A one week stand

by Jeweled Pen

Chapter 5: Mix or mayhem?

Octavia took a slow, calming breath as he stared at Vinyl's door. He wasn't sure at all about how he felt about any of this. Her music was good, he didn't know much about her style but even he could tell it was good. But he had no idea if it was great or even amazing. She seemed quite popular at the club, so she likely knew how to mix quite well. Especially if she was the one selected for all of their weekends. But that was other people's music, that she mixed. There was no telling if Vinyl had any talent for mixing her own. A lack of popularity could mean anything.

Now she was going to mix their music and expect a real judgment on it. He didn't know if he could handle hurting her if it was really bad. A part of him wanted to just go, say he had other plans. He wished the others said he had to stick around and prepare, but they were being far too accepting and encouraging, telling him to 'go out' and 'have some fun once in a while' and some other things far more personal.

He could only put it off for so long though. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door three times and waited. He had to wait about thirty seconds(he counted) before it opened to reveal a silver haired woman he recognized from his and Vinyl's first meeting. “Ah, hello again Silver.”

She glared at him for a few moments, finally making him take a step back.

“Y-yes? Is something wrong?”

“Your friend Frederick is a jerk,” she grumbled. “Vinyl's with my baby.” She moved aside.

“W-wait, there's a child living her?” Octavia asked, looking around with a newfound horror. How could a baby survive in such a wrecked household? One avalanche of junk and it would be gone.

“The remixer.”

Octavia nodded. “O-oh. I suppose that makes more sense. Can I come in?”

The woman grumbled darkly before moving aside. He stepped in and quickly made his way towards the remixer. He never would have thought to call it that, more like the abomination or eldrich horror of music. Though it was quite impressive, if a bit frightening to find out what they could do with a bit of spare parts and hard work. He knocked on the door.

“Come in!” Vinyl called out.

He opened the door and stepped in. She was sitting by the computer, adjusting knobs and dials on the table. “I'm almost done. Something simple I threw together.”

He nodded and leaned back against the door, readying himself he was blasted through it. He hoped she had the volume under control this time.

“Aaaand done. I got this song off your website, one of your free ones. Wedding serenade?”

He cringed. “Ah, yes. That one. I wished I'd never made it, to be honest.”

“Why? It sounded fine to me.”

“That's all it ever was,” he muttered. “It was just... missing that special something that I could never find. It was for the wedding of a friend and I wanted to make something truly spectacular. Sadly, all I could come up with was decent.” He could see the woman start to deflate a little. Of course, there was no way she could know it was one of his least liked songs. “I'd love to hear what you've done with it, though.”

“Well, it's not much, but I think I gave it a nice blend.” She pushed a knob and the music started. It was just his cello at first, the gentle medley playing through the air. Then, a light beat mixed in with it. Not drowning it out, but supporting it. The beat mixed with it smoothly, holding the pace until other sounds were added in. He recognized them as being changed sounds from his cello, ones he hadn't made but that the DJ had crafted from his. They all mixed together in a way he'd never imagined. He slowly sank to the ground, letting the music wash over him.

Once it finally finished, silence lingered in the air and he didn't speak, all he could do was sit there and play the music over again through his mind. It all made so much sense, now. It was the song he should have played at the wedding, but he'd been too blind, too deaf, to know it.

“Well?” Vinyl asked. “I uhhh, I know it's not much, but I only put it together in a little bit.”

“It... it was amazing,” he muttered. “Truly spectacular.”

“Errr, really? You seem kind of... down about it.”

“No, it's not that,” he said with a shake of his head. “It was truly amazing, breath taking. I wish I had heard it months ago before the wedding. It was what I should have done. If I'd had any idea how!” He slowly sat up and smiled at her. “I would like to hear it again.”

She grinned widely. “Really? So you don't think the beat is too strong? I know I kind of went a little wild during the second half.”

“No, it was perfect. I was looking for some way to create that effect in the second half. Some speed, power. I can't believe I never thought... it all seems so obvious now. How could I be so blind as to miss it?” He shook his head and chuckled. “You really threw that together in just one night?” His mind was already racing through the possibilities.

She coughed and looked to the side. “A-actually, I spent almost all night and all morning working on it. I just didn't want you to feel guilted into liking it.”

“It was truly spectacular. I'd love to hear what else you could do with our other music.”

She grinned. “Really?”

He paused before giving a nod. “Yes. I'd actually like a copy, if you'd be so kind. I think our manager would love to hear it.”

Vinyl's face turned red. “I-I'm not so sure that would be a good idea. I mean, well, you're kind of popular and I'm... errr...”

“You're plenty popular. You just need the proper publicity,” Octavia said firmly. “Now, I insist. That song was marvelous and I'd love to hear what else you could do.”

