Disclaimer: This is a FICTIONAL story describing the life and problems from the POV of a young man. If you find this type of story offensive, or viewing this material is illegal where you are, then refrain from reading it.
This story is a continuation of Rain_On_Me
Feel free to send email or comments about the story to
sum1plezzCall_911@hotmail.com or sammie_g86@yahoo.com
-Sorry about the wrong email that I had up before.
Edited
LaDulceVida- The Sweet Life
OYE MI CANTO / HEAR MY SONG
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The room that we were in was brimming with anxiety. Eric sat close to me. It was the day after we had sex at the Marquis hotel. We really didn't talk about what had happened, because we really didn't have anything to say. I had made it clear that night that it was just sex, so there wasn't really any awkwardness between us. In fact, sitting there, I realized that Eric seemed to be a little closer to me. He stayed close to me since last night. I was trying not to push the fact about how I felt about him and trying not to overanalyze his closeness. I tried not to hope anymore.
Hype had met us on the tour bus that afternoon. I guess Jay had brought up the fact that we weren't getting any money, because it was the only thing that seemed to be on Hype's mind during the meeting we had.
"Ok, boys. We are in debt."
The idea that we were in debt hit our ears like a goddamn ton of bricks. Jay's face went from a sort of boredom to complete and utter depression. I had never seen someone sulk as much as he did when the words came from the Hype's lips. Eric and I exchanged looks...looks of confusion. Eric started laughing...I'm not sure what he was laughing at, but he just started laughing. I guess the idea that we were so popular and yet were going broke made things seem a lot more interesting to him.
My face went almost sour, "How are we broke?"
"I should be asking you!" Hype said loudly, slamming his fist onto the table.
"What do you mean?"
Hype looked around the room until his eyes went stuck on Eric, "Ask him. He seems to know what the fuck the Syndicate is all about. Did any of you know that the Syndicate invested money in us through Inc. Records?"
The Syndicate. I was almost sure that Antonio's betrayal would be the last thing that I would heard about the syndicate. It wasn't. Just the name had brought my ears to start hurting. I looked at Eric. I knew I was the only one that knew about his relationship with Robbie. I also knew that everyone else probably had an idea about it too. It was clear when you realized the clear hatred sent back and forth between Eric and Robbie, the heir to the Syndicate. You could even mention the name of Robbie to Eric and he would go a little crazy (which was probably vice versa).
Eric wasn't laughing any more, "Wait...this whole time they've been supporting us?"
I noticed he looked disgusted. His lips were tight and his forehead was wrinkled up. He was more than disgusted, he was angry. I guess his face for the Syndicate was because of Robbie. I guess anytime anyone mentioned the Syndicate, all he could think about was Robbie.
"Well suddenly they've stopped. Gotti says he can't explain it," Hype continued, "They are demanding their money back and we don't have it yet! The last word I heard from the Syndicate is that we should ask Eric why this is happening..."
I saw Jay rise off the table. If Eric was mad about us accepting money from the Syndicate in the first place, then Jay's anger seemed to be far more intense. I saw him turn away from Hype and grip Eric by the collar. He looked like he was going to strangle Eric.
"Look. Why the fuck does the Syndicate hate you?!"
Eric looked away, falling limply back onto his chair and I saw Jay about to leap onto Eric. I jumped between them, holding Jay back. He always allowed himself to get controlled by his lust for success and his love for his career. He wouldn't let anyone mess with his career.
"Jay calm down. When two elephants fight in the grass...the grass suffers. The last thing we need is more problems, more trouble in the group."
He looked deep into my eyes and finally he calmed down and leaned against a wall.
"Well it seems to me like the elephants are Eric and Robbie," Hype said.
I put my finger up to warn Hype, "Stay out of it Hype. It's personal between them."
Hype was probably going to say something back. He was probably going to push the issue. Again I saw Eric. He was so silent. He wouldn't protect his name unless it was very necessary. He was probably thinking now. He looked hurt. He was becoming distant again. I hated to see him like that. I had worked so hard to make sure that he wasn't like that anymore. I loved the side of him that was open. The side of him that allowed us to know just a little bit more. This quiet side...it scared the shit out of me.
Jay looked at Hype, "So we are fucked! What are we going to do?"
