Never Say Never Read Free

promise.”
                He
motioned for me to follow him, and we went over to a private corner of the
room. “I'm glad you think so...” I started. “How much promise, exactly?”
                “Miss
Knight, I'll be truthful here. You’ve got talent – raw, primal, animal talent.
But what you need to work on is technique. That energy you had tonight – it's
great. But you can never guarantee a thing like that. When a room works – it's
magic. But when it doesn't – you need to make sure you have solid technique,
solid practice under your belt to keep things going. Before RRR can consider
you, we'd like to see a few more performances under your belt, a bit more
polish in your sound.”
                “Oh...”
My face fell and my stomach dropped.
                “But
in a few months' time, Miss Knight, I think you should drop us another
invitation. I'd be most interested in seeing where you go from here, and I get
the feeling that if you improve as much in the next few months as you've done
in the last few, we might have room for you at our label.”
                “So
this isn't a yes or a no?”
                “There
are no guarantees in life, Miss Knight. If you want an answer, we'll need to
see more. I certainly look forward to seeing where and how you develop a few
months down the line.”
                I
wasn't sure whether to feel ecstatic or crushed. On the one hand – this wasn't
a firm “yes,” far from it. Mr. Slayton didn't think we had what it took just
yet.
                On
the other hand, “in just a few months...” My heart began to beat faster and
faster. Could we really have the potential to make it big?
                “We'll
definitely get a few more performances in, sir,” I said, nervously shaking Mr.
Slayton's hand.
                “Glad
to hear it, Miss Knight,” said Mr. Slayton, bowing his head ever so slightly in
a farewell as he walked off.
                I
returned to Kyle, who was sitting alone – Geoff having gone to try on his
charming-rocker act with a few girls more into it than I was. I shook my head.
When we were kids Geoff had been great – respectful, smart, passionate about
the band. But lately, it seemed that all he cared about was getting girls and
doing drugs. His performance in the band was slipping – we all knew that, but
none of us wanted to admit it. He had talent, but he practiced less than any of
us.
                “What
did he say?” Kyle turned to me with his enormous blue eyes.
                I
told Kyle what Mr. Slayton had said.         
                “Hmm,”
Kyle considered, putting his arm around me. “Well, don't worry, Neve. We'll get
there in the end – even if it means practicing every day for the next six
months. Have we ever let you down yet?”
                “No,”
I admitted, smiling slightly. “You haven't. We'll get there. I know it.”
                Kyle
looked deep into my eyes, and I could feel the warmth – the trust – in his
gaze. “I have every faith in you. In us,” Kyle said gently.
                “Thanks.”
I rested my head against Kyle's chest as he gently pulled me towards him. There
was something so reassuring about his touch. I'd gotten a lot of teasing about
my relationship to the four so-called hotties of The Never Knights from the
girls at USC, but I knew they were wrong. What I had with Kyle – what I had
with all the boys, since we were kids, except maybe Geoff – went beyond
attraction, beyond sex. We were like family: a relationship more important than
mere romance.
                “We're
going to do it our way,” I said. I knew the alternative – capitalize on my
dad's name, get a reality TV show and a record deal in ten seconds flat if I
was willing to throw up at a nightclub or get into a catfight or have sex