by SM Olivier
“Are you her instructor?” Martin asked with a bemused smile.
“Once upon a time.” She gave a dramatic sigh. “Then she left me when she moved out of state.”
“Well, you did a fine job,” Martin said smoothly. “I have to run, but I really hope to hear from you, Peyton.”
“You will, thank you again,” I gushed as I stared down at the business card.
Renee squealed beside me, reminding me that she was there, and threw her arms around me. “Congratulations! What an amazing opportunity!”
“I know! Thank you!” I grinned. “I have to tell my family, come on.” I stopped when I remembered how rude I was to Galina. I impulsively hugged her and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for giving me the right tools to bring me to where I am today. Thank you for believing in me.”
When I stopped embracing her, I saw the tears in her eyes. “It was all you, child. The drive, passion, and talent were all you.”
I gave her one more hug before I went in search of my family. I saw Golden first. He came over to me and embraced me.
“You looked amazing out there, darlin’,” he crooned in his sexy southern drawl.
I leaned back and smiled at him. “Thank you! Guess what?” I turned to the rest of them as my family crowded me. I held up a business card. “There was a man in the audience that is a director of music videos. He invited me to audition next month!”
“No way!” Madison squealed. “How amazing is that!”
“Isn’t it!” I accepted her hug, and we danced in circles like we had when we were children.
Grandpa was the first person to put a damper on my excitement. “Let me see that.”
I handed him the card and frowned.
“Let me look into him and see if he’s legitimate,” he explained.
I felt somewhat deflated. “Okay. Do you think it could be a scam or…” My voice trailed off.
He gave me a reassuring smile. “I’m not saying that, my dear. I just want to make sure he is who he says he is. We never can be too safe.”
I nodded, understanding his reservations. I wasn’t completely naïve. “Okay, can you let me know as soon as possible? He wants to send me a packet for the auditions.”
He gave me another benevolent smile. “Of course.” Then he slipped the business card into his wallet.
I looked over at the guys and made my rounds, hugging them. “Thank you so much for being here today,” I repeated for the fiftieth time.
I embraced Lochlann last and felt his stillness. I looked up into his face and noticed his grim countenance.
“The picture that Bailey took doesn’t exist anymore,” I whispered, reassuring him.
I felt some of the stiffness leave him and wished once more that things could be different between us.
●
I stood on the stage with roughly forty other girls in the Senior division. Renee and I were clasping hands. I had forgotten how nerve-wracking this part could be. They had already named the fifth, fourth, and third place winners of our category.
I could feel Renee’s tremors as the announcer opened his mouth once more. “First runner up of our Senior Solo division is contestant number 1045!”
I turned to Renee and hugged her tightly. “Congratulations!” I enthused.
She still seemed to be in a state of shock. I pushed her gently toward the center stage. She appeared in a daze as she took the plaque from the announcer. I could see Paxton center stage, taking a picture of her receiving the award.
Seriously, how did I get so lucky?
Renee took her spot next to the other girls as the announcer started to speak once more. I closed my eyes, trying to take in deep breaths. There were at least three other girls on this stage that had been so amazing today, and I was shocked they hadn’t placed.
My palms felt sweaty. My knees were weak. Win or lose, I knew I’d given it my best, but today I wanted to prove myself. I wanted to make Anya, Star, and Alex proud. I wanted to demonstrate to them that it hadn’t been a mistake giving me a scholarship at their school.
“And finally, first-place of the Senior Solo division… Contestant number 1133!”
It took me a second to realize he’d said my number. I could hear my guys yelling my name, and I smiled before I made my way to the middle of the stage. There was a shrill whistling, like I’d just scored a touchdown or something. They were so loud! Winning first-place was just the icing on the cake today, if Martin Brady panned out. The day couldn’t have gone any better.
As I accepted my trophy, I kissed my fingertips and threw it at Paxton first, then at my family and instructors. My cheeks hurt from smiling so widely.
