AN: To everyone who's read/reviewed the last few chapters, you guys are the BEST!
Special ANs:
Rachel, the tape will be very, very important. But it won't turn out the way you think, or will it?
Jess, I hope you find this chapter funny too. It's gonna be hard to make it that way, but I'll try.
judetomfan101, I hope you still think it's interesting after this chapter.
Seleana C, I loved your comment about how you can't wait to see where this road goes. Now I can't get it out of my head :o) (not that I mind). Lol.
Tanya, I like that name. Mashay…sounds really weird, but cool. Lol. Maybe a Shason? Nah, Mashay sounds funnier ;o). Lol.
Ally, this chapter might be slightly predictable, but I'll try to shake things up a bit. If I can't, well, at least I can say that I tried. I hope you like it.
g.leible, I know, a horrible place to end it. But I didn't know how else to, so it kinda ended weird. I love that you love it (since I put in a lot of time into this). It might not be as good as some others, but I'm trying (and I hope it gets better for you).
chocolateelephantz, does now work for you? Lol.
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Instant Star or the characters. But I do own the infamous video (read on).
Chapter 5
Early the next morning, I delivered a copy of the tape of Darius and Liam screwing one another in Darius' office to the press. I taped a Post-It saying, "DARIUS ROCKS!" in big, black lettering. Then I made sure that no one was watching, and put it outside where it stood against the entrance. I hid behind some trees, waited a while, and watched as one of the news reporters pick up the package, and glance around, wondering who dropped it off. I snuck back into the shadows, and peeked out once the woman stopped looking in my direction, and she disappeared inside the building with Darius' tape inside.
I went back to JQ Studios, and called everyone to watch the morning news.
Jude walked in, still rubbing her eyes and demanding that she be served Pop-Tarts right this instant. Sadie and Kwest were on the couch, too busy to listen as they were constantly connected at the mouth, and Patsy was giving SME pointers on how to break expensive audio equipment. Jamie was trying to tell Patsy that she can't break anything else, since it's not in the budget, and Patsy was telling Jimmy not to worry, that the equipment didn't get her real singing potential anyway, so it wasn't like it was worth much.
"GUYS!" I bellowed, and Jude jumped. "Sorry, girl, I just wanted to get everyone's attention." I added softly to her. Jude nodded, and went to cramming her Pop-Tarts as fast as she could.
"Hey, what are you guys watching?" Mason said, coming in.
"Good, you're just in time. We're all about to witness the great Darius rock," I smirked. Sure enough, the video I left the news reporters flashed across the screen. I have to admit, it felt awesome to one-up the big D.
"Dudes, that's gross," Speed said, looking as if he'd just woken up.
"Aww, is this video too mature for your innocent eyes?" I couldn't help it, I loved to tease the guy.
Speed glared at me, then said, "Dude, don't even go there."
I was about to respond when the phone went off.
"Hello," I said, wondering who could be calling this earlier.
"T, where the hell did you get this????" Darius spat out angrily.
"What are you talking about, D?" I said, loving the feeling of being in control.
"You know exactly what the fuck I'm talkin' about," Darius fumed.
"No, what?" I knew I was taking a chance, but I loved to live on the edge.
"Come on T, I wasn't born yesterday," Darius ground out, not willing to admit it. I held my breath, waiting for him to spit it out. He did.
"The video, man. Of me and Liam."
"Oh, is that what it was?" I was the puppet master, he was now my marionette.
"Shut it, T. I want to see you in my office. With the tape. ASAP." Darius didn't wait around for my response, he just hung up the phone.
"Speed, dude, you got it?" I said. I'd spent an hour last night in the studio with Jude and the guys, so I could set up my comeback.
"Yeah, unless you want Jude to tackle you," I said.
"Why would she do that?" Wally asked. I whispered something to Jude, and her eyes grew wide.
"GIMME!" Jude yelled, then launched herself at Speed. She bowled him over, and since they were standing close together, they toppled like bowling pins. Since they really were a bunch of pinheads.
"Get off me!" Kyle yelled, trying to push Wally, Speed, and Jude off him.
"Why'd you jump on me, dude?" Speed looked like he was still in shock.
"You've got Pop-Tarts, now where are they?" Jude searched his pockets, and Speed giggled like a girl.
"Dude, quit it, that tickles," Speed laughed uncontrollably. The guys laughed at them.
"Stop, I don't have any," Speed gasped. But Jude wouldn't believe him.
"I think Wally and Kyle got the last bit," Speed said between fits of laughter.
The guys gulped and violently shook their heads. "Jude, we don't…AUGGGHHHH!!!!" They groaned as Jude began searching them as well.
"Hey Jude, while you're at it, can you get me Speed's video?" I leaned back against the counter, enjoying the scene before me.
"Sure," Jude said, not stopping what she was doing. Seconds later, she paused to hand me the tape. Then she renewed her attack on Kyle, Wally, and Speed.
"SADIE! HELP!" The guys cried out as Sadie momentarily detached herself from Kwest. She grinned at them, and sat back with a satisfied look.
"KWEST, DUDE, HELP US!" The guys cried out pitifully.
"Don't look at me, I don't want to be on Sadie's bad side," Kwest held up his hands in surrender.
"Dude, you're so whipped," I whispered to Kwest.
