Ryan returned, stepping into the room with a satisfied grin. "Wow, you two really nailed it, this is going to be a hit."
Nova glanced at him, smiling faintly. "Glad I could help."
Ryan clapped his hands together. "Alright, there's one more thing, we need to decide on the credits… Liam, obviously you're the lead, but Nova…"
"Wait, what?" Nova interrupted, looking up sharply. "What do you mean, credits?"
Ryan smirked. "You're being credited, of course, we're listing you as a featured artist."
Nova blinked, taken aback. "Ryan, no I just helped out, this is Liam's song, his project… I don't need my name on it."
Liam, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "Why not?"
She turned to him, her voice hesitant. "Because… I'm not a professional singer, I just stepped in to help, this isn't my world."
Liam crossed his arms, leaning forward slightly. "Your voice is on the track, people are going to notice, and you deserve the credit, Nova."
"But I don't…"
Ryan cut in, holding up a hand. "Look, this isn't up for debate, you saved our butts today, Nova… And honestly, the track is better because of you, we're featuring your name end of story."
Nova frowned, still uncertain. "But what will people think? I'm not even part of the industry, they'll think it's weird."
Liam's gaze softened. "Who cares what they think? You earned this, besides," he added with a smirk, "you'll survive a little fame."
She opened her mouth to argue but stopped when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. For once, he wasn't teasing or dismissing her. He truly believed she deserved this.
"Fine," she relented with a sigh. "But don't blame me if it backfires."
Ryan grinned. "That's the spirit! Now let's get this wrapped up."
As Ryan busied himself with the final details, Nova glanced at Liam. "Thanks," she said softly.
"For what?"
"For… backing me up, I didn't expect that."
He shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "You did more than help, you made this track something special, people deserve to know that."
Her cheeks warmed at his words, and she quickly looked away, pretending to check her phone. Liam, watching her out of the corner of his eye, couldn't help but smile.
Nova was still mulling over Ryan's suggestion to feature her name on the track. It wasn't that she was against the idea entirely, she just didn't feel like it was right for her. She wasn't a professional singer, after all.
Ryan had already moved to the computer, typing up the track's credits.
Liam leaned back in his chair, watching her carefully. "You've got to pick a name, though, how do you want to be credited?"
Nova looked up at him, confusion crossing her face. "What? You mean like… my real name?"
Liam gave a half-smile. "Well, your real name might work, but you might want to think about something more memorable, you know, like a stage name."
"Stage name?" Nova echoed.
Ryan chimed in, not looking up from the computer. "Yeah, something that sounds cool… It'll be on all the promo, the track listings, everything." He paused, glancing over at Nova. "It's gotta be something that pops."
Nova stared at the screen, thinking. She wasn't sure she was ready to dive into a music career, let alone have a public persona. "I don't know, what if it sounds… lame?"
Liam leaned forward. "It's not about sounding 'cool,' Nova… It's about what feels right for you." He looked at her thoughtfully. "What about something that connects to your real name, like a nickname or a variation of it?"
Nova raised an eyebrow. "Like 'Nova'? That's already my name."
Liam smirked. "Hey, if it works, it works, but if you want something different, we can get creative."
She thought for a moment, then smiled softly. "What do you think about 'Luna'?"
Liam's eyes lit up. "I love it, It's got a certain... mystique to it. 'Luna featuring Liam.' That's a name people will remember."
Ryan stopped typing and glanced over, a grin spreading across his face. "Luna's perfect, It's memorable, it has that celestial vibe… I can see it on all the posters already." He quickly typed it into the credits. "'Luna featuring Liam.' Done."
Nova took a deep breath, the reality of it sinking in, she couldn't believe she was officially going to be part of the track. "Alright, Luna it is… I guess I'm a 'featured artist' now."
Liam smiled, clearly pleased. "You've earned it, Luna."
Ryan turned to them, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, now that we've got that settled, let's get back to work the world's about to meet 'Luna.'"
