Author's note: Okay the premise here is that the boys are not all friends (instead being two groups of two) brought together in the more traditional way of making boy bands (shoving strangers together.) I thought it'd be kind of cool to see what these characters would be like if they grew up with only half of their core friendship (it seriously bugs me in fanfics that they're all perfectly the same personality and experience wise- even if they only all met in high school or whatever.) Anyway so here's the first chapter!
Kendall kicked the side of the cell; the bars wobbled as expected, but didn't fall into a heap of ninja poles (which he could use to escape with) like he hoped they would. "They didn't turn into ninja poles" he told Carlos mournfully, Carlos looked up from where he was clinking a mug across the bars. "Of course not, ninjas use swords and ninja stars and stuff not poles," he rubbed the mug on his chin thoughtfully "hey Kendall- do you think we could get some ninja stars…"
"Where would we even get ninja stars- in fact where did you get that mug?" Carlos shrugged, "I left it in here from last time dad made us stay over night… it's my prison mug!" Kendall nodded, that mug did look vaguely familiar "why does your dad keep putting us in here?" Kendall cried, Carlos shrugged "Papi says he's the only thing between us and a real hard sentence… I think he's hoping we'll think about what we did wrong. Or at least never tamper with all the hair dye bottle's a Joe's convenience store again."
"I regret nothing," Kendall told him proudly "did you see Mr Wither's face when he realised his hair was blue instead of black… and all those ladies from my mum's book club." Carlos was laughing again (not that they had ever really stopped laughing since they had pulled the prank two days ago.)
Mr Garcia walked into view and the boys immediately ceased their giggling. "Boys" he said sternly, Mr Garcia was kind of a wet blanket and used phases 'out of control' and 'bad influence on each other' a lot… but he probably was the only thing standing between Carlos, Kendall and Juvenile hall. So Kendall tried really hard not to mess up too badly when he was around.
"Mr Garcia" Kendall sprang up, "I believe this is false imprisonment- I could sue!" Mr Garcia brandished a piece of paper "well I believe this is a signed statememt by your mother saying I could hold you here over night as many times as it takes Kendall" Kendall sank back down. That signed piece of betrayal was the bane of his existence, and ensured he spent a night in jail a month.
"You have a visitor" he sighed, Carlos perked up "we get visitors?" Mr Garcia smirked in a very worrying way "you get to see this visitor." A perky blond ducked out from behind Mr Garcia "hey guys!" she chirped, "AHH!" they both screamed in surprise backing away from the bars and subsequently their friend/mortal enemy Jenny Tinkler.
"J-J-J-Jenny" Carlos stuttered, "What are you doing here?" she smiled brightly at them, "Mr Garcia is giving me a reward!" Carlos shot his father a betrayed look "yup!" oblivious to the boys mixed feelings of annoyance and betrayal "I haven't destroyed a building in two months- Mr Garcia says it's a record and he bought me an ice-cream!" she brandished a rainbow ice cream, and Carlos sulked, he wanted an ice cream.
"What are you doing visiting us Jenny?" Kendall asked watching Mr Garcia leave- well slowly back out of the room with a grin on his face. "We're kind of in the middle of our plan to make ninja stars." Carlos face lit up "we are?" Kendall shrugged "well yeah- I was going to fill you in…"
She sat down on the floor, "you guys are my best friends," she told them sincerely, they both winced; Jenny had a new best friend every week. The old ones would be in hospital for multiple injuries. "Oh is it that time of year again?" Kendall laughed uneasily; the last time they had been Jenny's best friends hadn't seem that long ago- or was that just because the burns had only just finally healed?
"Mr Garcia said he would let you out if you hung out with me," she told them, taking a long lick of her ice cream- Carlos' eyes followed it hungrily. Kendall considered his options- which one in the long run would require more therapy? An afternoon with Jenny or a night in jail? It was a tough call…
Kendall sighed, "What did you have in mind?" Jenny jumped up and down excitedly loosing her ice cream, which passed through the bars and hit Carlos in the eyes. "AHH!" he screamed "IT BURNS!" Kendall ignored his friend, it was his own fault for trying to 'mind magic' Jenny's ice cream over to him. "There is this big time producer coming today and I want to audition," she told him.
