One Night

Chapter 2

Chapter 2
Ten years later
“Shiana!” a screaming fans voice threatened to deafen all of those around her.
That set off a chorus of screams, shouts, and even some who broke down in tears. Their idol, dressed in the most up to date fashions, strode confidently within a group of people.
Shiana strutted, smiled, and waved at her adoring audience. Piper, who was at the back of the group, rolled her eyes and let the bodyguards lead the one who they thought was the voice and talent.
The building towered over her, creating an ominous shadow as the sun drifted towards the horizon. The glass doors they entered through had a dark tint, which hid the outside world.
Piper sighed to herself as a pang of regret washed over her. Some days, she couldn’t believe how she had sold her talent, all so they could have a gorgeous face to mime the words. Sure, she received a huge chunk of the royalties, but money wasn’t everything. Nobody knew it was Piper Delaney’s songs or her singing those songs.
In the beginning, Shiana had been her biggest supporter. Through the voice coaching and all the other training that Colah had found to help advance her song writing, Shiana had been there. Shiana made sure that anyone involved knew that Piper was the talent and the songwriter.
The moment her music received the tiniest amount of fame, Shiana had never mentioned it again. The focus became all about Shiana, and that had grated on Piper for a long time.
Yes, Piper did get the credit for her effort on the albums, if anyone went to the bother of looking for it, but that was the only place anyone knew she was Shiana. Some people even believed that Shiana must really be named Piper Delaney.
Everything else had Shiana’s name, her likeness, or her autograph. The world believed that Shiana was exactly who she said she was. The only ones who knew it was a lie were the people closest to Shiana.
Even now, Piper headed to a meeting with a new record company, knowing that she would never receive recognition for her work. The secretive way Shiana recorded her albums was something that this company would have to deal with. Piper could only wonder if they were ready for that.
The meeting continued to a point where Piper couldn’t even focus on what anybody said. It was to be a three record deal, she understood that at least.
Piper stared at her nails and then around the room. None of the people in charge of the meeting took any notice of her. The room only had eyes for Shiana and her parents, who managed her career.
“As you decided we’ll change all copyright information into the name of Shiana from the first album with us.”
Someone spoke, and Piper shifted in her chair, wondering if she’d actually heard the wrong thing. She blinked up at the tall woman who had spoken and waited for her to continue. Instead, one of the men shuffled a group of papers and began to talk.
“The name of Piper Delaney will no longer appear on any correspondence, is that correct?”
Piper jerked upright. Her gaze went from the suit dressed people straight to Shiana and her parents. Had she heard that correctly? Was she losing the rights to her songs and her music?
Shiana kept her focus only on the record executives. Piper narrowed her eyes on her friend knowing that her avoidance meant one thing and that she had heard the truth.
“What are you talking about?” Piper asked as she noticed Shiana shifting lower into her chair.
All eyes that hadn’t noticed her before did now. Just as quickly they ignored her presence as if she was the least important presence in the room.
Fury lit it’s fuse through Piper as she heard the contracts finer details. Where did they get the idea that she’d agree to any of these crazy changes in the contract? Was the ultimate goal to remove Piper’s identity on the one thing that made her the person she was?
The fury now blazed into an incandescent rage as she heard the ugly truth. The rage fought with a deep despair and a roaring bitterness that gripped hold of her tightly.
“You can’t do this,” Piper aimed a glower at her best friend, who said nothing.
Shiana never spoke unless they were in a private place. Her horrid squeaky voice sounded nothing like Piper’s smooth melodious tones. Whenever Shiana had the inevitable interviews, Piper always completed them over the phone. Shiana had used her silence as a part of her fame to make her appear more mysterious and fascinating. Everybody fell for it and that had irked Piper for years.
“Pip, for this to increase our sales, the names all need to match,” Colah said as he leaned across the table towards her.
