Vanita gasped. “You look like a Nordic god.”
Chloe nodded and grinned. “Which one,” she asked.
Vanita hit her hand on the table and even Chad looked disgruntled. “Thor.”
Ray jumped as if he was electrocuted. “Have you lost your mind?”
Laughter filled the room. Chad faced me, his eyes scanning me, though I couldn’t which part of me he was focusing on. All I knew was that his light brown eyes made the blood that pumped through my veins work overtime. “He looks more like a Greek demigod to me. I was thinking Hercules...maybe.”
The judges looked around until Ray gestured for me to continue. I fiddled in my shirt pocket for my guitar pick, and cursed myself for not wearing denim instead of the black slacks. I rehearsed this, but at the same time my ex-girlfriend’s words echoed in my ear. You’re a loser, you’ll never make it as a singer.
I closed my eyes for a second, seeing myself alone in my room, then I opened them to a stadium filled with strangers. My lips parted and I began to sing along to my own guitar performance. I felt my voice shake, but as I raised it I gripped onto every word as if it was the key to heaven. My body wasn’t on Earth, and if I concentrated too much on the people in front of me my nerves would break. I couldn’t allow them to ruin this for me. I pushed on, giving my heart to the performance and placing myself alone in my room again. And then I was finished.
The crowd whistled, a staggering amount of people stood. Clapping filled the room. Jeers, even catcalls. All the judges stood and clapped except for Chad. Oh shit. Chad was clapping at least so at least that meant he liked it, right? Vanita and Chloe’s heads turned towards him. “What do you think of our new demigod?” Chloe teased.
Chad tapped his pen against the table. “I liked it, but the chorus sounded angry. The song is about frustration.” He stood up and walked onto the stage. Chloe clapped, and there was more chit chat, but other than that it was eerily quiet. I was certain I had just died and went to heaven. He picked up my hat. “I’ll return this after you do one last task for me.” I saw him smile but it was gone in a flash.
He walked back to the judges table and sat. “I want you to think of a time where you felt frustrated, and all that frustration you couldn’t let out. Then,” he paused and bit the top of the pen. “Let it out into the chorus.”
The gold glitter on Chloe’s face shimmered in the overhead light of the judge’s table. “Wait, do you have an ex you can think of that frustrated you to no end in the relationship?”
Vanita’s eyes widened. An image of him being in that stupid apartment appeared. She threw a shirt at him. “You can have it back.”
He picked up the shirt and threw it into the hallway. She screeched. She had no problem putting on a show, embarrassing him when she had the chance. “Yes, I have an ex-girlfriend.”
He sang the chorus, this time thinking of him chasing after his ex-girlfriend. She had thrown things at him before, so why didn’t he see it coming when she had the knife…
Chad stepped back on stage. “Much better, congratulations, you’ve made it to the next round.” Nathan opened his mouth, but the words wouldn't come out. There was something about his presence that made him lost for words. I could only thank them with gratitude in my eyes.
He lifted up a peace sign, and his eyes met mine, and for some dumb reason, I looked away. “Good luck Nathan or shall I call you Hercules?” My face warmed up and I was certain I appeared to have blush on my face.
“Nathan is fine.”
I couldn’t stop looking at the outline of his body. From the line of his neck to the knuckles of his hand. He was gorgeous, I could only wonder what lay beneath the designer clothing.
CHAPTER 5
Chad
Alright this wasn’t a bad gig after all. I got a contract as a mentor, thanks to my hard ass agent. All I have to do is sit down all day and try my best not to groan out loud when I hear awful contestants. But there was one contestant in particular that I couldn’t stop thinking about.
When Nathan took off his hat, he really did look like a blonde god. Men with long hair weren’t my type, but I found it cute the way his hazel eyes blinked on stage and his lips trembled. The way his tousled hair rested on his shoulders, it all made my cock twitch. And honestly his hair wasn’t even that blonde, it was dirty, ashy. Closer to brown, but I’d need to be closer to him to really decide.
These days, all I had to do is blink, and We Heart Entertainment’s reporters would find a way to blast it all over the Internet and tv. I found myself taking longer to find an outfit than I’d like. I messaged my temples. The new shoes from last week stood in the closet on a silver stand, almost hidden behind the Armani exchange suit I wore last week. My agent told me not to bother with the Internet, that it was so stupid. His words not mine, but last night I opened my MacBook.
My agent buzzed the doorbell. “Hold on.” I picked up the grey shirt from the couch armrest and jogged to the door. “Afternoon agent.” He jiggled the keys in his pocket and his face contorted until wrinkles formed on his forehead.
I unwrapped the turkey sandwich and bit into it, the wheat bread made the turkey taste ten times better. He took off his hat. “So, how’s everything going so far in the show?” I shrugged, and I could already see his eyebrows raise.
“It’s going great actually. I’m just glad I was able to get a spot on the show, being as old news as I am. What is it called, a wash up?”
He shook his head, rushing over to the MacBook. I underestimated his chubby frame every time. I reached over the kitchen island but he did a strange salsa like dance or some weird ass shuffle until he was in the living room, escaping with my laptop. “If only you could stay off these entertainment news websites for at least a week.”
