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3:
Again Britney held her left hand to her earphones as she leaned into the microphone. Closing her eyes, she sang: "Say hello to the girl that I am you're gonna have to see from my perspective." She opened her eyes, and peered through the window, out of the recording booth. Figures sat, faces staring back at her. One form was pacing. "Just learn who I am and I don't wanna be so damned protected There - must - be another way..." Her headphones went dead. She opened her eyes again, glancing through the window and finding the pacing figure now hovering over the soundboards. Faces around him scowled. He picked up a microphone, and spoke into it, his voice booming throughout the white cell. "It just didn't sound right." Britney pulled off her headphones and threw up her hands. "What's wrong with it THIS time, Justin?" Her boyfriend furrowed his eyebrows, and bit his lower lip. "Just... just something about that part you just did... it's a little off." Heaving a sigh, Britney rubbed her temples. "A little off? Like, a little off how?" "I don't know," Justin shook his head, and gazed downward. "That's what I'm trying to figure out." Britney watched as a technician stood, his face reddening. He pointed at her as he got into Justin's face and his lips moved at Guinness rates. Britney shrunk back, only imagining what the man was saying. Then the technician turned and stormed out of the room. Britney's sights returned to Justin. He was now sitting, his body trembling, his fingers tapping on the arms of the office chair. Staring into space, he sat there for a minute. People shuffled about behind him, and one approached Justin. Britney watched as lip movements volleyed back and forth. Then Justin nodded. The other individual leaned into the microphone. "Britney, come in here." Britney slid off the white bar stool and exited the room. The only ones by the soundboards now were her deer-in-the-headlights expressioned boyfriend, and Johnny Wright, her and Justin's manager. He stood between the two pop stars, his chocolate eyes meeting with hers first, then glancing at Justin. Dark, bare arms folded across the front of his gray and black plaid polo shirt. He shook his head and stepped back. "I think we already know what the problem is," Johnny voiced through taut lips. He looked to Britney. "You're well aware that we're running on a tight schedule. There is so much we need to get done in just a brief period of time." He turned to Justin. "And we cannot afford this. Now, Justin, I don't want to have to ask you to leave." Swiveling in his chair, Justin closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. "I just... think it could be better." Britney glanced over his features, at his downtrodden stare and pouting lips. Her heart ached. "Johnny, you know, there IS something off about that last part." Her manager's eyes widened on her. "Really." He sighed, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to go have a cup of coffee with everyone else, down the hall. When I come back," he lowered his head, his eyes shifting between Justin and Britney, "you two had better have this all sorted out. Got it?" Britney and Justin nodded, and Johnny slipped out of the room. Silence. The two pop starts just stared at each other. Justin yawned. Britney's eyes traveled to the clock, and she scowled at it. Eight o'clock. AM, not PM. They had been there all night. "You didn't see anything wrong with that last take, did you." Justin's voice broke the silence. "No, Justin, I didn't," Britney replied with an even tone. "I didn't see anything wrong with the twelve or so before it either." Justin shrunk back in his chair. He swiveled away from her, closer to the soundboards. He scratched at one of the switches with the nail of his forefinger. "There's just... something about it..." "Now how do you expect me to fix it if you can't tell me what's wrong?" Britney laid her palms into a soundboard, and leaned into it. She raised a hand to brush an errant strand behind her ear. Then returned the hand to the board. The hair slipped back over her eye. She sighed. Closing her eyes, she shook her head. "Britney, sing it for me," Justin requested. She opened her eyes, and he gazed into them. Stretching his hands over the soundboards, he added, "Forget about recording. Forget about the album." He took her hands into his and squeezed them. "Just sing," he whispered. Britney nodded. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Released it, and took in another. Her lower lip trembled, and she sang: "Say hello to the girl that I am You're gonna have to see from my perspective..." "Stop." Justin squeezed her hands, then dropped them. She opened her eyes, and they gazed steadily at one another. "Does that FEEL like it's it?" Britney raised an eyebrow. "I don't know." "Then it's not. Again." He pursed his lips and sat back. Drawing in another breath, Britney opened her mouth. "Say hello to the girl..." "Again." Britney's eyes widened, and she dropped her arms to her sides. "Justin, I only sang a few words!" "But it wasn't it. Again." "Say hello to the girl that I am" Britney eyed Justin. "You're gonna have to see from my..." "No!" Justin slapped the soundboard, and she jumped. "Not it! Again!" Hands went over Britney's face. She rubbed her forehead. Stretching out her fingers, she said, "Justin..." "Again!" "All right! That's enough!" The two turned, as Johnny marched into the room. He thrust a thumb over his shoulder. "Justin, out!" Justin's eyes widened. "Johnny!" "Out!" Glossy blue eyes met with Britney's. The boy's lower lip quivered. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He slid off his chair and slipped out of the room. A few technicians squeezed past him, and went back to their posts. Johnny laid a hand on Britney's shoulder. "Are you okay?" "Yeah," she breathed. She wiped a hand across her forehead. "Let's get this song recorded." Slowly, Britney nodded. Monitoring her steps, she paced into the recording booth. And slipped on the headphones. She watched Johnny step up to the boards and wrap his fingers around a microphone. "Ready?" She nodded. Music filled her ears. Britney bopped her head lightly to the tune, waiting for her cue. When it came, she took it. "Say hello to the girl that I am..." Her voice grated against her ears. Scrunching up her nose, she shook her head. "Wait." The music from her headphones stopped. Johnny leaned over the soundboards, and spoke into the mic. "There something the matter?" "Yeah." Britney sighed. She pulled off her earphones and set them on the stool. "Something's not right." |