Sky's The Limit

xxxiv

thirty four | crystal

I was in a mood— pissed.

All of our energy was being spent on "Sugar Hill," a song that was going to be our big hit, according to everybody but me.

It wasn't that I thought the song was wack. It was just the fact that no one asked what my thoughts were on the song.

Being able to bring my homegirl in was the only contribution I made, and it made me feel better about my lack of involvement... That is until Deanna Saunders came sauntering into the studio.

Things were still unclear as far as whether or not she'd actually be able to stay on the song, but the rest of the group rolled full-steam ahead anyway.

I sat in Tony and I's usual corner, watching him glue himself to the soundboard while Deanna was in the booth. He leaned back in his chair, relaxation permeating his body language.

All the while, he watched her, and she watched him.

I attempted to bury myself in my rhymes but couldn't focus as takes were layered and jokes were swapped over the intercom.

What was the point of me being here?

Will plopped down next to me, one of his legs stretching over my lap.

"Uh, you don't see my book right here?" I snatched my composition book from under his limb.

"You ain't usin' that shit anyway," he noted with a growing smile.

I rolled my eyes while slamming the notebook closed, a gust of wind fanning my face in doing so.

"What's up wit'chu? You sittin' over here, mean-muggin'," he chuckled.

"No, I'm not," I denied.

"Come on. What are you mad about?" he was fishing for an explanation.

"I'm mad that we spendin' so much time on this, when we could be workin' on something else," I answered.

"We spent just as much time on 'Pump It In The Jeeps'," he reasoned.

"Doesn't feel like it," I mumbled.

"You'll be a'ight," he assured just before the song stopped yet again.

"How'd that sound?"

"Great, Dee. We'll do one more and then you can do whatever you want at the end," Ishaan stated.

"Bet."

"Why am I here?" I asked Will as the music began again.

"What'chu mean?" he tittered.

"Like, I'm not even on this song... I'm not on a lot of these songs. What am I here for?" I rephrased.

"Cris, if we bein' real, a lot of what we're making probably isn't even going to make the album. I mean— at most, we'll have ten tracks, maybe. This is all just a part of the process... Just until we find a happy medium between what we want and what the label wants," he paused before calling to Ishaan.

"Right, 'Shaan?"

"Right what?"

"Exactly," Will turned back to me with a nod of confidence.

I scoffed. "Whatever... I think I'm gonna' call it a night. I have a headache."

"A'ight," he removed his leg and dug in his pocket.

"You don't have to take me home," I shook my head.

"Uh, yes I do... as soon as I find my keys," he affirmed while digging in his other pocket and patting himself down.