Chapter 2
They were on the edge of town, on their way back on their way back to the school before anyone said anything.
"You're absolutely not performing for him." Azul fumed.
"Excuse you? Last I checked you don't owe me. I work for you as a waiter and an occasional singer. I think you're looking at this the wrong way." Maggie countered her attitude instantly getting the best of her. 'I need to keep cool if I want to win this.' She thought.
"How so?" Azul snapped.
"I didn't know that was his cafe otherwise I would have never suggested it but this way I can get way more information. We went in there to scope out the competition what's better than that? A man on the inside. Maybe I can even get a look at his books." Maggie suggested.
"Maybe?" Azul snapped.
"Please just think about it. So am I on the schedule for Friday or not?" Maggie asked.
"As of now you are and don't you dare think about calling out or I will fire you." Azul threatened quietly.
"For my first call out? That's a little extreme isn't it?" Maggie asked.
"Ahhh don't be like that Azul. I want to see Shrimpy perform." Floyd whined.
"In front of a bunch of RSA students?" Jade asked.
"We all know it would get around, no one in this school can keep a secret. Plenty of NRC students would show up and that would make it interesting." Maggie pointed out
"And give him more business?!" Azul snapped. "Call him right now and tell him you can't possibly fill in for his sick singer."
"No, I said I would call at the end of the day and that's what I'm going to do. I hope you'll cool down in those hours and see that we have a good opportunity here." Maggie said as they walked through the school's gate. "I'm going to check on the reconstruction progress on my dorm. I'll see you tomorrow for my afternoon shift." With that she headed off towards the Ramshackle dorm leaving them to head back to their dorm.
"She's mad." Floyd stated as they handed towards the hall of mirrors.
"I would say miffed." Jade corrected with a smile.
"She doesn't know what she's talking about." Azul muttered.
It was a few hours later Azul was in his office looking over the new contracts he had made when Jade entered. "Everything is going as smooth as always." He informed him.
"Thank you for the update." Azul said turning away to put the contracts in the safe.
"I know this conversation is still a sore spot but I agree with Maggie." Jade said.
"Of course you do. You like the chaos it could cause. Why can't she see he isn't even worth her effort? He had to go find a business card instead of having one on him. He didn't even audition her? How does he know she's any good? Just because Neige LeBlanche says she has connects?" Azul spat.
"He didn't mention if he would pay her." Jade pointed out adding to the long list.
"Exactly, he doesn't deserve to be in business. He'll pay her one way or another." Azul exclaimed as he sat back down in his chair.
"So, you'll let her go?" Jade asked looking surprised for a moment.
"You heard her there's no letting her. She's right I don't own her. She won't sign another contract." Azul joked darkly. 'I barely even want her to sign one.' He thought.
"I knew she was smarter than she was letting on. I'll leave you too it then." Jade said then slipped out of the office.
Azul pulled his phone out of his pocket and check the time. 'It's getting late.' He thought as he scrolled through his contacts to find her name. He hit the little phone icon and the phone began to ring.
She picked up before it got to three rings. "Hi Azul." Maggie greeted sounding more like her cheerful self than when she left him earlier.
"Good evening Maggie. I'm calling to apologize for my behavior earlier today." Azul began.
"Thank you, I appreciate it, so do you have anything else to say?" She asked, he could hear the humor in her voice.
"Yes." Azul answered.
"You have to say it." She teased.
"Say what?" He asked failing to sound innocent.
"You know." He could hear her smirk.
"You were right." He sighed. "Have you called him yet?"
"Nope, I was really hoping you would come around. So I'm not working on Friday then?" She asked as the background noise increased.
'No, I hope you get some good information out of this." He sighed when he heard her voice began to fade away.
"Hey!" He could heard her shout.
"Ashengrotto." Came over the line as her voice was replaced by Vil Schoenheit.
"Schoenheit, good evening." Azul said his voice instantly taking on his business tone.
