Miami

"Arell!" Diddy called out, a large entourage in tow. "You ready to party, man?"

Arell's heart sank. The last thing he wanted to do was engage with Diddy right now. Thinking quickly, he formed a plan. He put on a pained expression, clutching his stomach.

"Actually, Diddy, I'm feeling really sick," Arell said, his voice strained. "I think I need to go to the hospital."

For a split second, Arell saw a strange, almost pleased look cross Diddy's face, though, his expression quickly shifted to one of concern, while a subtle smile played at the corners of his mouth.

"Damn, man," Diddy said, smiling despite his words. "That's tough. You gotta take care of yourself."

Just then, The Game arrived, and the atmosphere shifted dramatically. Diddy's eyes narrowed as he spotted him. He marched over, hitting The Game playfully but with a force that suggested underlying anger.

"You!" Diddy exclaimed, hitting The Game's shoulder repeatedly. "I'm gonna punish you!"

The Game laughed, trying to deflect Diddy's blows. "C'mon, man, it's all good."

Diddy continued his playful assault, but his words carried an ominous tone. "No, I'm serious. I'm gonna punish you, you hear me? You know how mad you made me Dadd-.. Game!"

The Game kept laughing, but there was a nervous edge to it now. "Alright, alright, chill."

Diddy pulled The Game closer by his shirt and called out, "Meek! Get over here!"

Meek Mill approached, his arm around Nicki Minaj. They were all smiles, but the scene was growing increasingly uncomfortable.

"What's up, Diddy?" Meek asked, trying to keep the mood light.

"We gotta punish him," Diddy said while pressing his fingers repeatedly at The Game's chest.

Nicki glanced at Meek, her expression puzzled. "What's going on?"

Meek laughed, albeit a bit awkwardly. "Yeah, we'll see about that, Diddy."

Arell seized the opportunity to slip away. He spotted India and hurried over. "India, I need to go. Now."

India looked concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I'll explain later," Arell said quickly. "Just get your sisters and let's get out of here."

India nodded and rushed off to find her sisters. Arell made his way back to his crew, rounding up Devon, Malik, and the others.

"We're leaving," Arell announced. "Now."

They all moved quickly, sensing the urgency in Arell's voice. They piled into the SUVs and drove away from the mansion, the tension in the air palpable. The drive was silent, everyone too on edge to make small talk.

Eventually, they pulled into a secluded parking lot. The SUVs came to a stop, and the group got out, gathering around one of the vehicles. Geoffrey looked at Arell, then at the phone in his hand.

"Alright," Geoffrey said, taking a deep breath. "Let's look at this footage."

Arell handed him the phone without a word, not wanting to relive the disturbing moments he'd witnessed. He stood back, his eyes scanning the darkened parking lot, trying to keep his mind focused on anything but the recording.

The others huddled around Geoffrey as he played the video. The sounds of the party filled the air, followed by the more unsettling noises from the room. Arell didn't watch, instead, he focused on the reactions of his friends.

Their expressions shifted from curiosity to shock. Faces turned pale, eyes widened, and mouths dropped open.

"Holy shit," Malik muttered, his voice barely audible.

Devon shook his head in disbelief. "Man, this is messed up."

Just then, Rashad shouted, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "Ay, thas Beyoncé!"

Arell's heart skipped a beat, his eyes snapping to Rashad. "What?"

<>

Arell and India sat on a hillside bench overlooking the Miami skyline, the stars twinkling above them. India cuddled close to Arell, her head resting on his shoulder.

"So," India began softly, "I told you I'd tell you everything, right?"

Arell nodded, his voice gentle. "Yeah, you did. But... why?"

India lifted her head, looking at him curiously. "Why what?"

"Why tell me everything?" Arell elaborated. "We've only known each other for what, two or three weeks?"

India took a deep breath, her eyes searching the night sky as if looking for the right words. "Can I tell you about something?"

Arell nodded, giving her his full attention.

"I have this... fear," India began, her voice barely above a whisper. "A fear of being irrelevant. The people running my show, they've always pushed me to be in these public relationships. That's why I was with Soulja Boy, and The Game, and all that."

Arell remembered their previous conversation about this, but he sensed there was more to the story. "Who else have you been with?" he asked gently.

India hesitated, her body tensing slightly. "There were... others. People who took advantage of me." She paused, clearly struggling with whether to continue.

Sensing her discomfort, Arell squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You don't have to say anything more if you're not ready."

India nodded gratefully, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. "Recently, I went to church for my friend's baby's christening. During the service, they talked about finding your true self and breaking free from harmful patterns. It really opened my eyes."

She turned to face Arell, her eyes shining with emotion. "I realized I wanted away from all that fake stuff. And then, by some miracle, I met you. You weren't just interested in me because I'm pretty. You were genuinely trying to see if I was... well, girlfriend material."

Arell smiled, remembering the restaurant incident she was referring to.

India continued, a small smile playing on her lips. "And let's be honest, you're handsome, extremely handsome. I know I have demons to deal with, but I don't want to let anyone else get their hands on you. That's why I wanted to be official now."

