Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 88: The Best of the Year, No Exceptions]

"Yeah, this game was critical for Hendersonville, but I only played for less than two minutes. They deserve all the praise," Ryan stated, gesturing to his teammates celebrating behind him as he stood before a microphone, doing an interview with a local TV station.

Surrounding him were fans, packed in tight, eagerly waiting for the interview to wrap up so they could rush him.

Watching the young girls clamoring like pack hunters made Ryan feel a bit uneasy.

But the host wasn't about to let him off the hook; he began asking Ryan music-related questions and inquired about his future plans.

"In fact, just as I scored the winning touchdown, a new idea popped into my head. I thought of a new song, which has a different feel from my previous three -- it's leaning more towards pop. Right now, I've titled it Unstoppable!" Ryan admitted confidently.

Unstoppable, featuring the singer Sia, was part of the information Ryan had gathered.

"Sounds like a song related to the spirit of sports or the Olympics?" the host quickly caught on.

With the Olympics right around the corner, and the 29th Games about to kick off in Beijing, the timing for releasing Unstoppable was spot on.

"Exactly," Ryan nodded, well aware this was pure coincidence.

After wrapping up the music segment, the host switched gears to ask about his relationship with Taylor. Ryan managed to answer without a hitch. Then the host began to delve into school life, prompting Ryan to hint that the interview should end, but the host pressed on for another fifteen minutes. After all, he was just a lesser-known reporter, and this was probably his only chance to interview a 'big star' like Ryan.

Indeed, thanks to hits like Harlem Shake and Wake Me Up, Ryan had become a household name.

...

When the interview finished, the cluster of fans acted like zombies from a horror film, viewing Ryan as the perfect treat.

At the same time, Taylor was also mobbed for autographs. Her mother and Abigail got pushed out of the crowd, leaving both slightly awkward but chatting as they waited.

"Abigail, I haven't seen you in ages! Didn't you say you were dating someone? I haven't heard anything about him," Taylor's mom asked.

As Taylor's close friend, she was genuinely interested in Abigail's life.

"Uh...you should ask Taylor," Abigail chuckled shyly.

"Does Ryan know him? Taylor was introduced to Ryan through you, and that guy was quite charming today," Andrea mentioned, reminiscing about her crush on jocks back in school, feeling fulfilled that her daughter was finally living that dream.

"Definitely," Abigail smiled, the last play lingering in her thoughts.

She had made up her mind to treat Ryan with Taylor later that night.

Andrea, however, didn't miss those details and raised an eyebrow: "Abigail, just who is your boyfriend?"

"Um...I can't say," Abigail replied, glancing over at Ryan and then at Taylor, who were both still surrounded by fans. Just as she began to feel lost, another voice popped up nearby.

"Her boyfriend is me!" Paul, Ryan's teammate and party buddy from spring break, suddenly appeared, striking a pose he thought was cool as he flipped his hair.

"Yes, that's right," Abigail quickly nodded in agreement.

"Ma'am, there are rumors floating around school about how Abigail and Ryan are together, but those are just rumors!" Paul said, having covered for Ryan when they reached the stadium.

...

"Ryan, I've said what I needed to say. You better watch out for me here in Florida!" Paul pointed to himself, having received his acceptance letter from the University of Florida, a prestigious athletic school where Gatorade was first developed.

"Sure thing."

Paul leaned in, "And I'll introduce you to some cute freshmen."

That topic would evolve later.

...

Taylor then headed off with her mom to the hospital, leaving Ryan and Abigail to head home. They stopped for a bite on the way and it was already getting late.

Once they got back, Ryan began to work on Unstoppable, a song that didn't require unconventional instruments or sounds -- he found it easy to produce. Ryan hadn't brought his old equipment from Nashville; instead, he had set up a new setup.

Regarding the powerful female voice that belonged to Sia, Ryan hadn't yet found a replacement. However, he checked online and saw that she was slightly more famous now than before, but still relatively unknown.