Carlos ran blindly around the cell and ran into the wall, he was still largely ignored. "What big time producer?" Kendall asked suspiciously "Gustavo Rocque - he made all these boy bands in the nineties and his going to make me a star!" She told him intensely, "can you become a star is Minnesota?" Kendall asked curiously, "no silly I'd have to move to California."
Move to California.
Move to California.
MOVE TO CALIFORNIA!
"Carlos stop being unconscious- we're going to make Jenny a star!"
******BTR******
"My life is over" James moans and flops down on the bad, "no it's not," Logan tells him sternly "also kindly get off my legs please." James raises his torso for a moment to let his friend wiggle his legs free, "That is insanity Loges- My life IS over, I shall never be happy again!" Logan sighed, putting down his book and readjusted his glasses.
"You're taking this whole thing entirely too much to heart James" he patted the pretty boy's hair lightly, "Too much to heart?" James repeated in outrage shooting up and pointing at his friend in a accusing manner "a music producer- no 'THE' music producer called me a no talent hack and you think I'm taking it too much to heart!" Logan jumped back "Jeez! Calm down James."
"Calm down?" he screeched "yes I just said that, why are you repeating everything I say?" James pouted and crossed his arms "only because everything you say is so stupid that I need to repeat it just to be sure my genius friend is actually aware of how he sounds!" he flops back on the bed, this time sure to lie over Logan's legs just to annoy him.
"Look is wasn't some music producer- it was Gustavo Rocque, the guy hasn't had a hit in nine years- so he barely even counts" Logan didn't bother trying to break free this time, instead settling on tickling James feet so the boy would move away. "He's a legend Loges!"
"Yeah he was, for Boy Quake! Boys in the attic and all that other crap from the nineties, look the guy isn't even looking for talent; he said he was looking for a block of wood." Logan told him, James groaned "but I wanted to be that block of wood, I'd be an awesome block of wood."
"No you wouldn't, look- he's looking for a no one to turn into a someone, problem is you're already a someone. A great someone! And after high school you'll move to LA find an agent and make it big time- as yourself not as someone's singing, dancing robot."
"But after high school is so far away" James whined but didn't look nearly as upset anymore, "you're right, it is. Two more whole years you get to spend with me before you go off and become rich and famous" James shot up. "If… If I had been the singing block of wood he wanted… I would have had to leave you here right?"
"Well yes James, I'm not going to fit into your carry on" Logan laughed; James gave him an assessing look. "No James no matter how small you think I am, I couldn't fit into your carry on!" James gave him a mock offended look, "that's not what I was thinking!" Logan snorted, "no- you were wondering if I would fit in a drum kit case!"
James scowled "get out of my head!" he pushed his friend "why? It's so roomy up there" James tackled Logan off the bed, and they struggled for a few moments "watch it for my glasses!" Logan yelped, "Then get off my hair!" James snipped back.
They got up "we're not very good at the manly tussle thing are we?" Logan laughed straightening his button down "no I suppose not," James sighed, "I might care too much for your well being…"
Logan's face breaks out into a smile, "I appreciate that" James smiles too, "oh look there's that smile!" Logan coos and James shoves him, "you feel better?"
"I guess… I mean yeah, what kind of career could have managed by guy like Gustavo Rocque anyway?"
******BTR******
The place where the auditions were being held at had all the signs that a lot of people had been crowded in there recently. There were empty fast food wrappers everywhere and the carpet looked especially worn- as if people had been standing in one place four hours at a time.
Despite this- it was pretty much deserted. It was pretty unnerving actually.
"Um Jenny" Kendall says hesitantly "are you sure this is the right place?" Jenny nodded enthusiastically "positive- it's just we've cut it pretty close... I think we would have been here sooner if we hadn't caused that car crash."
Carlos patted her on the back "it's okay Jenny- I mean that man hole came out of nowhere." he gave Kendall a terrified look over her head and Kendall mouthed 'I know!' quite animatedly. Jenny gave Carlos a hug "thanks Carlos" she turned and stretched her arms wide at Kendall "thanks Kendall."
