“Ouch,” Sam grimaced as she sat studying the television screen.
“Sorry,” the young woman standing behind her apologized as she wrapped a section of Sam’s light brown hair around a large roller.
“Oh no, not you Michele,” Sam said, an apologetic smile now gracing her face as she glanced quickly at her hair stylist’s reflection in the mirror. “I was talking about me,” she clarified, rewinding the tape of the sound check she’d done earlier. Pressing the play button on the remote she clutched in her hand, her face contorted in disgust as she spoke again, “What is that note I’m singing?”
“What is she talking about?” Wade whispered to Jen as they sat on the other side of the dressing room. He, along with Sam’s dancers, her small band, and backup singers, had arrived at the MTV studios shortly after she had. “I didn’t hear any wrong notes,” he finished with a confused look on his face.
“Me either, but she’s just freaking out,” Jen replied in the same hushed tone.
“Isn’t it your job to calm her down? Besides being the best friend and all?” the young man suggested, nudging her with his elbow.
“I’ve been trying to all afternoon, Nathan too,” she said motioning to the bodyguard who stood protectively just outside the open door. “It doesn’t seem to be working,” Jen shrugged. “Maybe you should give it a try, dancer boy,” she smirked while retrieving her cell phone from her bag.
“I think I will,” he said through a yawn as he sat up straight and slid to the edge of the small sofa.
“You’re tired? I didn’t know it was possible for twelve-year-olds to get tired,” the brunette teased.
“Whatever, this boy could show you some new moves I’m sure,” Wade said with a cocky grin.
“So you’re a better dancer than I am, you want a cookie?” Jen taunted as she dialed her office.
“Oh, yeah, there’s that too,” he stated flirtatiously as he stood from the couch, leaving her staring after him as he walked over to Sam.
“Hello? Is anybody there?” the woman on the other end of the phone called out again.
“I, I’m sorry, Lisa,” she stammered. “It’s Jen, any messages?”
“Just one second Miss Redding, I’ll check,” her assistant responded as Jen’s hazel eyes remained fixated on the tall blonde man. He finally looked back to her as he stopped at Sam’s side, flashing her a half-grin and a quick wink. Jen darted her eyes down to her feet sharply, as if she’d just seen something see wasn’t supposed to, struggling to stay focused as Lisa began speaking again.
Wade laughed slightly at Jen’s actions as he turned to Sam. “I didn’t hear any wrong notes,” he supplied.
“Are you sure? Listen to this part,” she insisted rewinding the tape once again. “There. Right there, on the second ‘if’.”
“Nope, still sounds right to me.”
“Well then my tone is just weird or something. It just doesn’t sound right to me, not to mention I screwed up the dance steps in that part again,” she sighed. “I suck.”
“No you don’t, you’re just nervous,” he countered. “Which is only natural considering this is your first televised appearance, and it’s on MTV with your core audience, it’s important to your success and…”
“Are you trying to help me or further horrify me?” Sam cut him off.
“The note is not wrong, your tone is fine, and you didn’t miss the steps. You just didn’t punch them as hard as the guys,” Wade explained, referring to her four male dancers. “It was just a rehearsal. I know you’ll nail it during the actual performance.”
“I hope you’re right,” she mumbled as Michele pinned the last of the heated rollers into her hair and stepped away to gather her makeup kit.
“I know I’m right,” he asserted, giving her shoulders a reassuring squeeze from behind. “I mean, I was your teacher after all,” Wade said with an arrogant smile. “Now stop being so hard on yourself!” he ordered. “That’s my job remember?”
The tension present in Sam’s features subsided for the moment as they both shared a laugh, her mind drifting back to one of the first rehearsals the two had shared.
*****
Concentrating intently as she stared at her own reflection in the mirrored walls of the room, Sam rehearsed the intricate steps for the dance break of the song she’d recorded a few days prior. Her brown hair was pulled into a messy ponytail at the crown of her head, the shorter strands had long since fallen out and now clung to her perspiration-soaked face and neck. She wore a light gray tank top over a white sports bra, a pair of charcoal sweats and white sneakers. Singing along quietly to her own vocals as the dance-pop track played through the sound system, her concentration was broken as Justin attempted to slip into the room unnoticed. Wade immediately snapped off the rock-flared music.
“Sorry,” Justin apologized. “I guess it was kind of stupid for me to try to sneak into the back of a room full of mirrors huh?”
Sam laughed. “A little bit.”
“Do you need me in the studio again?” Lance asked from his seat on the leather couch against the far wall. The guys were currently recording material for their new album in the adjacent studios on ‘the compound’, as it was often labeled.
“No. Actually we’re done for the day. I just thought I would come over and observe but if I’m messing with your vibes and all that girl, I’ll go,” he offered with a goofy accent.
