"I'm sorry, WHAT?" Colton and I say at the same time, I glare down at him, his words laced with spite, mine just confusion. 

The people at the table either glare at Colton or look at me in anticipation, what is going on? I haven't slept in forty-eight hours, maybe I'm just going insane. Maybe it's like one of those films where you're so tired you think people are saying what you want to hear, then you start hearing what people are thinking and you change your life-

"You were just up there singing right?" A large man in a navy-blue suit gestures down to the stage.

Who are these people? Niki told me not to keep them waiting as they're important, but they seem too smartly dressed to be here for a jolly. We get quite a few businessmen pass through Nikis after business hours usually at the end of the evening with their ties hanging loosely around their necks and their top buttons undone, but these guys, their ties were still properly fastened around their collars of their finely pressed shirts.

"Uhm yes, I was Sir," I say back timidly.

"Oh, now she finds manners, yes sir, no sir... was this your plan all along?" Colton mimics crossing his arms, narrowing his eyes at me.

I can't tell whether this guy is high half the time or just so full of himself he can't see anyone beyond his own two feet, what the fuck is he on about now?

"Wha- "I start to defend myself when a girl across the table cuts in,

"Oh, stop fucking babbling Hemmings, don't be a bigger arse than you already are. You're pissed. Go home." She gestures her fingers towards the door.

I can't deny it gives me a sense of gratification watching him get handed a dose of the truth from one of his female...' colleagues'? I have to hold in my laughter, at least it's not just me who finds him a prick.

A few of the girls further up the table giggle but stops when a large man in a pinstripe suit stands up and glares at them, he holds out his hand to me8igb5hjy. I feel several pairs of eyes following my arm as I go to shake it,

"John. John Castro. We're here from Hassa Records."

WHAT. THE. FUCK.

Someone from Hassa Records is talking to me. Scrap that...they just watched me. On stage. Singing. They Listened to my goddam music. Holy fuck. I don't think my brain comprehend what's going on. I'm stood here staring at them with my mouth hanging open.

Jesus Gigi says something. Anything!

"Oh, uh oh... Gigi. Gigi Lastra" I say stuttering, shaking his firm hand.

"We know who you are Gigi my love." The ginger girl who laughed at Colton earlier is now addressing me,

"We've actually had our eye on you for the past couple weeks and I speak for everyone at the label when I say you are exactly what we're looking for."

"I'm sorry- what you're looking for?" I ask, she just giggles.

"Your unique, crazy talented, loveable and yes, exactly what we're looking for" She finishes.

"How have you not been signed yet girl?" another man dressed more casually in jeans and a white shirt asks. He stretches his hand out to me.

"Probably because she's just not good enough and she has no manners," Colton mumbles only loud enough for me to hear.

Ouch. That hurt way more than it should have coming from that cocky ass. I could feel my chest getting tighter with each dig he took at me, each remark making my anxiety simmer more, tipping over the surface of control.

"Isaac white. A&R scout at Hassa. As Katy said, your exactly what we need over here missy. You have this undeniable spark I haven't seen in an artist in years!"

What. Is. Happening. I just stare at the table full of people, my eyes eventually meet a warm friendly smile, Wills smile, I'm so confused. Why are Colton and Will here with Hassa Records? Maybe Colton works as PR...?

"It's good to see you again Miss Lastra! We'd really like to set up a meeting with you for tomorrow if that's okay with you?" he says still offering me a reassuring smile, he's sat beside Colton who's looking at the empty glasses on the table, arms crossed.

A meeting? I guess Will works for Hassa too... my brain is still struggling to keep up with the amount of information coming out of these people's mouths. They want to set up a meeting with me... about what?

"We think you're the perfect person to be Colton's opening act on his tour and we'd love for you to be a contracted songwriter his new album as well as possibly writing and producing your own," John says to me.

Wait what? Colton? He's a singer- wait Colton... My own album? Hold up-

"WHAT? No fucking way is spiller here, is coming on my tour. My fucking tour!"

His tour? Who the fuck is this man who smashed into me? Oh, wait. Suddenly it hits me like a ton of bricks.

