I wake up and see the ray of sunshine coming through the bay windows of my apartment. This isn't even mine, but owned by the mogul Michael Jonas. He flew me out here to do a story about a family—'an interesting family', as he put it. He instructed me to go visit them at their house and to be there at 9 am the latest. I look over at my clock. Shit, I think, it's already 8 am.
I quickly get up and throw on the first things out of my suitcase: a navy blue shirt, a black bra, underwear and a black skirt. I quickly look in the mirror and fix up my bed-head hair and throw on some mascara before I grab my new pink heels and my book bag, with my writing materials, and head out the door to my rental car—a pink Lamborghini.
As I sit in it and start it up, letting the engine purr, I smile softly. These people have a ton of freaking money to let someone have this for a rental. I turn on the navigation and it’s all set up, taking me on a short journey into a residential neighborhood on the beach. Odd.
It pulls me up to a grand house, that is about as big as the rest. I pull into the driveway and see Mr. Jonas, with a beer in one hand sitting on the steps up to the house, waving kindly at me. I turn off the car and look at the time: 9:03 am. I sigh and get out, walking over to him. He’s wearing a white 'wife beater' and blue jeans with black dress shoes. His blonde, medium length hair is spiked up at the top. I look at him, stunned to see him so causal.
“Hello, Mr. Jonas, I’m Jaden. I’m here to interview the, um...”
I look down trying to remember their names, as he waves his beer casually in front of himself.
“I never gave you their names, sweetie.” He stands up. “Now, let's get inside and meet them. You’ll know who they are.”
He winks and opens the door leading me in.
I walk into a hallway with a large kitchen at the end leading outside and a grand living room with a door to the left of me, along with a small staircase in a wall to my right leading up to what looks like rooms. The grand living room has a large 65 inch TV, a large sofa, a big black leather lazy boy armchair and a few glass tables. The kitchen has a marble island that looks to the living room. Around it are stool chairs and a marble counter top, with a blue wavy back-splash and deep blue cabinets with gold nobs.
I step into the living area as Mr. Jonas opens up the door to my left, smirks, and then closes it, before joining me.
“Sit on a stool. I'm sure our hosts will be right with us.”
He smiles warmly before going to the stair and shouting, “Get down now before I bring you down myself!”
I hear a faint call down as a woman walks down the steps—the woman who will change my life forever.
Chapter One: Welcome to My World
She stands just about five feet tall wearing a pair a tight-fit jeans and a red tank top, just showing a little of her breast. They don’t look bigger than around a B cup. I look down at my B's feeling oddly happier to see the same size. She has on a brown cardigan that drapes over her shoulders as she comes down the steps and into the kitchen barefoot and walks towards me. She smiles a sweet, almost kiddish smile with blazing green eyes, the black eyeliner on the top of her eye line and faintly at the bottom making them pop. Her hair is a soft brown with light curls in them. She looks like she's not even forty. I stay on the stool and Mr. Jonas comes into the kitchen.
“Ms. Price.” He clears his throat, putting his hands on the girls hips. “This is Mrs. Andrews; her husband will be right down to meet you as well.”
I look at her ,stunned. The Andrews. The people who own the STAR night clubs and literally control half of the world music scene. Them.
She looks at me confused before I realize I haven't said a word, only looked at her. Her voice is like silk.
“Honey, are you alright? You look hungry.” She looks at Mr. Jonas. “Make us some food, Mikey, so James doesn't have too.” He frowns at her, moving his hands away.
“Why? He's a bitch anyway; let him do it.” He smiles.
In a blink of an eye she back kicks him into the cabinets along the wall.
“Do it!" She grits her teeth. "Before I get actually mad. We have a guest.”
Her voice oddly stays calm as Mr. Jonas stands up and turns around, heading to the fridge to start to make some food. She turns to me and sighs, “Men,” and giggles softly.
“So... Price, is it? Mikey told me you came here to do an interview with us. Um, where are you most comfortable?”
She looks a little nervous as I look back still stunned. “Um…” I say softly, “How about the couches? Mr. Jonas said it would take a long time. Why don’t we get comfortable.”
She smiles softly. “Couches it is.”
