There were 13 floors in the Capitol Records building on Hollywood & Vine. But with the way the elevator was creeping at snail speed, Kelsey felt that it was more like a hundred as she made her ascent to what was likely one of the most terrifying meetings of her life.
She wasn't sure she'd ever felt her heart beat as quickly as it was right now. Not when she'd taken her LSAT. Not when she'd found out Sam was cheating on her or about her parents affair. Not even when she'd seen Niall with Krystal.
This felt like the definition of fight or flight. Her palms clammy with sweat, her stomach twisting in knots, her heart thudding with such force that she felt it might jump out of her chest- right there in the Capitol elevator. Kelsey wanted to believe that this was her body's preparation for a fight. A fight for the man that she loved. But she knew the reality of the situation was that every cell in her nervous system was screaming at her to run.
She'd thought about it this morning. Running. She'd imagined pulling up to Niall's house, yelling at him from the window of her four-door Honda Civic to get in. And they'd drive. They'd drive far away from Los Angeles. Far away from Niall's management or the paparazzi. And they'd end up in some little cabin in the woods of Washington and they'd stay there for awhile, away from the media, the fans, and everyone that was trying to tear apart their relationship.
But then she'd realized how entirely stupid that idea was. These weren't some assassins out to kill them. She wasn't a fugitive. And running, no matter how tempting it was, wasn't the solution to anyone's problem. Not Niall's. And not Kelsey's.
So she'd thrown on a black blazer and her most professional set of black heels. She'd stood in front of the mirror in a power pose, telling herself that she was doing the right thing. She was looking after the man she loved, and that no matter the result of the meeting, that love would still exist.
When the elevator doors open with a ding, Kelsey felt her breath catch. Because here she was. And there was no running now. She spotted the familiar red head of Mr. Michaels' secretary, perched behind her desk with a blank stare. Her head turned towards Kelsey as the elevator door opens.
"This way Miss Benton," she stated, standing from her spot and leading Kelsey towards a set of double doors. The doors open to reveal a large board room, which only amplifies Kelsey's anticipation of the meeting.
"Mr. Michaels will be in shortly. Please have a seat."
Kelsey nodded, taking a seat at a large black leather backed chair near the center of the room. Her hands shook as she clasped them on the table in front of her taking a deep breath in an attempt to slow her still racing heartbeat. This would all be over soon.
"Miss Benton, thank you for meeting me," Kelsey looked up to see the snide smile of the bald man as he entered the room, her attention drawn to the manilla envelope held firmly in his right hand. He took a step closer to the long glass table which nearly took up the entire contents of the room and pushed those seated at it near the full pane glass windows giving way to the Los Angeles landscape outside and the bustling streets of traffic below.
Though sunlight streamed in freely, Kelsey couldn't help but feel like it was one of the darkest places she'd ever been, as if the fear of what was to come floated off the trimmed navy blue suit of Mr. Michaels and filled the air.
"You say that as if I had a choice," Kelsey responded coldly, staring directly into the dark eyes of Mr. Michaels. He didn't flinch, pulling back the black leather chair directly across from Kelsey to take a seat.
"Why Miss Benton, you always have a choice," his lips pressed together and pulled towards one side, as a look of satisfaction filled his face. "But you don't always make the right one."
Internally Kelsey's heart was beating a million times a minute, pounding on her ribs as if it was trying to escape from a cage. To an outside observer, however, Kelsey looked calm and collected, her hands clasped firmly on the table in front of her and her lips gently touching in a solemn line. Letting him know he was getting to her would only makes things worse.
"Shall we get started then?"
Kelsey nodded her head slowly, searching Mr. Michaels face for any sign of what was coming next.
"Miss Benton, I'd like to show you something," he slid the manilla envelope across the table towards Kelsey, then with one hand motioned. "If you'll do the honors."
Kelsey took a large swallow, then cautiously undid the clasp holding together the envelope and reached in to pull out its contents.
She let out a small gasp when she saw what was inside. She skimmed the page once, then again, before glancing up to see the look of delight upon Mr. Michaels face.
"What is it?" Mr. Michaels asked, although he was already fully aware of the letters marking the pages in Kelsey's hands. Those pages were some of his best work, if he could say so himself, and he had done a lot of great work in his lifetime.
Kelsey took a deep breath. "It's an acceptance letter, from Stanford law for the fall." She looked down at the papers again then up at Mr. Michaels, "Why do you have this?"
Mr. Michaels smile grew wider, this was going precisely as he had planned. "Well as you know Miss Benton, I am a man of many connections. Many powerful ones at that."
Kelsey raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that this gift, if she could even call it that, did not come without a price. There was always a price, the question wasn't whether there was a price, but how high.
"And what do you want?" Kelsey asked the man sitting before her. He let out a loud chuckle.