Hype brushed his brows with his hand, "Well, I got Mr. Simmons to get us a performance at the new Syndicate club called The Motions. It's back in Jersey. We have to go back to Jersey. You are performing on the grand opening so Mr. Knight and most of the high Syndicate players will be there. I guess with a good performance and some nice words from me, Mr. Knight will give us a little more time to pay back that money."
There was nothing else to say really. We were going back to Jersey. The tour had been postponed. I started to laugh at the thought of it. We had only gone as far as New York and now we had to be retrace our steps because the Syndicate had screwed us once again. The Syndicate had screwed 'me' once again. We were going back to New Jersey. I guess I would pay a visit to a few friends that I had met back in Jersey. We were going right next to Eric's hometown. The place that he seemed to love, but also seemed to be running away from. Jay was definitely right that we had been fucked! Our wallets were broke and we were in debt. The craziest thing about it was that our faces were on a billboard in time square. America loved us and yet the industry allowed us to be sucked into debt. The bus ride back to Jersey was one of ceaseless arguing. Jay had tantrums every hour. Truly he seemed to snap on anything that was near. Of course he took his anger out on Eric mostly, but since Eric didn't seem to return his enthusiasm, he went around taking it out on everyone else. It was pure hell on the trip. I remember getting off the bus and refusing to go to a hotel where Jay would continue his tantrum. Eric had decided that he was going to go home actually. He invited me to come stay with him while we were in New Jersey at his parent's house. I refused. I refused mostly because when Eric's father came to pick us up, he seemed more than mean to me. He gave me a long ass look as he started to pack Eric's stuff into the car. I just smiled and tried to act polite. "So I guess, I'll see you tonight at the club," Eric said and looked back at the bus, where Jay was having another tantrum demanding someone put up money for him to go shopping while he was out in New Jersey because New York had too many taxes on clothes. "Yeah, I guess so," I told him. "Are you sure you don't wanna come stay with my family? I want you to meet them..." I looked over at his father. His eyes were burning a hole through my forehead and his face looked like a goddamn pit bull's. Eric's mother was in the car seat and she didn't look to comforting either. I knew going there would probably be a mistake more than anything else. Besides, I needed time away from Eric so that I wouldn't allow myself to fall deeper in love with him. I needed time to know that he wasn't going to love me the same way I loved him. "Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, I have an old friend that I want to go catch up with..." "Ok if you say so. Take care." I couldn't believe what he did at that moment. It was more than caring to me. He wrapped his arm around my neck and then leaned me over. For a moment, I could feel that this touch was different from the touch he gave me before. He kissed me on the cheek as though it was the most natural thing in the world and then he held me closer giving me an even tighter hug. It was crazy. He acted like he was never going to see me again, even though we were all gonna meet up at that club later on. The way he held me tight felt nice and as soon as he broke it I realized that it was probably too nice to me. I figured that I was once again having the thoughts that he really was having feelings for me. That was definitely why I needed time away from him. I turned away knowing that I had made the right decision. Being this close to him had sent my mind into a state that I didn't like. I had become a goddamn desperate little jerk. I had allowed myself to become too delicate. He didn't know how frail I was. If only he knew that any little thing he said could make me feel like an Olympian God or make me feel like a low piece of scum. The car that was coming to pick me up drove up. Her name was Elizabeth Inha. I really don't remember how I met Elle (her nickname), but she was always there. Elle was the kind of person that would always be there. There wasn't too much drama with her. She was like one of those friends that you tell everything too because you know that she will never meet the people that you are talking about. She knew everything about my personal life but she was as far away from my personal life as possible. She hadn't even met Jay and Jay was always with me. Still, I knew that this was probably one of the best relationships ever. She had more advice than my own parents could give me. I definitely needed her around this time, with Eric's feelings completely confusing me. Having not embraced her in almost a year, I felt her touch to feel very cleansing. We talked in the car for hours about mostly next to nothing but what she had been up to this past year. I knew that she was waiting until we got to her house before saying anything. We had crossed a little short bridge, opposite from where I remembered the Syndicate to be located. We climbed up on a long hill to a little house. It was one of those houses everyone liked, with the white picketed fence and all. Elle was bi. She liked both boys and girls, but she depended on neither. She lived alone in this house and I knew that there was no other way she would want it. "You can call this your home for the few days that you are going to be here," Elle said and then gave me a little stern funny look, "But NO longer than that." I gave her a look knowing that she was