“Oh, well, if you'd like to wait until tomorrow I--”

“Nonsense. You have some of my other songs, why not play through some of them? I'd love to see what you could do. Don't worry, I don't expect too much out of such an impromptu performance, but I would still be greatly privileged to hear what you could do.”

Vinyl gulped and nodded. “W-well, ummmm, here I go. I'll load up a few.”

------

Vinyl panted as she sat in her chair behind the table, the cd spinning but the sounds muted. They'd spent the entire time Octavia had been here working, though she couldn't deny she enjoyed it. He seemed as passionate about it as she was, even if they did like different music. Mixing their styles together had been an interesting challenge the night before, but doing it with Octavia there had been truly exhilarating. Watching the reaction on his face allowed her to adjust and fix the beat as she worked, until she found the perfect mix to satisfy him.

He wasn't an easy ticket, either. After the first song she'd assumed he was just sparing her feelings. She couldn't have been more wrong. When he didn't like something, he would cut it with words sharp as knives. But when he liked it, she could see the way his face would light up, he'd close his eyes and let the music envelop him. She'd never really thought of doing anything for weddings before, past the one she'd done for a friend, but now it sounded a little interesting.

It was different from the club, very different. There she had all of her songs chosen before hand and she had to have the mixes down at least a week in advance, when she added new ones. Most of that was mixing the beat correctly so each song flowed into the next and there was no jarring stops. She did some with the records themselves, but even that was so repetetive and usually mixed with her own mixes. The club rarely got new songs. While working, she just had to monitor the floor and make sure to speed up or slow down depending on participation. Getting people to dance when she wanted had been done so many times now that it was all second nature, easy as pie.

But this was mixing and changing based on one person, using music she wasn't familiar with, some music she'd created herself and trying to make it all mesh well into one single beat. It was a lot shorter set up time, but a lot more work during it. It felt exhilarating. She put a hand over her chest and felt her heart thumping so fast she thought it might burst out of her chest.

“You didn't break anything, did you?” Silver asked as she peeped into the room. “You never took it--”

“It never went over eleven, I swear,” Vinyl said with as solemn a face as she could, though the grin on her face refused to move. “It sounded good though, didn't it?”

“Oh, plenty good. I didn't think he'd like things like that, I thought he was supposed to be all... fancy and up tight?”

Vinyl snorted. “He is, a bit. But he has another, interesting side to him. Besides, just because he likes classical music doesn't mean he can't like this too.”

Silver gave a shrug. “I guess.” She walked into the room and sat on one of the speakers, leaning back. “Soooo, how long you two going to end up dating for?”

“End of the week.”

“Wait, really? That's all? Oh Vinyl, you're wayyyy better than that. You can't just let him use him as some kind of fling, he--”

“He's not,” the DJ said with a chuckle. “I'm using him as some kind of fling. I mean, come on. He's cute and all, but we'd hardly mesh. I'm a DJ, he's a classical cellist. He travels a lot, I work at a club. I'm a smoking hot woman. He's...” She paused and grinned even wider. “A smoking hot woman.”

That drew a snort from the silver haired woman. “I guess. Just don't let yourself get attached. Oh, I wanted to tell you. I got a call back from that Prism.”

Vinyl's eyes widened. “Really? What did he say?”

“He wants the watch I built. Says he'd love to go into production immediately.”

Vinyl stood up and raced to her friend, giving her a great hug. “Hah! I knew it! I told you it was a great idea!”

“Actually you told me no one would want a watch that weighed almost eight pounds.”

“Well, what do I know? People can put them on each arm and use them for work outs.”

There was a light chuckle from the woman and she shook her head. “I still need to negotiate the terms,” she said as she patted her friend on the back. “But this could get my foot in the door. With their resources behind me, there's no telling what I could do.”

“Exactly, you could be stealing broken electronics from the fanciest dumps in the city!” Vinyl said, a moment before her side got pinched. “Ow ow ow!”

“You know, it's those diving sessions that paid for the mixer you so love and adore. I could always take the parts back,” Silver said before letting her go.

Vinyl eeked and backed away, flinging her arms over the sound system. “No! Not Robby! I take it back, I take it all back!”

Silver glared for a few moments before rolling her eyes. “Fine, whatever. I'll be talking with him again tomorrow. Try not to break too much while I'm away. Is he coming by tomorrow?”

“He better be. He's only got two or three more days before he has to leave.”

She nodded and walked out the door. “Good. I'm gonna go get something to eat to celebrate. Wanna come with?”

“Sure, why not?” Vinyl said with a shrug. She glanced towards the system as she walked out. She felt a little guilty thinking it, but she was more excited to hear what Octavia's agent was going to say over actually seeing the guy. She could still barely believe he'd liked it so much.

Though a part of her began to worry. What if he'd just been being nice?