I don't own anything
A/N: Alright it's time for another update but first off I want to thank my reviewers from last week; lilmissmonique , Aud11 , glasvegas , jila, chaylorXtraylorlover101, TraylorxChaylor , arashiken, Phelycia, LunaSolTierra , Vlove, cornique chaylor girl, javasmoker , MermaidRam85. Thank you all for the reviewers and now I hope you all enjoy this new chapter and please remember to send me review so I know what you think.
Baby S
Chapter Four
"You can't possibly be serious!" Julius looked up as the sound of Troy's voice came out of the dressing room right across from where he sat waiting patiently reading a magazine. He listened and heard a few hushed voices and then Troy's voice sounded again. "Well let me go and see what he says then…," Julius sat the magazine down just as Troy came storming out of the dressing room moving down the stairs angrily as if he couldn't get away from the people inside of his dressing room quick enough. Troy stopped as he heard the door slammed and turned around and looked at it as if it represented the people on the other side. "You know it's not my fault you don't have a sense of style and you run around calling yourselves stylists."
"Oh come on you don't look that bad." Julius replied as he took in Troy with a smile as he took in the younger man who seemed to fit the role of a character from an urban comedy. He slowly raised his eyes and met Troy's stare head on. Troy frowned at the smile on his face and groaned.
"Jules, man you have got to be kidding me right now?" Julius just smiled as he looked him over again this time taking the time to savor the outrageous outfit that Troy had on, while at the same time biting his lip in order to keep the laughter from escaping. Troy was clad in a silk like blue, and baggy black dress pants. Around his neck hung two silver chains and he even had a fake earring in his left ear.
"I'm sorry, is there a problem?" he asked with a bright smile as he looked back up at Troy. "Cause I really don't see a problem?" Troy's face dropped as he stared at him for a moment shouting back.
"You don't see a problem? Of course there's a problem…I'm not a thug, Julius." Troy replied with a sigh, as he lifted his arms and turned around slowly. "Do I really come off as a thug…or as someone posing? The fans…aren't going to like that. They would like for me to at least be myself in the video…if I make a debut like this…I'll probably end up like a laughing stock and no one will take me seriously." Troy ranted as she looked down at himself again with distain. Julius sighed and pushed himself up and out of the chair and walked over to Troy with his hands raised in a casually surrender pose.
"Well, you're right…you look like Vanilla Ice 2.0 and you don't even rap…you sing." He replied while his eyes look at Troy while trying to hold in his humor over the situation. They watched each other silently for a few more moments before he stepped back and walked over to the dressing room door and knocked a moment later a short lady with a scowl came out and sent a glare Troy's way.
"It's his fault Mr. Julius." She exclaimed as she sent another look Troy's way. Troy bristled as he looked at the woman and called back.
"I know you aren't going to blame this ugly mess on me…there ain't no way in hell I'm taking credit for this ugly mess of a outfit you and your minions call clothes."
"Why you giant-."
"Midget." Troy shot back as Julius shifted his eyes back and forth as they went at it. Finally he lifted his fingers to his mouth and blew out a whistle which quickly caught their attentions. Shaking his head he sighed.
"Both of you just stop it…, Rachel please just help him change the outfit because he doesn't like and frankly neither do I." He paused and looked between the two of them for a moment before sighing. "This is his debut and he has to make a good impression, he doesn't want to be remembered for a awful outfit but his talent so let's make his first impression a good one." She looked over at Troy and then sighed.
"I supposed you're right…but Mr. Combs stated that he wanted a street look for this video shoot." Troy crossed his arms and chuckled at the statement only stepping back as Rachel took a step away from the dressing room.
"I'm not laughing at you…it's just that I'm pretty sure I can't pull off the street look after all I'm from New Mexico, and there is certainly no real street look there, and I don't want to be a poser." Rachel smiled at his earnest face as he explained why things just wouldn't work and nodded her head in understanding before motioning for him to come back into the dressing room. Sighing, with relief Troy smiled at the older woman and followed her back into the dressing room. Once the door was closed Julius chuckled again and walked back to the chair he had been sitting in earlier so he could wait for Troy to get finished. As he waited he heard footsteps coming down the hall and looked up as Darius entered the waiting room with a displeased frown on his face.