only half joking. She really enjoyed living on her own and that is probably what I liked about her the most. She didn't need love. I wish I could be like her. I wish I didn't need anyone, but I did. Whether it was Eric, Jay or even Ice to follow me around. I always needed someone with me so that I could feel more secure in myself. "I'm used to the bus by now, Elle," I said kicking off my shoes and going to lay down on the couch. No matter how much she didn't want me to feel comfortable in her little independent house, I couldn't help it with Elle. I never could be too comfortable with Elle. Before long, Elle had got me to start talking and when I started to talk I couldn't stop. I had told her everything. I had told her about Eric, about the guy named Damien, about Robbie and the Syndicate, I had told her about our money situation, I had even told her about the song that I wrote. I had told her about the sex that I had with Eric after I had written that song. She of course, was more than interested in all of this. "Has anything changed since you've had sex with him?" she had asked, after hours of lounging and me confiding all my problems in her. "I don't know. I mean...I sincerely can't tell..." "Well talk to him. Adrian you said that he might be feeling something for you," Elle nagged, getting up off the couch to start a fire in the fireplace because it was more than freezing in the house. "But I may just be like thinking it all up you know?" I told her. "Elizabeth Bowen once said when you love someone, all your saved-up wishes start coming out." That was another thing about Elle. She used quotes more than she should of. It had started when she got married to this big artistic type guy who gave speeches. Their whole relationship was based on quotes. She used to listen to his quotes all the time. She met him through his quotes, she loved him because of his quotes and when it got boring...she left him because of his quotes. Yet, now after it all she hadn't forgotten a single quote said to her. She said that it was punishment for falling in love not with her heart but with her ears. "I wish I didn't love him," I told her, speaking feelings that I had never really thought of, "He is confused and now he's making me confused." "Talk to him Adrian. Love is like the wind, you can't see it but sometimes you can feel it. Just ask him how he feels about you." Elle leaned back against the couch. She had silvery hair that really matched her personality. She was wise beyond her age. I think Elle was in her mid 20s, but she never really told me how old she was. She knew everything. I looked down remembering the time that I had tried to kiss him and he turned away, "I don't know. I don't wanna push him away again." "You aren't pushing him away. You are just trying to know how he feels about you. Talk to him, one time about everything...if he refuses, you must stop pursuing him." "But..." "Talk to him tonight." I paused and looked at the fire kindling. Was it really that easy? I knew I had to talk to him and to get to know him. I had never been so available to anyone in all my life. This same girl had once told me of a Chinese proverb that said to dream of a better life is to spend all of your life asleep. This was MORE than what I felt now. "You know..." I suddenly started to say and then paused, "That boy Damien, the one Eric loved. I saw him just before he fell off the bridge. He had a look in his eyes. It was almost like he had some kind of aura." "What do you feel about this boy Damien?" I sighed. "I hate him mostly," I told her and knew that she was probably disappointed at my selfish ways, "He had everything that anyone could ever need and now even in death, he clings to his possessions. Eric will never forget about him." She got up and went to the fireplace and I could see that she had a distance about her. It always happened to people when Damien's name was mentioned. It had happened to Eric. The only difference is that Elizabeth didn't even know who Damien was. Elle went to the fireplace, and I could see the warm fire spark a bright red against her skin. She knew too much, probably because she had experienced so much. I had trusted her, accepted her as a friend. It was rare that she would become like this. She spoke slowly, full of sincerity, "Remember this. I am only going to tell you it once. A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." "What is that supposed to mean?" She looked at me and gave me a little smile, "You think about it. Maybe when you find out what the proverb means, you can figure this whole thing out."The club Motions was a club on the lower Southside. Elle had decided to come along and watch the show. She also said that she wanted to meet Eric (which was very strange of her to want to meet someone in my life). I wondered if she really wanted to come because she wanted to see if I was going to talk to Eric. I had made plans to talk to him, but no idea what I was going to really say. For whatever reason she wanted to come to the club with me, I agreed and we found ourselves heading to the club by the end of the night. I was anxious and nervous. This wasn't just any other performance, this performance would probably decide the fate of the group. It was still a wonder why the Syndicate would have been secretly supporting us this whole time and then all of a sudden stop giving us money when we were near the height of our career. It was more than strange. I knew that Robbie had his own little agenda as far as hating Eric went, but I really didn't understand why Mr. Knight would agree to it. Mr. Knight didn't seem like the person to let personal issues get in the way of good business.
