66Chapter One.
Haley’s Point of View
I hummed to myself and strolled to my room. I felt the other contestants eyes follow my feet. I knew they thought of me as some cracked china doll; a blank face held together by a frame that was about to break with one wrong touch. Maybe I was. I didn’t know. All I knew was right now I was okay, and I had to stay okay until no one else was around.
By the time I got back to my bed after performance nights, I was never very much tired. And since I was usually real done up, I liked to take long showers. Problem was, so did everyone else. We had to take turns. I didn’t mind waiting, but after a bad night like this one, the pity usually got me first spot. I walked down the hallway that hovered above the main lounge area to my favorite bathroom. I tried to tune out the remarks like “Poor Haley” and “I really didn’t think she did that bad” and think about calling my mom after and getting to talk to the people at home, who liked me.
I lay in bed until I hear the familiar knock; “You asleep?”
“Sound.” I rolled my eyes and whisper giggled back.
He smirked and came to me with his phone.
“Here ya go.”
“Thanks Case.”
“You know I really don’t care.”
Since I don’t really have internet access easily, Casey lets me borrow his phone. We made these twitters for Idol. I don’t tweet a lot, I don’t like tweeting. I don’t like when my mentions go crazy and I can’t read them all. Usually I use his phone to just read through my mentions and smile. I have fans. That’s what they say at least. They’re my fans. They make accounts with my name in them and use my pictures as icons. A lot of them tweet me every morning and night good morning and goodnight. They know I never reply, but they do it anyway. I think that’s really sweet. They are who I think about on that stage. When I start to feel like everyone is against me, I remember them; the people who take time every single day to tweet me good morning and goodnight. My only fear is losing them. If they lose interest or think I don’t care. I don’t know what I’d do. What I would think about.
“Casey.”
“Mhmm.”
“Thank you.”
“I told you I don’t care.”
I can tell he’s tired. I smile once more at my mentions. Imagine what their lives are like. I hope with all my heart for them to feel loved and wanted, the way they try to do for me.
“I meant thank you for being my friend.”
“Haley, you were perfect. And you looked hot. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Stefano wants to bang the fuck out of you.”
I gasp, but I can’t hold back my laugh. I pretend smack him.
“No!”
“Relax Hales, your secrets safe with me.”
Casey’s Point of View
I knock on Haley’s door. I know she’s not asleep, but it feels too weird not asking. Her sarcastic reply makes me smile as I open her door.
I hand her my phone and sit against the wall by her bed. She’s laying down with my phone above her head, smiling to herself. I watch her thumb through my iPhone. I’m exhausted. I performed Harder To Breathe tonight, which I liked, but for some reason really tired me. I tried to make it my own. My eyes are starting to hurt so I let them flutter open and shut while I wait. I don’t want to tell Hales I’m tired because I don’t want to take that smile away. She’s my best friend in the entire world, and as much as she hates to admit it, I know it’s hard for her to get torn apart after putting her heart and soul into a performance.
“Casey.”
“Mhmm.” My thoughts break when I hear her voice.
“Thank you.”
“I told you I don’t care.”
I hear Haley sigh. I knew that’s not what she meant, but I don’t feel like getting all mushy and stuff with her. Just the thought makes me face heat up. She’s just my friend. That’s all.
“I meant thank you for being my friend.”
I’m thankful for the dark because I’m feeling uncomfortable already.
“Haley, you were perfect. And you looked hot. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Stefano wants to bang the fuck out of you.” I say half-jokingly.
She hits me softly.
I feel a bit of unexplainable sadness at the fact that she didn’t deny her crush on Stefano. It’s not that I like her. I don’t. It’s just. Stefano doesn’t love her the way any guy she’s with should. I just think she deserves someone’s entire heart.
