Overdue - A Rockstar Romance

Chapter 37 - Elliott

The crowd are screaming our names and I look at the guys. They all look so at home on the stage. No matter where we perform I can always see this light in them when we play.

I hear the start of Lucky Girl and bring the mic up to my lips before crooning, "Don't cry baby, I know he broke your heart again." The crowd are already joining in, "And here I am picking, up the pieces of my friend."

Chris is leaning over the edge of the stage and the girl's in front of him are sobbing. I bite back a smile and try to ignore the distractions, " Each time I see them break you, don't you know that it breaks me too. They were lucky they got your kisses, a luck I've missed out on with you." I sing before turning my mic to the crowd encouraging them to sing the chorus.

I can't stop smiling, there's nothing like have the words you scribbled down on the back of a napkin sung back at you like that.

The rest of the show passes in a blur of lights and cheering. My ears are still ringing from the last guitar solo as we wave at the end of our encore and head off stage.

Victoria gives us a forced smile, "Great work boys."

My after show buzz blinks out in an instant and I can see it dropping off the guys too. "What happened?" Kyle asks quietly.

"Let's chat on the bus," She gives a tight smile, "too many listening ears here."

We file after her and my heart thuds in my chest as I know instinctively it's probably something I did.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I grab it quickly.

'Well that didn't take long.'

Phoebe's single line text has me frowning, what is she on about? Is her Nanna already being released? That should be good news.

I go to reply but Victoria slowly pushes my phone down, "Wait."

We shuffle onto the bus with a little wave to the waiting fans clinging to a fence and watching. Normally we would be going over there and taking photos but something about Victoria's expression stops us.

As we take a seat she starts talking, "Shortly before you went on stage a backing dancer who I believe Elliott had an encounter with today, leaked a number of photos."

I feel my stomach drop, "What of?"

She taps on the tablet she always carries before turning it to face us. There's Chris in a pile of bodies, licking something off a girl's stomach and in other compromising positions. A couple of Erik in a fight with paparazzi. I remember this occasion, they had been camped outside our families homes for days and he lost it. We had buried the pictures at the time so how had she gotten hold of them?

Then there were ones of me and her today. I hadn't even noticed she had a phone at the time but the cleverly taken images capture my hand on her and her expression of false pleasure. In one you can see my shock but it's my profile so it's not clear.

So this was what Phoebe had seen? "Hit us with the headlines?" Kyle says softly, understanding the rest of us are too stunned to speak yet.

"Most of them focus on Elliott I'm afraid, Hawk's new hottie is the favourite angle." She says apologetically.

"I need to speak to Phoebe." My voice doesn't sound like my own, it cracks with emotion and I turn and walk to the back of the bus.

No one stops me. I try calling first and it rings three times before going to voice mail. "Phoebe, I've just seen the pictures. It's not what you think and I promise I can explain. Please. Can we meet? Maybe tomorrow when your Nanna is a bit better? Please."

I can explain? Not what you think? God it was all so cliché.

I follow up with a text which I write and rewrite multiple times.

'Pheebs, she's a backing dancer and I hadn't even noticed her before today. She came to the dressing room and I put my hand out to stop her. I didn't even know she had a camera and I had security drag her out. I promise you I would never hurt you like that. Please at least meet me to talk it over?'

I hit send and stare at the two grey ticks willing them to turn blue. After a few moments they do and my heart leaps.

It tells me she's typing and then she stops but nothing comes through.

"Elliott, you need to sit down, we're going to start moving." Victoria calls down the bus and I obey, still not tearing my eyes from the phone.

Then she's typing again and I hold my breath.

'It's always going to be like this isn't it, they're always going to be trying rip us apart'

My heart clenched. I wanted to deny it, but it was true.

'Maybe, but we don't have to let them. Don't you trust me?'

She takes longer to start typing back this time.

'I'm trying to'

I can almost see her beautiful little face pinched with sadness.

'Just give me a chance. Meet me?'

This is the make or break. I hope she trusts me enough to hear me out.

'OK, tomorrow evening.'