The club was jammed with all the familiar faces from the Syndicate. I remembered vaguely the older, rich sort of King Pin guys and the mature, modeling young guys that always used to hang out at the Syndicate. It seemed like a monster's ball at this club. I knew that probably every sin ever written was probably being broken in these walls tonight. I could tell from the mischievous faces that some of the people had when walking in the club that they were up to no good. Like the original Syndicate club, this club had the red carpet and bright lights. Walking in, I noticed it wasn't really a danceclub, but seemed more like a stage club. They had the theater lights and everything including aisles of round tables. Waiters were serving drinks and other refreshments to the crowds that sat at the roundtables. There was a balcony, where I figured Mr. Knight would be sitting. Right now however it was kind of empty.
Nina was the first person I saw, giving me a slight wave near the long corridor hallway towards the main club. I knew she was nervous. She really wasn't the type to be surrounded by such notorious people like those found in the Syndicate Ring. Walking into the club, I saw Eric and Jay were already there with Ice near the entrance to the backstage. They were talking to Hype and another man when I entered. With my entrance Hype turned around and I saw him give one of those very VERY commercial smiles. I was sort of embarrassed with someone as genuine as Elle seeing me having to play a fake character so I could be likeable to these industry villains.
"Mr. Gregorio, I would like you to meet our last singer here," Hype introduced me.
I shook the Italian's hand and felt the thick grip that he had on me. He wasn't smiling. He wasn't really grimacing either. He just stared at me examining me like an artist did a painting.
"My name is Adrian," I told him.
Hype quickly went to my ear as I shook his hand whispering, "Adrian, Mr. Gregorio is Mr. Knight's treasurer."
In other words, he was the one who had control of the money. I flashed a bright smile to this guy, remembering him from the old club. I forgot exactly what had happened between us, but I remembered his words.
"I believe we've met before," Mr. Gregorio had said and gave me a shake, "You can call me Byron."
Byron! I remembered him immediately. He was that figure that had been talking to Robbie back at the old Syndicate. I remembered his muscular biceps from the old club. Here they were covered up under what seemed to be like an expensive Armani suit with the matching shoes and all. His physique could still be shown out of his big clothes and all. "Nice to see you again, Byron," I said to him, trying to be as flattering as Hype usually was, "I hope you enjoy our performance..."
"Actually," Mr. Gregorio interrupted, "You won't be performing tonight."
"What?" I asked and looked around to where I saw Hype.
Hype gave me a little half smile, "It seems like higher power wants only Eric to sing tonight."
I didn't get it at all. We were a band. Either way, I just sighed and looked at Eric. He was looking away from me, completely not even paying attention to what was going on my way. People had asked him to perform alone before, but we never really did it. Hype always told us to stick together, but now I guess his motto was "What the Syndicate wants, the Syndicate gets."
"When you are done here, join me on the balcony to watch your friend perform," Byron Gregorio said to me suddenly and with a little smile he turned and walked away.
Hype began to flatter the man as he led him away. They disappeared into the crowd that was beginning to gather around and take their seats in the little dining tables in front of the stage. This club was really one of those high class clubs. I walked closer to Eric and Jay. Eric was getting ready for the performance and Jay was only there drinking on some pineapple juice. He gave me a little look and then I saw him turn and looked past me.
"Who is your friend?" he asked giving me a smile and I saw Elle come forward.
Elle shook his hand, "Elizabeth Inha. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Adrian's cousin, Jay."
I saw Adrian starting to move closer to her. He was such an idiot. Elle was a little older than him and from experience, she seemed to like mature guys. Of course, Jay didn't seem to care too much about this. He started to hit on her and all that. I just moved closer to Eric, watching him next to the stage. His eyes glittered up as he looked on the stage. There was complete silence as I walked close to him. Then suddenly he noticed me and gave me a bright smile, making me wonder if this was the first time he realized that I had come into the club.
"Hey!" Eric said giving me a bright smile and as I got closer I saw him put his hand on my shoulder, "Guess you heard I'm performing solo tonight."
