Chapter Text
God, I needed to go outside this place smells like body odor and humidity. There was only like 10 minutes left to be fair, I was invited to this illegal boiler room set up a month ago and I thought it couldn't hurt. Since i was young I have always loved music, my family loves music, however. I'm not like them, they play violins and flutes for “classical experience” but I've always loved capital E-D-M ! Ever since I heard I love it by Charli XCX i was hooked. She is my absolute idol, i have posters in my room (which I hide because if my dad ever saw the way she acts, I would be grounded in life and beyond.) he moved from Japan to start a new life in classical music here, he won a few Grammys got a couple of hits, but he's never became household name by any means. He is now a record label owner now, so he is usually out of the house
Okay last mix of the night just 5 minutes-
“Imani! What are you doing!” my mom said from the other side of the room
I was done.
My mom was a bit more lenient with “satanic music” but still more weary than the average parent. I had a thought to dash it but i need my phone and they would just track me. Thankfully i was finished with my set at least.
“When Kenji hears about this!” she shouted dragging me out of the boiling room into the night sky, it was 8:28
My mom never calls my dad his real name unless she's especially mad
Her knuckles were ghost white around my wrists, until she let them go and said
“Get in the car.” she said with almost disgust
I quietly sat in the back of my mom's BMW, she doesn't say a word. Just staring at the wet road ahead, it's not too far from our apartment, but just enough to build tension. She doesn't even put on the cassette tapes of my dad records his music which he pretty much handed out for any record label to see and hopefully take him.
Thats actually how they met, apparently my mom was the manager of the company that finally picked up my dad and then happily ever after.
My strategy of getting scouted out is pretty different. I post demos and teasers of my songs on social media, somehow some “digital scouter” wanted me to play at the boiler room to “see all i had to offer”
I looked out of the car window to see streams of water droplets racing down, this situation was absolutely ridiculous. I was sixteen! I should be allowed to go out! Its not like 8 o clock is exactly a ghetto time of night, is it? My 89-year-old grandma goes to bed later than that for god sake!
She finally arrived at our house
“Get out of the car. Now!” she said to me.
I got out of the car we were in the underground parking space for the apartment complex, we lived on the penthouse, so you always had a really good view of the ocean.
Anyway's my mum crammed me in the elevator with her while she started to ring my dad
“She was out and some illegal rave”
There was some silence, she obviously wasn't lying, but it still sounded bad.
“Yes, yes, I know I'm bringing her to the apartment as we speak”
Well goodbye to ever getting scouted again.
“goodbye Hun, mwah” she said as the phone hung up
I guess this was the downside of living in the penthouse, awkward rides up. The cold elevator lighting bouncing off the freshly cleaned mirror which smells of cleaner reflecting the hard oak plank floor, where 2 people stand a disappointed mother and me. After what felt like an eternity the doors slided open and led into a hall, our house was the one at the end, number 100.
My mom walks up to the door and opens it.
“go to your room, ill call you when your dads back home” she snarls under her breath.
I obey and make make my way to my room, i imedeatly put all of my Charli xcx posters, dj equipment and other potentially lecture worthy items in the small vent underneath my bed. just in case he search's my room in a fit of rage. I put on my headphones and played some music to try and distract myself, which worked until.
“Imani get to the living room now”
“coming” I replied
I walked out of my room to see my dad staring at his feet, ashamed to even look at his daughter
My mom looked at me with a mix of dissatisfaction and pity, she mouthed “im sorry” to me as i walked into the room
Jesus if my mom felt bad then i was done for
“sit down” my dad said in a low voice
I sat down on the big sofa while my dad was on a stool, back facing the city view.
“your being sent away, to boarding school. Till you learn some respect”
“WHAT!? All i did was play some music is that a crime!” i yelled
“yes! hosting as a dj at an illegal rave is in fact a crime!” he shouted back
“okay guys lets just try and-” my mom started but my dad was already in full swing
“Your thankfully being sent away to NYC 1000 miles away! The school had offered you admission because of your grades and we thought you wouldn't want to uproot your life but now you've gave us no other option!” he ended before walking out the door
“And i need to go back to my job you so kindly interrupted, Imani” before slamming the door
What the hell! Why am i getting sent to boarding school over something so dumb and small ? I have done way worse stuff than this! Like the time I change the mark of my “friends” test to make them look bad! I only got a slap on the wrist for that. But playing music in the evening is a criminal offence? What the hell?
“Sorry mom” i said before going into my room and slamming the door