Chapter 9

“Do I really have to do this?” I whine to Chris as we drive to my gig. We haven't even arrived but I know this party will be filled with obnoxious VIPs and rich people. I mean who hosts a party outside the city? Big-shot celebrities, that's who.

“Yes, you really have to do this,” Chris replies, looking over at me briefly from the driver's seat. “You already agreed to do it, and besides we’re almost there, you can’t back out now.”

I sure can! But I don't say that aloud. I know I can't back out now, I was just being a brat over it. I hated doing parties because people expected you to interact with them, before, after, and during the set. And the kinds of people at these kinds of parties are those I hate the most. I'm not trying to hate on people in high society but they make it hard not to.

“But the people there will want to talk to me,” I whine even more.

“Shut up, Brandy. You’re going to be fine.” Chris replies obviously done with me. Sometimes, I feel sorry for Chris on his behalf for being stuck with me. But I'm thankful that he's my friend.

“Fine.” It's already well past eleven and my set starts at midnight. I’ll get there just in time for my set and I’d bounce out immediately after. No need to dally and chat with strangers, right? In and out just like an agent in an old spy movie. I think to myself as the house comes into view. But calling it a house is an understatement, that is a mansion!

Chris whistles his appreciation for the luxury home. “Whoo, what I would give to live in a house like this every day, am I right?”

I look at him laughing, “Um, are you serious? A house like that would be a pain to clean. You’d need to hire cleaners and a whole team to get everything in order!”

Chris looks at me incredulously, “Let me ask you that question right back. Are you being serious? When you live in a house like that, you’d be rich enough to hire that whole thing! Imagine servants at your beck and call. Ah, that would be the life.”

I just give him a sheepish smile and he immediately realizes what I mean. “Oh, right, you don’t like people. I get it. A tiny apartment for you for the rest of your life then.”

I laugh at the joke. “When the time comes that I could actually afford to live alone, that would be the dream.”

We both laugh at the truth of it all, just as we pull up the parking area of the house. And to make things even grander, a valet attendant walks up to the car, opens the door for us, and offers to give us valet parking completely free of charge care of our dear hosts.

“Well, don’t mind if I do.” Chris hands over his keys and together we walk to the main entrance of the party. The whole front of the house is covered in light, I was pretty sure it would have blinded any satellites above us.

“Do you think this is visible from the moon?” Chris asks, also struck by the sheer amount of decorative lights. “They sure know how to shine, am I right?”

I laugh at that. We enter the mansion and the inside of it is breathtaking. It's not at all tacky like the stupid light show outside. The mansion looks like one used in movies. Several people litter the halls, and a few waiters too, walking with champagne glasses on golden trays. Several others hold trays full of appetizers, going around offering them to the guests. A waiter walks up to us to offer us drinks, which Chris did not refuse. “I’ll take two of those, thank you.”

When the waiter leaves, Chris downs both glasses. I look at him, an eyebrow raised. “What?"He replies as if there's nothing wrong with what he did. "You’re not drinking, so what’s that look for?” he shrugs as if his logic was sound.

I shake my head at him, amused. “You are unbelievable,” I answer. Then, looking at the party-goers mingling around us, I notice they were all rather beautiful. “Are you sure I’m not underdressed for this party?” Most of the women here look like actors from a Hollywood movie. Their dresses sparkled under the light and their heels were all sky-high. I wonder how they could enjoy a whole night of dancing without breaking an ankle or blistering.

Chris looks at me up and down assessing the whole look. The skin-tight material of the long sleeve black shirt I had on hugged my torso just right. It was tight, but I could still move in it. I wore the sheer glittery material over a black bralette. And when the light hits my body, the sheer material almost becomes invisible, leaving only a glittery cover over my whole torso with only the tiny bralette to cover the important bits.

“What are you talking about, girl?” Chris exclaims. “You look hot! Emphasis on hot.” Chris reaches forward to brush a stray strand of hair out of my face. “You got this, Brandy. Now go, shoo. It’s almost midnight, Cinderella.”

The thought makes me smile. But in this case, I was like the reverse of Cinderella, I won't run away at midnight; instead, I'm taking that time to shine my best. I put my game face on and started for the DJ booth. You got this, Keira.

The main party is happening outside, in a huge open yard, opposite the pool area. If the house was big from the inside, then the outside was even more impressive. The pool is massive, beautifully lit, and filled with dancing bodies clad in the skimpiest bikinis. On the other side of the pool, towards the open garden is where the real party's at. There must be at least a hundred people on the dance floor.

“Brandy!” The DJ performing before me greets me. I don’t remember him, but it’s most likely from a club so I say a small “Hi!” Just to be nice. I don't want to seem like a snob. I can manage this much social interaction at least.

“I didn’t know you were spinning tonight,” he says, offering to wave a waiter over for drinks, which I politely refuse. “Alexander didn’t say anything. I’m just waiting for my buddy Matt, he’s spinning right now.”

I look over to where he was pointing and sure enough, I recognize the DJ at the booth. I know him from a party I attended before, but what really caught my attention was the name Alexander, I had to ask. “Wait, did you say Alexander?”

He looks at me like I just asked him a stupid question. “Yeah, the guy from Raze. Wait, did you come here not knowing who hired you?”

I shake my head no and he laughs. “Dude, this party is for Liam’s birthday, Alexander basically organized the whole thing, he’s the one who hired us.”

My lips form an ‘O’ with his words, and he laughs again. “That’s right, 'Oh' But don’t sweat it, I used to DJ not knowing where I’m spinning at too, so it's perfectly alright.”

This was Liam’s birthday party? I look back at the way I came to search for Chris in the sea of dancing bodies but I can't find him. I feel myself starting to panic. This is Liam’s birthday party which means members of Raze are here, among the throng of bodies on the dance floor. I work for them, if they see me spin tonight, one word from them can get me fired. I can't afford to get fired, not after all the hard work I've put in.

My contract with the company states that I could only work exclusively for them. Although technically, I'm not producing music for any other artist and I've just spinning, I still feel like what I'm doing is illegal, hence my secrecy to them about my whereabouts. What should I do? Should I just run?

“Thank you, everyone! Good night!” that was Matt. He had just finished his set which means I’m up next. Shit.

There's no other choice but to go up on stage, but before I do, I grab the [air of sunglasses tucked into the neckline of Matt’s shirt as he passed by me.

I shout a quick “Thanks!” and go up the platform. I take a deep breath of air before facing the crowd. Showtime.

I play a mix of my introduction music or what I personally call my showboat. Just a little teaser of what the audience would expect from my set. Then using Brandy’s voice, a low version of mine; sweet and seductive, I urge the partygoers to the dance floor.  “Now that I’m here, let’s get this party started!”

Cheers from the crowd ring in my ears despite the loud bass pumping. I feel it from througg the soles of my feet through to my whole body. The people below me, a mass of swaying bodies. Sticking together and dancing to the music despite the heat.

An hour into the set and I'm already starting to get affected by the people dancing on the the dancefloor. I absorb their energy, the way they absorb my music. It’s like a dance, I lead and they follow, and in turn, I follow them. They follow whatever I play and I absorb the energies they emit, their dancing, the hollers, the cheers, I absorb it all.

It’s time.

This past hour, I’ve been playing music from my Tuesday sets but it’s time to change it up. By a lot.

Using Brandy’s seductive voice, I grab the microphone, and speak low and sexy. “What do you guys say about getting down and dirty?”

The whole place shakes from how loud the cheers are. It shouldn't be long now. These people who are drunk on booze would soon be drunk on my music. I like to call it a little spell that I cast on them—a little music witchcraft.