The Music of My Heart -*NSYNC fan fiction (Ch 22)
This story is a romantic serial story featuring the public persona of a real person. I don't know these people and don't claim ownership of liknesses portrayed here except for original characters.
Zoe's post-showcase momentum takes a dark turn when she and JC encounter hostile fans who make vicious accusations about their relationship. But when her own fans approach with surprising news about her music, Zoe discovers that fame comes with consequences she never anticipated and decisions that can't wait.
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Hours later JC retreated to his home studio while Kai left to explore West Hollywood, determined to return with trinkets and mementos. Zoe found herself alone in the living room, staring at her phone.
Three missed calls from Alec. Two text messages asking her to call him back. And a voicemail she'd been avoiding.
She hit play.
"Zo, it's me. I know you're probably exhausted, but we gotta talk, kid. I have requests for meetings out the ass. Also, that Peacock thing is real. Their music supervisor has a couple of originals they're scoring and they want to meet Thursday. Call me back so we can figure out your priorities before these meetings start happening. Also..."
Alec hesitated. Zoe could tell he was holding back emotion. "Really good job last night. You smashed it."
His tone was full of pride. Whatever frustration he'd harbored about her indecision had vanished, replaced by genuine excitement about her prospects.
She dialed his number.
"Finally," he answered on the first ring. "I was starting to think you were mad at me. Or still drunk. Thanks for sneaking off, by the way. I had to put Kai in a car and send her to JC's place."
Zoe grinned. "I just...needed to process. Last night was a lot."
"It was. And it's about to be more. My phone has been screaming all morning." Papers rustled in the background. "There's some interest from Sony and Atlantic but nothing to write home about. There's an indie label called Resonance Records that I think you should seriously consider. They have an interesting model- they offer distribution but give artists a lot more creative control and ownership. Could be a good middle ground for you."
"Hang on, actually," Zoe said, though her heart was racing. "Can we meet today? Me and you? I think I need to understand all the options before I start taking meetings."
"Sure. Where? You at home?"
"Actually... I've been at JC's. He offered his house if you want to come here. And I think it might be good for all three of us to talk this through together."
A pause. "Zoe, look... I mean, I'm grateful for his help with the showcase, but-"
"He's not going to try to influence my decision, Alec. We have already had that talk and he knows protocol where you're concerned. But he does have a hell of a lot more knowledge and experience that I don't have, and neither do you. I make my own decisions but I trust his perspective."
"Okay." He sighed, resigned. "What time?"
"Four? That gives everyone time to clear their heads from last night."
"See you then. Be ready to make some decisions. We can't keep kicking this contract can down the road."
After she hung up, Zoe sat in the quiet of JC's living room, looking out at the view of the city below. Somewhere out there were offices full of people who wanted to work with her, invest in her, help her build the career she'd dreamed of for years.
The thought should have been exhilarating.
Instead, she felt like she was standing at the edge of a cliff, trying to decide whether to jump or climb back down.
But Kai was right; everyone else was making it up as they went along too. The difference was they were willing to make choices and live with the consequences.
When JC emerged from his studio an hour later, he found her curled up on his couch with a legal pad.
"Writing again?" he asked, settling beside her.
"Trying to figure out what questions I should be asking." She showed him the page, covered in her messy handwriting. "Pros and cons of major versus indie, what creative control actually means, how much I care about radio play versus streaming."
"Good start." He scanned her notes. "I'll tell you right now, streaming doesn't pay shit, but you need to be there. What about touring? Distribution internationally? Video budgets?"
Zoe slapped the legal pad down on the couch. "See, this is why I need you there. I don't even know what I don't know."
"That's what good advisors are for." He pulled her closer. "At the end of the day, this is your career. Don't let anyone, including me, talk you into something that doesn't feel right."
"What if nothing feels completely right?"
"Then you pick the option that feels most right and adjust as you go." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "That's how careers are built, one decision at a time."
When Alec arrived, he burst through the door armed with a folder, his laptop, and what looked like a gas station receipt covered in notes. Dark jeans and a button-down with loafers made him look professional, but his energy seemed scattered in every direction.
