My Faraway Star | Book #1

Part 3 - We are idols, not toys.

"Get up, Jax, and get your shit together, will you!" Ace shook him awake. "Take a shower, the break is over, we have a shoot today, and you look like crap," he continued. "Shush, hangovers are nasty!" Jax said to Ace, his eyelids tired. I cannot hear noises." Ace retorted. "Now, what! My voice is "noises... alright rise and shine, princess."

After Ace pulled the cover from above Jax, he rolled over in bed and finally gave in and walked to the shower.

Ben arrived and drove the boys to the agency; Jax slept on Ace's shoulder the entire trip, and when they arrived, Ace asked that Ben bring them coffee because they didn't want to be among the crowd at this time.

Ace told Jax that he's here if he wanted to talk. "I don't really want to talk; there is nothing to say; all I want to do is get through this day and go back to bed; I have a terrible headache," Jax said. "He is a mess!" Ace said with a shake of his head. Ace knew how much Jax was hurting, how much he missed his girl; since that's what he went through when he believed he'd lost Luna, so he understood. After a brief pause, Jax returned his gaze to Ace and asked, "Did you see Sky?" "No, Luna and Faye are trying to spend as much time with her as they can, but nothing is working; she's always curling up on the couch, listening to your songs, and hugging that baby panda you got her when you were kids." Ace said. "Goddammit!" Jax grumbled quietly, his face hidden behind his hands. "Hang in there," Ben replied as he handed Jax and Ace the coffee cups. "I promise I'll fix everything, just give me some time." Jax did not answer because he had lost hope and felt that this was the end, and what crushed his heart even more was the possibility that Skyla would lose her job, her dream, and all she had worked so hard for to come to this point. The agency protected Jax because he is profitable to them, they believe that a fashion consultant can be replaced, but not an idol on whom they have spent years working.

Ben was not telling Jax anything, but he was doing his utmost to persuade the agency to make a new contract that would allow Jax and all the other boys who had already debuted and began their careers as idols to date. It is reasonable when they are teenagers or debuting because they should not be distracted by anything; they need to stay focused since becoming an idol is not easy; it takes a lot of hard work, day in and day out. Now that they are all grown-ups and knows what they want, it is unfair to deprive them from the ability to fall in love and live their lives as they want. Because they already sacrificed their teenage lives to become idols.

Ben took the boys home after a long day of shooting; Jax refused to eat and wanted to drink again; Ace yelled, "No! Do you recall how I wanted to do that after Luna had gone? You did not let me fall or drink myself to death, because we both know that drinking does not solve problems. So, we'll eat something now, and then I'll let you have a drink or two before you go to bed; we've got a full week of shooting and making music ahead of us, Jax, and I don't want you to faint out once again, please, bro."

Ben ordered Chinese for all of the boys, and they all ate together. Jax grabbed a beer and went outside to sit on a bench, despite the fact that it was too cold for him. Ben followed him, thrown a blanket over his shoulders. "I'll apologize before I tell you what I did," he began, "but it was my last resort; I spoke to your father, and he will do whatever is in his power to fix this." When I told him, he stated that he wouldn't let his son's dream of becoming an idol or his love go unfulfilled."

"Did he actually say that? Asked Jax surprised, adding: "That's odd... he has the courage to fight for his family now, after my mother has passed away. He abandoned her before I was born, and he obeyed his parent's wishes by abandoning the woman he loves because she is poor." "Perhaps he wants to do all of this because he regrets it and doesn't want his son to go through any difficulties that would force him to lose the love of his life." When Ace stepped out into the yard and told Jax, "Your father is here!" Jax was about to say something. Ben stood up and said to Ace, "Thanks Ace, I'll guide him here."

"How are you son?" Jax's father asked as he walked to the garden. "I don't even know how to answer this question," Jax answered. "I know how you feel, son, I know you don't believe me, but when I lost your mother..." Jax interrupted, "you didn't lose her, you gave up on her, and that's the difference between you and me." Jax's father replied, "I didn't have a choice, my parents would have deprive me of everything, and If I chose your mother back then, how could I provide her a good life?"

"We always have a choice," Jax answered, "You are an educated man, so is she, you could have built your empire with her, but instead you abandoned her and me; you chose money and power over us." "I had no idea you existed until you showed up at my door seven years ago," he says. "She wouldn't let me check on her or tell me we were expecting a child." Jax's expressions changed since his mother had not told him, and his father could not possibly be lying. Nonetheless, he understands that his mother has good reasons for not telling him. His parents could have taken him away from her, which would have been devastating to her.

It is pointless to dwell on the past at this point; Jax grew up without a father, and his mother is gone. "I promise you to fix this situation." Jax's father said as he saw his son lost in thoughts. "I won't allow you to give up on the girl you love, and I will deal personally with the agency; don't worry, you have a great legal team behind you; just please, don't give up." Then he added after a little pause, "Did you check on your girl? As much as you are a mess right now, don't leave her thinking you've given up on her."

"Now I can't talk to her because I can't promise her anything, and that will only make things worse, putting us in even more misery." His father agreed with him and promised him that things will be better in a few weeks. I am more committed to you today than I have ever been. "Thank you father!" Jax said, his heart softening a little as he gazed at him. "Would you like a beer?" Jax went to the kitchen, grabbed a beer, and handed it to his father after his father nodded yes.

It had been a long day, and Jax apologized to his father, explaining that he needed to shower and get to bed because he had a full day of shooting the next day. He also promised his father that he would have dinner with him soon.

Ben arrived early in the morning with breakfast and coffee for the boys, waking them up and pressuring them to get ready for day two of the shoot.

The day had been stressful, the boys were exhausted, and Ace was always looking out for Jax, since that is what Jax does every time Ace gets into trouble, and that is how their friendship has lasted over eight years. While they were taking a break, Ace got a bottle of water and some snacks for them both. Meanwhile, the CEO took a tour of the set, checking on everything, which he rarely does, but there must have been a reason for his visit.

When the CEO approached Jax, it became clear why he was here, and he told him to have a chat with him. He set the water bottle and snack down next to Ace, and followed the agency's CEO. "Jax, I'll get right to it; I'm not satisfied with what happened; if you really wanted to play, don't make it obvious and get caught by fans and paparazzi." "To begin with, I am not playing, and you must understand that we are idols, not toys!" "We are human beings!" stated Jax. "You know you'll be useless when you stop earning money for me," the CEO replied. "Your fans are furious because you're dating, and you're nothing without them."

Jax did not want to argue, and he remembered his father's words, which he trusts for some reason." You better end it with her, for her own sake," the CEO said, "because I'm here to make a deal with you; if you break up with her, she'll keep her job, and you'll have no problems. Consider your options and let me know what you decide; her future is in your hands. I'll be waiting for your response, which shouldn't take long; I have a termination letter on my desk for her." With a cold expression, harsh words, and no regard for Jax's feelings, he told him that.