The Star (Leila Ouahabi)

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September 2014

Leila's POV:

Another season underway.

We won our opening game 5-0. Now we focused on our second game.

At home.

Against Barcelona.

I looked at Instagram.

Tatiana hasn't posted much since she went to see her father.

I wonder if she's ok.

"Leila we're heading out." I looked up.

"Ok."

Tatiana's POV:

"When we say, come to New York now. It means, come to New York. NOW." My manager got up and walked around the room. "It's like you don't listen when I speak. What the hell, Tatiana." She sighed. "You make my job very difficult, you know that?"

"Yeah counting all the money I make you. Difficult. Scheduling tour after tour after tour. Making us put out album after album. Every. Single. Year. So fucking difficult for you." I glared at her.

"Lose the attitude. The label wants you dealt with."

"Then let me help them." I stood up and put my hands on her desk. "I'm done."

"Excuse me?"

"I played music as a hobby. I got thrown into this band at 17 years old. And of course! What teenager doesn't want to be a badass musician! I also needed the money to help out my father, so hell yeah! Let's do this band thing! It will be fun and I'll get some money for college! But then? Oh no! College gets put on hold. Suddenly, I'm 22 fucking years old! Having to BEG to see my father on his damn BIRTHDAY!" I walked away. "So I'm DONE. Find someone else to be your puppet. If I ever play music again, it's on my OWN terms. Not this. I'm not having FUN. This image you've painted of me? That's not me. I'm not THIS." I motioned to what I was wearing. "I'm not a party animal. I'm not meant for any of this. I never WANTED any of this. I did this to help my father, and I don't even get to see him. I'm DONE."

"Go on the tour and then we'll talk about thi-"

"No!" I turned to her. "No more of that "one last" bullshit! No tour, no album, no award shows, nothing. DONE. Right now. TODAY. I already started packing my shit and sending it home. I'm done."

"You'll never get another opportunity like this."

"Maybe I don't want one." I shrugged. "Maybe I just want to enjoy my 20s. Maybe try the whole college thing, I don't know. But at least I'll have my life back."

Leila's POV:

We beat Barcelona.

2-1.

I was out with Jenni, Virginia, and Alexia after the game.

"It's always good to see you." Alexia smiled. "What's been going on. How are you doing here?"

"Um." I laughed. "Better I guess. I still miss Barcelona but it's not that bad here." I shrugged.

"Have you talked to Tatiana at all?" Virginia smirked.

"Who's Tatiana?" Jenni asked.

"No one." I glared at Virginia.

"Don't lie. You completely ignored me to text her back. Who is she?"

I sighed. "She's just someone I met here."

"Where is she! Invite her!" Jenni looked around.

"She's not from here. She was just passing through when we met." I shook my head. "That's all." I looked up at the tv.

"Disaster Underground announced that lead singer Tatiana Medeiros has left the band. She was scheduled to meet them in New York for their promo tour but failed to do so. Tatiana has not released any statement yet on her decision to leave the band and what's next for her. They were going to kick off their 3rd world tour next month. The status of that tour is now unknown."

I stared at the tv.

"Aw. I really liked their music." Virginia looked down. "Wait a minute." She stared at me. "Tatiana Medeiros." She pointed at the tv. "Tatiana." She pointed at my phone. "Just passing through. YOU TEXT TATIANA MEDEIROS!" She jumped up.

"Shut your mouth!" I grabbed her arm.

"Leila. You talk to the hottest musician right now! That's huge! Be careful though. I heard some CRAZY things about her."

"You heard them or read them on Twitter?" I looked at her.

"Heard them, read them, it's all the same. That girl goes through girls like you go through forwards in the first half." Jenni stared at Virginia. Virginia rolled her eyes. "Quickly and no remorse."

"That was a good one." Jenni nodded.

"Thanks." Virginia smiled.

"Look. Who I talk to or not, is NONE of your business." I stood up. "I'm 21 years old. I can make my own choices and look out for myself. I gotta go. I'll see you guys later."

"Leila wait!" I heard Alexia.

I walked out and went home.

Tatiana's POV:

I finished packing up my things and looked at my apartment. Empty. There was a knock on the door. I opened it and Alicia walked in.

"Dude what the fuck!" She turned to me.

"What." I sighed.

"Don't give me the attitude. What the fuck! You're just gonna leave?"

"Yeah. I've had enough of this."

"We all have! But we go through it, together!"

"Really? Together?" She nodded. "It doesn't feel that way. Where was that "together" bullshit when they were on my ass about New York? Oh right, Matty called to yell at me too." I nodded. "Right. Together." I turned around and grabbed my bag.

"Look." She grabbed my arm. "Just take a day, think this through, cool off, and then we'll get back to it."

"No. I don't need to think anymore. It's done. I'm done." I pushed her hand away. "This was never what I wanted. I'm not like you guys. I can't do this anymore. I need to be done." I picked up my last few bags and looked at her.

"Then at least let me help you bring stuff down." She said. She took a bag and helped me to my car. "Everything else?"

"Already back with my dad." I said. We put everything in the car and crossed my arms. "Don't get yourself killed."

She put her hand out. "Don't screw it up with Leila." She smirked.

"What?"

"Come on. I know you like her. I also know all those girls we always got for you, you brought them to the room, waited, and then just sent them home. I'm not an idiot." She smiled. "I better see you at the Oscars one day. Winning best actress or screenwriter or something like that."

"Only if you guys win a Grammy."

"I'll see what we can do. But without your genius?" She shrugged. "We might suck."

"We always sucked. We just had flavor." I winked and got in the car.

"I'll see you around, Medeiros!" She yelled.

I drove off and got ready for my next chapter.

Whatever that was.