WARNING: Extra long chapter :(
"So... this is Alan Frame, a good friend of mine" Susan told us as this young but well-dress guy appeared in the restaurant and shook hands with all of us.
"Nice to meet you guys. I'll go straight to the point... I saw you last night and I was amazed, you're terrific"
"Thanks" We answered shyly.
"What I mean is that we have interest in you... as a band. We want to sign you"
"Wait what?" I said extremely surprised while the rest of the guys had a puzzled expression on their faces and Susan smiled.
"But... I mean how-" Tom could barely said.
"The deal with Atlantic records is that you gave us an EP, we promote it and if the EP is successful then we'll give you a contract to record an album"
"Wait Atlantic Records? Are you kidding me?" Zack asked this time.
"I know, I know it sounds crazy, but we've been tracking you since March"
"So what do you say? Alan is a trusty man from the business, I know him since forever basically and I'll advise you in any legal thing"
"Uhhmmm... wow I mean... we..." Adrien could barely speak.
"I... have to go to the... toilet" I said, looking at my three partners.
"Ok" Adrien said.
"You're terrible. Come with me! Come on! We'll be back soon" I said, dragging the guys with me to the lady's room.
"What the hell Lillian? What are we doing in the lady's room are you insane?"
"Shut up Zack... we have to think about this" I answered him, and we all went silent.
"Ok... so the thing is this: Atlantic Records wants to sign us" Tom added this time, taking a deep breath.
"Which is great" Adrien said this time.
"But signing with a major record label that Atlantic would mean... the end of our concept, I mean... we're supposed to be indie alternative rock and Atlantic is everything but that"
"Lillian come on... don't do this" Adrien looked at me with a very worried gaze because he knew we were going to have trouble if I didn't accept.
"Alright then... we're gonna vote. Who wants to accept the deal?" I asked and immediately Zack, Adrien and Tom lifted their hands.
I let out a heavy sight but I had to accept the majority's decision and so I did.
"Let's return to the table then" I said, and they followed me.
"Here you are again..." Alan said to us in a friendly way.
"So...? Have you thought about the offer?" Susan asked us.
"Yeah..." I said looking at everyone and I continued "We accept"
"Great!" Alan said.
"Very good then! We'll check the contract alright? If you have any doubts just ask me" Susan told us.
Alan and Susan explained us everything that we needed to know about this new contract, and at the end of the meeting the four of us signed the papers, being officially a new band for Atlantic Records and with Alan Frame as our manager.
It was now October and after the summer our popularity grew quickly, until we got to this point. I was still working part time at the café along with a new job as a secretary and I was also dating Kurt since summer, who I was going to pick up at the airport that very same day. Spencer continued playing gigs here and there, and we even recorded some demos in an old record studio that we paid with our savings.
Two days after I returned from my ceremony graduation in San Diego, I hung out with Kurt again, doing it regularly throughout the month and becoming good friends. Later that summer, he went on a small tour with the band to promote their debut album Bleach, and when they returned, certain night of July, I received a weird call almost at midnight, but I was very happy to hear that voice.
Flashback
"Yes?" I said as I took the telephone.
"Hi... Uhmm it's Kurt"
"Oh Kurt! Hi! How are you?" I answered clearly excited and I heard a soft chuckle from him.
"I'm good, thanks... how about you? How's everything since I left?"
"Come on, just were two weeks... and everything it's ok around here"
"That sounds nice... well... two weeks but to me it seemed like an eternity"
"Hey... don't hang up. I'll go to my bedroom and I'll answer on the telephone I have there, because I'm in the kitchen" I said with a small laugh.
"Ok, I'll wait then" He said, and I rushed to my bedroom where I took the telephone and laid down on my bed, looking at the ceiling.
"I'm back"
"That was quickly"
"Short stairs" I said and we both laughed, but then I continued "So..."
"Uhmmm I called you because actually I have a problem with... uhhmmm I just purchased a new coffee maker but... this one is weird" He said an I laughed.
"Really?"
