The Love You've Claimed Was Just a Whisper

I will never under any circumstances take a 7:00am flight out of Toronto again or any other airport for that matter. I say this because i order to catch that flight you have to be there by no later than 5:30am meaning you have to be up at about 4:00am and ultimately end up napping more than actually sleeping. For most normal people this wouldn't be a problem, they could just sleep on the plane. I however am by no means normal and and can't sleep on an plane. I have an irrational fear of flying - that according to my mother - who is a civil engineer, but seems to think its the same as being aerospace. I actually happen to know the science behind flying on a minimal level, but its enough to know that there is no physics that supports why they actually fly. This lack of scientific support and the fact that I have yet to find a plane with a plushy cocoon I can have to myself makes for a very long and exhausting flight process.

"You look like shit." Myles mused as I climbed in the passenger seat.

"I missed you to Myles."

"I brought you a scone." he smiled. "I figured you didn't get breakfast yet."

"I just want sleep."

"Oh you'll definitely sleep." he laughed. I opened the container. it was blueberry with a ton of what I assumed was lemon glaze. It'd be delicious, I'd be full, and I'd pass out the minute I hit my bed. Pastry accepted. "So how was it?" Myles asked as I started in on my welcome back present.

"Delicious."

"Thank you, but not what I meant."

I smiled. "Awesome! We went over all the legal stuff, how I marketed myself, how I worked. Ate a lot. Oh I got to work on a song with him for fun. And..."

"And what?"

"Apparently, that night when Braden thought he saw Skrillex, he actually saw Skrillex."

"Wait so Skrillex was the one who sent the clip?" I nodded still nibbling on my food.

'That is awesome!"

"I know!" I smiled.

"So is everything signed already?"

"He's faxing the paperwork over sometime this week, so I'll sign it once I can go over it with my lawyer"

"Since when do you have...oh yeah your dad."

"Comes in handy from time to time."

"I'll have to remember that one day hopefully. Well you better hurry and barricade yourself in your room before Jordan realizes I didn't stop to get lunch before I picked you up." he smiled.

"Thanks Myles." I said hugging him. Jade would be working so the onslaught of questioning would be temporarily delayed until sometime tomorrow. In the mean time I had a 18hour nap to look forward to.

Promises and it still feels all so wasted on myself. Promises and it still feels all so wasted on my self. My eyes fluttered open to the sounds of my alarm. I wasn't exaggerating about that 18 hours nap. Coma might be a better term to use since to my knowledge I didn't dream, or move from the position I started in. The sad thing is that I could keep sleeping; however, I'd go into starvation mode and I wasn't entirely sure when my finals were.

After showering and doing my usual getting ready routine, I flopped down on my couch with a bowl of Trix and waited for Myles. Another perk of having you best friends live in close proximity and have the same schedule was carpooling. It was my turn to drive, thus I actually had time to enjoy my breakfast rather than scarfing it down before he showed up to take us.

"She lives!" He proclaimed as he walked through the front door. Considering I live in LA you'd think I'd lock my front door more often then I do.

"Well I can't die now. I've got a label."

"Aw I want Trix."

"Go get some we've got time."

"Yes!"

"Oh hey when are finals again?"

"Uh next week. Two tests, three composition pieces, and one performance for me. I don't know what you have for Law."

"Ugh. Test, no big deal."

"Says the daughter of a music industry specialty lawyer."

"I am my fathers child." I laughed before gulping down my now sugary milk. Despite starting after me Myles had already demolished his cereal.

"Did you even taste that?"

"Yea. It was good."

I rolled my eyes. Lets get today over with, I wanna hurry up and be lazy for another day."

"Lead the way." he laughed returning from the kitchen and following me outside.

Together we climbed into my black Mercedes G550. Yea I'm spoiled, but to be fair I didn't get a car until college which meant unlike my sibling who got cars immediately upon turning 16, I had 3 additional years of saving which my parents had to match.

"Oh my god, I'm still so tired! This is retarded." I half groaned half yawned.

"Did you have coffee?"

"No. I should get some though."

"It usually help."

"Yea, but now I have to get all Asian on my coffee because of someone."

"Hey! You wanted to try it."

"Yea cause you said it was delicious, and like liquid crack...Okay yea anyone who agree to drink anything with that description deserves to become immune to coffee"

~Dad's ring tone song~

"Hey dad."

