Kimberly swallowed hard. "Yeah, just thought I recognized someone. It's nothing."
But Mindy wasn't easily fooled. Following Kimberly's gaze, she spotted Anastasia. Her eyes widened in realization. "Kim, that's your—"
"Hey, girls," Kelly interrupted, greeting them with a bright smile and her distinctive clipboard in hand.
Kimberly managed a smile. "Hey, Kelly. Anything interesting for us today?"
Kelly nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely! Today's going to be a big day for you two. Since you're the newest additions here at the Palm Woods, we have a special schedule for you."
"Okay!" Mindy clapped with excitement.
"But before that, you'll have a tour of the recording studio, a vocal coaching session, and a quick lunch." Kelly added, to which the girls nodded.
Kimberly tried so hard to focus on Kelly's words, but the presence of her mother was too distracting. It was like an itch she couldn't scratch, always at the back of her mind.
"So, as I was saying, make sure you're well-prepared. Gustavo is expecting great things from you two," Kelly continued, emphasizing the importance of their upcoming meeting.
"Thanks, Kelly." Mindy replied enthusiastically. Kimberly gave a nod of agreement but remained silent.
Once Kelly left, Mindy turned to her friend, her voice soft but firm. "Kim, we need to talk about your mom being here."
Kimberly let out a sigh. "I know."
·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.
-'๑'-
.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.
THE GIRL HEADED to the recording booth, passing by a wall filled with gold and platinum records. Mindy stopped, her fingers lightly brushing one of the plaques. "One day," she whispered, "our names will be here too."
"Uhm, what do you think you're doing?" A sudden voice appeared from behind them. Gustavo's intimidating presence was enough to make the girls stop in their tracks.
"I... uh, I was just looking at these records. It's... it's impressive." Mindy stuttered.
Gustavo, not one to waste words, narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, they're impressive. Because the artists who earned them listened when I told them what to do. Now, let's see if you can follow instructions. First rule here..."
He emphasized his point, leaning in just a bit. "...NO. TOUCHING."
Kimberly quickly intervened, trying to defuse the situation. "We're sorry."
Gustavo huffed, clearly unimpressed. "You better be. Now, let's get down to business. Kelly, get in here!"
As if summoned by his call, Kelly swiftly entered the room. She was carrying a couple of folders, likely filled with more instructions and music sheets. She glanced at the girls, sensing the tension but choosing not to address it for now.
Gustavo gestured towards the recording booth. "Girls, I've got a demo for you. Something I've been working on since we decided to have a girl duo pop group in this place."
Kelly handed the folders to the girls before she went over to Gustavo's side, whispering something to him that Kimberly and Mindy couldn't quite catch. Whatever it was, it didn't look like it pleased Gustavo.
"This is new territory for me," Gustavo stated with unusual seriousness. "I've got a reputation to maintain, and I won't have you messing it up. If you want to make it in this industry, you'll follow my directions."
Kimberly nodded, feeling the weight of the moment. "We understand."
Mindy chimed in, "We're ready."
Gustavo grunted in approval. "Good."
▄︎▄︎▄︎▄︎▄︎▄︎▄︎
AS KIMBERLY GOT comfortable in the recording booth, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.
The song was... mediocre at best.
The lyrics were clichéd, and the melody was forgettable. It was far from the quality she expected from someone of Gustavo Rocque's reputation.
Mindy, on the other hand, seemed eager. Her eyes wide with anticipation as she put on her headphones. Kimberly knew she had to tread carefully. Causing a fight here wouldn't solve anything, and they needed Gustavo's favor.
So, she put on a brave face, swallowed her disappointment, and focused on her part.
But as the music started playing and she began to sing, the studio door banged open, and in strutted Anastasia Kramer, flanked by a sharply-dressed man that Kimberly recognized as Griffin, the record label executive. Their entrance was dramatic and their conversation was so engrossing, that they seemed to forget where they were.
The words of the songs became muffled in her ears. She instinctively stopped singing, the music stuttered to a halt, and she could feel Gustavo's burning gaze even without looking in his direction.
"What is going on? Why did you stop?!" Gustavo exclaimed. He looked like he was about to explode.
But before Kimberly could formulate an answer, Griffin, with his ever-charming smile, interjected. "Gustavo! How's our next big hit coming along?"
Gustavo's anger redirected."Griffin, you know better than to interrupt a recording session!"
Griffin, nonplussed, waved it away, "Relax! Just wanted to see how our new duo is doing." His eyes glinted with mischief as he looked towards Kimberly, clearly expecting a reaction.
Anastasia, ever the picture of grace, smiled thinly and made no acknowledgment of Kimberly's presence, though the tension in the air was palpable.
Kimberly noticed that thinly smile and stormed out of the recording booth, her face a whirlwind of sadness and anger. The room became silent as everyone turned to watch her hasty exit.
Mindy called after her, but Kimberly didn't stop. She needed to be away, to breathe, to process everything.
Gustavo stared at the door where Kimberly had vanished, his expression a mix of irritation and concern. "What just happened?"
Mindy, removing her headphones, replied, "It's... complicated."
Anastasia looked on, her eyes showing a hint of regret.
Before anyone could further delve into the situation, Kimberly had already left the building.
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