Chapter 8: First Studio Session
1873 Words
Lena barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, her brain replayed the same thoughts in different forms.
What if they hate my voice?
What if I embarrass myself?
What if this entire thing was a mistake?
By the time sunlight began spilling through the giant hotel windows, she’d already checked the clock at least twenty times.
7:12.
7:26.
7:41.
Eventually she gave up on trying to sleep altogether.
She sat up slowly, the blankets tangled around her legs, and stared out at the city.
Morning transformed it completely.
The neon glow from the night before had faded into pale gold sunlight reflecting off glass buildings. Streets below buzzed with movement already—cars, people, noise, life.
The city never slowed down.
That thought both impressed and terrified her.
Her phone buzzed softly beside her.
Noah.
A tiny wave of relief hit instantly.
You alive, celebrity?
Lena smiled sleepily despite herself.
Unfortunately.
Three dots appeared.
Wow. Inspirational.
She laughed quietly.
I didn’t sleep.
This reply took longer.
Nervous?
Lena looked down at the message.
Then at her reflection in the dark TV screen across the room.
Messy hair.
Tired eyes.
Definitely nervous.
Very.
A few seconds later:
Good.
She frowned immediately.
Excuse me?
Nervous means you care.
Her chest tightened softly.
Sometimes Noah said things so simply that they hit harder afterward.
Easy for you to say. You’re not about to sing for scary music people.
True. But if they’re scary, just bite them.
Lena snorted loudly enough to surprise herself.
A smile spread across her face before she could stop it.
And just like that—
The panic eased slightly.
Not gone.
But manageable.
Another message appeared.
You’re gonna do great today.
She stared at the screen for a second longer than necessary.
Then typed slowly:
I wish you were here.
The reply came almost instantly this time.
Me too.
And suddenly the room felt quieter.
Warmer somehow.
Lena pressed her lips together softly before locking her phone.
Dangerous.
That feeling was becoming dangerous.
⸻
Two hours later, Lena stood in front of the bathroom mirror trying to decide if she looked confident or like someone about to pass out.
Unfortunately, it seemed closer to the second option.
“You’re fine,” she muttered to her reflection.
Her reflection looked unconvinced.
She changed outfits twice.
Then changed back to the original one.
Then almost changed again.
Finally she forced herself to stop.
“You’re here to sing,” she whispered. “Not model.”
Still, her hands shook slightly while fixing the sleeves of her jacket.
A knock came at the hotel door exactly at 10:00.
Right on time.
Her stomach dropped instantly.
This is it.
Lena grabbed her phone, notebook, and bag before opening the door.
Marcus stood outside again.
“Ready?”
No.
“Yeah,” she lied.
He gave a polite nod and led her toward the elevator.
The ride down felt longer today.
Each floor number tightening the knot in her stomach further.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
By the time the doors opened into the lobby, Lena’s heartbeat felt loud enough to hear.
⸻
Horizon Records was somehow even more intimidating in person.
The building towered over the street, sleek glass reflecting sunlight so brightly Lena had to squint just looking at it.
People moved in and out constantly carrying coffees, instruments, laptops, conversations.
Everyone looked busy.
Important.
Like they belonged there.
Lena suddenly felt very aware that she didn’t.
Marcus noticed her hesitation beside him.
“You okay?”
She exhaled slowly.
“Yeah.”
Lie.
But manageable lie.
“You’ll do fine.”
Everyone keeps saying that.
The thought almost made her laugh.
Inside, the lobby smelled faintly like coffee and expensive perfume.
Music played softly overhead while giant framed album covers lined the walls.
Some of the artists she recognized immediately.
Others she didn’t.
But all of them looked confident.
Certain.
Like they’d always known they belonged here.
“Miss Cruz?”
Lena turned quickly.
A woman with dark curls and a sharp navy blazer approached with a warm smile.
“I’m Vanessa. We spoke on the phone.”
“Oh—hi.”
Vanessa shook her hand gently.
“We’re excited to meet you.”
Excited.
The word made Lena’s stomach flip.
“Come on,” Vanessa said kindly. “I’ll show you around.”
They walked through long hallways lined with glass studio rooms. Lena caught glimpses of people mixing tracks, recording vocals, laughing over instruments.
Everything buzzed with energy.
Creativity.
Pressure.
Dreams.
It felt overwhelming in the most beautiful way.
“You okay?” Vanessa asked after noticing Lena looking around again.
“Yeah,” Lena admitted softly. “It’s just… a lot.”
Vanessa smiled knowingly.
“First time usually is.”
Usually.
As if there might be second times.
That thought alone nearly short-circuited Lena’s brain.
They stopped outside a studio door labeled B12.
Vanessa turned toward her.
“Ready?”
Absolutely not.
“…sure.”
Vanessa laughed lightly before opening the door.
⸻
The studio felt smaller than Lena expected.
Not cramped.
Just intimate.
Warm lighting glowed softly against dark walls covered in soundproof panels. Instruments rested in corners beside tangled cords and mixing equipment.
And suddenly—
Everything got quiet in her head.
Not completely.
But enough.
Something about the room felt familiar.
Comforting.
Like stepping into a place where emotions mattered more than appearances.
A man wearing headphones glanced up from the mixing board.
“That’s Lena?”
Vanessa nodded.
“Lena, this is Adrian.”
Adrian smiled slightly.
“You nervous?”
