I was sitting at my desk. Typing useless information like always. Thinking thoughts like always. This was my always.
"K, I need to see you in my office." My boss's voice rang on the intercom. He called me K. Good. I stood up and walked into his over-paid-for office.
"Yes boss?" I asked once I got through the door.
"K, this man is from Musica. He needs to talk to you about something." He gestured to a man sitting in front of his desk whom I hadn't noticed before. The man was wearing a suit that just screamed money.
"About what?"
"He'll tell you once you are in the conference room." My boss's face darkened. Crap. I sighed.
"Alright" I faced the man "Follow me please." He nodded and got up. I walked out of the office. The air was noticeably lighter. Oh well. Before I turned the first corner I looked back to make sure the man was following me. He was. I let him catch up to me then took off towards the maze that lay ahead.
I reached the conference room in no time. I memorized the building of my always since that was required. I turned around. Great. He was at least 50 feet away, rounding the last turn. I tapped my foot impatiently. 1 minute. 2 minutes. 3 minutes. 4 minutes. FINALLY! When he reached me he was panting. I don't walk that fast!
"God you walk fast, K is it?" he asked regaining himself.
"Yes" I opened the door to the bland little room and we sat down in the only two chairs there.
"Sooo K, I'm sure you know what Musica is right?" he asked.
"Yes it's a company that takes horrible singers, gives them a new name, and then makes half of the money the 'great new singer' makes" I stated dryly. He looked quite taken aback by my answer. I laughed to myself.
"That's your opinion K, but you're right about one thing. We do find good singers and make stars out of them." I couldn't control myself. I busted out laughing.
"You're...saying...that...Penelope... was a...great...singer? You must have lost your hearing!" I laughed harder. He looked stunned and confused. After a while I was able to calm down.
"Penelope Stevenson. You guys took her in about 8 years ago and tried to make a 'star' out of her. God that sucked! We all listened to her sing and I swear half of the people at the show went deaf." A little bit of laughter escaped. His face clicked with realization and then fell.
"How do you know her?" he asked.
"Well for starters we went to school together and were enemies since middle school. Our town held a talent show and she signed up to sing. It was broad casted all over the country. I went to watch my brother" my voice cracked "but was forced to listen to her. One of your talent scouts sought her out after the show and boom! Instant awful star." I chuckled at his expression. Then he did something he would regret.
"Katelyn? Katelyn Dowe?" I froze.
"What did you call me?" my voice came out icy. He flinched.
"You're Katelyn Dowe?" he said again. I could feel the darkness coming. Despair, sadness, and anger threatening to swallow me into the abyss.