"Yeah."
I sat next to him. Then I saw him sliding a little closer to me. I had my head lowered and he sort of gave me a soft rub on my back. It felt consoling in a way that I really didn't feel. Before I knew what I was doing, I was putting my hand on his thigh, rubbing it softly. I knew that people would probably see us but I really didn't care. I liked feeling close to him. I almost could foresee him pulling away, but he didn't! Instead of pulling away, he actually took his left hand and put it over mine, massaging his fingers with mine.
I was the one who suddenly pulled my hand away, feeling a sort of spark of emotion that I didn't want to start feeling so soon. Then I said, "Look...we have a lot of talking to do."
"I was thinking the same thing. After the performance we'll talk."
With that the stage manager had come to get Eric and the ushers had come to get Jay and I. Elle had to stay downstairs because she wasn't a V.I.P. I felt like shit, bringing her to the club and then going to the nice balcony upstairs to see the show while she had to stay on the ground floor like she was some kind of peasant. I wanted to stay with her but I knew Hype would have my head if he found out that I hadn't taken up Byron's offer. Elle wasn't the type to get envious or anything like that anyway.
I was taken upstairs with Jay and the ushers. It was a long stairway but the time that we had gotten to the top, I could smell chamomile and I could already hear Eric's song beginning to play. We were led up the hall and onto the opera-like balcony. Walking in I saw faces that scared me half to death.
That guy Byron was there. He was making notes on Eric's performance with a notepad. Hype was also there. He sat on a stool overlooking the balcony with his eyes dazed on the stage where Eric was singing. Eric sounded good tonight. I walked deeper into the room and saw a lot of eyes turn around to look at me. Jay traced close behind, but still I felt like all the eyes were following me. I saw Robbie, of course. He sat in the biggest chair in the room. It was a chair that sort of looked like a throne beside the other commoner chairs that had a few more important looking faces. Overall, the room wasn't crowded, but these people must have been as intimidating as a room full of critics. Of course Robbie seemed the most intimidating. I didn't get him. He had this sexy ass smile that he flashed me that almost made me melt all of a sudden.
Then suddenly I saw Mr. Knight. He was sitting in a wheelchair, no he wasn't sitting. He was sort of falling almost halfway out of the chair. His eyes were lifeless, open but not really looking anywhere. His skin was so pale, so pale that he almost looked like he was already dead. A nurse was next to him, feeding him what seemed to be apple sauce or something of the type. He was so skinny that I could see every vein in his face and could almost see the shape of his skull. It had stunned me beyond the point that I couldn't stop staring.
"Oh dear. Please forgive me," Robbie explained, noticing that both Jay and I were staring completely at him, "I never wanted you to see Mr. Knight like this. The AIDS has gotten the best of him now, he doesn't have much longer. Nurse take him out please..."
The nurse had put Mr. Knight into his wheelchair better and I saw them rolling the sick man out of the room. Then looking back at Robbie we saw him flash almost a careless smile at us.
"How are you sir?" Jay said suddenly, sucking up like he usually did. "Unlike Mr. Knight, I am doing quite well," Robbie said and gave a little laugh, "Have a seat boys."
It was sort of strange that Robbie seemed so nonchalant about Mr. Knight's sickness. I saw the way Robbie looked. It was all making a little more sense now. Robbie was in charge now. I could see it in the way he smiled and laughed. He had more control that Mr. Knight, now that Mr. Knight was sick. It all made sense why our investment had been cut short so early. Mr. Knight hadn't cut them, it was Robbie who had done it. I remembered how Mr. Knight had looked. He was so sick, so pale. It was almost like he had no more will to live at all. It scared me so much to see anyone in that kind of state.
Robbie looked out at Eric now, over the balcony and I could hear Eric's song. Robbie looked at Byron, "Did you ever think he was a singer?"
Byron gave an emotional laugh, "Hey, the kid has talent. You might as well give him that much..."
Byron and Robbie seemed to be close friends. They both looked at one another and began to laugh, almost as though they knew who Eric was. I saw him thumping his wrists, because Eric's song was ending and then he turned back to me.
"Do you want to know why I want the money back that Mr. Knight loaned you all?"
"Of course," Jay explained.