I slipped into the living room right behind him and pointed at the screen. “Don’t you see this shit?” He stopped at the side by side image comparisons. The headline said, ““Rico hot, Von Essen not.”” There was a picture of Rico standing by Sasha wearing jeans and shirt, and there I was beside him, wearing a wrinkled suit, and somehow they found a way to make me look much older than him even though I practice good skincare. He scrolled down, and I could see another picture of Rico grinning and a picture of me by the red carpet with a glare. I almost got bit by a dog that day. My agent closed my MacBook.
“Look we are not going over this again, let PR deal with your image.”
I threw my arms in the air and circled around the living room until my head got dizzy. “My image is the reason why I’m still famous in the first place. If I still was acne prone or whatever and had a pudge,” I grabbed and lifted my shirt. My agent turned away. My healthy eating habits showed on my stomach, my abs were hard as a rock. “Fans only care about my image. I am nothing without my image.”
My agent uncapped a water bottle. “That’s not true at all, you have talent.” I could see his half bald head shine under the living room light, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped his forehead.
“I’ve been in the entertainment industry for a while, I had a lot of clients of all walks of life. Gay, straight, fair, brown, tan, red, big, short and skinny, yet they all disappeared out of the limelight because they all had one thing in common,” he lifted up his index finger. “No talent. You’re just under a lot of pressure right now to make a comeback, you’re freaking out because this is your first time. Now if you want, I can get you out of this show-.”
“No.”
He looked as if he saw a ghost.
CHAPTER 6
Nathan
I jumped onto the bed, the producers told me that there would be cameras at certain times and they would let us know ahead of time. Not sure what made me more excited, the long winding stairs or the kitchen that was the size of my aunt’s house. I’d never stayed in a place like this all my life. I probably never would again, even if I somehow won this thing.
All the guys in the house were in the bedroom with me, checking out their beds and sittin
g down to wait. We all looked at each other, we were in competition, but it was more like a competition with getting a record deal, not with each other. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if they created some fake drama like they did in those reality tv shows I watched as a teen.
A woman with red hair walked in and I tried my best not to break out into a sweat as the cameras circled around us. She smiled, her white teeth making me wish I brushed mine twice. This is LA after all, were they even real? “Hi everyone I hope you’re all excited.” She spoke in what I assumed was a British or Australian accent. A few guys gasped and some whispered about her looks, some even made victory hand gestures. “Behind every great band is a mentor, and today I am going to introduce you to yours. But before I do, I’ll give you a hint, he was a guest judge on the show.”
I rubbed my tongue over my dry lips. “Von Essen,” the curly haired guy behind me whispered. The red haired woman stepped aside and everyone gasped. One guy even ran up and hugged him. I couldn’t contain my laughter as well as a few others. As he spoke, my eyes wandered up to his pink lips. His jawline appeared to be hand carved from angels themselves. The sharp structure of his body made me imagine stroking along that cut jaw, down to his chest. His clean shaven face made his eyes look so innocent. And I was curious what his mouth could do… other than sing. I covered my cheeks, I knew I was blushing and hoped he couldn’t tell, although I didn’t mind if the cameras saw it. Besides, they were going to see it anyways.
He stepped closer, and my god he was so much taller than me. He placed a hand inside his black jacket. I had the urge to move up closer, just to indulge in whatever scent lies beneath it. Before my mind could wander far, he clapped his hands together.
“For three months I will be here to guide you, help train you, and give you as much insight as I can into the music industry. What I can’t do is babysit you, and I refuse to do so. For those of you who have seen the show what I’m about to say isn’t really anything new. Not another boy band, is unlike any other show, because we reward perseverance and talent, and we house our contestants. Yes you’re still contestants despite all of you being chosen to be in the boy band, because we want to see who can adapt to the demands of what’s expected of you.”
His eyes wandered around the room, his black eyeliner giving his beautiful brown eyes the illusion of being golden orbs. I noticed how some of the boys’ jaws dropped, some making hissing sounds.
“Tonight we’ll be getting to know each other, and the next day we will start your first dance rehearsal. Any questions?” Yes, I had just one. How could I make those lips of his even more pink? Swollen perhaps?
And where the hell was my baseball cap?
CHAPTER 7
Nathan
A limo picked us all up from the house, and soon we heard shouts as we walked into a Thai restaurant. Chad was in front of us of course, after leaving behind his red luxury car. I couldn’t recall the name of it but I saw it on TV a couple of times. Probably the same price as a year’s worth of college tuition. He waved and turned around and beckoned us in.
“Is it like this all the time?” I asked. He smirked and placed a hand over my shoulder.
“Hercules, I’m glad to have you grace our presence.”
“We agreed on Nathan remember?” He laughed as we followed the host to a VIP area. I was positive he gave her a black card or something.
“Yes of course.” He guided me and the others to our seats, and he sat next to me. I moved away from him towards another contestant, but we were all in a booth of some sort, and my eyes rose up to spot no other than a camera. He offered to order everyone their own drink no matter the price. He relaxed his arm over the top of the booth just behind my head and I took in the scent of what smelled like an aqua cologne. “What would you like to drink?” he asked. The others were already chatting with him. Speaking about their favorite music growing up, where they were from, or asking him about his time here in LA. I shook my head. “Tea or juice then?” he asked.