“It’s okay, you can stay,” she giggled. “If I can’t do it in front of you, then I’ll never be able to do it in front of an actual audience,” Sam reasoned.
“She was off before you showed up anyway,” Wade stated as Justin took a seat next to Lance. “You’re still behind the beat sometimes. You have to count it out in your head, it’s not that hard,” he reprimanded harshly as Sam glared at him. “Get into position and take it from the top,” he instructed cueing the music.
Sam took a deep breath as she began the choreography once more. She was determined as she moved through the steps but only made it to the end of the first verse before he stopped the song again.
“Sam, you’re missing the lead in to that second rotation STILL, even after we worked on it repeatedly yesterday. There is NO reason for that, none,” Wade scolded, his tone even harder than before. “Start again,” he commanded as she stood before him with her hands on her hips.
“NO!” she shouted in frustration. “This is ridiculous! I can’t take it anymore,” Sam said exasperated as she fisted her hands in her hair. “There is absolutely no point in me trying to do this routine alone when the majority of the time I’m supposed to be leaning on someone, or dancing against them, whatever. It makes no fucking sense,” she argued. “And it certainly doesn’t help me at all when you just sit up there on your ass acting all high and mighty with your ‘I’m God’s gift to dance’ attitude barking out orders like the little bitch dance boy that you are!”
Lance and Justin shared a look as Sam cupped her hand over her mouth, shocked at what had just exploded from it. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I know you didn’t purposely twist your ankle,” Sam said referring the to leg he had propped up on a chair. “But I warned you before we even started working together that if you yelled at me, we’d get nowhere.”
“You’re right, you did, so I’m sorry. But I want you to know the dance well enough to be able to do it on your own,” Wade explained. “If I still can’t dance on my ankle tomorrow, I’ll start getting your dancers together and down here. But that still doesn’t change the fact you need to learn the steps. We don’t have a lot of time before your first performance and we still have two more songs to choreograph. If you don’t actually know the routines, it won’t matter who is dancing with you.”
“I know, but I learn easier being shown, not told, how to do something. Can’t we just scale it back a little bit? I really don’t think I can do all these complex moves you’ve planned up for me,” she sighed heavily.
“I know you can,” he insisted. “If I didn’t think you could, I wouldn’t have put them in.”
“I’m sorry but I think you’re wrong,” Sam disagreed. “We might as well face it, I can’t dance like you, or Britney, or Justin. Hell, at this point I doubt I can even dance like Jessica Simpson.”
Wade frowned. “Jessica is a sweet girl, but a dancer she is not. It’s very obvious that it doesn’t come naturally for her, but it does for you. You have it in you Sam, you just need to loosen up and go with it,” he encouraged.
“What I need, is a break,” she stated, sulking off to the other side of the room. Leaning against the wall, she slid down to the hardwood floor. She reached for the towel and water bottle she’d left there earlier and wiped her face off before taking a generous sip of the still slightly cool water. “Stop looking at me like that,” she snapped at Lance who sat across the room from her.
“Like what?” he asked innocently.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Sam returned before taking another drink of the refreshing liquid. “You’re just dying to tell me that I’ll never get anything accomplished by getting all frustrated and giving up… that I should stop doubting myself… I should just stop acting like a child, suck it up, relax and keep doing it until I get it, right?”
“That’s some pretty good advice Lance,” Justin taunted, nodding his head in agreement.
“Thanks,” the blonde man said as he stood from the couch and walked over to his girlfriend. Squatting down in front of her, he kissed her forehead. “I know you can do it. Trust me, I’ve seen you move,” he grinned devilishly. Sam’s brown eyes widened with shock. “I was actually talking about dancing you dirty-minded little freak,” he laughed.
“Oh, sorry,” she giggled. “And thank you. Will you help me? You’ve been at the rehearsals, you probably know it as well as I do.”
“Come on Sam, we both know I wouldn’t be any help to you. I’m in the Jessica Simpson category remember?” Lance joked.
“I wouldn’t say you were that bad. You’re just not Wade. Thank God, sure he can dance like nobody’s business, but I swear sometimes he acts like the bastard spawn of Hitler and Michael Jackson,” she added with a smirk. “Even if you just stood there…” Sam began again, only to be cut off by Lance.
“I need to go talk to Johnny about some things. But I’m sure if you ask Justin nicely, you could con him into doing it,” he suggested.
“Are you giving me permission to use my feminine wiles on Justin?” she asked with arched brow.
“No, I’m giving you permission to help facilitate what will be a very lucrative career for you, and in turn for me,” Lance corrected.
“Oh, so it’s okay to pimp me out as long as it’s profitable?” she quipped. “It’s always business with you isn’t it Mister?”
“Yes, I’ll be back in an hour or so,” he smiled, kissing her quickly before standing and making his exit.
“Justin?” Sam called out with a sugary-sweet tone.
“Sam?” he returned, mocking her voice.
