Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Yeah.” He rasps out. “I’m perfect.”
I nod my head solemnly. He doesn’t sound perfect, but I’m not going to argue with him right now.
“I’m glad,” is the best I can do.
He snickers at me and shakes his head, suddenly mad, letting me in to see his anger.
“My ex is here,” he says with great annoyance. “And I’m a fling. Isn’t that just perfect? At least you didn’t call me a booty call, then again you wouldn’t know what that’s like with me nor will you ever. Pity, maybe when you’re old and gray and with some accountant with a stick up his ass you’ll think back on the time when I could have been the one biting it.”
My jaw drops.
He walks off as I collapse against the railing.
I am officially in hell.
Chapter Eight
Sookie
I can’t believe she’s here.
I remember her oh too well.
The touches.
The kisses.
The awkwardness.
“This okay?” I asked while brushing her shoulder and fumbling with her tank top, all while trying to figure out what the hell I was doing at sixteen. I tugged down the white strip across her shoulder, my hands ached as I grazed my fingertips against her skin.
She exhaled while I nearly stopped breathing.
This.
She leaned into me and I knew, I would give up everything for her, I would give up being an idol, I would give up my lessons that my parents put thousands of dollars into.
All for her exhale.
“Yes.” She whispered as she fell back on the bed.
I hovered over her, pressing her arms against the mattress. “Are you sure?”
We were sixteen.
Idiots.
And yet I kept talking, kept moving, kept thinking that it would be okay.
She nodded her head. “Please.”
I reached for her head and pulled her into me. I had no condom, I had no protection between us. All I had was us.
And I told myself.
I justified what we were doing.
It was okay, because we were in love.
Months later, I realized how damning love could be.
Because she miscarried, and at sixteen I covered it up. I told everyone I was innocent, and my label believed it.
Poor, innocent, Sookie.
Me.
A guy who’s never even kissed a girl.
Except, I got one pregnant and almost lost everything before I even debuted.
But sure, yes, so innocent.
Sookie.
Innocent Sookie.
I’m pissed, irritated as hell as I storm back into the house, momentarily forgetting that since filming has already commenced, they’ve probably turned on all cameras. I hope the ones outside aren’t on, because they would have heard everything between Ari and I.
I’m relieved when I see one of the PA’s walk out with tech. Thank God. The film crew’s still checking some equipment and setting things up for the rest of the girls interviews.
“Quiet on set!” Simon calls again while Lucas and Grace walk up and read the lines from the prompter. Lucas goes first and asks one of the fans what her ideal type is and what she’s hoping to get out of this experience.
She has a white headband pulling her dark hair back, she’s wearing a yellow dress and black ballet flats.
She’s officially a bumble bee.
Her dress even has polka dots.
I almost scowl at my own attitude, but doesn’t she realize we’re men? I’ve never been one of those guys that’s attracted to Aegyo, or basically when girls pitch their voices to sound innocent and cute, overuse the word Oppa, pinch their own cheeks, or look at me like it’s going to work.
To me it seems somewhat manipulative and in my experience girls only used it to get something they wanted—it was never about me.
I’m still frowning as she answers. “Well, before you got a girlfriend, I guess.” She giggles behind her hand. “I’d say you, but I really like guys who treat a girl the way they deserve to be treated.”
Grace is clearly irritated. We’re three hours in and I’m already ready to start laughing under my breath. She has a temper on her and anytime anyone comments on their relationship in front of her left eye flinches.
Only me and the guys really notice it and give her crap about it all the time. Besides people assume since she knew basically no Korean last year, that she doesn’t really understand it—but we’ve been helping her and she’s picked up on it extremely fast -so safe to say she picked up on every damn word.
“That’s,” Grace’s smile is so forced, and there goes the left eye. She looks away. “So very sweet, and how should a woman be treated?”
“Like a princess of course.” The girl, her name escapes me because I don’t care, points at herself and giggles again, Gold help me if she does a little curtsy before a short bow and—son of a bitch.
Note to self, stay away from polka dot headband girl, far, far away.
I endure another hour of torture from the girls, we’re supposed to be observing to see which ones we’d be interested in partnering with for the first competition but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be lucky enough to get a choice since my ex is here and they’ll want drama.