Great One

by Nayla Matthew

  “There you are,” Laila says, hugging me. “I was wondering when you were going to show up,”

  “There was a lot of traffic, no surprise there,” I roll my eyes, pulling Geo into a hug. “How long have you been here?”

  “We just got here this morning, calm down,” Laila nudges me.

  “How long are you staying?”

  “Just the weekend unfortunately,” Laila says, before grabbing her drink off the bar. “So let’s have fun,”

  “Speaking of fun, where’s lover boy?” Geo asks, looking around the room. Before I can answer, Lorelei comes speeding at us.

  “GG!” she shouts, Geo scoops her in his arms.

  “Hi, my love, how are you princess?” he asks.

  “Good!” she says, squeezing him.

  “I missed my favorite girl,” he says, bouncing her in his arms.

  “That says a lot about me,” Laila mutters, I lean against the bar waving over the bartender. “So, how are you?” she nudges me.

  “Good, we’re finally going to release something about Lorelei tomorrow, the marketing team pulled some things together, you remember when Kylie told the world about Stormie?” I say, and she nods. “It’s going to better than that,” I say, and she snorts. “I start tour in March, officially,”

  “Just in time for early graduation?” she smiles.

  “Looks like!” I say, the bartended hands me a drink that I didn’t really remember ordering. “Excuse me, what is this?” I say.

  “Vodka sour, with a spike of lemon lime,” he says, before pointing to the end of the bar where Raphael stands. He waves at me, with a wide grin.

  “Is that Mr. Boyfriend?” Laila whispers, and I just nod. I grab my drink walking to the end of the bed, pulling him into a hug.

  “You know you could have walked over, they don’t bite,” I say, when I pull away.

  “Will you laugh if I say I’m nervous?” he says, I try not to laugh pulling him in.

  “You have nothing to be nervous about,” I say, pulling away and hooking his arm. When I walk back across the bar, Calum and Zahara are waiting with Geo, Laila, and Lorelei. “Everyone, this is Raphael,”

  “Hello everyone,” Raphael says.

  “Raphael, this is my best friend Laila, and her boyfriend Geo,” I say, Geo scoffs and I continue. “You’ve of course met Zahara, and this is her boyfriend Calum,” I say.

  “Congratulations, 6 years is a long time together,” Raphael says.

  “Why thank you, longest 6 years of my life,” Zahara jokes, I take Lorelei from Geo, turning towards Raphael.

  “And last but not least, this is Lorelei,” I say.

  “Well hello Lorelei,” Raphael says, she immediately hides her face into my shoulder. “You look beautiful, you all do,” Raphael says.

  “Already off to a good start my man, want a drink?” Geo says, gesturing to the bar and Raphael joins him. I bounce Lorelei in my arms, forcing her to look at me.

  “Everything okay bear?” I ask.

  “Are you trying to replace Daddy?” she asks, her eyes filled with worry. I squeeze her into my chest.

  “Oh honey, your dad is your dad, nothing is going to change that, Raphael isn’t replacing anyone,” I say, I set her on the ground, and she seems to settle down.

  “Excuse me, excuse me,” someone taps into a microphone, turning all the attention in the room to the stage. Where Zahara’s Father stands. “I just wanted to share a toast,” he says, holding up the glass everyone joining in. “I will admit that I didn’t think Calum was going to last with my daughter, she is a very tough girl and doesn’t allow a lot of people in, but seeing him with her now, and the wonderous group she is a part of I am happy that they’re still together” he says, holding up the cup. “To Calum and Zahara”

  “To Calum and Zahara!” We all shout, before taking a shot. I turn to Calum and he winks, so I move towards the stage, walking up.

  “Oh Adeya! It’s lovely to see you” Mr. Clarkson says, handing over to microphone.

  “It’s lovely to see you too,” I say, before bringing the microphone close to me. “Good evening anyone, some of you might know me as Adeya, the singer,” I start, the crowd erupting in cheers. “But to Calum and Zahara I’m more than that, they’re more then that they’re some of my best friends, I don’t know where I’d be or who’d I be without them, Zahara helped me when I needed her the most and Calum was the most helpful person I had ever met, those two are the best things to happen to me,” the crowd cheers and I hold up my drink, “And this song is dedicated to Zahara and Calum,” I announce. I start the song, and everyone immediately gets to the floor to start dancing, Raphael even carries Lorelei out on his feet.

  And when I finish, Calum is kneeling in front of Zahara on one knee. The room is swept into silence. “Zahara Clarkson, I never met a prettier soul, and I don’t think I can see myself with anyone else, you’re perfect for me, and I love you, will you make the happiest man on earth, and Marry me?” the only thing Zahara can do is nod, Calum scoops him into his arm and the crowd burst into cheers. I step off the stage and Zahara immediately smashes me into a hug.

  “Congratulations!” I say.

