The Rockstar & I

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Matt and I sat in awkward silence for a few moments, neither of us really knowing what to say. It was obvious that I was new at this and my inexperience clearly showed. I didn’t have the charm and charisma my dad has in bucket loads.

My dad started the company from scratch in his dorm room at NYU. He loved music and when he was at college he started by arranging for friends bands to play shows at local bars. Slowly he managed to get enough of a reputation that bars would hire him to organise concerts and promote them.

By the time he had graduated he had formed his company and met my mom. My parents’ friends from college often tell me the story about how my parents met. It sounds romantic if they aren’t your parents. My dad saw my mom across a bar at a concert he had organised. He asked around to find out her name and once he found out it was Caroline he arranged for the band on stage to sing the famous song to her. My mom was pretty embarrassed and agreed to a drink with my dad just to get the attention away from her. They were married two years later and have been together ever since.

People often say my parents are a force of nature. From taking such a small, independent company that barely broke even they now have a huge, international corporation that includes several record labels, a production company, a promotion company, some magazines, websites and various other outlets including TV and radio stations.

One of their greatest achievements has to be my brother. The famous Luke Haley. International singer songwriter. Heartthrob to millions of girls worldwide. His first album had gone platinum within two weeks. His concerts sold out within minutes of tickets being made available. He was only two years older than me but we were worlds apart. I can always remember Luke singing and being really good at it. He was the apple of my father’s eye and was always so eager to go to the studio with my dad and listen to the music being recorded. By the time he was 12 he had his own album and became an overnight sensation. The resulting effects of his fame meant that my parents became even more successful and the press began to follow us everywhere. Such a famous family according to them, the next Osbournes.  There had been talk of reality shows but I had flatly refused to be in them. Growing up with the world watching was not my idea of fun. It was bad enough going through puberty myself let alone people constantly commenting, and rarely in a good way, on how I was developing. On my 17th birthday a famous magazine had offered a lot of money for me to pose naked, naturallyI had said no.

My relationship with Luke was strained; he was so beloved by my parents and allowed to do whatever he wanted. He toured the world with his own entourage and was rarely at home, something which suited us both. When he was at home we rarely spoke unless we were with my parents or business colleagues. He had been given the choice to make his album, drop out of school, do what he wanted to do and yet my parents chose for me instantly without even asking. Yes there was a lot of hostility between my brother and me.

Matt cleared his throat but continued to stare at the table. I wonder how long I’ve been locked in my own little dream world just ignoring him. This isn’t what the owner of a record label does Chelsea get it together.

“So, Matt” he looks up at me waiting for me to ask him a question. His eyes are so beautiful. I could stare at them for hours. I shake myself mentally and continue with what we are both here for.

“You said you have been doing the promotions for Cold Vengeance is that right?” he nodded back in response. “How have you been promoting then? You haven’t got a full album, a manager or a record deal yet the Academy was packed last night, there must be some secret.” He blushed a little at the hidden compliment.

“Well, we started small. We played at our schools, colleges and anywhere local that we could. I begged, pleaded and bargained my way into shows at bars around New York and we grew a bit of a fan base. I think YouTube, Facebook and twitter really helped. There were days when I did nothing but send links to anyone I could find asking them to give us a listen. Over the last few years it seems to have paid off.” He looks very modest about their relative success. For a band to create what they had was pretty rare. So little commercial success yet adored by several thousand and able to pack out a gig in a different state.

“I think you’ve done really well. If you weren’t the bassist I think you would make a really good manager or promoter.” I said this quietly as I found it a little awkward to be giving compliments out. I was so new to this I wasn’t sure what I should be saying. He looked at me right in the eyes and smiled. I was completely lost and speechless for a few moments. Damn this guy was seriously cute.

“Thanks Chelsea.”

We stayed a few moments just sitting there in silence looking at each other before I couldn’t take the suspense anymore and decided to jump in head first.

“Did you know that I knew Brad and Rob when I lived in New York?” I asked him.

“No, I didn’t.” he looked genuinely surprised which I took as a reassuring sign that he was telling the truth.

“Well I did. Brad was one of my closest friends growing up until we moved to LA”

“So what happened? You just lose touch?”

I paused for a moment unsure of whether or not to divulge the part about me and Rob. Would it lead to tension between Matt and I? Or indeed between Matt and Rob? I had these small niggling feelings inside that were shouting that I could trust Matt. Trust a guy I had only really spoken to for less than an hour. Who I knew so very little about; but trust him I did.

“I dated Rob. Not for long. We were both pretty young and it didn’t end very well. So it wasn’t that we lost touch more that moving to LA gave me some kind of escape and I guess I kind of ran away from it all.”

Matt took a few moments to digest all of this information before returning his gaze to me. He looked pretty worried; maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea.

“So why did you agree to sign us?” he asked.

“Well, I didn’t really. It was all my dad’s idea, he wanted to get into the rock music scene and he thought it would be something I would really enjoy and as he knows how successful you guys are becoming he jumped in and signed you. Last night was the first I had heard about it.” I had decided to answer as truthfully as I could. Matt seemed even more worried now than before.

“So if this wasn’t your idea does that mean you won’t want to work with us? Does your dad know about you and Rob?” his questions didn’t seem to want to stop. This was definitely a bad idea.

“Matt, chill a sec. My dad and I have a deal just like you guys have a deal with him and that is that I will help produce your first album and launch it and then I will decide what I want to do with my future. You guys will still be signed to the label I just may not end up being in charge of it. I'm not sure what I want yet but I think I'm grown up enough to be able to deal with Rob for a few months.”

Matt seemed to feel slightly better by this and he visibly relaxed his shoulders that I hadn’t noticed had become tense.

“So I take it that Rob broke your heart?” he asked me.

“I don’t really want to talk about it” I answered softly “it was a long time ago, I would have dealt with it if I hadn’t moved here but I guess I'm a little bit shocked to see him again after all this time.”

“You don’t have to tell me, it’s ok. I know Rob can sometimes be an arrogant jerk but I will try my best to make sure this all runs smoothly. There’s a lot at stake for all of us over the next few months, I won’t let him ruin it for anyone.”

He spoke so passionately that I was taken aback for a moment. Here was a guy that I hardly knew who was in a band with my ex and he wasn’t taking sides or asking for the gory details. Instead he was offering his help to keep the peace and look out for everyone. This guy was getting hotter and hotter in my books.