MAIN MANSION*
Natty got hungry even after the plenty dinner she had, so she decided to come for more.
She was about to push the door open when she heard talks from inside.
Seems like Hugo and Anna are discussing, and it's about Kenzie.
"Georgia is not getting better at the psycho ward. She tried to jump down the balcony today" Anna said.
"I stopped worrying about her since long ago, Anna. She's the architect of everything happening to her right now so I see no reason to feel pity" Hugo replied straight.
"But Kenzie needs her to heal since she caused his emotional wounds" Anna said.
"Can you hear yourself Anna? You know him the best in this house so you should understand that he's only waiting for her to get better so he'd kill her by himself, and I won't stop him " Hugo replied and stood.
"Hugo!" Anna called, rushing after him as he went upstairs.
Natty sighed and opened the door afterwards.
She went straight to the kitchen and dished out some pasta from the leftovers, and she was about to get chicken when someone blew air on her neck from behind.
"Fuvk!" She jumped, turning swiftly to grab the person's face violently.
Survival instincts.
"Ahhh!!!" Lee's scream made her quickly let go, and her eyes widened when she saw her fingerprints on his face already.
"I'm so sorry I didn't know it was you!"
"Darn! I almost lost my face " he whined.
"I'll get ice pack for it" Natty quickly rushed to the freezer and got one, coming back to start pressing his face with it.
"I'm cute, aren't I?" He said.
"I've always known you're a narcissist like your brother " she laughed.
"Nah, I'm different from Kenzie. At least, I'm not breaking hearts for trophies " he replied.
"You do know he's doing everything to heal, yeah?" She said.
"But there are other ways to heal, and what he's doing is not helping at all, but he doesn't listen to anyone" he replied, and she smiled.
"How old are you?"
"Kenzie is three years older than me" he replied.
"You're 17?"
"Yeah, will be in college next year, but I'm attending oxford " he replied proudly, and she smiled again, dropping the ice pack.
"Good for you, Lee" she said, taking her plate of pasta
"Goodnight, and thanks " he said.
She replied with a wink before stepping out, and he chuckled, taking the ice pack for disposal.
*
NEXT DAY, A CLOTHING STORE*
"I can't believe I'll actually be attending the audition tomorrow! I definitely can't wait to see Amber in person" Hazel gushed, coming out of the store with Penny and the bag containing her new purchase.
"I can bet it with anyone that we're the two who'll get chosen tomorrow" Penny replied happily, and Hazel smiled largely, but her smile cleared when she remembered what happened with Kenzie in the pool yesterday.
She hasn't seen him since then.
His friends came for breakfast in the main mansion this morning, but he wasn't with them.
They said he wasn't interested in breakfast, and that made her bite into her tongue.
Is it right to ghost her after the intimacy?
Or is she the easy one for allowing it???
"Are you ok?" Penny's voice brought her back, and she blinked twice.
"Huh? Of course!" She covered up with a smile.
"Let's get ice cream! Right there!" Penny pulled her to the other side of the road where they got their favorite ice cream flavours in waffle cones.
They were about to cross back when Cole's car stopped beside them, making them halt.
"Cole!" Penny beamed.
"It's been a while, pennywise" he smiled.
"It's Penny, just Penny! How many times do I tell you?" She pouted, and he grinned, facing Hazel who's eating her ice cream slowly.
He smiled when he saw the new phone with her.
"You girls wanna go out for lunch?" He asked.
"No!" Hazel quickly replied.
"Yes!" Penny nodded.
"What are you saying? He has a girlfriend and I don't wanna get in trouble" Hazel whispered.
"Not like you're dating him. He's just a friend and he offered it himself. Grow up Hazel, stop being a baby!" Penny retorted.
"Ready?" Cole asked, opening his car door.
Hazel looked him in the eye, and he pulled her to the car.
"C'mon... just an hour " he said.
She entered the car with a grunt, and Penny rushed in with her.
He bit his lip before settling on the driver's seat.
Katherine's text dinged on his phone almost immediately.
Katherine: We need to talk, like now!
He ignored it and dropped the phone.
They haven't talked since she did what she did, and now she wants to meet?
He has taken enough of her bossiness... he's not a pushover.
*
NEXT DAY, PARALLEL PREMIER*
Kenzie entered the dinner house at exactly 6pm.
He was supposed to meet Amber by 5:30, but he knowingly came 30 minutes late cos he suspected a foul play, and now it's looking real cos she's not on seat yet.
He settled on a couch, retrieving his phone to give her a call, but throughout the five rings, she didn't pick.
He gritted his jaws, clicking on texts.
He typed her a message...
Ken-Z: Is this some kinda game? It's sick, and I'm losing interest.
She read it and didn't reply, and he almost smashed his phone, but he kept his cool.
He turned off his screen, rubbing his tattooed neck for a minute before rubbing his lips slowly.
She's knowingly playing with him, and she'd be stupid if she thinks she's a pro-gamer like him.
