Fly Girl | [Novel] (Wattpad Version)

42| Underhanded Dealings

Troy -

I sighed heavily, thanking Marliss after he kissed my cheek. Carefully, he sat next to me and placed a cold towel on my forehead. "Now, aren't you glad I made you stay home so that I could take care of you?"

"No." He turned his lip up and shook his head before cracking a small smile. "It's just that, you know every time one of us is missing from an interview, show, or whatever, they start in with those damn rumors and I hate it. Ever since someone at MCA lied and said our duet was my warm up before a solo, all eyes have been on me and what I'm going to do."

He nodded, gently rubbing the side of my face that was slightly swollen. "You act like your girls wouldn't be cool if that did happen though."

"My sister wouldn't care, because she'd just slip to the background to write. But, I don't want to go solo. I don't want to sing alone. As long as I have the group, and these different duets here and there, I'm good. Temporary situations, like soundtracks or what have you, I'll do, but other than that, I don't want to sing alone. Don't want to perform alone, don't want to be alone. The end."

"Well, the being alone part will never happen. Not as long as I'm around and in the picture." He readjusted the towel for me, patting and dabbing it against my forehead for a few seconds before he let it rest again. "But what are you going to do if there comes a time when Fly Girl isn't an option? Surely, you're not going to let a full contract go to waste."

Instead of answering, or looking at him at all, I turned my head slightly and closed my eyes.

"Troy, you wouldn't waste a contract and you know it."

"Then you really don't know me as well as you think you do. Look, some people are meant to go solo. And, let's say that, hypothetically, I am one of those people. Just because it's meant to be, that doesn't mean I should or should want to jump at the chance. Not everyone is comfortable alone. Not everyone can do their best alone. The waste would be for me to sign on to something that I know would be a disaster because of my own fear. I'm just not there yet, I'm not comfortable performing alone. So please, let this be the last time you make mention of going solo."

He shrugged, taking my hand in his. "As long as you're happy, I'm down for whatever it is that you want to do."

"Good."

"Ready for your medicine?"

I shook my head. "I don't need it."

"You do."

"Okay, I don't want it."

Clearing his throat, Marliss stood up and headed over to my dresser where I kept those old, ugly pill bottles. "I don't care if you don't want them. You're taking them. You'll never pass out and have me scared to death again."

"UGH."

His tone was so dry. If I could properly control my body and move around freely, I'd jump up and swing on him, just because. "Groan all you want, and be mad while you're at it. I love you enough to handle you being mad at me for no reason."

I laughed as best as I could and sighed. "It trips me out."

Looking over his shoulder, he stared at me for a few seconds before he went back to counting out the correct number of pills I'd need from each of the four bottles. "What does?"

"Us; well, you, and how much you love and care about me. Here we are, so freaking young. You've got your own thing, and what you do is huge. You're huge as an artist with so much on your plate, so much to do and handle, but your only focus is me."