The Spotlight Effect (The MorningStar #1)

1. And the winnier is…

AND THE WINNIER IS…

ALEXIA

I hate how lucky my sister is. She would be the one to win the same sweepstakes I entered.

The worst part is that she doesn’t even like The MorningStars, but because spending a day with some blond actor is a prize too, she entered.

So, fucking much for my lucky stars.

I lean against the kitchen counter, forcing myself to listen to Lia rant about how she just won The MorningStars/Golden Star Sweepstakes again . If I could staple her mouth shut, I would. I’m super happy for her and all, but she’s been going on and on about this for the past four days.

We get it, you won. Move on.

So what if I’m being bitter?

This is one of the worst days of my life, but that's an exaggeration. Trust me, I’ve had worse days. Being kidnapped was way worse than this but still.

Now Lia is reading off the letter they sent in the mail today about what is included in the winner’s package and the instructions. I hear her say it includes four tickets, but there are five of us.

“There’s five of us,” I interrupt her, reaching into the bowl beside me and grabbing a grape. Everyone slowly turns to me.

“So?” Lia deadpans.

“There's five of us, but only four tickets,” I rephrase to be more clear, and then I eat the grape.

Stephan looks around the room before he says, “Well, what if you girls go? Then Aaliyah can use the fourth ticket for a friend.”

Of course he has that fucking idea. What are step-dads for?

“Then what will I do for spring break?” Dexter asks from his chair at the island.

“Boys trip with some of your college friends,” Stephan suggests.

“Thanks, Daddy!” Lia jumps and hugs Stephan like a five-year-old child, even though nothing is finalized.

“Now you must choose a friend,” my mom says.

“We all know who she will pick,” I insert, rolling my eyes.

“You know, Lexi, you don’t need to be a buzzkill. You can stay at the dorms for all I care,” Lia says, slightly harsh, but I brush it off. I really don’t care if she hates my attitude.

“I’ll call Astrid’s house,” Mom says and grabs her phone, already knowing who Lia would pick.

Astrid is the most annoying, self-absorbed person I’ve ever met. She literally only cares about how she looks, and I strongly dislike her. Maybe even hate. I wish all her perfect blonde hair would fall out.

I push off the counter and put the grapes back inside the fridge. I want to go back to my room now.

“Okay, Astrid said she will go. I also told her mom. I’m going to talk with the coordinator tomorrow to get the tickets. We have a week to pack.” Mom walks back inside the kitchen while speaking.

“Then we have a week to plan our boys' trip. Dex, think of three friends you want to bring,” Stephan tells Dexter.

“You guys have fun but I’m going with Faith to Myrtle Beach,” I say, closing the fridge.

“Alexia, I know you are twenty and in college, but this would be an amazing bonding experience for us,” Mom says, walking over to me.

“Yeah, then you can drool over The MorningStars in person,” Lia adds, flipping her hair and walking off. I give her the middle finger behind her back. I do not drool over them. I just really like their music. There’s a difference.

“At least I’m not giggling over Noah Sterling,” I whisper to myself.

Looking back over at my mom, I see the gleam in her eyes saying she just wants me to say yes, and I’m almost close to it before Dexter speaks.

“Better get ready for all the squeals, Sis.” Dexter tips his cup of water to me, and I flip him off too.

“Suck my invisible dick,” I tell him bitterly.

I’m still not going but have fun .

“You’ve been dying to see this band, literally begging me every day to wait in queue with you for their summer tour tickets since it was announced in February,” Mom reminds me. I remember and still want those tickets. “This is your chance to finally see them in person, meet them, and we get to hang out. Just us girls. Faith will be here. You two are always together and it could be good to go to a different place.”

“Fine, I’ll go, but I won’t enjoy it,” I say, bitterly leaving the kitchen.

I walk down the hallway to my room. Why did she have to win? I was supposed to be going with Faith to Myrtle Beach for the week, and now I’m going to LA with my sister and her stupid best friend.

I can’t believe I agreed to do that. Life hates me and I’m sure of it because every time I get excited for something, another thing comes to crush it. I do, however, have to tell Faith I can’t go with her anymore.

I get off my bed and walk around to my bay window, climbing onto the ledge to open it. I crawl onto the tree house platform and stand up, walking across to Faith’s window.

When Faith and I were seven, we begged our dads to build us a treehouse that connected our rooms. They did and it’s been our place ever since. I lightly knock on her window, and a few seconds later, she’s pushing back her white curtains and unlocking it.

“I wasn’t expecting you today.” Faith smiles and backs away so I can come in. I jump inside onto the white, fluffy carpet in front of her window.