Lena blinked.
“…is it that obvious?”
“A little.”
Great.
He chuckled softly.
“Good. Means you care.”
She narrowed her eyes immediately.
“Did everyone secretly agree to say that today?”
Adrian laughed louder this time.
“Probably.”
Some of the tension eased from her shoulders.
Just slightly.
Vanessa gestured toward the microphone booth across the room.
“Whenever you’re ready.”
The booth suddenly looked terrifying.
Lena swallowed hard.
Okay.
This is happening.
She stepped toward it slowly, every heartbeat louder than the last.
Inside, the microphone stood waiting beneath soft overhead lights.
Simple.
Still.
Important.
Her fingers tightened around her notebook.
“What do you want me to sing?” she asked through the headphones after settling inside.
“Anything that feels like you,” Adrian replied.
Anything that feels like you.
The words hit unexpectedly hard.
Because suddenly this wasn’t about perfection.
Or impressing people.
Or proving something.
It was about honesty.
And honesty had always been easier around one person.
Her thoughts drifted instantly toward Noah.
Late-night conversations.
His laugh.
The way he always believed in her before she believed in herself.
The way leaving home had physically hurt more than she expected.
Her grip loosened slightly.
Okay.
She knew what to sing.
Lena adjusted the headphones carefully, taking one slow breath.
Then another.
Adrian’s voice came through softly.
“Whenever you’re ready.”
The room outside the glass blurred slightly.
Not literally.
Just emotionally.
The pressure faded.
The fear softened.
And suddenly it was just her.
The microphone.
The music.
The truth sitting heavy in her chest.
She closed her eyes.
And started singing.
The first note came out quiet.
Controlled.
Careful.
But steady.
Lena gripped the headphones lightly as the melody settled around her.
Familiar.
Safe.
The lyrics flowed naturally after that.
Words about distance.
About feeling lost somewhere unfamiliar.
About missing someone who made everything feel simpler.
Her voice strengthened gradually with each line.
Emotion slipped in without permission.
Real emotion.
The dangerous kind.
Because while she sang, images kept flashing through her mind.
Noah standing outside her house with coffee.
Noah promising things wouldn’t change.
Noah hugging her goodbye at the station.
Her chest tightened mid-lyric.
And somehow—
That made the song better.
More honest.
More real.
By the chorus, she forgot where she was entirely.
Forgot about the executives.
Forgot about the city.
Forgot about fear.
She just sang.
And for the first time since arriving—
Everything inside her settled into place.
The final note faded slowly into silence.
Lena opened her eyes carefully.
The studio outside the booth stayed completely still.
Nobody spoke immediately.
Her stomach dropped.
Oh no.
Too emotional?
Too much?
Did I mess up?
Then Adrian slowly pulled off one headphone ear.
“Well,” he said softly.
Lena’s pulse pounded.
“That was…” He shook his head slightly. “Wow.”
Relief crashed through her so fast she almost laughed.
Vanessa smiled warmly beside him.
“You feel things when you sing,” she said.
Lena blinked.
“…is that good?”
“It’s rare,” Adrian answered immediately.
Her throat tightened unexpectedly.
Rare.
No one had ever described her voice like that before.
Adrian leaned forward slightly.
“Again.”
“What?”
“The chorus,” he said. “One more time.”
Lena nodded quickly.
This time her nerves felt different.
Still there.
But transformed.
Excitement instead of fear.
She sang again.
Stronger now.
More confident.
And when she finished the second time, Adrian leaned back in his chair slowly.
“Yeah,” he muttered.
Vanessa smiled.
“Told you.”
Told you?
Lena blinked between them.
“What?”
Vanessa crossed her arms lightly.
“We see a lot of talented people here.”
Her heartbeat quickened.
“But not many who make a room go silent.”
Lena stared at her.
Unable to respond immediately.
Because suddenly—
This felt real in a completely new way.
Not fantasy.
Not imagination.
Real.
Adrian pointed toward her notebook resting beside the microphone stand.
“You write your own stuff?”
“Mostly,” Lena said carefully.
He nodded once.
“Good.”
Good.
Everything today felt built from tiny words with enormous meaning.
Good.
Rare.
Again.
Possible.
Lena stepped out of the booth slowly, still trying to process everything.
Vanessa smiled at her.
“How are you feeling?”
Lena let out a slightly shaky laugh.
“I honestly have no idea.”
That made both of them laugh softly.
And for the first time since arriving in the city—
Lena felt like maybe she belonged here after all.
⸻
Later that afternoon, back in the hotel room, Lena collapsed backward onto the bed with her phone already in hand.
She called Noah immediately.
He answered before the first full ring.
“Well?”
She laughed instantly.
“You sound stressed.”
“I’ve been waiting all day.”
Warmth spread through her chest again.
“It went good,” she admitted.
“Good?”
“They liked me.”
A pause.
Then—
“No kidding.”
She smiled into the silence.
“They said I made the room go quiet.”
“That’s because you’re annoying and dramatic.”
Lena laughed louder this time.
“There you are.”
“What?”
“That laugh,” Noah said softly. “You sound happy.”
The words hit harder than expected.
Because she was happy.
Terrified.
Overwhelmed.
Confused.
But happy too.
Lena stared up at the ceiling, smiling helplessly.
“Yeah,” she whispered.
For the first time since arriving—
She really did.
- Writer
