The Bad Boy • Jonah Marais

Season 3: Part 6

The song drops in ten minutes. I'm at AJ and I's release party. Why Don't We was actually invited to perform, with a good word from me, of course. This could be great coverage for them. The room was buzzing with the sound engineers and the writers who worked here. Some sponsors and agents actually came to check it out. Quite a bit of coverage as well, paparazzi is a given, some radio people we're probably going to talk to later, influencers are livestreaming, it's crazy. Across the room, I see my parents sipping champagne not talking to each other or anyone else just here to make sure I do my part. It's the first I've seen them since listening to the song but this time I didn't go into full panic. Or at least I think I'm not.

"Ava?" Someone touched my shoulder. I jumped then turned around and see Daniel, "You good?"

I nodded, "Yeah just nervous."

"You'll do great Ava." He assures me, "I gotta go and fish Zach out of his dressing room, he always almost misses his cue if I don't, I'll see you up there."

"Okay." I said and Daniel walks away. I wanted my friends and my boyfriend to stay with me but they have a job and so do I. Other than my parents and AJ, who's busy, I don't know anyone else here.

"Excuse me, Ms. Wing." A reporter came up to me, "Jessie Manke, with Music Today, do you have a few minutes to talk about your release party?"

The little fake smile came onto my face and my interview posture came on. "Of course."

She pulls up her phone, I'm going to guess for quick question ideas. "Fans are wondering where did your love for music start?"

I thought back to when Jonah and I were in high school and he'd play me his music and we'd sing together. "It would have to be back when I was in high school, the boy I liked at the time pressured me into singing a song during homecoming and since then I loved music and performing."

"How would you describe working with AJ Mitchell? Specifically on this collaboration." She asked me.

"Working with AJ has been a big learning experience for me, this is the first real song I've recorded and it was nice having a guy who knows the music business and knows what it's like to be just starting out give me a helping hand and show me the ropes." I said to her, "Working with him has been really fun and I'm grateful that I was able to record this song with him."

"Sorry excuse me." AJ comes up beside me, "I'm very sorry to cut this short but Ava, the main event is about to start."

I turned back to Jessie, "I'm sorry but duty calls."

"It's no problem at all, thank you Ava Wing." She says and I walk away with AJ to go get our mics.

I hook it up and see Jonah from behind the curtain getting ready with the boys. I smiled at him and he sees me and winks. I love this boy. I bit my lip and AJ and I walk up on the little mini stage.

"Hi everyone." AJ addresses the crowd who turns toward us and quiets down, "Well first I'd like to thank everyone for coming out tonight, it's not everyday you can release a song, especially with a new artist." AJ gestures to me and everyone claps for me. "This collaboration took weeks of finding the perfect voice to match mine and I'm very glad we found Ava under whatever rock she was hiding under." Everyone laughs at his joke. "So I'd like to thank you, Ava for making this possible." Everyone claps and cheers.

"Well that was quite the introduction AJ, I'm not sure how I'm gonna top it." I said and he chuckled. "This was a huge opportunity for me and I'm so glad I was able to take it with the help of my sponsors from Wing Music Enterprises." Everyone cheers again, yes I had to say that to give free coverage to my parents business. "I just wanna thank everyone who was able to get here and thank you all for being here on this momentous occasion." Everyone cheers again for us, "Alright everyone without further ado, Why Don't We!" I introduce the boys and AJ and I walk off the stage.

The intro to Trust Fund Baby starts to play and everyone gets into the music and cheers for my boys. In this moment, watching them perform, I knew they were gonna make it and I'm glad to be here for the journey.

After the song the intro to Slow Dance plays and AJ goes up to the stage and starts to sing live. Another surprise we didn't give away. I wait patiently for my part and walk out onto the stage and take my place. "And do you mind if I say it?" I sang and cheers erupted from the crowd. "Just wanna have you around, ooh." I held the last note, "We take, then we give it. Something lifts us off the ground, baby." I took a breath before my part of the bridge, "No more talk, I don't know what you wanna do with that?" [SKIP TO THE END OF THE SONG]

"I just wanna know, will you slow dance?" AJ and I finished and the crowd claps, I notice the livestreams going crazy, the paparazzi basically flipped their shit and I could go blind to the flashes. AJ and I turned towards each other and he opens his arms for me to hug him and I walked in to hug him. We hugged each other and everyone cheers louder. Overall a good night.

**LATER AT THE BOYS HOUSE**

"Good performance everyone." Corbyn says, still hyped up, "Amazing song Ava." He says and hugs me, "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you!" I said letting go of him. "Good job tonight boys."

The night passes quickly and it ends up being just Daniel and I awake with Jonah sleeping on my chest on the couch while we watched Friends. Suddenly my phone rings, Tate's caller ID popped up and Daniel and I exchanged an uneasy look. I picked my phone up and answered, "Hello?" I asked scared.