Faded (Rock Star Trilogy) (17 page)

I know that this is just the beginning
. What you and I have is more than a crush. I’m falling in love. Hell, I’m already
in love
.

Nobody else can make me feel like this. I’m head over heels. I’m planning our forever.

I love you. Forever.

The song plays over again in my head, and I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks. I look over at Stephan, and he is looking at me. I’m looking for anger, but I don’t see any. He’s got a curious expression as he studies me.Maybe he’s contemplating all the ways he can dump me? Or maybe he’s going to murder me? Having your very famous girlfriend write a love song for you has got to be embarrassin
g…
Especially considering he doesn’t feel the same way.

“What are you thinking?” he asks.

I’m thinking of all the ways that you can murder me.
I’m also wondering where you’re going to hide my body.
“Nothing.” I shrug. “Just thinking how weird today was.”

Weird doesn’t even begin to cover it.

“I think it was a good day. You got everything you wanted.”

Not everything.
Because if I did have everything, Stephan would be telling me how much he loves me right no
w…
We would be so anxious to get home. Then he would rip my clothes off, devouring me. He would then explore every inch of my body with his tongue, and then when the both of us couldn’t take it anymore he would fuck me senseles
s…
N
o…
He would make love to m
e…
But that’s not happening. And for now, it’s all just a fantasy.

A very hot fantasy.

But still, not real.

“This dress is really fucking hot,” he whispers in my ear. For a moment, I wonder if he can read my expression. Did he know that I was playing out a naughty fantasy in my head?
“I want to rip it off.”

Oh my
God. He
does
know what I was thinking!

And then he adds, “
With my teeth.”

As if I wasn’t turned on enough, that statement pretty much took me over the edge.
I like his fantasy a little bit better. But then I remember that I’m embarrassed. I just confessed my love for him in a conference room full of record company executives, my sister, and my best friend (who I also happened to make out with one time).

Yeah, the fantasy died before it even began.

Stephan gives me one of his panty-dropping smiles. “Please, Scar, tell me what you’re thinking.”

I choke on the air.
How am I supposed to respond to that? “I’m thinking that it’s going to be a very long plane ride home.”

He nods his head in agreement.

“What are you thinking?” I ask. “You know, besides the sexual fantasy you’ve got going on.”

“That’s for me to know, and you to find out,” he whispers in my ear.

Why is it that no matter what Stephan does, it turns me on? I shouldn’t shiver because he whispered in my ear. But I do. And he
does
turn me o
n…
so much that if my
sister
and best friend weren’t in the limo with us, I would not be in my own seat.I would be riding on his lap instea
d…
Oh, how I wish they weren’t.

“What day are you going to fly out to LA?” Stephan asks.

“I’m thinking Saturday night. I have an interview early on Sunday morning, so I guess it would be nice to get everything settled since I’ll be here a few weeks.” Then I remember that Stephan lives in Hope. And I can’t imagine going two whole weeks without seeing him every day. By the pained look on his face, I think he may just be thinking the same thing.

“Maybe we could fly out Friday, and I could spend the weekend with you in LA,” he suggests.

I nod, smiling. “I would like that. In fact, I would like it if you flew here every weekend to see me.”

“Trust me, I will. Nothing will ever keep me away from you,” he promises, and then kisses me gently on the lips.

My embarrassment is
almost
forgotten in that moment. Yet, somehow, it’s in the back of my mind. And I can’t help but wonder what Stephan is going to say once we are alone. I hope he lets me down easy.

It’s nearly five in the morning when our plane lands in Florida. The tim
e difference is really a killer. When we get home, instead of talking, Stephan and I crash on my bed. My mind is too tired to wander, or even care about being embarrassed. I know that there will be
plenty
of time for that later.

Thursday, November 6

1:32
PM

You hurt her, you hurt me.

When I wake up Thursday afternoon, Stephan is no longer in my bed. There is a note sitting on the nightstand beside me.

Scarlett,

I went to school. I’m not a rock star, so I don’t get a free pass. ;) I will come over right after school.

-Stephan

I am happy because he is coming over after school, but now I am scared.It’s inevitable that we’re going to have this conversatio
n…
The same topic that we’ve been fighting over since I came back from LA —
LOVE
.

I groan, and lay my head back down on the pillow
.

Why
is the question that I keep asking myself —
why me?
Every single bad thing that can happen
will
happen to
me
. Only it’s worse for
me
because, not only will I see, but also
millions
of people will see.

“
Stupid documentary.” I punch my pillow. “Stupid love confessing song.” I punch my pillow again. “Stupid parents for ruining my life, controlling me, manipulating me, and keeping me away from my sisters.” I punch my pillow again. “Stupid paparazzi.” I throw the pillow across the room.