If I can't find a suitable match, I'll reach out to the original artist directly, Ryan figured.

...

Initially, Abigail hesitated to interrupt Ryan, but boredom got the best of her, and she placed her hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle massage, then grabbed some fruit from the kitchen.

"If Taylor were here, would you still be this focused?" she complained playfully in Ryan's ear.

As Taylor was absent, Abigail couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy!

Just letting off some steam wasn't enough -- she placed her feet on Ryan's legs.

Ryan took off his headphones and shot her a glare before suddenly standing up, playfully wrestling her down to the ground.

The room filled with Abigail's joyful laughter.

...

An hour later, Ryan received a call: "The keys are under the flower bed by the door. Just come on up."

Then he heard Taylor's footsteps stomping up the stairs. Upon seeing Abigail enjoying some solo time, Taylor felt a wave of annoyance and marched over, tossing her bag to the ground. "You better have saved me some!"

Abigail quickly grabbed Taylor's hand, pulling her closer.

...

A few hours later, Ryan stepped out of the shower and glanced at the two of them sprawled out on the bed. They barely opened their eyes to look at him, fatigue written all over their faces.

Taylor propped herself up, groggy, then laid her head back down.

Finally, Abigail gave Taylor a nudge, and the two went to shower together.

Ryan resumed his production work, having been interrupted earlier by Abigail. Throughout the process, sounds of giggles from the bathroom floated in the air.

'It's so flat, what can be compared to it?' Ryan complained, which made him think of Daddario again.

After they finished, the girls rested their feet on Ryan's lap.

...

"How does it sound?" Ryan handed his headphones to Taylor.

"You finished it already?" Taylor exclaimed, surprised. She thought it would take longer.

"For a DJ, it's not that difficult," Ryan shrugged.

DJing includes two main skills: live mixing and producing music.

"So, you're a certified bedroom 'producer' now. Your status in the scene has definitely elevated," Taylor gasped.

"Can we skip the melodrama?" Ryan chuckled.

"This is worth a gasp; do you know what this means?" Taylor raised her voice.

Most people only cared about which singer performed the songs they liked, without a clue about where those songs originated. Taylor was just an exception; in the big picture, the producer behind the singer held more weight.

Katy Perry was a prime example; her song, if given to any competent female artist, wouldn't have performed dramatically worse than hers.

Singers are everywhere, but producers are rare, and top-notch producers are even more scarce.

"Let me sing this song, Ryan. I love it!" Taylor sat directly in Ryan's arms, and Ryan took the opportunity to tease the two little white berries.

'Is there a song you don't like?'

"Isn't your new album finished?"

"So what? I want it," Taylor manipulated the mouse, clicking through the audio tracks on the software interface.

"You're my boyfriend, and if you won't write me a song, other female artists will mock me!" Taylor playfully pulled at Ryan.

"But this song really doesn't suit your voice. You can sing the next one," Ryan fiddled with her wet golden hair, using the Kérastase shampoo that Trey didn't take away, and a familiar scent wafted to her face.

"No way, I want this one," Taylor insisted, becoming more animated.

"Do you know what needs to be done?" Ryan asked suddenly.

Taylor turned her head, glaring at him through her disheveled hair.

Ryan waved for Abigail to join, then leaned back, kissing Abigail.

Honestly, this tender atmosphere was making Ryan feel a little less motivated.

...

Just then, Ryan's phone rang.

"Ryan! I didn't expect you to be back in Nashville!" It was Scooter on the line.

"Just taking a couple of days off," Ryan mused.

"Did you produce a new song?" Scooter inquired, attempting to probe.

"This time, I'm considering my collaborators myself," Ryan stated plainly.

"Is that so? Well, this time... we might not get to make a call. The parent company found a highly respected collaborator for you. Trust me; it's the best one yet, no exceptions."

"Who?" Ryan asked.

"Who else? Check the Billboard charts; she's this year's hottest female artist."

*****

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