Piper snorted, “are you telling me that you can’t survive on all that I’ve earned over the years?” she couldn’t hold back her bitterness.
“This is about the future,” Colah tried to placate her.
“The future of Shiana,” Piper sneered.
“Do the right thing. You’re such a good girl,” Kay reached out and tapped Piper on the arm.
Piper narrowed her eyes and snatched her arm away, “don’t patronise me. I haven’t been a girl for many years now and this woman can’t stand hearing anymore of your lies!” Piper snapped.
Reality struck her a blow. They really did intend to steal her life’s work. These people intended to use her talent for their own gain without considering how it would affect her. She wouldn’t be at all surprised to find that they didn’t even intend to pay her.
Piper turned to one of the people who had always had her back, Shiana, and stared pointedly at her, “are you telling me that you’re okay with this? Did you really agree to it?”
Shiana dropped her eyes and refused to say anything, which didn’t surprise Piper, but it did hurt her. Had her best friend truly abandoned her?
“There’s something you should probably know, Pip,” Colah interrupted the staring session between the two women.
“What?” Piper snapped.
“The only reason we use your songs is because your grandmother and I made an agreement long before the talent show ever happened,” Colah sat back and eyed the now discombobulated young woman.
“What?”
“Your grandmother basically wanted you to feel like you were less of a loser. She paid me for you to attend all of the voice coaching and song writing and instrument lesson’s,” Colah said in a calm voice.
“Why?”
“You’re not the famous one here. Just let us lead you like we always have.”
Piper didn’t know what to say. He had managed to completely stun her. Had her grandmother done that for her? It would explain why her mortgage had been so large when Piper finally paid it off for her. 
“No!” Piper growled after a long pause.
“We ask that you stop interrupting this meeting,” one of the suits huffed at Piper.
For a long moment, there was a deep silence in the room. Piper stared between the three people who she had always thought would support her. Nothing came from them as they all continued to avoid her gaze. Piper’s throat clogged and her eyes began to fill with tears. Why were they stealing everything important to her?
“Excellent. If you could sign here and here,” someone spoke.
Piper couldn’t compute anything. With great difficulty she pulled herself from the stupor that held her. Betrayal spilled as nasty as acid through her. These people wanted to sell her talent with a few measly signatures.
“I’m not signing any of that,” Piper thrust the papers away from her back towards Colah.
“You don’t need to,” one of the suits snorted condescendingly.
Piper took that moment to actually look at each individual person in the room. The three suits still only had eyes for Shiana. Piper realised that nobody in this record company knew the secret that Shiana kept close to her chest.
Even at their old record company, at least one of the executives knew the truth. That one person was the one who attended meetings like this because they knew the truth.
At this meeting, nobody knew that Shiana had the least talent of anyone in the world of singing. Sitting and looking pretty she could do,  but her singing resembled the squawk of a seagull.
Piper let her eyes drift back to the three who she thought she could trust. Shiana looked beyond guilty and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Colah had a determination in his expression that showed he intended to get her to sign the contract while Kay just frowned.
Piper then found her eyes on the contract and the people desperate to obtain Shiana’s signature for a three record deal. She started to laugh as the reality dawned on her. As long as she didn’t sign anything they couldn’t hold her accountable for any songs or her voice. Shiana could sign it and they could enjoy her caterwauling.
Nobody here had any say over her as long as she didn’t sign anything. Relief swept over the betrayal and she could breathe again.
Another laugh escaped her when she saw Colah place a pen near her. She shook her head and smiled at the man who had tried to take control of her life for an even longer time.
“Do this for your grandmother. She’d hate to see you waste the opportunity she set up for you,” Colah coerced.
“Don’t you worry yourself about that, I will talk to my grandmother about whatever you guys set up. I don’t think my Gram would want me to sign this. She knows I have more respect for myself,” Piper declared as Colah’s eyes grew wide.
“It’s in your best interest,” he placated.
“My best interest or yours?” Piper asked with a raised brow.
