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- Chapter Nineteen -

Amina

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All these singers werepainfully stunning. I couldn't see inside the audition room, but I wondered if Bach was ogling them. My exes would have. Every single one of those jerks would have openly drooled over these girls, then harassed me if I dared to show a hint of jealousy.

It's your own fault for coming here,I reminded myself. No one had asked me to show up. Violet and Bach had left without me this morning. I'd wandered the huge house until the walls began to blur, then, once I'd been sure I'd go crazy if I stayed put, I'd taken the Tesla for a drive.

Coming to Beats and Blast was a strange sort of auto-pilot. I needed to talk to Violet about when she was going to set up time for me to record my own music. She'd assured me she would, but her workload was so gigantic, she’d hardly spoke to me in person since our lunch days ago.

She's in that room. When she exits, I'll have her cornered.With my back to the wall, I waited as the line of girls dwindled. They'd gather in the hallway once the audition was over, some of them chatting on their phones, others pacing nervously. I guessed no one had told them whether they were going to be signed or not yet.

Would Bach bring on only a handful? Or would he take every single one?

The door opened and a man I didn't recognize walked out. He had on sunglasses, and his hair looked like a brightly colored kid's ice cream cone. He smiled at the women, said some things, then began taking selfies with them.

Guess he's someone famous.

He did look alittlefamiliar. Had I seen him on TV? He laughed loudly at something a girl had said, then waved and strut down the hall. As he passed me, our shoulders bumped. “Whoa, sorry!” he laughed, giving me an apologetic smile.

“It’s fine,” I said, waving my hands frantically. “I was in the way. My fault.”

He started to turn away, then stopped as he studied me closer. “Don’t I know you?”

I laughed so hard that I snorted. “Me? No, there’s no way.”

“You sure? I’m Roshio.” He extended a hand; I shook it, noticing how skinny his fingers were. It was like shaking hands with a bunch of dried pasta.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Amina.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Oh ho! Beats and Blast’s newest star! I’ve definitely seen you before.”

Flushing, I gave a tight shrug. “You probably remember me from the All That Glitters Gala.”

He didn’t seem entirely convinced. Just then, a voice called out his name further down the hall. We both looked over. One of the women who’d been in line—a tall, wispy girl with long blonde hair—was waving. “Gotta go,” Roshio said. “I’m sure I’ll see you around, Amina.” He cast me one last squinty-smile, then hurried off to chase the girl.