"I wanted to inform you that here on land when you pick a lady up from her resident you usually drop her off as well." Vil said sounding a bit annoyed.
"I'm aware but she seemed to want space from me when we returned to campus this afternoon." Azul explained.
"She has explained that but I'm surprised you didn't send one of your shadows to accompany her." Vil retorted.
"I told him not to do that Vil." Maggie could be heard in the background.
"We both know we can't make her do anything she doesn't want to do and that includes protection. Did she returned injured?" Azul asked.
"Not physical, so as she would put it you've come to your sense about letting her sing?" Vil asked sounding a bit amused.
"She told you?" Azul gasped.
"No, she vented Epel, loudly." Vil chuckled.
'Her big mouth gets the best of her again.' Azul thought shaking his head. "Yes I've given her the day off." Azul answered.
"Wonderful, I'll see to her ensemble then." Vil said then Maggie came back on the line.
"Sorry about that Azul. I told him I was perfectly fine coming back to Pomefiore by myself. You all worry too much." She sighed.
"It's fine. Are we still on for lunch tomorrow?" Azul asked as he leaned back in his office chair.
"Of course. See you tomorrow then." She answered.
"Good night Maggie." Azul sighed.
"Good night Azul." She parroted back and they hung up.
Once she hung up with Azul, Maggie pulled the neon red business card and began to dial the number printed across the front.
"Hello?" Riele said after answering five rings later.
"Hi Riele, it's Maggie Halifax we met earlier today." Maggie stated as she began to play with new necklace.
"Oh yes Maggie! Are you able to perform this Friday?" He asked sounding just as hopeful as he did earlier.
"Yes I can but I can only want to perform a few songs so maybe you should hire another singer besides me." Maggie informed him.
"Alright thank you for letting me know. I have a request of you." He informed her.
She wasn't excepting this. "Oh? A song requested?" She asked.
"Yes, it's very popular with my customers and I think it would warm them to you." He explained.
"Okay, what song? I'll see where I can fit it into my list." Maggie asked.
"Part of your world. It also very popular from my hometown." Riele said sounding thrilled she agreed to his request.
Maggie gulped before she replied. "I'll see where I can put it."
"Wonderful. I'll see you on Friday then. At seven." Riele said.
"Whoa there, you never discussed what you'll be paying me." Maggie said stopping him from hanging up.
"Paying you?" Riele asked sounding confused.
"Do you not pay your normal singer?" Maggie asked sounding concerned.
"Mh, he always says he loves to do it for the fun." Riele explained.
"Well good for him but for reasons I don't want to discuss, I need money. So what will you be paying me?" She asked.
It was several long quiet seconds that felt like minutes before he answered. "How about 50 madols?"
"No, that's too low. I can make that in tips at my actually job. 200 madol." Maggie countered.
"200! What about 100?" Riele asked.
"How about 150?" Maggie offered.
"Alright." Riele sighed.
"I want it all up front." Maggie said.
"Fair enough." Riele conceded.
"I'll see you on Friday then. I'll be there around 630." Maggie informed him then hung up.
"What are you planning?" Vil asked raising an eyebrow.
"I'm not planning anything. I'll perform a few songs and making a bit more money than if I had worked the lounge that night." Maggie smiled.
"You'll be living here for awhile you don't need to work while you're here." Vil reminded her.
"I know, and I know all the progress at the dorm is thanks to you and Rook but I don't doubt things will go back to the status quo when I return there. I'm building a nest egg for when that happens." Maggie explained as she wrung her hands.
"You can't turn back time. You'll go back but to won't be the same. It'll be an enjoyable living experience this time." Vil said placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Thank you. So what will my ensemble be on Friday night?" She asked hoping he would change the subject to something more enjoyable.
"Ah yes. It will definitely be a dress. I'm thinking violet." Vil smiled at her directing her back towards the lounge.
"I like the sound of it already." Maggie smiled back.