Should Have Known (Camren)

Chapter 4

"A group?" Chris asked, his mouth full of spaghetti.

"Yes, Chris, a group. Myself and four other girls. We're a team now," I reiterated for the nth time that day.

"But doesn't that, like, decrease your chances of making it as a solo artist?"

"I guess so, but I'm not a solo artist anymore," I thought aloud.

Taylor wiped her hands on her napkin and threw it onto the dinner table, evidentially frustrated with the recurring conversation my brother and I were having.

"You know who One Direction is, right Chris?" she asked impatiently.

"Of course," he answered.

"It's like that. They all auditioned as solo artists, Simon thought they would be better as a group, and here they are, changing the world with a fan base of millions and counting," she explained.

"Just don't forget about us when you have millions of fans," my dad said to me with a wink.

"I could never forget about you guys," I said sincerely. "You're the reason I'm even here today."

My parents smiled at me and continued to eat their dinner, the obvious dread of later that evening lingering in their minds but never leaving their mouths.

"You know you guys will see me again soon, right?" I asked all of them, sitting my fork down on my plate and wiping my palms on the napkin placed in my lap.

"We know," my mom answered. "We knew we'd have to leave you eventually, I just don't think the reality of it set in until now."

"Well, we still have..." I paused to look at the clock on my phone, "two hours before you guys have to be at the airport for your flight back to Miami. We might as well spend it together."

"Don't you have band stuff to do?" Chris asked sarcastically.

"It can wait. In fact, why don't you all come and meet the other girls," I suggested.

Everyone exchanged a contemplative look and turned to me for further assurance.

"It's fine guys. Their families have already left. You might as well get to know who I'll be spending the next few weeks with," I promised, a hint of finality in my tone.

"I'd love to meet them," my mom announced.

"Good, then it's settled," I concluded.

My dad shrugged and continued to pick at his salad. I could see Taylor look at me nervously from the corner of my eye and knew exactly what she was thinking. I was inviting my family to meet the girls and I didn't even really know them yet myself. I didn't even know if they liked me. And, most importantly, I didn't even know if we would make it through the judges' house at all.

...

I shushed my brother and sister as we made our way down the hall back to my hotel room where the girls were waiting for us. "People are trying to sleep. We're all exhausted," I reminded them.

"It's only eight o'clock," Chris argued.

"Yeah, well, that's what the music industry will do to you," I joked.

I fished around in my pockets as we approached my door until I found my key card, sliding into the slot in the door and waiting for the click. I cracked the door open just a hair to make sure it didn't lock again and turned around to face my family.

"Please don't embarrass me," I pleaded. "I don't really know these girls yet and I haven't had a chance to impress them. The last thing I need is you telling them embarrassing stories."