Standing in the spacious foyer of the hotel, Mikaela glanced around the aesthetic, noticing numerous plants around the room, near the sleek black sofas that lined the brightly lit room. Mikaela was itching to explore the city, wondering where they could go.

From beside her, Yvette was frowning at her phone, trying to find a recommended place nearby. Pulling out her own phone, Mikaela adjusted how her shirt fit on her shoulders before unlocking the screen.

Hearing the sound of footsteps on the tiled floor nearby, she grimaced. Maybe they should have planned where they would be going back in their hotel room. They were out in the open and didn’t have anywhere to hide if it was someone who recognised them.

She hoped it wasn’t Hayden, because she was not quite finished with irritating the man. If he wanted to play pranks on her, then she’d return it with equal fervour. As for the friend he had mentioned, she wasn’t too sure about who it was, but she didn’t care enough about it to investigate the matter.

If he knew Hayden as well as she knew the man, then they would understand why she was pranking him back. Besides, if the friend was of any importance to Hayden, she’d meet them eventually, if not in this meeting, then the next.

Hayden was constantly introducing his friends to each other; it was how Mikaela and Yvette had met Lynn, another close friend of theirs.

Whilst extremely friendly with everyone, Hayden was exceptionally talented at attracting drama and creating networks, two feats which paled only in comparison to the man’s thick persona. So far, he had managed to introduce Mikaela to a range of producers, script writers and directors, not to mention his acting co-stars from his ventures outside of their shared show.

His naïveté, though, was endearing, if not somewhat irritating.

Thankfully the general public seemed oblivious to the extent of the man’s persistent thickness, something which was noticed even by Mikaela. She wasn’t particularly known for being perceptive by her friends or family either, but she was more likely to admit it than Hayden was.

It wasn’t until her distant friend Elyse rushed into the hotel’s foyer, looking exceptionally eager, that the brunette wondered what was going on. The woman looked like she’d rushed from the mall, her floral pants and black tee slightly crumpled, a plastic bag from a department store clutched tightly in her hand.

Considering the woman’s windswept appearance, Mikaela couldn’t help but note that, in all the years of friendship, she’d never seen the young woman so flustered. Her cheeks were flushed and a giddy smile was plastered on her petite face. Even her black hair, which was usually immaculately placed in a high ponytail, was a frazzled mess caused by the woman’s rush. All in all, Mikaela couldn’t help but wonder if Elyse’s long-time crush, Andreas, a mutual friend of theirs and the muse behind Mikaela’s debut song, was also staying in the hotel.

He’d participated in the audition, though thankfully Mikaela had managed to avoid him. Considering he had been the inspiration behind her song, she could wait to see the man again—and the longer she waited, the better.

‘Is Andreas here?’ Yvette frowned to Mikaela, who shrugged in response, doing her best to hide her apprehension at the man’s name.

‘There’s only one way to find out, I suppose,’ Mikaela grimaced before she and Yvette walked over to the young aspiring star with concerned expressions, wondering if anything could have happened to her. She was, after all, very conscious of keeping up appearances in the name of her appearance, and neither of them could think of any reason for her to appear quite so dishevelled.

‘Elyse, what’s happened? You look like you’ve kissed Andreas on New Year’s Eve,’ Mikaela teased, nudging the woman suggestively as she tried to hide her resentment towards the name. She knew better than to question her friend’s high regard for the man.

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After all, her own relationship with him was dynamic, to put it mildly. It often was a cause for friction between herself and Elyse, who became excessively jealous, reiterating on a frequent basis that Mikaela should come to terms with any doomed relations with the black-haired heartthrob. Considering how her last encounter with the man had been far from pleasant, and she had only told Yvette about the details pertaining to said encounter, Mikaela was more than content to let Elyse loose on the man. If it meant she had less to do with him, it worked in her favour.

‘What? No, Mikaela, this is so much bigger than Andreas! Haven’t you heard? William is staying here with a friend and I just can’t wait to meet him!’ Elyse gushed, her eyes sparkling as she turned to look at Mikaela with a delight that the brunette didn’t share.

‘I mean the William Park! He’s so smart, and I’m sure he’ll help my career if only I could gain his attention!’ Elyse beamed, her large, brown eyes glassing over as she clutched her hands together.

‘William?’ Yvette frowned as Mikaela stood ‎between the two with an uncertain frown, not seeing Yvette’s eyes flicker to Mikaela in concern.

