Lance and Zara sat on her bed and Lance instinctively placed his hand on Zara' arm. It was his way of telling her he was there for her. "Zara in order for me to help you, you have to tell me what's wrong from the start. I won't tell the others if you don't want me to but they will want to help you to."
"I know Lance believe me I know but it's hard. You probably know I'm practically engaged to an English guy who has just moved over here." Lance nodded unsure of what he should say. "Well his name is Mark and he's very nice he's 22 and is working for Jive of all the places. They've just taken him on kind of as an English consultant. It's his job to make sure all the artists will go down well in the U.K. I met him a few years ago at a party he was over here working and we clicked. We kind of had a summer fling and the age gap didn't matter." Lance nodded he was deciding whether or not to speak when Zara spoke again. "I introduced him to mom and even dad which wasn't easy because dad hasn't liked anyone I've ever brought home even my school friends. But he and Mark seemed to click and Dad was really pleased when Mark asked his permission to propose to me, or for my hand in marriage as they put it." Lance held back a smile at the old fashioned idea but said nothing as he waited for Zara to continue. "Well at first it was great. But then he started getting on better with dad than me. They started discussing things about the wedding and they made all the plans. Mom tried to stop them but they had the wedding all planned out and they decided I would stop working and stay at home and raise the kids and basically only be a trophy to him. Which is where I put my foot down. I called the wedding off which is why we are only practically engaged."
"Now it makes sense. I was wondering about that. Is it because Mark works for Jive you won't come on your with us?"
"Yes that's part of it. But..."
"Go on."
Chapter 8
Downstairs JC watched Joey, Chris and Justin pace up and down on the carpet. He was amazed that the three of them hadn't bumped into one another because Zara' living room was definitely not as large as the one they were used to at home. It had once seemed funny calling Justin's moms house home but now that's what it had become. Justin and Chris we're becoming more and more his brothers sometimes more than his own brother. But that didn't mean he wasn't close to Lance and Joey infact the five of them now seemed more a part of him than he himself was and instead of resenting it like he had expected it he loved it. That's why he was fighting so hard to get Zara into their close-knit group. He had bet her he could write better fiction simply so she would stick around them and so he would have an excuse for calling her sometimes. That's why he knew it was hurting the four of them so much to have to sit downstairs wondering what on earth Lance and Zara were talking about upstairs. Just when he thought he couldn't take anymore Chris announced he was going upstairs. "I cannot take anymore of this. I want to know what's going on. What the hell could make her react like that?" Chris stopped pacing and angrily stared at the ceiling.
"Chris calm down Lance or her will come down and tell us what's going on as soon as we need to know. She's upset and the four of us barging in there will not make her feel any better. This isn't about us right now it's about her. So quit pacing and moaning turn on MTV and dance with Joey."
"JC's right Chris now come on and boogie with me honey"
Chris smiled a weak smile he knew JC was right he would only make things
worse by barging in their but it didn't make him want to any less.
Chapter 9
"I can't go on tour with you because he would go mad. He doesn't want me to write anymore he thinks I have given up my writing that's why I changed my name and my e-mail address and everything I have severed every link with my old writings. I love writing Lance it allows me to be who I want to be, I can be everything I wish I was through my characters and I will not allow him to take that away from me."
"Well what if we got you a job on tour would that help?"
"Maybe but what? I'm not qualified for anything"
"We have lots of jobs you are more than capable of doing. Wouldn't you fancy making a make-up artist or an assistant to someone? You could be in charge of our schedule and making sure our wake-up calls and so on happen."
"Lance that sounds like a lot of work. What if I screw up?"
"Then silly we get to sleep late and you won't have any complaints from us."
"It's worth a try but what will the other guys say?"
"Are you kidding me? We all you want you to come on tour with us. Right now they'll be pacing up and down. You'll go downstairs and find you have no carpet left."
Zara managed a little chuckle. "In that case I better go downstairs and save
my carpet. Hang on carpet I'm coming"
Lance laughed as Zara raced to the door he jumped up and followed her down
the stairs taking two at a time to catch up with her.
Chris and Joey were still dancing as they burst though the door. This time
they were mimicking Madonna's dance on beautiful stranger.
To Be Continued...