“Okay, okay, time for us all to get some sleep. School is in a few hours.” Will stated. “Rachel, outside of the family no one knows about this. Consider yourself family now. Please tell no one and I expect to see you here next weekend. Tomorrow morning, I will call Judge Myers and see if he can help us.”
Rachel looked close to tears as she left the room. I could tell she needed them, as much as I did.
Remy followed me back to my room and I was grateful for his presence as he laid down on the bed and pulled me on top of him. He didn’t try to be intimate with me again, he just had me straddle his waist once more and pulled the covers on top of us. One of his hands went beneath his t-shirt to splay on my lower back, and the other tangled in my hair.
We didn’t talk. We just took comfort in each other’s arms hoping Ella’s dream wasn’t a true premonition of what was to come. I wondered if we should clue Troy and Jace in on the recent events, but I was kind of upset at them. Troy didn’t have to ask Jace to attend an event that his hot ex-girlfriend/ best friend was at and Jace didn’t have to technically leap out of my bed to warm his ex-girlfriend’s.
I knew I was being unreasonable and hypocritical, but the closer I got to them the more I wanted them all to myself, well within reason…
Chapter 28
Weeks went by and Thanksgiving was fast approaching. I was settled into school. My music program was amazing, and I felt Dr. Allen was molding me into a great student. He even convinced me to pick up another instrument, the violin, to help me become more ‘well rounded’. He was convinced I was musically gifted and I thrived under his tutelage.
Crazily enough, I was beginning to love PE. I was becoming a fast runner, the second fastest female in the school behind Rachel, and I was gaining muscle where soft flesh once resided. I now had definition in my abs, thighs, calves, and biceps. Jax and Noah made sure to tell me how nice my butt had gotten too; they had to hastily backtrack and say it was nice before, but with the running and squats from my strength training class it had gotten ‘firmer’.
Remy and I ran every Saturday morning together and I loved our quiet time.
I stopped being a student in performing arts and became more of an assistant trainer. I was careful to keep my other gifts hidden. My instructor, Nelson (he insisted I call him by his first name), had me helping the younger students, which thoroughly displeased Zach Young and his daughters. But I had more than my required credits to graduate and I didn’t want to waste the time in study hall or some other pursuit that wasn’t necessary.
Will, Stephen, Cora, and Beth had gone to bat for me and I was able to stay in my performing arts class in the capacity of an assistant instructor. The younger children seemed to flourish under our team teaching approach. Even Victor had changed his ways; I wish I could say the same for Mei Linn.
Being part of a band was great. I was beginning to like the spotlight, especially since half our songs were written by Rick, Ben, or I. We had a bigger following now. I didn’t have a Facebook or Instagram, nor did I want one, but the guys made sure to keep me updated on our ‘followers’. Some people even followed us from spot to spot to hear us. Although, our main gig was at Remy’s new gastro pub on Friday nights. We brought in a packed house and it worked for both of us and Remy paid us handsomely for it.
I hadn’t made any new connections and I knew Will was hoping to have me make them soon, since the sense of doom always seemed to follow us around. It was difficult to though. My time with Troy was limited due to my school and activities and he seemed to always be working. If it wasn’t his company, then it was for the school. The guys always seemed to be leaving for one reason or the other to find the other gifted.
For some reason Noah was being distant too. He didn’t bring Stacey around much anymore, but that didn’t stop him from going to see her or other girls for that matter. It seemed to have even caused dissention with the other guys too. He was drinking now, a lot, and hooking up with other girls randomly. I didn’t know what his problem was, and he was reluctant to tell me.
“Hey, earth to Blake,” Ben chuckled. “Are you almost ready?”
I looked up, distracted from my thoughts. “Oh, yeah. Just let me run to my dorm really quick.”
It was a Friday afternoon, we had a half day, and Rick’s parents had paid for a photographer to take pictures of the band. Ben’s parents had paid for us to get studio time and this weekend we were going into a real studio to record some of our tracks. Ben’s and Rick’s parents were convinced we could make it somewhere and somehow, I had gotten swept up in the tide.
I had a busy weekend ahead of me and for the first time in six weeks, it looked like all my guys would be together for the weekend, into the holidays. I was beyond ready for the break, and I had been pleased to find out this school had a Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, and Easter break.
“For what?” Ben asked, barely able to contain his excitement. He had barely talked about little else since the ball started rolling in the beginning of the week.
The guys had convinced their parents to attend our performance last week and ever since then it seemed like they realized their sons weren’t just being ‘flighty’ or ‘unrealistic’. They flew in from New York City, Toronto, Miami, and Ben’s parents drove the half hour to We 7. Remy made sure to reserve a section just for our friends and family, and the drinks and food had been on the house that night for them.
It was all it took to convince their parents that we were good. Especially after they saw our turnout. Remy had to charge a cover and hired Troy’s New York office to act as security for the nights we played.
“Well, I need clothes and makeup,” I spoke to him as if he were dense.
He was like a puppy bouncing up and down and all around. “No need. Mike’s mom couldn’t be outdone by my parents or Rick’s parents, so she hired a stylist and makeup artist.”
I stopped mid stride. “Don’t you think this is all so…sudden?” I asked hesitantly. I loved performing now and I was glad I had creative reign, but this was all fun and games for me. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to jump on this ride they were on. However, I knew this was all the boys had ever dreamed of. I knew if I chose to walk that it would negatively affect the band and I didn’t want to impede their progress or hinder their fame.
Ben stopped and grabbed my shoulders. “What are you saying, Blake? Don’t you want this as much as we do? You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”
I saw the worry and panic in his eyes, and I feigned a laugh. “Of course, I want this. Let’s go. Let me just text Remy and let him know we’re on our way.”
We pulled up in front of We 7 and Remy’s house a half hour later. Remy graciously offered up his house for the photoshoot, since it fit the ‘image’ the guys wanted us to have. He had just had it completed of all renovations a couple of weeks ago. It was an old warehouse on the outside, but on the inside, it was a masterpiece. It was across the parking lot from We 7. Which was convenient for him, since he had made this his ‘home’ restaurant and headquarters.
When we pulled up I saw that there were several cars already waiting on us. Ben had talked a mile a minute the whole ride here and I knew he sped the whole way. I was surprised to see Jemmy, Will, and many of my guys’ cars parked out front already.
I looked over suspiciously at Ben, “Why are there so many people here for a photoshoot?”
Ben shrugged sheepishly. “Jax was really excited about us getting all these opportunities and he wanted to throw us a party.”