A new contract [with BCAD]
 

It was almost noon when the black Cherokee jeep parked in front of the big building, under a palm tree.
The woman who jumped off from the vehicle was wearing a tight pair of dark leather pants and a white shirt, along with high heeled boots and her unfailing sunglasses.
She marched toward the door and, after searching for the key in her little purse, she opened it.

Jessica cursed out loud when she opened the main door of Ethan's mansion, pushing her shades over her blonde hair, like a hairband.
The place was a total mess.

There were empty bottles of beer and champagne all around, some of the chairs were flipped and one was, for some reason, on the coffee table.
The curtains were hanging from just a couple of hooks, half ripped, and the TV was turned on on a music channel.
The huge persian rug was gone, the living room was smelling like if a minibar had exploded in there, someone had puked in the fireplace and, just to complete the scene, there was a naked brunette sleeping on the leather couch.

With an annoyed huff, the woman walked in, slamming the door, and she reached the sleeping beauty, picking up an half empty bottle of wine from the floor and, once there, pouring it on the girl's back.
-Get up and clear off, nice ass!- she growled at the younger woman, when she yelped, jumping up -The party is over. Take your clothes and go or i'll kick you out.- she added...and apparently she was convincing enough, since the girl grabbed her dress from the armchair and she ran toward the door, dressing herself in the meantime.

Once the "guest" was gone, the Manager went to the stairs and she stepped up to the first floor, reaching the boy's bedroom and knocking harshly a couple of time, just to warn you that she was there, then she entered, expecting to find him snoozing on his bed or something like that.

-Ethan, this time i'll kick your ass so hard that even your ancestors will feel it!- she told loudly, walking in -You were supposed to have the interview with that damn magazine this morning, kid! I can't come to pick you up every fucking day like a child going to school!- Jessica added, clearly pissed off.

It had been a wild night for Ethan Blaze. Drink, drugs, girls and loud music. The kind of party that you read about with scandalous photographs plastered all over the cover of gossip magazines. Now, he was being rewarded for it with a splitting headache and a sudden, angry awakening by his straight laced manager who pounded on her door with her fist before inviting herself into his bedroom.

"Nnhhh... God, Jess... Not so loud..." The strawberry blond youth complained, his face still pressed into his pillow and the bedsheets wrapped snugly around his sluggish, half asleep body. He had fallen asleep in his clothes, he hadn't even managed to take off his shoes and some eyeliner that he had been wearing had smudged down one of his cheeks. It was obvious that Ethan Blaze was not in any shape to go rushing to the magazine interview and apologise for his lateness. Unless Jessica physically dragged him out of bed, the young man was content to lie there all day to recover from the activities of the night before.

Ethan had had wild parties before, but this one was by far the most off the hook. When something went well for him, of course he wanted to celebrate, and being young and impulsive, this often meant celebrating a bit too much. This time, he had been celebrating the release of his newest album, as well as his recent nineteenth birthday. Two parties in one, he'd joked. But it had ended up feeling a bit like that.

Jessica hadn't been invited.

While he knew that he owed a lot to her, she wasn't the kind of person he could have at an event like last night. If she'd known about it in advance, he had a feeling that she would have personally called all the guests and warned them not to come, and also given him a long, stern lecture about responsibility and putting out a good image. If he hadn't overslept, she might never have known. Unfortunately for Ethan though, the rockstar had passed out before setting his alarm last night.

"Get me a glass of water or something now you're here, would you?" He whined, knowing that he was pushing his luck, but Ethan had a habit of that. It was a symptom of his charm and mischievous nature, even with a killer hangover and an enraged manager, he couldn't resist being a little cheeky.

Jessica stood in the doorway, now with her hands on her hips in the most classic scolding pose, looking at her "pupil" just like a cat could look at a little mouse with his belly too full to run away, laying on his back; she was ready to eat him alive.

It wasn't something new, between them.
The woman had kind of "adopted" him after discovering him on YouTube a few years before and, being him so young, she had always felt a bit of parental instinct toward him.

-Look at you...you're still wearing shoes.- was he first answer at his request to speak lower -And you look like a panda.- she added with an annoyed huff, once she noticed how his black makeup was now smeared all over his face -What the hell is all this, uhm? You're supposed to grow up with time, not to act every day more like a stupid teen!- she yelled at him again, now finally walking in.

And when the boy asked her for some water, his manager rolled her eyes at the ceiling, but then she moved toward the little minibar that he had in his bedroom, to check inside it, searching for something cool that he could drink.
She was mad at him, but also a bit worried and she wanted him to feel better.

Sadly for him, once she reached the minibar and she bent over to open it, all her attention suddenly focused on what was on top of that same minibar...and her shoulders sank, like if someone had hit her with a baseball bat right in the middle of her back.

Jessica widened her eyes, forcing herself to accept that the white powder on that surface was not talc or something like that.
But she had seen cocaine before, in her life, so she tried not to fool herself.
Her mind struggled to let in that information; Ethan was using that kind of shit?
It was so hard for the woman to believe that.

-....give me one reason for not calling the cops.- was all she could manage to tell him, after a moment, without even turning to look at him, with more than a hint of pure disappointment in her voice -You stupid child.-

Ethan smiled a little to himself. Despite still taking on that motherly tone with him, Jessica still went to the minibar to get him a drink. As much as he teased her and rolled his eyes at her strict professionalism, he did appreciate all she did for him. Albeit, he maybe didn't tell her as much as he should.

However, that smile quickly faded when he saw her stop and stare at the top of the minibar. He might have a splitting headache and be more than a little groggy, but he immediately knew what she had seen.

"Shit!"

The young rockstar stood up quickly, making his way clumsily over towards her where he quickly tried to explain himself. Not that that would be easy, Jessica wasn't one to let anyone pull the wool over her eyes, and the disappointment and horror in her voice made it clear that she had already worked out what the white powder was.

"Jess... Please." He raised his hands up in a placating motion, his eyes pleading. He looked very young like this, like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. However, this was much more serious than sneaking snacks between meals. "Before you go mad on me... It was just this one time, at the party... Some guy was into doing it. That's all. Please don't call the cops. You know me, you know I wouldn't be stupid enough to get involved with something like that."

Jessica did know him. But that wouldn't help his case. She knew him well enough to know that he was exactly stupid enough to get involved with drugs if his friends were doing it.