“Sprite will be fine I said.” I felt his knee tap against mine. There was so much sudden contact and nearness it made my heart throb. I had to keep a tight leash on my thoughts to keep from experiencing an unwanted boner in the worst possible scene.
“So, where are you from,” he asked me.
“Texas.”
His eyes widened. “So a southern gentleman I bet.” I couldn’t help but grin at his widened eyes.
“I try to be.” The servers delivered the first half of the trays. He picked up a Phyllo shrimp and dipped it into one of the various sauces. “So tell me, why did you audition for the show? Was it on a bet?”
Was this guy serious?
“Excuse me?” I crossed my arms, slightly insulted.
“You just come across as very shy. Being an entertainer is all about confidence and battling all forms of the spotlight. Whether that be the paparazzi or social media.” He played with his glass mindlessly.
I took a sip of the juice the server put in front of me. “I’m sure there are plenty of entertainers who are that way.”
He leaned closer until I could feel his breath on my neck, and said in a low whisper, “sure, but they learn pretty quick.”
The juice got stuck in my throat, and I latched onto my throat with a strangled cough. Concerned looks from around me grew. One of the contestants reached for my arm but it was Chad’s hand that landed on my chest.
My breathing slowed down but my heart beat faster as he patted my chest. “I’m fine.” I didn’t want him to discover my reaction to him touching me there. I didn’t want him to know that feeling his whisper brush over my neck would stay with me until my cock could swell and pulse in pleasure from the memory.
A few minutes later after dessert was served, Chad rubbed his hands together. A jitter ran through my body. I didn’t have a good feeling about this. “I want to play a game, I’m sure many of you have heard of it before. It’s called the telephone game.”
He leaned over and placed a hand on my thigh. “I hate gossip.” My body shivered as his lips brushed against the rim of my ear. I’m sure it was an accident but I placed my hand over the hand he had on my thigh. He slid his hand away and I closed my eyes as if I was on the audition stage again. Goosebumps formed on my skin. But my cock suffered the worst reaction. Pulsing, begging to harden. Please don’t…
Once they got to the last person he said, “Police are awesome.” I laughed, and Chad leaned over the table. “What was the sentence?” he asked. I told them and they all laughed again.
The cameras followed us, and I couldn’t help but turn around. “Don’t bother turning around, it’ll just make you feel even more uncomfortable. At least that’s how I felt when I started out,” Chad said as if he read my mind.
We began to file into the limo, but Chad stopped me before I could get into the car. He leaned against the side of it, and told the chauffeur something. The limo door was still held open. He came towards me then, glorious as ever. The red carpet and the camera lights were made for him. His hair brushed against my cheek as he leaned into my ear to whisper something I wouldn’t be forgetting any time soon.
“I’d like to see the side of you that strays from the southern gentleman…”
CHAPTER 8
Nathan
Before Chad arrived, we got to visit the stage where our final performance would be. It was one of those giant stages named after some major soda company. Coca Cola Stadium I think it was. No pressure.
About to pass out on the grand california king bed the phone began to ring and vibrate. I reached for the smartphone that sat on the nightstand, then laid back. The mattress kneaded each tight muscle in my back, separating the tension in my shoulders.
“Nathan?” I heard my aunt say on the other side. We spoke about her week and our last family reunion.
“Hey, what’s up? Are they still sending you bills?” I asked.
I heard a ticking sound from the other end. “Yes, but when are they not? Your uncle is d
oing his best to help.” I remember seeing the bills piled up. I never told her yet until after my birthday party.
“I wish I could help you, but I’ll be here for a few weeks.” I explained to her the duration of the show.
“Wow, hopefully you come out a pop star,” she said.
“Then I’ll be able to help you pay a few of your bills.” I heard a click.
“Don’t you worry about me, worry about what you want to do with your life.”
I rubbed my forehead. “There are times when I don’t know what that is,” I admitted, turning on the lamp on the nightstand. I could hear footsteps approaching, my roommate would be coming in soon.
“Well whatever you decide, make sure you’re happy doing it.”
*
The next morning we were ushered into the dance practice studio. I heard the familiar roar of a sports car and we all knew then that it was Chad, no cameras yet, at least not in our faces. He wore a wife beater and grey sweatpants, my eyes followed down to his groin.
“Today I brought choreographer Mr. Punch.” He went on to list the multiple artists he worked with, one being the most recent popular artist who was hitting the charts right now. He tossed water bottles at us, I missed his throw and it lamely rolled to my feet. He lifted up the bottle and handed it to me. He winked, and I felt hot red burst over my cheeks. It made my eyes dart away immediately.
He guided us to spots in the practice dance studio. He grabbed me by the shoulders and led me towards the front. He looked up at me. His defined arm muscles rivaled any superhero in any of the recent movies that I’ve seen so far. Good god they were so sculpted and perfectly large. “Mind if I tighten your ponytail?” he asked.
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