"Julius what's going on here…why are you just sitting around? Where's Troy?" he asked in rapid fire. Julius looked over at him and then pointed towards the dressing room door. Following his finger, Darius frowned even more and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why is he still in there how much time does it take to put on pants and shirt."
"He didn't like the first outfit, Dee." Julius replied with a shrug, "And after hearing his argument as to why the outfit wouldn't work for him I allowed him to go and change. I didn't want him to be uncomfortable and I knew you wouldn't really care after all you're always harping on the idea of realness and how people should be when their being real."
"So the outfit that I picked out before hand wasn't real enough for him." Julius asked with a sneer, looking over at him Julius sighed and shook his head.
"No, man…and to be honest he looked like a poser and I'm sure you didn't want that in the video, you have to remember this isn't a black guy and he certainly doesn't and probably will never have street cred. He's from New Mexico besides I'm very sure that if you saw him you would have told him to change as well." Darius studied Julius for another moment before nodding his head as he starting tapping his foot impatiently on the ground as he waited for Troy to finished up and come out so that the video shoot could get started. Darius was already tired together, and that mostly could be contributed to Troy not taking anything seriously and having to calm down Jamal Westland…the damn boy just couldn't handle being rejected by Tay-Ann. The day was already driving him nuts and he didn't like it one bit. Julius and Darius waited outside for a few more minutes before the door opened and Troy came strolling out with a smile on his face while thanking Rachel. As Troy closed the door he was immediately greeted by the displeased look on Darius' face.
"Yo, Dee my man you have really got to try smiling more…I'm not liking the frowning." Darius' mouth dropped opened at the request and he looked at Troy as if he had grown several heads in a matter of seconds. Julius covered his mouth and tried his best not to laugh at the exchange. Troy looked over at Julius, easily dismissing Darius and motioned to himself. "So what do think?" Julius looked him over, Troy was clad this time in a plain black tee-shirt that seemed to be quite form fitting and a slightly loose pair of baggy jeans that were rolled up at the foot and settled nicely on his sneakers.
"It's a nice look." He admitted with a shrug, "What do you think Darius." Darius eyed him and Troy was almost certain that the other man wanted to punch him. Shaking his head he looked over at Julius and answered the question.
"He looks fine…now let's get this show on the road, I'm tired of all these games. Time is money…and all these costume changes are basically wasting my money." He stated as he turned on his heel and walked away. Julius and Troy exchanged a look and then followed behind him. As they walked Julius looked over at Troy and sighed.
"You really need to watch yourself…Darius is not one who likes to be messed with." Julius warned as they entered the soundstage area. Troy nodded his head for and looked over at him.
"I'll keep that in mind." He whispered as he took in the huge stage and everything surrounding it. Julius looked over at him with a grin and reached out to slap him on the back.
"It's nice isn't it?" he asked with a knowing smirk, Troy just nodded his head as continued to look around. After a few moments, his eyes landed on Taylor and found her over to the side currently chatting it up with who he could only assume at the moment was the director of the video. He smiled as he took in how excited she was, and he could tell that the music industry was now her passion just like science used to be. He stood there for a few minutes, as Julius walked off to go and handle some business.
"Hi, you're new." Troy looked up as a tall African American male walked over to him extending his hand out in greeting.
"Hey, and yes I am…I'm Troy Bolton and you are?" Troy was with a smile as he shook the other man's hand.
"Jamal Westland…better known to the public as J-Wes, this is my video shoot…so you must be the guy that Darius told me was going to be singing the chorus of my song." Troy just nodded his head as he continued to look around the set. His eyes once again landed on Taylor, and then he glanced back at Jamal who was always watching Taylor.
"So you like Tay-Ann?" he asked wanting to know for some unexplainable reason if Taylor was attached to someone in this world. Jamal, shook his head and continued watching Taylor for a moment before answering.
