CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX ~ Revelations

   Once in her office, Rachel fell back into her chair and started crying.  "What's wrong, Rach?  I've never seen you like this before," Mark asked, concerned for his co-worker.
    "I can't deal with all these guys anymore.  Ikaika won't listen to anyone.  He thinks he knows it all, and I can tell he doesn't really care about making the group at all," Rachel said between sobs.
    "Rachel, I think you're trying to be too much of a friend to all of them.  When you actually take over as their manager, they won't listen to you...cuz they won't see where you have the authority.  They'll see you as the friend that you are right now, but not as the authority figure you need to be," Mark said as he walked over and started rubbing Rachel's back to help calm her down.
    "Mark...Ikaika is doing nothing but causing problems.  He's always trying to pick fights...and now his girlfriend is here doing the same thing," Rachel continued.
    "What exactly happened with her anyway?" Mark asked hoping to find out what exactly had been happening.
    "Well, she's been giving both me and Nicole nothing but attitude since she got off the plane.  We were getting everything ready for the picnic, and Malia was saying that she and Ikaika wouldn't be staying for the picnic since she and Ikaika were going to be having dinner at Chez Oceania.  Nicole and I both said that no, because of the guys tardiness to rehearsals this morning they were all required to stay late to make up the time they had missed.  That's when she went off on Nicole and the fight started," Rachel said.
    "Well, you're going to have to find a way to make Ikaika listen to you.  Do the guys know what your position with Trans-Con is?" Mark asked.
    "Ummm...I know Erik knows.  I'm not sure about the others though," Rachel answered.
    "Well...I think that you need to sit down and have a meeting with all the guys.  Let them know exactly what your position with Trans-Con is, and what you expect of them, since you are really their supervisor basically," Mark said.  "Just make sure it is only the eight guys.  Leave Nicole and Malia out of it.  Jacob, Ashley, and Ikaika can let the two of them know where they stand," he added.
    "Well, actually, I was thinking of asking Nicole to become my personal assistant.  The position is included in my contract with Trans-Con.  I just don't want to do it, until after Lou makes the announcement of the final five, which will hopefully be after the beginning of next year."
    "Why do you want it to be so late?" Mark asked.
    "To take care of something that I need to take care of," Rachel answered.
    "What is it?"
    "Do you promise you won't say anything to anyone about this?"
    "Rachel, come on.  You know I don't gossip."
    "Well, Erik and I really like each other...and well, if we don't start dating while I have a signed contract with Trans-Con, I can legally date him without violating the terms of the contract that Lou makes all employees sign, Mark.  Please, keep this on the D/L."
    "I will.  I hope you know what you're doing though.  I don't know how it will go over with the guys to have their manager dating one of them," Mark replied, trying to hide the smile because she had just confirmed his suspicions about herself and Erik.
    Back in the rehearsal studio, MG was working with all the members of the group, including Ashley, who technically wouldn't have needed to stay since he had done all his vocal training exercises that morning while they were waiting for the rest of the guys to show up.  "Alright.  Ashley, you can go, and take Malia and Nicole with you," MG instructed.  "I want to work with our slow pokes alone, with no distractions," he added, having not heard about the altercation earlier that evening.
    "I'm not going anywhere with her!" Malia said stubbornly.  "She tried killing me outside!"
    "Well then you have my permission to leave on your own.  I just thought it would be nice for you to have someone to talk to," MG answered, realizing that she had wanted to stay with Ikaika.
    "I don't know my way around though," she said innocently.
    "Well, then I suggest you go sit in the hall and wait.  You are not welcome to stay in here right now, that is why I suggested you go with Ashley and his sister," MG reiterated.
    "Well...we'll just see about this," Malia said as she angrily walked out of the room.
    "Come on, Nic.  Let's go see what we can find to do while the rest of the guys are working with MG," Ashley said, pulling his sister to her feet.  The two siblings walked down the hall towards Rachel's office, and as they reached the door, they overheard the conversation between Rachel and Mark.  "What?  I don't understand what they're talking about," Ashley asked.  "After the end of her co-op, who cares what happens between her and Erik?" he finished whispering to Nicole as Mark opened the door to leave Rachel's office.
