Tessa's P.O.V:
I tap the end of the pen and and let out a small sigh. I turn up the music louder and place one hand on my head phones as I watch Leroy's lips move and his face scrunch up in anger.
Get angry, what do I care?
Leroy leans foward and I watch him talk with his hands. I start to hum to the song before I start to sing it, making my manager roll his eyes at my childish behavior. Yes, i'm giving him the silent treatment.
I lean back into my seat and watch my mangers face turn bright red as he shouts. Still, I can't hear him because of the headphones. Leroy stands up and walks towards me, making me jerk my head back as he reaches out for making headphones.
"Move!" I say a bit too loud but get ignored anyway. Leroy pulls the headphones off me and wraps the wire around them before he takes my cd player and walks towards my bed.
"Tessa. Hear me out." Leroy says.
Silence.
"You were the one that signed the contract." He tries again.
Silence.
"Tessa. Quit acting like a child and speak." He says, raising his voice a little.
Silence.
God, I want to say so much to him but instead, I keep my mouth shut. I left Marshall's home studio, only to have Leroy follow me into my room a few minutes later. I have no idea where Marshall went, I heard him slam the front door before he drove away.
"Like I told you before, me and Paul don't make the rules and plan all these other things. We're just told to do things and our job is to make sure you do them." Leroy explains as I draw a random pattern in my notebook.
Silence.
"Tessa. Speak to me." Leroy huffs.
Silence.
"Everything that I am doing is for you." Leroy says, making me slam my notebook down on the table.
"Don't you dare say that!" I snap as I point my finger at him. "Nothing you do is for me!" I add.
"Everything is for you. For you to be more famous. For you to have more success. Fame comes at a cost love and-" He starts before I quickly cut in.
"Oh don't give me that bullshit!" I say as I stand up. "This is not for me, it's all for you!" I state.
"For me?" Leroy says in disbelief.
"Yes, for you! It is all for you. You get the money since i'm one of your biggest artist. You get popular amongst all these managers." I shout.
"That's no-" Leroy starts but I carry on talking.
"You don't care about me." I state.
"This is all for you." He states.
"Okay. Explain how?" I say as I fold my arms across my chest.
"You're adopting. People love it when they see celebrities adopt." He says.
"Okay and what happens when the contract ends. What then? We ship the baby back off to where it came from, only to ruin his or hers life?" I say.
"The child gets a large amount of money sent to hers or his bank account. The money will be available to them when they are 18. With that mine they will be set for life!" Leroy says, making me let out a small sad laugh.
"So you're paying the kid off." I sigh. "You're going to ruin the baby's life!" I say.
No one is ruining anyone's life!" Leroy shouts.
"You are not only ruining my life but also Marshall's and that baby's!" I shout.
"You and Marshall signed the contract." Leroy states, he says, making me ball my hair up in anger.
"The contract which says that we have to act like a couple. I didn't sign anything that says I have to adopt a tiny human being." I say and watch Leroy let out a small sigh as he burys his face in his hands before it goes quiet between us for the next few minutes.
"Number 32." Leroy says as he looks back up at me.
"What?" I say as I knit my eyebrows together in confusion.
"Rule number 32 on the contract. What is it?" He asks.
"How should I know?" I shrug as I fold my arms across my chest.
"You signed the contract." Leroy states.
"Unlike you, I don't have free time to memorize the contract." I say, making him roll his eyes.
"Number 32. Both artist are not allowed to remove any props that are given to them during the engagement." He says, making me drop my mouth open in disbelief.
"So this baby is some kind of prop to you?" I say.
"Tessa." Leroy sighs and just when he's about to speak again, I quickly cut him off.
"How dare you." I say.
"You need to re-" He starts before I cut him off again.
"How fucking dare you!" I yell. "You're using a tiny human being as a prop?" I say. "Screw this." I mumble as I walk towards my dresser and grab my jacket from the chair.
"Where are you going now. I can't keep following you around." He says as I pull on my jacket.
"Well fuck off then." I say as I pull open the door.
