I sat up and groaned. It was 12 o'clock. My head is throbbing and I have 35 new notifications on my phone. 12 of them are photo messages, 13 are Twitter updates, none of them from Colson by the way, and the last 10 are about likes on my pictures on Instagram.
My entire body ached. I decided to take a shower and clean up before my parents found me. After a 15 minute shower and another 10 minutes of brushing away the stench of alcohol, I tied my hair up in a bun and scrolled through the pictures on my phone.
What the hell? There's smoke everywhere, and flashing lights, but I recognize everyone in the photos. There's me, Colson, Dubo, Gwen, Piper, and Ash. Some other people too, probably more of Colson's friends.
I keep scrolling. Most of the pictures are of me and Colson, and I'm wearing a Snapback which I figured was his. There's some of us being goofy, and others that he took of me and Gwen and Piper, and others that I took of him and Dubo and Ash. And then there were even a few pictures of us kissing and being romantic. God I hope there was no paparazzi.
My computer pinged and I slowly made my way over, a new tweet. I refreshed the page and saw that the tweet was from Colson.
"Damn, nothing like a girl who can rock a Snapback. #LaceUp" And then there was a picture of him and I, me wearing his Snapback. You could clearly see his face, but not mine. There must have been a flash of light when the picture was taken because I looked like a completely different person.
It already had 300 more retweets when I refreshed the page again.
I suddenly got very tired and climbed back into bed, quickly fading into sleep.
.~.~.~.~.
"Hey there, sleepyhead." Piper chimed. I groaned and slowly made my way over to her and Gwen and Colson - wait, Colson's here?
"How long have you guys been awake?" I croaked out as I sat beside Colson in the sand and leaned on his shoulder.
"I woke up at noon, and then I woke up Gwen, and she tweeted your boyfriend here like crazy until he woke up." Piper smiled. I rolled my eyes.
"With how romantic you guys were being last night, it sure did seem like you guys were a couple." Gwen added.
Colson looked down at me with wondering eyes.
"Just keep your mouths shut, please? My parents don't need to find out anything." They all nodded in agreement. I yawned. I wasn't tired, but I was still waking up and almost fully recovered from my hangover.
My phone buzzed and I lifted it from my pocket, a text from my Dad.
"We need to talk."
I looked up at Colson, worriedly, and he looked back at me.
.~.~.~.~.
"What's up Dad?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen and set my bag down in the chair. Both of my parents were glaring at me. I was so confused. I honestly didn't even know what I did.
He pulled a light tan colored folder from the counter and thick white pages. He extended his hand out and I took them. Uh-oh. It's pictures of me and Colson. From the security camera.
"Dad I can explain." I began.
"You can explain? You can explain the fact that you're dating a boy who has way too many tattoos, a horrible reputation, who's too old for you and has no potential in life whatsoever?" He rambled.
My curled eyebrows turned into raised eyebrows, in shock.
"He has plenty talent. All of his tattoos mean something and he is gonna go somewhere in life!" My Mom began to interrupt me but I just kept rambling on in defense of Colson.
"And he's a really great guy! If you guys actually got to know him!"
"You do realize that whatever you do in your personal life, reflects on us as parents? Every mistake you make is in the public eye! You've been in the news twice in one week! And that's not okay! And you're not even 18 yet!"
I bit my lip. I knew they were right, but I refused to tell them that. And just because they weren't happy didn't mean I couldn't be happy, right? It's my life after all.
"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry but he just-"
"Don't even start, Haydence. We don't approve of this. And we never will." My Dad crossed his arms and glared at me.
My eyes began to fill with tears.
"So just because you guys aren't happy means I can't be happy?" My voice began to crack. The only response I got was from my Dad and he tilted his head toward the hallway, signaling for me to get out of sight.
"Gladly." I grumbled as I rushed upstairs.
.~.~.~.~.
"Kells, you gotta get your head focused. These songs were suppose to be done 2 days ago!" Ash yelled. I groaned and slammed my hands on the wall.
The entire room fell silent.
