CHAPTER 10 – JEALOUSY – THE POINT OF NO RETURN


~ THREE DAYS LATER ~

Chastity and AJ had returned from Las Vegas, both sporting simple but attractive wedding bands. Tatum also had flown into Orlando, for a ‘on location’ shoot. She had flown in a day earlier so she could be there for the release of the new Vixen song and Video.

“Breathe Bianca, Breathe” Bianca sighed trying to calm herself down as she stood beside the makeup chair where Arora was sitting
“Would little Bianca be nervous?” Arora inquired semi sarcastically
“A little, and don’t mock me” Bianca laughed
Arora had talked to Brian only twice over the last 3 days. She’d told him that all she needed was some time to sort things out, he’d responded by telling her that he would plainly and simply wait forever for her if that’s what it took. Arora was determined to take things from here only a step at a time.

“I'm not taking it off,” Chastity snapped as she walked into the dressing room, one of the managers following behind her
“I understand you have the right to a life, but eloping to Vegas, don’t you think that is a little over the top, I don’t think the fans –“ the manager started
“I think if they are fans then they will RESPECT my decision, unlike you Mike, so the moral of the story is I am NOT taking this ring off, understood?” Chastity announced slamming her foot onto the ground
Chastity wasn’t generally a stubborn person – but when it came down to something she really believed in, something she’d invest her whole heart into – there was absolutely NO talking her out of it.
“Chastity you’re under a contract”
“Show me where is says I cant get married?”
“It talks about respectful behavior that is in the groups best interest”
“Get outta my face Mike, I don’t need this from you” Chastity huffed flopping into a spare chair
“It is really her life” Bianca said slipping into the conversation
“Fine, you do what you do Chastity, but you’ll realize your mistake soon enough” Mike huffed storming out of the room

“Everything okay in here?” Bailey inquired poking his head through the doorway
“Yeah just one uptight manager” Arora smiled as the makeup lady silently went around fixing Arora’s hair
“God, I'm just SO angry” Chastity hissed folding her arms over her chest
“Don’t sweat it man, he’d just stubborn, and probably a little pissed you didn’t say anything first” Bianca smiled adding some lip gloss to her already painted lips
“He acts as if he bloody well owns us” Chastity mumbled playing with the wedding ring on her finger

“You girls ready, the dancers are geared, you have 5 minutes to haul butt out there” a young stagehand announced

The release party was been held at a private location, and only invited press and competition winners form all around the country were allowed access, making it like a private showcase. The song would be performed live first, then the video show, with a double airing onto MTV, then after that the girls would do a few songs then move onto a press conference there.

Posters and advertising lined the hallways and the entire inside of the arena, welcoming the girls back form their one-year rest period.

Tatum sat idly tapping her fingers across the chair in the VIP section.
“You wanna be up there huh?” Alika questioned as she leant over
“Suppose” Tatum sighed, desperately seeking to feel the rush she used to before going on stage
“Mind if I join you girls?” Howie inquired looking down at the empty seat beside Tatum.
“Knock yourself out” Tatum smiled gesturing for him to sit down

Nick, Brian and AJ were all somewhere around. Kevin however had not arrived. Tatum heard the rustling behind her and turned around to investigate as Kevin plunked down on the seat behind her a thin blond latched onto his arm. She quickly snapped her head back around.
That was quick Richardson, mind you it’s been like a year – god why do you even care? Tatum thought to herself as the lights around them dimmed

“Well we’d like to first off thank you all for coming, it’s a great turn out here. But I'm sure you don’t want to hear from me, so lets bring out, for their first stage performance in a year – Vixen” one of the suited producers announced as the girls strutted on stage.

“Wow, thank you all for this amazing support” Bianca announced as the clapping died down
“It’s just inspiring to see you all here, still supporting us after a whole year, that really means a lot to us” Arora continued
“So in other words we’re trying to say THIS IS DA BOMB” Chastity laughed
“What we’re gonna do is sing a few songs for you including the brand new single “The Web” which this is the premier for, then sing some other songs for you, then the video clip for he new song will be broadcast, both to you hear but also to everyone out there with their TV’s turned on and tuned into MTV, so as you can imagine all this is very exciting for you, and we hope you all like it” Arora smiled as she fiddled with the headset microphone
“First off thought we’d like to just dedicate this song to Tatum, our beloved 4th member, we miss you girl but we’re so proud of you” Chastity declared waving in Tatum’s direction
“You all ready for The Web?” Bianca smiled as the other girls took their place, the dance routine firmly implanted in their minds, the back up dancers standing in the shadows behind them.