"I know it sounds stupid but it's really frustrating"
"And did you try the instructions?" I said, oblivious that this was just a pretext to call me.
"Yes... even the instructions are confusing. And I thought that since you work at a café and you know about this kind of things you could help me"
"Well if you tell me what type of coffee maker is, it would be easier" I said nonchalantly.
"I was thinking more of... maybe you can come to my apartment and see it by yourself and we can have coffee together" He said, and immediately cursed myself in silence because it hit me, the whole thing.
"S-sure" I stuttered a little, but I continued "When are you free?"
"What about tomorrow?"
"Sure... tomorrow it's perfect for me"
"I'll pick you up at 8 at the café... is that ok with you?"
"Yeah, great... see you tomorrow at 8"
"Good night, Lily"
"Good night, Kurt" I said and hung up.
After that conversation I thought I was going to die from a mini heart attack; this wasn't the first time that we would spend time together, but I had the feeling that this time was going to be different and that made me feel so nervous and anxious.
As we agreed, he picked me up at 8 next day and we went straight to his apartment, where I discovered it was just for him that night, and as I thought, Kurt and I ended up kissing in his kitchen and then we went to his bedroom.
From that night on, everything began.
End of flashback
I picked up Kurt and then we went to my apartment where I gave him the good news about our record deal; he congratulated me and said he was so proud of me. But I really didn't want to think about it now, I just wanted to enjoy these ten days that I could spend with him, before he flew to England to continue the tour.
As the recording for the EP was going to start until November, next weekend (that I was off to work), I flew with Kurt to Olympia, where he was currently living and we spent the last days of his staying there. He would call me every day and we would stay at the telephone for a couple of hours... I really liked our relationship because it was very transparent, innocent but also very intense and I knew he was just as happy as I was.
Alan got us the London Bridge Studios, own by the Parashar brothers to record the EP and starting to work in mid-November. One of the brothers, Rick Parashar would become the producer of this. And as the year was ending, the recording stopped in December and was re-scheduled for mid-January.
Kurt returned to my arms in early December and as we planned a few months earlier, we spent New Year's Eve at a party from his record label in New York.
The party took place at a fancy space, the decorations were gold and glittering, and for the occasion we decided to dress up in a fancy but not so formal way. We were drinking champagne, dancing and having fun but it was like there was only the two of us in that room and everybody else just disappeared. It was romantic and magical, we were having our own moment and at the eyes of the guests, we were the embodiment of hope in this young love.
We were so congratulated that night by everyone and we just thanked them in a shy way, but the elder people would tell us that "You don't see very often that kind of love in the young people nowadays, but it's nice to see it hasn't disappeared".
We were so madly in love and also, we were very happy. We just couldn't hide it.
We shared a kiss at midnight on the balcony, and then he looked at me with those piercing but kind eyes.
"Happy new year" He said to me smiling.
"Happy new year Kurt... I love you" I said, and he smiled once more.
"I love you too, Lily" He answered, caressing my cheek and kissing me one more time.
"Should we hang out here a little bit more or... do you wanna go?"
"Let's wait a little bit more" I said, and we stayed hugging each other, only in silence.
There was glitter on the floor after the party, girls carrying their shoes down in the lobby and candle wax on the hardwood floor; a night to remember. (A reference to certain song here...)
When we made it to the Plaza hotel (where we were staying) it was almost dawn and Kurt took his guitar, sat in front of me and looked at me with a funny face.
"This is for you... we both love the Beatles but this one it's really what I feel for you, Lillian. This is your song from me" He told me, and I just froze because he was so serious when he said that.
I immediately recognized the chords, and then he started to sing "She gives me everything and tenderly, the kiss my lover brings, she brings to me and I love her...". I got goosebumps by hearing and watching him, it was a beautiful rendition of the song, but the most important thing was that he really meant it.
I felt so loved by him and I knew he felt the same way. This was only love.
A new decade was starting, and I was feeling more alive than ever to start with the new year, but little did I know what this new beginning was going to bring me down in a matter of days and months.