The Singer and Her Bodyguard

Faking It

Thanks for reading everyone! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
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The first week of tour went as well as it could have been. Maya had been crazy busy getting ready to do a series of shows on their first stop of the tour. Her schedule was pretty clean cut. Interviews-rehearsal-fan greets-concerts.

Maya found herself barely having anytime to herself. She had just a couple of hours in between morning interviews and afternoon interviews that she could go out with Farkle and Riley and do some sight seeing.

Larry told her that after a couple of weeks that things would calm down a bit. There wouldn't be as many interviews that she would have to do once word got around at what places she was going for tour.

Her album released the day before she went on tour. Normally that would be when you would have an album release party, but Maya decided instead to have some time with her family before she left for tour the next day.

Maya had been enjoying meeting people all over that were telling her how much they loved her music. The music that she had written, produced and recorded right under Larry's nose. The music that Josh had helped her with.

Joshua Matthews. Maya hadn't been able to keep him off her mind. Guilt had settled its way down into her stomach and she had even started to question herself on why she had broken up with Josh in the first place. Their fight had been engraved in the back of her head, never really being able to focus on anything else.

Sometimes in the meet and greets that she would do with fans, or even fans that would walk up to her on the street, they would have the magazine that had the picture of Josh and Maya with those men that he had protected her from in LA a while back.

They asked her where Josh was or who was he and if there was anything going on between them. Maya just smiled at them as she autographed it for them and took pictures with them. Not really wanted to deny the fact that there was nothing between her and Josh, not anymore.

Farkle watched his best friend start into a routine during tour. The way she would fake smile at everyone around her, the way she would deny and refuse to talk about Josh when people would bring it up to her, fans especially. Farkle sighed as he and Riley were sitting down on one of the many empty seats that were in the arena that Maya was going to be playing at later on that night.

"So your plan is to try and talk sense into both Josh and Maya?" Riley asked him confused as she at in his lap and stared at him.

"I think I could get them to agree to see each other. I also think that once they do see each other that maybe the fight they had and the differences between them wont matter anymore." Farkle told her.

"You think or you hope?" Riley asked him seriously. Farkle stared up at her.

"I'm afraid none of this will mean anything unless we do something about Larry. Even if Maya and Josh were to find their way back to each other, it's pretty clear that he isn't going to let them be together." Farkle told her.

"That's up to Maya, isn't it? She has to be the one to decide to tell Larry the truth and not let him interfere." Riley told him. Farkle shook his head.

"It's a lot more complicated than that. Larry can and will destroy her career if Josh and Maya patch things up. They both realize that. No matter what they feel for each other, Larry holds all the cards here." Farkle explained. Riley had a thoughtful look on her face.

"Not if we could ruin his career first." Riley whispered. Farkle narrowed his eyebrows at her.

"What do you mean?" Farkle asked her.

"Well, you said that Larry could ruin Maya's career. But what if we find a way to blackmail him into stepping down as Maya's manager?" Farkle still stared at her.

"And just how are we going to be able to do that?" He asked her. Riley sighed.

"I'm not sure. But I know one thing, Josh was at his happiest for the first time in two years when he was with Maya. I'd do anything to get that smile back on his face." Riley admitted him. Farkle understood completely.

"I know what you mean." His eyes wondered to Maya who was on the stage doing her rehearsal. "I'm tired of watching Maya faking it."
~

"Rise and shine sleepy head!" Andrew exclaimed as he pulled the curtains back in Josh's bedroom causing Josh to wince and sit up from the bed. "Just because I agreed to let you stay here doesnt mean I agreed to be your babysitter." Andrew joked.

"What time is it?" Josh's voice croaked. Andrew pointed at his alarm clock that Josh had forgotten to set.

"Nine in the morning. You've got an hour to get to work." Andrew said.

"Shit." Josh mumbled as he fell back into his pillows.

"And yet you were the one that was waking me and making sure I got to my classes on time in college. Who knew we would reverse roles, huh?" Andrew smirked at him. Josh chuckled.

"I'm sorry." Josh told him. Andrew shrugged his shoulders.

"Dont worry about it. If it weren't for you I would have flunked my first two years at NYU. Then when you left you made me realize that I actually had to grow up. Consider this me repaying an old debt." Andrew told him. Josh sat back up again as Andrew threw a clean shirt at him.

"Look, man. About some of the things I said last night-."

"Dont worry about it." Andrew cut him off. "I know you were just letting out some steam. I would have probably said a lot worse if it were me. But I would also be wanting to find out some answers as well." Andrew started out of the room before he looked over at Josh. "And maybe a shower, too. Seriously dude, you reek." Andrew dodged a pillow being thrown at him as he walked out of the room.

Josh sighed as he looked over at his phone on his bedside table. Lit up with a notification on his phone reminding him of work. Josh stared at the photo of him, Riley and Auggie.

Maybe Andrew was right, maybe it was time for him to seek out some answers.
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Thanks for reading!