The lights darkened even further creating an almost black atmosphere. Suddenly the loud music started with 3 sequential beats as blue and purple lights lit up the stage.
“I thought (yeah I thought),That we’d be together, That Not-hing would keep us apart (woah yeah) I thought (yeah I thought), That you would love me forever, But you were just play-ing a part” Bianca sung pulling of the perfectly sequined dance
“Like a red back Spi-der, You sit and wait for prey, Nothing there to hin-der, Nothing to get in your way” Chastity continued her voice beaming through the sound system
“It’s just a game to you, Just something to do, Boy cant you see? Look what it’s doing to me. You’re spinning a web around my heart, Tearing me apart, Making me loose control, Yeah, you’re spinning a web around my mind making me so blind there’s nowhere left for me to go. Cause you’re spinning (spinning, spinning, spinning) A web around my soul” they sung together
“I thought (oh I thought) that you were good for me, That we’d be happily ever af-ter, Oh, I thought (don’t you know what I thought) That you’d be here for me But boy you knew better You got my head in a spin Like I'm losing my mind Does it feel good to win? To be so unkind, It’s just a game to you Just something to do Boy cant you see? Look what it’s doing to me” Arora sung
The chorus came for the second time, then a musical bridge made up of strong drums and a bursting guitar solo before the words kicked back in.
“Wont you stop, STOP Playing with my heart like this Stop, STOP Tempting me with a deathly kiss” Chastity announced down the microphone
“Stop spinning This web around my heart Don’t wanna play that part Don’t wanna be torn apart Stop spinning This web around my mind Cant afford to be so blind Can’t you stop been so unkind?” they all sung in harmony
“You let me go Then you want me back Messin’ with my head you are (you are) I'm like a stage show When you get ready to attack” Bianca continued, almost speaking the words before the chorus came in again.
A second semi-bridge followed the 3rd repeat of the chorus.
“Just a spider That’s all you are No ever after Just the scares” Arora sung sharply as the music stopped abruptly with her last word, as the lights too shut off.
Applause echoed through the auditorium.
“Woah yeah baby” Tatum cheered as she stood to her feet along with Alika clapping fanatically.
“Thank you” the three girls smiled in unison
“That was the new single and thank you for allowing us to sing it to y’all” Chastity waved as the crowd continued to clap

~AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER ~

The showcase was over as the girls thanked the audience and announced the press conference would be held in an adjoining room with those invited, in 10 minutes. The Video had been simulcast across MTV and also the premier was played on most radio stations around the area and had, as reports came in, gone off with a bang.

“I'm so proud of you guys” Tatum cried embracing the three girls in a group hug
“You know there’s always a place for you” Bianca smiled as she ran a comb through the ends of her hair
“I know, but I'm happy” Tatum replied

“Ten minutes girls” Mike announced looking down at his watch
“Yeah, yeah fine” Chastity spat hurriedly
“We should go get changed, I'm all sweaty” Bianca smiled following Chastity and Arora away.

“Tatum, nice seeing you again” a deep familiar voice spoke from behind
“You too Kevin, it’s been a while” Tatum responded as she turned around, knowing full well who it was
He stood before her, little had changed, his hair had grown a little, a tailored moustache groomed his face, but aside form those few things he was the same as she remembered him.
“Whose the lovely lady?” Tatum inquired looking behind him to the same blond she had seen earlier who was now helping herself to a glass of water from the dispenser.
“Her names Kristen, my girlfriend” Kevin replied smiling awkwardly
“You must be Tatum” Kristen smiled her darker blond hair sitting perfectly behind her ear as she strolled over to the two
“Pleasure to meet you” Tatum smiled fakely as she shock her hand

~ 10 MINUTES LATER ~

The girls emerged from backstage into an adjoining room where the press had congregated after the show. They walked across the stage and sat down in their assigned chairs, smiling brightly.
“Okay first off, again thank you for coming here, and right now we’re just going to start the ball rolling, so ask away” Chastity announced as hands shot to the air
“Do you think you’ve changed any over this past year?”
“I think we’ve grown quite a bit, both physically but also musically” Bianca answered
“It’s definitely been for us a year of change and challengers and I think because of that, like Bianca said we have grown, we’re still the same girls at heart, but perhaps with a little more knowledge and a little less naivety” Arora continued, scanning the room for Brian, her gaze exactly catching his, the last comment, perhaps meant for him, perhaps not.
“Did loosing a member effect you in any way?”
“We never really LOST Tatum, I think it was just her time to explorer other things, we’re all very proud of her and despite some people wanting there to be, there never was nor will be any cats fights between us, I mean Tatum is right here with us, showing her support and we are always there for her showing our support. In way of effecting us, it just meant we had to take a serious look at things and make sure this was what each of us wanted, to carry on as Vixen, and here we are” Chastity explained gesturing frantically
“We miss Tatum greatly but we’re unbelievably happy for her” Bianca added
“Always and forever Vixen, there still is as we’re concerned 4 members, no matter what” Arora smiled as Tatum stood in the background smiling brightly
“What do you plan on doing now?”
“Right now we’re in the midst of recording a new album, and about one month from now we’re off on a promo tour around the states so that should be exciting” Bianca responded
“We’ll be putting the finishing touches on the album as we go around the tour, that way immersing ourselves in different studios working with different people it’ll be a real learning curve, seeing as we have not only written the material for this album, but also having a hand in producing it” Arora continued
“You don’t seem to play instruments anymore, why is that?”
“We still definitely do, no doubt about that, its just we’ve decided as a band to focus more on the vocal side of things, but on the shows you will definitely be seeing us with our instruments”
“Will anyone be joining you on this tour?”
“As far as I'm aware no, but things could quite easily change. Its not really a complete tour we will only be doing a few shows dotted around the place it’s mainly just for promotion, so no, as far as I know there isn’t any other bands joining us” Arora explained

Tatum sighed in the background, her mind filled with so many thoughts. She missed been up there, she missed the singing, the dancing, hell she even missed the occasional bitching. Things HAD changed over the year, and perhaps it was that that she couldn’t handle. Her mind shot back to Kevin as she scanned the room for him, he was over the back in the far corner with HER. Tatum yanked her head away from looking at them, annoyed with herself for even glancing.

“Why do you care? Look at him, he’s different now, you moved on, you don’t need him, he’s the past for god sakes Tatum” he mind condemned, but still the thought of him – only now – consumed her mind. She was – though she’d never admit it – jealous, and only now because he had something to show for the past year and she didn’t, and now she was sucked into this feeling – jealousy was for her – the point of no return.



Chapter 11
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