I can safely say that with family comes a whole lot of drama.

-THEO

Caleb Parks' POV

"In five, four, three, two, one... ACTION!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I am your host, the one and only Ken south and welcome to K-entertainment." The very perky man said into the camera without flinching as the lights seemed to be getting brighter by the second.

"Tonight, our guest star is the upcoming musician, who literally started from the bottom; the one and only Caleb Parks!"

I don't know which one was worse, the blinding lights that are now pointed in my direction or the screaming fans on the set which serve as the live audience. I tried my best not to squint my eyes while I gave the camera a dazzling smile.

"How do you feel, Caleb?" He turned his attention to me.

"Great as ever, Ken. How about you?" I grinned.

"Fine, but I could go for a," He paused midway in his reply, and his face broke into an amused grin, "Nice try, Caleb. But I do the questions here."

I raised my hands in mock surrender and smiled slyly.

"So tell me what inspired you to go into the music business."

"Honestly, I just love to sing and dance. I find it easier to express myself this way."

Ken would pretend; that he wouldn't know much about me. And he would grill me, hoping that I slip up right on camera. Welcome to the press who manage to both annoy me and amaze me at how crafty they get by the day.

"Interesting; what kind of music do you make and like?" He went on with his interrogation.

"I make mostly pop, but I want to try other genres. And as for what I like, I really don't have any favourites."

He stroked his beard, "Be transparent, Caleb. Are you used to being a celebrity?"

"Not quite. I'm only popular around these parts of the world, but once I start off my world tour. I think I will get the hang of it."

"So no stray fans in your dressing room?" He grinned. I let out a laugh.

"As handsome as you are, you can't possibly be single?" He went on.

"Believe it or not, I am. But I know that she is out there," I smirked at the camera while lying through my teeth.

"And here I was thinking you were a ladies' man?" He joked, "So you don't have a celebrity crush?"

If he is willing to make me slip, I might as well make it good.

"No, but," I paused and tried in vain to stop the sly grin creeping along my lips as Ken moved slightly further out of his seat; his attention trained on my mouth or most likely the words that would come out of it, "I do admire Billie Eilish. I think she's cool."

"Nice. Do you wish to collaborate with her one day?"

"Yea, I would love to."

"If you had the chance to open for anyone, who would it be?"

Well, that's random.

"Honestly, either Chris Brown or Faith Marie." I was a sucker for the infamous pianist.

He leaned into the chair, a clear signal that things might start to get spicy, "What is that one habit that you can't seem to shake off?"

"I'm not sure I have one, Ken," I answered with a relaxed demeanour.

I could see a scowl trying to make its way to his face, but he quickly masked it.

"What is the most useless talent you have?"

I couldn't just help myself, "I have no clue how to play sports."

"So in high school, you weren't on any athletic-related team?" He caught on to my drift and went with it, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Nope, just school work and I, What were your high school days like, Ken?"

"As normal as it could be, what do you like doing in your free time?"

"Spending it with my sister," I replied honestly, no matter how annoying Gail can be; I love her anyway.

"Apart from English, what other language can you speak?"

"Only English, but I was thinking of learning Spanish."

"To charm mi amor?"

He doesn't quit, does he? I thought as I let out a sly smile.

"How about a quick performance for us?" He asked.

"An offer to sing, I thought you would never ask," I said cockily.

I got up and was given a guitar from one of the set managers. I sat back down and began strumming the guitar while singing my first ever song on the empatía album.

It's more of a cowboy theme song with a hint about family. My mom would sing it to Abigail and me all the time before the accident.

"Amazing," Ken's loud voice boomed, successfully knocking me out of my trance. I didn't even know that I was already done.

I removed the guitar from my neck, placed it on the floor, and then adjusted my sleeves.

"Before we end the show for tonight, do you have anything to say to your fans?"

I nodded before turning to face the camera, "Treasure your family, be them blood or not, because you are both lucky to have each other."

"So I'll see you all next week in the Bahamas; as Caleb begins his world tour. See y'all in the next show right here in K-entertainment." Ken starts clapping his hands as I follow suit.

"And clear!" One of the crew members announced.

The stage lights go dim while the room brightens up more.

Ken and I stood up and shook hands, "You're a smart ass kid Caleb," Ken said.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

I did a light bow with an amused grin, "Right back at you, Ken."

"Save me a ticket to your concert, alright?"

