CHAPTER 3: SECRETS
The adrenaline was still pumping though the girl’s veins, as they exited the stage, the crowd seemed bigger than last night, and louder.
“You did great” Nick admires wrapping his arms around Bianca
“Don’t hug me I’m all smelly” she laughs
“Well I better go get ready, I’ll see you later” Nicks says gently brushing his lips across Bianca’s cheek.
* AT THE SAME TIME *
“Okay so when he comes, just start talking about her, she doesn’t deserve him, I do” Mandy laughs, directing her friends
“Can I get Brian?” Victoria inquires
“Vic, you’re 15, I think you’re a little too young” Tammy replies
“Shut-up” Victoria snaps back
“Look here he comes” Lucy offers
“I cant believe she’s here, if I did what she did I would hide myself away for ever, I cant believe Bianca actually acts that way” Mandy pauses “oh Nick, didn’t see you there” she lies
“Who are you talking about?” Nick inquires, knowing full well who they were discussing
“Just a girl we know” Annie responds
In accordance with the plan the 4 other girls disband, leaving Mandy to water that seed she planted earlier.
“You were talking about Bianca?”
“Um - yes”
“What about her?”
“Its really not my place”
Nick was falling straight into her trap, hook, line and sinker.
“Tell me, I want to know”
“Well she had a reputation, she lived up to at practically every party she attended, if you know what I mean?”
“Be a little clearer”
Nick didn’t want to jump to conclusions he done that in the past, he didn’t want to do it again.
“She had a tendency to slip into a quite room with a different boy, every couple of hours, she worked that way, tended to get stuff from it, if you follow me”
Nick followed her, but didn’t believe her. She senses this and continues.
“It was known, she gave guys what they wanted as long as they could give her something in return. Perhaps you should ask yourself, why she interested in you?”
“Was is that meant to mean?”
“Are you really that blind?”
With that she walks away, leaving Nick in wonderment.
‘Was Bianca some sort of user, or slut?’ he thinks to himself
“Hey babe” Bianca says marching up to Nick, snapping him from his daze
“Look I smell all better” she laughs
Nick smiles at her, and dismisses his earlier thoughts. He’d met girls like that, but not Bianca. Not her.
* 20 MINUTES LATER *
Tatum blew furiously onto her nails, drying the polish.
“Purple is THE best color” she pronounces
“I thought it was pink?” Arora inquires sarcastically
“Quite you” Tatum remarks, laughing
“Where’s Chas?” Arora asks, as she scribbles away in her notebook
“Not sure, with AJ I guess. Where’s B?”
“I’ll take a stab in the dark - with Nick” Arora giggles
“Those guys are sick. Me I’m waiting for Skeet”
“Or Seth?”
“Um - yah”
The girls burst out laughing.
“But really, who’s your eye drawn too?” Arora inquires
“Um, not Sure, Jeff’s a babe, so is Nick, I’m partial towards Ricky Martian, but he doesn’t join the tour till Washington right? So basically, I have no idea, you?”
“No one” Arora mumbles
“Is that ‘cause of Kale?”
The mention of that name, sparks a tear down Arora face, she ducks away from Tatum’s view, she hated people seeing her cry.
“I guess I already know the answer” Tatum replies, understanding it was still a tiptoe subject.
* AT THE SAME TIME *
“Be great” Bianca declares as Nick gears up to go on
“Be great? Good England” Chastity says mocking her friend
“Shut-up you, or I’ll start spilling secrets” Bianca warns jokingly
“You’re the one with all them” Chastity laughs
“Sssshhhh” Bianca condemns
“What does that mean?” Nick questions, almost harshly, his mind shooting back to THAT earlier conversation.
“Chill Nicky, its a Joke” Chastity replies
“You’re on” one of the stage crew yells
“Be great” Bianca repeats, laughing
“Yah be great” Chastity announces
The five guys, run onto the stage as a wave of teenage girls screams echo through the whole arena.
“Nicky boy seems touchy on the secrets front. Have you not told him?”
“Told him what?”
“About the body in your basement”
Bianca and Chastity fall into a fit of laughter. But Bianca did notice Nick’s alertness when the word secrets was mentioned.
* LATER THAT NIGHT *
The arena was
empty the last of the meet-and-greeters were gone, and everyone
made their way to their buses, who then would start on the
journey downward to Atlantic City {Don’t mock my
geography skills thank-you very much}.
“I’ll see you there” Bianca says wrapping her arms lightly around Nick
“You sure will” he responds
He studied her smiling Brown eyes, ‘Surely what Mandy had said was wrong, Bianca wasn’t, couldn’t, be one of THOSE girls’ he re-assures himself
“Sweet Dreams” Bianca whispers, letting go of the embrace
“Do I get a kiss good-night?”
Bianca sweeps in and lays a sensual amorous kiss gently onto his lips, then pulls away.
