While all the people who had listened to the music could still hear it resonate inside their mind, Nathaniel hastily got his notebook and scribble on it. He seemed unconcerned by the song and was not happy with it. There was a problem with the melody and the chorus where he quickly crossed the work genius from it as it was not going well with the rest. He then took his musical score and modified a few notes on it.
He was not satisfied with it just yet but it was coming along quite nicely. He still has a lot of work to do. He wanted to have other instruments in the song too and needed to write the musical score for them too. He could of course ask his studio to do it for him but he was not someone who got shy from the perspective of hard work. He knew that he would do a better job than anyone else. It was not arrogance but just common sense as it was the music he created so he was the best to develop it.
"Ok guys, go back to work now." The director demanded after coming out of his daze.
The people grumbled but still heard his order and got back to work. The only people who stayed were the director himself, Michael, Isla and Jesse who entered the room and took place in front of the piano, looking intensely at Nathaniel who was acting as if he didn't know they were people there.
Of course, even when he is immersed in his music, his awareness was always on his surroundings. Thirty years of war was not something that could be forgotten like that and he had always his instinct running to protect him. Even if nobody had a grudge against him, he was still someone with money and people could get stupid idea, like kidnapping him to exhort him some. Without taking into account he was becoming someone known and being killed by a crazy fan was very much a risk worth remembering.
"Nathaniel? We are here." Jesse said.
"I know, just let me finish that real quick and then I'm with you four." Nathaniel said absentmindedly.
Hearing that, all of them exchanged surprised glances, thinking the same thing. His piano was oriented at the opposite door and they were sure that he never turn his head once.
"How did you know we were four?" Ask Michael.
"Easy, I just count the number of footsteps and divide by two." He responded seemingly non pulse.
A few seconds later, he finally raised his head and could not help but to chuckle seeing their face.
"Or I just saw you coming when I looked at your reflexion in the mirror." He said with mirth pointing to his right.
Looking where he was pointing, they realise there really was a mirror here albeit a small one. Thinking about it, they realize it was more realistic than his previous answer and laughed too. The director quickly came back to what he wanted to talk about previously.
"I knew that you are a singer but I didn't know you were that good, Nathaniel. I'm impressed."
"Thanks Louis."
"Did you write it?" Isla asked.
"I'm currently writing it. It still a working project." He precise.
"Project? It's not finished?" Michael asks.
"No, there are still some inconsistencies I want to change in the lyrics and the melody."
"Seriously? I loved it, I think the music is great!" Isla exclaimed.
"I agree." Michael added.
"Yeah it's good but not to my liking yet. Give me three more days and it would be perfect."
"How much will you need to present a finished product?" Louis asked.
"That depends if the finished product you are talking about is with or without a video clip."
"Without." He added.
"With our current schedule, I would say a week, maybe a bit more. Why?" Nathaniel asks with an eyebrow raised.
"I think the music would fit really well with the movie and I want it in it. At first we didn't have the budget to have someone good making music for the movie but with that song, I believe the studio would finance it. What are you saying?" Louis demands.
"I'm in!" Nathaniel responded excitedly.
"Good! I would schedule an appointment with the studio in ten days. Would that be enough time for you?"
"Yes, I believe it will. My label as a studio here in LA, I would use their facility."
"What if your label is not okay with that?" Michael asks.
"My family name is on the front door, trust me, nobody will try to stop me" He said with humor.
"You have a point there." Jesse said laughing.
"Good, I will leave you to it, I have work." Louis excused himself before leaving with Michael.
Jesse and Isla stay a little longer talking with him until they were all called to film a scene. They ended up finishing their day at two in the morning the next day. His co-stars were exhausted and even Nathaniel was a little tired. Busy days like that one were rare but when they happened it was exhausting to say the least. Luckily in cases like that, the studio provides a driver to bring the actor back to their home or in case of Nathaniel is hotel room.
He was alone there as Maggie came back to NY a while ago. She had a teenage daughter at home who was under the care of her mother when she was away but Nathaniel insisted she go back. He didn't need her beside him at the moment as she could do her job perfectly on the phone. They would usually talk once a day to review things and make some decisions. Nathaniel knew in the future she would have to be with him more often and be away from her daughter. Based on what Nathaniel knew, she was fifteen and would be in college in two years time. At that point in time, she would go away from her in college so he was encouraging them to spend as much time together as they could.
Certains people would object to leaving a sixteen year old actor in Hollywood to his own devices as a recipe for disaster but even his overprotective mothers realize that he could take care of himself alone and so let him be. They knew that he was impervious to money and hated with forced drugs or alcohol so they were not worried about him succumbing to the tentation of Hollywood. Coming inside his hotel chamber, he fires up his laptop. Looking through his mail, he realized he received the one he was waiting for.