“What did that pillow ever do to you?” I hear Alec ask me.

I sigh and put the pillow down.

“By the way, I think it’s time you got us a couple of bodyguards,” Alec says.

“Again? Why?” I ask.

“Look out the window.”

So I do. And my front yard is full of cameras, and paparazzi.

“Ugh!” I groan. I pull out my phone and am thankful to see that I still have Bob’s number. I give him a call, and he says he’ll be here within ten minutes.
I smile and turn to Alec. “Taken care of. Now I need caffeine.”

“Yes,
you do,” Alec agrees. “You’re cranky in the mornings.”

“Am not,” I argue as we walk down the stairs. “I’m cranky because of other reasons. The morning part is irrelevant.”

“You’ve never been a morning person,” he snorts. “But Bridgett is. It’s funny how different the two of you are.”

“What is up with you and my sister anyway?” I ask. “Do you have a crush on her?”

“Your sister doesn’t want anything to do with me, Scar. So don’t worry about that,” he answers, shaking his head. “I like her.”

We walk into the kitchen, and I grab a Red Bull from the fridge. “She just came out of a really bad relationship, not to mention she almost died recently. Just give her time. She’ll be falling at your feet like every other girl in no time. But you better not sleep with her.”

Alec rolls his eyes. “Scarlett, you are my
best friend
. You have been since the first day I met you. I knew you were special. You’re like my little sister. But you should know, if the opportunity arises to sleep with her, there is no way I could turn her down.”

I choke on my Red Bull. “If you like your man parts, I suggest you don’t.”

“It’s not like I just want to fuck her and leave her. I want to be in a relationship with her.”

I sigh, trying to word what I have to say as
kindly as possible. “Alec, you are also my best friend. And I know you well enough to know that you’re not a relationship kind of guy. You’re going to get with her. You’re going to woo her, and have her falling into your bed within a month. And then you are going to freak out and leave her, probably before she wakes up the next morning. My sister doesn’t need you screwing with her head.”

Alec whispers to me
, “I think I’m falling in love with her.”

I choke on my Red Bull, again. “Geez, could you wait until I swallow to drop these big bombs.”

“Sorry. But it’s the truth.”

“Truth or not, you don’t do love, Alec. Seriously, try to imagine yourself married to Bridgett.”

Now it’s Alec’s turn to choke. “I never said anything about marriage.”

I shake my head. “Alec, if you love somebody, you eventually marry them. That’s how this works.”

“Some people never get married,” he protests. “I am definitely one of the non-marrying people.”

“That’s fine, for you. But Brid
gett is definitely pro-marriage, as is the majority of the female population. So before you make a move on her, you need to think long and hard about it. If you break her heart, it would put a big damper on our friendship. She’s my
twin
sister. If you hurt her, you hurt me.”

Alec now looks deep in though
t, which makes me happy. He
does
need to think about everything I said.

“What if I took it one day at a time?”

“Alec, you know that I love you, but you can’t think that way. The right now is good and all, but you have to look further ahead. If you live and plan for the right now, that’s all you’ll ever have. But Bridgett would give you a nice future. One day you might want a wife and kids. You’re 21 now, but what about ten years from now?”

“
Thirty-one is still young.” He counters.

“Right. Well, do you see yourself with Bridgett in
ten years?”

He groans. “I don’t know, Scar. That’s what dating is for, getting to know he
r…
Figuring out if I
want
to spend the next ten years with her.”

“No. Friendship is
for getting to know her. A relationship would be you getting to know her sexually. I think maybe you should continue the whole just friends thing, and once you’re truly ready to commit, then take the next step.”

“Good idea,” Alec agrees finally.

“I know.”

“But what if she doesn’t want to be with me?”

“That’s part of life,” I say, thinking of myself. “Disappointment, heartbreak, and rejection suck, but they make you stronger.”

The doorbell rings, and I look outside to see Bob standing there.

Oh, thank God.

2:51 PM

I’m going to kill her.

Bridgett, Alec, and I are all sitting in the livi
ng room. Bob is giving us a rundown of the security plan, and apparently each of us are getting our own bodyguard. Bob is mine. Of course I get the scary one. Not that Larry and Ken aren’t scary. They are both muscular and tall, but Bob is bigger, stronger, and taller. Plus he has that tattoo of the dragon on his head, and it freaks me out. I bet he could fit one hand around my wais
t…
And then he could squeeze me like a tube of toothpaste, squashing me in an instant.

I really need to stop watching scary movies.

On top of having personal bodyguards, there is also 24-hour security outside now. So, as if having Peter and the camera crew follow us around wasn’t enough, we now have huge security guys too. Just great.

But
then again, maybe Stephan and I can put off our conversation! I am all for that, because I really want to keep him as my boyfriend a little bit longer.

