Page 66 of For The Record

Raina grabs onto my hand, her brown eyes wide and bloodshot. She pulls away from me, standing up and wiping angrily at her face. “No! It’s not true…”

She glances over at me, as though waiting for me to partake in this denial of reality with her. But I can’t. One of us has to face the truth. Slowly, I pull her into a hug. “I’m sorry, Raina. It’s true.”

Our parents are dead.

Naoya Sugawa Tells All

We welcomed Naoya Sugawa to the studio on one sweltering L.A. morning, to chat about fame, success, and music. What we found out is very interesting…

Interviewer: So, Naoya, how have you been? We haven’t spoken for a while. When was the last time you were here - three years ago?

Naoya Sugawa: Yes, yes. I was still signed to Volume Records at that time. [laughs] Glad I got out of there.

I: Well, now that you bring it up, why don’t we talk about that?

NS: Sure, nothing I’d like better.

I: Great.

NS: I worked at Volume and I was first signed there about five years ago, when I was twenty-one. Leo Perez was just starting out there, back then, actually. I had never had a record deal before, and prior to that, I was waiting tables and mopping floors.

I: As one does.

NS: Yes, exactly. I was very, very naive. I had no idea how the music industry worked, so when I got an agent, I just jumped

on the opportunity without thinking about what might happen or how things could go wrong.

I: But things did go wrong.

NS: Yes, yes, they did.

I: So, can you tell our readers what kind of deal you signed?

NS: I had a net profit record deal. That means the label does everything possible to turn a profit until their net of the album cycle is zero. So they take all the royalties until a certain point when the album is successful enough, and then supposedly, the artist is supposed to get more royalties than with other deals.

I: But that didn’t happen to you?

NS: No, that didn’t happen to me. The contract’s wording was skewed in the label’s favour, and they cleaned me out. I never saw a penny from Just You (his first album).

I: That’s awful.

NS: Yeah, yeah, it was.

I: So how have you moved on from that?

NS: I don’t know that I have…

Chapter 31: Skye Holland

Can you come over and bring tequila? Thx. —Isabelle

I stare at the text message for a moment, considering what Isabelle might want from me this time. Last time she had me jump into the pool from the balcony, threatening to reveal to Leo that I’m invited to his father’s wedding. The whole Holland family is, actually… and I didn’t tell him that, either. Nobody would attend, as he’s still hiring the best defence attorneys and fighting his allegations tooth and nail, and thepublicity—not even the fact that he’s an absolute criminal.

I wasn’t planning on going to the wedding, and Isabelle and Leo barely know each other, but I’ve never been one to back down from a dare.

Now, in front of her Sunset Plaza apartment building, I stand at the door. I rarely visit Isabelle, and the balcony-to-pool dare was a very rare showing of her more mischievous side. Most of the time she seems busy, grown-up, and serious. Too serious for me.

But this drinking-nonstop sister is someone unknown and slightly dangerous to me, too.

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