CHAPTER 7

"Somewhere, someone knows the words to the songs you sing."

——

Unknown.

♪

One thing that Autumn was grateful for was that she and the star weren't alone as they walked to the on-campus studio.

It would have made the silence a lot more awkward than it already was.

This time though, River had refused to let Autumn carry Lyrae so she walked quietly beside him with his bodyguard trailing behind them.

Autumn glanced to the side. River had slid on a pair of Tomahawk Neuralyzers shades to hide his identity.

He was failing miserably at the hiding part. The star drew attention wherever he went from his pompadour-like haircut to his Calvin Klein t-shirt, possible designer jeans, and heavy boots. His appearance screamed 'superstar' to everyone one who was within the vicinity.

The bodyguard pulled the studio door open and the pair ducked inside. In a minute, River had a room cleared for them and Autumn settled into one of the massive cushions as River put Lyrae down.

"Wanna tell me why you auditioned?" River asked without a prelude as he pulled out sheets of paper from the file case the bodyguard had given him.

Autumn tied her hair up in a bun as she answered him, "your offer was a surprise. Definitely unexpected. I wasn't sure you wouldn't take it back last minute so I needed a backup plan."

River chuckled and Autumn felt as though she'd made a fool out of herself. "I don't go back on my word, Autumn."

"If you say so," Autumn shrugged.

River turned his head from where he stood looking through the sheets of paper. His emerald orbs met with hers.

"I do say so."

Autumn stilled. She stopped twisting her fingers. She held her breath and she didn't so much as take in anymore oxygen.

River's intense expression faded away as a smirk spread across his lips. He crossed the room and he settled beside Autumn, handing her the contract papers.

"How did you get this ready so quickly?" Autumn asked, referring to the contract. "You only mentioned it yesterday."

"Platinum is always ready to sign new artists so we've got a bunch of papers waiting to be signed," River explained as Autumn went through the papers. "Anna brought some along because we'll be using it here with the winners."

"So after I sign this what's next?"

"I become your manager for the time being till you can hire someone else," River said. "Then we'll record some songs and make you a hit."

He made it sound so simple. Autumn refused to believe that it was.

"Have you ever managed someone before?" She wondered.

"No, but I've learned a couple of stuff from my manager," River admitted. "It should be enough to guide you on your path to stardom."

Autumn flipped the pages of the contract idly as she chewed the insides of her mouth. "Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?"

"That's because you are. where's the friend you were supposed to bring?"

Autumn mentally facepalmed herself. She hoped River wouldn't think she wasn't serious about this because she was. This was everything she's ever wanted, practically handed to her on a platter of gold and she was doing everything she could to not mess it up. "I didn't tell her. I forgot to."

"By all means then, call her over," River suggested and Autumn bit her lip. If he was even the tiniest bit annoyed, he didn't show it. But then again, so what if she forgets to tell a friend she needed her help signing a contract? Big deal.

"I didn't bring my phone with me," Autumn said. "I was in a rush to make it to the competition on time."

She really had to do something about her time management skills.

River pulled out his phone from his pocket and handed it offer.

"Do you have her number? "

"Memorized," Autumn supplied.

Without further questioning, River pulled his phone from his pockets and handed it over.

Autumn turned the device on, seeing it locked, she stretched her hand to return it to River. "It's locked."

"One, five, six, two, double zero, seven," River recited as though an esteemed popstar like himself giving Autumn uninterrupted access to his phone was as normal as Brianna and Kent denying any attraction to the other.

"You just gave me your passcode," Autumn said, too dumbstruck to the level of stating out obvious stuff.

"Instinct," River smirked and Autumn let it go.

Daniella answered on the third ring.

"If you ever call me again, I am going to–"

"Dani, it's me," Autumn interrupted. "Do you always pick your phone up this way?"

"Only with strangers."

"Um, why though?"

"What other way is there?"

"I don't know, the polite way maybe?"

Dani snorted. "Simply picking up is polite enough for me. It was either that or not at all. What's up?"

"I need your help with something," Autumn said. "Where are you?"

"I'm heading back to the dorm."

"I'm at the studio and–"

"I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Oh, thanks, Dani. I owe you one."

"See if you can get Kendra to stop taking me places and maybe we'll call it even."

Autumn giggled. They both knew that wasn't possible. "See you soon."

The call was ended and Autumn returned River's phone to him.

One, five, six, zero, zero, seven. She wondered what the numbers meant.

She pulled Lyrae onto her lap and ran a slender finger over the curve of the instrument.

