October 4, 2009

[Scarlett]

I sat in a chair in the studio that evening, waiting for Nick to get off the phone. He was walking back and forth in the recording room and I could probably easily just hit a button and listen to what he was saying, but with my luck it was probably something I didn't want to hear.

Nick was fully starting work on his second solo album and wanted me to help him on it. I had helped him on a few songs on his first solo album when we were younger, but since then, we'd both learned a lot more about everything. Plus, it was kind of nice to have some time alone with him without Piper around. It seemed like we didn't get much done with her around in the studio and that wasn't her fault, but she just didn't get the music side of stuff even though she had a good voice herself.

I jumped a little, seeing Nick throw his cell phone against the wall in the recording room and started making his way back to the mixing room where I was.

"Remind me tomorrow to go and get a new fucking phone," he hissed as he flounced down in the chair. "My whole mood is fucked now." I just sat there, not saying anything. "Why can't my family be normal like yours or Piper's?"

"Mine's not that normal, Nick, you know that," I said as he made a face. "Just forget about them and let's work before Piper gets here and distracts us."

"You got all of the lyrics we wrote?"

"Yeah, they're on my laptop there," I said as I watched Nick grab my laptop out of my bag and sat it in his lap before opening the lid. "I went to go put in the music into the system that Nick had already done himself when he cleared his throat. "What?"

"What's this?" he asked, turning the laptop around to show lyrics I made been playing with the night before. "Is this something new because I don't think I could sing this..."

"Ugh, give it here," I said, leaning over to take my laptop from him.

"He looks around the room... innocently overlooks the truth," Nick said, reciting the lyrics. "Shouldn't a light go on? Doesn't he know that I've had him memorized for so long?"

"Give it here!"

"He sees everything black and white, never let nobody see him cry, I don't let nobody see me wishing he was mine."

"Give it here," I hissed, snatching my laptop out of his hands. "Jesus, I left it up last night or something. That's not what you're recording tonight."

"Or people I would think I was gay," he chuckled. "Who's the guy?" I ignored him and went to go find the lyrics that we had written. "Come on, who is it? Do I know him?"

"Here's the lyrics," I said, turning the laptop around to face him. "These are the lyrics you should be thinking about."

"But I want to know who you're crushing on..." he begged, almost looking like a little kid who wanted to know a secret. "Is it that guy you opened up for on this tour? That country guy?"

"It's just a song! Now let's work before Piper gets here," I hissed as he rolled his eyes and started to take the laptop into the recording room.

"I'll find out your secrets," he muttered, walking into the room and sitting the laptop down on a stool in front of him. "Usually you tell me everything and now you're all keeping a secret."

"I can hear you!"

"I hope you can!" he hissed back. "You like somebody and won't tell me!"

"Do we want to start talking about the things that you haven't really told me but I know anyway?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips. Nick shook his head. "Fine, okay, now let's work."

"Bossy..."

I watched Nick put on the earphones and I started the music that he had already came up with for the song. It wasn't my type of music. It was really dance oriented and I didn't know anything about that type of music, except to maybe write for it. But here I was, a country singer and songwriter, working with a guy from a boy band on his second solo album all because I'm not strong enough to say no.

[/Scarlett]

[Piper]

"...Piper you really shouldn't just up and travel across the country without telling anyone..."

I rolled my eyes. "Mom, I'm not 12. And I didn't not tell anyone."

"Telling Scarlett doesn't count. What if something happened and we never knew? Why are you in New York anyways?"

"Nick's here. Scarlett's working with him in the studio.""

"And what are you doing? How did that audition go?"

I stared up at the ceiling in my room. "I didn't get the part. I'm going to go shopping, then meet them at the studio. Want me to call you at every store I go in so you know where I am at all times?"

"Piper..."

"Mom, I love you. I gotta go." I cut the call before she could answer and slid my phone into my pocket before sitting up. After sleeping till noon, and finding a note from Scarlett telling me to meet them at the studio I'd called room service and eaten, showered, and was now bored.

Shopping was something that I loved, though. Not that I ever really brought stuff for myself. No, I was always treating everyone else. Scarletts Guitar? From me. Most of Nick's clothes? Me again. I was awful for buying for others, but I didn't need anything. I had all I needed.

Still, I found myself walking in different stores, eyeing stuff up. I picked up a charm for Scarlett's charm bracelet in Bloomingdales, and picked up some make up from Macys for myself and a tshirt for Nick before hailing a taxi and heading to the studio.

It was no secret I found the whole recording process boring. Sure, I loved music, but watching it be made? No so much. Still, I never turned down a chance to hang with them in the studio. It was rare we all ever got a chance to be together at the same time, so why would I pass that down.