  “Thank you so much,” she says, I pull away.

  “That’s nothing, it was all Calum,” I say.

  “What you said is perfect too,” she says. “I love you,”

  “I love you too,” I say, pulling her into another hug.

  “You did amazing, that sounded beautiful,” Raphael scooping me into his arms. “Too bad I didn’t get to dance with you,” he says.

  “I’m free now, here’s your chance,” I say, he wraps his arms around me, spinning me around. The next song starts, and Raphael holds me close, drifting me around the room, it felt like my feet weren’t even touching the ground.

  “I have a question,” Raphael says. “And you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to,” he starts.

  “Is it about Lorelei’s father?” I ask, his face drops. “It’s fine,” I say. “We dated in high school, and when I got pregnant, he broke up with me, not because I was pregnant but because he wanted something new,” I say.

  “That’s terrible,”

  “It’s fine, I’m fine,” I say.

  “Are you still in contact with him?” he asks.

  “Only for Lorelei, he’s a different person I don’t think I know him anymore,” I say. “But that’s ancient history,”

  “I believe you,” he says.

  ++

  I spend Saturday on the side of the pool with Geo, Laila, Calum, Alec, Mark. Raphael came and even brought Emily to play with Lorelei.

  “Sun lotion?” Raphael asks, forcing me to roll over to my stomach. He sits at my side beginning to massage the lotion into my body.

  “Mama! Mama! Look at me swim!” I hear Lorelei shout, and I turn seeing Emily help her swim around the pool.

  “Food shout be ready in 15 minutes!” Calum shouts from the grill.

  “More like 30,” Zahara mutters from her seat, before pushing out of her seat walking over to the grill. I roll over pushing out of my chair.

  “Join me for a swim?” I ask looking over to Raphael who nods, I climb into the deep end, wadding out to the center. Raphael follows, wrapping his arms around my waist, kissing the back of my neck.

  “I think they’re getting along nicely,” Raphael whispers, I look over at Emily and Lorelei splashing on the shallow end of the pool.

  “That’s good,” I say, I was happy Lorelei had friends that weren’t in her twenties. I spin around. “Want to have a sleep over?” I question.

  “For the girls, or for us?” he asks, I smile.

  “Both,”

  “Dinner is ready!” Calum shouts from the grill forcing me to pull away from Raphael. We join everyone else sitting at the table and starting to pile food onto plates. Lorelei sits on my lap and goes on a ramble about the pool and learning how to swim.

  “Adeya,” Laila says, pulling me away from the table.<
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  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  “Abraham is here,” she whispers.

  “Here? As in California,” I say.

  “No here as in at Zahara’s guard gates,” she whispers.

  “What? How do you know?” I say.

  “He texted me,”

  “And you have his number saved why?” I ask.

  “For Lorelei’s sake, do you really think I would take time out of my day to talk to Abraham?” she hisses.

  “Is everything okay?” Zahara asks from the table, I wave her over pulling her and Laila inside.

  “Braum is here,” I say.

  “Here as in California?” Zahara asks.

  “He’s at your gates!”

  “How does he know where I live?” Zahara asks.

  “I might have brought up the community, just because you wanted me to live here!” I say, Zahara glares at me before shaking it off.

  “What’s the plan?” she asks.

  “Well he can’t come here; you guys have to go figure out why he’s here! He can’t meet Raphael,” I say. “I’ll stay here,” I say, before turning and walking back outside joining everyone at the table.

  “Is everything alright?” Calum asks.

  “Just booking stuff, Laila needed help with some things,” I lie, they seem to believe me and continue with their meal. I couldn’t continue, my stomach twisted and turned, as I waited for Laila and Zahara to come back. My phone buzzes on the table, and I snatch it as if someone else was going for it.

  Zahara: come to the garage.

  “I’ll be right back,” I say, excusing myself from the table again and rushing inside. I make my way to the garage and Laila and Zahara wait inside with Braum. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m moving to L.A”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Sorry I had to reschedule our sleep over,” I say, Raphael pulls me into a hug.

  “It’s no problem, duty calls,” he says, pecking me on the cheek. Before meeting Emily at the car, I watch them leave before walking back inside Zahara’s house, where everyone waited in the living room. Braum sat on the couch, holding Lorelei who passed out in excitement over seeing him, and hearing the news that he’d be moving into town.

  “I’m sorry for intruding, really,” Braum starts. “I just don’t have anywhere to go right now, my money is still bundled up and when I went to Adeya’s house she wasn’t home,”

  “Why didn’t you call? Or text me?” I ask, sitting on the chaise with Laila. “And what exactly is your plan? Didn’t you get back into NYC?”