She turns to Mr. Jonas, “Where's Dad... Jamesy?”
Her face turns red when I hear him chuckle, as I start to go towards the couch. “In the office with, I think, Rachel. Do you want him now or can you start without him?"
He turns and leans back on the counter making his arm ripple and his slight abs under his shirt do the same “No,” she says, before sighing.
“Get him when the food is ready.”
Her eyes dart down before she looks back up at me already sitting on the couch. She smiles and walks over.
“Bring us coffee, too, Mikey. I need it for today,” she smiles, sitting on the opposite side of the couch.
“Now. What do you know about this project?” she smirks, getting relaxed on the couch.
“I only know that Mr. Jonas...”
She waves her hand, “Call him Mike. Mr. Jonas is too formal for that man.”
I take a deep breath. Why am I so nervous? “Mike has told me that I was going to write a book about you and your family's life. He told me that it is only for records and will never be published for the masses.”
Her lips curls softly, “Well, he's a very good boy for telling you that.”
She looks over at him as he walks over with cups with coffee and steamed milk and sugar on the side, and another plate of eggs with ham, broccoli, and cheese. He nods his head before he sits down on the other couch, laying back.
She picks up her cup, adding some sugar and milk before tasting and looking at it contentedly. “Well, Price...”
“Jaden, please,” I say softly.
She shifts back, “Jaden then. Why don't we begin with how me and James first met. I’m sure he'll come out as soon as I start talking.” She smirks in her cup before setting it down.
I grab my pen and paper. Let’s begin.
Chapter Two: First Day
I wake up that morning in the passenger side of Mikey's Tesla. Mikey, one of the hottest guys in the town. He's smart, attractive and bisexual—everyone was fair game for him. I look out the window and see our sad, stupid school, Millwood High.
I groan, “Fuck. Why do we have to go? Can’t we just skip and lay at home all day?”
I turn to him as he parks his car with the rest of the seniors.
“No.” He turns to me, his caramel eyes looking at me, stern like a father. “You need an education, even if you want to be a famous rockstar, you need to be able to properly talk to people and be able to convey your ideas without cursing of using slang. Besides,” he reaches his hand to my stomach, “You could honestly tone more.” He winks, as I look at him half shocked, half whatever.
As I sit up and watch, the new homecoming couple walks past the car looking perfect. Ew. I roll my eyes as Mikey licks his lips.
“Mmm, those two were amazing on Homecoming Friday.”
I look at him amused, “Really, both?”
I start to open up the door, “Hell Yeah! He’s a fucking stud and she...” He kisses his fingers. “Almost as good as you.”
He winks at me making me roll my eyes again and close the door. I look up at the school annoyed. "Well, another day to sulk and not have fun."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike sits up on the couch, “I don't remember saying she was good.”
She looks over at him, “Would you like to tell the story of how you fucked both of them and then decided to brag on Instagram about how you did?”
I can’t help but giggle softly as Mike looks at me before shrugging and lying back down.
“Now, lets go to meeting my husband. I’m sure that's more interesting than talking about Mikey,” she giggles, “but, it does give you a sense of what I get to deal with.”
*************************************************************************************
As I walk through the halls, it seems like everyone is dying. Couples kissing for dear life between classes, while others are comparing their outfits and stealing off homework for the next class. I walk past them all keeping a neutral face, but inside I feel a deep pit of envy and loneliness. I walk into my last period class—physics. Fuck math. When am I going to need to calculate the speed of a ball rolling? I take my seat in the back of the room wanting to sleep the period off.
As I sit, I see all the jocks and nerds come in, as well as the hot, dumbass Steven. Steven is our star lacrosse player. He’s around 5’8 and has a muscular build and broad shoulders, along with a devilish black goatee. His eyes are like blue diamonds with this new tan skin from playing out on the field for weeks. He walks in and all the girls swoon over him.
Idiots. I roll my eyes as he comes to the back of the room by my desk, winking before turning to his girlfriend Sabrina, the pretty kickline leader and, of course, my ex-girlfriend. I lean back in my seat. Why the hell did I even date her? He turns back to me and winks again before sitting next to me.
The bell finally rings and everyone finally sits down as our teacher walks in with a stack of papers.