Picking Up The Pieces
Chapter 11: Lose Yourself, Part 1
Author's Note: Ok... Just as I promised... here's the beginning of Boyz Attack. And quite a beginning it is, too...
Thanks as always to the review crew- Katie, Rachel, Petra, Amanda, Airrelle, Chloe and RomanMa
Chapter 11: Lose Yourself, Part 1
After that night, Tommy and Katie were inseparable. She was his sole confidant, the only person he could talk to. He felt too old and too guilty to share much with his mother, although he continued to study at home with her. His academic future remained uncertain. Sarah petitioned the school board to readmit him, or at least find him a different school. A decision had not yet been reached by the time the school year ended.
It was the middle of July when Tommy received the phone call that would change his life forever.
"Hello? Elaine?" Sarah greeted her son's agent that Monday morning.
"Yes. No! Really? I see. Uh-huh. Ok. We will."
An amazed expression on her face, she passed the phone to Tommy.
"She wants to talk to you."
Tommy reached for the receiver. The agent got right down to business, repeating the same stunning information she told his mother.
"You know Darius Mills?"
"The rapper? Yeah, of course..."
"He's auditioning singers for a new group he's putting together. You have an appointment with him tomorrow at 1:00."
"Really? That's great!" Tommy enthused.
"Although... I've never really sung that kind of music. Don't know if I'm his type..."
"No. Apparently, it's not a hip-hop act he's putting together. It's more of a classic pop group. A boy band..."
"Really?" Tommy asked, surprised.
"Why would he do that?"
"Well, he's retired from performing. Branching out into artist management. I guess he figures this could be a big thing. I know you love music... It could be a big break for you."
"Yes" the boy agreed.
"It's going to be a huge audition. He's seeing boys from all over Canada. Even some from the States. Extremely competitive. He's being very choosy."
"I'll practice all day! All night!" Tommy promised.
"Some sleep would be okay. Good even... we don't want you looking all pale and worn out when you meet him." the agent laughed.
"Just call me afterwards and let me know what happened."
"I will."
Hanging up, he raced upstairs to closet himself in his room to practice. As usual, lost in his music, he was unaware of how many hours passed. Exhausted, and a little hoarse from so much singing, he finally looked at a clock.
"5:00!" he realized.
Hurriedly, he threw on his sneakers and raced back downstairs. Katie would be home from the creative arts camp she attended and he always met her bus. He couldn't wait to share this tremendous news with her.
She was as excited as he was.
"This is- so huge! I knew something great would come along for you! I just knew it!"
"Whoa! Slow down! It hasn't happened yet..."
"But it will... If this Darius guy has any taste at all..."
"Well, he is a famous rapper..."
"Yeah! You get to meet a big star!" Katie giggled
"And then, you're gonna become one!" she added.
"And you can write a movie about us!" Tommy laughed.
"Really?"
"Sure. Isn't that what you're studying this summer? Isn't that what you want? To be a famous writer."
"Well, yeah..." the girl admitted. They had talked about that before.
"So?"
"Maybe some day!" she laughed, tossing her long dark hair.
"But first... we gotta get you into the band."
"Wanna come help me practice? I'll order us a pizza."
"Double cheese?"
"Anything you want, girl."
"I'm in."
They held hands and ran towards the house.
Tommy worked on his song until the early hours of the morning, stopping only when his voice threatened to give out. Knowing it needed rest, he went to bed. He woke up, and practiced again, careful not to overdo it, saving his energy for the audition.
The hours dragged, but finally Tommy and his mother were on the road, heading towards the address Elaine had specified. Finding the remote location was very difficult.
"We're going to be late!" he started to panic.
"Non... I hope not." Sarah replied, taking deep breaths to calm herself.
Fifteen minutes and a few wrong turns later, they finally found what they sought.
"I think... that must be it!" Tommy cried victoriously, as his mother speeded up, heading towards a building partially obscured from view. As they came closer, he became more skeptical.
"This?" he wondered aloud, eyeing the shabby warehouse.
"Elaine did say that it was hard to find... I guess Darius wanted some privacy."
"Guess so"
"Anyway, we're here."
"And just in time!" Tommy said gratefully, checking his watch, and grabbing his guitar.
"Let's go!"
The twosome headed into the building as quickly as they could. Inside was just a large open space. A makeshift stage had been created in front of the room; a few chairs surrounded it.
A tall, dark haired woman with a trendy haircut, dressed in tight jeans and an even tighter T-shirt immediately approached them.
"Tommy Quincy?"
"Yes?"
"I'm Georgia Beavans. Darius Mills' assistant."
"Good to meet you." he replied automatically.
"Hmm" she replied, looking at and scrutinizing every inch of him. Tommy was used to being checked out and evaluated, but this woman's direct, hard-edged appraisal made him nervous.
"You're 13?" she asked.
"Yes"
"A little young for this." she commented wryly.
"He's a great singer and musician. Writes his own songs too!" his mother said, trying to help.
Georgia made a quick cutting motion with one hand, silencing her.
"We're not really looking for songwriters and musicians today. Plenty of people to do that! What we want are really special performers. Guys who can become overnight sensations. Instant stars!" the woman proclaimed.
"I've got that!" Tommy replied confidently, not sure if he really did, but knowing any other response would kill his chances.
