Hello, you beautiful people! I hope 2015 has been good to you so far. If not, don't worry- it's only the beginning :) We have, like eleven more months. Literally.
Just letting you know that updates definitely will not remain this slow (I am so, so sorry for how long you guys wait), this is solely because my life has changed vastly since I started this story, and I'm still getting into the flow of things.
But don't worry, I'm not the type to leave things unfinished, and I don't intend to- especially with all your support. This story wouldn't even be on here without you guys.
PS. Thank you for believing in me and my writing (and putting up with typos...oops.)
As always, enjoy x
***
"Like, talk?" I questioned, crossing my arms. "Or- talk, talk."
Bree huffed, rolling her shoulders in, making her frame smaller then it usually is. "As in, I need a couple of moments to," she blinked, thinking. "Speak about things."
I scrunched up my face, unsure how to react. "Things?" I said unconvinced, scratching my arm.
She nodded.
"Bree," I started as I picked at my nails. "Now isn't the best time, and honestly, I - how do I put this, uh."
"...Don't want to?" She mumbled, turning her face away from mine and inspecting the door frame.
"Well," I took a breath. "When you say it like that it sounds a little harsh." I joked, flashing a weak smile. Which, in return Bree turned back to me, an expression as unreadable as before.
"I know you don't want to talk. Heck, I wouldn't want to talk to me." She said blankly, she gestured up and down her body. "Look at me." She tugged at her chapped lips and pointed at her bulging eye bags. "Look at this."
I stepped forward shutting the door behind me as Bree took a step back to let me through. Her left leg jittered as the rest of her hunching body stood still. Cautiously, I leaned forward, peaking around the warm coloured brick corners, just in case anymore unexpected visitors appeared.
"They left about an hour ago." Bree intervened, turning my attention back to her.
"Huh?"
"The press... the crowds... They gave up looking. You're fine."
"Oh. You heard about that?"
Bree shook her head, wisps of stray hairs landing on her face. "I was there." she explained, "In the crowed."
"Ah." I bobbed my head, "I assume you saw my appearance on the boy's live stream too." I said, in a tone of which I could not recognize in my own voice.
"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." Slowly, her words formed before her lips pressed together again, a hopeful glint present in her worn out eyes. I guess she sensed me appearing a little skeptical towards her, so she continued. "How long is the walk from here to the hotel?"
I crinkled my forehead, "A couple minutes, probably." I guessed, looking down the street.
"That's all I need." She bargained.
I looked her up one again, taking in the unfamiliar sight of Bree's state, contemplating whether or not I could believe, let alone trust a person who had enough nerve to go ahead with even half the things she had done.
Nevertheless, I started walking.
We walked together, no sound coming out of either one of us. The leaves crunched underneath my boots and the steady winds blew the leaves to dance around my ankles and up my shins.
"Aren't you cold?" I asked, taking into account her battered flip flops.
"Oh, uh." Bree attempted a smile, "I was in a bit of a rush so," she looked down at her feet as we made our way through the tangerine coloured shapes under us. "I just put on anything." she answered.
I nodded at the rest of her outfit, assuming that it was just a case of bad timing. "This?" She pulled at the top of her clothing. "Actually, I haven't changed in like- I can't even put a date on it. My head's just been, Y'know." she made circular motions with her index finger on the side of her head while she whistled. "I haven't been able to think, lately. Like, I can but- I've been thinking- and, ugh!" She laughed at herself nervously.
"I also clearly can't string together a single damn sentence." She stopped in her tracks. I stopped too, watching her as she stared down at the decaying pavement. She rubbed her temples with her two fingers. "Why didn't you just rat me out, Sophie?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean." she frowned, her voice accelerating. "There was your chance- you almost took it." she continued, a confused anger present in her voice. "But you didn't." she swallowed. "And now everything's screwed up."
"Things had screwed up way before then, trust me." I forced out a chuckle.
"I just understand why you come clean- you almost did." she spoke with her hands, clenching her fists. "Why didn't you finish it?"