"Tessa!" Leroy calls after me. "You have no choice." He says, making me stop in my tracks. "You and Marshall signed your life away for the fame when you signed the contract. You do as you are told. Don't make this difficult for yourself." He says, making me swallow the lump down in my throat. I don't say anything and walk out my bedroom, slamming the door behind me.
***
I breath in out heavily as I look around the brightly lit room. I scream out in pain as I shoot up and hold onto my stomach before I feel a pair of arms push me down against the bed.
"Karla!" I shout for my bestfriend. "Karla!" I scream out her name.
"Miss, we need you to relax!" I hear a voice in the distance shout. "Your friend is safe." The voice comes out louder and clearer this time as a old man hovers over me. "Just relax." He says softly.
"O-okay." I stutter and nod as tears run down the side of my eyes and dissappear into my hair. "O-okay...I-I'll...I'll relax." I nod.
"Good." The man smiles. "You're in hospital. Can you tell me your name?" He asks as nurses rush around me as I stare at the man hovering over me.
"T-Tessa B-bla-" I start but stop talking at the next few words.
"She's pregnant." A female voice says, making the man quickly snap his head towards the right. "She pregnant!" The lady shouts louder this time.
"Get me Dr Evans!" The man yells as he starts walk away before I quickly grab onto his hand.
"Who's pregnant?" I ask him. The man look down at me and his old honey coloured eyes go soft as he looks down at me and let's out a long sad sigh.
"How old are you love?" He asks softly.
"18." I swallow the lump in my throat. "I just turned 18 recently." I tell him as more tears run down the side of my face.
"Okay. Tessa, I need you to brave." He says.
"Am I pregnant?" I ask.
"I'm going to do everything I can do to save your baby." He says, making me let out a small sob. "Just stay still." He says sternly but softly.
"I'm pregnant." I choke out the word like it's acid in my mouth. "I'm pregnant." I cry and cover my face with my hand. "I'm pregnant." I repeat over and over again as doctors and nurses rush around me and shout over me.
I let out a loud gasp as I quickly shoot up. My heart beats fast against my chest as I run my hand over my sweaty face and through my hair. I let out a small sigh as I climb out of bed.
Just a dream, Tess. Just a dream.
I glance back at Marshall sleeping behind me before I stand up and walk towards the window. I pull a chair infront of it and sit down. I wrap a blanket around me as I pull my knees against my chest.
I haven't had a dream about my miscarriage ever. This is the first time and seeing the same faces flash before my eyes in my dreams or seeing the scenes replay in my dream is heartbreaking.
I hate thinking about Gayle's baby inside me. I just hate it and this is the third time in the past few years that i'm thinking about it and I feel sick to my stomach.
All this baby talk is slowly driving me insane. I can't adopt a baby. I can't even be alone with one. I mean, what the hell do I know about babies apart from the fact that they cry and scream all day and all night long.
Marshall left yesterday right after he had another argument with our managers and I didn't see him until he came home last night. I didn't say anything to Marshall when he came to my room to sleep with me and he didn't say anything as well. Guess we were both busy with our thoughts.
What the hell were our managers thinking and if they knew about the whole adopting a baby thing before we even signed the contract then why wouldn't they tell us? I trusted Leroy to tell me everything.
I would never have signed the damn contract if I knew that Marshall and I were going to adopt a baby and it just makes me even more angrier knowing that I can't do anything and niether can Marshall.
When we signed the contract, we agreed on following every single thing on it. We have to do everything they tell us to do. We don't get a say in any of this. We don't get to make our own choices.
I snap out of my thoughts when I feel a pair of arms wrap around my shoulder. I place my hand on Marshall's hand as I lean back. Marshall places a kiss on my head before he sighs.
I stand up from my seat and let him sit down before I sit down on his lap and place my head on his chest and play with the chain around his neck as his fingers trace random patterns on my thigh.
"How come you're up so early?" He asks.
"What time is it?" I mumble.
"6:40." He says before he kisses me on my hair once again.
"I couldn't sleep." I shrug. "Why are you up so early?" I ask.
"Couldn't sleep." He says before it goes completely quiet between us for the next few minutes.
"What happens now?" I ask, breaking the silence, when Marshall doesn't answer I tilt my head back a little to look at him, only to find him already looking at me.