Ethan was charismatic and charming, but he was also immature and easily led. If it was to impress his friends, he would probably jump off a cliff. He cared a little too much about his image. Being a bad boy, party animal rockstar. It was only a matter of time before he took things a little too far.

The very moment that the youngster reached her, trying to excuse himself for her discover, Jessica felt a rush of rage and she reacted instinctively, turning toward him and lifting her hand to deliver a sharp slap on his cheek, wanting him to feel all her disappointment through that single gesture.

She was used to give him a lot of light smacks on his neck, along with dozens of reprimands, for being sassy or for talking back, but despite everything she had never went beyond that...until that moment.
This time, the woman was decided to make him feel her palm on his face for good.

-SHUT UP!- she yelled at him, with her most angry voice -Do you think that i'm a idiot? You would rip your eyes out, to please your friends! And most of your friends are a bunch of assholes. I can't believe that you have been so foolish to let this shit enter in your house!- she went on, taking a step closer, more pissed off than ever -Do you know how long could you spend in jail for this, kid?-

His manager gave him a stern gaze, her lips now pushed one against each other in a furious grimace, her eyebrows lowered over her eyes.
-I didn't brought you until here to watch you throw it all away like this, are you listening to me? How can you risk to destroy your carreer so stupidly?- Jess continued, before forcing herself to take a deep breath, fighting the urge to smack him again; she needed to calm down and to think about this.
She needed to figure out what to do.

So, a moment later, the adult opened her mouth once more.
-I want to know if this was the first time or if you have been using this stuff before, Ethan. And don't you dare to lie to me or i'll kick you out and to the nearer Police station. I'd rather see you in jail than knowing that you're filling your body with this crap!- she concluded -And i want to know if there is more of this around the house.-

The youth let out a surprised cry as he felt her hand sharply smack him across the face. He put a hand to his cheek, the pale skin quickly turning a soft pink colour, and stared at her in disbelief. It seemed to have snapped him out his half-asleep state.

He opened his mouth to defend himself, to express his disbelief at being hit, but before he could she started to scold him with a new ferocity. Against his will, he had no had no choice but to listen to her furious words.

Ethan knew that it was serious. Even when he had been drunk last night, he had known that the drugs were going a bit too far, that it could actually get him thrown in jail and ruin his career. Jessica was perfectly entitled to call the police and cut off all ties with him, but he doubted that she would do that. She was fuming, but she wouldn't do that.

Would she?

A twinge of uncertainty began to surface in him as the young man began to panic. When she asked him questions about whether he'd taken the stuff before or if there was anymore in the house he vigorously shook his head.

"I, I don't think so! Unless one of the guests last night left some, but, I guess that's unlikely. Since it's so pricey and all." He regretted sounding so knowledgeable about it with his last remark as soon as the words left his mouth and quickly tried to clarify. "I really haven't taken it before though! I just... I know a lot of people who do! Jess, you won't call the cops. Will you?"

She gave him the most stern look in the world when he stated about the price of that stuff and the rest, like if the simple idea of him being familiar with those details was too much to bear; she had met him when he was nothing more than a child and now she was staring to a young man.

Jessica had seen him growing up and she had helped him to become the worldwide known superstar that he was today, dealing with the problems of his young age and the fact that he had a shitty family, and she was now really fond of him.
That was why the idea of Ethan snorting that crap had made her snap like that.

Anyway, after the first moment of pure rage, when he asked her not to report him once more, she slowly started to calm down, at least enough to decide what to do right after.
-Then you'll will cut off those people from your life, Ethan.- she told him a second later and she was quite determined -And i mean, completely. I don't give a fuck if they are your best mates, you won't go around with junkies, is that clear?- Jessica added and it was sounding like an order, more than like a "kind suggestion".

Said that, the older woman took a step back, turning her head to look at the minibar again, shaking her head and huffing in annoyance.
-How could you do this...- she muttered bitterly, before speaking again -Alright, i won't call the cops...for the moment.- Jessica went on -Now i have to drive to town to convince those people that you've skipped the interview for some socially acceptable reason and that could take me a while.-

His manager gazed at him with the kind of expression that a pissed off parent could use with a really unruly child.
-In the meantime you will clean up this mess, are you listening to me? And when i say you, i mean YOU, with your own hands. No maids or anyhting like that, no one has to see this. Take a shower, swallow a couple of aspirins and then move your lazy ass.- the blonde woman poked his chest with her index finger a couple of times, to force him to focus -I'll be back in a few hours and i want to find this shit gone forever, got it? As for the living room, i want it spotless; right now it looks like a strip club after a bombing.-

Finally, she snorted toward him like an angry animal, starting to walk toward the door, to reach the stairs.
-If you've not obeyed when i come back, we're done.- was her conclusion.

And so, with that ultimatum, Jessica left the house, slamming the main door quite strongly.

The door slammed shut and Jessica had left, leaving Ethan alone in his oversized home. Her words played over in his head and he let out a groan of disbelief that he'd screwed up so badly. Even if she agreed to keep him on, she was going to hold this against him for a long time, and Jessica wasn't good company when she was mad.

"Fuck..." He didn't much like the sound of cleaning by himself either.

There was a reason he employed maids to do that for him. The young rockstar was used to having others pick up after him by now, so the thought of having to make the mansion presentable again by himself (especially when hungover) made him want to just crawl back into bed again and sleep. But he knew he couldn't do that. As foolish as he could be sometimes, he wasn't stupid enough to directly disobey his manager now. He had a feeling that she had meant it when she said that if she came back and the mess was still there, their partnership was over.

Jessica was a hard ass, but Ethan knew that she knew the music business better than anyone. He couldn't afford to lose her.

So, with much groaning and grumbling to himself, Ethan began to tidy up his home. He threw away the white powder first, which was easy and rather cathartic, since he was kind of mad at its existence since it had gotten him into trouble. The next part was less easy. The living room was just as Jessica had described it and worse than Ethan remembered it being.

It took him more than an hour to even get it looking somewhat presentable, and even then, by the time Jessica returned, it was far from 'spotless'... But Ethan had tried.

Part of him had planned to get the maids to do it for him and just pretend to Jessica, but he knew her well enough to not underestimate her. If she was suspicious that had been the case, she would have grilled the maids until they talked and he'd just be in even deeper shit with her.

Jessica came back almost four hours later.

