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*3Rd pov
Inside the sleek, freshly painted walls of Luminous Records, a label still too new to even have its first anniversary, George S. sat in a worn leather chair, beer in hand, watching the boy in front of him with quiet intensity.
George S. watched Georgie carefully as the boy listened to Love Without End, Amen through a pair of studio headphones.
He studied Georgie's expression still waiting and searching for a reaction.
And then… he saw it.
A soft smile crept onto Georgie's face.
Of course. The song meant something, especially to a father thinking about his son. It was warm. Honest. The kind of song that felt timeless.
Everyone believed this one would be a hit.
"…Alright then," Georgie said, pulling off the headphones. He turned to George S. with a smirk. "Of course you'd turn it into something great. That's what you do. You took a simple guitar song and made it something special."
George S. leaned back in his chair, visibly relieved by Georgie's words. "Right?"
He knew how much this song mattered. Because originally, it had been Georgie's. A raw, heartfelt melody played on an old guitar. George S. had loved it the moment he heard it. He bought the rights, gave it a fresh arrangement, and brought it to life.
"Are you putting it on your next album?" Georgie asked, watching George S. sip his beer.
"Well, I'm planning to release it as a single first," George S. said with a grin. "We'll see how it performs."
Georgie understood exactly what that meant.
If the song climbed the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and it probably would make George S. 's name would rise again… and Georgie's would follow as the songwriter.
It was more than a business deal.
George S. was helping him climb higher.
"I saw God's Country on Billboard the other day," George S. added, setting his beer down. "That's a damn good track. I'm pretty sure this one's going straight to the top too."
Their conversation sounded more like two longtime friends at a bar than a teenage songwriter talking to a country legend.
And in moments like this… George S. S. almost forgot that Georgie was still just a regular kid.
"How long are you planning to stay in town?" Georgie asked, tapping his fingers on the table, unintentionally creating a new rhythm that caught the attention of everyone in the room.
Around him sat Fenley, Rosie, and James, who had all come by to support Georgie during the session.
"Oh man…" James sighed, looking at Georgie with an amused smile. "I'm here to hang out, not to get put to work."
George S. glanced at James, frowning slightly. "What's wrong?" he asked, his gaze shifting between the others in the room.
Their faces all held a similar expression with mild amusement, lips twitching as they tried not to laugh.
"What?" Georgie blinked, the smile fading from his own face. Then he looked at James and added dryly, "Alright, fine. I'll lay down the guitar track myself."
He turned to Fenley. "Can you call the others in?"
That's when it clicked for George S. .
"You're trying to write something new," he said slowly, eyeing Georgie with curiosity. "Wait… are you asking me to feature on it?"
Georgie gave a casual shrug. "I guess so… if you're up for it."
George S. and Rosie both twitched at the boldness of that offer, but before Georgie could say anything else, Rosie stepped in.
"Georgie," she said firmly, looking him dead in the eye. "You can't just throw that out like it's no big deal."
Her voice was serious now.
"You'd need to contact his record label, go through the proper channels, and draft an agreement first. This isn't something you just do on impulse," Rosie said firmly.
Georgie let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair, frowning. "Yeah... I guess you're right."
"What kind of song do you have in mind?" George S. asked, leaning forward, curiosity now lighting up his face.
James, who had been sitting nearby, suddenly chimed in with a frown. "Hey! I never said I wouldn't do it!"
Georgie waved a hand dismissively, clearly uninterested in arguing. "Relax. I wasn't asking you to jump in. I just wanted to know if he'd be interested in featuring or not."
George S. gave him a look with half amused and half serious, before turning to Rosie. "You can draft an NDA for now. I'll sign it. Let's keep this under wraps."
Then he looked straight at Georgie. "But I want to hear the song first."
Rosie's mouth twitched at his comment, glancing toward Fenley, who wore the exact same helpless but not surprised expression.
"I knew I'd get roped into something if I came here," George S. muttered under his breath. But then he sat up straighter, his tone shifting as he looked back at Georgie. "That being said, I do want to hear it. And if I don't like it, there's no deal. No hard feelings."
"Of course," Georgie said with a grin, clearly taking it as a challenge. He turned to Rosie and Fenley, his eyes glinting with excitement.
Then James raised his hand, genuinely confused.
"Okay, so what am I supposed to be doing right now?"
"Just listen," Georgie replied casually. "This song isn't even on the label's list yet. Fresh from me."
He turned back to George S.
"I'd say this one counts as a love song. You up for hearing it?"
"Just give me the NDA. I'll sign it," George S. said without hesitation.
Rosie let out a breath, standing up to retrieve the contract from her drawer.
"It's not that we don't trust you, George S. It's just protocol, to protect all sides."
George S. nodded. He understood how the industry worked, and besides, he was the one who had suggested the NDA in the first place.
He signed the document without even reading it, completely relaxed, then leaned back in his chair and looked at Georgie.
"Well, alright then."
Georgie raised an eyebrow at how effortlessly George S. had signed the contract. His lips twitched in amusement as he stood up and grabbed his guitar.
Everyone in the room went silent, eyes fixed on Georgie as he rested the guitar on his lap.
Now, musicians....they're different.
They know when a song is a hit, they feel it in their bones, they know the formula.