Robbie rolled his eyes, demeaning Jay and rudely adding, "I wasn't asking you. I was asking him."
He looked at me. Eric had told me that they had hated each other so much. He had told me that Robbie would stop at nothing to destroy the life of anyone that ever loved Eric. I knew that Robbie hated Eric and so he hated me. There was nothing that he had to say.
"I already know."
I knew Jay was a little irritated, but he wouldn't say anything in front of Robbie. Robbie probably knew exactly how to control guys like Jay. He could keep Jay controlled because he controlled Jay's career. He controlled Jay's money and fame. That was all that was in Jay. I was a different case. I wondered how he was trying to capture me or to break me. I knew it must have been a game with Robbie. The way he looked at us, it was like we were nothing to him.
"Am I right in what I'm doing?" he asked me.
"No, you aren't."
He began to laugh, joined by Byron and few others at the table. Then I saw Robbie getting up and looking down the balcony once again where Eric stood. I could see the hate in his eyes. Hype and Jay must have saw it too, but they were terrified of Robbie. They didn't even speak. They just remained quiet.
"Who is to say what is right?" Robbie said and gave me a long smile, "This world is a world of the blind and I am the man with one eye. Only I know what is right. I only knew one other who ever knew what was right. Eric killed that boy."
"ERIC had nothing to do with Damien's death!" I called out and jumped to my feet before I knew exactly what I was doing.
Jay pulled me back down hard, slamming me in the chair. Yeah, I admit that it wasn't the best idea to be screaming at the guy now, but still he was being unfair. I remember Eric telling me about what had happened the night that Damien had died. Robbie was chasing after Damien and Eric stopped him. Eric had no way of knowing that Damien was going to die that night.
"Either way," Robbie told me, looking a little irritated even through his perfect features, "I am right and I am going to teach you all a very good lesson. You have one month to sign a contract for paying my money back and giving me 50% of your profits or the tape will be released."
"What tape?"
Robbie gave me a long look and my heart almost went stone cold, thinking about what had happened.
Hype looked up suddenly, "What tape?"
Byron held up a tape and started to laugh under his breath, "This tape has on it a recording of one of your members...Adrian. You see the ladies love boy bands. What will they feel like when they see a tape of Adrian having an orgy with three minors."
Suddenly from the other room, I saw them enter. It was Antonio and the two other boys that were there that night that we went to the abandoned building and that they left me. I knew what the Syndicate was now. I knew how they operated. I looked at Antonio. He didn't even have the courtesy to look back at me. He was looking at Robbie. Jesus, I felt like tearing up. I saw the tape in Byron's hands and wanted to just grab it and run. I knew for sure that they must have made copies and even if they didn't there was no way I could get it out of the hands of Byron.
I heard Jay give a little gasp and my eyes bulged out of my head. Hype was finally standing up to intercede from the clear threat that they were giving us but he was quickly stopped by a guard. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. ANTONIO! I knew it was going to come back to bite me on my ass. I couldn't breathe all of a sudden. He had recorded what had happened. He was underage! I couldn't believe this shit. The embarrassment had taken me by the throat. I was the first to run out of the room, running down the stairs. I didn't know where the hell I was going but I knew that I had to get out of there. My face had blushed into a dark red. I had always thought Jay's sex would get us in trouble, but instead it was mine! I slammed my fist against the wall.
"I really did like you," I heard a voice say.
I turned around and saw Antonio. I turned around. I wanted to beat the hell out of him, but then I looked at his face. I must have been an idiot, because he looked so goddamn sincere to me. I looked at the way he looked at me and felt him put his hand on my head. He rubbed it through me and I felt so comfortable and so relaxed.
"Why? Why did you have to record me and then give the tape away?" I asked him, beginning to cry like a little girl by this point, "I mean my life...was this your plan all along."
"Relax," he said and put his hand next to mine.
"Adrian what the hell are you doing?" a voice had called to me.
I turned around to see Eric. Elle was next to him. I figured she probably introduced herself when she figured out that it was Eric who had been performing. I looked at him. He was right...what the hell was I doing? I pushed away from Antonio and looked down.
"Ha!" Antonio said looked at Eric, "So this is the infamous Eric? From all I heard, I am not that impressed. If you had any idea what I went through to get your ass."