The brunette couldn’t imagine what William Park must be like, though she had seen images of his arrogant smirk, impeccably styled brown hair and intense black eyes in the tabloids. He’d had a chiselled jaw, bold, straight nose and a perfect complexion that any woman would kill for. There was no denying that the man was attractive, though Mikaela preferred not to judge people on aesthetics alone. Add to that the rumours of his playboy attitude, as well as the arrogance he’d portrayed in the interviews she had seen of him, and she’d honestly never considered meeting him. Either way, if Elyse was so smitten with him, then he would have to have an ego as big as Andreas, and the latter man’s ego was big enough for the three women combined. If they were anything at all alike, she wanted nothing to do with either man.

‘What does William do again?’ Mikaela couldn’t the help but question, only recalling his similarities with Andreas, and nothing at all pertaining to his work. She glanced from either friend before the younger woman’s face beamed into an eager grin.

Elyse had always loved showing her knowledge of the famous men she had fickle connections to, especially if it was to the detriment of Mikaela. The woman liked to reinforce her superior knowledge on all things famous, even if it put an unnecessary strain on their relationship. So, whenever possible, especially if it made the older woman feel incompetent, she would lecture Mikaela on who was who, and what was the latest fashion, though the older woman was usually more polite than to request her friend change her tone.

‘Oh, he’s the son of a music prodigy, though I wouldn’t have expected you to know that! I’ve heard he’s made a lot of breakthroughs with his work as an intern and that he’s expected to be the next big thing! Plus, I’ve been following him on a couple of social networks and he captures the most stunning pictures,’ Elyse began, and Mikaela knew that the woman wouldn’t stop, not seeing Yvette’s lips curl in disgust at the woman.

‘And he’s got really good friends in high places and has scored interviews with some of the biggest names in the industry! He’s so amazing and I can’t believe he’s here! Do you think he’s scouting for talent at the competition?’ Elyse grinned, a pretty flush filling her cheeks, her brown eyes lighting up eagerly as Yvette scowled obviously at the woman, shaking her head subtly in what Mikaela deduced could only be anger.

Seeing this, Mikaela couldn’t help but frown as her thoughts wondered to Andreas, wondering if he was aware of his newest competition. Somehow, she doubted the man would appreciate William’s presence swaying even Elyse’s usually unwavering loyalty. The woman had anticipated his every move since he’d starred on the TV show with Mikaela as a ten-year-old, and Mikaela privately doubted that he’d appreciate even his most devoted fan swaying.

With a pang, she recalled the last time she’d seen him, and was once again grateful she hadn’t had to contact him in months. It wasn’t at all a pleasant memory, and she hated even thinking about it, let alone telling any of her closest friends. He’d been stumbling out on the roads of Gilroy, after she’d spent the day out with her childhood friend, Eric.

She and Eric had just gone their separate ways, with Mikaela making her way home on the night of a masquerade event hosted by the Diamond Enterprises. Upon seeing her, Andreas had approached her reeking of alcohol and been a little too forceful with his flirtations, emphasising his physical designs for their relationship.

To say she had been shocked was an understatement, and she’d been frozen in place as his hands began to keep her in place. By the time she’d realised what was going on, she’d panicked and tried to tell him politely that she wasn’t interested, that he was drunk and would regret the details pertaining to their conversation, but that hadn’t worked. Rather than listen, he’d dragged her into an alleyway, forcing his lips on hers, his hands prodding her in places she didn’t know she had.

Hearing Yvette clear her throat, Mikaela’s thoughts were brought crashing into the present. Suppressing those painful memories, Mikaela smiled cheerfully at her friend, blinking back subtle tears.

From behind her, she could hear footsteps, but didn’t turn to look at the people who’d walked into the foyer. Pressing her lips together as she felt the familiar stinging in her eyes, Mikaela focused her attention on the plain black shoes on her feet, hoping that Elyse didn’t notice a thing.

She didn’t want to see anyone whilst she was struggling to hold back tears. What was worse was the sympathy she could see in Yvette’s eyes, that made all of her emotions seem all the more intense. She didn’t want any sympathy.

‘Mikaela, there you are! Your audition last night was great!’ The familiar voice of Hayden called as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders in a friendly hug, pulling her into his toned torso.

Feeling the warmth of her friend’s arm on her shoulders, Mikaela’s mind flooded with anxiety as her mind flew back to another embrace a long time ago.