"Hey Mr. Gates."

" Oh Hello Myles. Are you busy Aaliyah?"

"No just driving to school, why whats up?"

"Some papers came for you this morning."

"Oh sweet, um are you free anytime tomorrow?"

"I have a few consultations, but fairly so. Why?"

"Cause I need to get those papers, and fax them back when they're signed."

"What is this Aly?"

"What's it look like?" I could hear the papers shuffling on his desk."

"You got signed?"

"Well almost I actually need to do the signing."

"Noon tomorrow. I'll review the contract and then we can go over it before you agree to anything."

"I'll be there."

"Okay drive safe. Love you kid."

"Love you too." I said pressing end.

"So..." Myles started.

"This is the hard part. He's going to have to approve or I'm going to need to be a ninja and steal them."

"Well you've got until tomorrow morning to work on your ninja skills."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. In the mean time I'd like coffee, so we should get on that so
I don't sleep in class."

"Good call."

ALT. POV

Hello?" Joel asked answering on the third ring

"Hey." I replied

"Whose this?" Joel asked.

"Its Sonny."

"Oh hey man whats up?"

"Nothing much. I just wanted to see what you thought of the clip I sent you."

"Oh yeah. I hated it."

"What!?" That just wasn't possible. She was amazing. He had to like her too.

"Yea it was horrible." Did we watch the same video?

"I sent you the clip of the girl right?"

" You mean the freak in a cat mask. Yea."

"You hated it?"

"God you make this so easy for me. No I signed her." he laughed into the phone.

"You did really?!" I felt like I was getting signed all over again the first time. It might be selfish but it made me happy to do this for her, who ever she was.

"Yea it was like you emailed me an early Christmas present. She was like meeting baby female Skrillex in a cat mask, but less gullible and more spunky. By the way what's the deal with the whole tour thing going on?"

"Oh uh I'm missing the first week, I get back from Europe on the 9th I think. The second weekend."

"Aright cool."

"You can still do the first week right?"

"Yeah, I'm just trying to think of how I'm gonna do something eh I'll figure it out."

"Okay?"

"Don't worry about it, its just something I need to talk to management about. Which I should do now, but uh I'll hit you up later. Is this your new number?"

"Nah it's a buddy of mines." If he thought I didn't learn after the Grammy's he was mistaken.

" Oh well then hit me up when your in the area or something."

"Fer sure man."

"Oh and Sonny."

"Yea?"

"In case you're wondering her name is... Oh never mind someone calling me." the line went dead. FUCK!

NORMAL POV

The down side of having class only two days a week was your there literally all damn day. The good new was it was over and I didn't sleep through my classes and was still semi-awake, which was good considering the interrogation I was most likely going to get once I set foot inside my house. This was the down side of living near your friends no down time.

" You." Jade said as I opened my front door. "Sit. I wanna know everything."

"Jesus Jade, she just got in the house." Jordan said obviously annoyed with her. I raised my eyebrow at him. "Well put your shit down and tell us don't just stand there."

"Well the flight there sucked." I sighed flopping down next to Jordan while Myles took the remaining chair.

"I already got those texts, I want to know the rest." Jordan said throwing his legs across my lap.

"Impatient much?" he just glared at me. "Alright. It was pretty fucking awesome. We had lunch, I'm not sure where Lindsey was, but it was just me, Joel and Meowingtons the whole day. He liked all my stuff, I told him you two told me to get the cat mask and role with that whole theme. He called me a baby Skrillex, and we played around in the studio and made a song just for fun so he could see my unfinished stuff and how I well I worked in a studio."

"Do you have the song?" Jordan asked "I want to hear it if you do."

" Actually, I think I might we were using my laptop." Jordan was up on his feet before I finished my sentence."Why don't you move that fast when I ask for other stuff?"

"Because it never includes a collaboration track with Deadmau5." I couldn't argue with that. I fired up my laptop and scrolled through my music files.

"Here." I said pressing play. It wasn't a super long track. The running time was just over three minutes, but it was still awesome to me at least. A little memento of awesomeness if anything went wrong with our deal. Plus the cool thing was you could tell it was Deadmau5 and if you knew my music you could tell it was mine too.