Nova laughed softly, shaking her head. She had no idea where this would take her, but for the first time, she was excited to see where her voice could go.
After Ryan finished typing up the credits, Nova couldn't help but feel a bit of a rush. The name "Luna" was now officially on the track, and in a way, it felt like stepping into a new chapter.
As they all relaxed, Nova glanced over at Liam, who had been unusually quiet since they settled on her stage name. She had to admit, there was something about him, something almost enigmatic.
"So…" she began, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Now that I've got my stage name figured out… What about you, Liam? Is that your real name, or…?"
Liam raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the question. He leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. "My real name? You mean, what my parents actually called me?"
Nova smiled lightly, unsure why she was suddenly so intrigued. "Yeah, it's kind of strange, isn't it? We all have these stage names, but then there's the real us… I've always wondered what some people's real names are."
Liam paused, considering her words. There was something about her genuine curiosity that made him smile. "Alright, if you really want to know…" He hesitated, and then gave a small chuckle. "It's actually Elias, Elias Williams."
Nova blinked, a little taken aback. "Elias?" she repeated, testing the name on her tongue. "I never would've guessed that."
Liam shrugged, a faint grin still playing at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, I know… most people don't, 'Liam' just feels more… me, you know?"
Nova nodded, taking in the information. "Liam definitely suits you better, Elias feels... too formal for someone who's got such a relaxed vibe."
He laughed, clearly amused by her observation. "I'll take that as a compliment, Luna."
There was a brief silence, both of them sitting in the moment, each absorbing the shift in their dynamic. For once, it didn't feel so awkward between them, and Nova couldn't help but smile. She wasn't sure why she cared about his real name, but somehow it made everything feel more personal.
As Nova processed the fact that Liam's real name was Elias, a thought suddenly crossed her mind. It was a small thing, but she'd always been curious.
"Hey, Liam," she asked, her voice almost hesitant. "You said your real name is Elias, but… why do you go by 'Liam Chase'?"
Liam glanced at her, a flash of surprise crossing his face before he quickly masked it with a grin. "You mean, why the 'Chase' part?"
"Yeah," Nova said, nodding. "It just seemed a bit different from what I expected, was it a personal choice?" She looked at him, genuinely curious.
Liam hesitated for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he leaned back, folding his arms across his chest, as if weighing how much he wanted to share.
"It's a long story," he said finally, his voice soft but distant.
Nova sensed the shift in his tone, the slight barrier he was putting up.
"You don't have to tell me," she said quickly, her voice soft, not wanting to push him if he wasn't ready. "I was just wondering…"
Liam met her gaze, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something in his eyes, vulnerability, maybe. "Well, 'Chase'… It's not really about running away from something or trying to escape… It's just that when I was starting out, I needed something that felt more… professional, more marketable… So, I used it as a stage name." He paused, and then added, almost as an afterthought, "It's also something that felt like I could chase after a different life, life that wasn't tied to the past."
Nova nodded slowly, understanding a little more about him now. She'd known there was more to his story than just being a musician. There was something deeper, something that pushed him to create this persona.
"That makes sense," she said quietly, letting the moment linger.
She could tell he wasn't quite ready to delve deeper, but at least now she knew a little more about why he'd chosen the name.
Liam gave her a slight smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, thanks for understanding."
Nova nodded again, feeling the weight of his unspoken words. For a moment, she wanted to ask more, but she could sense he wasn't ready to open up completely. Instead, she decided to focus on the music, the task at hand.
"Alright, Elias," she teased, "let's see what you've got with this track now." He chuckled, not bothered by her teasing, before standing up. "Fair enough, Luna, let's make this a hit."
The recording session had wrapped up, and the energy in the studio was buzzing. Nova, now going by Luna, had nailed her part in the song. Even Liam couldn't hide his impressed smile as he gave her a quick thumbs-up from across the room.