Melody 5 - Rising Stars

12 (ii) - Molly

Even so, all night Molly had been nervous about seeing Derren.  After bumping into him at the dance studios three weeks ago, he’d bombarded her with texts wanting to hook up for a drink, until she’d finally texted back saying…

Have told Amy the truth about what happened at the showcase.

Don’t think it’s a good idea for us to hook up.

I need to concentrate on the band.

Molly

 

Fair enough – is all Derren had texted back and she hadn’t heard from him until the gold-embossed invitations had arrived in the post.

Although she’d caught a few glimpses of him at the launch party, she’d managed to keep him at a safe distance, but when they’d all piled over to The Clove Club for a private party with The Fierce Charlottes and other VIP guests, Derren had made a beeline for her.  As she came out of the toilets into the dimly lit club, he seemed to appear from nowhere.

“Hey, how you doing?” he asked, bashfully.

“Fine,” smiled Molly.  “Look, I don’t really think it’s a good idea that we talk with each other…”

“I know,” said Derren.  “But I couldn’t be in the same room as you and not say hello.”

“Hello,” said Molly, not wanting to be rude, but at the same time wishing that Derren wasn’t fixing her with those sexy blue eyes of his. 

“I see your songs are doing well online,” he said.

“That’s partly due to your amazing videos,” said Molly.  “And your video tonight was great!”

“Really?” asked Derren. 

Molly was surprised that he should doubt it or even care what she thought.

“Yes,” said Molly.  “It was pretty sexy and raw in places, but there was a moving quality to it too.”

“Thanks,” smiled Derren, almost embarrassed by the compliment.

“Have you got any more work lined up?”

“I’ve just filmed a video with Lily Allen and next week I’m heading off to Vegas for a shoot with The Killers.”

“Wow – you’re really mixing it up!” laughed Molly.

“Yeah, finally living the dream,” grinned Derren.

Molly could see Jadine heading straight towards them. 

“I’d better go…” she said.

“Okay.  But keep an eye on Amy,” said Derren.  “Jake can get pretty intense.”

“Will do,” smiled Molly.

“Hey Derren,” said Jadine.  “Great job tonight.  Your video rocked!”

“Cheers,” said Derren.

“But now I need to whisk Molly away,” smiled Jadine.  “She’s needed for some serious schmoozing!”

“Of course,” smiled Derren.  “And good luck at the Festival next week.”

But Jadine had already dragged Molly away before she could respond.

“That wasn’t what it looked like,” said Molly.  “He caught me on my own.”

“It was exactly what it looked like,” said Jadine.  “You’re seriously into each other – but it can’t happen, okay?”

Molly felt like she’d been punched in the gut.  Why would Jadine think she liked Derren McKenzie.

“But I’m not…”

“Molly, you so are!” said Jadine.  “But this situation is way too complicated for that to happen right now.”

As Molly stepped out of the shower and got dry, she wished she could talk to her sister Georgia about how she was feeling.  But even though they’d reached an uneasy truce and Georgia had finally accepted her apology about joining the band, she knew it was way too early to be sharing intimate details about her life with her twin sister again.  She was just going to have to bury her feelings about Derren and avoid him at all costs.  Hopefully he’d get a taste for Vegas and stay there.

As Molly entered the kitchen, everyone was buzzing around the iPad.

“Moll!” squealed Rhian.  “Perez Hilton has blogged about Amy and Jake now!  And he’s posted a link to our Melody Vibe video.”

“So is this how girlbands get record deals these days?” asked Maurice, from over his cereal bowl.

“Dad, I’ve told you, nothing’s going on,” said Amy.  “We had a couple of drinks, but Jake Miskew is definitely not my type.”

“But he was really into you,” said Rhian.

“Just because someone is into you,” said Jadine.  “You don’t have to go out with them.”  Molly caught Jadine glance at her and knew that comment was partly for her benefit too.

“But he’s been calling her non-stop for the last half hour,” said Rhian.

“You gave this strange man your phone number?” said Christine, peering over the girls’ shoulder at the photo of Amy and Jake.  “He looks like a vagrant.”

“He’s a rock star, Mrs Anderson,” said Rhian.

“Yes, I did give him my number,” said Amy.  “But I didn’t think he’d call.  Well, at least not this soon,” she added with a smile.

“Here he is again,” said Kat, holding up Amy’s vibrating mobile.

“I don’t have time for romance,” declared Amy.  “I need to concentrate on the band.” 

“Glad to hear it,” said Jadine.

“Which is why I might go on just one date with him,” giggled Amy, quickly answering her phone. 

Jadine balked in disbelief.

“Hello?” said Amy.  “Jake who?  Oh yes, Jake.  Hi there!”

Molly smiled and shook her head at how carried away Amy was getting, but then hadn’t she almost gotten a little carried away herself last night? 

“I’m not sure about this,” said Jadine.  “It’s taking the focus away from our music.”

“I’m not sure about it either,” said Maurice.  “But you know what they say – any publicity is good publicity.”

“Hey,” said Kat.  “According to this gossip site, there’s a hot new video featuring another Melody 5 girl.”

“Let’s see,” said Jadine.

She clicked on the link and over her shoulder Rhian went as white as a sheet.

“Oh, no!” said Jadine.

“What is it?” asked Molly, jostling in to catch a glimpse of a video still showing a blonde girl in a barely-there skirt bent over a sharp-dressed rapper.

Underneath it read:

‘X-RATED - 2 On It - Psylence feat. Rhian Jones’.