When she walked inside, it was clear that, even if she was still mad at him, she had had enough time to let the disappointment fade away a little, so now she was looking more calm and less willing to chop his head off.
She took off her shades entering the living room and she looked around, checking on the situation.
The curtains were still ripped and the persian rug was still missing, but the smell was almost gone, since the young man had opened the windows.
The dozens of empty glasses and bottles were now inside a couple of big, black garbage bags and the cushions were back on the couch.

The room was still a bit messy and the floor needed a good wash, but she could tell that the kid had at least tried to do what he had been told, so she decided not to scold him anymore about the matter.
Or, at least, not too much.

The woman reached the kitchen to have a glass of water, while calling out for her client.
-Ethan! Come over here!- she said loud, before drinking quickly and then going back to the living room, waiting for the youngster to appear; only when he finally joined her, she gave him one serious look, pointing out the sofa with a finger, in a demanding way.
-Sit down, kiddo.- she ordered, calling him like she used to do when he was younger -First of all, for the world you're officially sick, at the moment, so you won't leave this house for a couple of days, no matter what...understood? They accepted to postpone the interview to the next week.- she informed him.

Jessica stood there, arms folded, in front of the sofa, wanting to tower over him during the unavoidable upcoming scolding; she knew that she could be pretty intimidating and in that occasion she was doing her best to show him how pissed off she was.

Only when Ethan had sat where she wanted him to be, his Manager seemed ready to start her reprimand and, when she started to speak, the woman used her most stern voice to make him understand that she was meaning business, this time.
It wasn't her usual mild rebuke.

-I hope that you understand how stupid was to let that kind of person do that in your house, Ethan.- she began -You can be smarter than that, i know it. But lately you've started to act in a way that i don't like, not at all. You're always tired, always late and always behaving like an irresponsible child.- she made him notice -And even if i know that you're very young, even if i care about you, i can't be your baby sitter all the time.-

The adult let out a deep sigh.
-You're more than a simple client, after all this time and all we have been through, you're almost like a baby brother to me. I'm worried about you, not just about your career and my paycheck.- she added, now with a softer voice -I won't sit back to watch you while you ruin your life doing this kind of things. So, if you don't start to come back on the right path, doing what i say, i'm afraid that i have no other option than to interrupt our professional relationship...-

Ethan was exhausted by the time Jessica came back, but he had taken her advice and had a few aspirin, and his headache was gone at least. He looked up when he heard her open the front door, hoping that she had calmed down a bit. Thankfully, she seemed to have. He got up when she called him, only to be ordered to park his ass back into another seat. The young rockstar looked up at her, his manager's intimidation tactics worked and Ethan did his best to look suitably contrite.

He nodded along to her words, although he cringed at the almost parental way she told him off. It made him feel like he was a little kid again, something he didn't exactly enjoy to say the least.

Being young and successful meant that it was easy for Ethan to think of himself as more of a grown up than he actually was. While he was nineteen and therefore not a child, he was still young and had a lot to learn about the world.

"Sorry. It won't happen again," he said quietly, an expression that wasn't too far away from a pout on his face. He'd washed the smudged eyeliner off his face and changed into a fresh set of clothes, but his hair was still in an untidy mop that left strands of strawberry blond hair across his eyes, making him look all the more young and childish. Especially when coupled with that expression.

He had his arms folded across his chest and although he knew better than to argue with her, it was clear that the youth was finding it hard to keep up his sweet 'I'm really very sorry' face for long.

It was true that he genuinely felt stupid for the drugs, and he didn't want to worry Jessica, but he was proud and being told off rubbed him the wrong way.

His manager looked down at him when he answered and she raised an eyebrow, in an incredulous expression.
-...that's all?- she asked, harshly-Do you realize how important is this? You're not taking this matter seriously enough, in my opinion.- she went on -You're looking at me like a pouting toddler and i know that you're feeling more sorry about your Ego than about your terrible behaviour. I know you, i can almost see the gears moving inside your head.- she lectured him again.

At this point, Jessica let out a deep sigh, taking a step back and shaking her head.
He could have throw his entire career, with that stupid party, but he wasn't looking like if he had fully understood that.

-Alright, i've already wasted enough time, for today.- the adult added after a moment, opening her purse and pulling out a big, white envelope -I've been thinking about the current situation, so i've stopped by at my office before coming back here and i've printed a new contract for you. I'm going to leave it here, so you can read it and think about it during the next two days, since you can't go anywhere, anyway.- Jess said. throwing the envelope on the coffee table.
-On the financial side, everything is still the same. I don't care for more money, i hope that you know me well enought to know that, by now. The problem is your attitude, so i've introduced some disciplinary clauses, at the end of the contract.- the woman informed him, closing her purse once more and starting to walk away -You won't like them, but if you want to keep work with me, you'll have to accept them. Take your time to think about all this and give me a call when you've made up your mind. If you decide not to sign the new contract, i'll pay you the due penalty and i'll rip the old one, i'm not going on like this.-

Jessica was now almost at the main door, but she could still see him, sat on the couch; she turned one last time, and she suddenly throw something toward him.
It was a little velvet box, the ones that were used in the jewellers.
Inside of it, there were a couple of gold ear piercing, one of which had a little ruby on it.

-Anyway, happy birthday. At least i hope that you've had a great time, at the party.- she concluded and now, behind her anger for the drugs and all the rest, in her voice there was more than a hint of bitterness; she had always organized all his other birthday parties, since when she had took him under her wing, and even if she was too tough to admit it, it was clear that being left out this year had hurt her feelings -See you, Ethan.-

Said that, she left.

Ethan caught the box that she threw at him and opened them as Jessica was turning to leave. When he saw what was inside, he felt a genuine feeling of guilt rise up within him and he opened his mouth to speak, but Jessica had gone, and he felt too embarrassed to chase after her.

They were just his style. Jessica knew him well.

The young man sighed and let himself flop backwards on the couch he had been sitting on. He ran a hand over his face, groaning a little. Despite his bad attitude with his manager, he knew in his heart that he was in the wrong. Maybe he could smooth things over with her when she next came round, maybe he could say sorry to her properly. He'd wear the earrings as well.

After a minute or so, he sat up again, remembering the contract that she'd left in a brown envelope on his coffee table. With some apprehension, the rockstar opened it up and looked at the contents. Ethan's eyes slowly widened as he read over the text, reading the words over again to make sure he wasn't just imagining things.