"Nice place," he said, spinning to take in JC's living room with its floor-to-ceiling windows and curated art collection. Along one wall was a lit cabinet that held his awards and accolades. Zoe spent a lot of time reading every single plaque and statue.
"Thanks. Coffee? Water?" JC moved toward the kitchen. "Something stronger?"
"Coffee would be great." Alec dumped his materials on the dining table with a thud. "And maybe something stronger later."
They gathered around JC's dining table. Alec spread notes and offer sheets across the surface, then flipped open his laptop.
"Okay." He pulled on reading glasses that Zoe had never seen before and leaned forward. "My phone has been vibrating since last night. I made some calls because honestly...I'm in over my head with some of this shit."
Zoe scooted her chair closer, studying his cramped handwriting. "What did you find out?"
"Mostly that if you're gonna do the independent thing right, you can't do it with just me." He spun his laptop around, showing her a basic spreadsheet. "I talked to this publicist who used to work at Atlantic; she just went freelance. And this radio promoter who's tired of label politics. They think we could make something work. Of course, nobody works free."
JC moved behind Zoe's chair to see the screen better. "What kind of budget are we talking about?"
"Fifty, maybe sixty grand to finish this year. That's just on a project, bare minimum basis. More if we're talking full time work." Alec traced his finger down the rough numbers. "The difference is every dollar we spend builds your career. We're not buying another yacht for the CEO of Sony. "
"Sixty grand." Zoe's stomach clenched. The number washed over her like cold water. "Might as well be twelve billion."
"Either way, you don't have that," JC said bluntly.
"Not lying around, no. But there are investors who specialize in this stuff--"
"Investors?" Zoe shot back. She pushed away from the table. "So instead of answering to a label, I answer to some suit who thinks he knows music?"
Alec stopped mid-sentence, clearly not having considered this angle. "It wouldn't be like that, Zo-"
"It would be exactly like that. Money always comes with strings." She stood up, pacing the room near the windows. "I've spent all this time trying to avoid having a boss who doesn't understand what I do."
JC moved in. "She does have a point. An investor basically means having a boss and getting pushed to do what makes money, not what she wants to do. What other options are there?"
"We start smaller," Alec said, shuffling through his papers. "Hire the publicist first, see how that goes. Add people as revenue grows. We need to talk about your social media situation."
"What about it?" Zoe asked.
"You went viral with the Treehouse video, got a lot of followers. Then the Kelly appearance bumped you up, especially since every time her team or the network posts a clip, they tag you. You're getting twenty thousand new followers a day...and you've posted nothing. Not a thank you, not a behind the scenes, not...anything. These people made you go viral, and you're ignoring them."
His tone grew serious. "Fans are fickle; you know that. JC knows that... though he's the King of not posting shit unless he has to."
JC chuckled. "Less is more, man. But...do what I say and not what I do. You should be on online if it means building your career."
"Fans aren't going to wait around forever, Zo. There are a hundred other artists posting every day, engaging with fans, building relationships."
Zoe's cheeks flushed. She flung her arms around helpelessly. "I...I don't know what to say to them."
"Say thank you. Share what you're working on. Let them see who you are." Alec leaned forward. "The people streaming your music, sharing your videos are the reason labels are calling. Don't disappear on them."
"He's right," JC said quietly. "Your fans are your foundation. Everything builds on that."
The weight of obligation settled heavily on her shoulders. "So now I have to perform online too?"
"You have to connect," Alec corrected. "There's a difference. But if you go independent, those fans are everything. They're your radio, your marketing budget, your street team. You can't do this without them."
The next hour stretched long as they worked through every option. JC asked pointed questions about coordination. Zoe scribbled notes, trying to process the magnitude of what they were discussing. Alec kept reorganizing his contracts, his nervous energy spilling over.
"This is more complicated than I thought." Zoe threw her pen down and pushed back from the table.
"Building a career always is," Alec said. "Question is if you want other people making those complications for you, or if you want some control over them."
"But what if we spend all this money and time and it doesn't work?"
"Then we learn from it and try something else. But Zoe, you've been playing it safe for eight years. Where has that gotten you?"
JC leaned forward. "He's not wrong. If you're going to compete at this level, you need infrastructure. You can't do it with good intentions and a manager that doesn't sleep."