Kendall stopped her with one hand to her head, keeping her at arms length. Then he gingerly patted her on the head "ah- no problem Jenny..." she smiled widely at him, "you guys are the best."
A woman stepped out of the auditorium and looked around wildly, she spotted them and smiled in relief. "You've just made it- name?" Jenny jumped up hitting Kendall in the face with her hand "oh, oh I'm Jenny Tinkler! I want to be a star!"
"Great" the woman told her not sounding a hundred percent sincere, she gave Jenny a number and turned to Carlos "what about you? You ready to be a star?"
Carlos and Kendall laughed impossibly loud "ah no- we're here for moral support or something," Kendall told her. Carlos elbowed him "shut up dude, I could so be a star!" the women nodded and slapped a number on his chest.
"What about you tall, dark and eyebrows? You wanna be famous?" Kendall smirked "of course" he smirked at Carlos who gave him the thumbs up "great" she slapped him with a number "for- for being a hockey player!" he called out to the retreating talent agent.
"I don't think she heard you" Jenny told him thoughtfully as he screwed up his number and scowled. "Aw come on Ken-doll this'll be fun!" Carlos cheered slinging an arm companionably around his shoulder. "Fun" he repeated in a disbelieving tone "what's fun about singing and dancing?"
The women came back out "number 411" she called, Jenny squealed waving her hands and Kendall managed to duck this time; meaning only Carlos got hit on the head. "Ow" he said softly, rubbing his face.
"Sorry" she yelled to him running into the auditorium. The doors shut and a loud clattering sound could be heard. "Aw" Kendall said sadly "they're never gonna pick her now..."
"It's nice you're rooting for her" Carlos beamed "usually you just try and figure out ways to stuff her in a box and mail her to Canada." Kendall grinned "yeah- but you know what's even further than Canada?" Carlos shrugged "Australia?"
"No... well okay yes, but I was talking about California!" Carlos gave Kendall a confused look "is California further from Minnesota than Canada?" Kendall crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow "which one of us passed geography here?"
"Well neither of us" Carlos scratched his head "a D is still a pass Carlitos" Kendall assured him. "And it's a moot point anyway, what's important is if Jenny becomes a star she'll be in California."
"And not here!" Carlos gasped "Kendall! That's so underhanded!" Kendall grinned "thank you and now-"
The doors burst open and three security guards carried a flailing Jenny out. "THAT MAN DOEN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT! I'M A STAR!" she turned to the boys a waved "I called my brother and he's coming to pick me up- so have a good audition!" and then went back to flailing.
"THANK YOU" Carlos called waving until Kendall grabbed his wrist and shook his head.
"412" the battered talent scout called, "dude" Kendall told him, "you don't sing!" Carlos gave him a betrayed look "I COULD sing- I've never tried... Plus if I go to LA and becoming rich and famous I can buy you the Minnesota Wilds!"
Kendall grasped Carlos shoulder "well then by all means- God speed!"
******BTR******
Logan sighed and leaned on his shovel, "why are we doing this?" James shot him a dirty look, "Logan" he said scandalized, "you're supposed to be some kind of genius- we're doing this for money!"
"But yooouuurrrr rich, what do you need money for?" Logan whined and kicked the built up snow on Mrs. Goodman's driveway like it had personally offended him.
"Yeah but all that talk about after high school got me thinking..." he shoveled harder. "That I'm gonna be going off to California- something I assume my parents will not want to pay for" he threw the snow enthusiastically with his shovel and managed to hit Logan square in the chest "and then how will we afford to live?"
"I'm sorry 'we'?" Logan asked in annoyance "well yeah you're OBVIOUSLY coming with me!" Logan rolled his eyes "James" he said slowly as if he were talking to an infant "I'm going to be in college- there are no good colleges in California."
"Berkley" James answered immediately "Berkley is a totally acceptable school." Logan gapes "did you... Research this?" James shrugs and blushes "or" he persists "we move to New York first- I start my stage Career and do guest spots on a CW show and you go to Columbia- that's sort of in New York right?"
Logan throws snow at him and James cries in outrage "not the hair you jerk!" Logan laughs "you planned our future out- I've clearly known you too long because I'm not sure whether to be horrified or find it oddly charming."
