15th September
Aisha’s POV
Album releasing time!
So excited! So, I had no idea what to do outfit wise, and am so very grateful for my best friend, and her job because…Vogue! I end up in a white blouse with a red pleated skirt, a leather jacket on top to make the look more casual.
“Nope. You’ve been seen in white blouses and skater skirts too much, you need to change.” My publicist says, phoning me up the second I send her a pic of my outfit, as she requested.
“But-”
“No but’s, change.” Her tone changes as she goes onto say: “Make a statement.” She says before hanging up. I roll my eyes, but it’s fine, I know how stressed she is today, she’s allowed to be rude. Usually she’s absolutely lovely.
“Annie! I’ve got to change, my publicist doesn’t like it.” I call to her, and I hear her loud sigh and huff, before she gets up and makes her way over to me.
“What’d she say?” She asks, walking into my room.
“That I’ve been seen in white blouses and skater skirts too much and I need to make a statement.”
“Ugh, okay fine. Let’s make a statement.” Annie replies, her voice switching from annoyance to determination fairly quickly. I crack a smile as she wonders about, holding different combinations of clothing against me before tossing them to the side in disdain, or placing them on the bed as a possibility.
“Okay. Let’s see what she thinks of this,” Annie waves a short red pleated dress, with the perfect hint of daring and professionalism in it in front of me. My jaw goes momentarily slack at the perfection before I get up, quickly stripping of my shirt and slipping on the dress.
I slip off my original skirt and Annie quickly puts a pair of black tights in my hand. “You need to casualise it, and tights always do the job.” She explains quickly as I slip them on, smiling as she starts sifting through jewellery choices.
Finally settling on a silver bracelet, and an absolutely stunning necklace, with, again the perfect amount of casual-ness in it to make it work. Damn I love Annie sometimes.
“Come on,” I pull Annie out when she’s finally finished perfecting my outfit and her own. “We’re going to be late, for my own album release.” I laugh.
She follows me out and we’re soon at the venue. Before I know it, I’m rushed through and am put up on stage to sing for the masses of crowds out in front of the stage. I can hardly believe so many people are here.
“Oh my gosh guys, this is absolutely amazing.” I exclaim as I reach the mic. “I don’t know if you guys know how many people are in the crowd right now, because I know it’s hard to tell-been there, done that-but I am finding it difficult to comprehend the fact that so many of you give a shit about what I do!” I pause, realising what I’d just said. “Ooh, can I say that?” I look around for an answer and Karen just smiles, nodding and rolling her eyes at me slightly.
“Okay cool,” I laugh. “So, hello. I’m Aisha, for anyone who doesn’t know,” I wave a little. “And today is mega, mega exciting because I’m releasing my solo album today!” I can’t keep the smile of my face at the time.
“Before my hand falls off from signing CD’s, I’ve been told to perform two pieces from the album. So, after lots and lots of inner debating; I’ve finally come to the decision of singing ‘Living in The Moment’ (A/N Jason Mraz, but in this it’s Aisha’s own song XD), and performing the piece I know everyone’s eager to hear: Incomplete Perfection.” (Cory’s piece).
“So here goes,” I say, picking up my acoustic from the side of the stage and taking a seat on the stool, fiddling with the mic until it was perfect. I’d decided on going full bad for this performance, so I asked in some favours from some old NYU friends, including Mark (the guy from the impromptu Subway performance that Chris made famous) who plays the drums too.
For the album, I recorded every part separately and layered it, doing it all myself, but I physically can’t do that for this performance.
I start the whistling intro, going on for eight bars before starting the lyrics.
If this life is one act
Why do we lay all these traps?
We put them right in our path
When we just wanna be free
I will not waste my days
Making up all kinds of ways
To worry about all the things
That will not happen to me
So I just let go of what I know I don't know
And I know I'll only do this by
I smile as the drums kick in properly, and know that Mark’s got a goofy smile on his face, bopping his head with the beat without even looking at the guy.
