Noah finally leaned back in his chair, exhaling as though Axel's persistence had worn him down completely. His lips curled into a reluctant but sincere smile.
"Fine, fine," he said, sounding almost amused. "If you really trust me that much, even though you're the biggest control freak we've all just discovered you are, then I'll take this seriously. I promise you, Axel — I'll make you proud. I'll write a song that shakes our fans' world."
Axel laughed, loud and carefree. "That's the spirit!" he said, grinning through the receiver. "That's what I like to hear. Make us proud, Noah. We're all counting on you. Don't worry about the rest of us — Jayvaughn and I will be there for practice, recording, photoshoots, whatever we need. We won't drag this group down. We're going to stay number one, no matter what."
Noah chuckled softly, his earlier tension melting away. "Of course," he said, voice warm with determination. "We must stay number one. Number two is a no-go."
