Off the Air

by L.H. Cosway

  There was also the fact that he worked for me, which made things extra awkward. Still, I wanted to at least be amicable.

  “Hey,” I said, drawing his attention away from the mic he was fixing. “Cal mentioned something about having you reply to his fan mail.”

  Neil blinked, seeming to stiffen as he looked away. “Uh, yeah.”

  “That can’t be too much fun.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “I can tell him to get someone else to do it,” I said, hoping the favour might put me in his good graces.

  “No,” Neil blurted, then seemed to catch himself. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “I mean, I don’t mind doing it.”

  “Oh,” I said, surprised by how vehement he sounded. “Well, if you ever feel like you have too much on your plate, just let me know and I’ll assign some of your duties to Michaela.”

  “I can manage what’s on my plate just fine, Leanne,” he said, giving the mic and camera one last check before stepping away. “There. You’re all set.”

  I frowned at his retreating figure. It sounded like…well, it sounded like he actually wanted to reply to Cal’s fan mail. Weird. Before I had more time to ponder the thought, Paul appeared in front of me, a big excited smile on his face.

  “Tonight is going to be amazing. I think this is actually one of the best concepts we’ve ever had,” he said and I smiled back at him, happy for the compliment. The concept for this special had actually been mine, and I was nervous for it all to turn out how I envisioned in my head. It was the middle of the night and we wore black bodysuits with lights that glowed in the dark when you turned them on. The cameras would catch only the glowing lights, our running bodies invisible to the naked eye.

  “Anybody know why Neil’s in such a bad mood?” Michaela asked as she approached. “I asked him what time it was, and he told me he wasn’t my personal timekeeper.”

  “Oh, harsh,” Paul chuckled.

  “That actually might be my fault. I think I pissed him off,” I said.

  Michaela appeared curious. “What did you say to him?”

  I frowned. “It’s complicated.”

  “Is everybody ready?” James asked, joining us. He’d been on the other side of the roof with Barry, who had just barely forgiven us for what happened in Joburg. The man could hold a serious grudge. He started coming around when I came to him with my idea for the special though. Not to toot my own horn, but it was a pretty great concept.

  “Almost,” I replied.

  “Wait, your handgrip is loose,” Michaela said, stepping close to James to fix the Velcro that hung open.

  He looked down at her, a fond expression on his face. “Thanks.”

  She appeared to swallow, her voice tiny. “No problem.”

  Across the way, Diana eyed them, her features drawn tight. Since we were shooting in London, she’d come down to watch. Right now, she wore a long burgundy winter coat and a hat with fur trim. I couldn’t tell whether her expression was frosty because of the cold or because of how James looked at Michaela. Whatever the reason, I was determined to stay out of it. The wedding was in a few short weeks, so yeah, I just hoped Michaela and James had gotten whatever was between them under control by then.

  Trev, Isaac, and Cal approached, and my boyfriend pulled me into his arms. We were both in a really good place right now and I was excited to see what the future held. Cal’s hand ran lightly across my shoulder blades and down my back to rest at the base of my spine. My stomach fluttered, and I wondered if there would ever be a time when I didn’t feel this way when he touched me. I didn’t think so.

  “Places everybody,” Barry called and Cal bent down to press a kiss on my lips.

  “Love you,” he whispered, eyes shining in the dark.

  “Love you too,” I whispered back and then it was time to take our places.

  Barry shouted, “Action!” and off we went.

  Ahead of me, Isaac shot through the air. The first time I met him, we clicked instantly. His passion and ambition to be a professional freerunner won me over. And his family’s story was inspiring. His mother left South Africa with no money and three small children in search of a better life. She had no idea that a few short years later her son would make a big start on realising those dreams.

  I chuckled when Trev passed me by, making a funny face. He was the undisputed leader of our group. Years before any of us ever thought we’d be on TV, Trev was an orphan in a family of four brothers living in an impoverished, crime-ridden part of London. His elder brother, Lee, decided to get the family out of that world and Trev began to work on his idea for a reality TV show. If it weren’t for him, none of us would even be here right now.

