Nine in the Afternoon

Chapter 3
Tyler woke up and automatically wanted to see Alice. There was something about her that drew him towards her from the very first glance in her direction. It was already 10am so he decided to wake her up. When he was at her door he didn’t knock so she wouldn’t wake up to him banging on the door. When he walked in he saw her with a guitar singing an original song whose lyrics hit him. She sang (A/N please remember I’m an author not a lyricist, so I’m terrible with lyrics, so please cut me some slack I realize these lyrics are a piece of badness and not in a good way)
“Trying to write this song
Seems simple in theory but trying to get my thoughts onto paper leads me to write about you
I’m afraid to write about you because that means I have to admit it
I’m afraid because I don’t wanna admit…
I like you more than I should
I just met you
Don’t know what more to say but I’m sure some words will come out
It’s scary that with one look everything changed
Well I’ll try to explain how I feel sorry if I mess up
When you are near these feelings occur
I’ve never felt them before
They scare me like no other
It makes me want to open up to you, but that’s insane
Why would you care
All I want to know is to know you won’t leave
Cause somehow I know I would never be the same if you weren’t here
It’s the feeling that makes you wonder how could you have lived before now
I don’t wanna feel this cause it’s dependence
I don’t wanna depend on anyone but me
I don’t wanna admit I like you, and maybe that’s not it
I don’t wanna beg to hear and see you every day
I don’t wanna admit it to anyone or anything
I’m afraid and it’s all your fault Mr. charming

This song is losing pace
My thoughts are all over the place
I just hope everything I say is heard
Cause I realize not everything makes sense
It’s all nmaking me fall apart in my head
I just want you to be here but nothing is so clear
I know you’re too good for me I’m sure
I don’t wanna admit but I’m afraid of all of this
Do you see what you’re doing to me?
I know I’ve changed, but not for the worse so come on just hear the next verse
Cause when you are near these feelings occur
I’ve never felt them before
They scare me like no other
It makes me want to open up to you, but that’s insane
Why would you care
All I want to know is to know you won’t leave
Cause somehow I know I would never be the same if you weren’t here
It’s the feeling that makes you wonder how could you have lived before now
I don’t wanna feel this cause it’s dependence
I don’t wanna depend on anyone but me
I don’t wanna admit I like you, and maybe that’s not it
I don’t wanna beg to hear and see you every day
I don’t wanna admit it to anyone or anything
I’m afraid and it’s all your fault Mr. charming
I could be you’re everything if you let me
You’re already mine so let’s make the trade even
You’re driving me insane and it’s only ok because it’s you
And I want something more with you…”
Her voice put him in a trance and when her melodic voice stopped he began to applaud her from the doorway.
“We just need to have Archer sign you and then we can record that amazing song.”
Alice gasps at the sound of clapping and smiles at Tyler the second her eyes focus on him.
“Hmmm so I already have a fan who is talking me?”
“You do, but no worries I won’t mentally insane fangirl on you and force my lips on you.” Yet he didn’t know how much she liked the idea of him forcing his lips on her.
“Too bad I was looking forward to it.”
“Sorry to disappoint you.”
“I’ll get over it.”
“Ok, now let’s go talk to Archer. We can grab breakfast on the way there.”
Alice nods her head and sets down her guitar before grabbing Tyler’s hand and dragging him out of the apartment in excitement.
After grabbing breakfast they arrive at the record studio and that moment was a euphoric one for Alice. She felt deep in her bones that nothing would be the same in either world the moment she steps past the entry way into the building she was staring at in awe.
Tyler drags her along oblivious to her pause leading her straight past the secretary, who was currently yelling after them, and into Archer’s office.
“You can’t just walk into his office!” The secretary yells bursting into the room after the two have already burst in.
Alice awkwardly fiddles with her mask waiting to see what Archer will do.
“They are always welcome in the office, Margret. Thank you, however. You may leave us now.”
“You are planning on taking me up on my offer?”
Alice doesn’t look him in the eye, but nods her head. And from that point in time they go into the finer points of everything. No contract or anything messy like that needs to be drawn up because they were in dreamland where no one could hurt another and there was nothing to make anyone uphold anything they sign.
