CHAPTER 5

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination & life to everything."

-

PLATO

♪

Autumn had lyrical classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

That day, she headed to her morning class with her head bent and focused on her phone as she read articles from the magazines she had subscribed to which was every gossip site imaginable.

This was a recent development- her subscriptions. Her previous belief was that she would get every news she was supposed to but that belief had changed.

As Autumn walked through the halls, she ignored the whispers she heard which were about her.

If she hoped to be a pop sensation like her idol someday, she had to be able to disregard gossip.

She stepped into her lyrical class and all the noise stopped. She looked up to find the class's attention on her. She schooled her features in refusal to let any emotion show.

Instead, she flicked her wrist, an action which sent her waist-length caramelious locks behind her in a manner that didn't mirror sass before she moved to settle down.

It was going to be a long day.

♪

The air was brisk which made it comfortable for Autumn to settle beneath the large campus tree and scribble lyrics into a brown leather notebook.

Her worn blue oversized jean jacket was tied in a knot with the sleeves and it hung around her shoulders. Beneath it was a tight black camisole, blue jean shorts, and a pair of Dr. Martens combat boots.

She enjoyed the feel of the air and the perfect temperature. Her wind flowed through her hair, lifting it off her shoulders occasionally.

She picked up Lyrae, balanced her in her laps, and ran her fingers over the strings till she found a melody.

She sent the instrument aside then she put her colored pen to a clean page in her notebook and she began to write, combining lyrics she'd scribbled down before.

I had a dream last night

My parents were cool with my lifestyle

I hoped I wouldn't watch as it goes by

Everything I ever built

during my life's prime

Hope I won't cry in my bathtub

about all the things I did wrong

while I drown myself in liquor

T'was so clear I could see it as a picture

Chorus:

My teenage dreams

(Teenage dreams, teenage dreams)

of awful sad endings

hope you float downhill

past the streams

away from sight

My teenage dreams

(Teenage dreams, teenage dreams)

of ambition, wishing, and wonder

hope you come true

and bring me breaths of relief

a smile to my lips

I'll dream teenage dreams tonight

I hope my family calls

when they've gathered enough balls

cos it's all their fault

my lips taste of salt

and they should have just dealt

supported me from the start

Taught me family's the closest unit

where are they now?

Chorus:

Hope I won't regret

taking this path

even after they told me no

saying stick to our side

Hope I won't reminisce

wishing I had listened

Hope tears won't slide down my cheeks

As I force wine down my throat

I wanna see my teenage dreams come true

Chorus:

As Autumn finished up writing the closing verse of her song, she began to hear sounds of feminine giggles and laughter.

She blocked this out and scribbled in the title of her song- Teenage Dreams at the top of the page.

Abruptly, the giggling stopped and all she could hear was the soft tread of footsteps approaching her.

A figure lowered beside her and Autumn snapped her notebook shut.

"What do you-" her words got stuck in her throat when her eyes met with emerald orbs with a perfectly arched brow over one of them in question.

Autumn swallowed her comment and twisted her pen between her fingers trying to ease the feeling of awkwardness.

River let out a chuckle at Autumn's behavior. "What were you going to say?"

Autumn found her voice. "I was going to reprimand you for looking over my shoulder–literally."

The popstar leaned back and rested against the tree trunk. "Got a thing for your privacy and such?"

"Not really but this book is private."

"Let me guess," River said as he pretended to think about something. "That's your songbook."

Autumn narrowed her eyes at her idol. "How much did you see?"

River gave nothing away with his shrug. "Enough to guess what it is. So, songbook?"

"I prefer music book."

River nodded. "I would ask to see it but you just made its exclusivity clear."

"So you're telling me, you don't have a music book?"

"I'm not telling you anything."

Autumn mentally facepalmed herself. "Let me rephrase that, do you have a music book?"

"Kinda but I don't carry it around all the time," River answered. "It has too many pieces inside. I just shoved papers inside this folder thing so it's not really a book. You're one of the few people who know this so let's keep it that way."

"Do you do this often? Like secure information about yourself?" Autumn asked as she slipped her legs beneath her in an Indian-style sitting position and tucked away her belongings.

River gave a curt nod. "Yeah, pretty much."

"So you're just spitting out things to me because?"

"You look trustworthy," River said and Autumn turned to stare at him.

"You must really trust your instincts then."

"Yeah, so what are you doing out here all on your own?" River asked, smoothly changing the topic. "You're not a social pariah, are you?"

"What?" Autumn asked, her tone questionable. "You're worried about your reputation?"

"You didn't answer my question, you know."

"I consider myself reserved."

"That's very visible."

"I'm waiting for my friends to come pick me up," Autumn said, finally. "Why are you here?"

"I've been looking all over for you." River said, watching for Autumn's reaction.

"Really?"

"Nope. I saw you sitting here and I remembered I had to discuss the contract signing with you. I told you I'd find you, didn't I?"

"For reals?"

"You might like to have a lawyer with you."

Autumn didn't have a lawyer so she suggested, "What about a friend who knows all things business-related."

River considered it. "That could work."

"Yeah, "Autumn agreed. "So, when and where?"

"What time works for you?"

"Tomorrow maybe?" Autumn guessed.

"We've got the auditions for the competition going on," River informed. "If we're done soon enough I could text you."

"You don't have my phone number."

River pulled his phone from his pocket and opened his contacts. He turned to Autumn expectantly. "Let's hear it then."

Autumn called out her phone number and the star saved it to his contact list.

"Possible meeting place?"

"Definitely the studio."

"Alright. So," River began, signaling the beginning of another topic of discussion. "This is a hangout spot for you?"

Autumn brushed off a bit of dirt from her jeans and shrugged. "When the weather cooperates."

River's lips moved to speak but the pulling in of a car cut him off.

Autumn's friends alighted once they noticed the pop star's presence. Opportunities like this only came once in a lifetime.

Freddie, being the tallest of the trio stood out the most. He had an arm wrapped around Kendra, his head bent slightly to the side listening intently to what she was saying. His sapphire orbs shone with humor and his chestnut hair swayed slightly in the mild wind.

Kendra, his girlfriend, had a smile on her face and Autumn could tell that it had something to do with Freddie's possessive nature.

In knee-length boots and a dark floral dress, the blond resembled a model. Her hair bounced off her shoulders as she walked and her jade eyes gave off feigned innocence.

The Asian stood behind the couple like an awkward third wheel. This was the reason why she only hung out with them when she was sure Autumn would be there.

It wasn't as though the couple was trying to make her feel awkward, it was just inevitable.

Autumn stood from the ground and dusted herself off. Beside her, River mirrored the action and without so much as an introduction, he extended a hand to Autumn's friends.

"River Crowns," the star said. "Pleasure to meet you."

"River," Autumn began, hiding her surprise at River's action well. She pointed at each of friends in introduction.

"These are my roommates and best friends, Freddie, Kendra, and Dani."

They took turns shaking hands but as River extended a hand to Dani, she not-so-subtly brushed it aside by pulling her hair into a ponytail. She scrutinized him.

"It's Danielle to you," Dani said as she and Freddie moved to help Autumn with her stuff. "C'mon, fangirl, Fred's paying for lunch."

"D, I told you not to call me that."

"And I told Autumn to quit introducing me to people but yet here we are. We don't always get what we want, Fred, so suck it up."