“Good night” she expresses with a smile
“Night” he remarks, still a little engrossed in re-living the airily kiss she just registered, he felt as though she kissed like a sweet ghost, it was different to what he’d been accustomed to, but he liked it.
Bianca walks in the bus, and closes the door. Nick heads back to his bus, smiling to himself, and forgetting that niggling thought Mandy had placed so easily in his head.
* AT THE SAME TIME *
AJ wraps his arms around Chastity fondling her body amorously. His lips ran across her neck, pulling his tongue along behind. She let him continue, enjoy the sensation immensely, she looks down at her watch, and pulls away.
“Well its about time I should be getting back” she declares
AJ perplexed by the way she does this, looks at her in astonishment.
“Now?” he questions
“Wouldn’t want the bus leaving without me”
“Why do you do this?”
“Do what?” she inquires innocently
“Turn me on, then leave”
“Oh that. Well, you’re turned on right?”
AJ nods quickly
“Perfect, you’ll only be think of me tonight, Not Cindy Crawford, or Pammy” Chastity laughs walking away.
AJ couldn’t help but smile, she was right, she was in his thoughts, her cruel torture actually seemed to work.
* AT THE SAME TIME *
“Hello?” Tatum speaks into the dark room
“Fuckit” she yells
“You just had to go and be nosy and then let everyone leave you here” she announces to herself
“Is anyone here?” she screams out into the dark, stumbling though the room.
She follows the wall, she runs her fingers across something on the wall, a switch. She flicks it down, sending light flooding into the room. The door opens, and a security guard peers in looking suspiciously at the teenage girl.
“Oh thank God” she mutters
“I’ll just be getting back to my bus now” she continues walking past the security guard, out the door.
“Where do you think your going?” he inquires
It was obvious he was relatively knew, as he didn’t recognize her.
“I’m going back to my bus” she replies
“All the tourist buses have gone”
“Tourist? What? I’m a STAR” she says emphasizing the Star
“Sure” the guard mocks
“Hello, the hit sensation Vixen meet me, Tatum, Vixen number 4”
The guard realizing his mistake, quickly apologizes for not recognizing her.
“I can show you to your bus” he offers
“That might help” she responds looking around, lost.
* AT THE SAME TIME *
“Arora” a voice calls out
Arora spins around, as JC runs up to her.
“Yes?” she inquires, yawing
“I didn’t see you after your bit, just wanted to tell you, you did real good”
“Thanks” she replies, not in the mood to idly chat
Her short reply was met with silence, as he just stood, staring, making Arora incredibly nervous.
“Well I better go” she says turning around
“I’ll see you later” he retorts.
There was something in his voice that suggested, there was a little more to what he just said, but been tired Arora couldn’t be bothered staying to inquire.
She mumbles a “Sure” and walks off.
* 20 MINUTES LATER *
BOB started up, and moved out of the gate, in the middle of a precession of other buses. The moon shone in though the windows, as the girls watched TV.
“I’m going to bed” Arora declares standing up
“But this is the Best Jerry Springer show ever” Bianca announces, jumping to her feet
“While I’m sorry Jerry but I bid ye farewell” Arora replies bowing to the TV
“Night guys” she continues
“Night” the girls call out
Arora walks into the other room, and promptly climbs up to the top bunk, and collapses onto it.
* 30 MINUTES LATER *
Bianca pokes her head into the bedroom, Arora is fast asleep.
“Guys do you think Arora’s been acting kinda weird?” she inquires of the others
“Totally, I think she’s like still hung up on what happened with Kale and all”
“I don’t blame her, man I’d be scared too”
“I could never imagine what she must have been thinking, she was only a meter away from him, but she couldn’t help. That must be so horrible”
“In 2 days, its exactly 6 months since the accident, I’m really worried about her, I don’t want her to, you know, do something drastic” Bianca utters
“We can only do what good friends would, be there for her”
The girls quickly agree.
* AT THE SAME TIME *
“I thought you were going to meet me there.......you cant?.....how come?.......cant you turn it down?..........I know but - yeah I understand.........okay......bye”
Kevin hung up the phone, and looked over to Howie.
“What?” he demands
“Nothing man, don’t take your relationship problems out on me” Howie replies, turning his attention back to the book he was reading.
“Me and Jen do NOT have problems”
“Whatever man”
Kevin stomps away, off to the bedroom.
“So, what tasty lady do you have your eye on D?” AJ inquires changing the subject
“You know me, playing the field, though Tammy seems nice”
“The one from Sugar?”
Howie casually nods.
“Yah she’s alright” AJ mumbles
“So, how’s Chastity?”
