Red Velvet Feelings

DreamKade Records was huge, shiny, white, and intimidating. When Alex actively worked inside he'd roll his eyes at it from his car, every morning. Today was no different. He let himself inside, not even bothering to go to reception. The elevator brought him to the sixth floor and it opened with a chime. Walking to the waiting chairs the receptionist looked over.

"Nice of you to come home Alex! I've missed the ruckus and headaches you would cause upon Mr. Kade."

Alex laughed and sat down, placing his notebook and iPad to the chair next to him. "I missed you too Sara. I'm sure Michael feels the same about me." The small framed girl laughed quietly, pulling her hair to one side.

Michael Kade was the not the owner of DreamKade records, but a cousin of the owner. That's why Alex gets away with a bit of resistant and rebellion. Michael's reputation sees him as the spoiled cousin that complains about everyone, even the original Mr.Kade himself. So Alex does get away with little things.

"He'll be out soon. He's in a short meeti-"

"We have no flowers! No table cloths! No desert! No chairs! Do want us to sit on the floor!? No entertainment!"

Alex stood up, clearing his throat at the two who just walked into the waiting room. "I can help with desert." he said loudly. Mr. Kade and the company's party planner, Bethany, looked over at Alex.

"Oh Alex! It's wonderful seeing you. I'll be just a moment." Michael said, turning to the frightened planner.

"I'm serious. I know an amazing bakery that would gladly do it. Back in Baltimore! Just a train ride away. You should see the business they get. And they have a to die for red velvet."

Mr. Kade turned back around, an eyebrow raised and he sighed. "I'll talk to you later Bethany. And you might want to catch Alex before he leaves about this bakery."

She gave one short nod, smiling at Alex greatfully and clicking away.

"In my office shall we?" Michael said, motioning towards his office and going inside. They situated until Alex was sat in one of the red comfy chairs in front of the deep brown desk, his notebooks wide open upon it, and Michael pacing back and forth, reading them. In was a silent for about ten minutes. Alex was use to it though.

This was how Michael Kade worked. Strange and intolerant but kind of genius.

"Your earlier work." he finally said, stopping and grabbing his white rolling chair, bringing it behind the desk, and sitting.

"It's shit. Overrated and predictable."

Alex folded his arms, starting to sweat a little. He worked damn hard on that in the beginning.

"This later work... Absolutely perfect."

Alex sat up a little, surprised, "Could you be more specific on which work?"

"This stuff in this blue notebook."

Alex stared at the notebook, a small smile creeping up on his face. He just wrote that stuff on the train. It was about Jack.

"It's really perfect. The lyrics are deep and home hitting. What inspired you?"

Alex shrugged, "Nothing really specific. An array of things."

Michael looked over at him skeptically. "Alex I have been prying you for ages to get work like this out. There had to have been a key item that brought this on."

"I think it's just the place to honest. As you can see I wrote a lot about the city I'm staying in. The people too."

"A person maybe?" Michael tried again.

Alex just looked at the bookshelf behind him shrugging indifferently, "Maybe."

His boss smiled knowingly, "Where you're at has done you good Alex. I think you've found home. Now you have two and a half weeks to get these songs completed. I like your direction. Green light. You can go back to venture writing after that."

Alex smiled, fuck he missed venture writing. You are placed in venture writing when you don't have an assignment, meaning you can write about anything. The possibilities were endless and it was the time to venture outside the box. He was stuck on this love song assignment with three other people and it sucked.

"Okay. Thank you Mr. Kade."

"Mhm, see you in three weeks. Tell Sara to send in the next meet." he said, closing everything and handing Alex his stuff. "Okay. See you Michael."

Alex told Sara Kade was ready for his next appointment, and stepped on the elevator. He was extremely happy with how everything just went. It wasn't expected to go good. Alex had a huge urge to call Jack and he definitely was going to once he got to his hotel. He didn't even want to stay. He wanted to be back in Baltimore already. The rush of all these thoughts came at once and it scared Alex. He never felt like this before. It was so much emotion and he didn't know if he could handle it.

"Alex! Wait!" Alex had just stepped off the elevator, and Bethany was running towards him from the stairs. "Can you get me that bakery?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can."

"Do you think this will be enough?" Alex looked down at the check she held up, eyes slightly going wide.

"Uh, well yea-" He cut himself off, getting a slight idea. In Alex's opinion, the bakery deserved this.

"Actually, I'd go up just little. They are pretty exclusive."

Her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands together. "Exclusive!? Alex you didn't tell me this. You're freaking amazing. Mr. Kade will love that." She pulled out a new check, writing away and holding it up. "Will this do?"

Alex nodded, "Yeah, I think I can get them to go for that. They know me good so they'll just put in a discount."

She smiled big, handing Alex the check. "I'll be expecting all call from you and them soon."