Mágoa | SB19 Josh [SB19 Series #4]

27

Josh's POV

"How is Grace?" Paulo asked me first thing as soon as I walked in our dance studio that afternoon.

It was just Paulo and me at the dance studio. Ken, Justin, and Stell were at the nearby 7/11, buying ice cream.

We had a full day of rest yesterday. After our disastrous arrival at the airport, we were instantly whisked to our condo. Cha had strict orders for us to recuperate for the whole day and she said, her words not mine, "Do not leave the condo or I will cut off your head."

Not exactly appealing to us.

SB19 had a meeting with the management today to discuss our upcoming contract renewal and the much awaited feedback on our US tour. As much as I knew that this meeting would most probably focus on our recent US tour, I couldn't help but be apprehensive.

What if they would include my recent rumor in the agenda? What will I say? How can I defend myself?

I have to lie. That was the most logical thing to do. Admitting that Grace and I were married would be suicide most specially since we've been married even before I was part of SB19.

I could say that we got recently married. Like, a week before SB19 had their US tour. I could deny that the one who posted that tweet was lying. He or she got the details wrong.

That could work, I think.

The management would still wring my neck though. They were pretty much supportive of us having girlfriends, or getting married. But they would be furious if they weren't the first ones to know about our plans. They hated getting surprised.

I groaned in frustation. I had to lie. That was the only way out.

Right?

"Stop overthinking," Paulo hissed.

"Easy for you to say," I huffed in response.

"Don't think about denying, Grace. She doesn't deserve it," Paulo replied, his tone full of admonition.

"Our career is at stake here, Pau," I retorted, rolling my eyes, as if stating the obvious. Because it was this obvious. "Everything that we've built for so many years, everything is going to crumble all because of what I did in the past."

"You will hurt Grace if you deny her," Paulo replied.

I sighed. I know I will. But, she will understand.

"She will understand," I said out loud.

"She will. Of course, she will," Paulo was exasperated. "She loves you. That was the same with me and Gab. Gab gave up for me so I didn't have to do it. She let go for my dreams."

"And it gave us the world."

"Yes, but at what cost? We had to pretend that each other didn't exist. She was hurting for years. I suffered for years," Paulo was not letting this argument go.

"I'm not going to break up with Grace. It was different then," I reasoned. "We have no dating ban now," I pointed out.

"Grace is depressed," Paulo spat out.

My eyes bugged out. H-how did he know that?

"I'm right, right?" Paulo said, his eyes not leaving me.

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Gab told me. I mean, she said she recognized it months ago, but of course, she could not say it out loud. She told me that Grace needed a lot of patience and understanding. And that you were brave enough to be strong for the both of you when she couldn't," Paulo explained.