After all was said and done Archer said, “When would you like to start recording?”
***
Tyler walks into the recording studio only to see Alice with frustration written all over her face. He sees her groan and toss her notebook and pen against a wall before placing her head in her hands.
“What’s wrong?” Tyler dares to ask a mad Alice.
“What’s wrong! What’s wrong! What is wrong is that the cd should be released very soon and I need another song and you know how much I have for that song? Huh? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Not a chord, not a word, not a beat, not a concept!”
“Alright then follow me.” Tyler says before grabbing up a guitar the items she previously chucked at a wall.
“I can’t. This song needs to be written!”
“And I will help you. Staying here won’t give you any inspiration. Just trust me.” Tyler says holding out his hand for her to grab knowing that he was asking for something that could change everything, trust.
Alice takes his hand realizing she trust him to the point where she would follow him blindly to the ends of the earth and she had only known him a month.
He stopped by his place quickly grabbing a blank mask, paint, and some brushed before leading Alice to the place that lead to all his inspiration.
Alice stared at the place in wonder. It is something that doesn’t seem special, but the moment you are in the atmosphere you feel something, a change. He led her to a hill. On one side of the hill there was a field of many flowers, and on the other was nothing but green lush grass.
“Feeling inspired?”
“This place is amazing, but no afraid not.”
“Just start, trust me you’ll feel the inspiration after you give it a shot.”
Alice shrugs figuring she has got nothing to lose. She grabs the guitar and begins to strum. A melody beginning to overtake her and before she knows it she has written a song and Tyler is next to her painting a breathtakingly beautiful mask.
The two sat in silence other than the sound of the outdoors and the guitar for hours not having notice that the sun was beginning to take its long path of disappearing for a bit.
Their silence is broken by the shrill of Alice’s cell phone.
“Hello?” Alice says not caring to look at the caller id. In this world the only people with her number were Archer and Tyler and since Tyler was right next to her it had to be Archer.
“Where are you! You need to write a song otherwise we can’t rush a release! I don’t mean to be mean or a tyrant, but you have been blocked for a few days and I’m afraid you won’t come up with a song to finish the cd.”
“I was out getting some inspiration. I have a song to finish the album, and it is my best if I do say so myself. Not to mention the other three songs I wrote.”
“What is the name of the song?”
“Hidden”
“Can you come back to the studio so I can hear it?”
“Sure, but can I bring Tyler?”
“Of course he is always welcome. Just come down I just want to be reassured that you have a song and we will be able to go through with the release because tomorrow is the last day to record.”
“I know and don’t worry the song is great! We will be over soon!” Alice says before hanging up the phone, grabbing her mask, her stuff, and Tyler before heading back to the studio.
***
Alice plays Archer and Tyler the song and Archer face visibly relaxes having hear the amazing song.
“What do you want to title the album?”
“What the name of this song is, Hidden.”
“Alright now music video, I say we make one for this song.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Your song any specific concept you want for the video?”
“Yeah actually…. Ok so there are two sets I guess you would call them: a school, and a field. Since the song is about a girl being invisible you show her at school being ignored and all that jazz and then you show her in the field rocking out as her alter ego. The part of her that is a rockstar, the part she doesn’t let out.”
“Sounds good” Archer says approving the idea which makes everyone’s life simpler.
***
On set for the video Alice clearly looks uncomfortable so Tyler goes and gets some water guns and before anyone can blink the two have a watergun fight going on behind the scenes of the video. Everything was waterproof so that wasn’t what they were worried about equipment getting messed up, but they were worried Archer would get mad.
When Archer came on the set and saw the fight all he said was, “I hope someone is recording some of this, it will be a great behind the scenes video.”
Everyone was surprised by his reaction to it because Archer can often be uptight, but when he was about to begin to yell he saw the happy relaxed face on Alice and decided to let it slide. He saw her face earlier and he knew she was uncomfortable so if Tyler and water guns make her comfortable then by all means he would allow it.
What no one realized was Alice was changing Alice. She was making him more laid back and happy. She was changing him for the better.