The Boy Next Door (R5 fanfic)

Chapter 19

Rocky’s P.O.V.         

“That’s no way to greet an old friend,” Alice replies, placing her hand over her chest, acting as if my words had actually affected her stone-cold heart in some way.  “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you and I really do miss you, Rocky,” she continues, taking a step closer to me.  I immediately back up, not wanting to have anything to do with this traitor who was trying to act as a friend.

I had met Alice a little over a year ago at one of our concerts in Los Angeles and was drawn to her when I saw her jumping and singing along in the first row.  I tried my best to hide that I was staring into her deep turquoise eyes the whole show but she definitely noticed.  At the signing afterwards, she slipped me her phone number and later that night was the first time I actually used a number I was given by one of our many screaming fans.  Since we lived in the same city, we had the chance to hang out a few times and it was not much later that I fell for her charming and intelligent personality.  By the time we had reached our three month anniversary, Alice started to change, and not for the better.  She was becoming very clingy and began tweeting and instagramming about our relationship that I had tried to keep on the down-low when it came to the R5 family.  I know what it is like to have haters – all of R5 have experienced it through social networking – and I did not want to subject Alice to any jealous fans.  But she seemed to just soak up all of the comments, good or bad.  She became very demanding in taking selfies with me that she could brag about.  One day I overheard her talking to her friend about all of the fame she was gaining by dating me and it was then that I realized she was only using me for the popularity and the boost of followers and haters. 

Of course when I confronted her about it she denied every word but then gave in when I threatened to break up with her.  She spilled all of her secrets, telling me she did like me, but only as a friend.  Alice said she had a rough time growing up and all she ever wanted was to be popular and now she had finally reached her goal.  Throughout her whole explanation, not once did she apologize for lying to me or hurting me which resulted in me walking out of her life.  I stayed hidden in my room for quite some time after that, refusing to talk to my family or acknowledge all of the questions fans were asking about Alice.  I lost my trust in girls and when it came to meeting fans at our shows, no matter what she looked like, I never would call the number she would slip me in the meet and greet or signing.  I got the idea in my idea that fans that seemed attracted to me were only attracted to the attention R5 got from people all over the world.     

“Rocky, you still in there, dude?” Ellington asked, shaking my arm a bit. 

“What? Yeah, sorry,” I reply, shaking the memories from my head, looking back at Alice. 

“So how have you been?” Alice asked, titling her head to the left, something she tends to do when she is flirting with a guy. 

“Fine,” I answer.  “Actually, I’ve been great!  Dumping you was honestly the best decision I have ever made because if I hadn’t, I would have never ended up with Mary!” I burst out with the spurt of anger that rushed through my blood. 

“Who’s Mary?” Alice questions, crossing her arms in front of her chest, a frown erasing her smile, popping one leg out creating a stance that can never mean well.

I pause before opening my mouth again, wanting to make sure I do not say anything stupid that Alice can then turn around and use against me in some way.  “Mary is no one you need to worry about,” I finally say.

Alice suddenly starts laughing, although cackling would probably be a better descriptive word.  “There is no Mary, is there?” she asks in between laughs.  “You just made her up because you were trying to get back at me!  Well guess what, there is no way I am falling for one of your stupid little lies again.”

“MY stupid little lies?!” I suddenly burst out, not being able to control my emotions any longer.  “You were the liar in our relationship! You were the one pretending to care about me when all you really wanted were your fifteen minutes of fame!  And then when I finally got rid of your ass, you tried turning it around to seem like I was the bad person as you spread more lies like usual.  I just cannot believe I ever dated someone like you and I’m kicking myself right now because I actually felt sorry for you and bad about myself after I broke up with you!  You were never worth my time.”  My breathing is a bit labored from talking so fast and so loudly at Alice and I try to not notice the stares we were getting from the few people milling around in the lobby of the movie theater. 

For a split second I feel bad about yelling at Alice especially when I see the shock cross her face, but then she decides to open her mouth and retaliate. 

“I HATE you, Rocky Mark Lynch.  And just wait until my fans hear about your little outburst just now.  They’ll feel so bad for me and see you as the jackass that you are.  Now that can’t be very good for your wonderful R5 family, can it?  I know for a fact that many of them will believe anything I tell them…unless you would rather I not tell them anything,” Alice tells me, her tone softening as she finished talking. 

I pause for a second, digesting her words.  “Are you…blackmailing me?” I question, my voice much quieter now. 

“Blackmail sounds a bit harsh.  Let’s call it negotiating!  You do a little favor for me and I won’t create drama in the R5 family,” Alice says, a coy smile crossing her face. 

“The R5 family is much stronger then you’re making them out to seem.  They can look past petty drama,” Riker says, reminding me that I have my brothers backing me up.  

“We’ll see about that,” Alice laughs before turning around.  “But if you happen to change your mind,” she says, stopping to look over her shoulder at me, “I plan on blogging all about my night tomorrow morning.  You have until then to decide what it is I will be telling the fans.”

We watch as she walks out of the movie theater and disappears as the tinted doors close behind her.  I turn to look at my brothers and Ellington, an apologetic look on my face.  “I’m sorry guys.  I probably shouldn’t have cracked like that.  Definitely not my smartest move, especially knowing how manipulative she can be.”

“Don’t worry about it.  I’m sure she’s just all talk.  Forget about her and let’s just get back to our dates before the movie starts,” Riker says, trying his best to make light of the situation.  I try to take Riker’s advice and forget about Alice as we wait in line to buy snacks and then walk back to the theater but I cannot help but think that Riker is far from wrong.  There was no doubt in my mind that the petite blonde was very serious about spreading rumors and creating more drama than we would know what to do with.