"So what would you do?" she asked JC.
He gestured at Alec's notes. "Figure out if I want to be an artist or a business owner, first."
"I want to be the kind of person that knows every level of this business. Why can't I be both?"
"You can," Alec said. "But it means more work, more risk, more everything."
"I'm not scared of more."
Zoe stared at the contracts and notes spread across the table. Six months ago, she was desperate for any deal. Now she was choosing between options she couldn't have imagined.
"I'm scared of screwing up something good because I was too chickenshit to trust myself." She looked between them. "And I need to know you two won't let me crash and burn if I make the wrong call."
"Yeah, that sounds like me. Watch you fail and then give a nice quote to Rolling Stone about it ten years later," JC said, then snorted. "Be serious, Zoe."
She glared at him. "Asshole. That's the last time I'm vulnerable with you."
"Delusional and lying."
"We're not going anywhere," Alec said quietly. "That's not how this works."
Zoe looked around the table at the two men who'd become central to her world. Alec, who'd evolved from hustling his way up to someone with genuine vision for her career. And JC, who'd seen her potential before she did and kept pushing her toward it.
"So do both." She sat up straighter. "Meet with Resonance, but also start building some infrastructure. See which direction feels right?"
"That's..." Alec paused, considering. "Actually smart. Gives us leverage and a backup plan."
"Plus it shows you're serious about your career either way," JC added. "Labels respect artists who come with options."
"Can you set that up? Meet with Resonance and also talk to your publicist friend?"
Alec nodded, already reaching for his phone. "I'll make some calls."
"And tell RCA to fuck off while you're at it."
Alec's grin was wicked. "That'll be my pleasure."
Two days later, Zoe was in the passenger seat of JC's SUV heading toward a coffee shop in West Hollywood. She'd agreed to a meet and greet with a rep from Resonance Records. She'd chosen the location specifically because it was public enough to feel safe but not so obvious that industry people would automatically notice.
"You nervous?" JC asked, glancing over at her as they waited at a red light.
"Terrified," she admitted, adjusting her sunglasses. "What if they think I'm a dumbass?"
"They're meeting with you, so we can assume they don't. But if they did, they're not the right label." He reached over and squeezed her knee. "You're interviewing them. Don't forget that."
As they pulled into the parking area, Zoe noticed a small group of women near the coffee shop entrance, phones already out and pointed in their direction.
"JC...what the hell..."
"Must have been tipped off." His jaw tightened slightly, but his expression remained neutral. "You okay with this? You want to call them and move the meet?"
She watched the group. Maybe six or seven women who seemed to be in their thirties at least. Three months ago, she could walk anywhere without a second glance. Now people were waiting to catch her and her boyfriend getting out of a car.
"No," she said, surprising herself. "This is part of it now, right?"
"Can't have the sunshine without the rain." JC turned off the engine and looked at her, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Follow my lead. Be polite, smile, assume there is a camera somewhere. Keep moving."
They got out of the car together. The group immediately moved toward them with a low rumble, phones out and up.
"Hi, JC! Can I get a picture?" A woman in a bright jacket called out, her voice sweet but her tone demanding.
"Hi everyone," JC said, his tone pleasant but measured. He moved protectively closer to Zoe, pulling her behind him. "We're just trying to grab some coffee."
"Is that your girlfriend?" another fan asked, camera focused on Zoe. "Are you actually together?"
"Yes, we are," JC said simply.
"That's that TikTok girl," the first woman said. Her thick, furry fake lashes fluttered as she smirked at Zoe. "Bet she loves having a sugar daddy."
Zoe felt her face flush. JC's arm tightened around her waist, his body tensing. "We're going to head inside now," he said, still polite but more firm."You all have a good day."
"Come on, one selfie," another woman pressed, stepping directly into their path. "We've been waiting here for like an hour. Just you, though."
"I appreciate your support, but we have an appointment. We really need to get going," JC said, guiding Zoe around the woman.
"Seriously?! You can't take two seconds for the people who actually buy your music? You know your Spotify streams were trash until we started talking about your album, right?"
The first woman's tone turned cold. "We've been fans since MMC."
