Wildest Dreams [UNEDITED, ON HOLD]

Chapter 5

"We just need one more song to complete this," Leigh-Anne said to us, looking at the track list. "Wildest Dreams was number twelve, we need thirteen."
"I've got another," I said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. It isn't written yet, but give me an hour or two and it'll be done. It's in my head, just not finalized."
"Okay, yeah, that would be great, like all your songs," Perrie said.
"Remember there are no techies in here for the next couple days," Jesy reminded us. "So any track or recording we have to do."
"That's okay, Leigh's, like, an expert on that," Perrie said.
"While Jade's writing, I need to record last minute vocals for 18, Jesy needs to work on the layering for the Story of Us, and Pez is adding effects to the instrumentals and backup vocals?" Leigh-Anne clarified.
"Sounds good," I said.
I grabbed a Mac and fired up Garage Band. Not the most professional of programs, but for now, it would work fine. I pulled out a sheet of paper and started scribbling lyrics, erasing, writing, erasing again, and writing over smudges and crossed out words until I was done.
I played the melody on the piano a couple times, humming along and then singing the lyrics. Finally, when I'd gotten it down, I pressed record on the screen.
"Midnight. You come and pick me up, no headlights. Long drive could end in burning flames or paradise. Fade into view. It's been a while since I have even heard from you.
"And I should just tell you to leave 'cos I know exactly where this leads, but I watch us go round and round each time.
"You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye, and I got that red lip classic thing that you like, and when we go crashing down we come back every time 'cos we never go out of style. We never go out of style.
"So it goes. He can't keep his wild eyes on the road. Takes me home. The lights are off, he's taking off his coat.
"I said, 'I heard that you've been out and about with some other girl.' He said, 'What you heard is true, but I can't stop thinking about you.' And I said, 'I've been there, too, a few times.'"
I sang through the chorus again and then began the second chorus, which was quite a bit different. "You got that blond hair, slicked back. A white t-shirt. And I got that good girl faith and a tight little skirt, and when we go crashing down we come back every time 'cos we never go out of style. We never go out of style. Take me home...just take me home...out of style!"
I belted through the chorus two more times and then ended the recording. Then I recorded a string of notes on the piano and edited them to make them seem more synthesised. I looped that a couple times for the verses and recorded a whole new set of long drawn out chords for the chorus, looping that as well. I then grabbed a couple pencils and recorded a rough imitation of the drum beat I wanted with pencils on the wooden table.
"Done!" I walked over to Leigh-Anne, the only one finished. "You wanna hear it?" She nodded as I pressed play. She smiled.
"Amazing, as always. Have you decided on who should get what solos yet?" she asked.
I shook my head. "I wanted you to decide."
"Well, the verses are sort of divided into two, so maybe Jesy and me take the first verse, you and Perrie take the second verse. Then you solo again on the first chorus and we join in on the second chorus, and Pez can have the 'take me home' part?" she suggested.
"Yeah, perfect. You wanna go record your vocals now? I'll work the system," I offered.
"Sure. Then you can go, and by the time we're both done, Jesy and Perrie can go," she said.

"I'm starting to think Zayn's cheating on me," Perrie said.
We lay next to each other on her bed, the tele playing quietly in the background. I sat up slightly, propping my body up on my elbows as I looked at her.
"What? With who?" I asked.
"Liam."
"Liam?"
She nodded. I but my lip. "I don't think so. Not with Liam."
"Why?"
"Can't say. But I really don't think so. Besides, Liam is most definitely straight, Zayn is most definitely straight, and he's not the type to cheat. But if we're going off the band mate theme, maybe it's Louis he's cheating with," I teased.
She rolled her eyes. "Louis? He's straight as...something really straight."
"Not according to people who think he's dating Harry," I said.
Perrie laughed. "Ah, yes. Larry Stylinson. I feel bad for Eleanor," she confessed.
"I feel bad for you," I said. "If you and Zayn hold hands or kiss in public it's "for publicity" and if you don't then you're not happy together."
She rolled her eyes again. "Same with Harry and his girlfriend, Taylor. Anyway, I'm meeting Zayn at his place tonight. You wanna come? I'm leaving...now."
"Nah, I'm good. Have fun."
As she left, I thought of Perrie and Taylor and Eleanor. Two were blonde and blue eyed, but all three were madly in love with members of One Direction, in a relationship that nobody thought was real.
I thought of all the hate. People calling them famwhores, actual whores, sluts, ugly, and the list goes on. I thought about how Perrie was labeled 'Perald' and Taylor was nicknamed 'Taywhore.' I thought about the price of fame.
You know, they tell you it's going to be glamorous. The bright lights and the city. They tell you you'll have everything. You'll be popular, you'll be in magazines. But they don't tell you what the papers will say about you someday.
They don't tell you they're building you up just to knock you down, all for the sake of having a good story the next day.
I thought about how Perrie, Eleanor, and Taylor read the hate. They see the hate. And they wonder what they did wrong, what they possibly could've done to be the subject of such cruelty. It takes a lot to dislike someone, but it takes even more to actively insult a person.
And then I wondered how much longer until one of them finally succumbed to the harsh words. After being called and accused of things the haters said, I wondered how many more times they'd have to hear or read it before they started to believe it.

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Yeah okay I know that last bit was sort of from the Lucky One tour screen and Style and the Story of Us is by Taylor Swift and 18 is by One Direction.