"Oh Miss Benton, it's not what I want, it's what you want," his voice filled with amusement. "You see Miss Benton as easily as I made this letter appear, I can make it disappear. A phone call here, a phone call there, and Kelsey Benton can become a name blacklisted from every single law school in the world. But you wouldn't want that now would you Miss Benton? After all it's been your dream to go to law school for years."
Kelsey felt a bitter taste rise from the back of her throat, lingering with the premonition of what words would leave Mr. Michaels' mouth next. What deal would be set on the table before her.
"Or you could keep that acceptance letter. In a few short months, you could find yourself strolling the lawns of Stanford University, sitting in on lectures from some of the greatest minds of our time, living the dream you've had for so many years." Mr. Michaels looked Kelsey straight in the eyes, his darkness traveling into the depths of her soul.
"You see Miss Benton, you have a choice, and in my opinion it's quite an easy one. Door number one: you agree not to see him, you go to Stanford, you become a lawyer, you live your life happily ever after. Door number two, you choose not to accept my more than generous offer, and you suddenly find that you will never be able to pursue that law degree that you so desire."
Mr. Michaels held out a hand to halt Kelsey's response. "But not so fast, Miss Benton, you might say, 'But Mr. Michaels if I choose door number two I'll still have him, I won't need law school to be happy', but my dear let's be honest with one another, we know that in a few more months, he'll find someone new to be enamored with, and you my dear will be old news."
Kelsey inhaled sharply. A choice? There was no choice here, Mr. Michaels has been sure of that. "Where do I sign?"
Mr. Michaels smiled holding up his pen. "I knew you were a reasonable girl, Miss Benton."
Kelsey grabbed it, the pen feeling heavy in her hand as she stared at the paper once more. She knew she was making a deal with the devil. But what choice did she have? Giving up her dream of ever going to law school? She couldn't imagine that, even with as much as she loved Niall.
Kelsey began to read the paper, her eyes scanning the page to see just what else she was giving up by making this deal.
"You'll also note," Mr. Michaels began, his voice casual, as if he was discussing the features of a new car instead of a contract. "That this includes a non-disclosure agreement. This deal cannot be discussed with anyone, most importantly not Mr. Horan. Any word that you have broken this agreement and Capitol Records has the right to persecute you in a court of law."
Kelsey nodded in understanding.
"Your signature here is all that's needed," he noted, pointing to a large black line at the bottom of the page.
Kelsey held the pen to the paper, her hand shaking as she begins to form the curling lines of her signature. When she'd finished, she set the pen on the paper, turning her gaze back to Mr. Michaels who sits with a satisfied smile on his face.
"Is that all then? I break things off with him and it's done?" Kelsey asked.
"You will not see him again. Effective immediately."
Kelsey inhaled sharply. Effective immediately? That didn't sit right with her. She couldn't just walk out of this building and never think about Niall Horan again. Mr. Michaels acted like these was a simple negotiation- a business meeting instead of a relationship and a future on the line. She'd already let this man blackmail her into giving up nearly everything. But she wasn't about to let him tell her how she was going to let the love of her life go. Somewhere deep within the bubbling anger inside her she releases the words that are stuck in her mind. "You know Niall will know somethings off, if I suddenly don't speak to him again. Let me see him one last time. Just to break things off. I promise that's the last I'll see of him."
Kelsey stared at Mr. Michaels. A deep, cutthroat stare. She wanted him to know that while everything might be going to plan in his eyes, he was forgetting about one very important variable in this equation. And that variable was Niall Horan.
She suspected that the most important thing in the eyes of the label was for Niall not to suspect a thing. For him to be heartbroken and abandoned and alone, and return to his fake dating role with Krystal without so much as a hitch.
Mr. Michaels looked at Kelsey, his furrowing as if he was contemplating her suggestion. "We had an agreement Miss Benton," he sighed again, rubbing the top of his very bald head. "However, I suppose you have a point. One meeting. Today. In the privacy of his own home. And make it....believable."
Mr. Michaels rose from his chair, indicating that the meeting had come to a close. "Can't have any more photos leaking to the press. We've about exhausted all of our measures to keep these out of the press."
His last comment gives Kelsey a hint of satisfaction. Knowing that even if she is doing what they want, even if she is giving into their demands, Niall and her didn't go down without causing a little bit of trouble.
Kelsey stood too, cautiously making her way to the door where Mr. Michaels now awaited her. He offered his hand out for her to shake, as if he hadn't just given her a life-altering ultimatum.
Kelsey shook his hand hesitantly, but she wouldn't go so far as to offer Alan Michaels any hint of a smile.
"Best of luck at Stanford, Miss Benton," he announced, holding open the board room door. "I sincerely hope that our paths do not have to cross again."
Kelsey nodded politely, then quickly made her way to the elevator. As soon as the doors closed behind her and she was alone, she let all her built-up anger rush out. "That asshole!" she screamed, no longer caring if anyone heard her.
When contemplating whether or not to attend the meeting in the first place, Becca had reassuringly told Kelsey "what's the worst they could do to you?" It turns out, the worst was far worse than Kelsey could have ever expected.