Sechs. Six. Six. Seis.

I had always been very aware that I wasn’t the most polite person ever. How can you expect me to be, given that I was basically brought by Rockstars! I am not saying that they are the absolute worst, but sometimes, they forget about petty things. It’s not like I am super rude or whatsoever, I just don’t have the patience and everything for stupid people.

I am very sorry for the rambling, but it is necessary, given that my father got me a “Manners Teacher”. Yeah, you read right, a Manners Teacher, because I needed to be more lady-like. With him, yeah, you read right, it’s him. With him, I am supposed to learn how to act like a lady, with manners and everything.

My father had complained that I had been to “cave-man”, and let’s just say that it wasn’t that nice of a conversation, and I ended up with a “Manners Teacher.”

“Esther Gunner,” Marcus, the teacher, spoke. “Please, pay attention.”

I stared at him and rolled my eyes. “I am paying attention, Marcus.”

“Esther,” He warned and raised an eyebrow.

“Excuse me, Marcus,” I fake smiled. “Am I allowed to leave the room?”

Marcus nodded. “One last thing,” He sighed. “We are only missing two sessions, so please make sure to be here on time next time.”

I yawned. “Sure,” I replied and stood up, walking away from the room.

I walked away from the lobby from the hotel we were currently at and made my way to the elevator. I shook my head, how is it possible that my father is making me do this? I have always been this way, and I have never heard him complain about it, yeah, maybe I wasn’t as polite as a princess, but I manage just fine. Enoch must be trying to hide something from me…

As I walked through the hallway to find my room, I overheard my father letting out a frustrated sigh and a scream, mixed all in one. I stopped dead on tracks and walked closer to the door where the sound came from, and given the number, I gathered it was Ralph’s room. Were they having a secret meeting?

“You don’t seem to understand Bryan!” My father hissed, well, he tried. “I can’t do that! I can’t do it!”

“But yes you can hide it?” Bryan questioned and I rolled my eyes. Well… no shit sherlock?

“He has no other option,” Ralph attacked. “No one is supposed nor allowed to know, not until Esther does.” I frowned. What didn’t I know?

“Fine. And when exactly will Esther know?” Bryan questioned. “You do know that she can smell secrets miles away.” Thank you, Bryan, for actually knowing what goes on with me.

“When she is ready.” My father replied.

My frown went deeper if that was even possible. What on earth was going on? I took in a deep breath as I carefully tried to get closer to the door so that I could hear the conversation better. Guess who is not careful… yeah, me. I tripped and slammed myself to the door. There goes my cover…

“Yes?” Ralph arched an eyebrow as he stared at me. “Is there anything you need?”

I stood taller. “I Uhm,” I scratched the back of my head. “I’m looking for my father. Do you know where I can find him?”

“I’m here,” My father replied appearing on my view. “What do you need?”

I blinked in surprise. Rude much? “Just wanted to tell you that I am done with the classes,” I replied unsurely. He is hiding something big. “Why are you all gathered here? Is there a reunion that I wasn’t aware of?”

“No Esther,” My father snapped at me. “As far as I am concerned, you are not an official member of the band. So if there were a reunion, you are not needed.”

Ouch. I scoffed. “Sorry,” I licked my lips. “That’s all I wanted to say to you, Enoch. Obviously, you don’t want nor need me right now, so I’ll just lock myself in my room and not bother you for the rest of the tour. You know, given that I am not part of the band.”

“Esther wait!” My father called as I walked towards my room. “I’m sorry, yeah? It’s just that I am stressed.”

“Go to the spa then,” I replied rolling my eyes.

“Aren’t those classes teaching you some manners?” My father snapped and I glared at him.

“How as I disrespectful? I am replying with the same respect I am receiving.” I sighed and rub my eyes. “Also, whatever secret you are hiding from me, and you state that I am not ready to learn it, I can assure you that I am more than ready.”

My father furrowed his eyebrows confused and in shock. He licked his lips, as he tried to reply. “How did you find out about that?”

I smirked. “You need to learn to use your inside voice.” I winked as I opened the door for my room and I left him staring at me blankly.

“ESTHER!” My father shouted, but it was too late, I was already locked inside a room.

I was currently engrossed in my fifth book of the tour, as I waited for Blaze to come and take me out of my misery. He was going to join us on the tour now, and let’s just say that that makes me happy. I must say that he makes happier than any other of the Devil Five boys.

I was going to be even happier, given that after the “fight” I had with my dad, three days ago, we haven’t spoken, and my “Manners Teacher” never came back. I won at least one fight.

“Esther?” Carl shouted as he entered the bus. “Esther, you here?”

“Yeap!” I replied as I closed my book. “Whatcha need?” I poked my head out of my bunker.

“They are asking for us, apparently we are supposed to be the opening act today.” Carl shrugged.

I frowned as I hopped off. “We are only two,” I replied. “We are never opening act if we are no more than three.”

“Blaze is here,” Carl winked.

“What? Here? Here as in here in the stadium?” I jumped.

“Yeah, right on the stage waiting for us,” Carl replied and I was already halfway outside the bus. “Esther! Wait up!”

“What now?” I sighed as I waited for Carl to catch up.

“Your father was,” He took in a deep breath. “Your father was wondering if you would like to have a nice fancy dinner with him tonight.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Are you a messenger owl now?” I chuckled. “He should ask me himself, I know that we haven’t talked and all, but I won’t bite.”

Carl chuckled. I am pretty sure that he remembered the one time I bit someone because I was mad at them. (The person was Blaze). “I don’t know Esther. He’s been pretty down since you haven’t spoken a word to him.”

