Luke's P.O.V. 

        According to Alex, there was going to be another concert scheduled within the next week or so at Webster State Hall. The amount of time we had to practice was very limited. Alex had to deal with the media, so we weren't able to get as much studio time. Jackson and I were prepared to go on stage without Maddy. For now, our manager wanted us to relax. After today, there would be nothing but ST3LLAR on my mind. 

The park is my kind of place in its absolute stillness. If there was a person moving in here I would hear them. It was a very quiet place. In the distance, there were twisted trees. It looked like one tree overpowered the other one, mingling itself together. That's exactly how I felt about ST3LLAR. I hummed some tunes off the top of my head.  I was not alone at the moment. My eyes focused on the center of the park. The old swings are stationary and there is barely even a soft whisper from what leaves remain in the late autumn trees. The rain has melted the leaves underfoot to slush, with a noise the makes me think of the old days. The cold air was beginning to affect nature itself. We didn't have to worry about the alcohol, fans, and the records for a while 

        "My feet hurt." Jackson removed the cherry sucker from his mouth, making a smirk. An old checkered shirt clung to his frame. His pants were slightly dirty, along with his shoes.  "Can we sit down?"

I nodded and directed him to the nearest bench. "Luke, I have to tell you something?" He rubbed his forehead vigorously. He seemed to be on something. Crack? No, crack would make him look like a red-eyed monkey. 

        "Is this about Maddy? I thought we were over this already. Once he gets out of the hospital, he's going to perform the last song on the new album, and then it's over." Jackson shook his head. 

        "That's the thing that I'm worried about! I do not want ST3LLAR to end. We're just getting started. If Alex were here, he would talk about how 'young and dumb' we are," he exclaimed, raising his voice. A couple walking by glanced our way. I took Jackson by the arm and pulled him closer. My voice was at a whisper. 

        "Jackson, what happened to following my lead? Are you feeling some type of way because your boyfriend's acting like he's on his deathbed? Relax. We can replace Maddy if we need to. He isn't doing much for our image anyway." Jackson forced himself away from me. He stood up, backing away from the wooden bench. 

        "Madrious isn't just a rag doll you can throw away. I thought you cared about him, even just a little. Do you care about him, about us, or are you just here for the music and the fame?"

 I suddenly doubled myself up and burst into a loud harsh cackle of laughter. I knew what I was doing, I did it deliberately. He wasn't serious. 

        "Don't get all soft on me, Jackson. We both drowned Maddy in vodka that night. You knew exactly what         I was going to do to him if he didn't listen to me. I'm the leader, I run this bitch! If you have a problem with that, say it." Jackson stared at me with wide eyes. He didn't say a word.

        "That's what I thought. Now, go tell your boyfriend to lighten up. I'll be at home if you feel like talking about the new album." With that, I turned on my heel and walked out of my happy place. Relaxing didn't seem like a choice anymore. I heard the cherry sucker hit the ground. 

♪♪♪

Maddy's P.O.V. 

        The frigid air penetrated my skin, chilling my blood, sinking into the marrow of my bones like wet concrete. It was cold. I sat a small booth in the cafeteria of the hospital, surrounded by people that were sick or caring for the sick. The cafeteria was like a cemetery for melamine. It covered the counters. It covered the tables. And of course, it peeled at the edges revealing blackened sticky plywood beneath. There was a guy sitting beside me, trying his best not to smile. It was irritating. "Why are you here? What happened to fixing ST3LLAR?"

        He removed his hat from his head, revealing his spiky hair. "Madrious, why do you think I'm here?"

        "I don't know. You tell me." 

        "I want to make a deal with you," he said, slowly.

        "Go on." 

        "I'll pay you to stay in ST3LLAR for the next year. If you decide to stay, that's your decision. We can't afford to lose you right now, especially with the new album coming out." He seemed excited.

"It's not about the money. It's about Luke. He thinks he can run everyone over because he created ST3LLAR.         We used to sing in his garage before we became famous and it was actually fun. I feel like I'm going to die when I'm near him." Something caught in the back of my throat and I began to cough. My throat felt like it was burning, but I was freezing. 

        "Okay, okay. I get it. I'll deal with him later. I'm concerned about you. Do you plan on coming back to ST3LLAR? I need to know because I want to prepare for the worst." 

Instead of answering, I nodded. Alex and I seemed to have a silent conversation as we stared into each other's eyes. Alex finally stood up and faced the exit. He said his goodbyes and left the cafeteria. If it weren't for Alex, I think I would have ended my music career a long time ago. I trusted him enough to deal with Luke. The sickness began crawling over me again, vaguely reminding me of why I was in the hospital in the first place. I'm not sure how I feel about ST3LLAR anymore.