From Skid Row to Superstardom: An Idol System Novel-Chapter 169: Defense (4)

As he dashed through the hallway, he ended up running into a figure and fell to the floor.

"Ari? Are you okay? How was your talk? What happened to your head? It’s bloody. Did you get into a fight? Did he hit you?" Carlos asked in a surprisingly cold tone as he looked over Ari, who was sprawled on the ground with a bloody red forehead as if he had been hit.

"Uh...I hit him back harder?" Ari replied in a daze as he stared up at Carlos.

"What’s wrong? Concussion? Your head is swollen, and you’re sweaty. You never sweat." Carlos said as he swept back the hair sticking to Ari’s head, trying to see the extent of the injury.

His face was paler than usual, his breathing was rough, and his skin felt clammy and cold.

"Uh..."

"Tell me. How can I help?"

"I need to hide something to protect me from getting in trouble with William and production." Ari blurted out.

Carlos: "...."

The Spanish boy blinked before looking at Ari and the direction he came in, before speaking calmly as understanding filled his eyes.

"Okay. I’m leaving soon, so should I take it to my house or deliver it to someone for you?"

"Can you deliver it to this address, and tell them to keep it safe for me?" Ari shoved the memory cards into Carlos’ hands.

His hands were still shaky and damp with sweat, no matter how much he wiped them on his pants.

"Okay. Calm down for me, okay? Go and take a shower and ice your forehead."

"No, I’m fine. Please deliver it as soon as possible." Ari insisted as he stood up, planning on walking Carlos out even though his head was throbbing.

Carlos looked him over once more before sighing.

"Okay. I’ll leave now and come back right after I drop it off to let you know it’s done. In return, go shower and wash your head. It’s scary looking. Okay? Otherwise, I won’t deliver it."

"Okay."

"Good."

Ruffling his head once more, Ari followed Carlos to the exit watching as he left before Ari went to shower, scrubbing his body thoroughly before going back to sit at the exit.

His mind was trying to come up with different solutions depending on what William did.

Although he had the memory cards, William could still accuse him of assault, and he could only hope that his innocence could be proved with it. freēwēbnovel.com

As for his recorder, nothing was backed up, and all his previous recordings were smashed.

Honestly, he had probably been a little too confident and stupid since things were going so well.

Now he was on edge, waiting for William’s reaction.

"Your royal sea-ness."

"Go away. I don’t have the energy to be nice to anyone right now." Ari replied without looking up.

Jamie stared at him silently before leaving and coming back with a pillow and an ice pack.

He shoved the ice pack down Ari’s jacket, watching him squirm and scream before throwing the pillow onto Ari’s legs and lying down on top of it with no care for his weight.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting."

"For what?"

"Whatever you’re waiting for. Carlos told me you look rough." Jamie replied calmly before taking off his hat and covering his face, his long blonde hair splaying out everywhere.

"Wake me up, yawn-when things are settled." Jamie’s mumbled voice was punctuated by a yawn before he went silent.

Before Ari could even say anything in return, all he heard was the sound of Jamie snoring loudly on his lap.

The urge to throw Jamie off and stick the ice pack down his shirt surged through Ari’s mind, but eventually he just sighed and let him sleep while staring at the door as he held the ice pack to his forehead.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but eventually, the door creaked open, and Carlos’s figure appeared, carrying a food box in his hands.

"I’m back. I dropped it off and brought you some tacos." Carlos said with a gentle smile as he dropped a takeout box and a drink next to Ari.

"Thank you. You’re really nice. I’m sorry I made you make such a round trip." Ari replied solemnly.

Carlos blinked at him before smiling his usual gentle smile, "Of course. We’re a team. I’m glad I could help you in return for all you do for me as well. Go get some sleep. Okay? I’ll see you in a couple of hours."

"Mmmmm."

Ari nodded silently, and after ruffling his hair again, Carlos left.

Like a dog smelling food, Jamie began sniffing the air in his sleep, before sitting up suddenly.

"What’s that smell?"

"Tacos. You can have half." Ari said, taking two tacos and passing the box over to Jamie, who devoured it in a few seconds before licking his lips in regret.

As Ari slowly ate, he shamelessly took his drink as well, slurping down over half of it before speaking slowly, his southern drawl becoming more pronounced. "Uhm, you want to tell me what happened?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"If you wanna tell me. Do I have to beat somebody up for you?"

"No. Pause. What makes you think I can’t beat somebody up myself?"

"Cough, short wimp with no muscles cough." Jamie fake coughed into his hand before standing up and running away.

Ari: ಠ_ಠ

So you’ve chosen death.

Prepare to take an ice bath that will put the ice age to shame.

As he began chasing after Jamie, who stopped to look back at him with an expression of worry that couldn’t be hidden, Ari stopped for a moment, realizing that this was Jamie’s way of cheering him up.

Laughing and a little bit touched, Ari went to the ice machine and got half the usual amount he usually poured down Jamie’s shirt.

He was feeling kind tonight.

******

And in another room, a blonde boy was going crazy.

"First of all, give me my phone!"

"Uh....okay. Anything else?"

"That stupid boy with the girly ass name! I want him gone! Immediately!"

"You know I can’t do that."

At the firm denial, William looked at the Assistant PD as if he were crazy.

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