LightWeight

Step Eleven

I found her sitting a few feet away in a corner of the room. I walked over there."Feeling better?"

She looked up towards me, smiling softly. "Yes, thank you." I realized her outfit was similar to mine. An orange crop with blue skinny's. Her eyes dazed off a little, and then focused on me intently. "I think he's cheating on me." She looked over and I saw her gaze. I followed it, and she was looking at Matty and the boys as they got microphones fitted on them. "I just don't know with whom yet."

"What makes you think that?"

"The distance, I got a text that obviously wasn't meant for me and suggests he is. He called her bae...He doesn't even call me that anymore."

"Have you talked to him about it?"

"A few weeks ago, before tour, and he told me no."

"What bout lately?"

She shook her head. "Haven’t had the chances too yet. And we're about to perform, so now is definitely not a good time. Maybe tomorrow."

"Oh..." I saw the weak feelings coming back and rubbed her shoulder. "It's okay. If he cheats on you, it's like throwing away a diamond and picking up a rock. That girl should know if he cheats on you with them, he cheat on her with someone else."

She smiled at me. "You know, you're really nice when you want to be."

I laughed and shrugged my shoulders. "It’s because…I see a lot of me in you, and I know I would want a friend even if I was claiming I didn’t.” She wrapped her arms around me, and after a little hesitation I returned the gesture. I missed having a friend. Pulling back, we laughed, and I think the thought was mutual It took blood for me to have a heart.

 "What's so funny?" Prince asked, a frown playing on his lips. "I want to be included."

"Nothing, Fluffy." Star replied. "Just Girl-Talk."

"Lyric in girl-talk?" Matty asked. "Yeah, right."

"Your right. Matty, why don't you take my place? You're feminine enough for the both of us." I suggested. The rest of the group tried to stifle their laughs. I lightly tapped his shoulder. "Can't take a joke? Well here's something to know, when I go, it's hard. Okay?"

"Yeah,I'm going to get you." He replied to me, smiling but I saw the deception in it.

"Then bring it." I matched his smile.

Call it a low-blow, but I have a very low tolerance for cheating. I mean, very low. And especially lying. It seems Matthew is doing both. The least you could do is be truthful with it. Why lead someone on to just let them sink in the shadows?

"Lyric, stop being mean." Leslie commented, coming to hook a microphone on me.

"I am not mean, at all." I responded. "Just honest."

"Be quiet before I pinch you." She finished attaching the microphone and stood back. "Do what you do."

"What else can I do?" I asked, flipping my hair in a mocking manner.

Everyone around me laughed, and Leslie patted my shoulder saying, "What are we going to do with you?" Before walking away.

"You two are really close." CJ observed.

"Yeah." I nodded my head.  "She's like my other Mom." And she was. Leslie was there in my weakest moments and my highest points. She knew me better than myself at times. She was real, never sugar-coating anything.

Minutes later we were all called to the edge of the curtains. We were called out simultaneously and walked out together, smiles etched on our faces. We stopped in the middle of the stage, being greeted by Michelle herself. Blake was a cool host. She asked in-depth questions, that you didn't even mind answering. She knew when too much was being asked, and she knew when to quit. All of us newly being eighteen-or months away from it- I already knew she would be asking the serious ones. The crowd screamed at our appearance, so I'm praying teens are in here and not overly grown cougar. I mean, none of us are even twenty yet. Close to eighteen- yes, but even then...

At first we talked about small things like the tour and how it was going. Of course we made sure not to mention any tension going on behind closed doors- because they were just that. Behind closed doors. It was funny how many stories the boys had about their bus experiences. Arguments over food fights, hiding phones, the entire nine. The girls didn't have any, really.

"So, Lyric..." I swallowed as she focused in on me. "How does it feel being the New Girl on tour? I mean, everyone else knew each other, and you were alone."

"I am perfectly fine with being alone, but it wasn't that hard. Everyone was-is, so sweet, they welcomed me very easily."

"So, let’s get down to you." She crossed her legs on the couch and straightened her jacket, a sign she was about to get personal. "You are around four boys that, I think it is safe to say, majority of the teen girls Lust over. What about you?"

"Huh?" I wasn't sure what her question was, but I had a good implication.

"Which one of the boys do you like? And I mean like."

 I blinked several times. "It's not even like that." The audience, and the tour mates, laughed along with me. "We're all just friends."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay, what about you boys? I mean it's no secret, look at her, one of you has too."

I don't know if they meant to do it, or if it was purely coincidental, but every boys' eyes shifted to CJ for a few seconds, and then focused back on me. From both Michelle's and the crowds OH’s and Awe’s, I was certain they all saw it. Nice-note my sarcasm.

"Okay, okay, I see." Michelle’s looked between CJ and I. "The lead of the hottest boy band, and the hottest rising star...I ship. Do you ship?"The cheers of the crowd were thunderous.

What just happened?