Chapter 64: The Gatsby Party

[Chapter 64: The Gatsby Party]

"You've taken a shower eight times already," Ryan reminded her.

"Nope, I need to wash it again," Taylor said, her expression anxious, still wrestling with her nerves.

Ryan gazed up through the panoramic sunroof as the sky grew darker, with stars and the moon eagerly revealing their glow. He felt a deep sense of tranquility emanating from within his soul.

Earlier, Ryan had driven the car down an abandoned road on the outskirts of town, a path that hadn't seen traffic in ages. He found this new driving experience to be quite enjoyable.

"If my parents ask you, just say you bought the car from your own savings. If they ask about your income, just inflate the numbers a bit. I'll see what my parents want and I'll buy it first, then you can take it to them," Taylor suggested as she tidied her wild hair.

"You don't know, sometimes they can be really annoying, and their expectations keep getting higher," Taylor added with a murmur.

She felt too intimidated to defy her parents yet feared that Ryan wouldn't impress them, so she came up with this plan, also considering that Ryan might not have a substantial income himself.

"I think we should hold off on introducing me to your parents," Ryan advised, mainly because of Abigail. Her parents were familiar with Abigail, and if they met, it could raise suspicions.

"Once our EP drops, we'll have an excuse to clarify things with Abigail," Taylor agreed, then added, "In the meantime, Abigail absolutely can't come to our house or meet my parents. However, you can still meet my folks. They actually asked about you yesterday."

"What did they ask?"

"They wanted to know your GPA. After all that time you were gone promoting, how could you maintain your grades?" Taylor teased.

...

While dropping Taylor off at home, her mom indeed asked about the new car. Ryan stuck to the story they'd planned, and her mom's face lit up, impressed that Ryan was able to buy it, before inviting him in for a visit.

Her father unexpectedly brought up Ryan's GPA at the dinner table.

"Even though I've been busy promoting, I managed to keep up with my studies and somehow ended up with all A's," Ryan announced.

Even the time he had finished his exam early, he had achieved an A+, and the teacher had praised his modern poetry.

Taylor's dad then shifted the conversation to current events in finance and technology.

"The U.S. has the largest and most sophisticated financial market in the world. The financial sector allocates social resources effectively, directing funds where they're most needed, like..." he gestured toward the Apple phone Ryan had left on the table.

"This keeps our high-profit industries constantly ahead."

Ryan didn't necessarily believe there was a direct cause-and-effect relationship between the two, but he nodded along, not wanting to argue.

Then Taylor's dad unexpectedly brought up some prestigious university majors.

"I'm actually still considering my options in that area," Ryan confessed, feeling a bit sheepish.

Taylor was graduating early, Abigail was graduating this year, and Ryan still had another year left.

"What's your rush? Besides, who knows? Ryan could end up more famous than your daughter," Taylor's mom remarked, turning the conversation back to Ryan buying the new car.

"Ryan's only going to graduate next year," Taylor added in.

"Becoming a star isn't easy; talent, luck, and resources are all crucial. Ryan is a guy with potential, he needs to develop in all aspects," Taylor's dad argued firmly.

There was a bit of truth in what Taylor said; her parents' expectations of Ryan would only increase.

...

Returning home, Trey had already eaten, but without further ado, she pulled Ryan into the study.

"Today is a historic day!"

Trey motioned for Ryan to sit in front of the computer and see for himself.

It turned out that Ryan's MySpace had officially surpassed 100,000 followers. Thanks to the buzz created by his two recent songs, radio promotions, and the recently released Tremor music video, Ryan's popularity had skyrocketed, and this was just the beginning.

Of course, it was also thanks to some people who had worked quietly behind the scenes.

Ryan's MySpace page looked nearly identical to Taylor's, relying heavily on Elizabeth Olsen's recent dedication.

The blogs being shared were easily getting hundreds of comments each.

But one blog had broken into the thousands, showcasing a collection of photos Ryan had taken on campus.

[Holy Shit! He's so handsome!] was the top comment.

[Who allowed you to creep on my man?] was the second most liked comment.

[Why aren't you out filming movies? Why mess around in the DJ scene?] was the third most liked comment.

[Water, water, water, water, water is flowing.]

Ryan clicked in and was surprised to discover the majority of the comments were from guys!

A quick thought led to the realization that the bulk of the music fans drawn to him for those two songs were male.

But this also backed up the idea that he indeed had the potential to become a teen idol, making Ryan excited about the prospect of drawing fans from Taylor's audience.

...

Next, Ryan decided to call Elizabeth Olsen.

[Does it still hurt?] he asked.

[...A bit better now,] she replied.

[Then get back to work!] Ryan urged her to release a teaser for the new song tonight. The original track was nearly completed, just waiting for Blacc to record.

[...Okay, send me a portion of the new song,] she said.

[Thanks for your hard work,] he replied.

[Now you're sounding like a real person (smile), she teased.

[When are you coming to Nashville? Let me take you out to dinner,] Ryan said, thinking she could be a social media assistant, albeit with ulterior motives.

[Can I cash it in?]

[Nope.]

[Then I don't want it,] she replied.

[Are you sure you don't want it?]

[...Can you come to New York?]

Ryan was focused on his new song and wasn't in a hurry to see her.

[We'll talk later.]

...

Just as he was about to call Abigail, a message pinged on Facebook.

[Ryan! The music video has dropped; within a day, it has over 200,000 views!]

Ryan had added Elizabeth Debicki, Elizabeth Olsen, and Irina as friends. But he found out that Irina rarely used Facebook and hadn't posted a selfie in ages, nor had she tweeted anything on Twitter.

[My Twitter followers have suddenly increased too,] Ryan noted.

[I can't thank you enough, Ryan,] she replied.

[You should try and manage your social media well; it would be very beneficial for you,] Ryan advised.

[But how do I do that?]

[Need me to teach you?]

[Are you coming over to teach me? No problem, I'm in New York,] she laughed, misunderstanding him.

[I might not have time at the moment.]

[Well, when you do, feel free to come find me (smile).]

[I'll contact you in advance.]

[Okay (blowing kiss emoji).]

Ryan found Irina's enthusiastic tone a bit suspicious; she likely wanted something from him. He wasn't planning on visiting, especially since he was in Taylor's territory.

...

But the very next day, he was given a perfect excuse.

"The invitation fell through; that musician named Aloe Blacc turned down the collaboration offer. He's on tour and isn't interested in electronic music," Scooter said on the phone.

Someone turning down an opportunity to become famous? Is Aloe that big-time? Ryan thought, slightly confused.

"Now we need to think of a new approach. Do you have anyone suitable on your end?"

"I'll ask around," Ryan said, wanting to consult Taylor within the country music scene.

"I have an idea. Labor Day is almost here, and this Friday there's a huge industry party in New York. A lot of people will be attending, including Mariah Carey, the Pussycat Dolls, Mary J. Blige, Paris Hilton, hosts, boxers, fashion designers, jewel merchants, socialites, activists, and several media reps. It's basically a Gatsby-style luxury party, and I'm the promoter for this event. The party is in need of a DJ, and I can't think of anyone more suited than you. Plus, you can use this opportunity to network for potential collaborations. The organizer is incredibly generous, so your compensation won't be low. Even after deducting my cut, you'd earn more than all your previous performances combined."

"Who is the organizer?" Ryan asked immediately.

"Ciroc, a French distillery."

"Sounds good to me," Ryan responded, finding no red flags as these distilleries often hosted similar events.

"Of course, I mentioned this is 'Gatsby's party.'"

*****

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