“I came over to tell you I can’t come with you to Myrtle Beach for Spring Break,” I say, taking a seat in the inflatable chair on one side of her window.

“What do you mean?” Faith asks and sits in the other inflatable chair on the other side

“You remember The MorningStar sweepstakes I told you I entered?” I ask.

“Yeah, the one that Lia entered, too.”

“Yeah, well, she won, and Mom really wants to have bonding time, so I’m going for her. Plus, Dex and my stepfather have decided to take a boys’ trip.” I sigh, air quoting ‘bonding time’.

“That’s amazing, Lex!” Faith beams, jumping up from the chair.

“Excuse me?” I raise a brow.

“It sucks we won’t be together for break anymore, but you get to meet your favorite band in real life! And who knows, maybe you’ll come back with a hot, rockstar boyfriend,” Faith says, twirling at the end of her sentence.

“Or maybe I’ll be in hell the entire time,” I deadpan.

“Oh, Lexi, look on the bright side. You’re obsessed with this band, and you get to meet them in person, ” Faith tells me. “Literally every fan's dream.”

She’s right—I am obsessed with them. On one wall of my room is a small purple couch with posters of the band above it, basically covering the wall, beside the couch are my two guitars, and then my desk has a tower of their CDs and all their albums framed above it. Not to mention, I have every T-shirt they have ever sold on their site in my closet, and so many merch items like the lip gloss collection Scarlett Cross released, the purse Raven Dowson designed, and I won an auction for a hoodie Grayson Archer wore on stage. I watch Charlie West’s vlogs every week because he’s the drummer. I even have a whole shelf of my bookcase dedicated to them and all the other merch and things I have. I’m in love with that band and their music. I’ve even bought a jacket because it looks like the one Kenan Roars wore.

“Yeah, I guess I can look on the bright side.” I shrug and sink down into the chair.

“This is so exciting; I’m helping you pack!” Faith goes on about how great this is while I just sit, staring at her white walls and thinking of how I could possibly get out of this week, but I guess I can suck it up and be happy…or pretend to be.

Unfortunately, the week before we were due to leave passed by fast and now, I’m walking out of my final class before spring break. I immediately put in my AirPods and press play, and a song by Cigarettes After Sex starts to play; I’m pretty sure it’s “Touch”. All I want to do is drown out everyone till I can get into my room.

As I’m walking, Faith appears beside me as normal, and we continue our walk together. On the wall coming up, I spot a Spring Formal poster. The theme is A Night Around the World. Faith is a part of the planning committee and says it’s going to be great and have plenty of interactions around, so I won’t just have to stay in the dance part. I still don’t care, though. I hate school dances. Approaching the wall, I rip down the poster and crumple it up.

“You know you can’t do that to everyone you see,” Faith says, taking one of my AirPods out.

“I can try.” I smile at her and toss the crumpled paper into the trash. Just where it belongs.

I feel someone tap on my shoulder just as we are about to exit the building. I internally groan, turning to see Astrid and Lia. Rolling my eyes, I take out my AirPods. “Can I help you?” I ask them.

“We want to go to Sonic,” Lia says.

“Then walk,” I say, trying to put my AirPod back in, but Lia grabs my hand.

“Please take us?” Lia bats her eyes, pleading.

“I’ll buy your drink too,” Astrid adds. Although it sucks we’re in college and we have to share a car, I have two opinions: be an ass and say no like normal or say yes and get a free milkshake that she spends her money on.

“Fine, but I want a large milkshake,” I say, continuing out the door.

“Alexia, lovely to see you,” Principal Miller says as I walk by.

“Charming, as always,” I reply.

“Try not to terrorize anyone over break or when you come back,” she says.

“We both know he kicked himself in the balls,” I reply, causing Faith to laugh. Principal Miller doesn’t do anything but shake her head and I smile, turning back around. “Don’t even. That asshole deserved it,” I say before Lia even has the chance to open her mouth.

I unlock my silver Jeep Renegade as Faith unlocks her Mini Coop next to me. “See you at practice!” Faith blows a kiss to me and gets in her car. I get inside my Jeep with Lia in the passenger seat and Astrid in the back in the middle.

Let’s get this over with .

The ride there isn’t terrible, and being here, I'm fine just drinking my milkshake, but now it has been almost an hour. As much as I love this milkshake, I’m ready to leave, so I honk my horn at Lia and Astrid. “You have ten seconds before I leave you!” I shout out to them and crank up my Jeep. They know I’m not kidding because they start running to the car.

“You know you’re an ass?” Astrid tells me as I back out.

“I try to be,” I reply.

“Hopefully, this trip will make you less bitchy,” Astrid whispers to herself.

I highly doubt it will. I’m the way I am for a reason.