Chapter 8
I got out of bed an hour earlier than my alarm the next day. I got ready a half hour before my team even showed up to get me. I managed to drink two cups of coffee and felt like I was bouncing off the walls when they did show up. Maybe I need to lay off the caffeine. I can’t help it though because today I am getting my new look. I have no idea what they even plan on doing to me except they said it needs to be completely different. They took me to my hairstylist’s salon downtown.
“Are you ready?” Kendra asked me.
I nodded, “I think so.”
“It’s okay,” Kendra smiled, “you’re going to look fabulous.”
They put color in my hair first but Kendra kept it a secret so I had no idea what color it was. I tried to ask for answers while I waited for the color to sink in, but got no luck. I didn’t see it until they washed the color out and started to cut it. They turned my hair a few shades darker than it was before and cut my hair short so it was an inch or two above my shoulders. It looked… different. I think I like it though. I’ve never had the courage to change my hair before. I should have done it sooner. We took pictures throughout the whole process and took another group picture when my hair was finished. They took me to my make-up artist’s shop next. She closed the shop for the day specifically for me which was a weird experience. She gave me an entire bag of make-up I have to start using and even showed me how to use all the make-up she gave me. Of course we took another picture when we finished that too.
I said goodbye to a couple of them when we finished so I could continue on with my day with Kendra to go shopping for a new wardrobe. I thought a lot on the way to the stores. I realized that this is my fresh start. My fresh start wasn’t moving into the city. My fresh start started the day I signed the contract. My phone number is changed so I can cut whoever I want to out of my life. I have a new career to concentrate on. I have an entire new look and wardrobe to along with it too. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all. Lindy is clearly wrong because I’m not giving anything up; I’m only gaining things.
“This story,” Kendra explained, “Will be your new best friend. They have agreed to promote you as much as we want them to as long as you agree to wear their clothes.”
“In other words, my entire wardrobe is coming from here.”
Kendra smiled, “Exactly and you do not have a limit on this shopping trip. We want to get rid of everything in your closet.”
“Can I keep anything?”
“Sentimental things you cannot stand to get rid of are fine or your comfortable clothes you will be wearing around the house don’t need to be thrown out. The others will though.”
“Got it,” I nodded, “And I am perfectly okay with that.”
We walked over to a wall filled with different dresses. They were thousand dollar dresses or anything, but Kendra explained that I would need them for interviews and promotional events.
“How many should I get?” I asked her.
“As many as you’d like, but I prefer if you get at least 10 to start with.”
Ten? What kind of money does this record company have? Wow.
“I’m going to go talk with the owner,” she told me, “I’ll send a lady over to help you carry your things. You know your size so a dressing room will not be necessary; just get whatever you like.”
I nodded.
Kendra walked off to find the owner leaving me in front of an entire wall of dresses. I have to admit a lot of these are really cute. None of them are my old style though, but I am guessing that is exactly why Kendra and the record label want me to shop here. I easily found five dresses I liked but it became harder and harder to get to ten. I realized I was being too picky. I am not supposed to be me I am supposed to be this new singer they’re expected. In the end I chose five other random dresses I found on the shelves. When I found something new I handed it to the lady Kendra found to help me. She held my things for me and kept them behind the counter. Nobody else was in the store so I am guessing Kendra probably closed the place for me. She joined shortly after the dresses were picked out.
“Great dress choices,” She told me, “now we are onto pants. You need variety. Only choose one pair of regular jeans because the rest must be different. Choose different styles of jeans and different colors and patterns. Don’t worrying about anything matching now because we are in the midst of hiring you a stylist. Your stylist will handle the matching of your clothes. Choose whatever you’d like.”
I never realized how hard shopping could really be. I mean before I would chose whatever clothes I could afford. I did not have to put a lot of thought into it because I couldn’t afford most of the best styles and brands anyway. Now I have no money limit and an entire store to choose from; this is crazy. I wandered around the pants and chose the jeans first before moving onto the unique ones. I loved the neon colors they had so I made sure to get plenty of those. I also loved animal print which Kendra was thrilled about.