"I don't know." He sighs and looks away from me as he leans his head back and closes his eyes. I look away from Marshall and lay my head on his shoulder before I wrap my arm around him.
***
"You signed your rights away when you signed the contract." Nick shrugs, making Marshall sigh as I bury my face into my hands.
"Tell me your fucking about with us." Marshall says.
"I'm sorry but there's nothing that I can do." He shrugs.
"So we're not only ruining our lives but also the babies life." I state, making Marshall and Nick turn to me.
"What?" Nick says in confusion.
"I mean think about it." I throw my hands in the air. "Once the contract is over, we're going to give the baby away." I explain. "The baby will probably gets used to us and then where just going to hand it back." I add.
"Don't call the baby an 'it'." I hear Nick mumble.
"We're not going to adopt a baby." Marshall says.
"We have no choice." I state.
"I'm not adopting no damn baby that isn't mine." Marshall says in a harsh tone, making me knit my brows together in confusion.
"You just adopted Whitney yesterday and she isn't yours." I say, making him clench his jaw.
"Wrong move, Tess." Nick clears his throat.
"Whitneys different." Marshall states. "She Hailie and Alaina's sister." He adds, making me look away from his cold stare. Okay, that was harsh of me to say.
"Tessa!" We hear Leroy shout, making me roll my eyes.
"The fuck does he want now?" Marshall says in anger.
"Tessa!" My manager shouts again.
"In the kitchen." I shout back. "Calm down." I mumble to Marshall. Leroy appears in the doorway with Paul and my assistant, Lilly.
"Good. You're both here." Paul says.
"What's this?" I ask as Paul places a blue folder infront of us.
"Contracts." Leroy whispers, making me knit my brows together in confusion.
"Why are you whispering?" I ask.
"Because. Your daughters here." Paul says to Marshall and I.
"Our what?" Marshall says in anger.
"Daughter." Leroy states. "She doesn't know about the contract so you act like a couple and you don't mention the contract." He adds sternly.
She's a baby. She won't understand.
My heart drops at the thought. If this is actually going to happen then that means we have to look after a baby. This is actually happening.
Oh my god...
"I'm not doing this." Marshall hisses and walk away towards the door.
"And niether am I." I say as I follow Marshall out the door. I let out a small sigh as I run my fingers through my hair.
"Man, what the fuck are they thinking?" Marshall says in anger as we walk up the marble steps.
"Hey." We turn around to face a blonde haired girl who looks likes she around the age of 15. An old man walks through the front door as I glance at Marshall to see if he recognizes them.
"Marshall. Tessa." I look away from the girl and turn towards Leroy. "Meet Iris." He gestures towards the blonde haired girl.
"If you follow me that way, we can start on the adoption papers for Iris." Paul says to the grey haired man who's standing next to Iris.
***
Marshall walks out the room once he's one signing the last piece of paper. Paul hands me the pen which I take off him slowly before I sign on the dotted line.
There...Iris is officially mine and Marshall's daughter
"Now for the-" Leroy starts but I quickly stand up as I cover my mouth. "Tessa." Leroy calls after me but ignore him and walk out the room.
I rush into the back garden and spill my gut's out as I hold onto my stomach. I feel my hair get pulled back as I vomit once again before I stand up and wipe the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand.
Ew.
"Thanks." I sigh.
"Are you...Okay?" A female voice asks. I slowly turn around and my eyes lock onto blue airy ones.
"Iris." I clear my throat.
"Are you okay?" She asks again.
"I'm fine." I nod before it goes quiet between the both of us.
"I was looking around the place." She tells me, making me look back up at her. "You and Marshall have a nice place." She says. "Is that alright..." She says slowly.
"Is what alright?" I ask.
"If I call you by your names instead of mom or dad." She says slowly. "It's just that-" She starts before I quickly cut in.
"No. It's fine." I say a bit too quickly. "Just call us by our names." I clear my throat. "I'm sorry but I need...to collect Nathan from school." I lie as I walk past her.
"Who's Nathan?" She asks. "Do I have another brother?" She says as she follows me.
"Nathan is Marshall's brother." I tell her as I walk back in and walk towards the front door. I grab my keys and jacket before I walk out the front door, banging the door behind me.
