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Chapter 1 "It's going to change the world. Change the entire world. The way we write songs, hear them - enjoy them! This record is going to be … huge. It's going to be… going to be even bigger than the last record. You just wait 'til you hear it. You just wait. It's going to blow your mind…" Theo pressed his finger down on the mute button. A frown creased his usually smooth features. It was Jerome on the television, giving an impromptu interview to a guy from the local network that had cornered the vocal singer into giving a quote. As always, Jerome had given more than just one throwaway sentence. Rather than tell the presenter that the record was nearly finished and was going to be very different to their usual sound, Jerome, instead, began to ramble on and on, increasing the pressure by declaring their worth. Theo shook his head as he watched TV-size Jerome's animated features as he continued to rant. A finger was pointed down the lens, right at the viewing public. Over seventy percent of those viewers would love the record no matter what it sounded like but there was still the other thirty percent that needed convincing. Anyway, it just wasn't professional to talk in that way. It put Theo on edge, made him worry it would jinx the future of the group. The door opened behind and he threw an arm over the back of the sofa to greet the newcomer. It was Hayden. Youngest of the group, most excitable - the cutest, in Theo's opinion. Just how many hearts had the seventeen-year-old broken so far? Hundreds? More like thousands. And Hayden knew it. He understood the control he had over the girls in their audience. He abused that control from time to time. Things had calmed, though, since his relationship with Brett had begun - not completely stopped, of course, but certainly cooled a little. The young girls of the world were a little safer now than they had been a year ago. "Hey, The'," Hayden greeted, green eyes sparkling, sweat coating his upper lip and hairline. A can of coke was nestled comfortably in his palm, half-empty by the look of it. Hayden had been playing ball outside with the security guards. What else was there to do on tour? Hanging around backstage got boring. Just look at what that craziness had made Jerome say on live TV. Theo cringed and motioned for Hayden to sit down beside him. |
"What you doin'?" the youngster asked, guzzling down the rest of the can before dumping it on the floor. Theo knew he wouldn't pick it up when he left. Hayden had been spoilt since the age of fifteen. He didn't know any better. He eyed the television and then looked back at Theo. "Something wrong?" Theo nodded at Jerome who was still, amazingly, ranting passionately about the new record - at least that's what Theo hoped he was ranting about. With Jerome you could never tell where a conversation could lead. "Sometimes I don't understand a word he says." The tone was sadder than he'd been expecting it to be. But why should he not be upset? Jerome was his best friend and had been ever since the start of the group two years ago. Although complete opposites in personality their love for music had bonded them together. Lately Jerome had started slipping away. Being on the road could do that to a person. "The TV's on mute, The', that's why you can't understand him." Hayden gave a goofy laugh, his buckteeth protruding even further than usual. Theo gave a sad sigh, barely hearing the words. "Hey, The'," Hayden said, voice completely different now, a hand straying out to touch Theo's, to squeeze gently. "The'?" "Yeah?" Theo asked, looking up, falling straight into Hayden's green stare. Except a person never fell into Hayden's eyes, he simply hooked you with one look. Hayden squeezed Theo's hand again, chubby fingers curling around his. Why did they feel so good there? "Don't get down about it, man," he said, squeezing again, daring to stroke the pale skin of Theo's delicate fingers. "It's just Jerome being Jerome. He doesn't know what he's talking about, either." He gave another goofy smile; it didn't match his experienced touch. "Right," Theo heard himself replying. Why did everything suddenly feel so far away and unimportant? The fingers combed down over his again, pressing against the soft skin surrounding the fingernail of his index finger. "You all right The'?" Hayden asked. Theo recognised that voice, felt the shift in Hayden's pose. This was what the youngster did to all those fans that were lucky enough to get close enough. The innocent voice yet knowledgeable posturing. Theo blinked when Hayden did, licked his lips when Hayden ran his tongue along his pouting bottom lip. He was |