[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Chapter Fifteen

"You're pouting."

"I know."

"Please don't."

"I can't help it."

Kay held her curling iron aloft. "You don't have to leave your guy...er guys. I do."

I smiled. "Your guy, huh?"

Kay pulled a long strand of hair from her face and wrapped it around the barrel. "Brookie, I claimed the Carters a long time ago."

I laughed. I neglected to remind her of all the years she had called Noah an ornery brat. "True."

I was still in a good mood even though I was nervous. I wasn't sure how being around Nate would be now that we...well, y'know. And I wasn't sure if it would be awkward around Trevor now that I had...well, y'know.

Two hours later, Kay, Aunt Angel, Noah, and I took the car over to the venue. I had learned that Nate had gotten a head start.

I wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

Unfortunately, I found out once the three of us got our clearance badges and headed backstage. Nate and Trevor were staring each other down.

This couldn't be good.

"Good morning," I said awkwardly. They took a couple steps away from each other and turned. Nate gave me a dimpled grin. Trevor looked stressed.

"Morning," Nate said smoothly.

"Hey," Trevor said.

I felt the tension. Noah wrapped his arm around me.

"Excuse us," he said. Before I could react, he pulled me into the dressing room.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"On?" I said dumbly.

"Why are you playing the repeating game with me?"

I bit the inside of my cheek.

"Is Trevor bothering you? Dad sent me out here to make sure..."

"So he did send you out here for a reason!"

"Well, it was my excuse to see Kay," Noah answered quickly.

I sighed. "Everything's fine with Trevor. He explained what happened. He was having family issues and didn't really want to break up with me," I said in a rush.

Noah snorted.

"So then what's up with Nate? He freakin' spent half the night working on pictures of you for the website. And he asked me all kinds of questions this morning."

"Questions? What kind of questions?"

Noah snickered. I stomped my foot. "NOAH!"

"Questions you would ask if you were thinking about a relationship," he said. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything!" I said helplessly. "I like them both."

"Dad's going to kill you," Noah said. He started to smile. I clapped my hand over his mouth.

"He won't kill me if he doesn't know. And you can't tell him."

I dropped my hand before he bit it.

"Why can't I tell him?"

"Because you're my brother."

Noah laughed. "That's why I have to tell. It's my job."

I felt tears spring to my eyes. "Please don't. I just need time to choose."

I knew the tears were going to get at him. He made a face.

"You better choose quickly," he warned. "Because if I don't tell dad it'll still get back to him."

I sighed. "I know."

We headed back into the hall. Nate was fiddling with his camera. Kay and Trevor were nowhere in sight.

"Where's Kay?" Noah asked.

"Trevor wanted to talk to her," Nate said.

I knew what Trevor wanted to talk to her about. I just hoped that she wasn't going to kick or hit him.

Kay was a little unpredictable at times.

Noah looked like he was going to go track them down, but just then Aunt Angel snagged him. I folded my arms and looked back at Nate.

"You look great," he said. I cracked a smile.

"Thanks."

"Can I be selfish and follow you around today?" he asked. "Maybe hide a VIP pass somewhere in town?"

The offer sounded good. Very good. But I knew I couldn't.

"I promised Trevor I'd meet the other guys and hang out at rehearsal," I said apologetically. Nate ran a hand through his hair.

"Okay. Rain check?"

I smiled. "Totally."

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

"This is Kyle, Devon, Preston, and Scott," Trevor said. I lifted my hand.

"Nice to meet ya," I said. They all responded with a similar comment.

Kay had come back from talking to Trevor looking a little less hostile. But just a little. We didn't have a long time to talk before Noah came back and whisked her away.

Then Trevor whisked me away.

"So what's the game plan?" Kyle asked. I made a mental note to get his autograph for Pey.

"Well, I'm not sure about your stage set-up, but it's going to have to be pretty simple," I said. "Most of my platforms and things aren't quickly put into place."

"We just need a place for the band," Scott said.

"And you have good piping guys, right?" Preston asked.

"Piping guys?" I asked in confusion.

"Yeah, y'know to pipe in the vocals?"

I blinked in surprise.

"You don't sing live?" I asked.

Everyone but Trevor laughed.

"How can we when we're dancing?"

"I dance," I explained.

"Only Trev insists on singing live," Devon said. "But his voice ends up being jumpy."

"So? It's better than looking like a puppet," Trevor shot back hotly.

I could sense a definite split between the other four guys and Trevor. I let them work it out and made my way onstage.

"You're early today Ms. Brooke," my sound guy called out. I slid my earpiece in and my mic on. I fiddled with clipping the little black box to my jeans.

"I'm bright eyed and bushy tailed, as my grandma would say," I called out.

I ran through a fast check. I know that's what VIP is supposed to be about, but I had a total equipment malfunction one time and saw the disappointment on the people's faces. Ever since then I always tried to do a pre-mic check. People paid too much money to watch me fumble.

"Sounds good," I said. I took out my earpiece.

"It does," a voice whispered right next to me. I jumped. Trevor smiled.

"Sorry, I was observing."

I laughed. "It's okay."

Compared to earlier around everyone else, he looked relaxed. And happy. I wanted to keep that momentum going.

"Do you want to do the duet with me tonight during my set?" I asked. His eyes widened.

"Really?"

I laughed. "Really. Just us two singing live."

"Totally live," he agreed. "I'm up for it."

I hugged him. He gave me a gentle squeeze.

"You would do so much better as a solo artist," I muffled into his chest. He let me go and rubbed the slight stubble that had erupted onto his cheek.

"Tell me about it."

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

Nate was like the invisible panther the entire day. I only spotted him halfway through the show. He was crouched in the corner halfway back into the crowd putting his zoom lens to work.

I appreciated that he had given my distance. Trevor and I had spent the afternoon snacking backstage, listening to music, stretching, and just falling back into the companionable way we were before.

"SUP LA?!" I screamed. Kay and Noah's arms waved in the air from the first row.

"I have a special treat for ya'all tonight. But first...can we give it up for Grenadine one more time?"

The crowd roared. I laughed. "Alright, well for the first time Trevor and I are performing our duet live. Trev, come out here."

He had done a quick wardrobe change. I was bedecked in heels and a sparkly dress. His dressier attire complimented mine perfectly.

He hugged me and kissed my cheek. I heard a few wolf whistles from the crowd. The music cued in and I was swept back into the performance.

But what a performance it was. There's something about singing with someone else that's totally indescribable.

So put me to the test
Why don't you
Put me to the test
Of all the guys
Who want you
You know that I'm the best

As Trevor was singing his eyes left mine and searched the crowd for just a moment during the chorus. Something told me he was looking for Nate. I glanced at Kay. She made bull horns and winked.

I knew what she was insinuating. There was a rivalry erupting and I was caught in between. When Trevor kissed me passionately at the end of the song, I couldn't help but wonder if it was the emotional connection of the song fueling his PDA or whether it was the knowledge that Nate was watching.

All of that flew through my head along with the fact that it was the best kiss Trevor had ever given me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he hugged me tightly before he ran off stage leaving me flustered. I turned back to the crowd. The band launched into the next song and I struggled to remember the words.

I was doomed. I had two amazing kissers on my hands. Most girls would say I was a lucky bitch.

I was saying that the whole thing was a problem.

A problem I didn't know how to fix.

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

Author's Note: Keep your eyes on LJ (Live Journal). I'm going to post another exclusive later today. :)