Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 76: The Jonas Brothers]

Taylor felt her cheeks flush as she curled her long legs slightly. Under the bright lights, her legs, wrapped in stockings, reflected a unique shine. Her toenails sported a bold red polish, a stark contrast to the sparkly pink from earlier. The trio of colors -- black, white, and red -- created an eye-catching visual.

Ryan's breath hitched.

What was once familiar to him now began to make sense as he deciphered Taylor's vibe.

The dress she wore was actually quite simple, far from the iconic "black dress" that Audrey Hepburn made famous. But on Taylor, it felt extraordinary, accentuating her delicate collarbone, elongated neck, and flawless shoulders. Even the usual dreariness of the airport looked less out of place in the presence of that black dress.

Looking down, Ryan noticed a silver circular design that visually acted as a belt. Taylor was already tall, and this detail only made her legs appear even longer.

As his gaze wandered further down, the black skirt flared out, creating a striking contrast against her fair skin. The space between the black and white fabric represented a mysterious allure.

"What's going on with you today?" Taylor asked, feeling increasingly shy, her face growing warm.

"Erica told me that you got rejected by a girl who looks a lot like me?" Taylor's golden curls cascaded over her chest, reminiscent of the golden sea of Florida at noon.

Taylor had considered making a cameo in Ryan's music video; they had already agreed to appear in each other's projects. But not now -- there was still some time before Taylor's album release, and Ryan's EP was in a similar position.

"She did look a bit like you, but she couldn't even smile, so it just wouldn't work out," Ryan said, their fingers entwined.

"At the Jonas Brothers concert tomorrow, the film crew will be there too. Maybe you'll get to pick a lucky audience member?" Taylor tilted her head, lost in thought.

"That depends on how Scooter arranges it." Ryan played coy.

"Your new song dropped this Monday; it might chart on Billboard this weekend. Will it debut high?" Taylor suddenly asked.

Ryan hadn't done much promotion that week, so it shouldn't have debuted, but he had already released two well-received singles and generated buzz with Taylor. Even without heavy promotion, the fans buying it and the radio support from Scooter could potentially lead to a high debut.

Eventually, Ryan subtly brought up moving to Florida.

In an unexpected turn, Taylor agreed wholeheartedly.

"You always overstay your welcome; my parents have already mentioned it. Once you move, I'll make excuses to come visit. I'm always flying here and there, so what's one more day?" Taylor snuggled closer to Ryan.

"Hold me tight until I fall asleep, and don't let go," she said, closing her eyes.

...

Standing at a makeshift DJ booth, Ryan experienced firsthand how fierce female fans could be. The thunderous cheers, synchronized movements, and various support items showed that these young girls were very passionate.

Ryan saw that the equipment in front of him was incorrectly set up and even turned off; the so-called live performance was simply playing pre-prepared music.

However, this didn't dampen the enthusiasm from the female fans on site. Ryan merely standing there with his model looks was enough to send young girls into a frenzy; the genre of music being played, whether it was pop rock or electronic music, didn't matter at all.

...

After the show, Ryan headed backstage where he found Taylor chatting with the Jonas Brothers.

Taylor would be on stage partway through the concert and was currently discussing her cameo in a film from the day before. Upon seeing Ryan arrive, she immediately introduced him to the brothers.

"This is Ryan Rivers, the original creator of Harlem Shake, and the guy behind that hit Tremor that blew up all over Europe -- Nashville's most talented young musician, aside from me!" She got up, walked toward Ryan, and took his hand in hers.

Noticing Taylor's affectionate gesture, the brothers exchanged glances.

"I think you guys could have a lot of collaboration opportunities and even become friends outside of work. You should hang out more," Taylor suggested earnestly.

She hoped for closer ties between Ryan and the brothers, which would not only help her take advantage of the three brothers' fame, but also allow Ryan to convert some of the Jonas Brothers' fans. After all, their fan base overlapped significantly with Ryan's target audience.

"Taylor, you're not serious about the label's arrangements, are you?" Joe teased.

On the other hand, Kevin put his head in his hands looking annoyed.

"This is my serious boyfriend; the exposure is just a side thing," Taylor reminded him. Today, her performance outfit was a sparkly material knee-length skirt paired with cowboy boots, typical of a country singer's style.

"Maybe that's unnecessary," Ryan said dismissively, scanning the three brothers and rejecting Taylor's proposal.

They all looked like average high school boys, decent-looking at best but certainly not handsome.

As for talent... the Jonas Brothers really didn't have any standout hits; they first gained attention with a cover of British band Busted's Year 3000, but their album sales were terrible and they were dropped by Columbia Records in early 2007.

Next, they signed with Hollywood Records under Disney and gained visibility through frequent television appearances and cameo roles, including on Hannah Montana. Their album released last August did manage to hit number five on the Billboard 200, but using that platform didn't guarantee creativity.

Joe demonstrated his disinterest, laughing, "Honestly, Ryan's songs are good, and I hear them at clubs often, but that's probably the only place they belong, right? Even if we agree, the label wouldn't go for it."

It was an understatement implying Ryan's unworthiness to collaborate.

Then Joe turned to Taylor, "But Tay, you can do it. You can't really make me beg you, right?"

In front of Ryan, Joe expressed his desire to work with Taylor.

Taylor smiled slightly, "Sorry, but I have a commitment with Ryan. I can only collaborate with other male artists if he agrees."

In truth, there was no real commitment; she was trying to dismiss any possibility while reminding Joe that her heart belonged to someone else.

Ryan shrugged, "I'm easygoing about this, but you three might need some improvement in your songwriting. No offense meant; I just don't want Taylor wasting her time."

The brothers, who had been enjoying the show, suddenly lost their composure at Ryan's candid remark. Joe was flushed with embarrassment, clearly flustered and unable to respond.

Ryan added the final touch, "If collaborations are just about fame, then Taylor might as well team up with Queen's dog; at least that would be cute."

Taylor almost burst into laughter, quickly lowering her head to stifle her chuckles.

Eventually, the crew stepped in to let the brothers know it was time to perform.

"Let's discuss this after our show!" Joe said, turning away.

...

Once the trio left, Taylor burst into laughter, "Your words can be so brutal, always hitting where it hurts."

"He was the one who provoked you first," Ryan said from the couch.

"Did he really provoke me?" Taylor pondered, a realization washing over her after a moment.

"Joe has a stable relationship, while his two younger brothers are different. They often change girlfriends. By the way, you have a strong desire to control others. You can't even let others look at me?" she said, her hands resting on her knees as she tried to make a point to Ryan.

"Absolutely not. Relationships aren't allowed, absolutely not." Ryan replied nonchalantly.

"What about Abigail?" Taylor countered immediately.

"That was a one-off. And besides, I have strong feelings for you both," Ryan answered effortlessly.

"Fuck you," Taylor laughed out of anger.

*****

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