"I thought I did…but she proved me wrong." He replied back bitterly as he turned away from Taylor who was now being joined by Darius and focused on Troy. "Look man, a word of advice. I can see now that probably have feelings for her, in fact I know you are. There isn't a guy I know that hasn't wanted to get with her, but let me tell you something before you go at her with your heart all wide open for her. Cause she ain't going do nothing but stomp all over it."
"Man what are you talking about?" Troy asked his voice harsh with curiosity.
"She's a man eater dog, she doesn't believe in commitment or anything like that. She uses guys for sex and then looks at you like you're crazy for actually wanting more from her. She's cold blooded man and I'm telling you this cause nobody told me and I really wish they had, before I wasted my time on that bitch." He spat out angrily. Stunning Troy with the information that he had just received, he looked back at his friend for a moment before shaking his head.
"Don't you think you're being a little bit harsh?" he asked as he looked at the man for a moment praying that he was just exaggerating. He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of the man's mouth.
"Oh don't tell me you're going to defend her since you got the hots for her. Like I said you're better off trying to get with someone else." Troy and Jamal squared off for a moment both of them staring at one another silently. After a few moments, Troy shook his head and looked back over towards Taylor who was still talking to Darius.
"I'm not trying to get with her."
"Sure, whatever you say," Jamal deadpanned with a roll of his eyes. "You know the look in your eyes says otherwise, believe me I know that look I saw it in myself plenty of times. Tay-Ann, just isn't worth the trouble…she'll never be worth the trouble." He replied just as Darius and Tay-Ann walked over to them. Troy gave him one last look before focusing on Taylor and Darius.
~*~*~*~~*~*~*~
"Looks like everyone is here," Darius replied as he rubbed his hands together, as he smiled brightly at him. He and Taylor turned and walked over to Jamal and Troy who were watching them silently. "Let's get started on that video…I believe we've had enough distractions today." He replied looking pointedly at Jamal and Troy.
"I didn't do anything distracting today." Troy replied smugly before Darius could say anything else, Taylor raised an eyebrow in surprise while Darius sent him a look that plainly stated that he should be quiet. Seeing that his statements weren't going to do anything except get him in trouble, Troy decided to take the hint and just be quiet. Afterall, it would probably be the best thing to do.
"I think what we should do first is the chorus of the song…get that out of the way so we can spend the rest of the day focusing on you," Darius replied as he ended his statement with a look Jamal who just nodded his head while crossing his arms over his chest. Troy silently wondered if Jamal even liked Darius, since he was looking at him with the same contempt in his eyes that he held when he had talked about Taylor earlier. As Troy thought this over, he wondered just how many people didn't like one another on the label. Everyone seemed to be involved in a dysfunctional relationship with the label, especially if he took into account what Taylor had been telling him about their relationship. The constant lie that he feed her about being the only person in her life that actually cared about her. Yeah right, like her parents and friends, the ones he made her abandon, didn't count. "So Troy…Tay-Ann…let's do the first scene where Troy is hanging out with Jamal and Tay-Ann and the model come in and the song starts with Troy and Jamal trying to approach them."
"Sounds good, let's get started." Taylor replied as she sent a look Jamal's way that perfectly stated that she couldn't wait to get away from him. Jamal just shook his head and walked over towards the area that had been set up for the scene. The director came over and gave them their instructions and then backed away going to his camera. Troy and Jamal entered the area, and settled down just as the beginning notes of the song came through the speakers. Darius quickly looked over, and then spoke from his position off the side of the stage.
"You gotta sing along to the lyrics while you act everything out, Troy." Nodding his head Troy wanted till his cue and started mouthing along, just as Taylor and the model made their entrance. Going off the acting lessons he had received back in college, he got up and interaction with Taylor while continuing to sing along. The director panned the camera on them and smiled and then with his free hand motioned for Darius and Julius to come over and view the entire thing.
"Man he's good…he looks real good."
"Looks just like this is happening for real, man this is going to be a good video." Julius replied while looking over at Darius who nodded his head while looking from the screen and back to Troy and Tay-Ann, his mind working a mile a minute. He was right, their chemistry was something he hadn't seen in a while, and he knew that he could make them use each other to raise up their popularity. The rumors that would surround them would make people sit up and pay attention to Tay-Ann and his newest artist Troy Bolton.
