Crystal Read Online Free Page B

she’s been doing was on his face,’ the boy band member whispered to Crystal. He may well be right, but Crystal told him to be quiet – whatever she might feel, she had to show solidarity with Belle.
    ‘Were you really in the gym?’ Crystal asked as the three of them made their way to the rehearsal room where they were going to meet Kathy, the singing coach.
    ‘Of course! Where else would I be?’ Belle snapped.
    ‘Well, everyone noticed you flirting with Dallas last night,’ Crystal carried on.
    ‘I was
not
flirting,’ Belle replied, turning bright red. ‘I like Dallas and he likes me but it’s a strictly professional relationship. Anyway, if he likes me then he’ll like Lost Angels and that can’t be bad, can it?’
    Belle was right, Dallas did seem to like Lost Angels – or atleast he didn’t give them as hard a time as he gave the other acts and every now and then he even praised them. But being his favourites meant the other acts hated them – the boy band had even stopped flirting with Tahlia and Crystal. They obviously felt that the girls were bound to get through on Friday because of Dallas’s relationship with Belle, regardless of their performance. She kept denying there was anything going on, but she often disappeared in the afternoon during their break, claiming she wanted to have a lie-down.
    ‘It’s who she’s gone to have a lie-down with that worries me,’ Crystal muttered when she and Tahlia were sunbathing outside on the immaculately cut lawn, enjoying a few minutes’ relaxation before they returned to rehearsing their song.
    ‘Do you think we should say something to Dallas?’ Tahlia asked.
    Crystal shook her head. ‘Like what? “Don’t shag her”.’
    ’No, I meant about the way the other bands think that he’s going to favour us,’ Tahlia answered.
    Crystal sighed. ‘I just don’t think that’s a good idea. Maybe we’re worrying too much; hopefully it will all blow over.’
    But she was wrong and two days before they were due to perform the song that would decide their fate, all hell broke loose. They were mid-rehearsal when a member of the production team burst into the room and told them to go straight to the dining room. The other acts were already there, and they all turned to stare at Lost Angels when they walked in; their stares weren’t friendly. ‘Do you know why we’re here?’ Crystal asked one of the boy band members, but he just shrugged and turned away, blanking her. Some twenty awkward minutes passed for Crystal and Tahlia; they were aware of people whispering about them. Not so Belle, who was oblivious and kept going on about what they should wear for their performance. Finally Dallas walked in, flanked by the director of the show and one of the producers – all looking serious.
    Dallas was the first to speak and his tone was pure ice. ‘I’ve just had an interesting conversation with a journalist friendof mine. Apparently someone in this room has seen fit to try and sell a story – a story about me and one of the contestants.’ He paused and surveyed the room and he looked colder and harder than Crystal had ever seen him look before.
    ‘That person needs to know that we will find out who they are and when we do they had better have an explanation.’
    The director now spoke. ‘Dallas has assured me that there is absolutely no truth in the story and we will be issuing a denial when the story is published tomorrow. This kind of muck-raking is not what this competition is about and whoever did this should be ashamed of themselves. Now all of you get back to work. Anyone who has a problem with that knows where the door is: believe me, there are plenty of other people who want your place.’
    Everyone filed silently out of the room. Crystal didn’t dare say anything until she was sure they couldn’t be overheard. Once they were back in the rehearsal room she turned to Belle, who looked pale, and said, ‘Well, is there something you need to tell