The Next Big Thing

Chapter 7

"What. The. Fuck. Jauregui?" Sam said as soon as she walked into the pub.

The rest of the band looked marginally sober as they howled with laughter at Lauren's appearance.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Lauren grumbled, sinking into a seat.

"You're wearing braces" Kyle guffawed.

"Why are you wearing braces"

She looked at Lucy and sighed. It looked like she was doing this quick and clean, like ripping off a band-aid.

"I have to quit the band."

"You're wearing braces because you have to quit the band?"

"Amazingly yes" Lauren nodded.

"Clarify?" Ian suggested, stuffing his face full of Sam's chips.

"I got a permanent gig playing guitar."

"No fucking way."

"Is it so unbelievable?"

"No, Lauren it's just...that's incredible." Kyle always was the sweet one.

"Any room for the rest of us?"

Lauren made a face.

"You've replaced us that quickly?" Sam asked, clutching his chest. "Brutal, man. My broken heart."

"I'm sorry, guys. Seriously" Lauren said, voice sobering. The band sucked, but she'd been through a lot with these guys. A lot of bad gigs, anyway.

"Our forgiveness depends on how awesome the gig is," Ian told her.

"You ever heard of Camila Cabello?"

"The twat off the tellie?"

Lauren winced. "That's the one."

"You're playing for X-Factor?" Lucy asked with a frown.

"Only sort of. I've been hired into Camila's backup band. She got signed to SyCo after the X-Factor."

"You're shitting us" Ian said.

"No."

"Really?"

Lauren shrugged. "Really."

"Camila Cabello? And that's why you're dressed like that?"

"They got us stylists."

"Stylists" Lucy whistled under her breath.

"So what's the kid like?" Sam asked with a snort.

"Oh, you know" Lauren said, looking around at her old bandmates' faces. They were all judging her, she could tell. She could see it in their eyes. They were thinking sell-out.

"Spoiled brat?" Ian offered.

"Pop princess?" Lucy laughed.

"Complete wannabe?" Sam nodded.

"All of the above?" Lauren suggested, and her bandmates roar with laughter.

Lauren laughed too, but the image of Camila toeing the carpet as Simon directed her around flashed before her mind. She wasn't entirely sure Camila was the spoiled brat she thought she was, and hearing them rip on her makes Lauren shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"Well, good luck surviving that gig," Kyle said, clapping her on the shoulder.

"If it gets to be too awful, you can always come crawling back," Ian offered. "We might even let you play the triangle for awhile."