ChapterSix-Triple Threat Crushes

May 2nd, 2008

  It's now May, and 7th Anthem have settled down in West London. They moved into a studio, as that was all they could afford at the moment. They gained jobs in retail: Alyson and Bailey worked at TopShop; Andrew and Justin worked at TopMan; and Libby, Amanda, and Trevor worked at H&M.

  While they were living in London, they had to learn to drive the British way. It was hard, but they're getting the hang of it. Other than that, they were pretty much familiar with the English way of living.

  But it wasn't all retail and driving work; they had to keep practicing for The X Factor. The boot camp round was coming up, so they had to work on their vocals and their dance techniques.

  Andrew and Justin were working at the checkout at TopMan. A costumer approached Andrew. He gave Andrew his items. Andrew asked, while not looking at the costumer, "Is that all you're buying today?"

  The costumer, a young man, said to him, "Your accent, it sounds American."

  Andrew replied, "Yep, I'm from America, but if I had you guys' accent, I wouldn't shut up."

  With that, Justin said to Andrew, "You sound half-English, and you're American. You already can't shut up."

  Then as Andrew faced his costumer, he was taken back. He said to the costumer, "You're Brandon Hilton, from S Club 8."

  The costumer, who was Brandon, looked at Andrew weirdly. He said to Andrew in his southwest English accent, "Erm, yea, that's me. Why?"

  Andrew explained, somewhat bitterly, "My girlfriend has this crush on you. She always compared me to you."

  "That's nice, I guess."

  Then, a little too excitedly, Andrew took out a piece of paper and a pen. He said, "This is the address where she works. Her name is Alyson. She was a big S Club 8 fan. Oh, and make sure you remember my name: It's Andrew Hawthorne."

  "You're sure you want me to see her?"

  "She'll thank me, and I mean really thank me."

 Then Brandon made his purchase. Andrew thanked him, and Brandon said to him, "Sure, and I just want to say that you girlfriend is lucky to have you. You should consider modeling cuz you're really fit."

  Then Brandon left as Andrew's face became bright red. He stared at Brandon. Justin noticed, so he asked, "Are you blushing?"

  Andrew snapped out of his state of mind, and he replied, "Uh, no I'm not."

  Some time after that, Alyson and Bailey were working at TopShop. As Bailey was busy folding clothes, a guy walked into the store. She looked up, and became starstruck.

   It was Brandon. He asked her, "Is Alyson in today?"

  Bailey just stood there, staring at him. Then, Alyson approached her, saying, "Bailey, you're needed at the counter..."

  Alyson then drifted as she saw Brandon. She stared at him, and soon she grinned. Brandon said to her, "I'm guessing you're Alyson. Your boyfriend Andrew Hawthorne sent me to you. I don't get why he wants me to know his full name."

   Alyson asked absently, "Who?"

   "Andrew, your boyfriend."

   Alyson then got out of her absent mind, and asked, "Andrew sent you here? He met you?"

   "I was at Topman, where he works. His mate told him that he sounds half-English or something. He kind of does. Anyway, he told me that you fancied me."

  Alyson said as she blushed, "Yeah, we're from Boston in America. The area is called 'New England.' That's why we sound half-English, or whatever Justin said. But aaawww, Andrew is a sweetie. Can I take a picture of you?"

   "Yeah, but maybe your friend here needs to stop staring at me."

  With that, Bailey snapped out. She agreed to the picture. Alyson took out her iPhone, gave it to someone, and they took the picture.

  Some time later, Libby, Trevor, and Amanda were walking to a posh bistro. They were on break from H&M. As they entered, they saw someone familiar working there.

   Amanda asked Libby, "Doesn't that guy look like Ethan?"

   Libby muttered, "I'll go look."

  So Libby walked up to the guy. She said "Ethan," and the guy turned. It really was Ethan! He gave a smirk as he faced her.

   He said, "Well, isn't it Libby Abrams-Middleton, my failure of a pawn."

  Libby scolded, "Shut up, Ethan! I'm not your pawn! And why are you in London, working at a bistro?"

   Ethan replied with a smug, "Do UTurn get that text I sent to you all?"

   "We're not UTurn anymore-"

  "7th Anthem. I know about your plot to return to the music industry by going on that show, The X Factor."

   "How did you know about us-"

   "A little thing called 'hacking'."

   That got Libby angry, so she asked, "What'd you do, hire some computer guy at Harvard? And yes, I know you're attending Harvard. Riley told me."

