged.
"You used to always offer me a sip if I didn't have a glass." I said as an answer as I stood up. Looking down at the three boys on the other two sofas, I smiled and walked to the desk he works at while recording.
"Since we're done with 'Drivers License,' can I start practicing the one I spoke of last night?"
"Last night? What did we miss?" Calvin teased, and I rolled my eyes as Leeroys chuckled.
"No, you perv. I went live and teased a song I also wrote yesterday. He watched." I explained and turned back around with the lyrics page and a pen.
"How long does it take to write?" Unknown guy asked, his voice so deep and raspy that my eyes shot to his green ones. His golden skin almost sparkled, and his hair was shaved close to the skull. He was very handsome, but in an Italian mafia movie kind of way.
"I'm Elle. You are?" I introduced myself as I sat back down next to Leeroy.
"Chase. Chase Jenkins." He smiled, and I smiled back, a blush rising for some reason.
"Well, Chase. It usually takes us an hour or two. The longest was three. The shortest was last night when it took me twenty minutes." I grinned as everyone grew wide-eyed. My ego rising higher.