“She fiiiinnnnneeee”
“Shown her the ‘special treatment’ yet?” Howie inquires
“Not for discussion, thank you very much” AJ jokes
* 2.00am IN THE MORNING *
Bianca rubs her eyes frantically, as she struggles to go to sleep. She huffs loudly hoping someone will hear her. She hops out of bed, and walks into the entertainment corridor. She flops down onto the couch, and peers out to the sky, scattered with bright stars. She watches the scenery pass quickly by, hoping it will lull her into a sleep. She places her head against the cold window, her mind flooded with thoughts, thoughts of Nick, thoughts of Home, thoughts of - Mandy.
‘Dumb Bitch’ she mutters to herself
She clutches her knees up to her chest, and exhales deeply.
‘Dumb bitch’ she repeats
She forgivably lets a small tear push its way from her eye, she wipes it away.
‘Don’t let her get to you’ she tells herself urgently
She closes her eyes, to better thoughts, thoughts of Nick. She had admired him as a fan, but now, it was - so much more.
* 8.00am *
“Wakey wakey” Tatum gently utters
Bianca groans, in discouragement.
“Come on, we got to go gets some photo done. And we’re just about at the hotel”
“What for?” Bianca inquires, slowly rising her head
“For the cover, of the single”
Bianca’s head falls back down, and she lets out another groan.
Tatum shakes her.
“Okay okay, I’m up” she says removing herself from the couch.
“Where’s Chas, and Ro?” Bianca inquires
“Chas is getting dressed. And Ro, is dunking her head in the sink”
“Oh okay”
* 20 MINUTES LATER *
The bus pulls into the hotel car park. There’s a crowd of people, that begin to scream as the doors open.
“NICK” one girl yells as Arora walks out
The crowd immediately stops yelling as the others follow.
“What were we - the decoy?” Arora inquires laughing
“Probably” Tatum responds, lugging her bags
The crowd, just stare at the four girls, silent, as the walk into the hotel. Bianca turns around as the others walk into the hotel first, and bows, laughing.
The dump their suitcases in the hotel rooms. They only had 2 hotels rooms, so they each had to bunk together. Chastity and Tatum in one, Arora and Bianca in the other.
“My head hurts” Arora says flopping onto the bed, face down
“I need a drink” Bianca says scouting the room for the treasured liquor cabinet.
“You know they would have taken it all out” Arora mumbles burring her head in the pillow.
“Damn” Bianca says “I’ll have to settle for this” she continues opening a coke
Arora clicks her fingers “over here” she calls, and Bianca throws a can her way.
* Knock *
Bianca flings the door open.
“Hey” Nick says sweeping Bianca in his arms
“Hey to you to” she responds, inviting him in.
“What’s up with her?” he asks pointing down to Arora, whose face was buried in the pillow, and a coke in one hand
“Her head hurts”
“Why?”
“I need at least 10 hours sleep” she mumbles almost incoherently
“Oh” he replies
“Arora you have to get up, we have to be at the studio, half an hour”
She mumbles something, under her breath and rises from the bed, and heads to the bathroom.
“Not a morning person huh?” Nick asks, taking the ‘alone’ moment to lay a kiss on Bianca.
“Nope she’s not. We would frequently be late for school, ‘cause she couldn’t pull her ass out of bed” Bianca laughs
* AT THE SAME TIME *
“Do you think it would hurt our reps if I threw this table out of the window?” Tatum inquires studding the wooden table
“Um - who knows” Chastity replies fiddling with her hair
“So is AJ at the point of begging yet?”
“Almost”
The two friends collapse into laughter.
“Spice” Chastity screams out the window for no apparent reason
“Spice” Tatum repeats
“We should get ready huh?” Chastity says studding her watch
“UmKay” Tatum replies
* 30 MINUTES LATER *
The girls arrive at the studio, and are shown immediately to wardrobe. The emerge after about 10 minutes, dressed, then are pointed over to make-up. Then finally they’re taken to the photographer, who was a middle-aged women, with a bright orange berrai on.
“Okay, um I think we should go for a fun, yet sexy shoot” she announces, walking outside into the sun. The girls follow behind.
“Blondie, can you just place yourself, in the middle there” she continues.
The set was a simple old style park bench, which sat next to a lamppost.
Tatum followed instructions and sat down on the bench.
“Actually sweetie, go to the end, and then place you feet up onto the seat”
Tatum did so.
“Okay flip on leg down onto the ground”
“Perfect” she announces
Tatum knee-length skirt slid slightly down her leg, her top accentuated her bust-line, and was a 3/4 sleeve one. Her hair was pulled loosely back, with flicks loosely let to fall.
“Okay, ah You sit on the rail of the bench” she says directing Arora.
“Out-stretch one leg, that’s it” she continues
Arora was wearing dark blue flares, with a deep red v-neck singlet top, which matched the color of Tatum skirt. Her hair was half tied back, and littered with dark red flowers.