"I appreciate that, I really do," JC said, his patience clearly wearing thin. "But right now-"
"No, I get it. Too good for us since you found a fan to fuck."
Zoe's mouth dropped open. His hand pressed gently against her waist, a subtle signal that he could handle it. Though her instincts screamed to jump in, Zoe knew he was better at handling the spectacle.
"Excuse me?" JC said to the woman, staring her down. His voice, though calm, carried an unmistakable edge. "You have my attention. You were saying?"
"Nothing." Her lips curled into a smirk. "Just...you could have done a lot better."
JC's jaw tightened, but he didn't take the bait. With a gentle hand on Zoe's back, he guided her past the group. As they walked toward the entrance, one of them shouted, "Count your days, gold digging star-fucker! Remember what that guy at their retreat said? She was fucking him the whole time."
"Probably why she got the Kelly Clarkson spot too. It's amazing what happens when you spread those thighs and get that good gluck-gluck on, huh?"
The fan made loud, disgusting sucking sounds, intimating oral sex.
"Yep, she has dick-sucking lips, for sure."
Zoe's steps faltered, but JC's hand kept her moving forward. The comments followed them all the way to the door, each one landing like a physical blow.
Once they approached the door, Zoe let out a shaky breath. "I'm...so sorry, I had no idea-"
"Don't apologize," JC said, searching her face with concern. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I uh...I wasn't a popular kid. Guess I grew a thick skin." Her smile was thin and didn't fool him. "Sounds like people really paid attention to whatever Ben sold TMZ."
"Sounds like it."
Zoe's hands were shaking slightly, and her face burned hot. "They think I'm using you? That I'm some kind of... groupie that made it to your bed." Her voice caught. "And they said all that knowing I could hear them."
"Zoe-"
"Is it always like that?" The question came out more brusque than she intended. "Do your fans always hate whoever you're with?"
"No. They're not all like that. Most of my fans are good people who want me to be happy. And I am. These few..." He eyed them hanging in their cruel little circle. "They're territorial because that's kind of fandom culture. Labels use to tell us not to date. Or to date in secret. Fans don't like the idea of sharing their favorite. It's a kind of psychology. They'll come around. They don't know you yet."
"They seemed to know plenty about me."
"They know gossip and rumors. They don't know you." He turned to face her. "And you know what? They're going to have to get used to you, because I like you and you're not going anywhere. I'm not going anywhere. This is an adjustment period."
He cupped her face gently and kissed her, right there on the sidewalk where anyone could see. When he pulled back, his eyes were bright. The cool, gentle blue had returned.
"I know who you are, and I know what we have. Now let's go in there and show Resonance who you are."
An hour later, they emerged from the coffee shop after what had turned out to be a promising meeting with Resonance Records. Alec had arrived early and handled most of the business talk, while the label representative-younger than expected, more collaborative than pushy-had been genuinely interested in Zoe's vision for maintaining creative control.
"We're here for whatever you need," he'd said. "Sounds like mapping out distribution options would be most useful."
"That went better than I thought," Zoe said as they left the shop hand in hand, feeling lighter as she realized the group of fans had vacated.
"Told you. When you know what you want, these conversations get easier."
As they approached JC's car, another small group materialized. A woman with a mop of curly hair stepped forward holding up a CVS receipt and a pen with a bright smile.
"Ah, fuck," Zoe muttered.
"Are you Zoe Chapman?" She asked. "From the Kelly Clarkson show?"
Zoe stopped, startled. And confused. "Yeah, that's me."
"Oh my God! I've been obsessed with your cover of 'Since U Been Gone'! Your voice is amazing." The woman practically bounced on her feet. "Could you maybe sign this? I'm sorry it's a receipt. I heard you were here and I grabbed the first piece of paper I saw..."
"Oh! Yeah. Yes," Zoe managed, taking the pen with slightly shaking hands. "That was... that was just some fun. I appreciate that you liked it."
"And I just heard your new song earlier. Gravity, I think? It's so good! My whole feed is people trying to hit that high note in the bridge-- how do you even get up there?"
"I'm sorry...what?" Zoe's stomach dropped. "You must have the wrong song. Gravity isn't out."
The blood drained from her face as the woman happily hummed the melody of a song that wasn't meant to be heard yet.
