Whitney awoke around 9am and smelled pancakes cooking from the kitchen. She yawned, stretched, and crawled out of bed.
She emerged from the bedroom to see Darcy standing over the stove with a frying pan in her hand, preparing the source of the delicious smell.
"Hey," Whitney said by way of greeting.
"Hey yourself," Darcy replied as she flipped the pancake and barely caught it in the pan. "I was wondering when you were gonna wake up."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm not used to staying up so late."
"I can tell. I figured I'd cook you breakfast for your first morning here."
"Thanks, you didn't have to."
"Well, it's the least I could do since you'll be by yourself today," Darcy said as she carried two plates of pancakes to the table and sat down. "I have to work in an hour."
"Oh, I see. Well, that's okay, because I was going to look through the paper for an agent anyway," Whitney replied as they both dug into their breakfast.
"Good luck. They're not that easy to come by. At least, not the good ones."
"How comforting."
After eating, Whitney cleaned up the kitchen while Darcy got dressed and headed to work. Whitney then got dressed herself and went to the mailbox to get the paper. She then brought it in and began scanning it.
She was about to give up hope when one particular article jumped out at her:
Wanted!
Hot new talent. Singers, actors, dancers, whatever. If you've got the talent, we want it! Come down to the Bridgeport Sports Zone tonight and show us what you've got!
The Plumbob Agency, Steve's Business Complex
Whitney wasn't sure what kind of agents would possibly be hanging out at a sports bar, but she figured she had nothing to lose. If she was going to pursue her dream, she'd have to have an agent's help.
********************
Darcy returned home as Whitney was getting ready to go to the sports bar. She told her the whole story and Darcy let out a low whistle.
"I've never known of any agents to hang out there, but maybe they're desperate. They have to make money off their clients or they'll be out of business."
"I just hope I can find a good one."
"Well, no offense, but you should probably reconsider that outfit."
"Excuse me?" Whitney looked down at her slightly low-cut shirt and her skirt with a belt. "What's wrong with it?"
"If you want to get the best agent, remember what I told you. You need the talent, the moves, and the looks. You've got the looks but you don't know how to show them off. And agents don't like clients that are shy."
"I'm not shy."
"This outfit says you are. Come on, let me help you."
That's how Whitney found herself transformed into someone she wasn't sure she recognized as herself. She wanted to keep her cowgirl hat to indicate her seriousness of country music, but Darcy insisted that she'd have better luck getting an agent without it, since with it, agents were bound to get the wrong impression that she was "just another hick girl".
Darcy's wardrobe was much wilder than Whitney's, and thankfully the two wore the same size, so Whitney was able to borrow some of Darcy's clothes. Darcy also applied Whitney's makeup to make her "stand out more".
When Darcy was satisfied with her work, they both headed to the Bridgeport Sports Zone.
********************
The sports bar was full of people, most likely all potential clients trying to get their shot at stardom. Whitney looked around and immediately felt intimidated.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked Darcy as they made their way to a table.
"Of course I'm sure," Darcy said as they sat down. "The only way to get your voice heard is to get an agent. And if this is how you get one, so be it. Besides, you look so hot, there's no way anyone would refuse you."
A few other people went up on stage and sang, played various instruments, read lines from plays, and even told jokes, hoping to get an agent. When Whitney's turn arrived, she swallowed her sudden and rare stage fright and carried her guitar to the stage. She faced the anticipating crowd, strummed a chord, and began to play.
Whitney didn't only play the guitar; she sang as well. Her voice carried across the bar in a harmonious tune to the gentle plucking of her guitar. She smiled as a few members began to dance and cheer.
When her song was finished, the crowd clapped and Whitney smiled appreciatively before walking off the stage and joining Darcy back at the table.
"That was awesome!" Darcy exclaimed when Whitney sat back down. "Girl, you have to tell me where you get ideas for your songs."
"Most of them are based on my life, but some are inspirational songs I wrote poems from when I was having a hard time, and some are just random thoughts that enter my head."
"Well, you should keep at it. I swear I'm not just saying this to be nice, but if no one is interested in you, they're nuts."
As if on cue, a man who appeared to be in his forties walked up to the girls' table.
"Hello, Miss Cross," he said. "I'm Simon Burke, and I must say that I loved your song. You have real talent."
Trying not to sound too eager and excited, Whitney stood up and shook the man's hand. "Thank you, Mr. Burke."
"Where are you from, anyway?" Simon asked. "I'd like to know where you've been hiding all this time."
"I'm from Riverview."
"Really? Not many people from Riverview have made it here, but you may be one of the rare exceptions. I hope I'm not moving too fast, but I wanted to get to you before anyone else did. I'd like to offer you a contract. Of course, I'll have to hear more of your songs and see more of your talents first before I'm sure, but if it's anything like what I heard tonight, I know I'll be making the right choice."
Whitney beamed and felt like her mouth would fall off from smiling so much. "That would be great! I'd love to meet with you and play for you some more."
"Great! Let me give you my card. Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
"Not that I know of."
"Then you should come by my office tomorrow at Steve's Business Complex. I'll tell my receptionist to let you right in when you arrive."
"Thanks, I'll do that."
Simon handed Whitney his card and then scooted off to talk to some other people in the crowd.
Whitney's instincts told her not to accept the first offer she got, but she wasn't just going to ignore it, either. If she had a chance to get an agent, she'd take it.
"So, you got a record deal!" Darcy said as she sidled up to Whitney.
"Not yet, but he wants me to go to his office tomorrow so he can hear more of my songs," Whitney said, hardly able to contain her excitement.
"Awesome! I knew making you look sexier would pay off! This calls for a celebration! We should go to The Brightmore!"
"Tonight?"
"Why not? It's not that late."