"Yeah, it's going to be real good." He replied slowly as a smirk grew on his face as he continued to watch, "Just wait till we do the bedroom scene at the end for them. That's going to be good, and you that's the lead in for the song "Marathon." He replied as he stepped away from the camera and yelled out more instructions to Troy and Tay-Ann who instantly did as suggested.
After completing the rest of the main video, Jamal was told that his part was over and now it was time for the video lead in that would only have Troy and Tay-Ann in it. Darius waited till Jamal was gone before walking over to Troy and Taylor. "That was good video shoot," he replied happily, and Troy couldn't help but imagine that if this were a cartoon his eyes would housed nothing but dollar signs. Looking over at Troy, Darius reached out and clasped a hand on his shoulder. "It seems that I made a good decision when I decided to bring you on."
"Of course you did." Troy replied turning to look at him with a slight smile that seemed to instantly erase the one on Darius' face. Stepping away from him, Darius narrowed his eyes for a moment and looked at him.
"Well…let's get this taken care of and then you can go home." Darius sneered with a shake of his head as he walked away from the two of them. Taylor turned and looked at him for a moment before shaking her head.
"You are pissing him off." Troy looked down at her and sighed for a moment before speaking.
"No, really." He replied as he stepped away from her and followed behind Darius so he could tell what was needed for the video. By the time Darius was finished stating what exactly he wanted Troy found himself slightly disturbed by what the man wanted. Consciously he stepped away from Taylor and set of the bedroom and looked at Darius as if he had grown three heads and they were all throwing up simultaneously. Resting a hand on his hip, Darius shot daggers at the younger man and snarled.
"What da hell is the problem, Troy?"
"You want me and Tay-Ann…to simulate having sex in the video?" he asked with a shake of his head. Darius gave him a look as if he was calling him stupid, before speaking.
"Are you crazy? The damn name to the song is Marathon, what da hell did you think the video would be about, a marathon for drinking tea. Tay-Ann talk to this fool, before I lose it." He snapped as he turned away from Troy and walked away. Taylor sighed and looked at Troy for a moment before walking past him.
"Follow me." She called out coolly, Troy sighed realizing that he was now in trouble, following behind her they entered a room that was set off to the side of the sound stage, closing the door she gave a look and crossed her arms over her chest. Troy turned to look at her and sighed.
"What!"
"You, I can't believe you…you would stand there fighting with Darius over a video and song that you've known about since he told you. And now you have a problem with the way he wants the video to go." She asked her voice taking on an incredulous tone that instantly put Troy on the defensive.
"Excuse me, for not wanting to something like that with random people."
"Oh so now I'm random." She asked harshly, and Troy could literally see the walls that he had carefully began working on this working building themselves back up around her. Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
"Of course not…you're not random Taylor-."
"Tay-Ann." She all but shouted at him as she marched over to him and pointed her finger at him. "My name is Tay-Ann." She replied forcefully and for a moment Troy wondered if she was trying to convince him or herself.
"Look I'm not here to fight with you about names." Troy replied with a shake of his head, officially becoming annoyed with the way Taylor constantly kept shouting that her name was Tay-Ann. It was like Darius had truly brainwashed her. "Now tell me why we have to pretend to have sex in this video."
"Marathon is about sex…my god Troy, start acting like a man, and stop pretending to be some type of high moral character, we both know that men are anything but that. Why else would you men cheat on women you swore you would love hmm." Troy narrowed his eyes at her statement and took a step in her direction.
"Don't place his faults on me." He replied coolly. "I would never do that…not to you and not to anyone else."
"I know you wouldn't do it to me…you don't see me." She snapped, Troy lifted his head and looked heavenward, silently praying for the strength not to explode in rage, the emotions that Taylor could arouse in him were emotion to make him go insane. After a few minutes of this exercise, he looked back down at her and sighed brokenly.
