- Hey! Where is our stuff? – Taylor asked as their show ended up. As usual they were going to another country at the end of this show.
- I don’t know…You better ask Linkin Park… - Nicolle said wiping off her sweat.
Chester was getting ready for the show when he saw Mia coming towards him, smiling.
- Hey I’m glad you’re here! – Now smiling even more.
For a moment Chester looked surprised, but then smiled too. Just when he was about to speak, she continued walking, passing just by his side. He looked back and saw Kayth, who was now talking to her.
- You’re so mean… - Kayth whispered, looking at Chester’s reaction.
- Yeah I know. – Mia giggled. – I bet he feels like an idiot right now.
- Hey Chester! – Taylor called. – Where is our stuff from the hotel?
- Huh…What? – Chester mumbled, still confused about what had just happened.
- Our stuff? – She asked coming closer. – Don’t they always bring our things from the hotel?
- Oh that! Well, we forgot to tell you, but we’re gonna stay one more night in here. Since our next show is tomorrow in Nuernberg, which isn’t far, why not stay in the same hotel?
- Oh…Ok then. – She smiled.
- Chester! – Brad called. – Time for the show.
- Well goodbye ladies… - Chester started fixing his t-shirt. – There are millions of people awaiting me. – And he glared at Mia.
- You wish… - She mumbled.
(…)
The show was now almost over. They had been watching them, occasionally getting up to drink or eat something.
- This is our last song! – They heard Mike, while cheering up the crowd.
Mia’s eyes widened as she saw Chester taking off his t-shirt. He was completely soaked by his sweat and his muscles were contract due to his screams.
- Stop drooling yourself! – Kayth punched her.
- What? I am not! – She said quickly moving away her look from Chester.
- Yeah, yeah…
- Oh come on Kay! We’re talking about Linkin Park, of course they’re hot…And Chester…
Kayth smiled. In that moment their show ended up and Mia quickly got up.
- Nevermind… - She mumbled.
6th June
Next day they had a show in Nuernberg and after that they flied to Russia, where they had a show at 5th of June, in St. Petersburg.
It was now 10 am and the girls were already up. Kayth was having a shower while the others were getting dressed to have breakfast, when someone knocked at the door.
- Hi! – Nicolle smiled to Mike.
- Hey! – He replied. – Do you girls wanna go to the swimming pool? It’s really hot today…
- That would be nice… - Nicolle said and then she looked back. – But you know, tomorrow is Kay’s birthday and we would like to prepare her a surprise.
- It is?! – Mike suddenly yelled.
- Shh…She can’t know anything… Hey you know what? You could take her for a swim, so that we could prepare everything without her knowing.
Before Mike could say anything she called Kayth.
- What? – Kayth yelled back from the bathroom.
- Mike was asking if we wanted to go for a swim.
- Yeah! That’s a great idea. You girls are coming right?
-Huh…I’m really hungry… - Nicolle started looking at Taylor. – I think that I’ll pass, maybe in another time.
- Yeah me too. And we also would like to check out a new shop I saw last night, right girls? – Taylor said nodding to them.
- Ok then. – Kayth said peeking thru the bathroom door.
- Huh, I just need to do something in my room. Meet me there, ok?
- Yeah sure.
Mike closed the door and grabbed his cell phone.
- “Damn…Where’s that number?” – He said to himself.
Entering now his room, he turned on his laptop. A few seconds later he dialed a number on his cell.
- Hi Jill, it’s Mike. – He said as he heard a female voice on the other side.
- Oh, hi Mike! You are you doing?
- Fine. Hey listen, remember when I went to your shop about…two weeks ago?
- Yeah I do! You were with that girl from that new band, right?
- Yeah, that’s right. Do you remember that painting that she loved?
- Huh…Yes I think so.
- Could you please tell me if you still have it?
- Ok I’ll check, hang on just a sec.
- Yes, It’s still here. – He heard her saying a few seconds later.
- Nice. Could you please do me a big favor? I needed that painting for tomorrow, but… I’m in Russia and tomorrow I’ll be heading to Portugal. Can you manage to make it arrive to Portugal tomorrow?
- Geez…I don’t know Mike. That would be really hard; I had to send it right away in an express flight.
- Would it arrive at noon?
- Yeah, around that time… But it would be expensive.
- Oh I don’t care; I really need that for tomorrow. How much is it?
He heard her scrambling some papers and pressing some keys.
- Let’s see…The painting, plus the transports, taxes, handling … It would be around…yes, 1500 dollars.
Mike thought for a few seconds.
- Ok then. I’ll send you the payment right away. Thanks!
He heard someone knocking at the door as he turned off his laptop.
- Hi there, are you ready? – Kayth smiled as he opened the door.
- Yeah, let’s go. – Mike said closing the door.
Mike was wearing a black t-shirt and his black and grey swim shorts, with his towel on the shoulder. Kayth was wearing a red and white beach dress above her bikini and had her hair in a high ponytail.
- You looked different. – Mike said as the elevator doors closed.
- It must be the ponytail; I rarely use my hair like this.
- No…It’s something in your face. – Mike said looking closer.
Kayth couldn’t help but laugh due to his face.
- Oh I know! You’re not wearing makeup today! – He said sarcastically.