"Hey Josh!!" I high fived Nick's bodyguard, who was pretty much his shadow wherever he went when the boys were working, so it was no surprise he was outside having a smoke when I arrived.

"Piper Marsh! Long time no see!"

I smiled at him, placing my bags on the floor beside my feet. "I know! How's things?"

He nodded, "Great! What about you? Saw Big Bob last weekend, he said he hadn't seen you for a while."

I pulled a face. Big Bob had been my guard for a while there when BSB weren't working, but I always got creepy vibes from him, so casually let him go. "Yea... I've not really needed one lately. They still making magic in there?"

Josh flicked his smoke away before leaning down and taking my bags. "As always. I think I know one song by heart now. Sounds good though,"

I smiled with pride, knowing without a doubt that it would never sound bad. Between the two of them, Nick and Scarlett were musical geniuses.

We walked into the studio to see the pair of them bent over Scarlett's laptop and talking loudly. Josh sat my bags down by a chair, so I threw myself down into it and watched them as they discussed lyrics and came up with more. It was interesting to watch, and I found I'd been sat in the room for around twenty minutes before they even noticed I was there.

"PIPER!" Nick walked over and grabbed my arm, pulling me up. "You HAVE to hear this song we just did!"

He dragged me over to where Scarlett was, and made me sit down before he walked over to this desk full of buttons and started pressing some. Scarlett was midway to cussing him off for "button stabbing" when music started playing.

Nick started nodding his head to the beat straight away, but I ignored him once he started singing.

I'm waking up, you're going to sleep
And I wonder are you thinking of me
I'm getting ready for another day without you
And you're just starting to dream

It's hard to let it go
To make it through the day
It's hard to hold on
When were both so far away
Maybe we should just move on
And get on with our lives
But how can we survive

Nick was looking at me as the song hit the chorus, so I hid my face, knowing he wanted an opinion.

When our hearts are so connected
That we'll die when you take them apart
And when one half of me is missing
If I can't hold you here my arms
Can we overcome the distance
Make it through in time
Can our love raise the waters
Overcome the great, the great divide, divide, divide

I'm soaking up the sun, you're underneath the moon
And I wish that I could share it with you
You live your life and I'm living mine
Somehow we've got to find a way to get through

The song faded off, making Nick move my hands off my face.

"Well?"

"Well..." I looked between the two and smiled. "... that was freaking awesome!"

"YES!" Nick fist pumped the air before smiling at us. "So, I was thinking I could do this breathy talking at the end, like... you said you'd wait for me... or something, what do you think?"

I laughed, whilst Scarlett told him to try it and see. Nick was a great singer, but he'd never get taken seriously if he started talking in his songs. They threw some ideas back and forth for a few minutes before Nick spotted my shopping bags.

"Oooh, get anything nice?" Nick walked over to them, so I turned to Scarlett.

"Mom called."

"Oh, damn."

I nodded. "She demanded to know why I was in New York."

"How the hell did she know?" Scarlett shut her laptop lid before turning to face me properly.

"Apparently we were papped coming into the hotel. I swear, she's so far up my ass it's a wonder I can shit."

Scarlett pulled a face. "Wow, nice Piper."

"IS THIS FOR ME?!"

We turned to Nick to see him holding up the t-shirt I'd gotten him. I shook my head and smiled.

"No, it's for my boyfriend."

Nick lowered the t-shirt. "You have a boyfriend? But..."

I slowly smiled, before chuckling. "No, but you're reaction. Yes, its for you, dufus."

He laughed and proceeded to change into the new t-shirt whilst I got up and grabbed the bag for Scarlett. She gave me a little warning glance as I handed it to her, and smiled as she opened it.

[/Piper]

[Scarlett]

"What's this?" I asked, opening the little box and pulling out a little velvet bag. "Are you proposing?"

"Lesbian lovers, I knew it!" Nick cackled as I reached over and hit him in the arm. "Still wanna know who your song is about." I emptied the little bag in my hand to see a BFF half a heart charm for my charm bracelet I always wore except for when I was playing my guitar.

"I love it! You didn't have to get me anything," I said, moving over to hug her. "Much better than an old t-shirt."

"I like my t-shirt," Nick mumbled.

"What song are you talking about?" Piper asked as Nick started to grin.

"I do believe that someone is an admirer of Ms. Jackson if you're nasty..." Nick said, his voice trailing off.

"Oh really?" Piper asked as I shook my head.

"It's a song...we write everything about songs, even make up things, I mean, Nick, not like you're sleeping on the other side of the world opposite of someone you're in love with, now are you?" I asked as he shook his head. "See, it's all fake."

"Maybe your parents are right when they think you're gay..."