"Aly, you have to release this." Jade said as the song ended.

"No, I don't own it."

"What do you mean its on your laptop."

"That was the dumbest thing ever spoken, I have 10,000 other songs on here too and last time I checked I'm not Tupac, Zomboy, or a member of Avenged Sevenfold."

"You helped make it though."

"It's nothing that's meant to be released, it was just for fun. Bonding if you will. And I'm not about to do anything that stupid, especially given that I'm about to get signed and dont need to do anything to piss of Joel."

"So he is going to sign you?" Jordan asked. I could tell he was excited for me.

"I have to go to my dad's house to go over the paper work and then yea."

"Sick!" He smiled.

"Aren't I getting to see this?" Jade suddenly asked.

"I'm sorry?" I asked surprised by her sudden attitude.

"Well I'm like your manager don't I get a say in the negotiation?"

"Um first off no one is officially my manager, second this is serious shit, so my entertainment lawyer father is the most important person to see that contract. And third I saw your report that you slipped into that file of mine on who you saw me as becoming a character on stage, and gotta say - not impressed." What parallel dimension did I just end up in? Last time I checked the person getting the deal was supposed to get cocky not her friends.

"Fine, but once everything is official you'll need a manager and I'm most qualified for it. I just feel like I should be there from step one to ensure that I have a handle on the entire situation. As far as my report, I left it in there for artist development purposes. The LED cat is a great starting point, but you could do so much more with it. You'll see eventually."

"Yeah sure. Well I'd have invited you to go, but I can tell where this is going so no. I'll cross all those bridges when I get to them. In the mean time please remain sane and knock off that I know everything because I'm an industry and business major. I have two majors two and so does Myles so cool it. On that note I'm going to bed because I'm still tired."

"Night." Jordan said getting up to leave. He'd apparently had enough of the craziness too and I couldn't blame him.

"Goodnight." Myles said hugging me before following Jordan out.

TUESDAY

Today was the day it would all become official. That is of course if my dad decides that the contract is agreeable enough. I've seen him go to battle over shitty contracts and watched his clients squirm thinking they may lose the initial offer entirely and now it was my turn. I trusted his judgement and I trusted Joel. However, unlike my dad's other clients, I'd made up my mind to be on Mau5trap and come hell or high water I'd be signing something today.

As I entered the house I headed straight for my dads home office. I had no interest in running into my sister if she was still in town. Our lack of communication left me unsure of when I was entering hostile territory in my own parents homes. They are divorced now, my mothers house was located in Virginia where I was certain Kelsie would end up attending med school come August. That was the down side of being normal - you became pathetically easy to predict. Luckily for me she was no where to be seen.

"Hey bear, your dressed up today." My dad greeted me with my childhood nickname as I entered his office. I shrugged, this was technically a business meeting so I'd opted for a cap sleeve button up of green silk and charcoal grey slacks.

"I'm working on my professional image."

"I see. Its nice, very flattering. Now if you'd only get rid of those piercings." In all fairness I only had one that was super super obvious, which was my lip. My tongue was only noticed by the hyper observant as was my upper ear and the only people who knew about the 3 dermals on my nape were my friends. Unless I was topless then well the rhinestones of my navel ring would be obvious.

" Do you say that to all you clients with tattoos and piercings?"

"No, but they don't get free legal council." Touche.

"Speaking of. Did you look at the agreement?" I asked. My dad was all lawyer now.

"I did. It's you usual agreement I'd expect for your first offer, except for the pay break down." Oh shit, here we go. I was banking on him appreciating that this was a growing genre and not going off the usual pop star contracts. "The split is 60 - 40 on anything mastered in their studio or released on the label, after any inured costs are recovered."

"Well musicians don't make money on their songs anyway its all in performances."

"It's 60 to you. As long as no executive production is needed, by which its reversed."

"So...Where's a pen? I'd like that faxed back before lunch." I smiled.

"I'm not so sure about this - "

"There's no advance."

"And this isn't an incredibly big label ran by a guy in Canada."

"Yea Joel Zimmerman. You know Deadmau5? As in the guy whose legal team you wanted to be on a while ago."

"Oh that guy." he said. That guy? Really, that's all he could come up with? He let out a sign. "I have a pen right here."