It had a lot of the typical, boring contract-y language in it, the kind that made the young star zone out quickly, but his attention was held with this particular document because of its shocking stipulations.

Physical punishments? More specifically, spankings? Not only that, time outs, groundings, writing lines... Jessica had not been kidding when she said that she was changing things. If anyone else had given Ethan this, he would have laughed it off as a joke and told them not to treat him like a kid, but Jessica wouldn't joke about something like this.

Of course, his initial reaction was to think, 'No way am I signing this! This is insane! She must have gone crazy!'

However, the more he thought about it, the more he considered the reality of what would happen if he didn't sign it.

Jessica was only suggesting this because she knew that there was a very good chance he would feel urged to accept it. He had star power and charisma, but he wasn't savvy when it came to the business side of things. He needed her and she knew it.

"Damn it... Crazy. Totally crazy." Ethan muttered to himself. He put the contract back on the table and stood up, going to light a cigarette and smoking it in an aggravated manner until he was drawn back to the contract. He swore to himself. He tried to think of ways around it. But eventually he caved, and he signed it.

Once back in her car, Jess turned on the radio and she set the volume so high that the music could overcome her own thoughts, then she drove away.

She was feeling angry, disappointed and nervous; she was risking to loose her best client but, she realized, her real concern was not about that.
She was worried about the kid, about his new "life style" and she was scared by the idea of him becoming just another drug addicted with a famous name.
She had seen that happen a lot of times, but in this particular occasion, she was emotionally involved and that was torturing her.

-Damn it, Ethan...- she muttered, while her jeep was leaving his property to reach the highway -Stupid kid.-

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

During the following two days, Jessica pretended that Ethan didn't existed.
She allowed him to think about the new contract and about the way that it could change their relationship; she knew that the teen would call her, at some point.
With good or bad news.

So, the woman simply waited, giving him all the time that he could need to accept the fact that, one way or another, his professional future was going to change drastically, after his party.

That was going to be his first lesson about unpleasant consequences.

Despite grudgingly accepting that he had no choice but to sign the contract, Ethan didn't call Jessica straight away. He didn't want to think about what he'd have to say to her. But he had questions about the contract. The main question being 'Are you serious?' Part of him hoped that she would just get it over with and be the one to call him, but it seemed like Jessica was not intending to do that. He had been a little bit sulky when he realised that. He knew that she had other clients, but he was aware of their closeness, and he had often allowed himself to think that he was her favourite. So to be ignored, even for a couple of days, bruised his ego a bit.

After nearly two days had passed, Ethan decided that he could put it off no longer and called her. As the phone rang, he paced around his living room, trying not to overthink what he would say, while reminding himself not to sound like he had been going over what he should say to her over and over in his head.

When she picked up, he spoke quickly, unable to help himself.

"Jess!" He wasn't very successful at hiding his emotions, as was typically the case with him. "Look... I signed the contract. But I'm still confused. You know that I had to, 'cause I wouldn't do so well if it wasn't for you being my manager... But some of the things it says, you were joking right?"

For a while, he had been tempted to scrub his signature out. She hadn't made a copy with his signature, so he could still shred it if he wanted. But... He knew that the reality was that he wouldn't. He only hoped that some of what had been written in the document's text were not serious, and only there to intimidate him into stepping back onto the straight and narrow.

When her phone rang, Jessica picked it up from the desk of her office, taking a look at the name that was flashing on the screen and she took a deep breath; there was a possibility that she was about to lose her bigger client and, at the same time, a person that she had learned to love, during the last few years.
Despite everything, she was really fond of the boy.

So, after answering the call, the woman couldn't push back a smile when she heard the voice tone of Ethan: he was sounding confused, and that was normal, but the way he had said her name had made clear that he was also kinda happy to listen to her.
His manager felt so relieved that she had to force herself to answer him in a professional way.

-Hi, kid.- she responded, with her most calm voice -I'm glad that you have understood what was best for your career.- she went on -And i'll be there this evening, to talk about the details, but no, i'm not joking. All that is written in that contract, is intended to be taken very seriously.- she concluded -Now i have to go, but we will talk about it later, in person, okay? See you soon.-

And with that, she interrupted the call.
She wasn't angry at him anymore, but she wanted the boy to brood a bit more.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was almost dinner time when Jessica opened the mansion's main door, walking in with a big pizza box in her hand; she knew that he liked pizza a lot and well, a little bribe could be useful, in their situation.
Besided, she wanted to show him that, even with the new contract in the picture, she was still the same person, capable of joking around and have fun....when it was the right time.

-Ethan?- she called for him, reaching the coffee table in front of the big couch and putting down the pizza -Take a couple of beers from the fridge and come to sit down with me.- she added, taking a seat -And bring the contract, please.-

Her plan to make him brood had worked. After she had hung up the phone, Ethan had spent the rest of the day reading over the contract, putting it down, pacing around and trying to do something else, then going back to reading the contract again. Jessica had said that everything on the contract was serious. But surely… Surely she was just trying to scare him?

When his manager arrived, a pizza in tow, the young rockstar couldn’t help but seem pleased to see her. He badly needed to talk things over with her. The pizza was a nice bonus too. Perhaps she was no longer as upset with him as she had been the last time they’d met.

He was wearing the earrings she had bought him for his birthday and he looked far more vibrant than he had the last time she’d seen him. Full of his normal, natural energy, even if he was still a bit nervous. Whereas last time, he had been sluggish and tired from the party the night before.

“Sure, give me a moment.” Ethan went to the kitchen to fetch the beers and sat down beside Jessica, he put the contract down in front of her. He dared to hope that this was the part where Jessica would laugh and say that it had all been a joke to make him sweat a bit and teach him a lesson. “

Jess opened up the pizza box, letting the pleasant smell of melted cheese to invade the room.
When Ethan joined her, she almost immediately noticed that he was wearing the earrings that she had gave him for his birthday and she smiled slightly: what a smart rascal, he was.

