Quest For A Popstar

by Katie Hamstead

  “I’ll be shocked.” Jeff’s image on the screen grabs my attention. He’s driving his point home loud and clear. The Murphys deserve to win. I’d even feel safe betting the votes are in their favor. But they won’t be going home as winners tonight.

  “Right, thank you.” Steven motions for them to head offstage.

  Once they disappear into the wings, Lance leans forward, grinning. “Wow, they were amazing tonight, right? Who knew Clarissa and Lucas could sing like that?”

  Jeff chuckles. “Maybe that was their plan all along—to wow us at the end.”

  “They were good,” Steven says coolly. “But I think Jessica performed well too. She has worked just as hard as they did. Anyway, the votes will show who did their best tonight.”

  “Definitely!” Lance laughs lightly. I have a feeling he has no idea what’s going on behind the scenes. But how could he not know?

  The stage crew motions for us to make our way up to the stage while the highlights for the season are played over large screens. My snippets are so weird to see, especially when people roar their approval.

  The top ten acts stand in our first position for the approved pop tune. When the highlights end, we break out in song. It’s a song written by the show, about rising up and taking chances. As we move into the second chorus, my stomach tightens. In a moment, Jeff will—

  “Hang on!”

  The music stops.

  I turn slowly, my heart racing. This is really happening. Everyone stares at him as he stands with his hand raised.

  “Hailey,” he sings, just like we practiced. “Stop telling me lies.”

  I step forward, staring at him. I can do this. I can do this.

  “Baby, you have been cheated, and lied to and shoved aside. This isn’t your story. This is a façade. Tell me the truth, love, end it all now.”

  Everyone falls silent. It’s my turn, but I take a deep breath before I sing. “You screwed us over, you made us believe, then you went ahead and crushed our dreams.”

  Steven jumps to his feet.

  “Don’t stop now, sweetheart,” Jeff sings as he leaps on the judges’ table. “Tell us the truth.”

  “No one wins in this game,” I sing. “Not me, not them, not…”

  I pause as Jeff makes his way to stand beside me. “Hailey.”

  He takes my hand, meeting my gaze. Despite my terror, I nod and we duet.

  The game is over, but the truth is, it never began.

  The winner was chosen before the show ran.

  None of us stood a chance.

  Jeff takes over. “All along I knew it was wrong. But I feared what it meant I’d become.”

  “I wouldn’t agree to share his bed,” I sing. “And after the elimination, I fled.”

  “Enough!” Steven jumps to his feet, turning red.

  Jeff stops singing now as he hurries forward. “She should have won, Steven. All the votes put her in first the entire time she was on the show. You stole it from her!”

  “Cut!” Steven yells.

  “No, don’t you dare!” Jeff points at the camera. “This will go live and won’t be edited. I’m tired of it. I can’t let you take advantage of these girls anymore.” He snatches an envelope from the table. “The votes haven’t even closed yet, but the winner is already decided.”

  “Jeff!”

  Jeff rips open the envelope. “Jessica Lang.”

  He flashes the paper in front of the camera so everyone can see.

  A collective gasp erupts from the audience.

  The show’s crew clamors around Jeff. He swings around and yells, “Hailey, run!”

  I bolt.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Getting out of the auditorium is impossible. The only opening is to go backstage. I force my way through as security runs after me. Weaving my way through the passages, I manage to reach an exit. Shoving it open, the crowd outside screams my name.

  Security turns on me.

  I cuss, searching for a break.

  Then, someone grabs my arm. I swing around to see Emily. “Quick.”

  She drags me behind her to a black SUV and we climb in. Inside, Ted Gallagher talks on his phone. “…The lawyers have already been organized…I have Miss Becker now…We will be at his home. Make sure the community security is put on alert and locks them down…Thank you.”

  Ted turns to me. “Right. I have a feeling your things all got left behind?”

  I nod, my heart hammering like crazy in my chest. I can hardly believe what just happened!

  He pats my knee. “This isn’t over yet, sweetheart. But Jeff and I sure as hell will protect you. Steven will come after you first, thinking you’re the easy target, but Jeff has locked you up like a legal fortress. You’ll be fine, so don’t be afraid.”