Colton... Colton Jax. Oh my god. Colton Jax. The musical 'icon' Sofia has blaring in the shower every morning. The man who is pinned up next to her bed in her room. The one person sitting at the top of the charts right now. Well fuck. Wow, I have the slowest fucking brain, I really shouldn't have dropped out of uni. And Wills his fucking manager... his manager who wants to set up a meeting at his label. Hassa Records. And they want me on his tour? Me helping to write his album? ME! Is this opposite day? How did this happen, the worlds full of way more talented people, why me? I'm so confused. My brows furrow together,

"Shut up Colton. What have I told you?" Will says to him trying to curb his anger.

"No anyone but her! Think about what someone like her will do to the tours image and the labels image! If you sign her and put her on my tour your all idiots! Look at her, she looks like a fucking stripper. A slut. She has the mouth of a fucking sailor and she's the rudest person I've ever met. I bet all her songs are fake, like her. I met her two days ago and she's already ruined my shirt and pissed me off and become the vain of my fucking existence. What happens when we put her around expensive equipment, she'll either break it or steal it to bring back to this shitty dive. And You all should have seen her this morning at Berkeley's. She looked like a fish out of water in such expensive- "

Will pushes him out of the booth. He stumbles around and nearly falls over; he's obviously pissed but it doesn't make what he said hurt any less. I try to blink back the tears quickly filling my eyes. I really don't want to look weak in front of all these people, the tiredness is doing me no favours though. 

Who does he think he is? Who gave him the right to talk to me like that? I'm embarrassed, scratch that,  I'm mortified he's just sat there and said that in front of all these important people. People who are offering me the biggest opportunity of my life, people who can change everything for me. Give me a chance at doing what I love.

That's any chance of whatever this was going to be out of the window. He doesn't even know me; he doesn't know ANYTHING about me, and he still feels he can say that about me. I can feel my eyes burning, they're ready to leak out onto my cheeks. I blink quicker calming the tsunami building on the edge of my lash line. Panic rising up my neck, my chest gets tighter squeezing all the oxygen out of my body. I need to calm down. Quickly.

Will grabs Colton and stops him falling, he starts shouting at him but I'm in too much of a panic about my tears to listen. He puts his hand on my shoulder apologetically and leaves pushing Colton in front of him. I turn back to the table where all eyes are on me. I should just walk away now and save myself the humiliation and rejection. They're probably already thinking of excuses to tell me on why this now won't work.

"I'm so sorry Miss Lastra, on behalf of Colton and Hassa Records. That was rude, unprofessional and completely uncalled for." One of the girls says looking sincere and shocked.

"It's fine, no worries, it's not your fault, the whiskeys strong in this place eh?" I say between voice cracks, pasting a fresh smile on my face, trying to lighten the mood. My hearts still hammering against my rib cage.

"We'd still love to have a meeting with you tomorrow! We'll set up a meeting for... two PM?"

Wait they still want to meet with me?

"Uhm yea that's great. Amazing. Um, thank you so much." I say reaching out to take a business card hanging from the fingertips of one of the girls. It had the address and Johns name on the front in gold font printed on a matt black rectangle.

"Just tell the reception desk who you are, and we'll send someone down to get you Gigi," John says.

"Okay, well thank you, um I'm so appreciative of this, you have no idea."

"Hold up their kitten we haven't signed you just yet." The girl nearest to me says.

"Of course, not but thank you for taking the time to even come to listen to music and taking the time to talk to me. Anyway, what can I get you now another round of whiskeys!" I say encouraging a small chuckle from the table.

I feel like I'm sleeping and any minute now Luca's going to come and jump in my bed and wake me up demanding I do him breakfast. This is all going to be a dream. What is happening?

Someone fucking pinch me, and for the life of me, I hope it hurts.

I finish my shift and practically run to the tube station. My fatigue has vanished and been replaced with pure excitement. I feel like I'm going through a sugar rush, I can't stop bouncing my knees-up and down. My pulse is erratic, speeding up every time I think about what just happened. I still can't believe it; my heart is still thumping wildly in my chest echoing around my ribcage. Not even the quietness from the tube can calm me down tonight. I feel like I'm on fire, everything inside me is buzzing.