    "Hi, Ashley, Nicole.  Did MG let ya'll out of rehearsals already?" Rachel asked surprised to see them outside her office.
    "Not all of us, just me," Ashley answered.  "He figured I'd done enough work since I was working with him this morning."
    "Well, is there anything I can do for the two of you?"  Rachel asked.
    "Ummm...yeah, what were you talking to Mark about?" Ashley asked curious because he knew it involved the group.
    "Ashley, quite frankly, that is none of your business, unless I bring it up with you, which I will do eventually.  Right now is not the time to talk about it though," Rachel answered, wondering exactly what he had heard while he was in the hallway.  "Let's get back down to the rehearsal hall; I'm sure that they will be done soon, they've all just about made up the entire rehearsal time from this morning," Rachel suggested.
    "Alright, let's go," Ashley said as the trio walked back down towards the rehearsal hall where they found Malia sitting against the wall looking dejected.
    "Hi, Malia.  How are you doing?"  Rachel asked.
    "I'm doing just fine, being stuck out here in the hall while my boyfriend is in there," Malia snapped.
    "Malia, you seem to forget that your boyfriend is here to work, not just play around.  He's going to be busy the entire time you're here," Rachel tried explaining as the door to the rehearsal hall opened and the other potential members of O-town came walking into the hall.  "Hey everyone, how was your late night?" Rachel asked, feeling some tension but unsure what was causing it.
    "Malia, darling, I'm so sorry you had to wait out here," Ikaika said glaring at everyone.  "I don't know why he took his frustrations with Nicole out on you."
    "Frustrations with me?" Nicole asked having overheard what he said.  "I didn't do anything wrong in there.  He just wanted you all without the spectators," Nicole shot back.
    "Whoa, calm down now everyone!" Rachel yelled.  "It's been a long and trying day for everyone.  I say we call truce and talk again in the morning," she suggested hoping to maintain the peace.
    "I agree with Rachel," Erik said.  I think everyone's nerves are frazzled since we've been up for so long."
    "Alright.  Let's get all of you back to the house.  Ashley, Erik, Nicole, you can ride with me; Bryan, you're going with Mark since your staying with him, and the rest of you are in the van which should be loaded with Malia's things," Rachel said as they walked out to the parking lot.
    The ride in the van was filled with tension, as Ikaika and Malia were busy making out the entire way home.  "Geez, you two, can't you wait until you get to the house to do that?" Trevor asked as he was driving home.
    In Rachel's car, Rachel started to explain to Ashley what he had overheard outside her office.  "Ash, I know you heard the conversation I was having with Mark earlier...and well, I'll try to explain some of it to you.  You know how Erik feels about me...and I'm sure you've guessed that I feel the same way about him...well, I've got a problem in that I technically was offered a position with Trans-Con for after the first of the year when this co-op ends, working as the manager for O-town.  What Mark and I were discussing was the fact that other than you and Erik, the other guys don't always listen to what I tell them to do...and he was suggesting that I let them in on the fact that I'm going to be holding the position of group manager for whoever makes O-town.  I don't want to do that, because if I do, it could cause the courts to see that I had a verbal contract with Lou...so it would ruin the plan in place to allow me and Erik to date once my co-op contract is completed.  Just don't say anything about this to anyone, please.  I'm only telling you this so that you don't ask too many questions which will cause problems later on," Rachel said, hoping she wasn't confusing him or Erik.
    "That's cool, Rach.  I understand what your saying.  I won't say a word to anyone, I promise," Ashley said as the group pulled up infront of the house being shared by the eight finalists.
    "Cool.  Ashley, remember, I don't have a tutor lined up for you this week, so you don't have to be to Trans-Con until 9 with the rest of them.  AND I DO MEAN 9!" Rachel said as she and Nicole made the trip to the house they were sharing.

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