"It's already booked."

My attention and lungs were knocked away when a small but painful force landed on me. My vision was full of black braids which were intent on making me go blind, and I think they were winning.

"Caleb, that was amaze-balls!" Gail screeches, taking on a new mission to make me go deaf.

I let out a light laugh as I placed her back on the ground. Before I can fully stand, a hand clamps on my back so aggressively that I almost fall to the ground.

"Boy, you did well." Marcel claps my back once more before making me stand up. Sure I was taller than him by an inch, but his attitude would never allow me to look down on him literally.

"For now, just practice your songs and dance routines. Leave the rest to Jack and me, okay?"

I nodded in reply.

"Speaking of Jack, my pal back at a club called and said he's been there for about a day. And he is stinking up the whole place. Take Jacob and fix it."

Marcel walked away with a jumpy Abigail and a very quiet Shawn.

"Rock, paper, scissors for who carries him in case; he's passed out?" Jacob says as we make our way to the limo.

We arrived at the empty club; Jacob was sulking because I won the game too many times.

I scan the club to find my brother from another mother, blocking out Jacob's grumbling; I find Jack by the edge of the club, a drink in one hand and a girl in the other.

"I still say you cheated." Jacob went on as we walked towards Jack.

"Do I even want to know?" Jacob says, making himself comfortable in the chair across from Jack.

Jack narrowed his eyes at Jacob, "Of all the people Marcel could send, he sent Patrick's long-lost twin brother." He snorted.

Jacob simply rolled his eyes, "First of all, I'd watch my mouth if I were you. Taryn sure did watch hers while she unzipped my pants," A wicked smile spread across his face.

I don't know what Jacob was playing at when those words left his mouth. Jack launched forward, the slut beside him forgotten as he reached forward and grabbed Jacob by the collar of his dress shirt.

"What did you just say?" Jack said quietly with an icy look on his face.

Not to be a bad best friend but imagine an octopus trying to strangle a gorilla. That is what the sight before me looked like, and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips.

Jack turned his head, finally acknowledging my presence, "Caleb, my man, tell me it's not true."

His attention was solely placed on me that he didn't notice the slight movement in Jacob's eye, "I don't know, the moans in the house were more intense last night, and the maid wasn't around."

Jack let out a type of growl. I have no idea what animal he was trying to imitate, but if Taryn was here. I have a feeling she would have said Alpha. He slammed Jacob onto the table and made his way towards the exit. If he were a character in a cartoon, you would see the steam coming out of his ears.

"Think it worked?" Jacob came to stand beside me as he rubbed his slightly red jaw.

"It seems we should tell Marci to put popcorn in the microwave," I grinned.

"Are you guys coming or not?" Jack hollered from the exit of the club.

Immediately we walked into the penthouse; Taryn was doing her nails. I was hoping against hope that Marci ran to put the popcorn on as we asked her during our ride here.

Jack stalked towards her and gripped her forearm, dragging her towards him. Before Taryn could make a sailor blush, Jack covered her mouth with his and demanded entrance.

"Dang it! They are already at it." Marci said as she rushed into the room and sandwiched herself between Jacob and me. A large bowl of popcorn was seated on her lap.

Of course, Taryn didn't forget to do justice after their not-so-little argument back in the orphanage.

"Please tell me it's not true," Jack said once the kiss was over. Their heavy breathing with the crunchy popcorn was all that could be heard.

"If you mean me getting with Jacob. It was very tempting, but I decided just because I am dating a child doesn't mean I have to become one."

Jack scowled. Taryn moved away from him to get her point across, "Jack, I hope you know that I am still going back home."

Jack released an exasperated breath at this, "I know I am not your ideal husband, but can you stop rubbing it in my face that you are going home to play Cinderella."

"Okay, what crawled up in your head and died because I know that pea-sized brain of yours walked the plank long ago," Taryn responded calmly, but her clenched fists told me otherwise.

"For the sake of Zeus, What do you take me for?!"

"A court jester that the king kicked out because he wasn't funny," She said in a duh tone.

"I'm going to imagine you have a filter for a second." Jack paused to rub his temples "You're only going back to get married because you're lost cause parents need money."

The popcorn I was about to put in my mouth fell to the carpet. The maid would have a fit, but my attention went to the spitfire who had all eyes on her.

"Well then," She chuckled as she closed the distance between her and Jack and said so quietly that if the room wasn't so quiet, I doubt we would have heard it.