  I nod, not really comprehending. My adrenaline pumps through me like a freight train.

  Emily’s hands shake as she wraps them around mine. “Hailey, are you okay?”

  I give a halfhearted nod, but can’t speak.

  “Jeff has made sure you’ll be safe.”

  I look into her eyes. “Will he be okay?”

  She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “He’ll be fine. He’s been taking care of scandals for years.”

  Ted leans forward and hits a button, lowering a TV screen. “Do you ladies mind? I want to check on him.”

  We both nod, so he turns on the TV. The channel is playing commercials, but it doesn’t last long. Emily clutches my hand between hers as the show’s slogan flashes on the screen. Martin Rush is on camera trying to smile, but he’s failing.

  “What an exciting show tonight, guys! We’re backstage looking for the Murphys right now to get an interview while the votes are being counted.”

  Ted scoffs. “He’s either well paid or well threatened.”

  “Where’s Jeff?” Emily asks softly.

  “Hmm.” Ted taps on his phone. “He’s still in the auditorium.”

  My grandparents came for the show and saw that insanity. What a terrible way to start things. But…“My mom!”

  Emily digs into her bag, pulling out her phone. “Call her.”

  With trembling hands, I dial her number.

  “Hello?” she answers, her voice trembling with emotion.

  “Mom, it’s me.”

  “Oh, Hailey!” She breaks out into loud sobs. “Baby, are you all right? I’m going to kill Jeff!”

  “I’m fine,” I say, trying to keep myself from freaking out. “Jeff’s going to take care of me. He’s putting me up in his house for a while—”

  “This is not happening!” she says in a shrill voice. “He’s not going to steal you from me. I’m going to kill him!”

  “Mom, whoa.” Her reaction startles me. “He’s not stealing me. He’s just keeping me safe for a while.”

  “He set this up! He wants you, but he can’t have you!” She hangs up.

  I stare at the phone as I lower it. “Mom’s freaking out.”

  Emily squeezes my hand. “Everything will be okay.”

  We arrive at the community gates and find the paparazzi swarming around. Ted grasps my head. “Get down. It’s better if they don’t know you’re here.”

  I fold over and Emily throws a blanket on top of me.

  We get through the gate and rush to the house. Media helicopters hover overhead, so Emily orders the driver to take us into the garage. Inside, she hurries me out and into the living room where the boys sit, leaning forward, watching the TV.

  Their heads snap around as we enter.

  “Mom! Hailey!” Collin hurries over. “What’s happening?”

  “Why don’t you boys go to bed?” Emily says.

  “Because it’s only eight thirty.” Collin motions to the clock.

  Emily purses her lips. “Fine. Just turn that off.”

  “No!” The other two boys’ heads turn around.

  “We want to know what’s happening with Dad,” Vinnie adds. “Please.”

  Emily ru
bs her eyes with defeat. “Okay.”

  I wrap my arm through hers and we sit with the boys to watch.

  At the moment, they’re talking to Jessica who blubbers. She’s saying nothing coherent, but I do catch, “Mom, I’m sorry.”

  “What happened?” Nine-year-old Zach asks, tilting his mop of brown hair back from his face.

  “Don’t worry, dear,” Emily responds in a tense voice.

  There’s a loud bang out the front of the house. The boys flinch, and Emily shoots to her feet.

  Ted steps in the door to the room. “It’s okay. Some reporters broke through, but security is taking them away.”

  Emily bites her knuckles.

  I can’t help feeling like this is my fault. If I hadn’t agreed to do the stupid song, none of this would be happening now. “I’m sorry, Emily.”

  Her moist eyes overflow as she clutches her hand. “You don’t need to be sorry. Jeff couldn’t take it anymore, but they’d locked him in with the contract. Then, when Steven set his eyes on you, he just snapped. He couldn’t let anyone hurt you.”

  Shaking my head, I’m completely bewildered. “Why? I don’t understand.”

  “Because we love you,” Collin says softly.

  “But…” I stare at him, examining the bone structure of his face. His blue eyes, his brown hair…I look up at Emily. “Do you dye your hair?”