"I'm always charming" James assured him stepped back to look at the work they had done on the driveway. "Grab me the broom will you?" Logan sighs and starts sweeping, "I'm not giving you the broom James- I fear you'll enact broomy vengeance on me for wrecking your hair."
"I would never," James said innocently before charging at his smaller friend and dumping snow into his shirt. "AH! Foul play! Foul play!" James smirked "let's look to the ref" the turn to the mailbox who seemed to silently rule in James favour. "And he says it good!" James pumps his fists. Logan scowled at the mailbox "that wasn't fair!"
Logan looks at James and then the mailbox and then James once more. "Do you think maybe we need more friends?" he sighed, James made an outraged "don't be ridiculous- I'm insanely popular!"
"And yet you spend every weekend hanging out with your nerdy childhood friend..." James glared at the clean driveway "who has been calling you nerdy? Was it Chase McGuire? Because I'll kick his-" Logan grabbed him "calm down James- everybody calls me nerdy I have a near 5.0 average, let's face it- I am a giant nerd."
James pouts, "yeah... just I don't want you getting down on being smart- your awesome! And who else would I hang out with? The knuckle heads on the hockey team?" Logan laughed loudly "oh but that would be great- I can imagine you know, skating around- hitting things with sticks!"
"I'll have you know I am a master at field hockey" he assured him "and I would show you... if the weather wasn't so crappy." Logan snorted, "excuses."
"No really" James tells him "yeah, uh huh I'm so sure."
"Do you your back to get up close and personal with some more snow Mitchell!"
******BTR******
The audition had… not gone well.
Kendall groaned into his hands, blinking furiously trying to blink away this reality. He looked up; the cops were still behind the grate and Carlos was still vibrating next to him. "Dude! We are SO dead!" Carlos moaned, "Yes you are" the cop-riding shotgun told him gleefully.
"Not cool Joe- your supposed to be my God parent, could you please take a less active amount of glee in my arrest." the man laughed "it's officer Johnson when I'm on duty Carlos" he reprimanded. "Your not arrested boys" the cop that was driving (Officer Vanderson) told them.
"Really?" Kendall asked in relief (one more arrest and he was off to juvie for sure!) the cops both laughed "yeah- Mr. Hollywood seemed pretty pissed but his assistant" officer Johnson cut in "his HOT assistant" the younger officer Vanderson made a face. "You mean that nice young lady who's young enough to be your daughter," he told him sternly "well yeah- but she's NOT my daughter so..."
"Anyway!" Kendall yelled breaking the partners out of their bickering "uhrm right well his assistant promised they wouldn't press charges." Officer Johnson nods "I don't blame you for attacking that douche bag Kendall- I sort of wanted to take a swing at him after what he called Carlos."
Carlos snicker "yes- he defended my honor quite musically... how did you know those 90s songs anyway?" Kendall glared, "my work's PA is permanently stuck on the 90s channel okay! You know this!" the three others just snickered at him " your certainly my hero" Carlos told him " my real ha knight in shining armor."
"See if I ever rescue you from an angry music producer again" he sulked. "Why were you trying out anyway?" officer Johnson asked, the boys shrugged "we were there to support Jenny- she wanted to be a star and that Kelly lady practically forced us to try out."
The two men in the front winced; Jenny Tinkler was the only other 16 year old to spend as much time in the back of a police car as Kendall and Carlos. Only she never got charged for anything... you couldn't very well charge a girl for being accident prone... only have her discreetly tailed by a cop car at all times to minimize the eventual carnage that she created.
"Here we are" officer Johnson announced "Casa-de Knight" Kendall groaned. "We think it's best you stay the night Carlos- we'll ah deal with your dad Carlos." Carlos let out a sigh of relief "thanks Joe, thanks uncle Seymour."
Seymour winked "don't sweat it Carlos... besides officer Johnson here is the one who's going to be breaking the news..." Joe paled and Carlos laughed.
They knocked on the door and Kendall's younger sister opened it, raising her eyebrows in amusement. "Oh muuuumm- no need to call the cops, looks like they found him!"
