Page 71 of Gabriel's Album

I kiss her forehead, then let her go. I grab my things and head down to the lobby of the hotel. I could’ve gone to my friends’ rooms, but I want to delay the point at which they find out that Ariana has ditched us…again.

Sure enough, the first question Sebastian asks when they get downstairs is, “Where’s Ariana?”

“She’s got a headache,” I shrug.

I see Heather exchange a look with Harrison, and I look away from them as Hayden drops onto the sofa I’m sitting on.

“Are you looking forward to today?” he asks me. “It’s going to be so cool to be the only ones at the zoo.”

I smile at him and some of my excitement returns. “Yeah, I can’t believe it’s happening, if I’m honest.”

We’re waiting for Cooper and the rest of our entourage to arrive when three fans approach us and ask us for autographs.

“I’m Whitney, and these are my brothers, Cole and Dylan,” an attractive woman with pretty blue eyes and long, blonde hair introduces herself.

We sign autographs and talk to them for a few minutes before Cooper arrives. Sebastian is flirting heavily with Whitney and takes a selfie with his arm around her waist, but he keeps hold of her when their photo is done.

“Let’s go,” Cooper barks at us, ordering everyone around, as usual.

We start to leave, but Sebastian catches my eye and frowns at me before shrugging. “I think I’m going to stay here.”

“What the fuck, Sebastian?” Heather glares at him before glancing at Whitney, then she turns her attention back to Sebastian. “You’re not skipping this.”

He meets her glare and raises his eyebrows at her before laughing. “You’re not my real mom.”

“Very funny.” She rolls her eyes at him. “I’m sure your friend could come with us if she wants to.”

Whitney’s face brightens, and she exclaims, “Really? Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.” Sebastian gives her a very charming smile. “I’m going to stay here with you,darling.” I almost laugh at his purposeful use of the pet name Heather uses for everyone before he looks back at us and says, “Go ahead without me, guys. Have fun. I’ll see you later.”

Sebastian turns Whitney away and walks into an elevator that has just arrived and whose occupants have just vacated it. He swipes his keycard and presses a button, waving at us with a grin on his face as the doors close.

“He issucha shit,” Heather seethes, and Harrison laughs.

“He’s right about one thing, though, angel. You’re not his real mom,” he smirks at his girlfriend.

Heather shakes her head. “What am I going to do with any of you?”

“Love us?” Hayden asks as he throws an arm around her shoulders.

“God knows why I do,” she laughs and puts her arm around his waist to hug him back before breaking their embrace and slipping her hand into Harrison’s. “Okay, well, no Ariana and no Sebastian. Anyone else going to cancel?”

“Nope,” I confirm. “I’m still excited to go to the zoo, zoo, zoo. How about you, you, you?”

Heather laughs. “You’re a fucking dork, Gabriel. Yes, I’m excited to go to the zoo, zoo, zoo.”

We follow Cooper and the rest of our entourage out of the back of the hotel and into the minivans waiting to take us to the zoo. We get there and pull up directly in front of the zoo gates. We’re ushered through the hotel while a photographer captures photographs for us, and another captures video footage for the behind-the-scenes documentary of our tour that Sierra is putting together.

Our big group, full of all the people working on the tour, along with executives from Sierra, is split into two smaller groups, each with its own tour guide from the zoo. I’m grateful that Cooper is in the other group, and we head straight into the area with African animals, exclaiming excitedly when we see the giraffes and zebras. Heather takes pictures of us, despite a professional photographer being with us today.

We move on, and I’m looking at the mandrills when Hayden comes to stand next to me in front of the exhibit. “Are you okay, dude?”

“Yeah, why?” I ask him.

“You know why.”

He looks at me, and I sigh. “Okay, it sucks that she’s not here. This is still awesome, though.”

---