Eric went up to Antonio, "You realize that you broke someone's heart just so that you can take out Robbie's sick little revenge."
"I would do anything for Robbie," Antonio said.
"But what would he do for you? He is using you like he is using the Syndicate and like he is using Mr. Knight. Robbie cares about no one."
He cared about no one but Damien. I saw how he spoke about Robbie. I knew that Antonio loved Robbie. In a way I knew that Antonio was just like me. He loved Robbie, but Robbie loved Damien. I loved Eric, but Eric loved Damien. Antonio must have loved Robbie, to have gone to such lengths to blackmail me. Even if it wasn't a romantic love, it must have been some kind of love that was strong enough to make him do what he did.
Antonio smiled, "Robbie could kill you any second. If he asked me to do it, I would you know...but he wants something worse. I want something worse. Robbie gets his revenge, I get Robbie and the Syndicate gets 50% of Vida's profits."
Eric looked pissed, by now I could see it in his eyes. Elle had come to comfort me and was sort of trying to pull me away, but I wanted to see Eric mad. I wanted to have the courage to be as mad as Antonio and as Eric was. Antonio had told me he loved me and now he was just saying that he used those precious words because of Robbie. I felt more like crap then I had ever felt in my life. 50% profits would break our bank so fast. I could see we would have to do twice as many shows. I knew that we would have to be doing everything multiplied. This was more than hell.
I saw Jay and Hype coming down the stairs now, stopping to see Antonio. I saw Jay give me the meanest look that he had ever given me in his life and then look like he was going to continue to walk until Antonio and Eric's voices started to get louder. More people began to show up at the staircase. I saw some of the Syndicate people. I think I even saw Byron on the staircase. I wasn't sure of all the people that were there but all of them seemed to be quite amused by what was happening.
"What 50% profit?" Eric asked looking at me, "What is he talking about?"
I didn't have a chance to answer before Jay did, "They are blackmailing us. Adrian had sex with that guy and he's underage. They will release the tape of it if we don't give them our money.
I looked at Eric. He wasn't going to be mad at me like Jay was. He seemed to have eyes of a sort of comfort, but why did I feel my body going numb by the sight of everyone in the club coming to the noisy stairwell and looking at me. All the eyes were on me now, some of them laughing and others whispering. I felt so alone, even with Eric speaking for me and Elle holding me. I felt like I had been totally and completely abandoned.
Eric looked over at Antonio, "You fucking asshole...is this what you wanted? Look at him crying there!"
I couldn't believe Eric was standing up so well for me. If only he knew how many nights I had cried for him as well. This was different though, I realized. Antonio showed no remorse. His lips wrinkled up into a rotten fucking smile. I hated him. I knew it then that I had hated him. He looked deep into my eyes as did everyone else around me close enough to see. Antonio's friends were behind him laughing now.
"Adrian? He is nothing! He is nothing to you, and to me he is just the bridge that the Syndicate stepped on to get to you."
The crowd had started to roar, but roared even louder when Eric's fist slammed in the side of Antonio's face. I saw Antonio fall back into the crowd, then is a saw one of the bouncers jumping at Eric. By now things had started to get crazy and before I knew it I saw feet thrashing at me from above. Elle's hand pulled at me, pulling me out of there. I looked around and saw Jay and Eric fighting off the bouncers, while Eric tried desperately to hit Antonio again. The crowded staircase had went into complete and utter chaos. Elle's hand next to mine was holding tightly onto me while trying to lead me away. I should have been up there with Eric, helping him. It was because of me he fought.
I realized now the true face of the Syndicate. There was nothing else about them that I wanted to know. Their intentions were all face down and nothing could save us from them now. I thought that maybe if Mr. Knight got better, he could stop this, but even I knew that he was near his death bed. It hurt to know that our career was being schemed against this whole time. I knew that it wasn't just Eric's thing any more. I knew now that I had something to do with it. We were all in it now...even Jay.
I wondered how long we could fight against the Syndicate. I prayed for the first time in a long time. I prayed that there was a going to be a miracle to keep us from the wrath of the Syndicate and their intentions.
"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." Oh God, please hear my song.
*Thanks for the nice emails. I would like to hear from everyone to know what you think about where the story is going and your predictions of what is going to happen or what you would like to see happen. Thanks again everyone. _.