"'I'm falling faster than I thought I ever could'...I think? I haven't memorized it yet. There's this video going around with your name on it. I just assumed..."
"Do you have a link or anything?" JC interjected. "We need to see what you're talking about."
The woman eagerly pulled out her phone and after a few taps, turned the screen to show them a shaky video clip. It opened on a dimly lit room, the camera shakily panning over music equipment and a computer screen before settling on a figure hunched over a keyboard.
"Is that supposed to be me?" Zoe asked. "This cheap AI shit with my name on it?"
The woman nodded eagerly. "That's what everyone's saying online. They think it's a leak from your recording sessions."
"Where did you find this?" he asked the woman.
"It's trending on TikTok and Twitter," she replied innocently. "People are obsessed with Zoe's new song."
She signed the receipt quickly, her handwriting shakier than usual.
Zoe exchanged a worried glance with JC, her heart pounding. "So... uhm.. people... like it?" She asked, her voice getting higher.
"Oh my God, it made me cry in my car yesterday. I'm going through a breakup and it's like...you wrote exactly how I felt. I keep playing it over and over."
"When are you going to have an album out?" Another woman asked. "I've been checking Spotify every day."
"I... I don't know.. soon, hopefully," Zoe said, glancing desperately at JC. "I should...we should probably..."
"We've got a few meetings to get to," JC smiled and pulled Zoe closer, poised to whisk her away from the lingering threat of a crowd.
The fans exchanged excited glances, a low murmur running through them as if they were collectively in on some secret. Zoe marveled at how easily he took control, steering the interaction with the fans. "Thank you for showing us the video. Zoe didn't release that. We've got to get that handled. You all take care."
Zoe practically dove into the passenger seat as soon as her door was unlocked. The moment JC closed his door, she exploded.
"What the fuck! Gravity leaked? It's on fucking TikTok?" Her voice cracked with panic. "How is my song all over the internet and I'm the last person to know?"
"Zoe, calm down-"
"Do not tell me to calm down! This is a disaster. I'm not ready for this. The EP isn't mastered, I don't have a publicity plan, I don't even have a fucking publicist!"
She was gesturing wildly now, getting louder. "And random people are singing my lyrics back to me on the street!"
Outside the vehicle, fans pointed at them, clearly hearing her raised voice through the windows. One of them was holding up her phone.
"Shit," JC muttered, putting the SUV in drive and pulling out of the parking spot. "We will handle it, Zoe. You can't explode every time something happens that you didn't plan for. That's part of the business."
"Handle it? How? I don't have a publicist! I don't have a plan! I was supposed to have time to figure this out!" She wiped her eyes furiously as he sped through a shopping center, then whipped into an empty space.
"Call Alec. Right now. Put him on speaker," JC said quietly. "Let's figure this out together."
Zoe pulled out her phone, then scrolled to his number and hit the speaker button. The interior of the car was quiet but for the ringing of the phone and Zoe's ragged breathing.
"Zoe. I already know why you're calling. I just found out. And listen, this isn't as bad as it feels right now. Leaks can actually work in your favor if we handle them right."
"How... is this good?" Zoe asked, practically shaking.
"Because now we know there's demand. We just need to move fast." Road noises muffled the next few words, but he came back a few moments later. "...we gotta hire that publicist right now. And after that meeting with Resonance today, I think our path is already set."
JC glanced at her. "He's right. You were more excited talking to them than you've been about anything else, except for Kelly."
"But-"
"You're never going to be ready," Alec interrupted. "We have to move. Let me call Diana Reeves right now and conference her in. She's sharp as hell, used to work at a label. If anyone can turn a leak into momentum, it's her."
"Do it," JC said before Zoe could protest. "We're not going home until we have a plan."
There was silence while Alec added another number to the call. After a moment, a crisp voice came through the speaker.
"Diana Reeves."
"Diana, it's Alec. I have Zoe Chapman on the line. We talked about her yesterday. We need your help. Now."
"I'm listening."
"One of her unreleased songs leaked and it's going viral on TikTok. She just found out from fans on the street."
"Hmmm." Silence, then, "How long has it been up?"
