Boy Band

by Jacqueline Smith

  “You’renotinvisible.”

  “Not completely, but I can still go out and enjoy a drink at Starbucks without being recognized.” And I’m not complaining about that at all. In fact, I love it.

  “True. I have to admit, I kind of envy you that,” Sam tells me.

  “You could go out in disguise,” I suggest.

  “You mean like with a fake mustache and a trench coat?” he laughs.

  “You could try to grow a real mustache.”

  I say try because Sam, God bless him, is one of those guys who just can’t grow facial hair. He’s tried. Last year, all the guys decided to participate in No-Shave-November (about which all of us girls had very mixed feelings) and everyone was convinced Sam was cheating because he barely grew anything. Just a little sparse stubble on his chin and on his upper lip. It doesn’t make him any less sexy, but the guys do like to give him a hard time about it every now and then. Especially Jesse, who, in thirty short days, grew one of the most extravagant and full, ginger-colored beards the world has ever seen.

  “I think by the time I actually manage to grow a mustache, scientists will have invented a teleportation device that will enable me to phase in and out of public at my leisure thus eliminating any need I may have had for a disguise in the first place,” Sam remarks.

  What can I say? The man makes a valid argument.

  “Well, at least you have a cute face,” I tell him absently. It’s nothing I haven’t told him before, and certainly nothing he isn’t already fully aware of. But it is the first time I’ve said something like that since confessing out loud that I’m actually in love with him and for some reason, I’m convinced that Oliver is somehow sending Sam telepathic messages about my feelings for him and I’m not going to lie to you, I’m kind of freaking out a little.

  See, this is the kind of crazy that a guy like Sam really just doesn’t need in his life.

  Thankfully, he just grins at me. Sam never overreacts. He stays calm, cool, and collected. And confident. My gosh, he is so confident. Everything just comes so easily and naturally to him. That’s something I’ve always loved about him, and something I’ve always envied. I also think it’s why we work so well together as friends.

  Of course, I’m hoping it means that we’ll work even better together as something more.

  CHAPTER 10

  “This time we have

  The time we make

  This time I love

  The time we take

  I’ll never ever

  Want this moment

  In this time to end

  So let’s take some time

  Take some time

  Take some time to

  Begin again.”

  Song: “Time”

  Artist: The Kind of September

  From the Album:Meet Me on the Midway

  This morning when I open my eyes, everything is perfectly normal. The sun is shining through the white curtains of our hotel room, and Joni is drying her hair in the bathroom. Sam is lying next to me, smiling with what I can only call absolute delight and giddiness.

  Oh wait, that’s not normal.

  “What the - ?” I croak, half-leaping, half-falling out of bed.

  “Good morning, sunshine,” he greets me with a cheeky grin.

  “Did Imiss something?” I demand.

  “Incidentally, that’s what I came to ask you.”

  “What are you talking about? And how did you get in here?”

  “Joni let me in. But I’m afraid we have more pressing issues to discuss.” And with that, he holds up his phone. His Twitter app is open to a list of Trending Topics. “Notice anything?”

  Right off the bat? No, I don’t. There’s something about football, something about outer space, something about Kelli Barnett and her new nose job.

  “If you’re talking about Uranus, that joke stopped being funny when we were like, eleven,” I tell him. You know, I’ve always felt kind of sorry for Uranus. I mean, I know planets don’t really have feelings, but it seems like it gets a bad rap.

  “Nope, not that one. And you’re wrong. That joke will never not be funny.”

  “Then what am I looking at?” He points to a hashtag that I assumed was referring to something dumb that a celebrity or politician said. #Meliver. “What is me-liver?”

  “Not me-liver. Mel-iver.”

  “And what does that - oh, God.”

  I knowexactlywhat it means. I’ve learned that sometimes in the world of pop culture, fans like to make up what they like to call “ships.” When you “ship” someone with another person, it means that you want those two people to be together romantically. For example, I totally ship myself and Sam Morneau.