River watched attentively in silence as Autumn strummed her fingers over the strings playing a note. She explored the note as she began playing a smooth melody.

"That'sbgood," River said, nodding towards Autumn's guitar.

Autumn stopped playing immediately and tucked away a loose strand of hair. "Thanks."

"When did you start playing?"

"Eleven."

"Is there a story behind it?"

"Nothing really interesting."

"I'd still like to hear it."

"My twin sister–"

"You got a twin sister?"

"I just said I did," Autumn said as she rolled her eyes at River's mock surprised face.

"I bet that's everyone's reaction."

"Yeah, totally," Autumn nodded. "Spot-on imitation. Anyway, her name is Amber–"

"Autumn and Amber?"

"Sounds totally different right?" Autumn wondered. "Like she's the family's treasure and I'm just– well, Autumn."

"Don't beat yourself up," River said. "Maybe the names have a meaning behind them."

"Yes, actually. My parents got married in Autumn and the first wedding gift my dad got my mom was an Amber necklace and then twins come along and they think it's so smart to name us that."

"Maybe your middle names can make up for it?"

"I'm Lorelai and my sister's Willow," Autumn informed him straight-faced. "Can I go back to the story now?"

River nodded.

"Amby and I used to have after-school activities. She did gymnastics while I stayed home with a music instructor. I learned how to play the piano first then the violin. Around that time, Amber sprained her ankle and had to quit the gymnasium. Practicing was taking up a lot of my time and Amber and I didn't get to spend as much time as we used to so I quit. Then I developed a thing for guitars. Got one for Christmas, watched a ton of YouTube videos and here I am now."

Autumn looked up to find River staring down at her, giving her his full attention.

"Sing something," he suggested but Autumn shook her head.

"Why would I do that?" she asked.

"You wanna be a musician, don't you?"

More than anything in the world, Autumn thought.

"Of course I do," Autumn admitted, "but you're like the toughest audience ever."

River let a smile spread across his lips while his eyes stared, transfixed. There was just something about her that amused you.

Autumn set her eyes everywhere but on him. This didn't go unnoticed by River. This was the first time he'd asked anyone to put on a private performance and like hell was he going to get it.

"But I already admitted that I'm infatuated with your voice," River cajoled.

Autumn thought about this. "Wait, really?"

River smiled again– a Cheshire cat grin that showed off a pair of perfectly white straight teeth.

"I'm saying it now, aren't I?"

Autumn was entranced. At that moment, she memorized every detail of his face. His dark hair had the silkiest texture she'd ever seen. She wondered how soft it would feel if she reached out and raked her fingers through it.

His eyebrows had the perfect arch and matched the dark color of his hair making his intense emerald orbs even more detailed than they were already.

A pointed nose led to his pink lips which were bow-shaped but with an ever so slightly heavier lower lip. His lips looked as smooth as velvet. The creator had really taken care while sculpting this one.

Autumn longed to run her hands over every curve and feel every edge. She wanted to run her tongue over all–

Christ, Autumn, she scolded herself. Get a hold of yourself.

River was a pop star who had women and girls alike screaming when he even so much as got on stage so of course, she was a bit attracted to him. He was practically Adonis in human form.

"So what do you say?" River asked with a soft nudge against Autumn's shoulder to get her attention.

"I guess I can give it a try," Autumn shrugged. "Any requests?"

"How about the song from yesterday? I'd like to hear how it sounds."

"Alright," Autumn said before she drew in a deep breath and began to play the intro to her song.

"I had a dream last night," Autumn sang, "my parents were cool with my lifestyle. . ."

Autumn's voice echoed in the room, filling River's ears and all the darkest places in his soul with light.

It enveloped him. Period.

". . . All these dreams of sad, awful endings–" Autumn's divine sound was cut off by the sound of someone knocking.

Autumn looked relieved from the interruption.

"This isn't over," River said and Autumn said nothing but hid the small smile on her lips as she went to get the door.

"Hey, Dan–" Autumn stopped when she saw Dani talking on her phone in Chinese.

"Gàosu wô nî xúyào qián, Devi, wèishéme bù wèn wômen de fùmû."

Dani strolled in like she owned the room still listening on her phone.

A few loud Chinese sentences later, Dani ended her phone call and turned to the pair in the room.

"So, where the hell is this legal piece of paper that can change Autumn's life forever?"

Autumn turned to River to see his reaction but found him watching herself and Dani with a playful glint in his eyes.

She forced her eyes away from him.

Star-ttraction–if that was even a word– was all it was.