Living in the moment
Living our life
Easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
With peace in my heart
Peace in my soul
Wherever I'm going, I'm already home
Living in the moment
I'm letting myself off the hook for things I've done
I let my past go past
And now I'm having more fun
I'm letting go of the thoughts
That do not make me strong
And I believe this way can be the same for everyone
And if I fall asleep
I know you'll be the one who'll always remind me
To live in the moment
To live my life
Easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
With peace in my heart
Got peace in my soul
Wherever I'm going, I'm already home
I can't walk through life facing backwards
I have tried
I tried more than once to just make sure
And I was denied the future I'd been searching for
But I spun around and hurt no more
By living in the moment
Living my life
Easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
(A/N-Aisha put’s an instrumental part here instead)
“Okay, so I think I should introduce the awesome band behind me.” I say, just strumming the correct chords so I don’t lose focus as the rest of them improvise around me. There’s a sudden pause, as rehearsed, as Mark is the only one playing, a steady, simple beat, no more.
Getting up and swinging my guitar onto my back, I take the mic and move to the side so Mark can be seen before going to say: “Sometimes on the sax, sometimes on the drums, we have Mark James on the drums!” I say to loud applause. “Yes, he’s the guy from the subway performance,” I add to laughter and louder cheering. “Oh, and back-up vocals too!” I add, realising I’d forgotten to say it.
“Um, next we have the lovely Lucy Stirling on the piano,” I wave my arms towards Lucy, a friend who I had initially not gotten along with in freshmen year, as she comes in with a sweet swinging movement setting the build-up as I move on.
“And we have the awesome Anna McKenzie on Bass, and back-up vocals,” I indicate the tomboy/rock chick girl on the far side of the stage as she comes in with a simple bass line to match Lucy’s piano.
“Finally, last but not least, we have Cam May on the electric guitar,” I barely manage to get this out before he slams his entrance in, picking the song up again.
I go back to my stool, strumming back in as we start the chorus up again, Mark and Anna backing me up as I sing over with the main tune, just running with it.
I'm living in the moment
I'm living my life
Just taking it easy
With peace in my mind
Got peace in my heart
Got peace in my soul
Oh, wherever I'm going, I'm already home
I'm living in the moment
I'm living my life
Oh, easy and breezy
With peace in my mind
Peace in my heart
Peace in my soul
Wherever I'm going, I'm already home
I'm living in the moment
We finish on a happy ending; I smile as we all hit the final chord at the same time as the cymbals crash. It was pretty much perfect as endings go.
“Okay, a massive thank you to the band, for coming to help me at such a short notice.” I say as they take it as their cue to walk off stage.
“Now,” I get up, letting people wonder around behind me, setting up for the next piece as I talk. “This is one of my newer pieces, and it’s one that means a lot to me and quite a few other people too.
“So I want to dedicate it to those people, and my dear friend, Cory Monteith,” I say, looking up to where I can feel him looking over us.
I move over to the piano. I had debated on whether I wanted to perform with another person, but I didn’t want to. I’m going to do this Piano only; the fans can hear the flute when they hear the album.
So, after a final glance at Darren, who’s stood at the side of the stage, a reassuring and proud smile on his face, I press down on the keys, and start the piece. As I play an unusual feeling comes over me. It’s almost as if I know where I am, but I’m not fully there at the same time. But it’s a good feeling, so I let it happen, as I keep playing, my eyes fluttering shut upon instinct, which seems to really take me away from my current situation.
I keep playing, but it doesn’t feel like I’m telling my hands to do anything, they’re just moving upon instinct. Heck, I don’t even know if I’m playing the same piece or not, but somehow my mind isn’t focusing on that. I feel more like I’m floating, on the edge of falling as I finish the piece with a final few high notes. I hadn’t finished on a chord, as it felt too complete then.
I slowly open my eyes, looking to the audience and smiling slightly, murmuring a thank you at the loud applause.
As I rise, trying to snap my brain back into the present and the now, Karen walks onto stage and starts talking, directing the crowds of people to where they need to go, as I slip of stage, and straight into Darren.
“Woah there, I know it’s bright out there, but you can’t be going blind on me. It’s not that dark back here, right? Righ-Are you okay?” He asks suddenly, and I know I must look like a madwoman, with the no doubt dazed expression I have on.