  She folds her arms in front of her chest. “That seems like a strange question right now.”

  “I know. I’m just wondering where the boys get their hair color.”

  “Their dad,” she answers, stepping over to Zach and running her hand through his hair. “When he first got his record deal, they said this color wasn’t ‘rocker’ enough, so he had to dye it dark.”

  The TV erupts with a clamor of yells. We turn to see what the commotion is about. Lucas and Isaiah push out of the building with Lydia and Arnie between them, and Clarissa and Levi keep close behind them, their arms entwined.

  “Where’s Dad?” Zach asks in a mousy voice.

  Emily sits beside her son, pulling him into her arms. She doesn’t answer, just kisses his head.

  “Isaiah!” a male voice calls out. “Did you have sexual relations with Drusilla?”

  Isaiah hangs his head but doesn’t answer.

  “Did you have sex with Jessica Lang?” a female voice yells.

  Lucas’s hand flies out and grasps Isaiah’s shirt. Isaiah glances at him and nods.

  “Clarissa, did you have sexual relations with Steven?” another male voice says.

  Clarissa’s head snaps up, her eyes wide as her mouth hangs open in an O. “No!”

  Lucas releases Isaiah and wraps his arm around Clarissa, whispering in her ear.

  Then, the crowd strikes. Isaiah is ripped away from them. Lydia squeals as his arm is wrenched from her grasp.

  “I can’t watch.” I cover my face. They’re going to rip them to shreds, and I’m hiding here, safe and sound.

  “Lucas!”

  The sound of Jeff’s voice makes me look up again. With my hands over my mouth, I watch as Lucas turns, shoving his siblings toward Jeff, who leans from another black SUV. Once they are climbing in, Jeff jumps out beside Lucas, and they shove through the crowd. They grab hold of Isaiah, pulling him free from the barrage of paparazzi, and drag him toward the SUV.

  But Jeff looks the worse for wear. His hair is everywhere, and I swear I can see shadowing on his jaw. I exhale into my hands, closing my eyes.

  Collin leans against my shoulder. “Dad’ll be okay. He’s the toughest guy I know.”

  We watch as Jeff, Lucas, and Isaiah climb into the SUV, and the vehicle forces its way from the crowd.

  Ted returns to the room, talking on the phone. Mostly he’s saying, “uh huh,” but we watch him as he stares at the carpet. When he hangs up, he rests his hands on his hips. “Hailey, Jeff has your things. He’s on his way home, and he’s bringing the Murphys. Isaiah’s head is on the chopping block for sleeping with Drusilla, so he needs to lie low too.”

  “Ew,” Collin whispers. “She’s so…old.”

  I suck my lips in, trying not to laugh. The whole situation is so not funny, but Collin’s blunt response releases a valve of tension.

  Ted rubs his temples. “I think the boys should be in bed before they arrive. Emily, can the Murphys stay in the basement?”

  Emily nods, shooting to her feet again.

  “Good. Let’s get things set up so they can crash when they arrive. The younger ones aren’t coping well.”

  My heart breaks. Arnie and Lydia are both so young. Too young for all of this scandal.

  Collin grabs Vinnie’s arm. “Come on, let’s get to bed.”

  Vinnie shakes his head. “I want to see Dad.”

  “He’ll come up to say goodnight. Let’s go.”

  “But—”

  Collin gives his arm a sharp tug as he glares at him. Vinnie scurries up the stairs. Collin then grabs Zach’s shoulder. “Come on, buddy.”

  Zach nods and the two head upstairs together.

  Collin’s maturity amazes me.

  Emily takes my hand and guides me downstairs to help her. The basement is a wide room with hardly anything in it, just a few extra couches, old mattresses, and racks of canned and bottled foods. There’s a bathroom and a tight bedroom, but that’s all.

  We slide out the mattresses and cover them with blankets.

  I slip into the bedroom and turn the sheets down. Emily follows me in.

  “This room is for Kessa,” I say with reverence. “She must be heartbroken by all this.”

  Emily squeezes my shoulder. “You love them.”