"Damn it, I know that!" I exclaimed.
"You know what you have to do.." Ash reminded me in a calmer tone.
I shook my head.
"No."
"Yes."
"No!" I looked around the room. Dubo, Slim, Swerve, and Ash all looking back at me. I knew what they were all thinking, it was the exact same thing. I groaned.
"Shit finally starts to go right and you guys want me to leave it in the dust?"
"Bro, she's affecting your work. That's the main reason we came to L.A. So you could work and do what you love." Slim argued. I plopped down on the couch across from them and rested my head in my hands.
"It's not gonna fucking happen, alright!?" I argued back.
"If you don't drop that other shit - Hanging out with young girls and trying to have a relationship - you're just gonna get yourself into trouble and the new album will never come out!" Ash spat.
Fuck. She was right.
I exhaled deeply and rubbed my face.
"It's gonna be rough but you'll move on." She added.
.~.~.~.~.
We had been hanging out all day. Renting movies on NetFlix, eating all the junkfood we wanted and ordering all the pizza we could eat, but something was up and I knew it.
"Colson? Colson?" I asked, gently tapping his cheek with my hand. He shuddered.
"You okay?" He cleared his throat and sipped his beer.
"Yeah, I'm good." He looked back up at the TV. Somehow I knew he was lying.
"Did I tell you what my parents said last night? After I left the beach?"
He shook his head and looked down at me.
"They said they didn't approve of us being together." I mocked in my Dad's tone.
He curled his eyebrows.
"How did they find out?"
"I guess there were security cameras in the hallway by the bathrooms." I saw him bite the side of his lip as he turned back to the TV.
"Okay," I took the remote and paused the movie. "What's up?"
He shook his head and tried to take the remote back.
"Not until you tell me." I refused as I held the remote behind my back.
He shrugged and stood up, making his way over to the mini fridge and taking out another beer.
"Colson?" He chugged down the entire beer can and my eyes grew wide. "Colson!"
"What?!" He exclaimed, turning back to me.
I hesitated but I asked him again.
"You've been distant all day. You haven't answered any of my questions and have hardly talked to me." He ran his fingers through his hair wildly.
"You wanna know why I'm so distant?" He said harshly, I slowly nodded my head.
"Ever since I fucking met you, I've been lagging!" I grew confused.
"Lagging?"
"Lagging! I've been ending studio time early and sometimes not even showing up just so I can hang out with you! And it's been fucking with everyone and everything, especially my career!" He began pacing around the room, his breathing getting louder and unsteady.
I stood up and stepped closer to him.
"So we'll just hang out at the studio and you can work at the same time. No big deal." I shrugged. Wrong. He blew up again.
"That's not the point! The fucking point is that you are distracting me from what needs to get done! I'm so fucking behind! I have 2 songs that were supposed to be sent out days ago! Everyday I'm late, it costs us more money!"
I held back tears but couldn't help the cracking in my voice.
"So, this is all about money?" I tried to smile, thinking I might have heard things wrong but it all quickly faded to a frown.
"Do you not understand the meaning behind all of this!? Do you really not understand what this is doing to the both of us?!" He motioned his fingers, pointing at the both of us.
I was starting to get the hint. I slid on my sandals and grabbed my bag.
"Fine." He exhaled deeply and glanced over at me, his eyes turning a crystal blue color, probably filling up with tears.
"Just answer me one thing.." I threw my bag onto my shoulder. "Was everything you said all from you or did other people have a say in it?"
"...Me.. All me.." He mutters. I nodded, unable to take it anymore.
I hurried out of the hotel room, letting the door close with a loud slam and hid my face as best I could as I left the lobby with the cameras flashing in my face.
I got in my car and drove off quickly.
Can you say Tomorrow's Headline?
.~.~.~.~.
And I'm taking in the feedback you gave me! It might not be in this chapter but I am understanding and trying to put more of their relationship in it c:
Butttttttt, how do you think things will turn out? Is Colson over reacting or does he have a point? And what about Hayden's parents? /.\