About 20 pages and a minor hand cramp later everything was initialed and faxed. I was officially signed. My dad of course made a secondary copy of the contract that I could take back home with me while he kept the initial one for his records. I was so happy I could dance, but I couldn't because I had a day job to go to. It's all good though, it was payday today for me at least, since I was in Toronto or rather New York when the checks were cut.

I was always amused when my boss scheduled me to work at the same time as Jordan, which was more often than not. Although today I was just getting my check, I had the day off thanks to Brian calculating the appropriate amount of recovery time.

"So did you miss me today?" I asked entering the shop.

"I always miss you." Mike greeted and received a scowl from Jordan. Mike was a nice guy to me, but he was kind of a douche bag and Jordan hated that he liked to flirt with me. For the record I wasn't interested, but I was still nice to him.

"You're so sweet." I teased back.

"Didn't I give you the day off?" Brian asked.

"I wanted my moneys." I said impersonating a 4 year old and received a dirty look from one of the female clients.

"Of course you do." He laughed.

"Hey a bitches got to hustle to go shopping." I smiled. Brian shook his head and looked at Jordan for some kind of explanation.

"Don't look at me, she makes that shit up on her own." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"When are you off?"

"Like now."

"Wanna go shopping with me?"

"Yeah I'm down."

"Sweet, Jade's coming too though."

"Ugh, she's been bitchy since you left for Toronto."

"She's always a bitch."

"Yea,but more so. Where are we going anyway."

"The Americana, there's music stuff near by and clothes."

"As long as I get food were good."He shrugged.

"Duh."

Shopping for us usually entailed a lot of munching as we walked. Jordan didn't eat a whole lot unless I he was with me and I made him so I wouldn't feel so bad about inhaling thousands of calories from time to time. Today I was in the market for some new clothes and maybe a new synthesizer or computer accessory. I hadn't quite decided yet, mostly because I wanted new clothes and it was easier to shop for music equipment when Jade wasn't included. Not having musical talents, she found herself bored in music and audio shops quite frequently. However, today the weather report in Jade's world was hypercritical with a partial Napoleon complex.

"Please tell me you aren't buying another Show Some Pride shirt." Jade scoffed.

"Uh why the fuck not I like love there clothes."

"Because your a professional musician now. you should be wearing things more like this." She said hold a hot pink rhinestoned mess. "With something like these." Sequin booty shorts. Jordan and I exchanged glances.

"Don't you own shorts like that Aly?"

"Why yes Jordan I do. To PERFORM in."

"Well you need to be in character at all times now. Its all about keeping up appearances and the persona."

"Jade what the fuck are you talking about?" Jordan asked.

"I'm talking about Aly and her DJ persona."

"Uh no. I wear a cat mask and okay run around in rave attire on stage, but that is irrelevant. Its hot as shit under all the lasers and I hate sweating in clothes. This bimbo Mellieflesh character you've got in your head is not happening. You want to label me call me a baby Skrillex cat or something or Mau5cat. But this shit ain't happening."

"Its a good niche Aly. You need to make - "

"She a fucking LED cat. That's good enough, and no its not about a niche its about her producing skills you psycho."

"Jordan your not even in school for this shit so shut up."

"Whoa first off fuck you Jade you've been a crazy person ever since I got this record deal. Second of all you have no more authority or relevant opinions than Jordan. So get over yourself." I snapped. So much for enjoying my shopping trip. If it was this bad already I'm a little afraid of what will happen if I end up on tour. Shit if I tour I would have to invest in more performance attire. That is if I wanted to stick with the whole sexy cat thing. Those shopping endeavors where more fun when sprung on all the guys though, mostly cause they never agree to go, but give the best opinions in a "are you auditioning to be a stripper" or "Yeah" kind of way. One thing was for certain though, I didn't like this sudden change in Jade.

"I'm over this, lets go home, I'll make dinner or something." I signed. Jordan nodded in agreement. We walked to the parking lot in silence. Tense silence at that. I was suddenly glad we had taken separate cars.

"I'm probably not staying at your house when we get home, so I can let Myles and Braden know you're cooking if that's still what you want to do. I just don't want to be around Jade right now." Jordan said climbing into my car.

"Honestly, I don't either."

"Well then I guess you should just go to my house."