I can't deny that some part of me wasn't extremely hurt by what Colton had said, I know I probably shouldn't have been so brash when he smashed into me and I really did try to be professional this morning but the boy just can't seem to filter what comes out of his mouth. Every little thing he says just manages to rile me up. Maybe I should just apologise to him next time I see him, just clear the air if we're going to be working together. Okay, that just sounded crazy, me working alongside someone who's signed to Hassa Records... whos topping the goddam charts!  My smile is permanently printed on my face, my muscles in my face are achy and tired but I can't psychically move it. I haven't felt this happy in... well... forever.

The tube pulls into the station and I dart off it and up the long escalators until I'm out onto the street, its quiet tonight but it is nearly three AM on a Thursday morning, not many sane people are out at this time. I race through the cold early morning air, its usually a ten-minute walk to our little apartment but today I ran it in four minutes. I dash through the communal front door to the apartment building and up the stairs to our flat thrusting the keys into the lock.

"WAKE UP YOU NASTY MATHER FACKERS"

I scream through the pitch-black apartment. I've barely shut the front door before I start flicking on all the lights. I run over to the kitchen island and grab a pan and wooden spoon, banging them together, we are so going to get noise complaints but right now, I couldn't care less.

"YOU TWO BETTER HAVE YOUR LAZY ARSES OUT HERE IN THIRTY SECONDS" I shout again,

I connect my phone to the Bluetooth speaker in the apartment and out blares good old Lizzo, pepping me up I scream along to the lyrics,

'I do my hair toss,

Check my nails

Baby how you feelin?

Feeling good as hell'

I scream the last line with such emphasis I'm sure my voice box is going to jump out of my throat. I jump up on the sofa and shake my arse in the best way I could.

"GIOVANNA EUTERPE LASTRA, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?" Sofia screams at me from her fluffy pink dressing gown.

"Seriously? Giovanna, what the frick are you doing? It's three in the morning and I have to work tomorrow!"

Welp full named... twice. Usually, I would be pissed at them for using my horrifically long name but today I just don't care. Nothing is going to piss me off enough to come down from this high.

"Dance with me!" I grab their hands and drag them to the sofa.

"What the fuck have you taken Gi? The neighbours are going to complain again. Do you think I should call 111 Jacob?" Sofia shouts as Jacob goes to turn the music off.

"Nothing sofiiiii I'm completely T- Total! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH THAT MUSIC JAKEY BOY!" I shout back still swaying to Lizzo completely unfazed.

"Come on Gigi this is preposterous, what's going on?"

Jacobs standing in his tweed slippers with scruffy bed head, bless he looked adorable! I run over and grab his cheeks between my finger and thumb and give them a little squeeze.

"Oh, I love you guys!" I pull them both into a long three-way hug.

"Defo high," Sofia says to Jacob, he returns a worried gaze.

I turn the music down and pull them over to sit down on the sofa once again,

"This is important I promise, oh gosh, it's just... well... ahhhh. Oh, guys! I don't know where to start!"

"Well, preferably the beginning babe," Sof says leaning back into the sofa and closing her eyes Jacob does the same but rests his head on Sofia's shoulder. I take a deep breath and lean on my knees.

"Okay, so... I HAVE A MEETING WITH THE EXECUTIVES AT HASSA RECORDS TOMORROW" I shout squealing and grinning. Jacob and Sofia shoot up off the sofa, eyes wide and confused, they suddenly seem wide awake.

"WHAT" Sofia finally says.

"I... um... WHAT?" Jacob follows.

They both stare at me, unable to find words.

Then the whole apartments ricochets with Sofia's high-pitched squeal, Jacob cups his ears as she starts to jump up and down. She pulls me into a hug, and we start jumping together. Jacob joins the hug trying to keep us planted on the floor.

"You two wackos are going to go through the ceiling in a minute." He chuckles into my shoulder.

"Now explain missy" Enthusiasm shining in his eyes.

We sit down once again on the sofa after Sofia pours us all a glass of Iced tea from the fridge and I begin to tell them everything that happened tonight.