"This relationship is as dead as my lost cause of a mother," A lone tear slid down her face. She wiped it quickly and used that same hand to slap Jack right across the face.

"Trish..." Jack gripped her forearm to keep her from going away, his expression crumbling. He just made our very stubborn Ghetto friend shed a tear. Taryn never cries, even when she sliced her arm while dodging stray bullets at a crime scene. That's another story for another time.

"Just leave it. I hate you more than I hate my own daddy." She spat, her eyes getting redder from the tears she tried to keep in. Hurt, betrayal, sadness and many emotions were swimming through it.

"You don't mean that?" Jack's face had crumbled as he looked broken.

Taryn simply rolled her eyes and walked up the stairs.

"Am I the only one who wants a coming next here?" Marci broke the silence that engulfed the room as soon as Taryn left.

"Preach it, sister," Jacob said.

I got up from the couch and went up to Jack who remained in the same spot. I gripped his shoulder, "I suggest you swallow your damn pride and go apologies..."

He caught me off, "She won't forgive me. She hates me more than her own sperm donor."

"Yes. But in all honesty, you deserve it. Don't make the mistake of letting her go without fixing this." Before I could finish my statement, he was already up the stairs.

A door was slammed open, as the sound of shattered glass filled the room.

"Do you think we should go up there?" Marci pointed her index finger heavenward as we all looked up.

"Do you think we would come back alive if we did?" Jacob cocked a brow.

"I think we all know that I would." She grinned. "At times, I feel they are toxic for each other."

"Yes," I say as I sat back down beside her, "But there is no one out there that can put up with Jack's arrogance and Taryn's Taryn."

She nodded. "But they make one hell of a TV show," Jacob said as what mostly was like glass just got shattered or maybe Jack's bones.

"True that," Marci said.

"I hope you've gotten Jack," Marcel announces his arrival as he walks in with Abigail and Shawn.

He pauses when he hears wood breaking, with a string of colourful words. On instinct, he puts his hands over Abigail's ears, which makes the Latter giggle.

"Should I even ask?" He looked around the room.

"Trust me, dad, you don't want to know," Marci said as she made her way towards Marcel and gave him a warm hug.

-

"So, how does it feel to be back in the clouds?" I ask Marci as she gazes out the window.

"Depends, everywhere is boring."

I joined her to survey the room; Abigail had gotten Shawn to read her a book, and Jacob was asleep while Taryn and Jack were in their own bubble.

"Isn't it weird how they made up pretty quickly?"

"Isn't it weird that you are stalking us?" Jack asked with a playful grin as he stroked Taryn's hair.

"All it took was the complete destruction of their room." I chuckled.

"I bet you a fifty that she will cry when we land in the Bahamas," Marci said as she leaned over to me.

"I bet you on that, and if I know these two well, I can double it that Jack will cry as well."

The said people glared at us, "Do we look like Oprah fucking Winfrey, or did we sign up for a soap opera?!"

Marci snorted at Taryn's comment, which made her narrow her eyes with slight evil hidden within its dept.

"Hey Mar, how did you sleep last week?"

"Like I always do peachy," Marci said as she avoided eye contact.

"Right, but last time I checked," Taryn said as she rubbed her chin with her freshly sharp nails, "A cute redhead with an Ireland accent wasn't among your stuffed toys."

Despite her skin tone, Marci's face was bright red as she turned to escape my glare. "Taryn." She whined.

"I love you too," Taryn said as she focused on playing with Jack's slight stumble on his face.

"So that's why you went to bed early?" I raised a brow.

"Please tell me you're not gonna tell Dad." She dared to look at me.

I grinned, "We will talk about this when we get back. You better thank your lucky stars that Marcel hates heights."

Neither of us won the bet because we never thought that Jack and Taryn would have farewell sex in the cockpit. Sure she'll be gone for roughly six months, and Jack will have to become a temporary nun, Marci and I did not see that happening, but then again, it's Jack and Taryn we're talking about.

"You ready?" Marci said as she squeezed me into a hug and held Gail in a firm grip as she let go.

"As I'll ever be," I grinned at her. Giving Marci and Gail a kiss on their foreheads before I made my way to the stage.

"And Caleb?" I turned to face an amused Jacob, "Knock 'em dead but not into a coma."

I rolled my eyes and finally faced the start of the end.