  When these ships come into existence, some fans take it upon themselves to create ship-names. These names usually come about by combining the couple’s names. For example, Cory and Tara are Tary. Sam and I might be something like Samel or maybe Melissam.

  And Oliver and I would be Meliver.

  People all over the world think that Oliver and I are dating. There are even pictures of us looking really intimate in the corner last night to support this newly bred gossip.

  That’s it. My life is over.

  “How did this happen?” I ask, my voice about ten times higher than usual.

  “Take a wild guess,” Sam remarks.

  Of course. Why did I even have to ask? The only person who could possibly have posted these pictures, the only one seeking attention, the only one who doesn’t know any of us well enough to know that we just don’tdothis kind of thing to one another is Tara.

  “What did she say?”

  “She posted the pictures on all of her social media accounts with the caption,Hot new couple alert.”

  “Why would she do this? What is she trying to accomplish? Andwhy do you think this is so funny?” I demand because Sam will not stop giggling. Seriously, I have never seen him this tickled.

  “Because... this isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” he says.

  “What, are you insane? Yes, this is a bad thing! This is a very bad thing!”

  “No it’s not. You know why? Because this isn’t a big deal. Most people know Tara’s the one who started which means they’re not going to believe it.”

  Okay, that’s a little bit true, but a lot of people totally believe it. Surprisingly enough, however, a lot of people seem sort of okay with it.

  OMG Mel and Oliver are so cute! #Meliver4Ever

  Mel seems so down to earth. I hope she and Oliver are happy together.

  Oliver is dating Mel Parker? I never pictured them together, but now that they are, I think they’re so perfect! #Meliver

  Some are actually defending us, which would be really awesome, you know, if we were actually a couple.

  Look TKOS personal lives are just that... PERSONAL. #MindYourOwnBusiness

  Mel is a good friend of #TKOS and if she makes Oliver happy, then that’s all that matters.

  On the flip side, others are getting a bit defensive, and even a little threatening.

  Guys... this is just a RUMOR. Oliver recently said in an interview that he is SINGLE.

  I don’t think I believe this #Meliver stuff. Melissa Parker is their friend. I really don’t think she’s romantically into any of them.

  Then there are the ones who speak the truth. The ones who, like Sam said, seem to see right through Tara’s twisted intentions.

  I can’t believe anyone believes in #Meliver. Tara Meeks is the one who tweeted it! #AttentionSeeker

  Yeah, sure, Oliver is dating Mel Parker. If Tara Meeks told you that pigs could fly, would you believe her then?

  Then there are the ones, particularly the girls who are hoping to one day be Mrs. Oliver Berkley, that are taking the non-news a bit harder.

  Oliver NOOOO! You were supposed to wait for me! #Heartbroken

  What?! Oliver has a girlfriend?! This can’t be happening!

  Oliver is taken. I have nothing more to live for. #Meliver #ForeverAlone<
br />
  Those are the ones I feel really sorry for. I feel like I stole one of the most important people in their lives from them. And I’m not even dating him! I wish I could tweet each of those girls individually to assure them I did not steal their man.

  Although technically, he is kind of into someone else, but they don’t need to know that!

  “It’s also not a bad thing,” Sam continues, “because so far, no one from the media is harassing you about it. No one is saying anything bad about you. I’d like to think that means that if one of us were to date someone that people actually like, then maybe all the rumors and tabloids would go away.”

  “Sam, you know I love you, but I think that might be a bit of a stretch,” I tell him. Yes, I tell him I love him, but as a friend, of course. I’d never tell him how much Ireallylove him.

  “Hey, I’m always betting on the long shots,” he reminds me as a freshly groomed Joni emerges from the bathroom.

  “Mel, I heard your squeaky voice. What’s wrong?” File that comment under Signs-You-Might-Have-Lived-With-The-Same-People-for-too-Long.

  “Tara started a rumor that she and Oliver are dating,” Sam answers for me.