" Okay, so just a quick recap...Hassa Records have been watching you for weeks and they might want to sign you so you can go on tour with Colton fucking Jax and write his album with him AND he just happens to be the dickhead who smashed into you the other night and then turned up at Berkeley's today. I mean girl? How the hell did you not know it was Colton Freaking Jax!! You're so fucking lucky! Colton could spill drinks over me any day of the week if he wanted, I'd even get down and lick it off- ".

"Jesus Sof he's a rude, arrogant, arse who walks around thinking he's the bees knees! He just gets under my skin with his 'higher power' attitude. I didn't know it was him because the only place I've seen him is on your bedroom wall or heard you wailing along to him in the shower when you do your extra-long hair rituals, I just don't really care to listen to his stuff... it's just generic, not my kinda thing... you know sining about 'bitches' and 'killer partys', And my head has been a little foggy this week considering I'm running on zero hours of sleep."

"ITS STILL COLTON JAX, HES LIKE... CHRISTMAS DAY AND YOUR BIRTHDAY ANNDD A TRIP TO PARIS ROLLED INTO ONE. He's just so perfect and ugh gorgeous." She screams at me as she jumps off the sofa pacing the length of the room.

Did she just listen to anything I said? All the things he said to me or done to me? Or even the fact that I am meeting Hassa Records tomorrow to discuss the most important thing to ever happen to me?

Nope, the only thing she's taken from the last half hour is that Colton Jax is fit, and she wouldn't mind if he smashed into her instead... no pun intended. 

"He sounds like a pompous prick; I don't care how drool-worthy his abs are. He's being mean to our little baby, Sofi!" Jacob says pulling me into his side staring to Sofia with narrow eyes.

These two are literally my family, I love them so much, I wouldn't change anything about them for the world. They can be wacky as shit most of the time, but they like to look out for like no one else and they're always pushing me and encouraging me to put myself out there. They've picked me back up and held my hand when I really needed them, because of them I am who I am today... the girl with a frigging meeting with one of the biggest record labels in the world right now.

"I'm so proud of you squashy," Jacob says hugging me tighter, rocking me from side to side.

"Oh Gigi, I love you and I couldn't be prouder, as Alicia keys says, 'THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE" and you fucking are! This is what you deserve, don't let the incredibly handsome but rude dick that just happens to be Colton Jax take that from you, babe. I feel like a proud parent right now. Oh, Jacob our baby girls all grown up and finding her feet in the world. Let me get the camera!" she squeals once more and runs over to hug me and Jacob, she practically jumps on us and we end up squashed on the sofa under her body all of us laughing.

She pushes herself up and looks at me seriously as if she's having an internal debate with herself,

"Fuck It, we're going for breakfast tomorrow, my treat to celebrate!"

"You have college tomorrow babe and I need to try and get some sleep in before this meeting; I've been awake like fifty hours now," I say back.

"I'll skip I've only got two lectures tomorrow, and they're totally worth missing for you! I want to be there when you come out of your meeting as an official signed recording artist!" her little caramel eyes light up with pure excitement.

"Yeah me too, I'll pull a sickie tomorrow," Jacob says.

Wait, what? Jacob. Pull a sickie? Jacob would never? Maybe he really is ill!

"Quick Sofia grab the thermometer; I think Jacob really is ill." I say looking at her sporting an equally shocked expression. Jacob never misses work; he's not once taken a day off in all six years we've known him.

"Har bloody har... I'm only sick with pride for my little Gigi."

Sof and I burst out laughing.

"Awe bless you Jackey your massive cornball," I say as I launch onto him, wrapping my arms around his neck, sitting on his lap, he kisses my cheek lightly and hugs me back.

I've already decided to call Berkeley's and tell them I'm ill tomorrow otherwise I wouldn't be able to make the meeting and I'm sure Colton the prick Jax would have something to say about my professionalism- or lack thereof. I'm still buzzing inside but a force of anxiety is bubbling in the pit of my stomach, I can feel, and I know at some point today I'll end up in a corner breathing too quickly, trying not to throw up. I take a deep breath and try and push it down for now but it's still there. It always is.

The rush of adrenaline and energy wears off by 5:15 am and I'm half asleep on Jacob's shoulder. I feel him pick me up and tuck me into my bed but after that, I'm dead to the world.

