Dreamville

5.

I woke up the next day already stressing about what to wear to the studio. I don't want him to think I'm trying to hard, but I want him to be impressed. Ugh they're dudes they probably won't even care.

I finally settled on a long t shirt, leggings and a scarf.

I walked over to the studio and said hello to Becky.  I walked into Studio 1 and noticed I beat Joey there, so I decided to continue working on a project I started.

I soon heard voices and laughter, as a few people started running up the stairs. Joey literally slid into the studio in his shoes holding a variety of Starbucks drinks in a cardboard holder. The other boys ran in after him and raced to their favorite chairs on the studio.

"Hey," Joey asked the 4 boys who had tagged along, "and where does the king of New York get to sit?" He questioned them.

The boys all pointed out the door, and started dying of laughter simultaneously.

"Haha very funny," Joey mocked. "Guess I'll take my drinks and go then," Joey acted as if he was about to walk out with the Starbucks drinks when the boys leaped from their wheelie chairs and practically tackled Joey.

I sat there quietly while the boys continued their little play fight, questioning what exactly did I get myself into. I cleared my throat to get their attention. They laughed and went back to their spots.

"Aw don't think we forgot about you Ayla," Joey reassured me. "We brought you Starbucks too," he handed me a pinkish looking frappuccino. "It's a strawberries and cream frappuccino," Joey told me.

"Thanks! This is actually my fav," I thanked him.

"I thought it might be." Joey hopped up on the counter I was working at and sat right next to my laptop.

"Joey you can sit right here," Nyck gestured to a chair next to him.

"Naw, I think I like the view from up here better," Joey said, his eyes scanning me up and down.

I blushed a little and subconsciously adjusted my outfit.

I cleared my throat and asked, "So what's the song you've been working on?"

Joey brought up an instrumental on his laptop and opened the door to the sound booth. Nyck, Kirk, Dessy, CJ Fly, and Joey rapped a little back and forth, before pausing at what must have been where the hook belonged. Joey came out of the booth, headphones still around his neck, and placed his laptop in front of where I was sitting. He leaned over me and looked at the screen over my shoulder, putting his hands on either side of me. On the computer, he highlighted the part where he wanted the hook.

"So here's where the chorus will be," he clicked around a little more. Meanwhile, the other boys worked on their raps.

He was so close to my face that I could hear his steady breathing in my ear. I was tempted to lean back into him more, but I restrained myself. I turned my head just slightly so I could analyze his face while he worked. I noticed how he bit his lip when he was thinking hard.

Joey and I threw ideas back and forth for the beat and recorded a few different verses and choruses over the next few hours.

"Alright, I think that's enough for today," Joey decided after rerecording a verse a fifth time.

"We got a lot done, nice job guys," Nyck added, highfiving everyone.

"Hey is Ayla coming to King's with us tonight?" CJ asked the group.

"Wait what's King's?" I questioned.

"B. B. King Blues Club on West 42nd," Joey clarified, "Ever been?"

"No I haven't," I replied.

"You're 18 right?" Kirk asked. I nodded my head in response.

"She could come with us Joey, it's 18+," Kirk added.

Joey sucked his teeth. "I don't know... as long as it's cool with your manager I guess."

"Yeah, but I mean only if you want me to go..." I said.

Joey nodded his head. "No no sorry, I didn't mean for it to seem like I didn't want you to go, it's just, well, clubs can get rough sometimes, and since you're only 18 and all-"

"Says the guy who had a fake ID when he was 16," Dessy challenged. 

"True true," Joey agreed. "Well if you're up for some fun tonight, we'll pick you up at 7:30. I have a meeting at 8:30 with owner of the club to set up a date for an event Pro Era will be performing at."

"And while Joey's in all the boring meetings, we can party it up," Kirk added, dabbing the other boys up. Joey shook his head and laughed.

CJ and Nyck led the boys out of the studio, while continuing to talk about just how "lit" tonight was going to be.

Before leaving, Joey got my number so he could let me know when he was on his way and I could give him the address to my house.  "Ok, and do you need a ride or anything back home?" Joey questioned.

"Naw, I live like a block from here I can walk," I told him.

"Alright, we'll see you tonight then, Ay," Joey winked before following his crew down the stairs.

I blushed at the nickname he had given me, and stared at where he once stood, long after he had gone.

I finished up a beat I had been working on, but I found it hard to focus because I was so excited for tonight. I decided to finally head home and get ready.

This boy is all up in my thoughts already and I barely know him, I thought as I walked back home through the streets of New York.