“Ain’t my fault,” I sighed. I was pretty bummed too. “He is the one that is hiding something from me.”

Carl only nodded, he didn’t want to be int he middle of Gunner’s fight. Let’s just say that they are never nice, but in the end, we always manage to solve all of our problems. The band didn’t know as to why we were fighting this time, and I was more than sure that if I said that it was because he was hiding something from me, everyone would be on my side.

As we entered the area of the dressing rooms, I could hear my father speaking with the rest of the backup band. He might be given them instruction as to what to do. I simply gave him a nod, as Carl tried to find our designated dressing room. Finally, after opening like two thousands of doors, we managed to find our dressing room, only to find Blaze lounging on a bean bag.

“BLAZE!” I shouted as I ran towards him.

“ESTHER! Hump!” Blaze shouted as I fell on top of him. “How are you gorgeous?” He questioned as he kissed my cheek and positioned me so that I wasn’t crushing him.

“I missed you so much!” I pouted.

“I’ve missed you too,” He whispered. “Why are you so huggable?” He chuckled. He knew me so well…

I took in a deep breath. “I got into a fight with my father.” I bit my lips sheepishly. “I don’t even really know what happened.”

“What do you mean?” Blaze whispered as he stroked my hair.

I sighed. “We got into a fight,” Blaze nodded. “I overheard him talking with Ralph and Bryan about some secret that is not ready to know just yet.”

Carl frowned as he sat down next to us. “That’s so weird, your father never keeps secrets from you.”

I rolled my eyes with a nod. “Tell me about it.”

Carl seems to try and say something more about the case but decided against it. He took in a deep breath before standing up. “Do any of you know the song’s we’ve got to perform tonight?”

I raised an eyebrow. Hadn’t he learned that we never know that information? “Beats me,” I yawned. “I have been locked up inside my bunk for the past three days.”

Blaze chuckled. “And I have just set foot here.”

Carl nodded, and turned towards the door, he was very keen on finding out what we were supposed to be singing. “I’ll just go out and ask someone.”

“Ask someone what?” Questioned Ralph as he entered the dressing room, the wardrobe right behind him. “So, red pants for Carl, obviously the green ones for Blaze, and Esther you are blessed by using leggings.”

I gave him a simple nod. “What songs do we have to perform? Carl here won’t shut up about that.”

Carl gave me a stinky look and Ralph sighed. “Short life. Don’t walk away and Scream-O.” He checked his phone. “You have to be ready and outside in fifteen minutes.”

I gave a peace sign to Ralph and he left us to it. We didn’t need so much time in wardrobe and makeup, given that we weren’t the real deal, and also that we are quite simple fellas. In less than fifteen minutes, fourteen to be exact, we were already standing by the stage and Ralph gave us the small pep talk that my father usually gives us before we set out to rock and roll.

“Let’s do this!” Carl pumped. I nodded at him and took in a deep breath.

“We are going to rock!” Blaze added as he kissed me on the head.

WE ARE READY TO ROCK!

As I sat on the table at the restaurant my father had chosen, many things came up to my mind. One, he was going to ship me off somewhere, two he was seeing someone, or three he was seeing my mother. From all of those options, I rather think that the second one was in place. I concluded that, given that the table was for three, so this wasn’t a conversation about the Gunners…

“Esther,” My father smiled as he approached the table. I raised an eyebrow as I stood up to greet him, only to find a woman right behind him. “Thank you for joining us. I want you to meet Fabiola.”

I gave the woman a polite smile. I’m not the jealous kind of person, I would be more than happy for my father to find love once again, but this woman, yeah no… “Hello Fabiola. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Enoch here hasn’t been able to stop talking about you.” My father gave me a nod.

“Oh, darling!” Fabiola squealed. “I’m delighted that he had! He wouldn’t stop talking about you either! You are so much cuter in person than he had ever described.”

I raised an eyebrow at the eccentric lie that she made. “Wonderful!” I mocked a smile. “Shall we take a seat?”

My father gave me a nod, and we all sat down. As we spoke, I started to wonder, why on earth my father was trying so hard for this woman when the woman was clear that didn’t want any more than the fame and money that he brought. I was livid.

A smirk appeared on my face, as a plan the perfect way to make him realize that the woman he wanted to love, wanted to love his money and not himself.

“So, tell me, Fabiola,” I stated. “What is it that you do for a living?” My father frowned, he seemed to be understanding what I wanted to do.

Fabiola giggled. “What do I do for a living?” I nodded. “You are asking what is my job?” I nodded once again as I sip some water. “Well,” She giggled again. That noise is so annoying. “I am a model.”

“Oh really? For what? I don’t recall seeing you.” I replied and my father tried to kick me under the table.

“Oh honey, it’s for weight-loss pills and other activities.” She smirked. “I would recommend the pills I model for, they would help you out, look more, fit.”

I raised an eyebrow, did she just call me fat? “Is that so?” I spoke. “I don’t think they work, I mean look at you,” I added and my father spit his drink. “Also, I think that they are damaging your brain. Might want to stop trying to bleach your hair.”

“Esther!” My father called out. “Stop.”

I turned to face my father with a smirk. “It’s either her or me.” I licked my lips taking in a deep breath. “I don’t care if you have a girlfriend, but I do care about the quality of such. You chose, her, a bleached headed weight-loss model, and probably for adult magazines as well, or your daughter. I don’t stand being insulted upon.” My father wanted to say something, but I stood up and turned to walk away from the table. “Also, Fabiola, you are not getting a cent of my father’s money.”

I walked away from the table. I can’t stand fake people, but I don’t even want to relate with people who want to fuck with my family.