  Then there was James, our rock, the most measured and reliable member of our little group. Quite like Isaac’s mum, his grandparents left Trinidad in the early 1960s to emigrate to London and start new lives. Two generations later James was born. In school, he was naturally athletic and took to running track. Then he discovered parkour and the rest was history.

  Paul came up behind me, briefly squeezing my hand. He was my best friend, my manic pixie dream boy, the one who could make me smile even when I was at my lowest. Paul was a ray of sunshine; quirky, philosophical, and always able to show you a new way of looking at things. I wanted more than anything for him to find someone to love him like he deserved to be loved.

  Lastly, Cal came and ran alongside me. He was my partner, my soul mate, my everything. Even before I properly knew him, he’d entranced me. Then we met, and my world was turned upside down. Our relationship both off the air and on had always been a tumultuous one, but I felt like we’d finally found a happy balance. It was still scary because he had my whole heart in the palm of his hand, but all I could do was hope he’d be careful with it.

  Above our heads, three drones captured us from several angles. I ran ahead of Cal and he took up the rear. I’d painstakingly mapped out our run, choosing this spot because it had the perfect combination of buildings, allowing us to run in a very particular pattern.

  At first glance, the viewers might not see it, as we ran in seemingly random directions, but as the cameras switched to the overhead view, it would become clear. Our glowing suits were painting a picture below that could only truly be appreciated from above.

  We left a sparkling flare at each point in the run, depicting all the stars in Andromeda, one of the first constellations I ever managed to find on my telescope.

  With a thrill I lit the final flare, signifying the brightest star, Alpha Andromedae, also known as Sirrah. It was ninety-seven light years away with a luminosity two-hundred times brighter than the sun.

  In my mind, if something that magnificent could exist, then I was pretty lucky to be alive to witness it.

  I placed the final flare on the ground and glanced again at my tattoo, three little hearts inked into my skin, and whispered into the darkness, “If you had been born, I would’ve named you Sirrah, a star that’s brighter than the sun.”

  I went and joined the others, holding Cal’s hand and taking a moment to enjoy the little piece of art we’d created. It filled my heart with joy that it had all gone exactly how I envisioned. Then I looked up into the eyes of the man who’d stuck by me through thick and thin, never giving up on the idea of us even when I pushed him away over and over again.

  Tonight, we ran on air.

  And tomorrow, we’d do it again.

  The location might change, but one thing would stay the same.

  I’d never stop holding his hand.

  END.

  Afterword

  Thank you for reading Off the Air! I hope you’re excited to learn all about the cast of characters you met in this book as I continue to write this brand-new series. As a treat, I’ve written an exclusive bonus scene featuring James and Michaela, who you’ll get to know in Book Two coming later this year :-)

  * * *

  If you’d like to know exactly what they got up to that night when they were separ
ated from the group in Soweto, SIGN UP TO MY NEWSLETTER HERE. I will be including the bonus scene in my next newsletter.

  Hearts on Air

  Running on Air is a spin-off series featuring characters first seen in the final book in the Hearts Series, Hearts on Air. This book is about Trev and Reya, who you met in Off the Air. If you are intrigued to know their full story, read on for a sneak peek…

  * * *

  I was busking on the street, singing an “ironic” cover of Wrecking Ball when I opened my eyes and saw him.

  Trevor Cross, one of my best friends/bane of my existence sat with his legs dangling off the edge of a shop rooftop. He was my best friend because he was one of the most hilarious and fun people to be around. And he was the bane of my existence because he was a hyper-active livewire who, for some reason, enjoyed being in my company. Dealing with him sometimes felt like trying to circumnavigate a mine field. I changed the lyrics as I sang and wondered if he’d notice.

  You came in like a wrecking ball.