The mid-morning sun glides through my thin curtains onto the bottom of my duvet. I roll over and grab my phone from my nightstand, 10:49 AM. I can hear soft hums coming from the kitchen, I'm sure it's Katy Perry being accompanied by Sofia's slightly off-key singing... well very off-key singing.

Todays the day that everything could change, I can feel more anxiety bubbling to the surface making me more and more nauseous. I continue to try and push down the feeling as I head in the direction of the shower. Jacob, bless his heart had taken me out of my work clothes and put me into one of his hoodies but I still smelt like tequila and stale wine. My own smell was making me want to vomit even more.

I let steam cloud the room before I hit shuffle on one of my playlists and step into the warm shower. I let the water run over my shoulders and trickle down across my stomach, gradually washing away the last few days of stress. I cut the cold water off and just let the shower splash scalding water onto my back, I stand their eyes clenched tight trying to rid of all the pending anxiety and doubt that's nestling in my body, the scolding water burning my tanned skin. I can't let anything distract me from today. Nothing.

After I've finished in the shower and probably used the whole tank of hot water, I stand in front of my wardrobe looking for something suitable to wear. Should I wear something business-like or something casual? Are jeans too casual? Or is a blazer to strict and office like? I groan and cup my head in my hands, I fall back onto my bed still in my towel and stare up at the ceiling. I can't even dress myself without having a fucking existential crisis. If I make it to the end of the day without doing a Britney and shaving my head, I'll be astounded. I hear the door open and a light breeze trickle across my partially naked skin.

"You nearly ready babe I'm famish- WHY ARE YOU NOT DRESSED?" Sofia turns her body out of my bedroom door,

"JACOB SHES NOT EVEN FUCKING DRESSED YET"

I hear Jacob stomp his feet and whine about being hungry, Sofia yanks on my arms and brings me up to my feet, I clutch my towel tighter around my body and frown at her.

"Let me help"

She starts yanking random items of clothes out of my wardrobe and chucking them onto the bed. Having an aspiring fashion designer as a best friend has its perks. Many a time I've been used for Sofia's college portfolios, she's amazing at what she does and she definatly has a prosperous future in it.

She holds serval hangers up to my body and either throws them onto the floor or back onto my bed. Finally, she picks up a picnic blanket style checked skirt, a black long-sleeved turtleneck bodysuit and a pair of velvet knee-high boots and thrusts them into my hands,

"Now get your thick ass in that baby and hurry up" winking at me, she turns on her heel and struts out of the room, proud of herself. I'm surprised she didn't pull out her camera and use it for her Instagram. 

I finish getting changed and put a light base of foundation and bronzer on, adding winged eyeliner and false lashes to complete the look. Jacob helps curl the ends of my hair and I'm ready to go after Sofia finally slips her black Gucci belt around my waist. It's crazy how this girl from Hackney is now putting me in designer belts. This one, in particular, was a gift from Bleu on her twentieth birthday, Bleu actually also helps pay our rent too since when he left Hackney he was one of the very few who got out and actually made a name for himself and he became one of the city's most known and respected lawyers. He now runs his own firm and has some of the highest-class clients.

I run out into the living room to find Sofia strutting around in her Louis Vuitton heeled trail boots, those ones were a Christmas present, and Jacob sat on the pee green sofa with his elbows on his knees, wearing his usual tweed get up. I grab my keys off the kitchen island countertop and shove them in the small pocket at the front of the skirt.

" Finallyyyyy, can we please go now, my organs are going to start eating themselves" Sofia stomps over holding her stomach. Dramatic as always.

"Let's go." I roll my eyes.

Jacob links his arm with mine and we head out the door towards Linda's Little Café at the end of the street.

I say squeezing his arm, he looks down at me with a beaming smile.

Things are changing.

Hey guys! First off apologies for any spelling or grammar mistakes!

I hit over 100 reads! So thank you to everyone who read my story! please vote and add to your reading lists if you enjoyed!

Things are starting to look up for Gigi but what's Colton's problem?

Vote for the next chapter!

Thanks, guys,

Iz x