She took a deep breath, as if steeling herself for what she was about to say next. "I think... I think I should go to therapy."

Arell opened his mouth to agree but stopped short. The word "therapy" hung in the air between them, and suddenly, Arell felt the weight of his own unresolved issues pressing down on him. He had been avoiding therapy for his own problems, always finding excuses not to go.

In that moment of silence, Arell realized the hypocrisy of encouraging India to seek help while refusing to do so himself. He sat with that uncomfortable truth for a moment, letting it sink in.

Finally, he spoke. "Yeah, you should go to therapy. And you know what? I'm going to as well."

India's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

Arell nodded, a mix of emotions playing across his face. "Yeah, really. I've been avoiding it for too long, making excuses. But if we're going to do this - be together, I mean - we should both be working on ourselves."

India smiled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "That means a lot to me, Arell. Thank you."

India took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly as she began to share more of her story. "You know what, I'll tell you everything," she said, her eyes locked onto Arell's. "It's been really hard, and I've been so scared."

Arell squeezed her hand, encouraging her to continue. "Whatever you need to say, I'm listening."

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "When I was in that fake relationship with The Game, he would take advantage of me, even before I turned 18. The people running my show, they pushed me to take photos in public with him, pretending to be in love. But behind closed doors... it was different."

Arell's grip tightened on her hand, his jaw clenching as he listened.

India's voice wavered as she continued. "He would pretend to finger me in public, for the cameras, but he was actually doing it. He'd force me to smell my fingers afterward, humiliating me. I felt so trapped, Arell. I did it because I was scared of not being relevant, of losing my fame. It was the same with Soulja Boy. He hit me multiple times, made me feel worthless."

She wiped her tears, her voice growing steadier. "I just... I didn't know how to get out. They were even trying to set me up with Diddy's son, Justin. I heard stories, and I wanted to stay as far away as possible."

Arell nodded, his mind racing with the implications of everything she had told him.

"India," he said softly, "you don't have to go through this alone anymore. Do you want to stay the night? I'll be here to comfort you, no pressure."

She looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and relief. "Yes, I'd like that. Thank you, Arell."

They left the hillside and made their way back to the villa. The drive was quiet, but the silence was comforting.

<>

The next morning, Arell woke up to find the villa quieter than usual. India had left early for a photoshoot, leaving behind a note expressing her gratitude for their talk and her excitement about their budding relationship. As Arell made his way to the living room, he found Geoffrey, Devon, Malik, Kenny, and the others already gathered around.

"Alright," Geoffrey began, his tone serious as Arell took a seat. "Let's talk about what went down at Diddy's party."

Arell took a deep breath, his mind flashing back to the disturbing scenes he had witnessed. "Look," he said firmly, "I've made a decision. I'm going to the next fashion show, and that's it. I'm not talking to Diddy or any of those folks anymore. It's just... it's too much."

The group exchanged glances, relief and understanding on their faces.

Geoffrey nodded, his expression softening slightly. "I think that's a wise choice, Arell. But remember, you've still got that meeting with J. Cole later today. Besides that, you can just relax. I'm sorting out a sponsorship for you that'll pay a lot, so don't worry about missing out on connections."

"Oh, and don't forget about Pharrell," Devon chimed in. "He seemed pretty interested in working with you too."

Arell nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Yeah, that's true. We haven't set a date yet, but I'm definitely looking forward to that."

Kenny leaned forward, a mischievous grin on his face. "Speaking of things to look forward to... what's the deal with you and India? You two have been spending a lot of time together lately. Are you officially dating now?"

Arell felt a warmth spread across his cheeks. "Yeah, actually. We talked things out, and we're giving it a real shot. No games or publicity stunts."

The group erupted in cheers and playful teasing, with Malik throwing a pillow at Arell. "Look at you, Mr. Superstar, dating a model!"

As the laughter died down, Tariq pulled out his phone, his eyes widening as he scrolled through some stats. "Yo, Arell, have you seen the latest numbers for Fair Trade? It's sitting at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100!"

Arell let out an amusing chuckle, he wasn't entirely surprised. He had felt the momentum building, and he knew his next song would perform even better.

Geoffrey nodded, a hint of pride in his eyes. "It's been out for about three weeks now, and it's making serious waves. You're at number 4 on the rap charts too."

Rashad chimed in, scrolling through his own phone. "The streaming numbers are insane, man. You're at about 35 million streams across platforms."

Geoffrey leaned forward, his tone taking on a more educational note. "Let's break down what this means in terms of certifications. In the US, you need 500,000 units for gold and 1 million for platinum. Each unit is either one paid download or 150 streams."

Kenny whistled low. "So Arell's already well on his way, huh?"

Geoffrey nodded. "Exactly. But it's not just about the US. In the UK, you need 100,000 units for gold and 200,000 for platinum. In Canada, it's 40,000 for gold and 80,000 for platinum. Australia is 35,000 for gold and 70,000 for platinum."

Arell sat back, taking it all in. He had gotten a few miniscule rewards for it's position on the rap charts, but nothing overly major, just a few improvements to his physical stats and hidden stats.

"So," Kenny said, breaking the momentary silence. "What's the plan for today? Besides the J. Cole meeting, I mean."