  “So much.” I run my fingers over the sheets. “This is all so frightening.”

  She wraps her arm around my waist. “Come on. You need rest too.”

  We head upstairs, and as we pass through the kitchen heading toward the pool house, the door to the garage bursts open. Lucas stares at me for a split second before he runs at me, throwing his arms around me. “Hailey! You’re all right.”

  Clinging onto him, I bury my face into his shoulder. He’s the best thing in the world right at this moment, despite the smell of sweat, hairspray, and smog lingering on him. We cling to each other, as if our very lives depend on never letting go.

  More arms fly around us. I turn my head. Clarissa’s face rests on Lucas’s shoulder beside mine, and Levi buries his face against my shoulder.

  “All right, guys,” Jeff says, his voice heavy. “You all need rest.”

  “Jeff!” My head snaps up as I search for him. Emily hugs him as he kisses her head. He meets my gaze. He looks worse than he did on TV. His left eye has purplish bruising, and there’s blood on his black shirt. But he smiles at me.

  Lucas releases me, forcing the others to let go too. “Come on, guys, we’ve had a big night. Mom will be here in a minute, so we should be ready when all our stuff gets here.”

  “I’m taking a shower first,” Levi grumbles.

  Clarissa folds her arms. “I think Isaiah should get the first shower. A long, cold one.”

  Isaiah doesn’t speak. He stands in the doorway, his head hanging.

  “Clarissa.” I grasp her shoulder. “I’ll take you to where you guys are staying.”

  They follow me downstairs and set up where they will sleep, with Isaiah isolated in the corner. He doesn’t fight his scorn, just sits on the mattress and grabs his head. As much as he brought it on himself, I do feel bad for him.

  I head upstairs again to give them a moment to settle in. At the top of the stairs, Jeff meets me. He doesn’t say anything, just tilts his head for me to follow.

  We head to the back porch where he hands me a chamomile tea. We sit together on the bench, sipping in silence. I’m honestly just glad he’s okay.

  “I got this for you.” He places my handbag on my lap. “You might want to make sure everything is there.”

  I rummage through it and find everything in place. “Thank you.”

/>   He nods, staring across the garden. “Your grandparents caught me before I left. They’re going to bring your mom out.”

  “She won’t come,” I say softly, swilling the tea. “She’s freaking out.”

  “I know.” He nods to my bag. “It’s been ringing nonstop. I answered it once and she about ripped my head off.” He smirks, chuckling. “She’s got some fire that one. No wonder you’re a spitfire at times.”

  I chuckle too, loving my mom more than ever. Leaning against his shoulder, I ask, “Why me? Out of all the contestants over several seasons, why me?”

  He wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Because you’re remarkable.”

  “That’s not a very good answer.”

  “No.” He runs his fingers through the tips of my hair. “You remind me of myself when I was younger. A better version of me.”

  His arm slides away from me as he stands, gazing across the yard. “There are things I regret every day, and when…” He rubs his temple. “You should get some rest. We have a huge fight ahead of us.”

  “Yeah.” He hasn’t really answered why me well. Sipping my tea, I stand. “Well, goodnight, Jeff.”

  As I pass him, I see pain in his eyes. “Hailey.”

  I stop on the bottom stair to look up at him.

  His words seem to catch in his throat before he finally says, “Goodnight.”

  He turns and walks into the house.

  I stand, staring after him. What had he wanted to say? Inside, Kessa’s crying announces her arrival. She sobs softly as Jeff and Ted help her downstairs. Wanting to give them the privacy they need, I make my way into the pool house and shower.

  As I come out in my sweat pants and tank top, Lucas turns from beside the bar.

  “Lucas!” I drop the towel in front of me.

  He rushes at me, kissing me passionately. I wrap my arms around his waist, loving his freshly showered, soapy smell. He pushes his hand into my hair as he cups my cheek. I press against him, wanting to hold onto his safe feeling forever. After such a frightening night, his presence is such a relief.

  His lips break from mine, but only barely. “I love you.”

  I grin like an idiot. “I love you.”

  “I’m going to ask you something, but don’t think the worst.”