Chapter 10
"Ah fuck." he curses as hot coffee trickles down his jeans,
He's late, he's tired and he is very very cranky.
Bumper doesn't recall being demoted to errand boy, but it seems that it's all he does lately. He still sings backup for John; but now he's also expected to get the coffee first thing in the morning, run out for vegan burrito before John asks for his morning snack, and fetch John's laundry on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
What the fuck have I gotten into? he asks himself.
It might be his fault, he ponders. He did volunteer the first few times. He thought it would make him more likeable. But apparently, that's not how it is in Hollywood. 'Nice' translated to being a pushover, and so now, here he is, the nice little backup boy running to get to the studio with spilt coffee on his jeans while balancing 5 coffee cups with his right hand and john's pressed shirt on his left arm.
"You're late." the executive assistant chides him and takes one of his coffee cups the moment he enters the room.
He proceeds to the table and doesn't bother to apologize. He learned humiliatingly after a recording session gone wrong that nobody's interested in his apologies because they told him so. In his defence, he wasn't flat. Bumper Allen is never flat. The world may turn upside down but him being off-key is just never going to happen. This is his thing but nobody would ever dare suggest it was John so who else could they blame? And thus his forced unaccepted apology. 'Fucking untalented bastards..' he kept muttering to himself as he cried himself to sleep that night.
He quickly drops his cargo onto their rightful place and takes his spot in the recording booth.
"Nice for you to join us, Bummer." The musical director calls out to him.
"It's actually Bumper..My name is Bumper." He tries to correct him. It's been more than two months since he's been in LA and he doesn't think they are actually interested to learn his name or even be bothered to know it.
"Shut up. You're late."
Bumper takes his place in the middle of his two co-backup singers and puts on his headphones.
It is the middle of November and John Mayer's team is on a tight schedule. His Christmas album is scheduled to be released soon and there are still a few songs unfinished.
"Again! One last before John gets here." The director shouts at the three of them. He's got extra bitterness this morning, Bumper noticed. "Let's take it from the top. One, two, three..." and they begin the session.
Hollywood is not as fun or cool as what Bumper imagined it to be. Not even close. He thought it will be magical, his stepping stone to stardom. He imagined the awe on people's faces once he starts to work his oral magic with his magnificent pipes. He already bought his aviators in preparation for the papz. He was ready for all that jazz. But now, all he thinks of Hollywood is that it's a superficial hole of pretentious and ridiculously pretty people with varying degrees of debatable talent obsessed with green tea and Zen. It's sickening.
He's disappointed he won't even deny it. He used to, but it only took him a few weeks to accept there's no point in kidding himself. It is a really disappointing place, a lonely place. He thinks of quitting almost every single moment of everyday. But the job itself isn't bad. He gets to sing which he loves more than anything. He's sure there's still something magical in this place, he's just too tired to even try and find it.
By the end of their session, Bumper is exhausted. Their work days usually last 8 hours, only 3 of which are spent with John so as not to strain his vocals, but it's about 12 hours for Bumper because he has get up 2 hours earlier than everybody else and leave 2 hours later than everybody else as well. You'd think getting off work would be a relief to him, but actually he dreads getting out of the studio. He doesn't have a knack at making friends and so he's mostly alone outside of work. He feels that he's already being tagged as the lonely pushover at work and he doesn't want to confirm that by being seen having dinner alone. So as soon as he gets to his flat, which he shares with 3 other roommates, the first thing he does is to have food delivered. Then he locks himself in his room and plays his acapella music loud enough to isolate him from the rest of the world.
His dinner usually arrives right after he finishes his shower. He turns on his TV, lays out the takeout boxes on the floor and digs in. By 10pm, he is ready for bed. It's a depressing routine, but it's been 2 months of this and he had have coped.
He checks his phone for missed calls or any messages, maybe some threats from the musical director. There is one from his mom. She has been asking him to give her a call. He thinks of replying but just like all the other times before that, he decides not. He browses through his phone and stumbles upon Amy's sleeping picture. He almost forgot he has this picture. He slowly traced her full lips on his screen. He remembers the night he took it and for the first time in two months, he falls asleep with a smile.
A/N: Work has been intense for the past week. Sorry for the wait. I am honestly having trouble thinking of what's going to happen next so if any of you have suggestions I'd really love to hear them... Please Read and Review xoxo ScarletOHarra