Grey Skies, White Lies - Larina | [COMPLETE]

Chapter 37 | Emma.

- Marina's POV -

The next morning, I was awoken by the sound of Lizzy on the phone, she seemed to be doing a lot of agreeing, pacing around the hotel room whilst listening intently to the voice on the other end of the phone. "Great! Thank you, see you later!" She said before putting her phone on top of the dressing table.

"You seem chirpy! Who was that?" I asked, propping myself up by leaning on my elbows.

"That was Matt from Pete's company, he's asked us to go over to the boardroom this lunchtime to discuss making music!" Lizzy exclaimed, beaming at me.

"Really!? Already? That's amazing." I replied, smiling back at her.

For the rest of the morning, we got showered and dressed, and headed downstairs for some breakfast before making our way to the boardroom. It took us a while to find it as we began walking South of Princess Road when we actually needed to walk North, but - we got there eventually.

We arrived at a slender building, painted black with silver trimmings, in very professional keeping. We made our way inside and planted ourselves down on the sofas in the waiting area.

"Have you got an appointment?" The receptionist asked. Everything about her glistened, from her pearly smile to her name-tag reading 'Emma', she really did look somewhat familiar, I watched her as she swept her silky, black curls behind her ear.

"We have, with Matt Desmond at 12pm? Under Lana Del Rey, Marina Diamandis?" Lizzy responded. Emma nodded before returning to her desk, searching intently on the system for our names. "Got it, I'll just call him down for you." She called over, picking up her phone and asking Matt to greet us in reception. I watched her as she did so, composing herself well to speak on the phone. Lizzy clearly noticed;

"You can't take your eyes off of her, do you recognise her or something?" She snapped slightly, raising her eyebrows at me as I turned to face her.

"W-what? Oh, her? No, nothing." I stuttered, shaking my head, spared some awkward conversation to follow by Matt approaching us.

"Lana, Marina?" He asked rubbing his hands together as he stood before us.

"That's us, well, I'm Lizzy. I mean, Lana, that's Marina." Lizzy smiled.

"Great, if you'd like to follow me." He suggested, beckoning us to stand up and follow him through some interwinding corridors until we reached his office.

"Do, take a seat." He offered, holding the door open for us as we passed through it and took a seat in the red-leather chairs opposite his own.

He composed himself. "Pete tells me you're the singer, you're the songwriter." He said, nodding at Lizzy and I in that order, getting straight to the point.

"Well not exactly, we both sing, but Marina wrote Obsessions, and our old label made me sing it." Lizzy corrected.

"Even better." Matt replied, typing something in on his computer. "So you were both signed to Interscope?" He asked, still typing.

"We were. I introduced Marina to Steve, though I think I've made better decisions in my lifetime." Lizzy responded, shifting in her seat as she spoke Steve's name.

"Ah, yes, I've heard things about him." Matt confirmed, not breaking from his monitor to look at us. "Well, you're in luck. Pete is the co-director of a label called Neon Gold Records, he's interested in taking you both on in a 3 month contract, providing you're going to stay in Manchester?" He offered, finally breaking from his computer screen to look at us.

"We are!" Lizzy exclaimed, reaching for my hand and squeezing it with excitement.

"Living arrangements..." I began, being the practical-thinker I am, interrupted by Matt.

"We'll have you sorted in an Apartment by the end of the week, don't you worry about that, just stay at your hotel for now. We'll be in touch when you can move in." He said, leaning back against his chair and looking at us, watching as I sighed with relief. "Welcome to Neon Gold Records!" He added, reaching to shake both of our hands.

"This is the best Monday I've had in a long time." Lizzy said, smiling. This was the first time I'd seen her look genuinely happy, she was radiating hope and faith, I liked that.

"If you could take these T's & C's with you, just give them a scan-read, make sure you're aware of the impediments etc." Matt said, he seemed amiable.

He handed us our forms, we thanked him before leaving the office and making our way into the reception area again.

"I'll call us a cab, it's chucking it down with rain out there!" Lizzy said, pulling her phone out to phone the taxi company.

Emma caught my eye again, I felt like I knew her, never-mind just recognised her. I was desperate to approach her and ask her, I just didn't how how.

I went with my gut instinct and walked towards the desk, knowing I'd regret it if I didn't, she peered up at me with sky-blue eyes. "Excuse me, erm, d-do I know you?" I stuttered.

"Yes." She replied.