"Somebody got a whiff of the situation somehow." Clayton seemed really upset as we sat in the living room of the house with a serious atmosphere.
Reporters were trying to question Michelle about his family and he looked pale, to say the least. I noticed his clenching and unclenching the fist as he struggled to keep his emotions in check.
"We need to meet her today." Brent declared.
It was kind of amazing to see him turn into a leader with responsibilities when he was not much older than the boys.
"Fine, let's do that," Zaidan said and looked carefully at Michelle who was in a kind of trance.
"What is her favorite food?" I asked to make a conversation and get Michelle's attention back.
"Lasagna." He answered with a small smile.
"Then let me make some while you boys get ready." I perked up instantly walking away from the awkward situation that I was so bad at handling.
After a while in the kitchen, Skyler came too and stood quietly leaning against the counter.
"Do you need something Skyler?" I asked without looking up since I wanted to make a perfect dish here.
"I have started liking a lot, Zee." He said and the spoon in my hand clattered on the ground.
Like? Sure... I liked him too.
I smiled and tried to keep it casual, "I am likable Skyler."
It made him smile but his words had other meanings which were being reflected in his eyes.
He is a freaking VICTOR member.
"Skyler, I like you guys as well. Big fan, remember?" I said still avoiding eye contact like a coward I was in such situations.
"You know what I am talking about." What was happening here?
"Skyler, you are at the peak of your career. A relationship can destroy you right now. Media and fans might not like the golden guy of the theme to be taken." I tried being diplomatic.
"I don't give a shit about that right now. I want to know if you feel the same way." He said with an intensity that had me unnerved for that moment.
My hesitation was all that took him to realise that I was nothing but a fan.
"You know most girls would die to be in this situation?" He said in a light tone but the hurt was evident.
"Even it takes to give my life to help you guys, I will Skyler, you know that," I said with a soft tone for some reason feeling guilty when I was not even at a fault.
He smiled at nodded, "At that is just the reason why I like you."
He was blatant when it came to confession.
"Every fan who loves VICTOR is like that," I said with a reassuring smile.
"No, not every fan Zee. Some just love us for the abs, for the show as soon as dark times come they leave us but no one helps without a reason like you are."
"No, I am doing it to live with five hot boys." I snickered as I placed the dish in the microwave.
This made him laugh.
"You know you are wrong," I said as he was about to leave.
"About?" He asked with a confused frown.
"About yourself. You don't think we fans love you for who you are. We call you the golden boy of the team, that means there is almost nothing you can improve at, you are perfect." I said with sincerity and saw his eyes filled with awe.
After looking at me for a while he sighed and smiled, "Ah, how I wish I was your bias, Zenna Bray."
And left me wondering if I was awake or still asleep and dreaming.
***
I was still debating if I liked liked anyone in the band and it doesn't feel like it. Physically attracted, sure. I mean they are international heartthrobs. But it was not like the feeling of love for me, not yet. Sure, I was a fangirl and all but suddenly imagining yourself in a relationship with a celebrity was not something I thought would be real.
And the limelight that came with it was not for someone like me, camera shy and awkward person. Not to mention, if I ended up dating on of them, it will be close to scandal since idols have a huge fan following and they don't like them to get hitched.
"I am really nervous," Michelle confessed suddenly as we were on the way to rehab to meet his mom.
"Dude, so am I." Brent said with a light thump on his back.
"What will I say?" He mused and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Mom, get your head straight and even if you don't give a shit I still love you so if you love me even an ounce stop being irresponsible and help me reach the stardom I was born for," Ross said in a dry tone not even bothering to look up from his notebook screen.
We all looked at each other and suddenly I had to laugh and rest of them joined me.
As we reached the rehab, I felt really nervous so I could imagine how Michelle might be feeling. I didn't even have to talk to his mother.
It was a low-key thing so we already knew where the room was as Clayton handled the forms and stuff.
We allowed Michelle to walk in alone as we stood outside the door but he turned and looked at Zaidan with pleading eyes.
"Screw it." He mumbled and I realized even he was nervous as hell as he walked in with his teammate.
"Go in with them," Clayton instructed.
"Umm... but Michelle doesn't want me inside," I answered making an excuse.