Mrs. Knight rushed into view "Kendall?" Kendall gave her a rye grin, " hey mum! Ah remember that time I saved you from choking huw that was a close one! Also, I love you!"
Mrs. Knight sighed, "Is he arrested?" the officers grinned, "No mam, he's got off on a warning." Mrs. Knight shook her head "well I guess you might make it seventeen without actual jail time." she sighed, "it's very possible" officer Johnson said brightly, "Now we have to break the news to officer Garcia..."
The officers share a look "donut run?" Seymour asked "donut run" his partner confirmed.
The officers left quickly.
Mrs. Knight ushered them inside, "okay" she turned on them "explain."
"It's all my fault Mama Knight!" Carlos jumped in quickly "it was my audition when Jenny got dragged off the stage by that security guard and Kendall only got into that fight when Mr. Rocque called me good for nothing moron."
Mrs. Knight's face immediately softened, she had always had a soft spot for Kendall's best friend. "Okay then boys- who wants a sandwich?"
"Me!" the boys chorused excitedly, "what!" Katie shrieked jumping out of her hiding place. "That's it?" she crossed her arms angry "your not going to interrogate them, slap them with the hard cheese?" all three cocked their heads "... I... Have no idea what that means but you're not aloud to watch fox anymore!"
Katie pouts angrily and stamps her foot, "aw don't be mad Katie-Kat, you wanna ride?" Carlos leans down; she pretends to be angry for a moment and then relented and let Carlos give her a piggy-back ride to the kitchen.
Carlos explained how Kendall had rescued him on stage (manfully leaving out the part where the stupid producer had made him cry.) Katie laughed, "okay that's kind of funny- how did the song go?"
The doorbell rang and the boys danced over "oh your such a jerk, oh yeah a giant jerk and you look like a jerk and you act like a Jeerr-" the door opened to reveal Mr. Rocque and his assistant "rk?"
******BTR******
James and Logan were mostly passed out on Logan's uncomfortable couch. They had changed out of their wet clothes (Logan's considerably wetter than James' seeing that he had been assaulted with snow) and changed into Pajamas. Logan groaned hugging his worn flannel shirt close to him "is it wrong to be wearing pajamas at four o'clock in the afternoon?"
"If it's wrong I don't want to be right" James tells him, he rolls up his pant leg so he can massage the muscle "ergh! Who knew work would be so much… work!" Logan laughed at him swotting him lazily "it was sort of implied you know, it's right there in the title."
James' phone beeps and Logan quickly snatches it off the coffee table before James can even think of moving. "Who is your secret admirer Jennie? Mellissa? What's-her-name?" James makes a halfhearted grab for the phone, "I'll have you know What's-her-name and I were meant to be" he jokes. Logan isn't smiling, he isn't even chuckling at James antics and that's when he gets a look at what actually is on his phone.
"James" Logan said delicately, sitting up and forcing the taller boy to sit up with him "you said you wouldn't." it was a alert that the 'Gustavo Rocque' had updated his Scutter Butter, Logan's wasn't sure what the appropriate response should be. "It's nothing" James makes another weak attempt for the phone "you know- how obsessive I get, you can't make me quit cold turkey- mmm-cold turkey… hey Logan do you have any…" Logan smacked him "you are horrible at misdirection."
RocqueRecords Gustavo Rocque
About to set my new singer on fire!
10 minuets ago
"Well that's slightly psychotic" Logan said lightly "it's a good thing he didn't pick you- I don't think your flame retardant." James chuckles despite having his dreams completely crushed (Gustavo Rocque had found a singer- and it wasn't him. Life officially over) "you retardant" he snickers and Logan pushes him off the couch "ah! Not cool!"
"He found someone" James moaned "someone better" Logan slid down on the ground. "There is no one better than you" he assures his friend, putting his arm around him and pulling him close. "Your biased" James mumbled into Logan's shirt "damn right I am" he grins at the pretty boy "come on- I'll get my laptop and we'll find some truly awful pictures of him from the nineties and make fun of his hair."
"I'd like that."
The sound of the lock of the door sliding open informed Logan that his mum was home. "MUM" he called, she stuck her head in "hey babe- I'm not even here I just needed to pick up some papers!" she waved them in the air, "how was school?"