She took off her shades, to look at him in his eyes, and once he was sat next to her, she took a big slice of pizza from the box, using a napkin, and she offered it to him.
-Extra cheese, like always.- she told the boy, with a calm voice, before throwing a glance at the contract on the table -...are sure that you have read it that for good, from the top to the bottom? I don't want to trick you into anything.- she added, now a bit more seriously -I'm sure that you have a lot of questions, but first there is something that i want to tell you, uhm?-

His manager bent over to have a slice of pizza too and she took a couple of bites, before actually starting to talk.
-First of all, i don't want to give you another lecture, okay? I gave you one the other day and i hope that it was enough to make you think about the situation.- she started, staring at him with her big, hazel eyes -But the thing is that, like it or not, you're very, very young while i could almost be your mom, so it's normal that we approach things in different ways. When we started to work together, you were fifteen years old, Ethan, you were a child.- Jessica smiled at him -A really talented one, but a child anyway. And usually when i work with kids like you, the family is a very important part of the pictrure...but we both know that that's not your case.- she grabbed her beer, to take a sip, before going on -Now, the point is that even if you like to think about yourself like a man, someone who knows his stuff, well....you're a teen, Ethan. You just turned nineteen, in some states you could not even buy your own beer, and i'm not saying this to make you feel bad. I care about you.-

The woman took a short pause at this point, to let her words sink in his mind, to give him time to understand what she was talking about.
-But kiddo, teens need someone to show them the way and, since we're talking about the music business here, i'm the right person to help you out with all this, at least for the moment. Of course, you could always fire me and look for someone else, i know more than a few persons that would do pretty much anything to have my job, because you make a lot of money.- she let out a little, sad laugh -The problem is that i always had the bad habit to develop some kind of attachment to my clients, despite my "fame" i'm quite an emotional person. And after so many time, now i'm pretty fond of you, Ethan. I want you to reach the sky, but at the same time i don't want to sit back and look while you throw away your health and all the rest, behaving like a spoiled child, avoiding responsabilities and poisoning yourself with that shit.-

Now the adult gave him one intense glare, hoping that he would feel that she was saying all that because she was truly interested in his life, and not because she simply didn't want to loose a client.
-That contract will help you to put things back in the right perspective. And if i have to play the villain of the tale for a while, i'll do it.- she concluded.

Ethan wasn’t always the best at listening to other people. It wasn’t that he didn’t care, it was just that being young and impulsive, sitting still and listening was not always the most interesting thing for the young man to do. However, he could tell how serious Jessica was being and he had just about enough good sense to listen to her. While he felt himself shift in embarrassment at her reminding him of his youth and he opened his mouth to protest that he wasn’t a child, he closed it again. She was calm now, but he knew that he shouldn’t push her the wrong way.

When he finished, he finally ate the slice of pizza that she’s handed to him. The thick cheese slathered on top of it was still piping hot and almost burned his mouth. It was delicious, but he couldn’t concentrate on it with the the weight of everything his manager had just said.

“I know you care about me, Jess.” He admitted, looking a little sheepish as he spoke. His rock and roll image, coupled with still being a teenage boy, made admitting such a thing kind of embarrassing for him. He lowered his eyes as he spoke, fiddling with the bottle of beer that he hadn’t opened yet. “The party was stupid. I didn’t mean for it to get so out of hand.” He confessed, his voice quiet, barely above a murmur.

“But the contract… It uh… It mentioned,” he bit his bottom lip slightly then rubbed the back of his neck. “You know.” He was clearly referring to the physical punishments that were detailed in the document. What else could make him squirm like that? “I know I’m young, but I’m not a kid.”

There was a slightly petulant note in his voice at the last part. He couldn’t help it. He really did feel bad for making Jessica so angry and disappointed in him, but he still felt like being spanked was a step too far. Even being told off by her had always made him whine that he wasn’t a kid, ever since he had been fifteen.

-Well, that's something.- she answered with a wide smile when he admitted that he knew that she cared about him; like all teens, showing his feelings was embarrassing him a bit, she could see that in his eyes and in the way that he was now looking down.
She couldn't avoid thinking that, right there, right in that moment, he was looking even younger than he was.
Jessica almost felt the need to comfort him, since the young rockstar seemed so contrite, while talking about the party.

-We agree on that.- the adult added when he said that the party had been a stupid idea -And i'm sure that you weren't expecting that huge mess, but that proves me even more right; you can't handle this world on your own, not yet. All the people that were here the other night, they did it because you're famous and rich. They don't care about you, i have seen the same persons hanging out with different "stars", year after year, since i moved here. They are a bunch of gold diggers, just opportunists. Don't think about them as friends, because if you were in trouble, they would disappear, trust me.- she concluded.

The manager then listened at his next worries about the contract, giving him the possibility of asking his questions, and she rolled her eyes at the ceiling when he detected that hint of petulance in his voice.

-Yes, you are.- was her first and sharp response to his last protest -And the fact that you need to say that you're not a kid all the time, proves it. Adults don't need to convince others that they know what they are doing, they just do what they have to do, and they don't care so much about people's opinion.- she explained to him -Ethan, there is nothing bad in being young. I would sell my sould to the devil itself, to go back to your age. But the biggest problem is that you didn't had the most classic childhood, i'm afraid. Your lack of discipline is impressive, i'm sorry to say this, but it's true...and you need discipline, to become someone.- Jess smiled at him, once more -So i'm going to take care of that, even if you won't like it. Someday you'll thank me for being such a pain in the ass, believe me.-

She took another sip from her beer.
-Now...stop acting silly and ask me your questions, because i'm sure that you have a lot.-

Ethan bristled slightly as she told him that the people he thought of as his friends were just gold diggers. Sure, he wasn't naive enough to think that they were all friends for life, but he was sure that at least some of them genuinely liked him. Besides, she hadn't spoken to most of them. How could she know that they were all like that?

He folded his arms across his chest defensively at the accusation, getting dangerously close to sulking, when she told him to go ahead and ask the questions that he no doubt had. She was right, he did have questions. But getting together the nerve to ask them was no easy task.

"The contract... It... It, well you know what it said. You wrote it." He finally said, sounding awkward. His arms were still folded defensively and he tried not to sound half as embarrassed and foolish as he felt. "It said stuff about 'punishments'. Was that all serious?"

He couldn't bring himself to actually mention the specifics, feeling that if he did then it would become all the more real.

Jessica had been right. His childhood had been far from perfect. His parents had never cared about him. They hadn't cared to discipline him or pay attention to him, and that had played a part in how Ethan had turned out. Even now, he still craved attention and approval. That had perhaps been a factor in him going into the music industry, but it also meant that he could behave foolishly at times to impress others.

