The Rockstar & I

I pulled in at my house and headed straight for my room. I pulled out my laptop and began to research my paper whilst listening to Metallica – my all-time favourite band.  Several hours later I got a text from Sarah.

“Where r u? Show starts in 1 hr eek!”

Yeah, one hour that gives me plenty of time to get ready and get down there. I so did not want to be there longer than what I absolutely had to. I went through my wardrobe quickly and decided on a pair of grey skinny jeans, grey boots and a ripped Pantera t-shirt that showed off a little too much of my very large cleavage. The major highlight of puberty had been the development of these boobs (note the sarcasm). I climbed onto cherry bomb and set off downtown to the Academy where the concert was being held. Once I had parked up I headed to the main entrance and flashed my ticket to the security guy on the front door. He looked at the ticket and then again at me before recognition dawned on him.

“Uh, hey Miss Haley have a good evening” he mumbled and showed me inside.

The main reason I hated LA was being recognised all of the time.

“Um thanks” I replied and headed inside. The support band were just finishing up and the noise startled me a little. Cold Vengeance were not as big as Sarah made them out to be but from what I had read they were on the brink of signing a major record deal which was going to launch them into the big time. The Academy is one of the smallest venues in LA but it was still packed with 800 screaming girls all trying to push to the front to be as close as possible. I only knew one Cold Vengeance song and I didn’t need to be near the front so I headed to the bar and ordered lemonade to help combat the heat these girls were giving off. I searched around for Sarah before finally spotting the black and white streaked hair at the front of the crowd. Great, how was I meant to get all the way to the front of these?

Somehow I managed it and as I reached her she grabbed the drink from my hands and downed it in one. Nice.

“Oh my god Chelsea its almost time!” she screamed. Actually full on screaming at me. Jeez it wasn’t like it was a huge, world famous band.

“Yeah it sure is sweets; I may go hang at the back if that’s cool with you. It’s too crowded here but I’ll come find you at the end ok?” She nodded and returned to staring wildly at the stage and chanting along with the rest of the crowd.

By the time I made it back to the bar to get myself another drink, Cold Vengeance had come on and the crowd had erupted. I stood at the bar watching the band. They were pretty good live really, quite talented musicians but it just was not my thing. They played loud, high and fast for what seemed like ever before I decided to try make my way back to Sarah to give her another drink and keep her from passing out. It was almost impossible. I stopped halfway to take a break, girls shrieking in my ears along to the music. I looked up at the stage, sure these guys were good looking but they didn’t have anything on Jay Adams, lead singer for my second favourite band Enemy Ashes and a total sex god. Now why couldn’t my famous connections hook me up with him?

I sighed and continued to make my way to the front finally reaching Sarah. I handed her the drink, she looked like she really needed it. She was sweating, screaming and actually crying a little bit, talk about fangirl. I watched as the lead singer started grinding his hips into the mic stand sending the room into even more of a frenzy if that was possible.  Now that I was closer I could get a better look at the band. The bassist was very cute, black hair, dark eyes, eyeliner which is way sexy on guys and such a cute smile. The guitarist to my right looked familiar. I stared at him until he looked up at the crowd and grinned.

I froze.

No way.

No freaking way.

I stood still just staring up at him. Brad. It couldn’t be. Surely not. He never played guitar, at least not as well as this.

“Sarah what is the name of the guitarist on the right?” I yelled in her ear.

“Brad Viper. Cute right?” she yelled back. I couldn’t believe it. Here in LA after all this time. I tried to catch his eye along with all the other 800 girls. Damn he had gotten cute whilst we had been growing up on opposite coasts. The band finished their final song and all lined up to take a bow at the front of the stage. I kept yelling his name. And finally he looked at me. And he saw me. He started to smile as he realised who I was and his mouth started to form my name. In an instant though his face turned to a look of concern. He looked to the guy on his right with apprehension and then looked back to me. I followed his gaze. Oh no. Oh Chelsea how could you be so dumb? Wherever Brad is Rob is. Rob looked different to how I remembered him. His long, blond hair now jet black with eyes to match. Eyes I fell in love with. Eyes that betrayed me and broke my heart. Brad had been my best friend since we were 5 but it was his big brother that had gotten close enough to do any major damage and the only reason I had been glad to leave New York.

I turned around and ran, shoving girls out of my way. Trying desperately to reach the exit. Finally I managed to break free. I pulled out my phone to text Sarah and tell her I had gone home. I had 7 missed calls from my mom’s assistant. Oh crap. I called her straight away.

“Hey Anna”

“Chelsea where the hell have you been?”

“At a concert why?”

“You are two hours late for your parents’ party!” Shit, I knew there was something I had forgotten. My parents monthly business dinner that I was meant to attend.

“I’ll be there in 10 minutes Anna”

“Fine but you have missed dinner just be here in time for the presentation”

I jumped onto my bike and floored it all the way to my parents’ offices. I flew through the doors past security and straight through to the plush conference suite.

“Sorry I’m late” I panted looking around all of the vaguely familiar faces searching for my parents “I was at a concert” I explained, the one excuse guaranteed to get me out of any trouble.

“Ah, she’s definitely a Haley” said one of the guys in suits.

“That she is Dan. Now let’s start the presentation” came the calming voice of daddy from across the room. He was so handsome for his age and he could charm just about anyone into doing his bidding.

“As you all know Haleywood Entertainment Ltd is all about diversity and demand. As such when we see a rise in the popularity of a certain trend we like to make our own stamp on the market, something which we have been increasingly successful with. It is all about perfect timing. As you are all aware our daughter Chelsea graduates from high school in a few short months so her mother and I thought that it would be the perfect opportunity for her to get to really understand the company and learn how to run it. Whilst we fully intend for her to study at UCLA there is no education as good as first-hand experience am I right?” he looked around the room to his colleagues who were all nodding their heads in approval. “Now I know Chelsea and I don’t see eye to eye on music tastes but the kind of rock music she listens to is becoming increasingly popular in the charts. As such we have decided to create our own rock record label that Chelsea will run whilst receiving advice and education from all of us.” He finished this part of his speech to lots of murmurs of approval and some slight clapping.

He has got to be kidding me. How the hell does he expect me to pass my senior year if I’m running a company? And go to UCLA? He has got to be joking. I looked to my mom who was just sat there beaming as if this was the greatest idea in the world. Yeah right, put your daughter’s education in jeopardy for your precious company.

“To start the label off we have signed our first band and I would like to introduce them to you now” my dad continued.

“Please say Metallica” I silently begged.

“Fresh from their appearance this evening at the Academy I’d like you all to meet Cold Vengeance”

Oh my god. Kill me now. FML. This CANNOT be happening.