"We'll see." she replied noncommitally, gesturing towards the front of the room.
"Darius! Got another potential star here! This is Tommy Quincy!"
Tommy stood directly in front of the superstar, who surveyed him with the same, highly critical gaze Georgia had.
"Ok" he said. The boy had passed his initial inspection.
"Show me what you got, kid."
Tommy walked onto the stage and began singing the song he wrote.
"Dig if you will, the picture..."
"Of you and I engaged in a kiss..."
"The sweat of my body covers me..."
"Can you, my darling..."
"Can you picture this..."
"Dream if you can, a courtyard..."
"An ocean of violets in bloom"
"Animals strike curious poses..."
"They feel the heat..."
"The heat between me and you..."
While he sang, Darius and Georgia conversed in soft whispers.
"He's got the look we want... A blend of innocence and sexiness... Girls would go nuts over him... Awfully precocious for a thirteen year old.
"Yeah. Wonder where that came from." Darius replied, not really caring.
"Don't know. But it's great for us! And his name... Perfect! We could call him "Little Tommy Q"!"
"Solid. I'm feeling it!" Darius nodded, as they stared again at the boy onstage.
"Touch if you will, my stomach..."
"Feel how it trembles inside."
"You've got the butterflies all tied up."
"Don't let them chase you..."
"Even doves can cry..."
"How can you just leave me standing?"
"Lonely, the world is so cold."
"World is so cold..."
"Maybe I'm just too demanding..."
"Maybe I'm just like my father..."
"Too bold"
"Maybe you're just like my mother..."
"She's never satisfied."
"Never satisfied..."
"Why do we scream at each other?"
"This is what it sounds like when doves cry..."
"When doves cry..."
"When doves cry..."
Finishing, Tommy set down his guitar and waited for their reaction.
"Pretty good, kid." Georgia said.
"Maybe..." Darius added, nodding his head.
"Can you come back tomorrow? I wanna hear how you sound with another guy we're considering?"
"Sure!" Tommy agreed.
"See you at 9:00 AM."
The next day, Tommy and his mother returned to the same secluded warehouse, locating it with far more ease. They again entered the building, where Georgia promptly greeted them.
"Tom. There you are! Good. Chaz is already here."
"Chaz!" Tommy thought.
"Wouldn't you know it..."
"You two worked together once before, correct?" Georgia said knowledgeably.
"Yes..." both boys answered.
"Good. Here's a song the group will be doing." she continued, shoving a piece of paper in each of their hands.
"This is the arrangement... Learn it. I'll be back in fifteen minutes to run through it with you." Georgia said, before leaving Chaz and Tommy alone.
"Uh... hi!" Tommy blurted out awkwardly.
"Hi." Chaz replied, equally uncomfortable.
"We've been competing for everything! Always! All these years... it's been about who was better. Now... it's suddenly about being the best together. Good enough for Darius's group!"
Similar shocking thoughts resonated in Chaz's mind.
Both boys looked at each other with different eyes.
"If we work together... we can do this!"
"Ok" Chaz spoke first.
"Let's get started..."
As promised, Georgia returned a mere fifteen minutes later. She was very pleased with what Tommy and Chaz had accomplished. After refining their sound a bit, she confidently ushered them into Darius's presence.
"Chaz... Tommy..." Darius said, shaking hands with each of them.
"We're ready." Georgia told him.
"Ok" the mogul replied, leaning back in his chair.
Georgia inserted the tape into the boom box on the left. She then gave them their cue
"And five, six, seven, eight..."
Chaz began
"I was adrift on"
"An ocean all alone..."
The next lines were Tommy's
"You came and rescued me..."
"When I was far from home."
"A rush of love around my heart..."
Chaz's voice joined his right before the chorus.
"Just as I fell apart..."
"Nobody ever cared as much for me..."
"As much for me..."
"Nobody touched my heart and healed my pain."
"You picked up the pieces..."
"And put me back together again."
Darius sat watching the duet continue, his face deliberately blank.
"Big D's feeling this one... I can tell!" Georgia realized.
The boys, however were not aware of this.
"You picked up the pieces..."
"And put me back together again!"
Done, Tommy and Chaz looked at Darius, trying to keep their hopes from showing too much.
"Hmmm" the rapper nodded uncommitally.
"What do you say?" Georgia asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yeah. I like it." Darius nodded.
"Tomorrow. You both come back. I wanna hear the whole group together. Plus get my choreographer guy up here. See if you can move... If it works out, then we'll discuss terms. There will be some pretty serious conditions for any guy who wants to join this group. Clear?"
"Yes" both boys nodded.
"Same time tomorrow."
Tommy contained his excitement until he got into the car.
"I did it!" he squealed.
"Oui. You did well." his mother agreed, her calm face hiding her troubled thoughts.
"Terms... Serious conditions... What does that mean?"
Tommy's thoughts were vastly different; he didn't even consider that.
He only wanted to get home and tell Katie.
Author's Note 2: Ok. I gotta ask this question. What do people think of the idea of Georgia working with Darius? I always thought there had to be some past "history" with those two characters on the show... there was certainly plenty of chemistry. Has anyone else ever wondered about this? Sadly, now that Georgia is gone from the show, I guess we'll never know what was or what might have been...