Chapter 10 Elijah
TEN
ELIJAH
“I have never worked with such uncooperative people. I don’t understand. They are living the dream life, making millions upon millions a year, but they sure seem to act like ungrateful children.”
Fay reads aloud, our new manager, slams the laptop shut and pinches the bridge of her nose. “You guys are saints. How did you put up with them for so long?”
I’ve lost count how many emergency meetings have been called all because of these empty statements.
Leonidas’s jaw clenches. “We had no other choice.”
“They’re stickier than superglue,” Amelia says, inching down further in her seat and crossing her legs.
Our old team’s torment online hasn’t let up. If anything, it’s only getting worse. Fay, who also works for Triple Threat, heard they’d been in contact with Trinity’s mom.
As if.
Not sure what they thought they could get out of her …
“This has been going on for months. Do you all know how you want to proceed?”
“You’re asking us?” I screw my face up at her.
“Of course.” Confused, she leans on one elbow and places her chin in her palm. “Why would I not value how you want to go about this?”
Well, this is new.
“Our old team didn’t give us any say.” I shrug my shoulders.
“They’re only part of your past now—thank God.” With a shake of her head, she sends us a small smile. “Now tell me, what do you want to do?”
“Nothing.” Leonidas’s word comes out bitterly.
Raising a brow, she repeats, “Nothing?”
“Adding fuel to fire doesn’t make it disappear; it only makes the flames taller.” Amelia turns to us. “We should just ignore it, let them be children.”
Leonidas nods. “Our true fans will know it’s all bullshit.”
“If that’s what you want, then that’s the route we’ll take. However, if this continues, I do suggest we take some action.” Fay rises from her seat. “That’s it for today. Don’t forget, you have a single releasing in a week. Promotion for that will be crazy, so buckle up.”
“Already strapped in.” Amelia winks.
When it’s just my siblings and me, we all start talking at once.
“I’m so thankful I’m nothing like them.” Leonidas’s voice booms the loudest. Rubbing the back of his neck, he stresses, “What if we just pay them to shut their mouths?”
“Like we did with Dad?” Amelia shakes her head, annoyed. “That’s exactly what they want. More of our money.”
“I agree, Leonidas. We can’t just pay people off our whole lives. Especially if we’re innocent.”
He raps his knuckles on the table. “It’s one thing to come after us—I don’t give a shit. I draw the line when they try to run my girlfriend’s name in the dirt.”
“The world will always find ways to hurt people we love. We can’t avoid that.” Amelia reaches across the table and grabs one of his fists and squeezes.
“Do you know how much I hate myself whenever I see her upset because of the media?” He jumps out of his seat and paces the room. “She tries to play it off, except I see her. I’ve learned every signal that comes with all her emotions. She hides all her worries, only to avoid hurting me.”
“Are you going to let guilt eat you away? Or are you going to remember that she knew what this side of our lives would bring?” Amelia’s eyes glisten as she tracks his anxious body.
If I could take away my siblings’ pain, I would, in a heartbeat. Yet a big part of our career guarantees misconception and exploitation. I promised myself if I ever fell in love, I would never share my relationship with the world. I’d be damned if anyone tarnished an innocent life.
“I’m so excited!” Stella’s smile lights up the whole room as she dances on the spot.
Her brother, Levi, ruffles her hair with a chuckle as he walks by, carrying her dinner plate.
“Come here, missy. You need to eat.” He pushes her seat out and taps the cushion. “You can tell us what you’re excited about while you finish all your food.”
“I want Lia to sit beside me,” she squeals, making a beeline to her brother, who’s currently rolling his eyes in mock annoyance.
“I would be honored.” Amelia rounds the corner with her own plate, looking just as happy as Stella.
Clapping her hands, she dances on her knees.
“On your bum,” Levi says sternly, pointing a finger in her direction.
She drops down with a huff.
Before he can take the other seat beside his girlfriend, Trinity runs by him and snatches it up with a sneaky smirk. Both girls giggle and side cuddle, looking anywhere but where their boyfriends stand, mouths agape.
“Our girls don’t love us.” Leonidas looks wounded.
“At least you just have one rejection. I have two people who don’t love me.” Levi sends both Stella and Amelia playful glares.
“I love you, but I’m a girl, and girls should sit together.” Her tiny voice sends electric bolts through my heart.
I want one.
“Boys have cooties.” Amelia sticks her tongue out at Levi.
Stella plugs her nose and shivers. “Yeah, yucky!”
He crosses his arms. “I’m the only boy in the world to you who doesn’t have cooties.” He spits the last word in disgust.
She pretends to think. “Nuh-uh.”
She explodes in laughter when he rounds the table and tickles her sides. “Okay, okay! You don’t have cooties,” she wheezes out, her face turning red.
“You’d better remember that,” he protectively warns, stepping away and dropping down into his seat with a pout.
God help Stella when she’s old enough to date.
When I kick Levi’s foot under the table, he frowns.
“Have you found a teacher for Stella yet?”
Only one month to go before the tour starts. A mix of thrill and dread combines in my stomach. I love being on the road, but I hate the constant, long travel days.
A big problem we’re facing is hiring a teacher who is willing to homeschool Stella while on the road. Fay has conducted multiple interviews, yet everyone is always sent away.
They’re either fans pretending to be teachers; fans who are actually teachers, but they’re not interested for the right reasons; or teachers who have families at home that they can’t leave behind.
“I can’t find anyone worthy enough for my princess.” Levi runs a hand down his face. “I’m starting to worry we won’t find someone who’ll take this job seriously. It takes a lot of sacrifice to leave behind everything you know and love for a stranger.”
“You need to find someone who has nothing to lose,” Amelia tries to reassure him with her signature sweet smile.
“Worse comes to worst, I’ll have a new side job. Soon, you all will be calling me Mr. Drakos.”
Everyone snorts at me.
“The only thing you would teach her is how to be stupid, clueless, and a clown,” Leonidas grumbles, purposely trying to piss me off.
Rolling my eyes, I whisper under my breath, “Fuck me, you’re so infuriating.”
A sharp pain travels up my leg, and I glare at Leonidas.
He gestures me closer before hissing right in my ear, “I don’t want to fuck you.”
What the fuck?
“Ew, don’t say that shit again!” I gag, staggering back in my chair. “My brain … I don’t like the things that I’m imagining.” I shake my head back and forth, like that might help the disgust go away.
Everyone sends us questionable looks.
“So, Stella, earlier you said you were excited about something but never told us about what.” Leonidas says too sweetly, trying to act innocent after all the trauma he just inflicted on me.
Side-eyeing him, I scrunch my face up when he finds my gaze and discreetly gives me the middle finger under the table.
She munches on the chicken Levi cut for her. “For the bus.”
Levi grimaces because sharing a tour bus with a handful of people is the worst part of being on the road for us.
“What about traveling the world?” Trinity asks softly.
She shrugs.
Amelia sits up and whispers, “How about all the cute boys?”
Stella jumps, throwing her little arms in the air. “Yeah!”
Laughing, I feel tension traveling to my neck. Groaning, I reach up to massage my muscles.
Leonidas raises a brow. “Sore?”
I gesture to all of them. “Whiplash.”