Page 38 of Wasted Oil

"Don't worry Lay, they’re harmless unless you have food. When you have food then it's all gloves off and every man for himself.”

"Tell me about it, doll. I just saw David devour a whole pie by himself and then proceed to ask Shawn for a slice of his.”

I smile through the phone even though she can’t see me.

"So, Lay to what do I owe the pleasure of this phone call? Not that I don't love talkin with ya, it's just that I have a coffee singing my name.”

"Exactly why I called! I wanted to see how the song writing is coming along. It's been a few months and I have been talking to this label about you. They really want to hear something original.”

Dragging my hand down my face I let out a dramatic sigh.

"I know Lay, I have been trying to write, but everything that comes to mind sounds horrible. Just the other day I was writing a song and the lyrics were flowing, but when I looked back at it I realized it was the stupid lyrics from the Bubbas commercial.”

She laughs at me, her hands clapping in the background.

"That’s too funny.” I flop back on to my bed wanting to die of embarrassment.

"Not helping, I'm having serious writers block and nothing is helping!”

“Okay, honey, just calm down, I can help. How about I let the label know that when you come back to Nashville we can meet up and you will have the song ready to perform live in front of them. Sound good?”

I think about the plan and see that it can possibly work.

“Okay, there's just one thing… I don't know when I'm coming back to Nashville.”

“Precisely! All I have to do is tell them that you went to work with a songwriter in Texas who is currently helping you and that you should be back in, what, a couple months? Three tops?”

Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be staying here any longer than three months.

"Okay, if you think that will work then, yes, let's do that. And in the meantime, I will work on the best song you will ever hear.” She screeches on the other end in excitement.

"Perfect, love! I will go ahead and let them know that. Now go! Get to writing on that best song ever! Okay? I have to run. Love ya honey see you in three months!”

With a kissing sound she hangs up leaving me absolutely stressed, my arm finding my shoulder giving it a quick little massage. It's okay Mel you got this! Just knock out an amazing song, add instruments to it and boom instant record deal.

If only it was that easy right. Insert hard eye roll here.

Okay Mel. Just write.

Take your hand and start to write down a word. Anything at this point.

Writing is never really the issue for me. I write down every word that crosses my mind even if its not followed by another. The journal in my hand is one of many. My organized chaos consists of two journals I keep with me. There is always one when I'm just focused on writing one song and the other is if my mind jumps and thoughts for others take place. That one is always the one I find myself holding most.

I was never the kind of girl who said how I felt out loud, I wrote them down. Phrases, quotes, something someone has said that stuck, single words said that I just felt it needed to be remembered.

I thought staying at Alex’s this past week would help my writers block but it ended up with us binge watching horror movies and reciting all of top gun or ending up at Jansen’s for some line dancing. I never argued with the last one, seeing as I’d be winding up in his bed. He has turned my brain into mush quite literally actually.

"Good morning, babes! How’d you sleep?” A sleepy Alex shuffles into the room in her animal paw slippers slapping on the ground echoing behind her.

“Hey babes, sleep was okay. I tossed and turned all night. The phone call with my manager last week has me in knots.”

Behind me I can hear the brewing of coffee, the smell hitting my nose almost immediately.

"Are you sure it was the phone call that has you in knots or is it a certain somebody by the name of Rhett Anthony Parker?” She takes a sip of her coffee giving an eye roll and a small satisfied moan.

"Yeah pass, it’s way too early for that conversation but basically Layla, my manager, called to let me know that a recording label is interested in me—”

"Oh shit, babes, that's amazing! Do you know who they are? And why don’t you seem as excited as I am right now?”

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