  "Yes I have," Ethan replied as he grinned evilly. "And before you ask why, UTurn/7th Anthem/Andrew Band or whatever the hell your name is now needs to be destroyed."

  Libby laughed in his face, "Give it up, Jackson. 7th Anthem will not be destroyed. Instead, 7th Anthem will crush you."

 Then Ethan got into her face, "I'll destroy you by revealing your scandalous past. Have you forgotten that it was I who leaked all that info to the entire Beacon Hill High School before you joined Andrew's band?"

  "You wouldn't!"

  "I would, and I will."

  With that, Libby pushed Amanda and Trevor out of the coffee-shop. Amanda asked, "What's going on? What was Ethan saying?"

  Libby replied sternly, "We need to get Andrew cuz Ethan has damaging info on me."

  Trevor and Amanda looked at each other, and then they followed Libby.

  Around the same time, Andrew and Justin were walking to a bistro. They were going to meet with their girlfriends, Alyson and Bailey.

  As they were walking, Justin asked, "Andrew, why were you blushing around Brandon?"

  Andrew asked nervously, "Why would you say that? I wasn't blushing."

  "Yea, you where. It's like you fancy him or something. Do you?"

  "No, I don't!" Then Andrew said calmly, "Listen, I look up to the guy. I know Brandon and I are two years apart, but he inspires me to grow as a performer...even though I'm already an extensively trained dancer, actor, and singer."

  Justin looked at Andrew weirdly, and then he said, "Okay, I guess that answers that, but what about Amanda?"

   "What about Amanda?"

   "Are you back to dating her or something?"

  By now, Andrew had told Justin that he started secretly dating Amanda right after he punched her ex-boyfriend Stan. But when UTurn/7th Anthem got dropped, Andrew hold off his relationship to Amanda by fiercely supporting Alyson. When 7th Anthem moved to London, he restarted his secret relationship.

  "Yeah, but I don't know anymore. I'm just more confused than ever. I love Alyson. I grew up loving her, despite acting like a jerk towards her in the past. Amanda, on the other hand, seems like she really wants to make things right with me. I mean, I do too, but this just feels different. I don't know."

   At that moment, the two guys arrived at the bistro. Andrew told Justin, "Whatever you do, don't tell Alyson what I told you."

  Justin nodded his head, and entered the bistro with Andrew. The two guys saw all of the 7A members. Libby approached Andrew, and she told him, "Ethan is here in London, working at a coffee-shop down the street. He's plotting to destroy 7th Anthem by leaking out my past as the high school slut."

   Andrew asked, "Does he know about us and The X Factor?"

   "Yeah, he does. He hacked into our phones and laptops."

  Andrew thought for a moment, and then he said, "I'll see what I can do. Ethan shouldn't be pulling this kind of shit, but he manages to do so."

   Then the 7A members sat at their table.

   It's now evening. Most of the 7A members were out. Andyson were at on a "date" at a posh hotel, and Bailey and Libby were out shopping. Trevor, Justin, and Amanda stayed behind at their studio.

  Justin went to the girls' room, and saw Amanda on her laptop. He approached her, and she looked up. She asked him, "What is it?"

   Justin replied, "I just want to talk to you."

   "About what?"

   "It's about you and Andrew."

   Amanda's face grew red as she asked nervously, "Um, what about Andrew and I?"

   "He told me that you two are dating whilst he's with Alyson."

  "Look, he saved me from my crazy ex Stan. Who knows what he would've done to me if Andrew hadn't come. Besides, I really want to make things right with him...and I'm lonely."

  Then, on impulse, Justin kissed Amanda's lips passionately. She was shock by this. Justin was never the type to do things without thinking. He was just this nice, calm guy.

   Amanda pushed him away, and asked, "What the f*ck was that? You have a girlfriend!"

   Justin replied coldly, "I know."

  "But this is the kind of shit Andrew would pull since he's kind of a man-whore. You? You're...nice! You're, um-"

   "Boring?"

   "Well, not to be mean, but-"

   Justin gave a smirk as he said, "Then you don't know me. None of you lot do."

   "Then who you are, really?" Amanda asked in an irritated tone.

   "Anything but the nice, boring, blonde bloke."

 Then Justin kissed Amanda again, and she didn't pull away this time. She was scared but intrigued by Justin's inner bad-boy. But at the same time, she's torn all over Andrew and Alyson, and Justin and Bailey. Can this deep, dark secret stay hidden?

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BRANDON HILTON (Logan Henderson) IS IN THE PIC>>>>