  “Shewhat?!” Joni demands. At first I wonder if maybe she’s jealous and that she really does like Oliver after all and she’s just been really good at hiding it. Then I remember that Joni is the most uptight, anal-retentive person alive and that she really hates Tara Meeks.

  “If it makes you feel better, a lot of people think we’re cute,” I tell her, feeling a little defeated myself. I’m hoping Sam is right, and it’s something that will pass very, very quickly.

  “That’s it. I’ve had it with her. I’m going to talk to Cory,” Joni announces, grabbing her massive bag full of Lord Knows What that she carries with her everywhere she goes.

  “He’s not here,” Sam says.

  “What do you mean he’s not here?”

  “Let’s see... how do I put this delicately? I was absent a roommate last night. I went to bed alone and woke up alone. Your brother spent the night shacked up in a different hotel with his girlfriend.”

  “That was very delicate,” I tell him.

  Joni, on the other hand, throws Sam such a venomous look that he actually recoils a little. In fact, he even looks kind of remorseful.

  “Sorry,” he apologizes. “Look, I know you don’t like her, but it’s not like Cory is a bad guy or just doing this to upset you. He really likes her. I honestly don’t get it, but I know Cory. He’s smart and responsible and he’s got a good head on his shoulders. And come on, he’s not the first guy to go a bit stupid over a girl. It happens to the best of us.”

  “We’ve noticed,” Joni narrows her eyes. She’s a little less sympathetic to the constant rumors of Sam’s womanizing and hard-partying than the rest of us are. Then, she relaxes a bit. “I’m sorry,” she says, sinking down onto the foot of my bed. “That was uncalled for. I know I’m overreacting. I just... Ihateseeing my brother being used like this. I’d hate it for any of you with a skank like Tara, but I especially hate it for him. I’m supposed to take care of him, you know?”

  “I know,” I tell her. “But the thing is, Cory is a grown man. As weird as it is for me to say that about a guy who, not three months ago, was bragging about his new Batman underwear - ”

  “Hey! Don’t be hating on the Batman briefs,” Sam interrupts.

  For once, I choose to ignore him. “The point is I know you feel protective of him, but he’s going to make his own decisions, and whatever happens is not your responsibility.”

  “Well, actually, as one of our managers, it kind of is,” Sam butts in again.

  “Sam, has anyone ever told you that you are exceedingly unhelpful?” Joni asks. Then she turns to me. “What about you?”

  “What about me?” I ask.

  “Mel, you’re one of my best friends in the world. I don’t want to see her hurting you like this either,” she tells me.

  Aw. I kind of want to reach out and hug her, but I know Joni really isn’t a fan of being touched. Still, she exposes her soft side so infrequently that I can’t help but feel a little loved.

  “Thank you, Joni. I’m okay. But I appreciate it,” I say. Then I wonder, “What does Oliver think about all this?”

  “I don’t know. Haven’t talked to him,” Sam mutters, stretching back onto the bed and resting his head against my pillows.

  “No, no, don’t do that.” Joni scolds him.

  “What?” he asks.

  “You have a music video to shoot. No going back to sleep. Up.”

  “Ugh” Sam groans. But he’s back up, with a smile on his face. He loves shooting music videos, and I know he’s especially excited to get back to Coney Island. I say this with absolutely no bias, I think this will be one of their best music videos yet.

  That is, if we can keep the drama to a minimum.

  ⋯

  Cory is already waiting when the rest of us arrive on set.

  “Good morning, amigos,” he greets us. He’s in a really good mood.

  That’s probably a bad thing.

  The guys greet him like there isn’t an enormous metaphorical elephant stomping around Coney Island, but Joni cuts right to the chase.

  “So Cory, have you checked Twitter recently?” she asks as the rest of the guys disperse. I hang back with Joni just in case she needs any moral support. I also really want to eavesdrop on their Tara conversation.

  “Actually, Sis, I haven’t. Why, did Sam get another girl pregnant?”

