Dissonant Harmonies (Reneé Rapp x Reader)

Surprise After Surprise

The next day arrived quicker than I could blink, bringing with it a swirling mix of anticipation and excitement. Today was the day we had to present our song to Mike, my boss, hoping for his seal of approval. As Reneé and I stood in the recording studio, a knot of nerves twisted in my stomach.

Reneé confidently took her place behind the microphone, her energy infectious as she prepared to sing. Meanwhile, Mike and I settled into the control room, bracing ourselves to hear the culmination of our hard work.

As the music started and Reneé's voice filled the room, I found myself holding my breath. The melody flowed smoothly, and Reneé's vocals were even more mesmerizing than I remembered.

But then, just as the song was winding down, Reneé added something unexpected. Words that I hadn't heard before tumbled from her lips, and my heart plummeted. They were... not the kind of lyrics you'd want your boss to hear during the first listen.

"You're the worst bitch on the EarthI hate you and your gutsI think you should shut the fuck up and dieYou get on my nervesFuck you, you dumb bitchFuck you, fuck you, fuck you"

I shot Reneé a panicked look, but she appeared unfazed, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes. My anxiety soared as I awaited Mike's reaction, silently seething at Reneé for taking such a reckless risk.

To my utter shock, when the song ended, Mike turned to us with a wide grin on his face. "That was brilliant!" he exclaimed. 

My jaw nearly hit the floor in disbelief. "Seriously?" I blurted out, unable to mask my surprise.

Mike nodded enthusiastically and then pressed a button that allowed Reneé to hear his following words. "Absolutely loved it! Good job, you two."

Reneé beamed, clearly pleased with herself. "Yay!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

Once Mike left the room, Reneé sauntered over to me with a sly grin. "Looks like my little surprise paid off, huh?"

I sighed, shaking my head in exasperation. "Reneé, you can't just add stuff like that without telling me first,"

To my surprise, Reneé's grin softened into a small apology, though very much in her own Reneé style. "My bad, I guess. But hey, it worked, didn't it?"

I sighed again, realizing arguing further would be pointless. "Yeah, it did. But let's try to avoid such surprises in the future, okay?"

Reneé shrugged, her grin returning. "Sure thing. Now, let's get to the real celebration. We're going to get drunk!"

I frowned, glancing at the clock. "It's not even noon... and it's a Tuesday."

Reneé waved off my concern with a dismissive gesture. "Don't worry about it. Just follow me."

Reluctantly, I followed her out of the studio, wondering where on earth she planned to take me for midday drinks on a Tuesday. 

As Reneé and I hopped into the Uber she had called, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling bubbling up inside me. Despite my repeated questions, she kept mum about where we were heading. With each passing minute, my apprehension grew, mingling with frustration over her love for surprises.

"Come on, Reneé, spill the beans. Where are we headed?" I prodded, trying to keep my voice steady amidst the mounting anxiety.

Reneé just rolled her eyes, that sly smirk of hers tugging at the corners of her lips. "Chill out, it's a surprise," she retorted, brushing off my concerns with a casual wave of her hand.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I resigned myself to the fact that Reneé wasn't going to spill the beans. But as the Uber pulled to a stop and we stepped onto the sidewalk, my heart plummeted at the sight before me.

"You've got to be kidding me," I deadpanned, staring incredulously at her. "You brought us to a strip club!?"

Reneé simply shrugged, her expression nonchalant. "Hey, a club's a club. What else do you expect to be open at this hour?"

I stood there, momentarily speechless, a mix of disbelief and embarrassment washing over me. This was definitely not what I had in mind when Reneé mentioned celebrating. Truth be told, I didn't sign up for this outing at all—she practically blackmailed me into coming along.

"I can't believe you," I muttered, already turning to retreat back to the safety of the Uber.

But before I could take another step, Reneé grabbed my arm, halting me in my tracks. "Come on," she urged, surprising me with the gentleness in her tone. "Lighten up a bit. We're just here for drinks, not a full-on lap dance," she added with a playful wiggle of her eyebrows. "Unless you're up for it, of course."

I gently freed my arm from her grasp. "Funny," I sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility settling on my shoulders as I glanced at the imposing building before us. I hesitated, torn between the impulse to flee and the unsettling realization that I couldn't just abandon Reneé. How she acted reflected directly on the label, and given that I was working closely with her, I was essentially half responsible for that. The last thing I needed was to jeopardize my job because of her antics...again.

Oh my god, I'm practically babysitting.

So, that's why, despite my misgivings, I followed her inside, determined to keep a close eye on her and hopefully prevent any disasters from unfolding.