James raised his eyebrow and Logan elbowed him "it was good- I'm doing well" she beamed at him "that's my boy!" she shoves the papers in her briefcase "do you have money for dinner?" Logan shook his head "good- I left some bills on the fridge, you can just keep whatever's left over." And just like that she was gone again.
"Your mum does realize it's like four o'clock on a Saturday right?" James laughed, Logan elbowed him "hey! Your mum works just as much as mine does!" James rolled his eyes "yeah- but I have a full time maid" Logan bashes him with a pillow, "yes and I'm sure she remembers when it's time for you to go to school and when to make you dinner?" James gave him a thoughtful look "nah- you do most of that stuff… maybe YOU'RE my mum?"
Logan hits him with another pillow and goes to the kitchen to avoid any more mother hen jokes, but James follows. "So did she really not give you food money this morning?" Logan shook his head "she gave me a forty but she was in a rush… so I figured she forgot…" James laughed, "You are an evil genius!" Logan picked up the sixty dollars sitting on the fridge "I'm not sure how much she thinks we eat…"
He pockets a twenty and then gives James the rest "put it in your 'LA/New York fund- I'm suddenly having a strong desire to never live here again." James jumps up and down "I knew you cave! Trust me, we were born to live in California!"
******BTR******
"You want him to what?" Mrs. Knight asked in surprise "Mr. Rocque would like to take your son out to California for three months and turn him into a mega star."
Kendall laughed "what?" Mr. Rocque fumed "look Kendall" he gestured angrily at the boy "you have anger management issues- some people say I have anger management issues."
"You are just the right kind of block of wood I'm going to set on FIRE!" he yelled, Carlos shuddered "you're going to set Kendall on fire? I'm pretty sure that's a federal offend."
"He means He wants to make Kendall into a pop star sweetie" his assistant explained kindly. Carlos flushed, "oh er right" she patted his hand and quirked an amused smile in his direction.
"SO KENDALL WHAT DO YOU SAY? Want to come with me and millions of dollars an become famous?"
"Ha no."
******BTR******
"Your stupid" Carlos told him, watching Kendall collect shopping trolleys. "What? No you're stupid! Wait why are you calling me stupid?" Carlos rolled a shopping trolley at him angrily.
"CARLOS GARCIA! GET YOUR BUTT INSIDE! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE STOCKING SHELVES!" the boys shared a look "I AM STOCKING THE SHELVES BRIAN! I'M JUST MOVING SO QUICKLY YOU CAN'T SEE ME!"
"You're going to get fired again" Kendall sighed "yeah- but old lady Angelina will hire me back- she always does!" Kendall pulled at another trolley "she might not if she hears you calling her old lady Angelina... She's only thirty."
"That is old!" Carlos insisted, "I don't know why you even have this job!" Carlos rolls his eyes trying to aim one of the trolleys into its port and hit a car instead. "How else am I going to hang with you- you're ALWAYS at work!"
"So instead you want me to move to California for three month where you would NEVER see me?" Carlos froze "I didn't think of that..." Kendall ruffled his hair "you never do... I could never leave you behind!"
"But you HAVE too! Opportunities don't come along like this every day!" he pushed another trolley off course and it hit another car and a man who had been trying to get into said car.
"Sorry!" they both yelled and then turned back to their conversation. "So you're saying that if you could go to California for three months with a giant JERK of a producer... You would go?"
"YES!"
"Give me your phone..."
******BTR******
"THERE IS NO WAY! NO WAY I AM TAKING THE TWO DOGS FROM MINNESOTA TO CALIFORNIA TO BECOME SUPERSTARS!"
"Do we have a deal then?"
"Yup."
******BTR******
"What am I going to do? There is NO such thing as a two-person boy band! And that dog is adamant that he perform with that no talent loser!"
"So we get another boy... you're a boy band expert!" Gustavo glared at Kelly "OF COURSE I AM! However we have been to EVERY state in the country and there is NO ONE!"
"Well..." Kelly trailed off, "there was that one boy from Wisconsin..." Gustavo glared "NO! Not that pretty boy Matthew McConaughey look-a-like! I don't care how much you liked him! He has LESS talent than helmet boy!"