Jessica sighed, before letting out a giggle, when he folded his arms on his chest, just like a brooding teenager...that was what he was, after all,
-Don't pout.- she told him, stretching out a hand to give him a couple of affectionate pats on his leg -You know, you look a lot like my brother Alex. Did i ever told you that i have two younger siblings? One brother and one sister, they are more or less your age. That's why i understand what's going on in that head of yours.- she added, before closing her mouth for a moment, letting him speak.

And then, she nodded.
-Like i told you before, it's all very serious.- the woman said -You've skipped an important part of your childhood and that affects you today. Now i'll ask you a question, okay? Have you ever been grounded, in your life?- Jess looked at him in an inquiring way -Did your parents spanked you, at least once, when you were younger?- she added, calmly -I know that you think that you're too old for all this, but you're not. In most families, parents keep disciplining their children even when they are in college and it's perfectly normal. I know that i'm not a member of your family, but still...you need to be led back on the right path, kid. And right now, i'm the only who can do that.-

Ethan hadn't known that Jessica had two younger siblings. Despite knowing her since he had been fifteen and her being one of the most important people in his life, there was a lot he didn't know about her. She seemed like quite a private person to him, but all the same, he was surprised it had never come up. He couldn't imagine the younger siblings. All he could picture was two slightly smaller, younger versions of Jessica.

"No, they didn't." He replied to her questions, still somewhat sheepish when talking about this topic. "I know that I screwed up, Jess, but I'm on the right path. Aren't I? I mean, I'm rich, I'm famous, I'm successful. A lot of people my age aren't." He whined, once more sounding a bit younger than his years.

He didn't mean to come across as spoiled or bratty, but he truly did think that she was exaggerating how much he needed discipline in his life when he had managed to get so far at such a young age.

At this point, when the boy mildly protested once more, Jessica frowned, and this time for real.
Her annoyed expression was back and it was her turn to fold arms, giving him one stern look.

-We're not talking about arriving late to rehearsal, not anymore.- she told him, suddenly with a cold voice -I found cocaine in your home, Ethan. And the worst thing is that you had used it.- she went on -You're beyond "screwing up", young man. You could go to jail for that, so i think that you should be grateful for the prospect of being grounded instead of that.- she told him, to force him to think about how serious the whole matter was.

Then, she shook her head from side to side, with an irritated sigh.

-Being rich and famous doesn't mean that you're on the right path.- his manager went on, and now she was clearly scolding him again -Do you know how many "shooting stars" have lived in this city in the last ten years? Yes, you've reached the top now, but if you want to stay there, you have to grow up. And your music must grow up with you.-

Said that, the woman put down her beer, and she grabbed the contract from the table.
-So now, i want you to think about what you want for your future, kiddo. I give you one last chance of ripping this paper apart and to look for another manager. I won't hate you for that, no hard feelings, i promise.- Jessica spoke again, slowly and with a determined voice tone -But if you decide to stay with me, things will change a lot. And you can bet your tongue that i will stick to my word, Ethan. If you keep acting like an irresponsible child, i'll teach you not to do the same mistake over and over...and i'll do it giving you a cherry red ass, like your parents should have done long time ago.-

Despite knowing better, Ethan rolled his eyes as she began to scold him again. He knew that it was serious and that he had really crossed the line with the drugs, but he was tired of being scolded by her. He had apologised for it, and he wanted to move on. He had signed the contract, he had said he wouldn't do it again, wasn't that enough?

Why did she have to keep rubbing it in?

His face flushed slightly as she mentioned spanking him and he sunk lower in the chair, a defiant yet sulky look on his face as she told him off. "You know that I can't tear it up. You're the best manager in the business." He muttered, not bothering to look at her as he gave his response.

Part of him wanted to tear up the contract, to rip it up into shreds, but he couldn't. He was annoyed too now, and embarrassed, but he didn't want to lose her. Thankfully, his pride hadn't completely overtaken what little common sense he had.

"You won't need to do that to me anyway, I already told you that I was sorry." He huffed, sounding more petulant than he had meant to.

The woman was aware of how embarrassing that conversation could be for him, but it was part of the price to pay for acting so stupidly at his party, in her opinion.
And she definitely didn't liked how his expression was changing now; that challenging grimace on his face, along with him rolling his eyes at her words, made the adult frown even more.

-And that's the only reason, Ethan?- she asked him, with a stern voice, when he declared that he could not tear the contract apart because she was the best manager around; she wanted him to admit that she was right, without a "but" right after.
She wanted him to see the truth, but suddenly Jessica realized that probably it would take some time, to make him understand that she was meaning business, this time.

-Yes, you've said so, but i'm not totally sure that you were being 100% sincere. You're probably thinking that i'm just a pushy old lady and that i should leave you alone, right now.- the adult started to tap the carpet with the tip of her boot, in a nervous twitch -If i had a mirror now, i could show you how you're looking. You're giving me an attitude, even without speaking, kid. And the worst thing is that you do that all the time, not just with me.- she concluded, finally folding the contract and making it disappear in her purse.

-Anyway, i won't smack you for the party, so relax. Your precious butt is safe and sound, for now.- she went on, taking another slice of pizza -But i will ground you, for that. You won't go to any party or anything like that for the rest of the month, are you listening to me? I want you to stay at home working on the new song or with the band, preparing yourself for the next concert. You'll be playing in New York the next month, do you remember that?- Jessica added -So no dinners out of town, no ladies sleeping here every night, no nothing. I want you to work and that's it. Got it?-

"Got it." Ethan replied, but without changing his expression, the one that Jessica had just told him off for wearing across his face like a sulking child.

He had never been grounded before, and a month without parties, without dinners in fancy restaurants and all the other things he wanted to do almost felt like a prison sentence to the young man. However, he was naive and thought that after a week or so she'd let up, and he'd be able to go out and do as he liked once more. A month was an impossibly long time to make someone stay cooped up in a house for. Wasn't it?

Even Jessica couldn't be serious about that.

"Is that all?" He asked, his brattishness shining through again with the impatient way he asked that question.

He figured that if she was going to treat him like a child anyway, he would make no effort to be grown up about all of this.

-Yes, it's all...for now.- Jessica answered his cheeky question, before quickly moving her free hand to grab him by his ear, giving him one good tug, making him bent his head a bit, just like any adult dealing with a sassy child -And stop looking at me that way, you rascal. I'm the one who should be pissed, not you.- she rebuked him, letting him go right after -Come on, open up that beer and turn on the tv, let's eat and forget about this, uhm?- was her last proposal.