  “I did, but then I put in a transfer request for UCLA,” he says. “Call me crazy, but I wanted to be closer to my daughter,”

  “No one is calling you crazy,” I say, looking around the room at my friends faces, I’m sure they were calling him a lot of different things. “You can stay-”

  “In a hotel,” Zahara says, standing up and pulling out her phone. “Until things get settled courtesy of Magnolia Records,” I look over at her, but she’s avoiding my eye contact.

  “Really? That’s amazing thank you,” he says.

  “I can get you a suite by campus,” she says, before leaving the living room.

  “It’s late, I should get Lorelei home,” I say while pushing out of the chaise and walking over to Braum. “We can talk more about this tomorrow,” I say. I scoop Lorelei in my arms, and she curls into them. “Good night everyone,” I shout, before leaving towards the front door. I don’t break down until Lorelei is stuck into bed, I have to close my door and press my face into my pillow so she couldn’t hear me.

  I could feel the wave of Braum crashing over me, as I sink back into the pit of feelings, I had for him. I thought him being Lorelei’s life would be easy, it seemed a whole lot easier when he was across the country, and not down the street. Despite him dating Demetra, and despite both of us not talking each other for nearly 5 years, every time I looked at him, I saw the same boy who lived across the street. The same boy who picked the pepperoni off the cheese because he liked the flavor and not the meat, the same boy who cried because he saw roadkill. Everything I loved about him, and even more with Lorelei and now he’s back.

  “The official album release date, is November 15th,” Zahara says, snapping me back into the meeting I was sitting in. “Just in time for black Friday, when we will release the pre-sale tickets for the tour,”

  “And the album listening party?” I ask.

  “I already reserved two more spots for Emily and Raphael, she’ll get the invitation with everyone else,” Zahara says.

  “Thanks,”

  “Is everything okay? You seem distracted?” she asks, I push out of my seat.

  “I just need some air,” I leave the room, walking down the hall to the girl’s bathroom. I push open the window leaning out, inhaling the fresh air.

  “What’s wrong?” Zahara says, pushing into the bathroom. I turn around.

  “You know exactly what’s wrong” I say, leaning against the wall.

  “Adeya baby, I need you to focus,” Zahara says, walking over to me. “You’ve got to get your head in the game!”

  “This isn’t high school musical,” I snap.

  “This is the long run Deya, your Album comes out in two months, your first single comes out in less than a week, next year you’re starting the biggest tour of your life, you need to focus!” Zahara snaps back. “I know things are stressful, no one saw Braum moving to California alright, but we have to put that aside because right now, you need to focus on you,”

  We leave the bathroom together, returning to the meeting room and finishing the meeting. When we’re finished, I’m whisked off to my first Radio interview since we released the first official statement about Lorelei. Zahara already prepared me with the questions, but I wasn’t surprised that nearly half of them were about Lorelei instead of my upcoming album. My goal was to steer the conversation away from Lorelei and focus mainly on my album. We arrive at the 34.5 Radio station, taking the private elevator to the studio.

  “Adeya! It’s so good to see you,” Regina, the stations manager says, pulling me into a hug.

  “Hey Gina,” I say.

  “I’m excited to hear the album, I hear the sneak peek and I just am on the edge of my seat,” she says. “Donny and Lynn are already ready; we’ll start whenever you’re fully set-up. I nod pushing my way into the studio, taking a seat.

  “Hey Adeya, how are you?” Lynn asks.

  “I’m good, it’s good to see you guys,” I say.

  “We’ve missed you!” Donny says. I hook myself into the microphone, and hear the familiar buzz meaning the song was coming to an end. “And that was Ariana Grande’s new song, if you want to hear more of Ms. Grande call in and ask!” Donny immediately says.

  “And we’re excited to announce that we have Ms. Adeya Waterson in the studio with us today!” Lynn says excitedly, I hear the fake applause and I laugh into the microphone.

  “Hi Donny, Hi Lynn,” I say, into the microphone.

  “This is your first Radio interview, since you finished your Unstoppable Heart Tour,” Donny says.

  “Yes, I needed a little break but I’m back and I’m ready,” I say.

  “Can you tell us the name of your upcoming album?” Lynn asks. “Or is that top secret information,”

  “Like the identity of your daughter,” Donny says, earning the gasp reaction button. I laugh holding in the fear and pushing out a smile.

  “The name of my new album is called Unforgettable Heart, and my first single is called Not Over You, and is coming out next Friday,” I say.

  “I hear with have a little sample of that song for the listeners out there, want them to hear it?” Donny asks.

  “Of course,” I say, a button plays, and I hear the beginning of the sample.

  “Sorry if I came at you hard Adeya,” Donny immediately says.

  “It’s cool, I’m fine,” I say. The sample ends and we’re back on air.

 
; “That sounded amazing Adeya! We’re so ready for this new era” Lynn says.

  “I’m ready too,”

  “You did great!” Zahara says, handing me a coffee cup as we leave the radio station. “You sounded amazing, the response the demo is amazing!”