  That was Trev down to a T. Destructive. Addictive. Fascinating. Frustrating. Too full of energy to ever pin down. At times he wrecked me. Other times he built me up. Our relationship was…complicated. And yet, we’d never even kissed.

  He often liked to turn up unannounced like this. He knew my routine off by heart, so if he wanted to he could always find me. I busked every afternoon, Tuesday to Saturday, and in the evenings I gave private piano lessons. I usually played a club gig on Saturday nights, then had Sunday and Monday off. I tended to make a pretty steady income week on week.

  Trevor watched me with a serious look on his face, his head tilted to one side as though in contemplation. He’d heard me sing countless times before, so I didn’t really get what was different today.

  Most of the time, I got one of two Trevors. The flamboyant, loud-mouthed, piss-taking one normally came out when we were around other people, while the more serious, introspective, thoughtful one made an appearance when it was just the two of us. If I wasn’t acquainted with his more low-key side, then we probably wouldn’t have stayed friends this long. There was only so much hyperactivity a person could handle.

  We met almost two and a half years ago through my girlfriend, Karla, who at the time was having a clandestine relationship with Trevor’s brother, Lee. Trev latched onto me from the very first night we met, charming me, making me laugh, making me feel like the most important and interesting person in the world. I’d come to learn that’s what he did. His liveliness made you feel like a better version of yourself, someone far more exciting than who you really were.

  When I finished the song Trev effortlessly jumped down from his spot on the roof, a skill honed through his years of dedication to parkour. As he crossed the street he pulled a lollipop from his pocket, ripped off the packaging and stuck it in his mouth.

  “To what do I owe this pleasure?” I asked once he reached me.

  His mischievous blue eyes caught the light in a way that almost made them appear otherworldly. He took his time sucking on the lolly, then pulled it out with a loud popping sound.

  “Just came to check up on my favourite girl. I haven’t heard you sing that one before. Never took you for a Miley fan,” he grinned, goading me.

  “Course I am. She’s got more grit than Taylor,” I answered, smiling as I moved to pack up my keyboard. Trev came forward and pushed my hands away when I went to fold up the stand.

  “I’ve got it. You go grab your cash before someone tries to steal it.”

  “Okay, um, thanks,” I said and went to pick up the hat I left out for passers-by to throw money in. Once everything was packed, Trev lifted my keyboard case and gestured for me to lead the way.

  “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”

  “Somebody’s feeling very helpful today. What are you after?” I asked, suspicious.

  He put his hand to his heart as though offended. “Can’t a fella help out his best friend simply because he feels like it?”

  “Yes, a fella can. You, on the other hand, always seem to have something up your sleeve.”

  He let out a slow breath, his gaze moving lazily over my features, down to my chest and then back up again. I was used to him looking at my boobs. It was par for the course with him. And since I’d been born with an ample pair, it seemed like a losing battle to get someone like Trev not to ogle them. I ran my hands down my long burgundy dress, feeling self-conscious. He wasn’t ogling me light-heartedly like he normally did. Today there was more heat behind it, and it put me on edge.

  So, here’s a confession. When I first met Trev I was hopelessly infatuated with him. I mean, show me a twenty-two-year-old girl who wouldn’t be. Trev was tall, dark haired, light eyed, athletically muscular and had a great sense of humour. Plus, he was never short on charm or compliments. All this meant I developed a gigantic crush. Little did I know, all he was after was friendship.

  It should’ve been more obvious to me, but at the time I had my head in the clouds. Trev didn’t go for women who looked like me. He liked them petite and blonde, while I was anything but. Anyway, it took me a few months to come to the heart-breaking realisation that he wasn’t interested in me romantically. After that, I made my peace with the situation and moved on. Now I was a twenty-four-year-old woman who knew better than to put her eggs in the Trevor Cross basket.

  But today…today he was looking at me in a way he never had before and it was making me feel strange. Too hot, and itchy – real itchy.

