A great privilege.
The shock gripping a tight hold on Mark let go of him a bit, he managed to sit down. He was so curious right now, he had lots of questions to ask. Ben noticed the curiosity on his face and wanted to lessen it a bit, so he said,
"I know you are so curious on how I met with the great Arnold, don't worry, I am gonna explain. The great Arnold, should I go on with the explanation"?
"Yeah, you should". Arnold uttered granting full permission.
Mark widely opened his ears, he wanted to listen to the explanation to its very end without any interruption. Ben moved closer to Mark before he began explaining,
"Mark, I have always wanted to surprise you with something big. You have done a few collaborations with other artistes in the past, but none of those artiste happens to be popular or big artiste in the music industry. I have always wanted you to collaborate with a very famous artiste in the music industry, maybe your fame could develop from there. I have been sending your songs to Arnold for months now to see if any of them could fascinate him enough for him to agree to a collaboration with you, but to no avail. I began thinking your songs couldn't catch Arnold's attention, but I didn't stop, I kept on sending it to him. To my greatest surprise, after sending one of the songs in your recent studio album titled 'Wishes and hopes' to him, he sent me a personal message saying he wants to know more about you. He told me the song 'Wishes and hopes' caught his attention, and it made him listen to the rest of your songs I had been sending to him. He told me he loved your style of singing and he wanted a collaboration with you. I explained everything regarding the slowness of your music career to him, I told him how hard you've been striving to attain fame as an artiste, but you aren't getting the type of respect you want as an artiste".
Ben paused, he had been looking downwards since he started the explanation. He looked at Mark and noticed he was paying rapt attention, his curiosity wasn't fully satisfied yet.
"Go on, or has it ended"? Mark queried.
Ben looked at Arnold and could sense that Arnold was waiting for the explanation to end for the main deal to begin, so he hastened the remaining part of the explanation to Mark.
"We decided to meet so we could converse more regarding the collaboration between you and him. You remembered when I told you I was at a club party, Arnold was also present there, and our discussion was based on the upcoming collaboration. I have got some cool beats you guys are gonna use in recording the song, gathering of nice lyrics should be the main aim now. Mark, that's all, hope your curiosity has been satisfied"? Ben asked concluding the explanation.
"Yeah, I fully understand, it's such a great privilege to have you here Arnold. Who am I for the great Arnold wanting to have a collaboration with me, it's truly a great privilege". Mark said, he was so glad and honored to have Arnold in his presence.
Arnold loved the way Mark spoke, he loved the fact that he was a humble guy, and he wanted this upcoming collaboration between them to happen.
"You are such a cool and humble guy, I surely want this collaboration to take place. At least to see if you gonna earn the type of respect you want as an artiste". Arnold said.
"Thanks so much, I am so happy right now, this could be a turning point for me, this collaboration could make me famous. Ben, thanks for always being there for me, you are such a good friend, I had no idea you were sending my songs to Arnold, kudos to you bro". Mark stated showing sincere appreciation, he was so happy right now.
"You know you are like a brother to me, I gat your back always. Right now, I am gonna play the beat so we could gather nice lyrics to create a cool song". Ben said playing the beat.
Arnold was a very talented and experienced artiste in the music industry, so he quickly found a nice chorus to the song. The chorus was so nice and vibeful that Mark generated his verse to the song that matched up with the chorus and beat correctly. Arnold wasted no time in generating his verse that corresponded to the beat and chorus nicely.
After generating the whole lyrics to the song and beat, Mark and Arnold put on their various studio headset for the recording of the song to begin. Ben displayed the beat setting the volume to its right order, the recording of the song began and was done and concluded within an hour. The song was just too vibeful and cool to listen to, what would a person expect when two talented artistes and a talented producer come together to make a song...a blast should be the expectation.
Arnold was a very busy person, he stood up to leave their presence after the recording of the song was fully completed, he gave his concluding words before leaving the studio.
"Mark, it was so nice working with you, you are such a talented artiste. I won't be able to show up for the music video shoot if there is going to be any, I am very busy, I am gonna be traveling to Europe for some tours. The song we recorded together should drop under the record label you are signed to and should drop when your label fully approves of it. I hope you attain the fame you want as an artiste as soon as possible. Ben, it was nice knowing you, you are such a talented producer, I would be leaving now. Byeeee".
"Byeeee". Ben and Mark said waving at him. They watched him from the window entering one of his expensive Lamborghini while his personal bodyguard entered the other Lamborghini as they zoomed off from the compound.
Mark and Ben sat down to discuss some more after Arnold left, they had a lot to talk about,
"Ben you are so cool, so you had this underground plan to surprise me with something as big as this without saying a word to me about it. That is why no matter how many times I say this, I would always keep on saying it, you are such a good friend to me". Mark said.
"Yeah, like I have always been telling you, I would always be there for you until you achieve your dreams of becoming a popular musician". Ben stated with that voice of a true friend.
"You know, if not for you, I don't know what would have become of me and my music career, maybe I would have quitted music a long time ago, I really appreciate your efforts". Mark said sincerely appreciating Ben's efforts once more.
"I know you would help me also whenever the need arises, so it's no big deal, we just have to be there for each other all the time". Ben said.
"I don't know, but I just keep on having this feeling, I am afraid of something". Mark stated, his facial expression changed totally.
Ben's alert mode turned on immediately Mark said he was afraid of something, what could be making him afraid after he just collaborated with one of the most famous artiste in the world.
"What is making you afraid"? Ben asked him.
"I know I just recorded a song with one of the most famous artiste in the globe right now, but my case always seems to be different from others, I just have a feeling that I might still not blow up as an artiste even after collaborating with Arnold". Mark said with fear already written all over his face.
"Don't talk like that, you gats to believe in yourself, you know how famous Arnold is right? he has a very large fanbase around the globe, there is a very high possibility that you might blow up after the song you recorded with him drops". Ben stated trying to reassure and encourage Mark.
Mark wasn't convinced a bit by Ben's words, the fear in him was still as stagnant as ever.
"What if I don't still blow up after collaborating with Arnold, a legend in the music industry.....then I would know that this is the work of karma, I would know that I and bad luck are close companions, I would know that I am cursed". Mark said to himself in his thoughts, imagining the fact that he might still not attain fame after collaborating with a very famous artiste was just too much to bear.
"Mark, do not allow negative thoughts disrupt the positive vibes we enjoyed when Arnold was here with us, I know you are worried about if you gonna blow up now that you've recorded a song with a very famous artiste. But please, worry less about that as for now until the song drops". Ben said after noticing the troubled look on the face of Mark.
"Ok, I am gonna try". Mark said with his voice on a low pitch.
"You better try, you are surely gonna be at the club party I told you about on the phone that I am gonna be attending next week, right"? Ben asked Mark.
"Yeah, I am surely gonna be there". Mark answered with his face lightening up a bit.