Chapter Twenty-Five: Team Player

After the day I was having, I needed a break. And that is why I jumped on Toby's offer to hang out at the beach. I even skipped a session at the studio. I mean if Janet was going to have it her way then I was wasting my time there anyways. She probably already had everything planned to the T and would just throw away everything that I was working on.

I arrived at the beach to find Toby lounging on shore and watching the waves. In that moment I envied him, he looked so peaceful. I walked up beside him and said hello. He jumped a little out of surprise, but quickly recovered. 

"Miranda!" Toby exclaimed and pulled me into a hug. I gave him a soft squeeze back. He had been away in London cleaning out his old house and had just recently returned.

"I missed you." I told him. 

"I missed you too." He replied. 

"How have you been?" He asked. I shrugged my shoulders. I hadn't had the best day, but I didn't want to give him a play by play right now.

"It's been alright I suppose, but I rather not get into that right now." I answered. He nodded his head understandingly. 

We walked by over to the lounge chairs and sat down. I just noticed that Toby had cut his hair. 

"You cut your hair?" I said. He ran a hand through it before smiling.

"Yeah I did, what do you think?" He asked. I tilted my head back and forth to get a really good look at his new hair cut. It wasn't bad, but I preferred it longer. 

"It's alright." I answered. 

"I didn't like it either at first, but It's been growing on me lately." He said with a shrug.

"So how was London? Was it bittersweet?" I inquired. 

"No not at all. I mean London has ran it's course. I felt like I've done everything I could do as far as my career is concern. So no, I was ready to come back to the States." He responded. 

"But it's been your home for a while." I countered. 

"True, but I never wanted my stay there to be permanent." He said. 

Toby looked at me like he could tell I was holding something back, he had began to read me so well. 

"What is it?" I asked. 

"Somethings wrong." He stated. I looked away to avoid his gaze. 

"You can tell me Miranda." He said softly. With a sigh I told him how I had ran into Joshua and then about my meeting with the demon from hell.  He listened intently and waited until I was done before commenting.

"Sounds like you had an eventful day." He said at last. I nodded my head.

"So you think he's still not over you?" He asked. Of course he'd ask about that first. I laughed to myself. 

"I don't know.. I hope he is, for his family's sake." I replied.

"Well I kinda can't blame the guy. I'm sure getting over you wouldn't be so easy." Toby said. He winked at me and I blushed. 

"I can see I still make you blush." He joked, "But seriously, who cares if he is or not, as long as you're moving on with your life then that's all you should be concerned with." We talked a bit more, he advised me to not let Janet get to me. 

"Toby?" I said.

"Yeah?" He answered. I looked over at the water. It'd had been forever since I went for a swim and thanks to Starlight Shores weather, it was still pretty warm outside.

"Wanna go for a swim?" I asked. He shot his eyebrow up at me.

"What?" He said with a laugh.

"Come on." I said and started towards the ocean. 

*I wanted to include this so Miranda's day didn't end on a bad note. And who better than Toby to make sure of that? :)

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The next day I slept in for the first time since my trip to Riverview. I had cancelled another Studio secession that morning much to Jaq's annoyance. He texted me to ask what was going on and I replied in one word : Janet. He said that Wayne mentioned her and he did his research on her. She was a bitch, but she got the job done or at least that's what he gathered. He told me to try to be positive and just give it a shot. I agreed. I had nothing to lose, if I didn't like her ideas no one could force me to agree with them. 

I arrived at the address Janet gave me around 2:45 pm. I had a feeling she'd complain about that, but I'd just have to deal with it. I walked down the hallway in the direction that the secretary had pointed me to. I spotted an unknown woman speaking to Janet. 

Oh God I thought. She looked like a blonde tattooed version of Snooki. Janet caught sight of me and their conversation abruptly ended. 

Janet stepped to the side and put her hand on her hip. I could tell she disapproved of my attire and I loved seeing the look on her face. If I was going to be dressed up like a damn barbie doll, then I would enjoy wearing my own comfortable clothes for one last time.
"You're late." Was as Janet could muster.
"Sorry I lost track of time." I lied. I resist the urge to roll my eyes as I turned my attention to the woman who I assumed was now my stylist.

She stuck her hand out to greet me and I accepted.
"It's nice to meet you!" The woman exclaimed. "I love your music by the way." She commented.
"Thank you, It's always nice to meet a fan, what's your name?" I asked.
"Lacey. Lacey Andrews." She answered.
"Feel free to call me Miranda." I replied. She smiled.

"Well Janet tells me you have a concert coming up and need to be styled for it. She also mentioned that you're debuting a new song." Lacey explained. This was all news to me.
"What?" I said a little too aggressively and turned to Janet.
"I guess your manager failed to relay the information to you." Janet replied and all of a sudden her nails demanded her attention. "I will wait out here" She announced and slithered to the couch.

"Yes we should get started." Lacey said and motioned for me to follow her. I threw Janet one more glare, but she wasn't even looking.

We made our way to the room in front of us.

She shut the door behind us. I looked around the room curiously. It had a bench to my left, a mirrored section in front of me, clothes hung on the walls and a few pictures here and there.

"Janet tells me your new song is going to be really edgy, unlike anything you've done so far." She said.
"Yes I bet she did." I replied.
"I picked out outfits for you to choose from, all Janet approved." She said. "When you've made your decision just walk out there and show us ok?" She said. I nodded my head. She smiled before leaving and closing the door behind her. I grabbed the first outfit and began to change.
Remember, be a team player Randa I told myself.

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So here are her five outfit choices. The one she picks will be revealed later on.

 

What do you guys think? I realized now that I really should have re-did the last one lol.