Apparently, that had been just a little warning, to prove him that she was ready to punish him, just like she had told.
And so, the evening continued...

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

When, later that night, his Manager finally stood up, ready to go, she picked up her purse and her jacket, wearing it over her shirt.

-Okay, it's time to go.- she said, looking down at him -I'll call you tomorrow, Ethan. Remember what i told you about going out without permission and fooling around, until the end of the month, uhm? Don't make me turn nasty, kid.- she started to walk toward the door -Stay out of trouble and focus on work, for once. See you soon!-

A moment later, the woman was gone.

Despite everything, Ethan was able to relax a bit and enjoy her company for the rest of the evening. He was capable of being moody and stubborn, but he was also not the type to hold grudges for long. After a beer and the rest of the pizza, it was almost like how things had been before between them and all in all, it was quite nice to spend time with her. When Jessica wasn't telling him off for something or bossing him about, he really did like her. It was as she said, he had never really had proper parenting from his mother or father, and in a way Jessica felt like she had taken up their role. A sort of big sister. Not that he would openly admit that to her.

Especially not after she had said she would spank him if he went over the line.

He said goodbye to her and began to work on the newest song for the band, deciding that he may as well start things off right and do as he was told for once. Besides, he loved his work. It wasn't just the partying and the fame that made him want to be a rockstar, he loved performing and he loved making music. So although he wasn't pleased about being grounded for a month, he didn't mind spending a night in instead of going out to work on a new song.

---

Days passed, and after one week, Ethan began to feel antsy and fed up with being grounded. He wanted to go out. He wanted to go get drunk somewhere and forget about his responsibilities. It had only been a week, but even that felt like a long time for the teenage rockstar.

He went over what Jessica had said to him when they'd gone over the contract together. How he had better not cross her and make her mad again. But if she didn't know about it, then she couldn't get mad. Once that thought had entered his mind, it couldn't be dispelled, and within the hour, the mischievous young man had put on a punkish change of clothes and had headed out in one of his cars to paint the town red.

"Chef's paradise" was one of the most luxurious and expensive restaurant in town and Jessica loved to dine there, from time to time; in some occasions she used to go there with some client or some colleagues, but sometimes she had the habit to book a table just for herself.

That night, she was there with a couple of friends, doing some small talk over a delicious lobster, relaxing after a day of hard work.
The woman was wearing an elegant black dress and some really high heeled shoes, for the occasion; something really different from her usual "casual style".

She had raised her glass of white wine to make a toast, letting out a little laugh, when her attention was captured by a familiar face, at the restaurant's entrance, on the other side of the hall.
That face was not supposed to be there, just like the rest of his owner's body, and after less than a moment, Jessica frowned deeply.

-I can't believe it, he could not stand not even a whole week...- she muttered, narrowing her eyes and observing how Ethan was walking inside with some hot chick that she didn't knew, following the waiter toward a corner table.

Ethan and his date were seated at a corner table, next to a long window that looked out onto the city's skyline. He had eaten here a few times, normally with Jessica, and he had known it would be just the place to impress the young lady he was with. Everyone knew most people had to book far in advance to get a table in this restaurant, but for Ethan, it was easy. He could just show up and they made space for him.

He was currently enjoying her swooning over him so much that he didn't even notice that Jessica was in the same restaurant and was glaring daggers over at him.

Meanwhile, back at his manager's table, her friends had noticed the sudden change in Jessica's demeanour and they followed her eyes over to where Ethan was sitting. They recognised Ethan of course, and knew that he was one of their friend's clients, but didn't understand the reason she was so visibly pissed off at him being here.

"What is it, Jess?" One of her friends asked curiously, taking a sip of wine.

Jessica turned her face to look at her friend, when the other woman asked her what was going on and she forced herself to smile.
-Uhm, nothing too serious.- she told them -It's just that he should not be here. You know, there is a very big concert in a couple of weeks and he's working on a new song.- she tried to explain, despite the rage that she was starting to feel inside.
After what he had done, he could not even obey her on something that easy!

His manager looked toward the kid once more, taking a sip from her wine and then putting down the glass; no, she couldn't let that pass.
She had to show him that trying to fool her was wrong and that he has to pay a price for his actions.
So, a minute later, she stood up.

-Excuse me for a moment, girls. I'll come back soon.- she told them, before heading toward her bratty client, approaching him from behind, so he could not see her coming.
Once she had reached his table, the tall woman gave one uninterested glance at the brunette that was with him, folding her arms over her chest.

-Guess who should not be here.- was her greeting, a second after; she had spoken with her most stern voice, sure that he would recognize her immediately -You know, i hate when people think that they can trick me...- she added, looking down at him.

She was right, Ethan could tell who was standing behind him before he even turned around. He looked over his shoulder, looking like a child who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He couldn't talk his way out of this one and he knew it.

"Jess... What are you doing here?" He asked nervously, trying to smile. He hoped that she would at least not make a scene in front of everyone, but he wouldn't have put it past her to drag him by the ear out of this restaurant if she felt like it. He looked over at his date, hoping that her presence might at least provide him with a stay of execution, at least. "Jess, this is Hannah." He introduced, "Um, Hannah. This is my manager."

"Pleased to meet you." The young woman said. She was about Ethan's age and very pretty. Ethan was a good looking young man, and he tended to choose his female companions on looks rather than personality.

Ethan tried not to visibly panic, but he knew that Jessica was very annoyed with him. If her tone of voice hadn't been enough of a clue, then her expression was.

-I'm eating something with some friends.- she answered him, with a severe grimace on her face -How about you? I could ask you the same question, Ethan.- she added, before that he tried to save his ass (literally!) introducing her Manager to his date.

Jessica gave a little smile to the girl.
-The pleasure is all mine. But you'll have to excuse me, because i need to speak with him in private for a moment. You won't mind, do you?- she said and, without really waiting for an answer, she looked at Ethan once more -Come with me.- was the next order.

So, the adult took a few steps away, waiting for the boy next to a huge fern, next to the restaurant's door.
Once he had reached her, Jessica almost growled at him.