“Will you help me?” she pleaded.
“Let me get this straight, you’re asking me to get all freak nasty with you, touching, grabbing, rubbing and generally just be all up on you, not to mention working up a nice, healthy sweat in the process?” he taunted, a mischievous glimmer in his blue eyes.
“I was asking if you’d dance with me actually, but yeah, pretty much what you said,” the brunette shrugged.
Justin sighed over-dramatically. “The things I do in the name of our friendship Sami, I swear,” he said shaking his head as he stood up. “Well get your lazy bum over here!”
“I love you!” Sam cooed as she joined him. “No more yelling?” she said turning to Wade.
“No more yelling, I promise.”
*****
“Thank you,” Sam said patting his hand as it rested on her shoulder. She and Wade hadn’t always seen eye to eye on his methods but in spite of that, they had managed to become friends through the whole beginning process. And he’d proven to her that she could move in ways that she never thought possible. Her dancing had become almost as strong as her vocals thanks to him.
“Hey, for what it’s worth, I thought you sounded great too,” a familiar male voice called out from behind them.
Spinning around in her chair, she spotted him just outside the door. “You want me to let this dork in Sam?” Nathan joked.
“Nice to see you again too, Nathan,” the dark-haired man said shaking her bodyguard’s hand. “But seriously, if it’s not okay, if you’re busy or whatever…”
“Carson!” Sam exclaimed. “Of course it’s okay,” she insisted, hoping down from the high, barber-style chair. “Well you already said hello to Naters, and of course you know Wade.”
“Yeah, what’s up man?” Carson said as the two greeted each other with a handshake, half-hug.
“Just staying busy as always,” the younger man replied.
“This is the lady that makes me look presentable, otherwise know as my hair and makeup artist, Michele,” Sam explained introducing the two as they exchanged pleasantries. “And you remember Jen don’t you?” Sam said motioning towards her.
“The best friend, right?”
“Among other things,” the tall brunette smiled. “It’s nice to see you again Carson.”
“You too, it’s been awhile.”
“I’ve been busy,” she shrugged. “Working overseas tends to be time consuming.”
“Well it’s good to have you back in the states. The rehearsal really did sound great by the way,” Carson said turning back to Sam. “I snuck in and watched from the back. I didn’t want to interrupt you,” he explained.
“Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. I’d give you a hug hello, but I don’t want to mess you up or anything,” he teased.
“Oh, it’s okay, we haven’t done my makeup yet, so hug away,” Sam said flinging her arms around him.
“It’s great to see you again. I’m so happy for you and everything that’s going on,” Carson said kissing her cheek. “So where the heck is Lance?” he asked releasing from their embrace. “I have to say, I’m honestly shocked that he’s not here.”
Sam’s cheerful expression faded almost instantaneously as she sighed softly.
“Oops, it looks like your producers forgot to mention that would be included in the ‘not open for discussion’ column today,” Jen cracked in attempt to lighten the mood. “Shouldn’t you be getting dressed Sami?” she asked changing the subject as she glanced at her watch.
“Oh, okay, well I actually need to get ready myself. I just wanted to come say hello before hand,” Carson recovered quickly. “I know the producers went over the main things with you. Just remember to have fun, and don’t be afraid to let me know if you start to get uncomfortable or anything, just give me a look or something and I’ll know. I don’t want it to seem too rehearsed so we’ll just go with it okay? And we’ll have the commercial breaks to prepare and whatnot. Remember, the main thing is fun,” he repeated with a warm smile before giving her another quick hug. “I’ll see you out there.”
“Thanks,” Sam called out to him as he walked down the short hallway to his own dressing room.
“Okay, boys out,” Michele ordered glancing at Wade and Nathan.
“Really! This ain’t no peep show!” Jen added shooing the two men out and shutting the door behind them. “Okay, since Carson said the ‘L’ word and now we’re talking about clothes, I have to ask because it’ll bug me all day if I don’t… Is that his shirt you’re wearing?” she questioned.
“Yes,” Sam said softly as she glanced down at the orange button down shirt. The sleeves were unbuttoned and rolled up to her elbows, only the middle few buttons were actually fastened, allowing her to tie the cotton fabric just above the waistline of her khaki shorts as the collar lay open and loosely around her shoulders. “I know it’s totally lame and I shouldn’t need to, but I just really wanted to feel close to him today,” she explained.
“I think it makes perfect sense why you would want to feel close to him, especially today,” Jen comforted. “Damn the stupid loser for leaving you…”
“Jen,” Sam interrupted, not wanting to hear what else she may have to say on the subject.
“You’re right, I’m sorry. But you don’t need him, you will enjoy this day without him, even if I have to hurt you,” she laughed. “Come on, say it with me, you don’t need Lance.”
“I don’t need Lance,” Sam echoed half-heartedly, convincing no one, least of all herself, that she truly believed it.