I lifted me shoulders, "I couldn't." I said simply, turning on my heels and continuing down the road. Bree followed.
"Why not?" I pleaded. "You could've put the blame on the person who deserved it."
"And who's that? You?" I raised my eyebrows, irching forward.
"Well," she quietened down. "Yeah."
"See, that's where you're wrong." I interrupted, hooking my thumbs into my pockets. "I knew that this was a risky thing to go ahead with- did I do it? Yes. So, already, the fault is already partially on me."
"But it was my idea."
"But Calum went along with it too. It's against his contract to do what he did, and he still did it. The press published a story that invaded people privacy so, technically, they're at fault as well." I gave Bree a reassured look. "See?"
"But Sophie." She retaliated, looking me dead in the eyes. "If I didn't think of it none of this would've happened!"
I sighed as we arrived at the back of the hotel. The ever so familiar double doors sitting parallel from where I stood, Bree still ranting behind my back. My head drooped down to my left, a place where an intoxicated Calum had slept- or so I thought at the time. A little further down it around the edge had once held a teary eyed Ani and opposite that was a car parking space, tucked away from the public- the home of black BMW.
"Alright!" I snapped, shutting her up. I smiled, pitifully. "Is this what you want, huh?" I bellowed. I wasn't mad, nor the least bit even angry- I just needed her reaction.
"Is this what you expected?" I shouted, slightly less gruff. She nodded timidly.
I softened my voice. "Why?"
"I don't know." Her lip trembled as she shrugged limply. "I don't know." she pushed her hair back. "I didn't know what to expect, I just thought you shouting was inevitable so that's what I prepared for- I knew it was coming." her voice strained as it became noticeable weaker. "And I like that, okay? I'm always in control and that's how it was supposed to go. And I figured, if you got angry at me I would have a reason to dislike you just as much as you probably hate me right now."
"Wait." I cut her off, pressing the keys into the door. "Where on earth did you get the idea that I hated you?"
Bree gave me a puzzled look, before letting out an exasperated yell.
"Why the heck are you being nice to me?!" she wailed. "Just, stop it, seriously! You're so, I don't even know- weird? Why the heck can't you just be normal and hate me for goodness sake? I deserve it." She grasped at the roots of her hair, shaking.
"Bree, stop. Stop!" I grabbed her forearm, forcing her arms back down to her sides. "Stop it."
I held onto her cold hands as the trembled inside mine. I looked up at her her, and she blinked back bloodshot eyes.
"I'm sorry, Sophie." her raspy voice cracked at my name. "And please, don't even think about saying that, 'it's okay'."
I shook my head, letting go of her hands. "I wasn't going to." I admitted. "Because what you've done, simply put, it wasn't okay- and I'm not going to give you the benefit of telling you that lie."
I reached into my back pocket, pulling out a couple coins. "There's no way on earth I'm letting you walk home in this state." I said, blankly, stuffing the money into her palms. "I'm going to call a taxi, you're going to go home, you're going to wash and you're going to change."
Bree's mouth wobbled as her breaths hiccuped.
"You're going to eat and then, after that you can do whatever the heck you want- read, watch TV, it really doesn't matter. What does matter, is that you stay away from here for now. Until when, well- I don't know." I folded her finders over the coins. I turned, opening the door and stepping in.
"I'll come to you when I feel like it's right to finish this conversation. But for now, you need to stay away from here and you need to stay away from the boy's." I began to shut the door, "And if you do that- then we can finish talking." I gave her one last smile, "Take care." breathed, before shutting the door.
I pushed the door closed, feeling satisfied at the reassuring click of the lock. Walking over to the elevator, I couldn't help but steal a glance back at the door, debating whether of not to check if Bree was still there. I pressed the button, a blue ring illuminating around the metal circle as I did so, and a subtle ping sounded as the elevators opened.