***
"Where are you?" Leroy asks. I let out a small sigh as I drop down on Nicks bed. "Tessa. Don't you dare ignore me!" He shouts. Nick scrunches his face up in anger as he walks towards the phone but I quickly put my hand up and take the phone in my hand.
"I need a night alone." I tell Leroy.
"A night alone?" He repeats as I pick up the bottle of burbon and look at it.
"I just need to get away from all this bullshit." I say. "Away from you. Away from Marshall. Away from...Iris." I say as I lock my eyes onto Nicks. "I'll see you tomorrow." I close my eyes and hang up the call.
"Next time he talks to you like that, i'm going to end up breaking his jaw." Nick points a finger at me. "Come on. It's late." He says as he leans off the wall and walks towards me.
"No-" I start but get cut off as Nick takes the bottle off me.
"Tess." Nick sighs and places the bottle on the floor. "This isn't helping." He says, referring to the alcohol. I let out a small sigh and let him pick me up.
I wrap my arms around his neck as he picks me up before he walks me towards the head of the bed. Nick moves the duvet before he lays me down and makes his way towards the other side of the bed.
"I'm screwed." I sigh.
"No, you're not." Nick says as he lays down and turns to face me.
"Yes I am." I nod.
"She's a 15 year old." Nick states. "She won't even need to be looked after much." He adds.
"She thinks it's all real." I sigh. "She thinks that Marshall and I are actually going to be her mom and dad." I say as I look up at him. "She's was in an care home. All this time she was hoping for a real mom or dad and she ended up getting us." I sigh.
"She seemed really excited to be adopted by the both of you." Nick says.
"You talked to her?" I ask.
"Yeah. When you and Marshall were signing the papers." He shrugs. "She said her mom was a drunk who would leave the house every night, leaving her alone with her twin brother." He says.
"She has a twin brother?" I ask.
"Mhmm." Nick nods.
"What happened to her mom?" I ask.
"Suicide." Nick mumbles. "She ended up tying herself to a railway and took a bunch of pills and eventually...a train came and.." Nick explains but trails off near the end. "Anyway, she was only six when she was separated from her younger brother." He clears his throat.
"Oh god..." I exhale a long breath as I rub my hand across my face. "How could we be so cruel!" I sigh.
"It's your managers, Tess." Nick says as I turn to lay on my back.
"We're using her." I state. "We're using a child to become even more famous then we already are." I say as I throw the duvet off me.
"Where are you going?" He asks.
"Home." I state.
"Why?" He asks. "You can't do anything about this now, Tess. It's already done. I tried my best to get you out of this situation but you signed your life away when you signed the contract." Nick says as he sit's up.
"Iris deserves much more than us." I state as I pull on my shoes. "I'm not going to make her feel unwanted by not being home the first night she moves in." I say as I pull on my leather jacket. "So.." I sigh as I pull out my hair from underneath my jacket and turn to face Nick. "I'm going to make her feel like shes at home." I say as I grab my bag and walk out of Nicks room.
***
Half an hour later, I finally make it back home. I only had two drinks so i'm not drunk. I park my car and kill of the engine before I step out of my car. Marshall's home since his car is parked next to mine but Leroy and Paul car is gone.
Thank god!
I let out a small sigh as I push the key into the lock. I push down the handle and walk in before I slowly and quietly close the front door behind me. I place my keys down in its usual place and hang up my jacket.
I hear talking and giggling coming from the kitchen and make my way towards it. I stand in the door way and watch Iris as she reads a book in funny voices for each character. My eyes drift away from them and land on Marshall who's watching Iris read to his daughters.
"Hi." I look away from Marshall and look away at Iris.
"Hi." I smile at her as I lean off the doorway and walk further into the kitchen and walk towards Marshall.
"Where were you?" He asks as I lean on the counter besides him.
"I needed some...Time alone." I sigh as I place my head on Marshall's shoulder. "Where were you?" I ask.
"Guess I needed some time alone too." Marshall shrugs as he wrap his arm around my shoulder.
"I hate this." I mumble.
"I know." Marshall sighs.
"She doest deserve this." I add.
"I know." He says, making me sigh.