And if they don't have that magic themselves, they buy it from someone who does, sign the papers, rework the chords, and release it as something that sounds like them.
George S. didn't need the full performance to know: the moment Georgie played the first few lines, he could already tell.
This kid had another hit on his hands.
Georgie just needed the right platform.
The right voice beside him.
And even if people didn't know Georgie's name yet… they'd stop what they were doing to listen to this song.
George S. smirked.
"...You've convinced me," he said at last. "I'll bring my team in and we'll sign the deal for this feature."
He paused, then looked at Georgie with real curiosity. "So tell me… how many songs like this do you have, ready for me to sing with you?"
It's all just Bussiness, they understand each other.
—-----
3rd POV
{As you can see, our little social circle grew from three to four. Well… five, if my brother were here.
But Georgie's in Houston now, trying to spread his wings across America.
No, I don't miss him.
But Missy does.
Besides, he still calls us from time to time.} — Adult Sheldon
Sheldon stared at Libby, genuinely focused. Her last comment had sparked something in him.
"People didn't know in continental drift," Sheldon said, voice steady. "Even though South America and Africa fit together like a puzzle."
Libby nodded seriously. "They didn't understand about seafloor spreading. That's what drives the drift."
Across the table, Veronica sat beside Tam, quietly eating her lunch, but her eyes were glued to the two of them. Not to the science, but to Sheldon.
To how intensely he listened.
To the way he looked at Libby, really looked at her as she spoke with clarity and confidence.
Sheldon rarely came across girls who were, well… smart.
So when Libby started explaining something, and not just getting it but adding to it, it did something to him.
"Yes, I read about it too…" Tam chimed in, attempting to join the moment. "But I kinda wanna see it for myself now."
He stood up and strutted over to the library globe, trying to look cool and maybe a little scholarly.
But Sheldon and Libby barely noticed.
Then Sheldon spoke again, almost without thinking, voice quiet but clear.
"I'm both threatened and delighted by your brain."
Veronica instantly smiled and pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh.
She knew Sheldon meant it in the most honest way possible. He wasn't trying to flirt. He didn't even realize it sounded like a pickup line, for smart people, at least.
He was just saying what he felt.
And Libby? She didn't seem fazed. She simply nodded at him, accepting the comment like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Veronica, watching all of this unfold, tilted her head slightly.
Was this what geniuses were all like?
So oblivious. So brilliant.
So strangely… endearing?
—------
"...That's what he said," Veronica repeated with a smirk. "...'I'm both threatened and delighted by your brain,' like it was no big deal…"
She was on the phone with Georgie, casually leaning on the couch, while Sheldon sat beside her, pretending not to listen. But she knew better.
"Yeah, and then they said they were gonna go look for… what was it… tekstil or something?"
"It's tektites," Sheldon corrected, his voice sharp. "They're natural glass formed during meteorite impacts."
He paused, frowning. "And I'm not 'falling for her,' like you said. I'm simply impressed by her knowledge and her interest in geology."
Veronica nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah… I don't buy it."
She grinned into the phone, making sure Sheldon saw it.
He rolled his eyes, clearly unamused.
Just then, Missy walked in holding her favorite doll, Celeste. She claimed Celeste would always stay with her into the future.
The family, of course, knew exactly where that inspiration came from: Georgie's spooky Okiku story.
"What's going on?" she asked, climbing onto the couch.
"Your brother's going on a date," Veronica said, grinning at her.
Missy turned to Sheldon, her face suddenly serious. "You remember what I told you about how to date a girl, right?"
Sheldon sighed. "You mean buy her ice cream and then kiss her so her mouth tastes like it? Yes. And no, I'm not doing that. That's disgusting."
Veronica burst out laughing. "Oh don't worry, Missy. He's not dating for romance. He's dating to find a rock."
She could barely get the words out without laughing again.
Missy squinted at Sheldon like he was some sort of strange alien. "You're really weird."
"…Sheldon," Veronica added between giggles, still holding the phone, "Georgie says to bring gloves because tektites look like raccoon poop."
"I'm already aware of that," Sheldon said flatly. "But thanks for the unsolicited warning."
Missy ignored him completely and turned to Veronica.
"What's Georgie doing right now?"
"You wanna talk to him?" Veronica asked, then spoke into the phone.
"Hey Georgie, your princess wants to talk to you."
"Thank you," Missy replied gracefully, clearly amused by the title. She reached for the phone and added sweetly,
"Brother, Sheldon misses you."
"I do not!" Sheldon snapped from the couch, ignoring Veronica's giggling.
"He asked about you five times in the last 24 hours," Missy continued casually. "Yes, I counted. Accurately."
Sheldon clenched his teeth and glared at her, but made no move to snatch the phone. Even he knew better, Missy was the real bully in the house, not him. So instead, he just shot her a deadly glare.
"Yes, I'm doing well… what? Really? We're all going to Tennessee later?!" Missy suddenly said, her eyes widening as she looked at Veronica and Sheldon.
"Really?" Sheldon asked warily.
"Wait! am I going too?" Veronica added, brows raised in confusion.
But Missy ignored both of them completely.
"Uhmm… Brother? Where is Tennessee?" she asked sweetly into the phone, as if nothing else mattered.