"Fine…if that's how you want to think of me, if it makes you feel better about yourself, which I'm pretty sure it doesn't…" he trailed off and shook his head for a moment as he turned his back on Taylor. "Um, look…I'm going to go out there and make this work only because it's my job, but I promise you if it gets to raunchy I'm done."
"Whatever, that's all Darius and I want from you. Just go out there and sell this video lead in." She replied as she turned around and stormed out of the room. Troy looked after her for a moment, his hands were on his hips and he watched as she stormed away and headed straight back to Darius, a man that Troy was pretty sure he was going to hate for the rest of his life. After taking a few more calming breaths, he walked out and headed back to the sound stage where Darius was watching him like a hawk.
"Is everything better now, Mr. Bolton?" he asked his voice taking on a tone, that Troy was pretty sure was insulting. Instead of meeting his eyes, Troy looked over at Taylor and nodded his head.
"Yeah, everything is fine."
"Good…now let's get this video finished I'm ready to go home just like everyone else is. We don't have time to hold your hand Bolton, not while we all are trying to make money." Troy looked at him now and spoke.
"Whatever man, let's just do this." He missed the look of rage that passed across Darius' face at his words, and stepped onto the sound stage that was the makeshift bedroom. Troy looked over at Darius and Taylor and spoke his voice harsh. "So are we going to get started…I thought you wanted to make some money."
"What da hell is your problem?" Darius finally snapped, taking a step forward even as Taylor came and placed herself in between them both. Looking over at Troy she sent him a look that plainly told him to stop what he was doing, but Troy wasn't going to listen.
"My problem…is that everything has to boil down into sex with you. Every song written has to have sex somewhere in it, what about other emotions other than just fucking." He replied heatedly, as he fixed Darius with a stare that spoke of challenge.
"Listen…I'm a millionaire, I've been in this business for over five years now making shitloads of money. I know what sells and what doesn't. Heartfelt stuff will get you a Grammy, but it won't bring in the dough. Every genre has its examples…of this give and take mentality. Heartfelt stuff doesn't sell, and it probably never will because people want to lose themselves in the music and forget their reality and they damn sure don't want to become as depressed as the singer."
"Then you don't know music."
"I know money…and how to make it using music. Look at Tay-Ann for example, she's been in the game for five years and with my guidance and expertise she's the leading female artist of our time. She makes money…and sings number one rated songs on the billboard charts. Have you done any of this? Nope you haven't and you know why because you need my guidance and my expertise to make you just as famous as Tay-Ann."
"I just want to make music."
"Stop lying to yourself…you want to make money as well, Troy." Darius replied with a smug smirk on his face. "Now get up there and make this video and shut da hell up." Troy moved to say something else but stopped when he noticed Julius motioning wildly behind him that he should stop all together.
"Fine." He spat as he walked over to the bed and sat down. Taylor moved up there as well and sat down on the other side of the bed.
"Now, that the ass has finished his fussing for the day, let's get started first off, I want you two to come through that door kissing and groping. I want it real…as real as possible." He finished as he met Troy's stare. "Do you think you can handle that?" Troy met his stare head on and nodded his head as a sneer appeared on his face.
"Yeah."
Troy and Taylor walked over to the door, that led into the fake bedroom, looking down at Taylor, Troy sighed for a minute and looked over at Darius who was watching them to make sure that they were in place. Once that happened, he signaled for the music to come up. As soon as he beat dropped, Troy yanked Taylor to him and crashed his lips on top of hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck holding on tightly. Troy knew that Taylor was the first to sing, she he tucked his head into her neck and started to place slow kisses on her exposed flesh as they collapsed on the bed just as Taylor started singing along with the record.
As the seconds turn to minutes
As the minutes turn to hours
As the sound of love is hollered
Time just keeps elapsing
Troy finished his line, by pressing himself up against Taylor and making her gasp as she pulled him down to her chest. He chuckled as they started moving in a way that seemed to any outside viewer that they were having sex. As they started kissing again, they would lift their heads one at a time and sang the title of the song as the director slowly pulled the camera back until they faded out. Once they were finished Troy pushed himself up and looked down at Taylor and then stood up and helped her off the bed. Darius watched them for a minute, but for the most part Darius' eyes remained on Taylor's exposed flesh. Troy felt himself grow disgusted with the way that Darius was leering at her. So he cleared his throat and looked at Darius.