"They need a female to handle stuff, trust me." He tilted his head to the door as a gesture for me to walk in.
I inhaled sharply and walked in.
And Clayton was right, they just stood there while Michelle's mother was soundly sleeping.
"Wake her up," I said in a whisper surprising them both.
"no, I think we should let her sleep." Michelle was also making excuses.
I know she was pretending, I have done this too many times. Pretending to sleep was the best way to escape reality.
"Miss Bronson," I said with confidence and saw her eyelids flicker a bit.
She was such a drama queen.
"Don't wake her up Zee," Michelle said in a sharp tone.
And I turn to give him a glare that came rarely. That surprised him as well shut him up.
"Stop pretending or try acting better," I said and heard Zaidan wince at my words.
She still remained stone stiff and this was making me angry. It took a lot of courage from Michelle's end to be here, least she could do was talk to him.
"Fine, don't talk to him. It was just Michelle was dying from brain cancer so he wanted to meet you before he gets admitted for treatment." I said in a fake sad tone and saw the shock on boys' faces.
That made her shot up from the bed as she observed her son.
"What?" She almost screamed.
"There you go, she awake and you can talk now," I said with a smug smile.
"He is completely fine by the way," I informed her and her horrified expression transformed into a deadpanned look.
"It's good to know that you care," Michelle said softly with relief evident in his words.
An awkward silence prevailed for a while. I was feeling kind of outsider here.
"How are you?" Michelle asked moving forward and I was left standing with Zaidan.
Her mother was already on verge of crying now.
"I heard you relapsed." He was being really courageous right now doing all the talking.
When his mother didn't look at him, nervousness crept back up. But even before I could start thinking Zaidan went forward for his support.
"You know he risked his all to come here."It was a thing about Zaidan's voice.
It was that deep and serene kind which when spoken with intensity meant business. She finally looked up and looked at Zaidan and I realised she was pleading him.
She was not ignoring her son, she was ashamed to face him.
"He has never given up on you." Zaidan's tone was calming and at the same filled with authority.
"I know." She finally spoke with a trembling voice and tears spilled freely.
"You look worse by the way." Michelle said with his usual grin.
I chuckled a little too loudly at his words.
His mother now turned to look at me for a minute as I sunk lower under her gaze. For a drug addict she looked pretty with eyes exactly like Michelle's.
"Girlfriend?" She asked Michelle.
"Just friend." Zaidan answered for him instead,
But Michelle shook his head in amusement.
"I am sorry." She spoke up finally the words Michelle must have wanted to hear.
"Why did you relapse?" Michelle almost begged.
She looked up at me and Zaidan almost asking us to leave the mother son alone.
"They stay mom, they are my family." He said and I felt Zaidan and myself relax at his words.
I bet he loved Zaidan and rest of the members but I was also included in the family which felt like I just achieved something big as my heart swelled to double size.
"I felt lonely." She felt guilty to comeback in her son's life because she abandoned him first.
And felt lonely since Michelle never got time to spent with her.
Those three words were all that took Michelle to pull her in for a hug. And then she sobbed rather loudly burying her head in his chest.
I lightly pulled on Zaidan' shirt, gesturing him to move out. He nodded and we let mother son talk now. As much as we considered Michelle a family as he did to us, he might feel awkward in sharing all emotions since he is such a guy.
"How is he doing?" Brent asked looking worried.
"He is Michelle and he can charm women so he is totally fine." Zaidan said with a light shrug.
"His mother?" Ross asked not looking so bored now.
"She got her family back I guess, she will be fine." I answered him.
"We just added another nagging mother to the list of mother's we already have." Skyler said and few of us chuckled lightly.
"But we do need to come every weekend here." Brent said already planning like a leader.
"Don't worry about it. I will accompany Michelle as long as he needs." I said with a happy grin at another successful mission.
"You are amazing." Skyler said with an impish grin.
And I flushed remembering his earlier words.
"That she is." Zaidan agreed making me blink multiple times in shock.
Living with them was getting dangerous by each passing minute.
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With a favorable condition improve, here is an update :)
What do you have to say about Michelle's mom?
And obviously about the chapter xD