No Envy (One Direction)

CHapter Nine

 Hayden

“So, how's your morning going?” Anastasia asks me, as Catarina throws clothes across the room, looking for something to wear.

“Normally” I say. “My sister does this every morning.”

“I thought you didn't get nervous” Anastasia teases. Catarina mumbles something.

“I'm not nervous” she says. “I just didn't pack enough – ooh, that's cute!” She holds up a blouse. Anastasia and I quickly agree. “Now for a skirt.” She resumes the frantic pawing through her suitcase.

“Yeah, she's not nervous” Anastasia says softly. I laugh quietly. Anastasia resumes staring at her One Direction bracelet.

“Did you make that?” I ask her. She nods.

“We can't really afford to buy merch” she says. “So all the stuff I have, I make.”

“Well, it's really pretty” I tell her.

“Me and my best friend, back home, we made a t-shirt one day” she says. “I brought it with me. It's covered in quotes from their old video diaries and stuff.”

“You should wear it someday” I tell her. She shakes her head earnestly.

“They'll think I'm obsessed” she says.

“I'm sure they think we're all obsessed” I remind her. “We signed up to be on TV with them.”

“Well, you're not obsessed” she says. “They'll be so surprised.”

“They probably won't even give me the time of day” I say. “But they'll love you. Who wouldn't?”

And here's the flaw in my plan to win for Christy. How can I intentionally try to beat Anastasia? She deserves this, too.

“There are people” Anastasia says, with a small smile. “My dad, for one. He left when I was nine.”

“I'm sorry” I whisper. Maybe this contest isn't so bad. Meeting people like Anastasia and Catarina is nice. I don't really have any friends at home, beyond Danika.

“I'm ready, you guys” Catarina says. Anastasia jumps up from the bed so fast, it's crazy.

“Excited?” I ask her, standing up a bit more slowly. She laughs.

“I'm ready!” she says, grinning widely.

How can I take the concerts away from her?

-

Everyone's ready when we get downstairs. Nobody's late. It's all good. There are a few cameras waiting for us, and a limo, along with an NBC official named Hal. We all pile into the limo.

And we're off to the house.

-

Mansion. It's really pretty. But I just keep thinking about how much Christy would love this, while I just don't care.

I want to be home, with Danika.

Listening to Christy's One Direction music, not getting ready to meet them. But I'm here. So I'll try to have fun. Anastasia grins at me, like she knows what I'm thinking. She's a great friend.

We all climb out. Hal too. He stands in front of us, like he's waiting for us to quiet down, but nobody's talking.

“Well, if you ladies will follow me, I'll give you a tour of the house” he says eventually. Then he leads us inside. There's a massive staircase, and we head up and to the right. It's just a really long hallway, and the open doors on either side show us a few rooms full of couches and bookshelves and tables. Places to hang out, have fun. At the end of the hall, there are five closed doors, with pieces of paper taped to them.