“Okay, now Red, you sit on the other rail, with your back against Blondie”
Chastity did so. She was wearing a black skirt, which sat above her knee, and had slightly see-able pattern in the same dark red color. Her top was a low v-neck, which the top half was black and the bottom half that same dark red, her hair was left to fall onto her back.
“And last but not least, you sweetie, over there, put your arm around the lamp post then fall back” she instructs Bianca.
Bianca was wearing long dark red pants, and top similar to Tatum’s, her curly hair was tidied up and pushed back with a few red flower clips.
The photographer steps back, to admire. She hands Arora a dark red prop rose.
“Hold this but sort-of let it drop in your hands”
She fiddles with the girl’s hair, and makes sure the light is just right.
“Okay smile” she directs
* click * *click * *click*
“Okay, now lets move things around”
* 1 HOUR LATER *
The girls admire the test photos taken with the Polaroid.
“Happy with the results?” the photographer inquires
“Uhuh” Tatum replies
“Damn I look good” Bianca laughs
* 1 HOUR LATER *
The girls arrive back at the hotel. Arora slumps down onto her bed. Tatum flicks on the TV.
“I’m hungry” Bianca declares
“Me too” Chastity agrees
“Me three” Tatum replies
Arora grunts in response.
“Food it is then” Bianca pronounces
“I want B.K” Tatum demands
“I think that’s just down the road”
“Lets go. Arora you coming?”
“Bring me something back, I can’t move” she mumbles
And with that the 3 girls left the room. And Arora buries her head deeper into the pillow, and lets a tear run from her eye. She sits up, and pulls the necklace from her under her shirt, she embraces the ring on the end, as she opens up her wallet to study a photo placed there.
“I’m sorry” she whispers to the photo looking up at her, “I’m so sorry”
There was a knock on the door, she shoves the locket into her pocket and wipes the tears away. She walks over to the door, and opens it.
“Hey, Bianca in?’ Nick questions
“Ah no, she and the others went to Burger King” she replies, holding tightly back the tears.
“Are you alright?” He asks sensing that she wasn’t
“I’m fine” she lies
“Sure?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Look when she come back I’ll tell her you popped by”
Arora was fighting back the tears, yet it was a losing battle, she left one slip, it slide down her cheek, she quickly brushes it away.
“Hey what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just need some sleep” she mutters
He places his hand onto her shoulder.
“It doesn’t look like nothing” he continues
Another tear escapes.
She jolts her shoulder away.
“Its nothing, Good bye” she says closing the door
She didn’t like been rude, but she didn’t like been weak either, and the tears were about to flood out.
Nick stood a little shocked outside the door.
‘Should I knock again?’ he wonders
‘Or just leave her?’
He opted for the second one, he didn’t know her that well and it was obvious she didn’t want to talk.
* AN HOUR LATER *
“Bianca?” Nick calls out, spotting the 3 girls entering the elevator.
“What’s up?” Bianca inquires
“I’m not sure, can we talk?”
“Sure”
She walks out of the elevator, as the others continue up to their room.
“What?” Bianca questions, looking at Nicks confused look
“Your Arora’s best friend right?”
Bianca nods, “she my guardian” she adds with a giggle
“Is she okay?”
“What do you mean. Like mentally stable, ‘cause no” Bianca jokes
“I went to talk to you, and she was crying, but trying to hide it”
“She was?” Bianca face dropped, she knew Arora was going to be upset
“Yeah. What’s wrong, is it something to do with Brian?”
Bianca shakes her head.
“What then?”
“Nick - its not really - I shouldn’t say anything”
“Why?”
“Nick, I can’t say. It’s just - she um - something happened not long ago, and the anniversary is coming up”
“What happened?”
Bianca tries to ignore his stare, she knew it wasn’t her place to say anything, but, his eyes seemed so begging, she was drawn in, enticed, and weak, by looking into them. She takes hold of his hand and walks over to one of the tables, and sits down.
“Nick swear you wont repeat this, I shouldn’t be telling you, so you have to promise”
“I promise” he responds honestly
“She was in a car accident, 6 months ago in 2 days. She was with her boyfriend, Kale, they were so cute together, but they were travailing home. Arora was tired so she was lying in the backseat, a car came straight at them, on the wrong side of the road, and ran them off the road” she pauses “he didn’t die on impact, but he was hurt real bad, and died at the scene, in front of her. Arora blames herself for his death, saying that if she could have gotten her legs free quicker she would have been able to help him”
“She watched him die?” Nick inquires sympathetically
“Yah. She wont talk about it, she just keeps it all inside, like she’s afraid of been seen as weak”
“People deal with their problems in different ways, I’m sure she knows you’re there for her, so you just have to keep reminding her”
“Yeah. I still have her food, I should probably give it to her” Bianca says, standing up, she wipes a stray tear.
Nick envelopes his arms around her and she buries her head into his shoulder, it felt so right, she knew that.