"Are we finished?" he asked harshly.
"Yes…and the video…well the shoot was a success." He stated proudly as he took his glaze off of Taylor and looked around the room at the others who were still around. "That's a wrap everyone." He replied as he started clapping. Troy just shook his head and looked away not knowing how he was feeling at the time. Having Taylor pressed up against him in that way was something his mind didn't want to address in that moment. All he could think about were the touch of her lips against his skin and the feel of her soft curves as him. But when he thought about the video, he found himself getting becoming furious with Darius. He treated Taylor like a video girl, constantly having to show her body and the way he just leered constantly at her like he couldn't get enough made him sick to his stomach. He looked down at Taylor and then spoke.
"I'm going to go and change." He whispered as he removed himself from her side and left, not even seeing the look of hurt and concern that followed him momentarily as Taylor watched him leave the sound stage area. Darius looked after briefly, before motioning for Julius to go after him. As Troy opened the door to his dressing room, Julius jogged up calling his name. Stopping he turned and looked at the other man for a moment before sighing. "Yeah?"
"Troy, about what happened earlier…have you lost your damn mind." Troy raised eyebrow at Julius' outburst and stepped away from the door and went to go and stand directly in front of him a frown on his face.
"No, I haven't lost my mind…it seems like I'm the only one who still has a good hold of it right now. Everyone else around here seems crazy." He snapped out harshly as he looked at Julius as if he was a part of the problem.
"Look this is how Darius does business…you knew this coming in."
"I didn't know that he was voyeur." Troy replied quickly, "This whole thing was crazy, and for Tayl…and for Tay-Ann to go along with it."
"She's been with this label since the beginning. She understands Darius and he understands her. They've helped each other, and despite what you believe, sex does sell."
"Yeah, your soul." He snapped out angrily.
"You make it sound like what happened today was wrong, and if you felt so strongly about it then why."
"Because I'm just a little bit stronger than some of the other people on this label. Darius isn't going to bully me around without knowing how I'm feeling. I won't be a silent partner to scared to speak and-."
"You're taking this too far." Julius replied quickly, getting angry over the fact that Troy was actually talking about him to his face.
"I'm just letting you know where I stand on this whole business. I should have stopped but I feel that I would be a better fit here helping Tay-Ann out here."
"Why are you so concerned with Tay-Ann…you just met her." Julius asked his voice taking on a curious tone that quickly washed away his angry tone as he looked at Troy as if trying to see what was there within the other man.
"Cause I believe that Tay-Ann needs someone around her, who isn't going to use her but will in fact care for her."
"We care for her."
"Yeah, just enough to make sure she brings in the amount of money you need to buy the expensive clothes that you want. Regardless of how she does it, don't get me wrong I know you'll protect her but only as long as she brings in money be it through her voice or her body." Julius took a step away from Troy and shook his head.
"We aren't like that."
"Then why was that damn video then…you could have easily did the video with Tay-Ann covered up in a sexy underwear set, she didn't need to be halfway naked." Troy snapped, "Look I'm tired and I'm out of here…where's Tay-Ann, I have to drive her home."
"Darius is taking her…he doesn't want her around you," Julius replied. "He thinks that you are a bad influence." Troy paused at the words, and turned around to look at Julius as if he had just set himself on fire. Shaking his head, he chuckled and looked away from the other man.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me."
~*~*~*~~*~*~*~
"I don't like him, Tay-Ann…I just don't like him." Darius exclaimed his voice rising with each repeated declaration. Troy Bolton had officially gotten on his bad side and Darius wasn't so sure he was going to be able to handle a fool like that on his label. Questioning him at every time, didn't the fool realize that Darius was trying to make him rich and famous as well? Taylor continued to look out of the window as he drove towards her house. "Are you even listening to me, Tay-Ann?" he asked as he turned his head to look at her as if he was about to get truly angry.