Renee hugged me as I took a spot next to her, and I barely registered the announcer’s next words. All I knew was we had awards for the group numbers next. We waited on the wings as the younger divisions were announced first.
I watched as our mini’s placed second, the Juniors placed third, and finally, the teens took first-place. It really came as no surprise that Kayley had taken the lead in that dance; she was a fantastic dancer. She had also earned first in her contemporary dance and second in her duet with one of the guys—whom, I thought, she secretly had a crush on.
Somehow, I didn’t think we were going to place first, especially because of Bailey’s errors. She had lost a piece of her costume on stage, and I had seen her a step behind the rest of us during the performance, just like in rehearsal. We wouldn’t be confident until Anya collected all our score sheets with the judges’ commentary, of course, but I had been doing competitions long enough to know the immediate deductions.
Finally, the Senior small-group acts were called onto the stage. As a group, we all stood together, dressed in our warm-ups. I was surprised when Leanne and Jane stood beside Renee and me as we clasped hands. Renee and I shared a look of surprise.
Leanne and Jane weren’t necessarily part of Bailey, Wendy, Christy, and Tina’s clique, but they hadn’t been exactly warm and welcoming to me. Renee had already told me they seemed indifferent to her. While the others openly shunned and teased Renee since she joined the team, Leanne and Jane just kept to themselves.
“And in fourth-place, act number 986,” the announcer stated into his microphone.
I sighed. I was happy we’d placed, but it sucked knowing so many hours were spent on that act. In addition, we had performed it flawlessly this past week in practice.
“Go ahead, get the trophy,” Leanne urged me with a smile.
I looked at her in surprise. Typically, the lead of the group numbers grabbed the trophies or prizes. In Anya’s school, she liked the oldest girl and the one who had the most seniority on the team to retrieve them. Regardless of what role they had played, Anya wanted the older girls to be the captain, of sorts.
Leanne, Jane, Bailey, and I were the oldest on the team. We were all high school seniors. Leanne and Jane already got accepted to Irvine. They just got their early acceptance letters at the beginning of the week. I figured that was why they had become less… cold towards me. I was no longer competition for them. They knew their future. Competing, for them, was just for fun now.
Before I could even move, Bailey was pushing me to the side and nearly stomping to the trophy. She held it up and plastered on a pageant queen smile.
“We would have done better if you didn’t touch Bailey’s phone,” Wendy sneered at me. “You threw her off her game.”
I let out a surprised laugh, opened and then closed my mouth before I shook my head. I wasn’t going to get into this right then. We were on stage in the middle of a competition!
“We would have done better if Bailey had remembered how to keep time with the music and pinned her hat on correctly,” Jane snapped.
“Not now, girls.” Leanne laughed, covering up the drama unfolding on the stage.
Bailey came back glaring at me. I laughed and rolled my eyes. I really couldn’t believe their deluded way of thinking, but it came as no surprise. After all, she was a Delan
ey.
“Now for our individual, overall winners,” the announcer gushed.
“You got this one,” Renee said confidently as she squeezed my hand.
I laughed and shook my head. The overall winners in each Solo division got scholarship money. For the top solo performer, it was a five-hundred-dollar cash prize. I was confident with my solo, but I had seen the other performers that had placed first, and some of them had been enchanting to watch, including Kayley.
“Overall high-score Solo,” the announcer paused dramatically. “Contestant number 1133!”
Leanne, Jane, and Renee squealed and yelled, and I was momentarily dazed. I mean, I knew that was my number, but I really didn’t believe I was going to get something.
“We love you, Peyton!” I heard Paxton yell from the audience amongst the applause.
Shrill whistles and yelling made my cheeks warm. The girls pushed me forward, and I felt like I was gliding on air as I received my false check with five hundred dollars written out.