-Now you listen to me and you listen very carefully, kid.- she poked his chest with her index finger, for force him to focus -You have one hour to make up an excuse, take her back home or to put her on a cab and to rush back home. Because in one hour i'll be there to deal with you and if don't find you there, then you will be in deep shit. I hope that i'm making myself clear, this time.- the blonde woman concluded.

A moment later, without letting him say a single word, she walked away, to join her friends once more and to apologize, because she was going to leave them sooner than she had thought.

Ethan followed her over to the door of the restaurant, very begrudgingly, and winced as she started to chew him out. Yup, he had been right. She was pissed at him. Really pissed.

"But Jess-" He began, trying to protest, before the look on her face told him not to even try. He didn't want to cut his date short but it was clear he didn't really have a choice, before he knew if she had marched back to her own table. He knew better than to follow her.

Ethan told Hannah that he was really sorry but he had to get going, something had come up and he couldn't be late. He was vague and sudden, and it was clear that the girl wasn't exactly pleased, but Ethan didn't have a choice. After that, he drove back to his house, feeling a clammy sweat on his palms as he pulled up into the garage.

His mind went to the contract again, imagining what Jessica was planning to do to him. He could guess, but he hoped that he was wrong.

After finishing her wine, Jessica said goodbye to her friends, apologizing once more for having to go so soon, then she marched out of the restaurant and she reached her jeep.
She was so pissed that was feeling like if her chest was about to explode.
Ethan had acted like if their deal had no value at all.

But she had easily recognized his guilty expression, when he had seen her; despite his age, he had gave her the same kind of look that a naughty child would give to an angry parent.

-Stupid kid...- she muttered, starting the car and driving away, toward his place.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jessica slammed the main door of Ethan's home exactly one hour later, walking in with a furious expression drawn on her face, and she threw her purse on the armchair in the living room, looking around for the youngster.

-Ethan, take your butt over here THIS VERY INSTANT!- she called for him, sternly -Do you think that all this is a game, don't you? Why can't you take anything seriously?!-

She waited to have him in front of her, before narrowing her eyes in an angry grimace.
-What did i told you the other day, uhm?- she questioned him -You know what will happen now, smartass?-

Ethan jumped when he heard Jessica come into the house. He was glad that the maids had gone home for the evening, he had a feeling that the house wasn't sound proof enough to keep anything Jessica did to him private. He put down the bottle of beer he had been drinking onto the kitchen countertop and reluctantly went into the living room to meet her. She still looked furious.

"Look, Jess... Calm down a bit. I know, I shouldn't have gone out. But I felt like I was going mad cooped up in here. Besides, I wasn't getting drunk or partying or anything like that, I was just going out for dinner. It's not that big a deal really."

That was a bit of a lie. It was true that he had gone out for dinner in a fancy restaurant, but if he hadn't been caught, he would definitely have gone on to other adventures later on in the evening. Still, that excuse was his one hope for a little mercy.

He looked at Jessica appealingly, doing his best to look both apologetic and appealing, hoping that she might soften a bit after hearing his excuses and let him off with a warning and a slap on the wrist.

-That's exactly the point of being grounded! It's not supposed to be pleasant!- she answered at his attempt of talking his way out of her reprimand and, even more, out of any possible punishment -I should have kicked your ass for what you did at that party, but instead i let you off the hook with a few weeks away from the night life and what is your thank?- she went on, looking at him like if she was about to eat him alive -After six days you're already out, having fun with the umpteenth girl whose name you won't even remember, in the morning. Do you think that i'm stupid, uhm?-

Jessica took a couple of steps forward, taking off her jacket and leaving it on the couch.

-We have a deal, you signed that contract.- she reminded him -And if you don't follow the rules, it means that you don't respect me...and i'll teach you what happens to kids who disobey their elders. You've been warned, Ethan.-

Said that, Jess stopped next the couch, pointing out at the floor next to her feet with her finger, in a demanding pose, clearly ordering him to go there.
-Now come over here, you've just earned the first smacking of your life, superstar.- she called him, sternly.

Ethan watched, hapless, as his manager moved over to the couch and stood by it. Pointing at the floor near to her, clearly demanding that he move. He really didn't want to. Even if he hadn't read the contract, his gut would have told him that nothing good was going to happen to him by going over there, but, at the same time, if he didn't, he knew that there would be hell to pay.

Jessica's threat of teaching him what happened to kids who disobeyed their parents went around in his head and made his insides twist nervously. He had a feeling that he'd been far too optimistic in hoping she might go easy on him. He chewed on his bottom lip for a few moments, then with a half stifled groan of frustration he moved over to stand near to her.

The youth didn't give up though, instead, he continued to try to persuade her.

"Jess, please don't." He whined, sounding more childish than he wanted to. He knew that getting spanked was a childish punishment, but he had a feeling that it would hurt all the same. If Jessica's expression was anything to go by.

She shook her head from side to side in a silent "NO", when he pleaded her not to do that.
-You had your chance to fix this the nice way, just standing at home for a while and working on your song, but you have decided to try to fool me, so now don't think that you can talk your way out of this.- Jessica scolded him once more, while the boy was finally walking toward her.
Even if a bit slowly and clearly against his will.

The woman looked at him and his posture, the way that he was talking to her, all that reminded her that her own siblings; Ethan was like a foster little brother and she really cared about him, but she couldn't let him walk away with such a behaviour.
Especially not after their last conversation and not with that contract in the picture; she had to prove him that she was serious about that.

-Ethan, stop whining and face your punishment. You've earned this yourself, young man.- she said when he had reached her, before simply taking a seat on the couch -Now bend over my lap. I've spanked my brother many times, so i'll help you to keep the right position, since you have never been spanked.- the adult added, calmly.

She wanted to make him lay down with his tors on the couch and his legs free to kick out a bit during the smacking, while his butt was going to be right over her knees; the perfect target.

Hearing that his manager had spanked her younger brother 'many times' before didn't exactly make Ethan feel any better about the situation. If anything, it made it worse.

He shook his head, raising his hands up and taking a step back. It wasn't dignified, but he couldn't just lie over her lap and accept this. Even if it was in the contract. "Jess, please. This is crazy. Look, I'll stay put for the rest of the month. You've made your point. I feel like an idiot for trying to trick you, I really do. I won't do it again."

The rockstar didn't want Jessica to think he was being pathetic, but at the same time, he couldn't stomach the thought of laying over her lap.

He didn't even really think he could talk her out of it, but he felt compelled to try.