Rhythm and Ray: A DJ’s Journey

[Chapter 3: Payback]

Ryan drove steadily down an increasingly desolate road. The surroundings became barren, featuring abandoned wooden houses, overgrown weeds taller than a person, discarded old furniture, and heaps of trash. The evening sun cast a warm glow over the scene, resembling a classic setting from a horror film. "Where are we?" Taylor nervously glanced around.

Ryan turned his head and observed Taylor in the passenger seat. She wore her white spring jacket backward, huddled back in her seat, her face expressing cautious curiosity. Thoughts of unsettling news stories flashed through Taylor's mind, recalling how some men lured unfamiliar women to remote places...

Her heart raced. Just as the thought of calling for help crossed her mind, Ryan made a turn, and a bustling repair shop came into view.

"It's a bit out of the way, but at least the service is quick. I had my car serviced here before," Ryan said as he parked and jumped out to chat with the workers.

"Couldn't you have told me earlier?"

Sitting in the car, Taylor initially felt relieved before breaking into laughter. She fished a pair of Chanel sunglasses out of her handbag and added a baseball cap, disguising herself before stepping outside.

...

The workers at the shop seemed more interested in the car than the woman wearing sunglasses and a cap. Ryan wasn't wrong; there were no queues here, and the mechanics were skilled. They repaired the bodywork and finished buffing the paint in less than half an hour, restoring the vehicle to its former glory, leaving no trace of the earlier "damage."

...

"Considering this car belongs to your mom, she might get mad if she sees it," Ryan remarked as he slid back into the driver's seat.

"Is this your way of chasing girls?" Taylor joked, a teasing grin on her face.

"I don't think that's necessary," Ryan replied lightly.

He did it out of consideration for Trey, after all. Ignoring his personal feelings, he realized they had to work together.

In his memory, the original owner had never pursued any girls actively; instead, they had always pursued him.

"Then they'll think the air conditioning system isn't good?" Taylor asked with a laugh.

"I've taken it in for repairs several times, and the repairman has always impatiently told me that the air conditioning was never broken," Ryan explained.

Once the misunderstanding was cleared, the atmosphere in the car lightened up.

"Have you ever had a girl in the car with you before?" Taylor squinted playfully.

Ryan knew the answer was yes; they both did. But he still shook his head.

"Yeah right, I don't believe that," Taylor replied, not surprised.

Just as Ryan was about to steer the car back home, he suddenly switched directions, driving further away instead.

"I didn't say I wanted to go home," Taylor teased, playing with the ends of her golden hair as she shot Ryan a flirtatious glance.

...

As dusk settled and the sunset painted the sky in hues of red, an SUV parked under a tree slowly resumed its journey. The windows on both sides of the front row rolled down simultaneously, and Taylor, having just slipped into her shirt, leaned closer to the window, taking a few deep breaths, her cheeks flushed.

Then, adjusting her fitted jeans, she carelessly announced, "Since you've put in so much effort, I can offer you a chance. After the release of my new EP this summer, I'm planning to shoot a music video for the lead single, and I'll choose Trey as the director, with you as the male lead."

She had handpicked the male leads in the previous music videos, and choosing one didn't hold much distinction for Taylor.

Then, she began to tidy her hair, smoothing the strands to reduce the disarray, adjusting her collar, stretching her shirt, and finally lifting her chin to use the rearview mirror to check for any marks on her neck. After confirming everything was in order, she slipped into her shoes, finishing with a scarf she had worn earlier, making it seem like nothing had happened.

Ryan hadn't expected the country girl could be this carefree behind the scenes. He knew that a romance with someone like her was unlikely, but sometimes it was nice to relax and enjoy life.

After all, there was no harm in having a little fun, right?

"Does Trey have your number?" Ryan inquired, hinting at the possibility of staying in touch with Taylor. Immediately alert, Taylor recalled Ryan's earlier words.

She didn't know his past; who knew who he really was? Besides, he was a model, and it was best not to get too entangled with someone from that world... After pondering for a moment, Taylor made a decision.

"Listen, I don't want you to misunderstand. You're a gentleman, and everything about you is great, and I genuinely appreciate it. But I'm really, really busy right now recording my new album. I probably won't have time for dating. Maybe there's a possibility for us in the future, but for now, let's not keep in touch."

"Forget everything that just happened, and don't mention it to anyone, right?" Ryan smiled as he steered the car.

Taylor turned to him. "You're smart and enthusiastic, and that's why I didn't play games with you. What I said earlier was genuine. My parents always taught me to protect myself. I admit, I might've been a bit impulsive, and it's because I trust you. If you think that's a problem, we can end our collaboration anytime."

First, she said some pleasant things, then reframed her actions as impulsive, before subtly suggesting her boundaries.

Ryan's smile grew more strained, realizing the imbalance in their positions. If he pushed too hard, he could lose the chance to be the male lead in the music video, possibly jeopardizing Trey as well.

So, opting for rational thinking, he could only comply with her wishes. Writing songs for an ex was a business move; it wouldn't reflect poorly on him. It was just a friendly contribution.

"There are still three months until summer. Who knows? I might get kicked to the curb by Trey before the music video starts," Ryan said suddenly.

"That's your problem."

"You have a point. To make a living, I guess I'll need to turn this afternoon's events into a song and sing it in Nashville bars. Don't worry; I won't mention you; that follows your confidentiality request. But I tend to be a bit crude, and my lyrics can get explicit, like those booty music tracks. You won't mind, would you?" Ryan smiled.

Writing someone's private matters into songs to share with the world was exactly what Taylor excelled at, turning the table on her as the saying goes.

Taylor whipped her head around, glaring at Ryan.

"Actually, you could look on the bright side. Given how terrible my songwriting is, no matter how I slice it, I'll never reach your level of fame from exposing other peoples' secrets, right? That should make things easier for you!" Ryan continued to jab at her.

At this point, Taylor's glare was sharp enough to cut steel.

Ryan calmly added, "And right now, you have a one-time opportunity to resolve this issue completely: just buy the song."

"Are you trying to extort me?" Taylor was both angry and amused.

"This is called a rights sale; it's mutually agreed upon," Ryan replied, pressing the gas.

...

Half an hour later, Ryan exited Taylor's luxury home in an affluent neighborhood, feeling particularly elated as she eventually agreed to his terms.

Just around the corner, he spotted a car with flashing lights parked nearby, with rescue personnel performing CPR on an individual.

As Ryan moved closer, he saw the medical staff holding an AED device, placing it on the patient's chest. As the electric current surged through, the patient's chest jolted upward.

A familiar and intense sense of deja vu washed over him, almost identical to when he first encountered Taylor. But this time, it made Ryan feel disoriented for a brief moment.

One shock, two shocks, three shocks -- the AED's piercing beeps morphed into a rhythm, the vibrations intensifying, causing Ryan's heart to feel like it was beating in sync.

The beeping transformed into a continuous chord, while low drumbeats resonated, amplified, generating a powerful rhythm akin to a volcanic eruption bursting with energy.

A melody of several minutes, composed of multiple tracks, began to take shape in Ryan's mind.

He soon realized this piece wasn't a traditional pop song; it lacked any vocal performance. It only had a brief vocal snippet saying "3.2.1 go!" at the beginning of the chorus but maintained the typical structure of a pop song -- introduction, verse, chorus, and interlude.

Looking toward the neon-lit bar in the distance and hearing the strumming of an acoustic guitar inside, Ryan shook his head. Then he turned to gaze at a nearby nightclub, where the booming bass perfectly matched that environment. Suddenly, the name of the song began to materialize in his mind -- Tremor.

*****

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