Arell shrugged. "I'm thinking we could use some relaxation after all this drama. Any ideas?"

Kenny's face lit up. "Let's hit Miami Beach! Sun, sand, maybe some jet skiing? That's the vibe!"

The suggestion was met with enthusiastic agreement from the group.

Geoffrey stood up, checking his watch. "Sounds like a plan. I'll be taking Jahseh, Jarad, and Stokely to meet the coaches I got for them. Also going to show them the studio I've rented down here for their use."

Geoffrey then added, "Before you head out, Arell, I need to mention something. I've hired some security for you. They'll be coming to the villa shortly. It's important you go with them, given your rising profile."

Arell agreed, understanding the necessity. Soon after, a team of eight professional security guards arrived at the villa. Arell greeted each of them, learning their names - Mike, James, Sarah, Alex, Carlos, Tyrone, Lisa, and Marcus. Two of them, Mike and James, would stay close to Arell while the others maintained a discreet perimeter.

Feeling reassured, Arell and the others headed out to Miami Beach. Arell wore his Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra, his Tiffany T1 diamond bracelet, and his white gold chain with a diamond pendant, which was his first ever piece of jewelry he had purchased. While His friends wore the rings and watches he had gotten for them, exuding confidence and style.

As they arrived at the beach, the sun was shining brightly, and the ocean sparkled invitingly. They began strolling around, looking for a good spot and within minutes, people began to recognize him.

"Arell! Over here!" a group of girls called out, waving enthusiastically. Arell waved back, smiling as he posed for a few photos with fans.

The attention was nonstop. Girls flocked to Arell, trying to get his attention, while fans came up asking for autographs and selfies. Arell handled it all with grace, genuinely enjoying the interactions.

A group of girls approached, giggling and whispering among themselves. "Oh my god, are you Arell?" one of them asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

Arell smiled politely, "Yeah, that's me. How are you all doing today?"

This interaction seemed to open the floodgates. More and more people started recognizing Arell, approaching him for autographs, selfies, and just to chat. Mike and James did an excellent job of managing the crowd, ensuring Arell had enough space and wasn't overwhelmed.

At one point, a bold girl approached him with a mischievous grin. "Hey, can you motorboat me?" she asked, her friends giggling behind her.

Arell chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, that's not gonna happen."

The girl pouted playfully but laughed it off. "Worth a shot!"

Arell joined a group of people playing football, quickly becoming the center of attention with his athleticism and charm. Malik filmed the whole thing on his phone, capturing the excitement and energy of the moment.

"Bro, let's vlog this!" Malik shouted, holding his phone up to catch the action. Arell flashed a grin at the camera, flexing his muscles after a particularly impressive play.

As the day progressed, the beach became even more lively. Arell and his friends were at the center of the excitement, with fans and onlookers constantly approaching them.

"Hey Arell, I bet you can't do a backflip!" someone called out playfully.

Arell, always up for a challenge, grinned. "You know what? I've never tried, but there's a first time for everything!"

He attempted the backflip, but misjudged the landing and stumbled. A nearby beachgoer accidentally bumped into him, causing Arell to fall into the sand. Instead of being embarrassed, Arell burst out laughing, brushing sand off his shorts.

"Well, I guess I won't be joining the Olympics anytime soon," he joked, causing everyone around to laugh along with him.

Throughout the day, compliments flowed freely. People praised Arell's music, his style, and his humility. Many admirers approached, some with rather unusual requests.

"Can I wear your chain for a picture?" one fan asked excitedly.

Arell politely declined but offered to take a picture with the fan instead, which they happily accepted.

Another group of girls approached, giggling amongst themselves. One of them stepped forward, twirling her hair. "So, Arell... what's your type? Asking for a friend, of course," she said with a wink.

Arell chuckled, handling the situation with grace. "My type? Someone kind, funny, and genuine. But I'm actually seeing someone right now."

As the afternoon wore on, Arell decided to check in with India. He pulled out his phone and sent her a quick message. To his surprise, she video called him almost immediately.

"Hey you," India's smiling face appeared on the screen. "Having fun at the beach?"

Arell grinned, turning the camera to show her the bustling beach scene. "It's been crazy! How's your day going?"

India panned her camera to show Crystal nearby. "We're just wrapping up a photoshoot. Say hi to Arell, Crystal!"

Crystal waved enthusiastically at the camera. "Hey Arell! When are you coming to visit us again?"

Arell laughed. "Soon, I promise. Actually, I've got that meeting with J. Cole tonight."

India's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah! You should come over after that."

"It might be pretty late," Arell warned.

India just shrugged, biting her cheek playfully. "I don't care, still come. Just don't talk to any girls while you're at the beach, okay?" She pointed at the camera teasingly.

Arell laughed, shaking his head. "You've got nothing to worry about. I'll see you later, okay?"

After ending the call, Arell rejoined his friends, ready to enjoy the rest of their beach day. They tried their hand at beach volleyball, attracting a crowd of spectators who cheered them on.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the beach, Arell turned to the others. "What a day, huh? But I've got to start getting ready for that meeting with J. Cole."