"Of course I'm listening to you…what else am I going to do." She replied quickly, "I'm in the car with you and you-."
"Did he teach you to talk back to me?" he asked quickly, his voice taking on a fatherly tone that immediately had Taylor alert to what was going on around her. Darius watched her for a moment before repeating his question. "Did he?"
"What is the problem, Darius? He's new to all of this…and starting him off in a video that ended like that probably threw him for a loop."
"Oh so you're defending him now."
"I'm just trying to tell you how he might have felt." She replied as she looked over at him, Darius nodded his head.
"It's amazing to me, how you are so quick to defend a stranger when I've been there for you for five and a half years defending you constantly against a past that you've been trying to forget. I've been there when no one else was. I helped you and held you when you cried, but when a new guy shows up you're quick to toss me to the side."
"Darius I'm not doing that…I'm just being the voice of reason. You know I agree with you, but Troy is new…he's still wet behind the ears at least when it comes to this business and what sells and what doesn't."
"He tried to make me look like a fool in front of everyone." Darius replied, his anger over the situation leaking from his voice like acid. "I didn't have to sign him."
"Yes, you did cause you don't pass over talent." She replied with a small smile as she looked at him knowingly, Darius gave her a look before his face broke out in a smile.
"Damn you know I hate it when you're right…that boy does have talent." He muttered as he continued driving thinking about all the money he could stand to lose if he actually dropped Troy from his label, he knew that the surrounding labels who watched his every move would be drooling at the chance to pick up someone he thought was worthy to bring to his label. He didn't have a prolific amount of artists, and they knew that because it was no secret that he was a very selective man, both in his private and professional life.
"So you need to take it easy on him…he's not use to you and you aren't use to him." She replied softly, hoping that her words would calm the usual raging fire that was Darius Combs. Leaning back in the driver seat, Darius just sighed.
"I'm gonna give him one last chance…you know I don't like having to fight with someone about what I believe to be important, so maybe you need to talk to him about things and fully bring him on board especially since he seems to be quite taken with you."
"He's not taken with me." She replied quickly, Darius looked over at her and shook his head laughing.
"Of course he is…he was furious that his first time seeing you almost naked was during a video shoot, I'm pretty sure that was not how he wanted things to go down. No that boy seems like to be a sickly romantic, that believes that every important event deserves to have some type of perfect romantic scene. You know flowers, candy, candles, and soft playing music…you know the works." Taylor wrinkled up her nose at the description.
"I couldn't sit through that. All that fake stuff, just so he could-."
"Exactly…cause most of the time when a man does that, that's all he wants. A real man would just tell you how he feels, and he wouldn't try to play the part in some teen romance movie." Taylor nodded her head as they pulled up outside of her home. "Now look, I want you to bring him into the fold, try to introduce him to the life that we all live now…I want him to embrace so that we never have to have another on the set fight like that again. Cause believe me, if it happens again I will be kicking his pasty ass out of my label and back to seedy bars where I found him." Taylor got out of the car, and in that instance she decided to be a better friend to Troy then he had even been to her. She knew from when she used to take to Gabrielle that first year that this was Troy's dream and she was going to help him hang onto it no matter what. Looking at Darius, she leaned against the car and sighed for a moment before speaking.
"I'll help him understand his place in this label, Dee." Darius just nodded his head and looked at her for a moment before revving the car up. Before he could pull away though, a sports car pulled into the driveway and they both turned and saw Troy Bolton behind the wheel. Darius immediately narrowed his eyes the sight and looked back at Taylor.
"Might as well start now before I get him myself." Darius muttered as he took another look at Troy, who playfully waved at him. Darius cut his eyes back over to Taylor and revved his car. She stood there for a moment watching as he left her driveway before turning her attention back towards Troy who was now watching her from his passenger side window.
"Troy, what are you doing here? And why are you here?"
"Well there's a simple answer to both of those questions…I'm here because I have a sports car and I know how to drive it, and the reason why I'm here… well in your haste to ditch me," he reached out into the car. "You left your jacket and I just wouldn't be a gentleman if I didn't bring it back to you."
A/N: So what do you think about Darius?