"Just because I'm not out fucking every Tom, Dick and Harry, does not mean that I'm gay. I'm just... selective," I said as I thanked Piper for the charm again. "Now can we get back to the music?"

"I gotta go piss, be right back," Nick hissed, putting his t-shirt down and walking out of the room. I rolled my eyes and stuck the little box in my purse before looking back at Piper.

"What?"

"You know..."

"Doesn't matter, does it? If it helps me write good songs, then whatever. Not like I want to get married, have kids, the whole picket-fence thing, now do I?" I shrugged. "Besides... I'm thinking about doing my own album again. So... I need all the inspiration I can get."

"You haven't put out an album since like... 2007...."

"I know, but, the tour got to me a little, plus if I go on tour, maybe it'll give you and Nick more time alone when he's back from this next tour..." I said as she shook her head. "What?"

Just as she was about to say something, Nick come walking back into the room, just zipping his pants up.

"What we talking about?" Nick asked, rubbing his hands together. "Who's this love interest?"

"Oh shut the fuck up and get back to work," Piper said as I cracked a smile and Nick just made a face.

[/Scarlett]

[Piper]

Studio time ended quite late, so we ended up ordering pizza to Nick's room in the hotel and chilling out. It was a nice evening, just laughing and talking about everything other than work.

Although one thing was on my mind, and that was Scarlett bringing up me and Nick. Sure, it was a silent subject. She thought Nick had no idea she knew, but he knew. We just never spoke about it until, well, until Scarlett brought it up tonight. I wondered what her deal was with that, but forgot about that initially as we laughed until Nick fell asleep on his bed.

"Lets go back to our room." I threw Nick's covers over him and looked over at Scarlett, who had already gathered our things. We left Nick's room quietly and let ourselves in ours before walking into Scarletts room. I sat on her bed as she put her guitar case down and busied sorting out her case.

"Scar?"

She looked up at me and smiled. "Yea?"

"Can we talk?"

She nodded, walking over to the bed and sitting next to me. "Everything ok?"

I felt nervous all of a sudden. "What you said earlier, in the studio..."

"About you and Nick?"

I nodded, "Yea, what did you mean by that?"

Scarlett looped her arm with mine. "Piper, I know what you and Nick get up to, I'm not stupid."

"I never said you was." I whispered. "Just... what did you mean by me and Nick having, like, time together?"

She was quiet a while, almost like she didn't want to say anything. But then she squeezed my arm. "Well, you and Nick are... together, right?"

I smiled. "Dude, no..."

"No?"

"No." I smiled at her. "We hook up every now and then. It's nothing serious. He's still my best friend, and so are you. You thought that me and Nick were hiding something from you? Like a relationship?"

Scarlett shrugged, making me hug her.

"You're my best friend, Scar. I'd never keep anything from you. Ok, so I never spoke about that, but... you knew. I knew you knew. Does it annoy you? Or..." I trailed off as she shook her head.

"No, what you and Nick do is up to you. I don't mind."

I studied her face a moment before hugging her. "You sure?"

"Uh huh."

I felt her hug me back, so I squeezed her before pulling back. "So, Nick's flying to LA tomorrow. Want to go see a show or something?"

[/Piper]

[Scarlett]

"A show, like a broadway show?" I asked as she nodded. "New Kids on the Block are in town tomorrow, too. We could always go see them."

"No, let's do something totally away from all things Nick related, and that's a boy band, so it's Nick related. Let's go see a Broadway show or the Opera! We can get dressed up and go to the Opera!" Piper said as I stared at her. "You love getting all fancy and dressed up. Let's do that."

"But it's New Kids..."

"They'll be loving us forever, they aren't going anywhere..."

"I see what you did there," I said as she snickered. "Okay, we can do the Opera. I want a new dress. But we said we'd go see them when they came back last year and we still haven't..."

"I don't feel like going and being mobbed at a concert," Piper said as I nodded slowly. "You sure you're okay though, right?"

"Positive."

"Who was the song about that Nick found?" she asked as I stood up from the bed and started to walk out of the room. "I know you, Scarlett! You don't make up shit when you write."

"I make it up all the time! It's nothing!" I shouted as I walked into my room in the suite.

"Like you're making up your excuse right now?" she asked, walking into my doorway and leaned against it.

"Yep, you know me, I'm gay," I said as she rolled her eyes. "Or I have no heart and I'm an ice queen."

"You'd tell me, right? If there was someone?" Piper asked as I nodded. "Okay, then."

"Okay, I'm heading to bed," I said as she nodded and started to walk away. I walked over and shut my bedroom door, locking the doorknob and leaned up against it knowing I was lying my ass off.

[/Scarlett]