Whitney checked her cell phone and realized that it was almost 10pm. But she was feeling really good, so a night at The Brightmore would be fun to celebrate.
So the two left the sports bar and headed to the dance club.
********************
The Brightmore was full of celebrities, including Devin Ashton, Tom Wordy, and Richie Striker. Whitney felt like a celebrity herself among them. She and Darcy wasted no time hitting the dance floor.
The drinks were exotic and the atmosphere was intense, and though Whitney didn't have a contract yet, she had a good feeling that soon she'd be able to enter the VIP section of all the lounges in Bridgeport. Her stomach churned with excitement as she thought of all the albums she'd sell, the new songs she'd write, and people who'd ask for her autograph. Who wouldn't want to live in fame?
After a while, Whitney took a dance break and ordered a drink. As she took a sip of her Pink Bunny, a young man with chin-length hair walked up to her.
"That's on me," he said as he pulled out his wallet.
"No thanks," Whitney replied, shocked that some guy who didn't even know her would offer to buy her a drink. "I've got it."
"I saw you play at the Sports Zone," the guy said as he handed the money to the bartender anyway. "You were good. You deserve a drink from a fan."
"Uh...thanks. But you just heard one song."
"Oh well, I know a good voice when I hear it. Me and my bros are in our own band, so I know all about music."
Whitney thought this guy was pretty full of himself but said nothing as she continued sipping her drink.
"I'm Jordan," the guy said as he cracked a smile at Whitney, obviously flirting.
"Whitney," Whitney replied.
"Yeah, Whitney Cross. That name will be on albums in no time!"
"I'm flattered you think so. You said you were at the sports bar. I don't remember seeing you."
"We played before you got there. Me and the band that is."
"What do you play?"
"Electric guitar. It's bad ass."
"Uh huh."
"Of course, we take turns playing the different instruments, but I mostly play the electric."
"Cool."
Whitney picked up her drink and saw Darcy still on the dance floor.
"I'm gonna join my friend over there," she said as she stood up. "See ya."
"Later babe."
Babe? This guy truly had no class.
Whitney approached Darcy and began talking to her.
"That guy at the bar gave me the creeps."
"What guy?"
"The one with the longish hair. He was totally flirting with me."
Darcy looked over at Jordan and said, "He isn't that cute, that's for sure. But girl, you better get used to guys flirting with you. This is before you're an official star. Guys will be drooling over you in no time."
"Well he could at least take a hint."
"Most guys don't, at least not when it comes to celebs."
At that point, Darcy went to get a drink herself and Whitney set her drink glass down and began dancing. Unfortunately, Jordan joined her on the dance floor.
"I see your friend left you here. How about I dance with you instead?"
Before she could say anything, Jordan began hip grinding next to her. She moved away, irritated.
"Uh...that's nice but I'm okay," she said, trying not to make a scene.
"Come on baby, dance with me. You know you want to."
"I know what I want, and it doesn't mean dancing with you."
"Don't be like that. Come on!"
Jordan grabbed Whitney's arm and pulled her to him, wrapping his other arm around her back, and then began moving it down toward her butt.
"Move your hand," Whitney said.
"In the words of you, no thanks, I'm good."
"Stop it!"
"Hey, leave her alone, Jordan," another voice said.
Whitney and Jordan both turned to see a young man with blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a small beard standing there.
"Aww, don't be like that man," Jordan whined.
"She said no, so leave her alone. I don't care that you liked what you saw of her at the Sports Zone, and you just happened to run into her here, you're out of luck."
"Damn it," Jordan grumbled and walked away.
Whitney faced her handsome savior. "Thank you," she said. "I'm sorry you had to do that."
"Don't worry about it. He's a huge flirt, always trying to get with a girl, especially a new one in town."
"You seem to know a lot about him."
"Yeah, we're in the same band."
"He did mention a band."
"Yep, it's my band actually. I love music. I'd let him go because of his flirting but I can't find anyone else that can play the electric guitar like he can."
"Well, I didn't mean to cause problems between you guys."
"I'm used to it, trust me. I'm Riley."
"Whitney."
"Jordan did get one thing right though. You do have a killer voice and mad skills on the guitar."
"Thanks. I've been playing it since I was thirteen."
"I can tell. If I didn't already have a full band, and it wasn't a band full of guys, I'd ask you to join."
"Well thanks, but I don't have a contract yet."
"You were talking to Simon Burke. That's a good sign."
"It is?"
"Yeah, I've got myself a contract with him. Well, the band does. I want to be a solo artist, but even those have to have backup singers and musicians, so I formed the Raging Rebels."
"The Raging Rebels?"
"I know, not very original, but it matches us. We rage because we can rebel. And we rebel through our music."
"Nice."
"Yeah, it is. But anyway, I apologize for Jordan."
"It's okay. I'm just not used to that."
"A pretty girl like you not used to being flirted with? You aren't from around here, are you?"
"No, I'm actually from Riverview."
"Cool. Never been there."
"You're not missing much. Are you from here?"
"Yeah, lived here since I was a kid."
"That sounds so exciting. Riverview is so boring."
"I think you'll like it here."
"Hey man, this place is almost ready to close," another guy with shaggy hair said to Riley. "Should we get going?"
"Yeah, I think so."
Riley turned back to Whitney.
"It was nice meeting you, and I'm sorry about Jordan again."
"No problem. Maybe I'll see you around."
"Maybe. Bye."
"Bye."
Riley, Jordan, the guy with shaggy hair, and one other guy took off. Darcy approached Whitney and suggested they do the same. So the two headed back to their apartment.
When Whitney crawled into bed that night, her heart was hammering with excitement that she would possibly get a contract with Simon. She drifted off to sleep, hoping she wouldn't disappoint the next day.
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