At 11:15 I pulled up to a small but quaint inside/outside cafe, in my silver Golf. Eric opened his door and started to get out, but he stopped.
"I'm really sorry, Shelly... thanks a lot for driving me. I know I'm a pain in the ass."
"Don't worry about it, Eric. Just promise me you'll still need me when you're famous," I laughed.
Eric grinned back at me.
"I'll see you at home tonight," I said.
"You know what? Go park." Eric said, staring at the window.
"Huh? Why?"
"Cuz... you're gonna have lunch with me, my agent, and Max Martin. Now go park." Eric stepped out of the car.
"Shut up, Eric. I'm not gonna get in the way... just go."
"Shelly, I'm serious. You're the one who's made me get serious about a career. Come with me. Please? It would mean a lot to me."
I looked him in the eyes, and I could tell that he was for real.
"Okay, give me a minute."
"I'll tell the host that you're coming...Thank you."
I smiled as he shut the car door. *****Inside the Restaurant*****
"So... Eric tells me that you're a musical theater major at NYU, Shelly," said Eric's agent, Ms. Kellman.
"Oh... yeah. I'm just finishing my first year," I said, pushing around my salad with my fork.
"She is sooo good, Susan. You should see this girl on stage." Eric boasted.
I jabbed him with my elbow, blushing.
"Oh please, Shelly! Don't even try to be modest about it."
"I'd love to see you perform, Shelly. Wouldn't you, Max?" Ms. Kellman looked over at Max Martin, who was sitting in front of a cup of espresso.
"Oh, definitely. If Eric recommends you, I'm interested." Max Martin smiled at me.
It had been almost a half hour since I sat down at the cafe and I was more uncomfortable than I had wanted to be. I felt fine at first, but Eric brought up me after the 3 had finished discussing song ideas for Eric's album. Whenever my talent was talked about, I shut up. I guess I was just naturally modest about the things I felt most passionate about in life. Now, with Max Martin wanting to see me perform, I was close to freaking out completely.
"Actually... I'd really like to hear you sing. I think Eric is going to need a few back-up vocals on the album."
"Are you kidding me?" I meant to keep that comment to myself, but it escaped my lips.
"Shelly!" Eric glared at me.
Max quickly spoke up, "No, Eric. That was pretty out-of-the-blue. But I'm not kidding you, Shelly. I'd love it if you could come down to the studio today. We could play around with a few ideas...you know, see how you feel about it. Nothing huge," Max said to me.
"That would be soooo awesome, Shelly! You have to give it a shot!" Eric pleaded with me.
Before my modesty go the best of me, I forced my heart to speak up first, "Ok... I'd love to."