"We don't know," Zoe said, her voice still shaky. "I haven't looked at it. I don't want to see comments."
"First thing we do is get it taken down," JC interrupted, his voice tight with emotion. "All of it. Every platform, every repost, every fan-made video using her audio."
There was a raw ache to his tone that made Zoe look at him.
"I made the mistake of being too nice about this shit," he continued. "Fans took leaks of music, made their own CDs, sold them at shows, posted everything online. I never saw a dime and once that music is out there for free, you can't put it back in the bottle."
Zoe had never heard him talk about this before. She could see the pain in his profile.
"We're not making that mistake with Zoe," he said. "Diana, what do we need to do to protect her work and get ahead of this?"
"The takedown notices are Alec's job. He needs to file those immediately," Diana said. "My job is controlling the narrative. We announce an official release while the buzz is hot, make it clear this is Zoe's work and where people can legally support her. Turn the leak into a launch."
"How fast can we do that?" Zoe asked, wiping her eyes.
"Depends. Is the song ready for release? Mixed, mastered, artwork done? Does Zoe have a website, a bio, photos?
"Yes," Alec said. "Her website is pretty current. The EP is being mastered. We were waiting on it to be finished before-"
"Forget the EP for now," Diana interrupted. "We release Gravity as a standalone single. Today's Friday...in my experience it takes about forty eight hours to get a song up. You need to start on that immediately. It can be up tomorrow at the earliest, Sunday at the latest."
"That's not enough time-" Zoe started.
"We'll make it enough time," JC said, glancing at her. "Every hour that leak stays up without an official version is money and control you're losing."
"He's right," Diana continued. "If people are already connecting with your music, we need to get control and give them the right way to support you. And if that account that leaked your music is claiming to be your official account, you may need to be prepared to buy the username from them."
"I'll work on that. What about the label situation?" Alec asked. "We just met with Resonance this morning-"
"If they want to work with you, they'll see this as proof of concept. You're not signed to them, so they have no say in what you do right now."
"I don't...know how to get a song on Spotify," said Zoe.
"That's where I come in," JC said. "Get me the file and my team can set it up."
"Perfect," Diana said. "While you're handling the technical side, I'll craft the messaging. Social media announcement, press release, maybe reach out to some music bloggers who've been covering the leak. I'll need credentials for all of Zoe's accounts."
"Wait, people are writing about it?" Zoe's voice pitched higher again.
"That's good, Zoe," Diana said firmly. "Attention is good. We need to make sure they're writing about you and your music career. Not some anonymous leaked track."
JC was already scrolling his phone. "Diana, what do you need from us for the announcement?"
"I'll mock up something for Zoe to mark up. I'll need her to add a quote about the song, some basic bio info, and a timeline for when it'll be officially available. Keep it simple but professional."
"Okay. I'll look for it," Zoe said, feeling steadier now that they had a plan.
"Good. Alec, I'll send you my contract. Nothing gets sent out until it's signed." Diana's stiff, businesslike approach was oddly comforting. "Gentlemen, pleasure meeting you. Zoe, we'll talk. Welcome to the music business."
After they hung up, JC and Zoe sat in relative quiet as he navigated the traffic back to his house. The adrenaline was wearing off, leaving Zoe feeling drained.
"You okay?" JC's voice was low and careful as they pulled into his driveway, the SUV crunching over gravel as they waited for the garage door to lift. Zoe glanced over at him, her eyes still showing the chaos of the morning.
"I think so," she said after a breath. "It's just..." She paused as if the right words were hidden somewhere in the complicated mess of her emotions. "Not what I was planning to do with my day."
JC parked and turned off the engine, letting silence settle in the car. "That's how it happens sometimes. Fast and messy."
They walked into the house to find Kai sprawled on the couch, surrounded by shopping bags and scrolling her phone.
"Hey, you two," she said without looking up. "How was your day?"
Zoe and JC looked at each other. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then JC started to chuckle, and Zoe felt laughter bubbling up.
"You're not gonna believe this shit," Zoe said, collapsing into the chair across from Kai.
I’ll be participating in the Black Romance Bookfest next weekend, so I won’t have time to even think about writing, so I’ve uploaded two chapters this week. See you soon!