Another week had past and Landon had just finished shooting the music video for "Shape of You."
"Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. You make this look so much easy Landon. And to think you directed the whole thing as well." Said Rachel with a smile on her face. Landon smiled humbly, his eyes shining with pride. "Thanks, Rachel. It was a team effort, really. The cast and crew did an amazing job."
Rachel nodded, her eyes still fixed on the screen. "I know, but you brought it all together. Your vision and creativity really shine through in this project." Landon chuckled, feeling a sense of satisfaction. "I'm just glad it's done and it turned out well. Now, let's hope the audience loves it as much as we do."
Rachel turned to him, her expression serious. "They will, Landon. Trust me, they will. You've created something special here." Landon smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Rachel. "Thanks for believing in me, Rachel. It means a lot."
Rachel smiled back, her eyes warm. "I always believe in talent, and you, my friend, are incredibly talented. But I'm worried about the backlash you might face here, was it really necessary to hire a model older than you? Don't get me wrong, Jennie Pegouskie (original woman on shape of you) is a beautiful woman and all."
"Look, if they have a problem just tell them that I'm the one who chose her. Besides, she looks way young for her age, don't you thin-"
Before he could finish his sentence, he sees a familiar figure approaching from the background. It was none other than Hugh, the manger of Midnight Fusion. Besides him was Julian, Aiden, and Rayn.
"Exuse us, you must be Rachel. I'm Hugh, the manger of midnight fusion. We heard that our fomer member was around so we decided to drop by and say hello, I hope we're not interrupting something important."
Rachel's expression turned slightly guarded as she nodded at Hugh. "Not at all, Hugh. Landon and I were just discussing his latest project. It's nice to meet you." Hugh's eyes flicked to Landon, a hint of tension in the air. "Landon, it's been a while. I see you're in good health."
Landon's expression remained neutral, but a hint of wariness crept into his voice. "Hugh. Julian, Aiden, Rayn. What brings you here?"
Julian's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze lingering on Landon before shifting to Rachel. "Just thought we'd drop by and see how you're doing, Landon." Aiden and Rayn exchanged a glance, their expressions unreadable. Hugh, however, seemed to be studying Landon with interest, his eyes lingering on the director's confident demeanor.
The air was thick with unspoken tension, and Rachel's eyes darted between the two parties, sensing the underlying dynamics. "Well, it's nice to meet you all," she said, her voice smooth. "Perhaps you'd like to discuss something with Landon?"
The question hung in the air, leaving it open for Hugh and the others to reveal their true intentions. "Actually we did come to negotiate something. We wanted to properly request a feature with Landon on out album." Julian said without waisting a second
Landon's expression turned cold, his voice firm. "I'm not interested. You've made it clear how you feel about me and my music in the past. I don't see why I would want to collaborate with you now." Hugh's face fell, but he tried to salvage the situation. "Landon, we've discussed this, and we're willing to put the past behind us. We think a feature with you would be a great opportunity for both of us."
Landon shook his head. "No. I'm not going to help you guys " ride my coattails." You've had your chance, and you blew it. I'm not interested in revisiting the past or propping up your flagging career."
Julian's face reddened, his voice rising. "You're just being petty, Landon. This could be a great opportunity for everyone involved." Landon's eyes flashed with anger. "Petty? You think I'm being petty? You guys kicked me out of the group, and now you want me to help you out? No way. I'm not interested."
The tension in the room was palpable, and Rachel stepped in, her voice calm. "I think it's clear that Landon has made up his mind. Perhaps it's best if you all just leave." Hugh's face fell, but he nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Fine. We'll leave. But this isn't the end of this, Landon."
"Hold up, Landon." Rayn said. "Look, Noah got into our heads and poisoned us. He told us about you being deadweight and it was the best move for us as the band. We were fools to believe what he said, we're sorry. Okay? We let our greed get the best of us."
"You think a apology makes it okay for what you did to me?" Landon responded. Landon's voice was laced with skepticism. "You think a simple apology makes up for what you did to me? You guys didn't just kick me out of the band, you destroyed my reputation and my relationships with our fans. You think saying sorry fixes everything?"
Aiden spoke up, his voice filled with remorse. "Landon, we're not expecting forgiveness overnight. We just want you to know that we realize we made a huge mistake. We were blinded by our own ambition and we didn't see the value you brought to the band." Rayn nodded in agreement. "We've been paying the price for our actions ever since. The band hasn't been the same without you, and we can't help but wonder what could have been if we had just stuck together."
Landon's expression remained unyielding. "I'm not sure I care about what could have been. You've had your chance, and you blew it. I'm moving on with my life and my music. I don't need you guys anymore." The room fell with only the sound of heavy tension hanging in the air. It was clear that Landon's wounds ran deep, and it would take more than just a simple apology to heal them.
Rachel stepped in, her voice firm but calm. "I think that's enough. Landon has made it clear how he feels, and it's time for you all to respect his boundaries. Leave him alone and let him focus on his own projects." She turned to Hugh and the others, her eyes unyielding. "You had your chance to work with Landon, and you blew it. Now, it's time to leave him be. Don't waste any more of his time with empty apologies and half-hearted attempts to make amends."
Rachel's words were like a cold splash of water, and the room fell silent as Hugh and the others looked at each other uncertainly. "Let's go," Hugh said finally, his voice low. "We'll leave Landon alone." As they turned to leave, Rachel's voice stopped them. "And don't come back until you've got something real to offer. Landon deserves better than half-hearted attempts to make amends."
With that, the group filed out of the room, leaving Landon and Rachel alone. Landon's expression was still guarded, but a small hint of gratitude flickered in his eyes. "Thanks, Rachel," he said softly. "I appreciate it."