I racked my brain thinking of excuses to tell the guy's. None of which were appropriate nor believable. In desperation, I slapped my palms against the walls of the elevator, banging my head against the metal panel just as the door opened. I jumped, startled. A middle- aged man in a brown hat stepped into the elevator beside me. He gave me an acknologing tip of his cap and I smiled back.
This is it, the is the last human I will see before I get pounced on by a group of band members who will undoubtedly bombard me with questions I simply don't have an answer to.
Door doors slid open and I stepped out into the hallway. Pulling my phone out, I typed in the local taxi's number and held it to my ear and walked until I reached the doors of the hotel room. I shooved my hone between my shoulder and my ear, craning it in the dent of my neck.
"Hi, yes, I'd like to book a taxi please.. yes..." I mumbled into my phone as I fiddled with my wallet, pulling out my keycard and pushing it into the lock.
My hands trembled as I swung the door open, quietly doing my best to make as little noise as possible. I turned round to shut the door, gently twisting the handle. Maybe I got lucky. Maybe the guy's wern't back yet.
"Hey."
I jumped, startled at the sound.
"Gah!" My back slapping against the door as my hand found it way to my chest. "Ani, for goodness sake." I whipped my hand back down to my side, straightening my self up. "You frightened me."
She didn't reply. Instead, she stood silent, arms folded, tapping her forearm with the tips of her fingers. She didn't look angry. But she definitely wasn't happy, either- she was far from it.
Clearly, there was only one way out of this.
"Oh, gosh!" I forced out a gasp, pointing my left arm out over her shoulder. "L-Look over there!" I shrilled, covering my eyes. Screwing over my eyelids, I waited for her scream, hopefully followed by my que to make my escape.
A few seconds passed. Slowly, I separated my fingers, peeking through the gaps to reveal, low and behold, Ani still standing there. Slightly amused, to say the least.
"Looks like someone has some explaining to do."
It was my turn to fold my arms, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Hah." she scoffed, giving me a knowing smile. "You sure about that?"
I nodded. Technically, she still doesn't know. I mean, I didn't let that much out. And it's not like she can read minds or anything. Maybe I can still make a run for it-
"Don't even think about it." Bree snapped me back into reality, snatching my key card out of my hands.
I huffed, annoyed at the soiling of my ingenious plan. "I wasn't..."
There was only one route to go down- the 'ole classic. Utter denial.
"Then how did you know what I was talking about?"
"I didn't."
"But you replied."
"No, no I didn't."
Ani tilted her head, "... Come on, Sophie."
"Look, I don't know anything, okay? Jeez, some one got up on the wrong side of the bed today." I chuckled nervously. "Now, if you don't mind I'm just going to, uh," I pointed to the end of the hallway leading to the kitchen.
Ani stuck out her arm, blocking my way. "Trying to walk away won't help." she pointed out. "And neither will offending me." she added, as an afterthought.
"Thanks for the advice, I'll really take that into account next tim-"
"Why did you run off camera earlier?"
I caught my breath, stabilizing myself. "Pfft." I stuck my bottom lip out, placing my hands on my hips. "I needed to pee."
Ani blinked, her expression softening.
"Oh thank goodness!" she fanned herself, wiping her brow. A wide, goofy smile taking over, warming up her features. "I thought it was something serious!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes.
I looked her up and down cautiously, scratching the back of my neck.
"I totally believe you."
"Really?" I beamed, my ears perking up.
"No." she said, coldly. Her expression hardened, once again as she stepped towards me. "Now, answer my question."
I opened my mouth to reply, but she cut me off before I could start.
"The truth would be nice, by the way."
"The truth?" I repeated. "Ah, the truth... Well." I exhaled, "What is there to say, but," I rattled my brain for an alibi. I've twisted the truth around so many times in the past, why couldn't I do it now? "I was..."
"You were?"
I pursed my lips, waiting for the excuse to pop into my brain.
"I was jealous."
I frowned at my pathetic attempt an excuse. It's not like lying was my specialty in the first place, anyway. Ani mirrored my expression. She raised her eyebrows, dumbfounded.
"Of what?" She replied, more confused then angry. "Exposure?"