22
●
Sleepovers
I was still flying on a high, hours later, when we entered Kyler and Crew’s house. Everyone had come back here, including Renee. Her father was on his way over to have dinner with us. The guys already told me that they were grilling out for a late dinner. Apparently, they’d had this planned out for over a week, and I had been none the wiser.
“They only have two extra bedrooms,” I stated as I opened my bedroom door, turning towards Lucas and Madison. “You can use mine, if you want.”
The room here was done in all white with blush pink and dove gray accents. My bed frame was white, and the bedding was also in pink and gray. Kyler had installed a track above my bed, from where sheer white curtains were suspended.
A white dandelion theme was represented in the large prints above my headboard and in the gray curtains on my windows. A whimsical light fixture on the ceiling featured the white dandelion as well.
With my long white dresser, vanity table, and cube shelving unit, the whole look of the room was soft and very feminine. Golden had helped Kyler and Crew with the design concept and accompanied them to Ikea when they picked everything out.
“And where will you be staying?” Madison asked slyly.
Anya had allowed the older students to go home with their families after the award ceremony. I chose to return back with Madison, Lucas, and Renee in Madison’s BMW. They had been nice to Renee, and we had easily slipped back into our roles. Our relationship seemed to have mended, and I was beyond happy to have them back in my life.
Most of our conversations were mainly just catching up. I told them about Claire, since they had seen me on the news. I filled them in on school stuff and my dancing, but I steered clear of my relationship with the guys.
Madison had told me about the guy she’d just broken up with and how she had received a partial scholarship for cheerleading in New York. It was in the right direction for her ultimate dream of joining the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Lucas, on the other hand, had seemed more reserved. I wondered if Zane’s assumption was correct. Sure, he had laughed and talked, but for once, he wasn’t regaling me with tales of his current or recent hookups.
I tried to shrug nonchalantly when I realized Madison was still staring at me expectantly with a Cheshire cat grin.
“I’m not sure,” I said honestly. “I think some of the other guys were talking about a sleepover, or I can just share one of the beds with the guys.”
“Or…” Lucas frowned. “You can sleep in here with us like old times.”
“You know all three of us haven’t been able to share the same bed in years,” I teased. “Especially since you grew over six inches the summer of our sophomore year.”
“How long have you been staying here?” Madison asked as she opened my closet and peered inside.
The guest rooms didn’t have the walk-in closets like Kyler’s and Crew’s, but it was still a decent size. I didn’t have much in it. I needed to do some clothes shopping soon, especially since fall was making its appearance.
“A while,” I said casually. “My house is still getting renovated, and I’ve been staying here and at the Isaacs’ house.”
“With no women or other girls?” Lucas asked with another frown.
“No, Lucas.” I rolled my eyes. “My mom skipped town, and her cell phone has been turned off. Grandpa offered to hire someone to track her down, but it’s no use. I’m turning eighteen tomorrow, and it's not like she’s been very present in my life for years, so…”
“I just don’t want them taking advantage of you,” Lucas insisted. “And they all seem pretty handsy with you, except maybe that Lochlann guy.”
I laughed and shook my head. I really didn’t want to get into this discussion, but I guessed I had to. They weren’t dumb. They were going to notice that we were all pretty affectionate with each other.
“They aren’t taking advantage of me, Lucas. They helped run off Sean, and they’ve done nothing but take care of me. I’m also ‘kind-a-sort-of’ in a relationship with all of them.”
Madison laughed and covered her mouth. “I knew it.”
Lucas scowled darker. “What do you mean you're in a relationship with them?”
“It means,” Golden said casually as he walked into the room with Clay on his hip. He placed an arm around my shoulder and kissed my temple. “That we all like Peyton, and we didn’t want her to choose between us all since we knew she liked us back.”
Clay squealed and launched himself at me. I took him as Golden stepped behind me to embrace me.
Lucas gaped at us. His mouth opening and closing as Madison giggled in disbelief and amusement.
