The guys headed out for something to eat late that afternoon and encountered about fifteen fans outside the hotel. As the fans crowded around Nick his friends stood by him just in case someone got a little excited but they didn't keep the fans from him,
"Guys I really need to get something to eat. I'm sorry, I'll be back soon I promise." His stomach dropped at the sound of the slight groans of disappointment that met his ears but he knew with that many people there would be autographs, pictures, hugs, and friends on cell phones; he was starving and he really needed to take a nap before he went to the studio or he might as well not even go. They hopped in the truck and made their way to a pizza place Scott told him about last night.
They were all sitting around the table eating pizza and drinking beer when Pete looked over at him,
"So how was that chick last night." He shrugged and sighed,
"Stiff." They groaned and laughed,
"Man, I hate it when they just lay there." Nick nodded as he turned the beer bottle around in his hand. Sam hit him on the shoulder,
"Hey man, I kept meaning to ask you...what's up with Shayna? She ok?"
"Yeah, she's fine. She just got into a fight with a friend." Actually, he didn't know how she was doing because he hadn't talked to her since that day he walked out of her apartment. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about Shayna at that moment,
"So Mike, how's the new Explorer?" That was all it took before the conversation changed from everything from stereo systems to rims.
They made their way back to the hotel and Nick stood outside with the fans for twenty minutes before they made it upstairs. In the elevator Sam spoke up,
"Do you really remember those girls?" Nick laughed and shook his head,
"No, well some of them if I see them enough I remember their faces...but most of them not really." Nick's cell phone rang,
"Yeah?" They stepped off the elevator and made their way to the room, Nick immediately going out to the balcony,
"What's wrong with it?" The voice of a record label executive coming through clearly,
"Some of the vocals need to be recorded again." Nick sighed,
"How long are we going to be there?" What was the problem? He hated that. They say they have all they need then someone, usually some executive who has never sang outside of his shower or car, comes in and wants a change,
"Should be able to get it done in one session." Sure, that's what they said about this job. He mumbled,
"Ugh, I can't believe we have to go back to Orlando to record that song." He could hear the executive clear his throat,
"Actually, we just need you to go back." He frowned,
"What?! Why? What is this pick on Nick? First I have to redo vocals in New York and now Orlando." The executive assured him that it was just a couple of lines but it didn't make him feel any better. He walked back into the room to see the guys were playing a video game,
"Hey, I'm gonna go take that nap before I leave for the studio in a few hours."
Nick and Sam walked through the door of the studio and greeted everyone. He suggested the others go out and have some fun, that only one of them needed to hang out at the studio with him. In all honesty, he just wasn't in the mood to deal with their comments about the type of music he was recording and he knew Sam would be the only one to not say anything. Scott looked over as he stretched in his chair,
"Rick will be here any minute. Why don't you go warm up for a few minutes." Warm up? He hadn't done that in what seemed like years. Now they just sing, which he knows is bad but he didn't really care enough to even feel guilty about it. He walked off and stood in a stairwell and began to sing. He couldn't even remember any of the vocal warm ups they did in the past he jumped at the feel of someone's hand on his back and turned to see Rick,
"Oh hey man, you scared the shit out of me." Rick smiled and continued to stand behind Nick as his arm slid around him and he placed his hand on his stomach,
"What's up kiddo? Sing." He let out a note and it became louder when Rick pressed his hand into his stomach,
"That's better. You're singing out of your throat. Diaphragm, diaphragm, diaphragm." They stood in the stairwell and went through vocal warm ups for another ten minutes before making their way back to the studio to see everyone watching television,
"Ok, let's get this thing going." Nick went through the verse for about twenty minutes and had just laid down the final attempt,
"Ok, take ten then I want you to go back in for me." Nick frowned and shook his head,
"What was wrong with that one? I know a few of them weren't that good but that one was." Scott smiled and raised his hand,
"You're done with that song. I wrote a song for a small budget movie and I need someone to sing on the demo so I can send it to the director. Since you're already here and your voice is loose..." Nick nodded his head as he walked out of the sound booth,
"Sure, that's cool man. I don't mind."
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Full Circle
Chapter 60