"No! No." I shook my hands, using the guys was the last thing I wanted, let alone what I want Ani to think of me as. "I mean, they're so talented. I just wanted to show my talent off for once." I blabbered, my filter completely turned off.
"Mhm." Ani hummed, unfolding her arms. "And what would that be? If you don't mind me asking."
I opened my mouth, hoping that this alibi may be the least bit decent. But nothing came out. I stammered on my words- or more like, the lack of them. At least this excuse would have been a little more believable.
If I didn't have the talent equivalent of a spoon, that is.
Or, if any words actually managed to come out.
Footsteps emerged from the kitchen, and a messy- haired Ashton came stomping out.
"I can't believe this." he muttered.
"Ash," I smiled, before it dawned on me the fact that I was probably the reason for his distressed state.
I tipped my head down so much my chin skimmed across the rim of my T- shirt. I waited for it. The questions, the accusations. It would only a matter of time before the others came to join in, anyway.
"What's wrong, babe?" Ani's voice was pricked with concern,
"What's wrong?" Ashton repeated, "I'll tell you what's wrong." I said, coldly. "This, this is what's wrong."
I hadn't realized I had closed my eyes until the mental picture of Ashton pointing at me faded into the sight of my beat up laces as I opened my lids. I looked up,
"Can't a man enjoy his cereal without being messed with?"
That's when I noticed the milk bottle.
"Look at this!" He unscrewed the bottle top, tipping the empty container over. "All I wanted was a nice bowl of cereal, and what do I get, huh?" Ashton tried to twist the cap back on, but failed miserably as the lid fell out of his large, fumbling hands and bounced against the wooden floor.
"Just, dry flakes and disappointment."
"Awh, that's so... sad." Ani smiled pitifully, ruffling his hair. Ashton huffed, but Ani pulled him in, pecking him on his cheek. "Better?"
"A little." Ashton said back, reluctantly. A hint of pink primping his cheeks.
I giggled, shielding my eyes from they're undeniable cuteness. "Get a room, both of you."
A bedroom door open, of which Calum exited out of. He looked as if he had just been asleep, regardless of the fact it was almost dusk already. His hair stuck up in random strands as he rubbed his sleepy eyes with his right hand, holding his phone with the other.
"Cal, thank goodness. Help me get these two away before I have to gauge my own eyeballs out."
He shook his head, "Not now."
I frowned, "What's wrong with you?"
"He's probably feeling guilty for using up all the milk."
"What?" Calum stuttered, yawning.
"Shut up, Ash." Me and Ani, replied in sync.
"Anyway..." Calum continued, turning to me. I gulped, I knew what was coming. Or so I thought. He stuck out his arm, facing the phone screen in my direction. "Have you seen this?"
I squinted at the screen, a large headline filling the area.
'Stylist Speaks Out: 'It was me' '
"What is this?" I scrolled down, studying the tagline. The kissing picture to it's left, along with the statistics of approximate views received of the image. To the left of it was a slightly smaller picture of a familiar face.
"Is that?"
"Bree? Yeah, it is."
Calum took my hand, guiding me into the bedroom. He shut the door as I made my way to the bed. My hips sank into the mattress whereas my eyes stayed glued to the screen. I was cold. But not from the room room, more so the bitter sinking feeling taking place as I contined reading.
"Is there a video?" I asked, my sight still focused on the article.
"I don't think so." Calum replied, leaning over my shoulder. "She did the interview over the phone so there's no footage."
"And when was this?"
"Today." he explained, making his way over to the corner. "Literally, twitter just got really crazy all of a sudden." He picked up a jug, pouting ice water into a cup, the glass clinking as his hands refused to remain still. "It didn't take long to find the link."
I carefully placed the phone down beside me, slightly dazed. Calum kept talking, but his words were the equivalent of a visual blur. Somehow, my eyes found there way back to the phone screen, thick black text staring back out me:
'Ex-stylist to Band, 5 Seconds of Summer, claims to be Girl in Viral picture'