  He was uncharacteristically silent as he went back to sucking on his lolly.

  I eyed him. “What’s up with you?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Come on. You’re being weird. Well, weirder than usual.”

  He shoved one hand in his jeans pocket. “I guess I’m just a little bit restless. I feel like doing something crazy, something exciting. It’s Friday and I don’t have a shift at Lee’s until the day after tomorrow. How about we go out and have some fun? Throw caution to the wind.”

  I smiled fondly at his enthusiastic hand gesture. “Like how?”

  “Like…” he paused, pondering it a moment before he continued, “Okay, how about this. We both make a pact to stay out for the entire night, and we can’t go home until we’ve done at least three things we’ve never done before.”

  I gave him a suspicious look. “I don’t know. I think your idea of exciting is a lot more extreme than mine.”

  He came around to stand in front of me and I stopped in place. “What if I promise not to make you do anything you don’t want to? Come on, Reyrey, have an adventure with me. You know you won’t regret it.”

  I wasn’t too sure about that. Still, after only a few moments of hesitation I gave in, unable to resist that boyish grin of his, especially when he called me Reyrey. I hated it, but also secretly kind of loved it. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

  “Yes! Okay, now all you have to do is suck on the lollipop to make it official,” he held it out to me in challenge, then winked. “It’s strawberry. Your favourite.”

  I knew he thought I wouldn’t do it, which kind of made me want to prove him wrong. Instead of pushing the proffered lolly out of the way, I plucked it from his fingers, stuck it in my mouth and took a long suck.

  When I popped it from my lips I shot him a cheeky grin. “Mmm, delicious.”

  Trev’s mouth fell open and I delighted in the fact that I’d surprised him. I arched a brow in challenge, waiting for him to comment, but all he did was stare at my mouth like he never noticed how fascinating it was before. Shivers ran up my arms and I started to regret my gutsy move.

  He took a step closer, his eyelids hooded, and asked quietly, “I know I’m probably gonna get a slap for this, but would you consider sucking my cock like you just sucked that lolly as one of the things you’ve never done before?”

  Now it was my turn to be surprised. And turn bright red. And get goosebumps over every inch of my body. I mean, he’d said stuff like this to me in the past, but it had always been in
jest. Today I wasn’t so sure. It felt like if I said yes, he’d actually go ahead with it. And it was difficult to breathe normally when the image of giving my best friend a blowjob was etched in my mind. Swallowing hard, I shook my head and plastered on a breezy expression, “Nice try, but I think I’ll pass.”

  Trev threw his arm around my shoulders then bent to whisper in my ear, “Spoilsport.”

  I tried to ignore how his breath hit my skin, and how his voice gave me tingles.

  When we arrived at my building, I stepped ahead of him to swipe my fob over the door entry system. Living in a three-hundred square foot studio apartment could be stifling and demoralising at times, but it was the only thing that was within my budget. When I was in college I lived in a house share, and believe it or not, this was actually a step up.

  I wanted to sing for a living, and I knew I’d be miserable doing anything else, so for that reason I had to make sacrifices.

  At first I’d been too embarrassed to bring Trev here, because the building was old and a little musty, and when you lived in such a small place all of your possessions were sort of on show. It was like bringing people right inside your bedroom. Awkward. Too close.

  Keeping Trev away was a losing battle though, and eventually he wore me down. He actually liked the place, thought it was cosy. But that was probably because he’d grown up in a tiny council house with his three brothers all sleeping in one room. Hell, he probably considered my place spacious in comparison.

  Anyway, I tried to keep the place nice and take pride in it, even though it wasn’t much. At least I could hold my head high and be proud of my little home.

  As soon as we got in Trev flopped down onto my bed. He pulled his phone from his pocket, probably to check Facebook or something, while I went to put my things away and freshen up in the bathroom. When I returned he was still on his phone. I took a moment to soak him in, because the visual of him lying so casually on my bed was always…interesting.