I snuggled Clay before looking at Lucas. “It’s not conventional or socially acceptable, but it works for us. I like them all…a lot and they make me happy.”
“That’s absurd,” Lucas finally spluttered. “They’re taking advantage of you since they know you’re vulnerable. Your mom left you, you just found out you have another family, your stepdad was a piece of shit and abused you, and they see the perfect opportunity to take advantage of a young…inexperienced female.”
I felt Golden tense behind me, and I gently caressed his arm to reassure him. “I may be inexperienced, or I was, but I am far from naïve or gullible, by any means. They have been nothing but supportive, and honestly, if it weren’t for them, I don’t think I would have been able to handle any of the stuff getting thrown my way recently. I value your opinion, Lucas, and I’m flattered that you care about me, but I would like you to respect my decision. I’m happy, and I wish you could be happy for me.”
Madison crowed with laughter. “You lucky bitch. I wish I could be in a relationship with four guys.”
Lucas still looked upset, but I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. “Six,” I corrected her as Golden rubbed my shoulders.
I loved that he was silently supporting me. Golden was somewhat of a hothead at times, so the fact that he was allowing me to talk to my friends without interfering was a good thing.
Madison’s jaw dropped before she started to pout. “Even Lochlann and Kyler?”
I rolled my eyes and nodded. I noticed her flirting hard with him, but I hadn’t intervened. Kyler did an excellent job of deflecting her and keeping her in her place. He was kind, of course, and joked around with her, but he wouldn’t allow her to physically touch him. She was a toucher when she flirted.
“Yes, even Kyler,” I informed her.
“Boo,” Madison pouted some more. “I was really hoping I could climb that tree for the next couple of days.”
I tried to quell my jealousy. In the past, she would have succeeded. It wasn’t the first time someone had lost interest in me when Madison turned on her charm. It used to upset me, but honestly, I’d never been emotionally attached to those other guys, and she didn’t intentionally try to take them away from me.
“Lochlann is a teacher at your school
,” Lucas bit out. “That’s illegal and immoral.”
Clearly, he was still upset about me being with the guys.
“Lochlann and I haven’t done anything, yet,” I told him. “We are both aware of his position. We don’t want to jeopardize his career, and he’s a guidance counselor. He’s not even my guidance counselor. He’s only four and a half years older than me, and I’m legally old enough to consent to a true relationship with him when it’s time.”
“Yet.” Madison smiled at me slyly. “Just what have you done? Did you lose your V-card? Of course you lost it with six hot guys at your beck and call. Who was your first? Did it hurt? Mine was horrendous. Did they at least give you the big O?”
“I’m not telling you, Mads.” I felt the heat hit my cheeks.
“Are you seriously okay with this?” Lucas asked Madison as if she’d lost her mind.
“Yes, Lucas,” Madison said suddenly serious. “And you would be, too, if you cared about her. If she’s happy, then you should be happy, too. We’ve been hanging out with most of the guys all day today. You even geeked out about cars with Gold for a while. Then you talked bikes with Ky. And I swear you have a bromance with Paxton.”
Lucas was pacing now. “They’re just using her. She’s−”
“That’s enough,” Golden finally said coldly. “Peyton’s had plenty of life experience. More than you, I’m betting. She entered our arrangement with her eyes wide open. I know you care about her, so before you ruin your relationship further, you need to accept her decisions. You don’t have to agree with it to support her choices.”
“Whatever,” Lucas said irritably before turning on his heel. “I’m going to go take a walk.” He stormed past Paxton who came into the room.
“What’s up with him?” Pax asked, mystified.
“He’s sulking,” Madison said with a little laugh. “He’s not used to sharing Peyton.”
“We’re not taking her away from him.” Paxton frowned. “We don’t care if they stay best friends.”
Madison shifted uncomfortably. “Well…” She cleared her throat.
“He has feelings for her, that’s what,” Zane said, coming into the room. “Peyton, Mom wants to know if you want red wine or white.”