Broken Strings

Chapter Ten

"Esther?" Josh raises an eyebrow at me.

I couldn't answer. My mind was racing. He couldn't like me. This would ruin everything.

"Esther?" A voice calls from the door.

The one voice I didn't need to hear.

"Esther we're on."

I couldn't turn around. I wouldn't turn around. This is so weird. He can't like me.

"Come on." Hayden grabs my hand and drags me out of the room.

Once in the hallway he looks at our hands and lets go. Hayden's brown eyes look at me and then at the wall behind me. I never thought us being so close would be a problem. Sure I've read the books and seen the movies but I thought we were different. The boy lives with me for Christ's sake. He has seen me at my worse. He has a picture of me from when I had the flu on his phone. But isn't that the sort of stuff that helps a relationship grow stronger?

He rubs the back of his neck and shuffles on his feet. It isn't that he isn't good looking. I can see the attraction to him and he is nice. But I don't feel anything towards him. What so ever.

Oh God no.

"Look." Hayden sighs.

I feel like clamping my hand over his mouth.

"I've been meaning to tell you something." He mumbles.

He isn't talking loudly or confidently. He isn't acting cheeky or smiley. He's serious. Nothing good ever comes of him being serious.

"It's just. You know what I'm like with this sort of stuff."

Feelings. I know what he's like with feelings.

"Plus it would totally screw everything up. It would blow up in the tabloids well if we decided to tell people. It could ruin us and the tour. Though I don't know if our fans would mind really. I hope they wouldn't. I don't even know if I would tell anyone else. It took me long enough to tell you. The only person who I would want to know."

He stops and shoved his hands deep in his pockets. I stood frozen. Unable to speak or even breathe. This could not be happening.

After a minute of silence Hayden looks me dead in the eye.

"Esther I.."

"Broken Strings on stage now!" Andre shouts as he drags the two of us down the hallway.

What was Hayden going to say?

Was he going to tell me he liked me?

Please tell me he doesn't like me.

Getting into positions Hayden and I turn to each other. Hayden gives me a half smile and then we go onto stage.

The crowd screams. Lights hit us. Blinding us and heating our faces. Hayden and I smile and wave to the crowd as a drum beat starts.

"Hey everyone I'm Hayden." Hayden says into a microphone.

Thousands of girls scream.

"I'm Esther."

More screams.

"Together we're Broken Strings."

The music kicks off and I look at Hayden. Do I have to sing a bunch of love songs with a guy that might like me? Hayden turns to me flashing his award winning smile.

This is going to be a long night.

"I can't sleep." Jayden announces as he bursts into our hotel room.