"And lovin' the action," Kwest added, smiling. "Hey, shouldn't you be going over to D's?"
"Damn, I almost forgot," I said, grabbing the tape. "Gotta go."
"Dude, wait up!" The guys tried to escape by following me, and Jude stopped and followed us.
"I get shotgun!" Jude called out, not that she needed to.
"That figures, since you're screwing the boss," Wally said, and got an elbow in the gut from Jude. "What?" he said, wincing.
Jude smiled, and took my hand in hers.
At Darius':
"Where's T? Is he here yet?" Darius paced the floor, his anger apparent on his face.
"Don't worry, love, he'll be here soon," Liam soothed, his expression mirroring Darius'.
"Hey, D," I kept my cool, walking up to them in the lobby of their studio.
"Don't you 'Hey, D' me, Tommy," Darius hissed at me.
"What's wrong? Can't an old protégé say hi?" I smiled inwardly, yet remained polite.
"Not if he's you," Liam muttered.
"Liam, would you excuse us?" Darius said through clenched teeth. Liam left without a word.
Darius walked away to his office, and I knew he was beyond pissed. But he'd done enough to me for me to not care anymore.
Darius sat down at his desk, and tossed me a stack of papers. "Know what these are?"
I looked over the large stack, and said, "These are some of the artists signed with you. What about them?"
Darius scowled. "These are the ones who've signed with me, but since your little stunt, they've decided to seek management with another label. They don't want to associate with me…because I'm gay. No thanks to you."
"D, it wasn't me, I swear." I would go to my grave before being found out. Darius still hadn't found out who blew the toilet in his hotel room up when we were doing our Europe tour. And he would never find out. I'd made sure the guys would never tell, no matter how much they were bribed.
"Yeah, right. Like I'm supposed to believe it's someone else," Darius shook his head. "I know your style, man, and this has Quincy written all over it."
"Or maybe…" I paused for dramatic effect. "…it was someone who wants to frame me. Someone else who knows my style, and wants to ruin me. Someone like Liam, for example."
Darius frowned. "Liam would never do something that low. It's beneath him."
"But do you know for sure?" I said, and Darius didn't respond. He gazed off into Darius land, and didn't even notice when I left.
On my way out, I ran into Shay.
"Hey there, Shay-Shay. You remember our deal, right?" I smirked as he scowled.
"Yeah. And how did Mason like my gift?"
"Loved it. He wants to meet you somewhere. Give him a call, and he'll set it up."
"SHAY!" Darius stood at the entrance to his office.
"Uncle D?" Shay said, quickly moving away from me.
"What're you talking about with Tommy?" Darius looked suspiciously at us, as if to read our minds.
"Nothing, just telling him Pop-Tart Studios sucks," Shay lied. Darius smiled. "That's my nephew!" Darius disappeared down one of the hallways.
"Tommy, listen, give this to Mason, OK?" Shay took out an envelope that he'd folded up and stuffed in his pocket.
"OK," I said.
Later…
"C'mon, they'll be here any minute. Are you done yet?" I whispered to Kwest.
"Just about. There. It's all set up," Kwest checked his work one last time and nodded.
"Shh…they're here!" I held up the camera I had with me, and started filming.
"So, Shay, what do you think of this place?" Mason said, his hand in Shay's.
"I think it's great, Mace," Shay smiled. "It'll be even better when we get our own place. I hate being under my uncle's thumb all the time. I mean, who wouldn't want to be working for the great Darius? But sometimes, I just want to branch out on my own. Try out my own style of music. But my uncle, he tells me what to do, what to wear, how to act, it's annoying."
"I'm sure it's not that bad," Mason said. "At least he lets you see me, doesn't he?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess," Shay mumbled.
"What do you mean by, 'I guess'?" Mason demanded.
"I meant, I haven't exactly told him about us yet." Shay couldn't look at Mason.
"What?" Mason looked incredulous.
"I mean, he's going through so much with handling everyone's lives, and then suddenly this tape comes in, and artists are leaving, and Liam's complaining about the studio losing money, and we're scrambling to find other artists to take their place, but a lot of them don't want to work for a gay guy, you know?" For the first time I've ever heard him speak, Shay actually sounded worried.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Mason reassured his boyfriend. "Once your uncle finds out who sent the tape, things'll be back to normal, and then we can come out to your uncle about our relationship."
"I hope you're right," Shay said, looking at Mason again. "But what if he hates the fact that I'm gay too?"
"It can't be that bad, can it?" Mason wondered. "I mean, he is, so how could he get mad at you for being gay too?"
"I don't think it's the fact that I'm gay, I think it's more that you work for another studio," Shay admitted.
"What, so you want me to come and work for your uncle?" Mason asked.
"It'd be easier for my uncle to deal with, and we'd be able to see each other more," Shay pointed out.
"I don't know, I mean, I like everyone at JQ Studios," Mason paused. I knew I liked that guy. "But I like you too, and I don't want our working at different studios to be the reason why we can't be open about our relationship."
"Me either," Shay sighed. "What do we do?"
"I don't know," Mason leaned on Shay's shoulder. "I need some time to think about it."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was Mason going to leave? What'll happen to my studio?
AN: What do you think? I know, I'm evil, but I couldn't think of anything else to write. Your reviews are greatly appreciated. So, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!