  Okay, that joke is not funny. Last year, some girl from Tacoma, Washington, whom Sam has never even met, not only claimed that he was the father of her unborn baby, but actually filed a lawsuit requesting he take a paternity test. It was ridiculous. Now of course, nothing came of it, but it was still a huge mess.

  But Joni is in no mood for her brother’s odd sense of humor. “Your girlfriend told the entire Internet that Oliver is dating Mel.”

  “What?” Cory asks. Then he looks at me. “You and Oliver are dating?”

  “No, nimrod! That’s the point!” Joni snaps. “Tara is starting up rumors about your friends and bandmates. What do you think about that, Romeo?”

  “Well, first of all, I think you need to take a chill pill. And second, I’m sure it’s all just a big misunderstanding.”

  “Did you actually just use the phrase take a chill pill?” I ask. Seriously, I haven’t heard anyone use that in a real conversation since I was about nine.

  Both Foreman twins stare at me like someone who totally and completely missed the point, which, you know, is kind of fair. But Joni is back to business soon enough.

  “Cory, you don’t get it. This is your career. There isn’t even room for little misunderstandings, let alone big ones.”

  “Okay, okay, fine. I’ll have a talk with her,” Cory agrees.

  “No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. This girl has got you blinded. She’s stirring up unnecessary drama behind your back and you don’t even realize it.”

  “You know, Joni, you have been bitter and cynical about this relationship since day one. And you know why I think that is? I think you’re jealous.”

  “Excuse me?” Joni demands. It’s a good thing looks can’t actually kill, because Cory would be flat-lining right now.

  “Yeah. You don’t like it that I’m with someone and you’re not. But you know what? You’ve brought that upon yourself.”

  “And what doesthatmean?”

  “You know exactly what it means. You could have guys lining up to date you if you would just give them a chance, but no. You’re still too hung up on Jesse to open yourself up to someone new.”

  I actually laugh at that. Aside from me dating Oliver and Sam knocking up some weird girl from Tacoma, Joni still being hung up on Jesse is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.

  That is, until I see the look on Joni’s face. She looks exposed, vulnerable, and, to my utter shock, on the verge of tears.

&
nbsp; “You know what, Cory? You can go to hell,” she hisses.

  And with that, she turns and flees the scene.

  CHAPTER 11

  “Won’t you take me back

  To that summer sunset

  And the way you looked at

  The fire in the sky

  And won’t you take me back

  To that beginning of forever

  Please tell me you remember

  Us together...”

  Song: “Fire in the Sky”

  Artist: The Kind of September

  From the Album:The Kind of September

  I feel terrible.

  Joni is still heartbroken over Jesse. Have I really been so blinded and preoccupied with my own hopeless pining over Sam that I didn’t notice what she was going through? What kind of friend am I, anyway?

  A terrible one, that’s what.

  I mean, I know that she changed a bit after Jesse broke up with her. She doesn’t open up as often as she used to. She also doesn’t laugh as much as she used to. She’s a lot more guarded now. Maybe that was intentional. Maybe she didn’t want any of us to know how much the breakup with Jesse actually affected her, and that’s why she became so strict and serious. Or maybe it’s a type of defense mechanism. If she doesn’t let anyone in, then she won’t get hurt again.

  There’s only one way to find out for sure.

  I find her sitting by herself next to the carousel, which the guys will be filming on sometime later today. She’s going over notes on her iPad, but she seems distracted. She’s so lost in thought, in fact, that she doesn’t even notice me until I call her name.

  She looks up, clearly startled. When she realizes it’s only me, she looks relieved, but still slightly embarrassed. “Oh, hey,” she greets me. “Just going over the schedule for the day.”

  “Are you okay?” I ask her.

  “Oh yeah, I’m fine. I’m still a little pissed off about those stupid rumors, but I don’t want it to get in the way of shooting today.”

  “I meant about Jes - ”

  But Joni holds up a hand and cuts me off.

  “Mel. You know what? I’m just going to stop you there. I have absolutely no feelings for Jesse Scott. Cory is an idiot if he thinks I do.”