Rivals // m.g.c

Chapter 9 - "it's official"

When I walked back into the suite, I walked towards Brayan's room. I knocked, and he told me to come in. After I opened the door, I made my way into his room.

"Whatcha want, babe?" He joked, sitting close to me.

"Better not say that.. I don't want Michael to be jealous, because it's official," I smiled.

"He asked you? Is that why you went in the hallway for, like, a minute?" He wondered, not smiling as much as I was. You could still tell he was happy for me, however.

"Yeah. We were texting for a minute or two, and he asked me to come I'm the hallway. He wanted to say it in person, not through text. I thought that was great. I really liked that," I sighed, thinking about what had happened. It was a good sigh, not a frustrated sigh. It was more of a hum.

"That's nice," Brayan placed his hand on mine. I looked up at him to see concern in his eyes.

"Bray, don't worry about me."

"Be careful, Desiree."

"I will be. Just please, please, please don't tell the other boys, especially Charlie. He won't be very happy. He wouldn't want me dating anyone, never mind his rival."

"I know. I won't tell him, or either of the other two. I won't even tell Patrick, okay? If anyone tells them, I want it to be you. You tell them when you're ready. I won't be rushing you, I promise," he squeezed my hand tighter in his hand.

"You're the best, Bray," I laid my head on his shoulder. I loved having four guys I could go to about my guy situations. I usually went to Brayan first, and I'd go to Charlie last. He was just too protective of me, but the other boys understood and actually took me seriously.

"You're better," he laid his chin on the top of my head after placing a friendly kiss on my forehead.

I sat in Brayan's room for a while until I stood up off of his bed. I smiled at him before leaving his room and closing the door behind me.

"I'll always be here for you, Desiree," he said quietly, but loud enough that I could hear him before I closed the door.

"Thank you," I said back through the door, escaping into my room before Charlie came up to me to ask me what was going on.

"Desiree!" I heard Charlie exclaim, coming towards me. I sighed and turned around on my heels.

"Yeah, Charles?" I questioned, not knowing what it was exactly that he wanted.

"I was just wondering what you did out in the hallway wa few minutes ago. Why were you only out there for a minute or two?" He wondered. I panicked inside; I didn't know what to say.

"I thought I lost an earring out there. I couldn't find it because of the pattern on the carpet, but I found it," I smiled, thanking God that I was about to come up with an excuse.

"I thought I heard you talking to someone," he raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Yeah, there was this woman out there that I ran into who helped me try to find the earring."

"Okay. I-I'm sorry I bothered you. I was just curious," he shrugged. I chuckled, brushing it off before speedily walking into my room.

I thought that would never be over.

I didn't want Charlie knowing about Michael and me. I knew it was going to be hard to keep it from him, but I knew I could do it. I just needed to try hard and make sure I didn't say anything around him. Plus, I needed to make sure Michael and I keep our relationship on the down-low when we were in the group with our two bands.

I hoped Michael didn't accidentally say something to one of the boys in his band or Adam let it slip out of his mouth. I knew they'd find out sometime, but I was pushing that off.

None of them could know. Not then, not ever. I never wanted them to find out, but I just knew they would have to know at some point, but I didn't think about that. I thought about more excuses to tell them if they asked me where I was or who I was talking to, things like that. I really needed a list in case I was asked.

I was glad Charlie didn't press me on where I was during lunch. That wouldn't have gone down well, I just know it. He would've kept asking me and pushing me until I told him I was with Michael. I couldn't tell him that. I just couldn't.

Sitting in my room, I found myself thinking about Michael a little too much. I think I liked him more than I should've. Did it show when the two bands were together? I hoped not. I couldn't believe how much I liked Michael and how much I was against anyone knowing about it.