“That will be your new thing!” She told me, “Animal print! I love it!”
Within the next couple hours we moved onto skirts, shirt, blouses, exercise clothes, shoes, and jewelry. Everything had to be bought from that one store of course. I did not think I could spend that much money even if I wanted to. It was the first time I had stepped into a store that huge before. I tried not to be too surprised while I walked through it which turned out to be surprisingly easy because Kendra kept giving me instructions and rules about the way I now had to live. Kendra paid for my clothes and got somebody to follow us to the car where they put everything in the back for us.
“By the way, you will be moving soon.”
“I’m what?”
She nodded, “Your voice and your videos have won over the highest people in the company and they insist on treating you as if you are already famous. You are the next big thing and he insists that you are treated like it. It’ll take a couple days before you can move in. They are painting and adding furniture.”
“What about my furniture and things?”
“Your furniture is a no… sorry. However your decorations and your things will be moved too. Your furniture was too old, I hope you understand. We would never take away your personal things though.”
“What are we doing now?”
“I think that is enough for the day,” she said, “But you do have a meeting tomorrow. Take a few of your bags home with you to get you through the next couple days. The rest of your wardrobe will be moved to the new apartment.”
“I’ll bag up my old clothes,” I said.
She nodded, “I’ll take care of them after they’re in bags.”
When I got to my apartment I arranged a few bags for outfits for the next few days and carried them upstairs. I dropped the bags as soon as I walked in the door and closed the door behind me. I decided to get started on my old clothes immediately and got a few trash bags from the cupboard. I went to my closet and tried not to think about what I was throwing away as I piled them all in bags. To be honest I don’t think I have anything sentimental. They’re just clothes after all. I heard my door open a after I had two trash bags filled with my clothes. I should have expected it was Lindy, she’s the only one I gave a key too.
“Your phone is disconnected,” she said.
I shook my head, “My number is changed.”
“I see you have a new look.”
“The label paid for it,” I answered.
“What are you doing with all your clothes?”
“Oh, that, they bought me a new wardrobe too so I have to get rid of these.”
“Did I do something?” She asked, “Are you mad at me? What’s happening right now? Are you mad at me for what I said about this record label?”
I sighed, “Yes I’m mad.”
“Why?!”
“First, you yell at me claiming I gave up my music AFTER I signed a record deal for music! Second, you told me you were going to talk to Julian. You told me you were going to talk to him about me being busy so I could have time to get over him but then he calls me claiming he hasn’t even heard from you. We ended up having a huge talk blowing up at each other and instead I told him the truth. I told him I needed to get over him.”
“He deserved to know the truth anyway!”
“So you purposely didn’t tell him?! Great,” I laughed. “It was never supposed to go that far! Everything became too complicated and there was too much drama.”
“So you thought you would just cut us off as soon as they gave you a new number? Is that how you handle your problems Cleo?”
“What I need is for you to leave me alone,” I told her, “I need you and your brother to leave me alone and let me deal with my life. I cannot handle it anymore.”
She shook her head, “I don’t even know who you are anymore. Have a great life.”
She dropped the key on the floor. I heard the door slam a few seconds later. Crap. I just lost my best friend. Both my best friends actually. At least the drama is finally gone though … and I’ll be moving to a new place in a few days so they won’t be able to find me anyway. There’s a bonus. Maybe I can actually move on now.
God, I’m so stupid. I just yelled at the one of the only friends I had. I just gave up two of the best friends I’ve ever had. What am I turning into?! Am I really sacrificing too much for this record deal? Are they right after all? I sunk to the floor and hugged my knees to my chest. I’m supposed to be happy. I’m supposed to be living my dream. Why did my personal life have to explode when my professional life is doing so well?