“I’m going to LA on Friday. Do you think I should have security there too?” I ask nobody in particular.

Bob nods. “Definitely. We will all be going with you.”

“I’ll be gone for two weeks. I can just get a security team ther
e…
I don’t want to take you away from your families.”

“It is our job to
do what you need,” he counters. “Besides, we have to feed our families, and you pay well.”

We all laugh. “Ok
ay, deal. Thanks, you guys.”

Bob, Larry, and Ken all clear out of the living room.

“Bob is scary,” Bridgett whispers to me.

I laugh. “Yes, he is.”

“And Ken looks nothing like a Ken,” she adds.

I look at her, confused. “And what is Ken supposed to look like?”

“Barbie’s boyfriend, duh! He’s supposed to look like a tanned surfer, not an ex convict.”

“
Criminals can be sexy,” I joke.

“Ken
is definitely not sexy.” She’s clearly not amused.

“I for one am glad that we have them
.” Alec’s relief is obvious on his face. “By the way, Scar, did I tell you I booked your favorite director to do the music video?”

“You got Owen?” I ask, smil
ing. “I love Owen. He’s so nice.”

“No. I got Nancy Hunter
.” He smirks.

“Ugh, I
hate
that bitch! She’s a slave driver! You know I hate her. Why did you get her?”

“Owen is now retired,” he informs me. “But, if you remember, Nancy’s work is amazing. You got video of the year when she filmed you.”

“I also didn’t sleep more than three hours in two days! And the only reason I got to sleep was because I hid in a closet and slept on the floor. She has to be on crack. Nobody is naturally that peppy.”

Alec just shakes his head at me and laughs
as he walks out of the room.

“Not funny!” I yell.

“Alec has a house in LA, right?” Bridgett asks after he’s out of earshot.

I nod. “Yep. And he’s definitely not staying at my house.”

“Good. I need some time away from him.”

“Oh? Why is that?” I ask.

“He’s just s
o…
” She pauses, searching for a word. “Persistent.”

“So you don’t like him?”

“Oh, I do,” she quickly says. “That’s the problem. I need to get away from him before I do something stupi
d…
Like fall in love.”

“
Love
sucks
.”

“Still haven’t talked with Stephan, huh?”

I shake my head. “Nope.”

“Don’t worry. He feels the same way.”

“I don’t know. If he did, I think he would have said something long before now. We always fight about it. He sends me mixed signals, and he confuses the hell out of me,” I admit.

“
Alec is the same way. It must be a guy thing.”

I laugh, thinking Alec said the same thing about her. “Maybe you should just be honest with Alec.”

“No thank you. I’d rather avoid him.”

“You and I are both great at avoiding.”

The front door opens, and Stephan walks into the living room where Bridgett and I are. Bridgett laughs and whispers in my ear. “Looks like you won’t be avoiding much longer.” Then she gets up and leaves the freaking room right when I need her the most.

I’m going to kill her.

3:22
PM

First class.

“Hey,” Stephan greets me. “I see that Bob is back.”

I nod. “Did you see the mobs of people outside when you left for school?”

“Yes. I went out the back and left from my house,” he says. “They never saw me.”

“That’s probably for the best.” Not that it matters. They have hundreds of photos of Stephan and me together.

And cue the awkward silence.

“S
o…
I really have nothing to say. I’m pretty sure the song said it all. Now I just have to wait for
him
to say something.

“I went to school today so I could skip tomorrow. I was thinking we could leave tonight,” he suggests.

“I’d have to call the pilot.”

“Actually, I bought tickets,” he says, pulling out a couple of plane tickets.
“There is a one-hour layover in Vegas. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Commercial?” I ask. I haven’t flown commercial since I was
fifteen.

“I hope you don’t mind. It’s first class.”

Great. Now he thinks I’m spoiled. “I would have been fine flying coach.”

“I know. But I wanted to do this for you
. We need to leave here in about an hour. Does that give you enough time to pack?”

“I’ve practically lived my whole life from a suitcase,” I inform him. “Give me
fifteen.”

“Ok
ay.” He nods. “I’m going to go pack, and I’ll be back soon.”

Stephan comes back after half an hour, and I am packed and ready. I have a closet full of clothes in LA, but I still pack plenty of clothes. My closet there is full of clothes that my dad pressured me into wearing. Here, everything in my clo
set is all me (Even if my stylist, Monica, was the one who stocked it. She knew what I wanted).

Bob
drives us to the airport his black SUV. Alec got him a first class ticket on the same plane as Stephan and me. It feels weird going through the security line. They make me do a full body scan, but they let Bob and Stephan go through the regular line. Stephan told me it was because the security guards wanted to see my boobs.