A sense of power flowed through her. As long as she didn’t sign anything then they couldn’t hold her accountable for any songs, or for her voice or anything related to Shiana. She was the one with the control in this situation.
Piper stood and turned towards the door with no hesitation.  She tossed her hair back in a classic Shiana move and offered the room her haughtiest look.
The shuffle of paper and whispered frantic words met her ears, so Piper paused. She could only wonder what they’d try next but she was ready to release years of pent up bitterness.
“Where are you going, Piper? You need to sign these,” Kay encouraged.
Piper faced them all with a knowing smile, “no, I don’t. If you want Shiana to shine in the spotlight, then I’m not going to stand in your way,” Piper’s grin grew enormous and wicked.
Both Shiana’s parents knew about their daughters' lack of musical talent. She was beautiful and graceful, but singing definitely wasn’t one of her strong suits.
“Don’t be silly. Come over here and sign,” Kay waggled a pen.
Piper didn’t move. Her eyes went between the papers Kay desperately thrust towards her and the worry on the faces she knew so well. They knew they had nothing without her.
“You shouldn’t have changed record companies, and you might still have me. Too bad. Too late now,” Piper chirped.
“Why do we need anyone but Shiana to sign?” one of the suits went to the bother of noticing the tense words surrounding the table.
“Yes, why?” Piper asked with a sweet trill.
Kay gripped the pen tighter and faced the executives with the fakest smile, “oh, it’s nothing,” she placated.
“Nothing! Nothing! You want to take away the one thing I’m good at and give it Shiana’s name. The answer is no, no and no!” Piper’s voice grew piercing.
“If you were so good at it you wouldn’t need Shiana,” Colah scowled as he crossed his arms.
Piper flinched but stood her ground, “at the end of this I can still hold a tune. Can Shiana?”
“Please explain,” one of the suits interrupted the argument.
“Have you ever wondered why Shiana doesn’t speak in public? Why does she only sing her songs with a private audience?” Piper started speaking before Kay or Colah could add anything, “she hasn’t done anything besides nod because her voice is a horrible sound and her singing voice is even worse. I’m Piper Delaney. She’s been lip syncing the songs I wrote for years and now has a famous face because of that,” Piper said, forcing her voice to remain calm.
The room fell silent. Eyes darted around until they all aimed at Shiana. The young woman clutched her hand to her chest in an innocent pose and Piper rolled her eyes.
“She’s lying,” Shiana declared in her mouse like squeak.
Her parents jaws dropped open at hearing their daughter speak in front of other much more important people. She knew more then anyone the importance of her silence. They all made a living from her silence.
“Thanks, Shiana, you showed exactly who’s the one lying,” Piper said with glee as she pulled the door open.
“Wait, Piper, don’t go,” Shiana continued squeaking.
“Why? You stopped being my best friend the second you wanted to steal my voice and my songs to claim as your own. If you let me still have the credit for my efforts I might gave signed, but you didn’t. Goodbye, Shiana, enjoy your life without me,” Piper said as she swept dramatically through the door.
A sardonic laugh filled the air, “you won’t get far because you can’t sing on your own without freezing or vomiting. Your career is at an end,” Colah said with a nasty sneer.
Piper laughed, “if you thought that would bring me back, you are so wrong. I’ve got enough money to last me the rest of my life,” she turned and walked out of the door.
“Wait!” someone called but Piper ignored them, “are you saying that you are the singer?” the suit persisted.
“Yes, obviously,” Piper drawled.
“Would you mind re-joining us in the room. We can adjust the contract to suit you better.”
“It’s to damn late for that now. You’re not getting my agreement at any time, let alone a single signature,” Piper snapped.
She marched towards this new chapter of her life, which she never once expected, with her head held high, but her heart shattered to pieces. One night in a big city just cost her everything that she held dear, but at least she walked away with her dignity and her song writing intact.