- Very funny. – Kayth mumbled narrowing her eyes.
- Well, if you wanna know, you look better without it.
- Nah…I just couldn’t live without my makeup.
Mike just laughed and headed to the swimming pool.
- Where are the other guys? – Kayth asked, seeing only Phoenix and Rob. Mike was taking off his t-shirt and laid it on the deck chair next to his towel.
- Oh you know…Joe is still sleeping. – Phoenix said.
- Yeah and Chester and Brad are having breakfast. Chester also didn’t want to come ‘cause he didn’t want to die drowned by fans. – Rob said laughing.
Kayth placed her towel in a deck chair next to Mike’s and took her dress off. As she looked back, she saw Mike at the edge of the swimming pool with his hands on his knees, while talking to Rob. She couldn’t stop noticing that he actually had a nice body, just like the others did too. Then a grin appeared in her face.
- Hey Rob, I gotta tell you something. Tomorrow… - Mike started, but suddenly something kicked his ass and he fell to the pool, falling on top of Rob.
Phoenix laughed loudly as he got out of the pool. As Mike turned around he saw Kayth standing in front of him, with her hands on her hips and smiling evilly. He looked at her in an angry yet surprised way. She looked really eye-catching with her black and white striped bikini.
- You… - He glared trying not to look surprised. In fact Kayth seemed even more attractive than usually.
- “Come on Mike…” – He said to himself as he got out of the pool. – “She’s just a girl…in bikini.”
- Hey, you workout? – Phoenix asked sitting on a deck chair next to Kayth’s.
- Yeah I actually do a lot of exercise. – Kayth smiled putting some sun cream on her.
Mike grabbed his towel and wiped his hair.
- What kind of exercise? – He asked, obviously curious.
- Well…I go jogging every morning, sometimes I play some basketball or tennis, I go twice a week to kickboxing practice and I also teach kung fu at the weekends.
- You teach kung fu? – Mike and Phoenix asked in unison.
- Yeah. – Kayth laughed. – You know, as a hobby… I’ve been practicing for a long time so last year I started teaching too.
Meanwhile the girls were having breakfast with Chester and Brad and suddenly Chester’s cell phone rang. He got up and answered it.
- Hey… - Mia whispered to Taylor. – I bet that you can’t discover who he’s talking to…
- And why would I want to know that? You’re the one who’s interested in him and…
- I’m not. – Mia interrupted her.
- Yes you are… I know you for a long time Mia, you don’t need to pretend.
Mia sighed and looked at him. He seemed to be having a tough conversation.
- Hey where are you going? – Taylor whispered at her, as she got up and headed towards Chester.
-“I’m gonna kiss him, I’m gonna kiss him, I’m gonna kiss him…” – Mia said to herself.
Just when she was right behind him, he turned around. She smiled, grabbed a knife and headed back to the table.
- Ok, I’ve finished breakfast. – Erika said a few minutes later. The girls headed upstairs and started planning Kayth’s birthday surprise.
- Uhh…I really don’t know what we could do this year… - Rachel sighed sitting on the bed. – You know this time we’re on a trip, it’s kinda hard to come up with a cool surprise.
Kayth felt the sun rays on her skin. Today was definitely a hot day, but she didn’t feel like going for a swim. Hearing the soft breeze rustling in the trees and the sound of the water in the pool, she found herself almost falling asleep.
Then, out of a sudden, someone grabbed her arm, as she quickly opened her eyes.
- Stop Mike! – She yelled, trying not be dragged by him, but she didn’t expect him to be that strong.
He pushed her to the pool, but she didn’t let him go so both fell inside of it. As they came to the surface she looked at him madly, still with her sunglasses on.
- That’s for pushing me! – Mike laughed. – Oh and by the way…I advice you not to swim with your sunglasses…
- Gosh, you really look like two kids! – Phoenix yelled.
- Let’s see if the kid doesn’t kick your ass! – Kayth yelled back, with the same mad look on her face.
- Hey your hair looks really bad all wet like that! – Rob joked with Phoenix.
- Shut up, yours doesn’t look that great either.
Kayth looked at her cell phone watch and it was now almost noon. She headed to her room and as she entered she found the girls gathered discussing some stuff.
- What’s up? – She asked closing the door behind her.
- Huh, nothing. – Taylor quickly said, getting up. – So, how was the swimming pool?
- Good…I had fun. It actually… - She was interrupted by a knock on the door.
- Oh…hi Chester. – Mia said as he opened the door.
- Hi Mia, can I talk to you for a sec?
- Be right back girls! – She yelled closing the door. – So what’s up? – She asked trying to look calm. Those moments alone with Chester always made her tense.
- Look…I’m gonna get straight to the point. – Chester said with a nervous voice. – My…wife phoned me. I talked with her for a long time and…I came to a conclusion, I… - Chester sighed - …I don’t love her anymore. I, I don’t know if you like me or not, but I know that I don’t love her like I used to… You might think that I’m crazy ‘cause I done this, but…
- Shh… - Mia interrupted him, placing a finger in front of his mouth. – You don’t need to say anything else.
She held his face and kissed him as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
- Let’s keep this between us for now, ok? – She said winking as she opened her door.
