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“Thank you, but I’ll pass.”
He doesn’t agree with my decision. If I give Lorenzo the opportunity to talk to Oliver, Oliver will either end up with a black eye or the threat of one. I can’t risk that. Oliver isn’t in the wrong, he’s just trying to help me out. He knows what he’s doing. Lorenzo just worries about me too much.
“I really hate that man, did I ever tell you that?” He shrugs.
“You’ve hinted at it a lot of times, so I figured it out.”
“He’s an asshole.” He curses him, keeping his eyes focused on the road.
“Don’t say that. He’s the only one who agreed to take me on and be my manager. No one else wanted to because of my age, and anyone else would’ve throw me out with my choices. I’m lucky he even offered to help,” I point out to him. Young singers don’t normally get signed until at least eighteen, I was one of the exceptions and barely.
My age is a big reason why I keep everything about me a secret. It makes me an easier target and someone who can easily have their career damaged. I have to work harder than others to make sure I’m secure and safe. Oliver tries his best to help with that, but he can also only do so much. Most of the work is on me.
“Anyway, switching topics, have you found a second winner yet?” Lorenzo asks.
Another winner. I forgot to ask Aurora. God, my head really isn’t together today. I need a second winner and fast.
“Nope. I still need to find someone,” I reply. He takes a left turn into the back of the house.
“You should take Elias, since you trust him now and all,” He suggests.
“Ha, you’re funny.” I fake a laugh. I would rather take no one than take Elias. Warmed up or not, he has never been an option to me. I’ll find someone else; the school is huge. I’m sure someone there is willing to be friends.
The car comes to a stop, and I unbuckle my seat belt. The door springs open, and I begin to slip out.
“I’m serious,” Lorenzo continues. “You’re taking Aurora, they’ll get along.”
I press my lips into a thin line and spin round, holding the car door open. “I’ll ask if she has any friends, maybe I’ll take one of them,” I tell him.
His eyes narrow, his brows drawing together. “Aurora doesn’t have friends other than Elias, me, and you. Well, not any close friends. Why do you think she’s always with us?” Lorenzo says.
My eyes widen slightly. What? It dawns on me that I’ve only ever seen her with us, or with Elias. She’s never talking to anyone else. Lorenzo sighs before explaining. “They lived in Spain for almost four years, she came back three years ago. She got used to Spain, made friends there. When she came back, she didn’t really have the greatest luck with making great new friends back here. Elias told me.”
I remember hearing something about them moving to Spain and then coming back. But I didn’t think she didn’t have anyone.She didn’t really have the greatest luck with making great new friends back here.She always seemed surprised when I cameover on time and checked on her.Most people come late, or not at all.I can’t believe I never noticed that.
“Don’t tell her I told you, though. She’s really happy with you being her friend, she doesn’t want you to know about all that,” he says.
My heart feels tighter, heavier. I can’t believe, all this time, I didn’t see this. She was always excited and happy, I thought she had a lot of friends. Why would people not want to be friends with her?
She’s trying to make our friendship work. She’s always double-checked with me before doing anything. She’s always giving as much energy as possible. She wants this friendship to work. But when she knows about the trip, she’s going to think it was all part of the contest. That it was all an act. God, maybe I really should’ve thought all this through properly.
I didn’t come up with this event just to find winners, I made it clear to Oliver I was finding friends, too. Lorenzo is leaving soon, I needed to have some kind of connection with other people. I love Aurora, she is a kind, bright person. In some ways, I know being friends with her is bad. I’ve always tried everything I can to avoid her and her family ever since I came to Los Angeles. But leaving her alone after the competition is over is worse. I owe her something on some level. To stay at least. So, I guess that’s what I’m doing. I’m risking part of my life so that I don’t hurt her. That sounds like me.
Chapter 44 - Quarantuno
Lorenzo
Elias might look like someone who makes an effort to go to all his classes at school, but even he has skipped some of his lessons lately, today’s first period being one of them. I think we both agree that English, and the English teacher, is unbearable. We leave the school completely, so we don’t get caught, and walk around. It’s not windy today, and the sun sneaks between the clouds.
This is when we get to hang out the most. While we’re at school, his dad can’t monitor his movements. I mean, Roland lets him hang out with me, but barely. He hates me for some reason, but I’m not bothered by it. It’s Roland, he hates a lot of people.
“So, what are you planning to do after school today?” Elias asks.
“I think I’m going to check on Violet since she’s been pretty busy these past two days,” I reply. Work has been increasing a lot for her, and Val is someone who won’t say no. I know that for a fact. If Oliver told her to do extra work, she wouldn’t argue against it. She’s one of those people who takes what’s given to her because looking for something better is risky; she takes what she gets even if it’s too much for her.
I can’t change that about her, but I can at least try to help her. If I can do some of her work for her, she’ll have more time to rest. Time she needs if she’s going to keep going. I don’t even know how she’s been surviving with God knows how much sleep. All I know is that it isn’t enough.
“That reminds me, I wanted to ask you something,” Elias asks.