“Yeah, yeah,” I answer. “I just-something weird happened out there, when I was performing Incomplete Perfection. I felt as though I wasn’t consciously there; I wasn’t fully present on stage. It was…something,” I finish.
“Whatever happened, it’s only opened you up as a performer, it seems. I’d embrace it. And me, because I’m really proud of you,” He adds cheekily, hugging me as I wrap my arms around his neck.
“Thank you,” I murmur.
“Anytime,” He replies, before picking me up in the hug, spinning around, making me laugh.
“Aisha?” Karen calls to me, having just come of stage, and I slip out of Darren’s arms to turn to her. “You have a 10 minute break as we get fans situated, before you need to be in the signing room.” She tells me and I thank her before turning back to Darren.
“I need to change; shall I meet you in my next break? Lunch, I think?” I ask him.
“I would love to,” He replies, and I meet his lips for a few moments before I pull away and spin off to my dressing room.
I had this outfit planned out, I’d been told to go casual or prepare for major uncomfortableness, so I was definitely getting out of this dress. Six minutes later, my hair’s free from its bun and flowing down my back in small waves, and I’m in a pair of deep red skinnies, a white shirt and my black leather jacket.
I touch up my make-up, just double checking for smudges and such before taking my phone and walking out. I quickly send off a text to Annie about how it went as she’d been asking, before replying to Chris, who’d been asking a similar question.
“Aisha, great, right, sit here please.” Karen quickly guides me, before letting my bodyguards do the rest. I know. I know, bodyguards, but I have to have them apparently. Mine are very sweet; I’m good friends with both Cassy, and John. “Hey guys!” I say as I take my place.
Cassy waits till I take my place before she starts briefing my, like usual. “Okay. John and I will be rotating, so whilst I’m with you, he will first check everything’s in order before taking a break nearby, and I’ll do the same when we swap. Sound good?”
“Yeah,” I nod. “How often are you guys going to be switching?”
“About every hour and a half, I’m in here first,” John tells me, and I nod smiling.
“Cool. Thank you, guys,” I tell them, and we fall into a general conversation for the next three minutes before it’s time to start letting fans in.
“Here goes any movement in my left hand for the next week,” I murmur good naturedly, making John laugh as I pick up the pen and start signing to fans as they come, smiling and laughing. As much as my arm is going to hurt, the happy rush I’m getting from it is definitely worth it.
After lunch
“Jasper!” I exclaim, seeing the guy walking into the room, a massive smile on his face, with someone else with him. I get up out of my seat quickly, leaning over the desk to hug him, he seems momentarily taken aback by the fact that I remembered him, but he quickly falls into the hug. “How are you?” I ask.
“I-I’m brilliant! And you?”
“I’m good too! And who’s this?” I smile, looking over to the guy next to him. My gaze falls to their linked hands, making me smile wider.
“Aisha, this is my boyfriend: Alex,” Jasper quickly introduces.
“It’s lovely to meet you!” I say, looking pointedly to Jasper as I say it in a very dramatic manner, which makes his gaze fall to the floor, his lip being sucked and it's sweet.
“And you!” He says, glancing at Jasper who’s now blushing as I start to sign the CD’s after a pointed jab in my back by Cassy. I playfully stick my tongue out at her, making her laugh, returning the gesture before turning back. There are three CD’s in total. “Who to?” I inquire, glancing up.
“Jasper, Amy and Alex,” Alex quickly fills in with a smile, and I nod gratefully, quickly signing of the CD’s.
“Amy’s my sister.” Jasper adds.
“The artist?” I ask, smiling up at him.
“The very one,” He replies.
“I’d love to meet her someday. Compliment her talents,” I tell him.
“I think she’d love that too, I’ll try my best for your next show,” He says, thinking to himself more than addressing me it seems, and I smile at the sweet sight.
I finish signing and take a sip of my green tea; my voice had started going hoarse about half an hour ago, before replying. “I look forward to it.” I reply before they’re ushered out and the next round of fans come in.