"He was NOT talentless... maybe a little overzealous..." Gustavo scowled "of course YOU like him."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I saw your Matthew McConaughey poster!" Gustavo accused her; she gasped "I would never!" Gustavo scoffed "Sure, sure."
"Look! Just call the kid back his name is... James Diamond- look he doesn't need to sing... He just needs to look pretty in the back!" she needled "plus I really don't think he was that bad of I singer- you're just being-"
"FINE! Fine, but you go get him... I'll deal with these dogs."
******BTR******
"So he's reconsidered!" Kelly told him brightly, James went white, eyes wide. "Really?" Kelly nodded, "YES!" he jumped up "yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes-" he danced around.
"But why a boy band?" Logan asked curiously, James stopped mid happy dance "ye- what do you mean Loges?" Logan shrugged, "it's just when you auditioned it was for a solo contract- what made Mr. Rocque change his mind?"
"WHO CARES?" James told him pulling him up, still jumping around "I'm going to be a STAR!" he stopped jumping when he saw his friend wasn't copying him "Loges- please. It's all finally happening for me. Be excited" Logan bit his lip, "I am James, but-"
Kelly sighed, she knew she had to tell him now before Gustavo told him in much crueler terms "you want the truth?" both boys turned nodding furiously, "Gustavo found his star in Minnesota... But he wasn't very willing..." James and Logan shared a look "that's crazy! Who turns down stardom?"
"A boy named Kendall Knight... UNLESS" they leaned in "what?" they asked curiously "unless we include his best friend Carlos as well... and well you can't make a two person boy band..." James' face fell and Logan patted him on the back "so... he didn't even want me?"
"Yes but now he NEEDS you" Logan reminded him, James looks contemplative "that's right isn't it... Minnesota was he's last stop... There is nowhere else to look."
Logan's face twisted into worry "I know that look James- what are you thinking?" James face lit up, "you only see three people is a girl band… I mean three is good." his eyes focused on Logan "but FOUR is better!"
"James no." James just grins widely, Kelly sighs "James... No." James turned his large watery eyes on her "w-why not?" Kelly gives him a helpless shrug "Gustavo decides these things... And I don't think your friend even auditioned."
"I didn't" Logan added not at all helpfully, "shut up Loges-" he smacked him "look- Logan took all my dance classes with me" Logan winced "by force." James glared "AND he plays like three instruments!"
"So do you! Look you really don't need me James- you're going to be great without me." James ignores Logan and grabs Kelly's hand "you can't tell me either of those boys from Minnesota are smart- I mean come on their from Minnesota come on! And EVERY boy band has a smart one."
Kelly actually paused at that "how smart?" James grinned "student body vice president, speaks three languages fluently and a near 5.0 grade average." Kelly thought about Kendall; who's juvenile record said he did community service for two years for trying to blow up a cop car. (Kendall was adamant it should count as it was his best friend's dad's unmarked car and he had just been trying to hot-wire it.)
This guy didn't look like a leader but she now vaguely remembers him reorganizing their entire audition process to be more efficient so James could audition before lunch. And people had just stopped and listened to him, and he didn't even yell once…
"Do you wear contacts?" she asked the smaller boy "for driving and gymnastics" James told her excitedly. "You can't be serious-" the boy mumbled but his friend elbowed him.
Kelly assessed him; he wasn't dress terribly- in a cute but casual preppy outfit (though that probably had to do more with his best friend than own personal choice.) The glasses were actually kind of cute but they still had to go.
"Take your glasses off and smile for me."
James ripped the glasses off and Logan gave her a lopsided smile.
Oh. Well that could work…
Kelly flipped her phone open "Gustavo I'm making an executive decision about the band-" she covered the mouth piece "you're not tone deaf are you?"
James shook his head enthusiastically and Logan sighed and nodded " I can sing."
She ran a hand through his hair, messing it up "we might have to cut your hair" she said remorsefully, and both boys made a sound of protest. "Kendall has REALLY floppy hair- so one of you needs to cut it..." James was suddenly much more on board about Logan cutting his hair.
She turned back to the phone "I'm adding a member to the band."
"WHAT!"
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