Logan's POV
We all sat like guilty school kids, a straight row of chairs filled with slouching, heads-down, bruised singers… and Piper.
The director shook his head, laying it in his hands.
"This is getting ridiculous. All of you," he muttered angrily.
Kendall cleared his throat nervously. I shuffled my feet as Carlos coughed and James scratched his head. Piper was dabbing at her lip with her sleeve.
"James." As the director called his name, his head snapped up.
"That girl's no good for you."
"I know…" James agreed over enthusiastically for the sake of sucking up.
"I'm not talking to you as a boss. I'm talking to you as someone who cares. You aren't going to see that girl anymore, understand?"
James knew he screwed up. He nodded simply, knowing he'd been beat.
"Piper."
She continued staring off into space, hands roaming her swollen face. We all cleared our throats.
"Wha- Um… I.. Huh?"
The director continued as if she had answered right away.
"Shape up, girlie. Let's be straight. You and James. Not happening. Get over it."
Her jaw dropped, moving up and down as if she was trying to find something to say. James pulled at his collar nervously, sinking down further in his seat.
"What? You thought it wasn't obvious?" The director continued on. "Kendall. I know you're trying your best to keep things under control..."
Kendall started to smile, thinking he was the only one to escape criticism.
"But you suck at it." The director seemed oblivious to the defeat on the lead singer's face. "Stop smothering the girl and go get yourself a life. You need to start living for you, not for the rest of the world."
Deeeep. Can we get some snapplause?
"Logan."
Oh god. I didn't want to hear it, whatever it was.
"Tie your shoes, boy. We don't want to lose you."
Oh.
"Last but not least…" the director sighed, casting his gaze to a nervous Carlos.
"You're in charge of her now."
"What?" Carlos and Piper gaped simultaneously.
"You heard me. Piper, you need to be watched. Get over it. Your lack of common sense and over-all attraction to trouble don't help the whole cliché 'sexual tension' theme you all have running through the house. That's exactly why I'm telling Carlos to babysit you. End of conversation."
The director nodded more to himself than to us with satisfaction before getting up and leaving the office. With all five of us frozen in the most basic form of shock, he poked his head back in.
"Back on set in 5. Take your time." He walked off, humming 'Half Way There' with a smile.