He shifted his attention to the chandelier hanging up, and the bright light made his eyes dim.
He picked a bottle of vodka from the table and threw it at the chandelier, shattering it across the room.
Four staffs rushed in almost immediately.
"Are you ok master?"
"Are you ok?"
"Is everything alright?"
Several questions were thrown at him, but he answered none.
"Add the chandelier bill to my tab" he said, stepping out of the house.
That little dim reminded him of Hazel, and he hates it.
He has been locking out her thoughts since yesterday and has been avoiding her sight because if he sees her, he'd actually do what Natty hates.
Not that he cares, but their friendship is golden to him, and he won't let a maid's daughter ruin it.
He entered his car, and he immediately got a text from Eminem.
Emi: Tonight is the audition for Amber's band. I think she knowingly told you to come just to play you. *Laughing emoji*
Kenzie's palm tightened on the phone.
*
CADENCE STUDIO*
There are 50 girls who got picked for the audition, and the building is bubbling with the sound of music and the feel of dance.
The participants filled the hall, and they all have their entry numbers attached to their chests.
Hazel is number 40, and she's already fidgeting, blowing air out of her mouth to calm herself as she awaited her turn.
Maria wanted to follow her, but she declined, so she came with Penny who's number 42.
Her knitted skirt and armless crop top stood out of all the outfits she has been seeing cos of the bright green colour, and she started hoping it's not too tacky.
"You didn't forget your lines, right?" Penny asked after returning from the restroom for the uptenth time .
"I didn't, you're sweating" Hazel replied, fanning her with her fingers.
Inside the hall, there are six members of the team, then Amber and Hope are in front of them as the main judges.
Amber was smiling as she stared at her phone screen, reading Kenzie's texts and imagining how disappointed he must be feeling.
She almost laughed out loud.
"Focus, Amber" Hope cautioned beside her, and she rolled eyes before dropping her phone.
Immediately she concentrated back on the stage, Hazel came in.
A spotlight came on, circling her completely as the tune of the song she registered started playing.
She followed the beat with her mind, and Amber smirked proudly.
Tacky.
She was about to return to her phone when Hazel began singing, her ordinary voice seeping through the room.
Her phone almost fell from her as she snapped her attention back to the stage.
How could she sound exactly like late Erika?
How could...
Hazel started dancing enthusiastically too, smiling and cheering herself up in the middle of the spotlight.
Her high notes came out perfectly, and Amber's bones almost cracked.
She looked at Hope and saw her smiling already, obviously enthralled by her
The team at the back are already cheering her up, and that boosted Hazel's energy.
She went on a even higher note which angered Amber so much.
She was unaware of when she threw her phone at the stage.
The phone hit Hazel on the forehead, wounded her right there.
Blood trickled out, and Hazel fell on her butt, holding the head in shock.
"Amber are you crazy?" Hope spranged up with the team.
Everyone ran to the stage to help Hazel up...
"I changed my mind, we're only taking in one member, and it can never be her! Look at her eyes, she uses medical lenses, meaning she's partially blind without them, and her perfume smells like charcoal, I can smell it from here! She needs to leave!" Amber barked, rushing to the stage too.
Hope ran after her.
"Get out of here!" Amber ordered Hazel who's currently surrounded by the team.
GET OUT, again?
Why does everyone keep saying that to her?
Is she ugly or unappealing or what???
To think that she likes Amber the most, and she's treating her this way when she did nothing wrong.
Tears stung her eyes, and her blood stained her face.
"You're not fit to be in the band! Leave!" Amber shouted bitterly again.
"Stop this shit, Amber! She's joining in!" Hope replied.
"Not here!" Amber stepped forward and pushed Hazel.
She fell back, but it's not on the ground.
She fell into waiting arms, and the spicy scent made her gasp, her stomach did the flip as she looked up to see Kenzie's blank face
What's... what's he doing here???
"Kenzie?" Amber sounded, looking shocked too.
Kenzie remained frank, and she smiled.
"Did you come for me cos you were tired of waiting at the location?" She said and started coming closer, but her movement paused when he got his phone from his pocket.
He flung the phone forward, and eyes widened when the phone flew straight to Amber.
It got her right eye, and she staggered back, falling on the ground as that eye went blind temporarily.
"Fuvk it!!! Kenzie!!! Kenzie!!!!" She cried out, and her second eye closed automatically.
Darkness took over, and water filled her face from the underlids.
Hazel couldn't believe her eyes as the team started trying to help Amber up, but she couldn't even stand.
"Kenzie how dare you!!! You're screwed!!! Do you know who my father is?!!" She cried again.
Kenzie smirked.
"No I don't. Your mother didn't tell you?"
"What!" She gasped.
"And she doesn't smell like charcoal, it's water lilies, fuçking water lilies!" He snapped, and Hazel's eyes widened
He grabbed her small wrist and took her out with him.
She smiled widely, feeling euphoric. 'You came for me, again'