"Sounds good. I've known her for a better part of my life and I've never seen her act this way."

Jordan shrugged. "I only hang out with her because shes your friend."

"Seriously?"

"Well yeah, I mean if she didn't live with you I wouldn't feel any reason to be around her."

"Jordan!"

"What? It's true. I mean she was cool the first few months we hung out, but then I don't know she became kind of a bitch."

"Jade doesn't just bitch out over night."

"Well, in between wanting to bone your brother she wanted me dick?"

"What!?" My stomach dropped. I may not like Jordan that way anymore, but it still felt like a betrayal.

"Yea it was like when we first met. Everyone was asleep or well you we're passed out on the floor except us and she wanted me to sleep with her."

"Did you?"

"Nah, I wasn't down. And she got super pissed that I took care of you instead."

"That wasn't the night had that like 4 hour conversation with you was it?"

"Uh you'd need to be more specific."

"The night when we did the whole tattoo and piercing show and tell."

"Oh uh yea that was the night." That was in the middle of my crush, when Jade had called me on it. I didn't care if she had liked him, it wouldn't have been the first time we had thought the same guys was attractive, she'd never confirmed that we shared a similar interest before acting on it. She'd been my best friend since 3rd grade and I'd seen her do shady things to other people, but never to me. At least nothing that I knew of.

"Are you okay?" Jordan asked

"Yea just thinking about something."

"I picked you over her."

"I'm sorry?"

"She told me you liked me that night. I know she was lying, but I still would rather you liked me than her."

"Don't tell her that." I laughed.

"Well its a little late for that."

"Anyway. What should we eat?"

"Whatever."

"No not helpful."

"Well just chill, Myles and I will get high and then think of something amazing."

"Limited cooking skills."

"Well practice makes perfect." I rolled my eyes at him.

It really didn't matter what I did so long as I could steer clear of Jade right now. I didn't know what was going on in her head and well I wasn't sure I really knew her at all right now. Until I sorted this whole mess out my ass was going to be planted on there couch watching Adventure Time and probably the nature channel a.k.a TV for stoners. In the middle of the epic high five episode my phone chimed letting me know I had a text. it was Joel.

"Hey good news I got you on the tour. I'll be faxing all the contracts and release forms over."

"Sweet!!"

"Haha yea, and just so you know after the first week the tour bus will be all yours, the rest of the guys will be on the other bus and knowing the headliner he'll wanna be with the 12th planet, Proter, Dillon and Zedd."

"So I'm opening for all of them!?"

"Uh sort of the line changes venue to venue on occasion so I think it's you then Zomboy switching off on opening then the rest of those fuck heads are up."

" That's like 7 people on one bus and me by myself?"

"Well sorta you can technically bring a manager and a tech guy. Their people all have their own agenda, its all in the release forms. They'll need to sign too."

"Who are you texting?" Jordan asked.

"Joel."

"I hate you."

"Don't hate me yet, I haven't told you the best part." I smiled.

"Which is?"

"I'm going on tour with him, 12th Planet, Porter Robinson, Zomboy and -"

"I swear to God if you say who I think you are I will hit you."

"Dillon Franc- OW!' I said getting smacked by a large and incredibly hard couch pillow. Can't say I didn't see it coming it was orange and I was going on tour with Jordan's man crush.

"Get out of my house."

"Is that your final request of would you like to make a better one?"

"You can take someone can't you?' Myles asked.

"Dos." I said holding up two fingers. Jordan's jaw dropped as his excited oh shit face appeared. "I'm waiting."

"Sorry. You can stay."

"Of course I can. We had this talk, you sir our my bitch. Or as they say in politically correct terms my personal technician. Oh and Myles..."

"Yes?"

"Considering your the only other sane friend I have who doesn't have a significant other and I love so dearly; would you like to act as my stand in manager?"

"I would love to! Wait but what about Jade?" I exchanged glances with Jordan.

"I don't really know what's gotten into her, or if she's actually like this, so for now she's unofficially fired."

"I see. Well any way...Fuck Yeah Deadmau5 tour!"

"He's only there a week someone else comes after that, Joel's just filling in, but we're there the whole time! We'll have to go sign some stuff tomorrow at my dad's too." I was going to be seeing my dad quite a bit this week so it seemed. At least it was because of happy things this time.