Page 42 of Revel
“No. . . .”
She senses my ambiguity. “You don’t remember, do you?”
I lie down on the bed, curling into my pillow, the gentle rocking of the bus cruising down the highway providing a comfortable distraction. “Nope.”
Bella lies back, resting her head on the pillow next to me and bops my nose. “We’re quite the pair, Tay.”
We are, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve never had the opportunity to have friends. It’s just never been that way in an industry full of fake people. But Bella, this tiny little fighter, despite being family, she’s always there for me no matter what. Until Cruz came into the picture, but I can forgive her for that.
The third night of the tour, we’re in Anaheim at the Honda Center. It’s one place I’ve yet to play at, but that’s not where my concerns are the next morning. Bella and I slept most of yesterday and while my morning is filled with radio station interviews, all prying into the escapades of the other night, I manage to avoid them. It seems Revel’s rubbing off on me.
I don’t hear from him either. I see his bus when we arrive, but not him. As I’m standing outside with security, my dad, and Bella, I notice Hensley exiting their bus. I tell myself it’s nothing. His actions don’t get to influence me. My lashes flutter, shaky breaths drawn in as I try to rein in my emotions and look away. Revel surfaces next, hanging out the door. He stares at me for the longest moment, and I’m too afraid to look away. He doesn’t engage her in conversation, that I can tell. His fingers reach to his lips removing his cigarette.
I swallow over the jealousy.
Who cares if she’s on their bus or around him? I shouldn’t. I want to shout and scream at myself, at my heart for the way it beats with uncertainty and the tears in the corners of my eyes.
I walk away, toward the meeting room where I have three more interviews to give.
Light filters in the gray room with cream carpet and I’m lost inside with the one haunting my every waking step. He accelerates my pulse and leaves me breathless at the thought. A vision I can’t forget. I should forget him, but I can’t. He’s swept my heart away in a cloud of smoke.
My focus lifts to Liz, his manager when she pulls me aside. I envy the relationship she has with him, to know him on a more personal level. A lump rises in my throat, and I remember why she wants to speak with me. The duet I proposed.
“I can only speculate at this point as I haven’t spoken to him about it directly, yet, or any of the members of the band, but Revel does have the final say on any new material the band agrees to,” Liz tells me, swiping through emails on her phone.
My shoulders hunch. My dad leans forward, his lips pressing into a hard line. I forgot he was standing next to me. “It’s not justhim. It’s Revved and her together.” His words have a certain bite to them if not for the clench of his jaw and the stony expression he’s wearing. This is most likely his worst nightmare. His daughter teaming up with the one artist he could never sign himself.
You didn’t know that, did you? Not many people do, but I do. Back when Revved first hit the scene, they were unsigned—more than likely caused by Revel’s reluctance to agree to any terms provided by labels. Most of the time when an artist signs with a label, they’re granted a signing bonus. New artists, the unheard-ofs in the industry, they don’t see much of anything, and they don’t see another dime for a while, despite dropping an album and touring heavily. Not until their profits exceed the advance.
For that reason, or from what I’ve been told, Revved dropped their previous management midway through their first tour, got sued by them, and went solo for an entire year before signing with Xler Management and Garrison Records. In that year, my dad went to every show in an attempt to sign them and Revved, more importantly, Revel refused to meet with him.
Now do you see the reason behind the anger?
I do.
“Regardless,” Liz continues, unaffected by my dad’s status in the industry. Most people kiss his ass, yet Liz, she refuses to. “Revel has the final say. The band will not sign off on any music until he agrees.”
Dad blinks slowly, as if he can’t believe one member of the band would have that kind of power. “Why would they do that?”
Liz snorts, rolling her eyes. “Because he formed the band. It’s named after him and he can, and will do, whatever he wants. Whether you want to believe it or not, he’s very business savvy.”
“I doubt that,” Dad mumbles, stalking off toward the media center.
I remain where I am, next to Liz. She smiles at me, then nods at the guys entering the room. Revel’s the last to join us and presumably drunk from either boredom or by choice. He doesn’t look at me. Not once.
I’m not sure I want to be in the room when the duet is suggested, but Liz assures me it’s better this way.
It’s suggested, and denied just as quickly by Revel, who knocks over a table in the process, or falls on it. We’re not entirely sure.
Revel’s jaw clenches as he angrily shoves away from the band and the wreckage in the room. “Fuck that shit,” he says, his words like knives stabbing my heart.
“You knew he’d never go for it.” Hardin winks at me. “No offense, kid.”
Deacon watches Revel leave the room, then smiles at Cruz. “Someone is selling his shirt on eBay for ten thousand dollars.”
Cruz raises a thick dark eyebrow. “The one that chick stole from him?”
“He gave it to her for the coat. But yes, that chick.”
