by K. T Fisher
“No darling, I don’t go back to any womans house.”
I’m not just saying this to her, it’s true. Being in a band I can’t risk going back to a girl’s house that I just met that night. Anything could happen! Safest place to go is a hotel or the bus, but it’s too late to be bothering with a fucking hotel. So I guess I can sneak her on the bus and jump on my bunk or just have a quickie in the living area and get rid of the evidence by morning.
The girl sighs, but finally leaves it. If she wants my dick, which every groupie of mine does, then she won’t care where or how she gets it.
I lead her up to the bus, telling her to be quiet, but just as I reach the door I hear a sniffle. Sounds like a girl who maybe crying. At first I think it’s going to be Crystal, crying about our fight, so on instinct I push the groupie away. She bitches about it as I step closer towards the back of the bus and that’s when I spot her, Roxie curled up in a ball sobbing and clutching onto a bottle.
“Ewww.” The girl beside me scrunches her nose up at her and I see red. Roxie is a friend and although I may not have known her all that long, but Lacey and Rox have become good friends to me and this bitch needs to go.
“You need to leave.” I glare at her.
Her eyebrows rise and she looks back between me and a crying Roxie. “What?”
“You heard me, get gone.” I push her slightly in the direction opposite me. Huffing, she starts walking away and I hear her calling me all the names under the sun as she does.
I look at Roxie for a minute, thinking about what to do. I’ve noticed some things about this girl lately. Like the way her eyes follow Lacey and Cole and the way a bottle always seems to take place by her side. Her shit has taken over and she’s finally hit the bottom. Deciding to not go and get Mason, I make my way over to her. Walking as quietly as I can.
“Rox?” She doesn’t even stir so I kneel beside her. The thought of maybe another attack happening just like Lacey’s enters my head so I nudge her a little. “Roxie?”
She mumbles about something but she’s conscious and I can’t make out any injuries. She looks like she’s in a deep sleep because she keeps whimpering from all the crying she has probably been doing before she got to this state.
Wanting to just get her inside, I pick her up and as soon as I do she struggles in my hold. She looks panicked and starts to cry again.
“Hey, Rox it’s me. It’s Book and I’m gonna get you inside ok babe?”
As soon as she hears my voice she calms down and I’m able to take her inside of the bus. I manage to get the door handle open with my elbow as I awkwardly kick open the door. The place is full of chatter but when I enter with Roxie in my arms, everyone is deadly quiet. I see Lacey’s face first and I see the panic that what happened to her has now happened to her friend. To assure her I shake my head, at least I don’t think anything like that has happened anyway. She’s awake and in no way looks as bad as Lacey did that night, thank god.
Mason is quickly beside me and he touches Roxie’s arm. “Oh my God baby.”
His voice cracks but as soon as Roxie hears his voice she starts to sob in my arms. A horrible screaming cry that sounds tortured. Everyone looks shocked, Mason the most and I pull away from him. Roxie seems to quieten a little and I look up into Mason’s hurtful eyes.
“Sorry man, maybe leave her until tomorrow yeah?”
Mason stands tall and nods his head, then goes to sit by the window in his sulking pose. I can’t blame him. We may get on each other’s nerves but shit, I don’t like seeing that look on his face.
I look around at everyone else before leaving the room. “Roxie needs the bedroom tonight, I’m gonna go and get her settled.”
I quickly look to Cole to see if it’s ok because his girl is still healing from her attack. He nods at me, answering my silent question and I silently walk down to the bedroom door and thankfully find it already open. I lay her down on the bed and she starts to cry again and scrunching herself in a ball like I found her in outside. I lay down beside her and stroke her hair, trying my best to sooth her. I’m not real good with this sort of thing but it seems like Roxie is trusting me to look after her. So trying the best I can, I stroke her hair and her crying comes to an end. She looks up at me, her eyes big and round and red.
“You’re ok now Rox, we’re on our own.” She seems to relax a little. “You don’t seem ok lately babe and I know something has had to happen to you.” Her eyes just continue to stare so I carry on.
“Look, I might not know you that well but I know when I see a person in love and hurting because of it. Trust me I know. I see you watching Lacey and Cole and I know for sure you ain’t interested in Cole.”
I see her lip tremble and I know I just hit the nail on the head. Shit, I knew something wasn’t right with her. The girl has secret feelings for her best friend and has to watch her with Cole all loved up and then she’s attacked and can’t express her true concerns. No wonder she’s messed up! I reach down and softly kiss her on the top of her head.
“It’s ok babe, your secret is safe with me.” She snuggles up to me, seeking comfort. “Look Rox, you need to step away from that bottle. You hear me? That’s not gonna do you any good. The answer will never be in there. If you need to talk, you can always come to me.”
Roxie falls asleep in my arms soon after. I feel real sorry for her because the girls got a tough time coming up.
Chapter Twenty
Two weeks later
Lacey
Finally after two and a half weeks of healing and doing nothing, I am able to see the bands show tonight! I have had enough of being cooped up inside of this bus!
Apart from having a talk with Roxie the morning after Booker found her outside, I haven’t seen her much and to tell you the truth, I’m really worried about her. She seems to spend all her time drinking and now she seems to do it out of sight. So I haven’t seen a lot of Mason because he’s out making sure that Roxie is ok. Then there’s Booker and Crystal. I don’t even know what’s going on there but they aren’t around a lot and I think that’s so they’re not around her big brother Tate. Although, Cole told me she fell out with Booker because she walked in on him having sex with someone else. Mostly, I think everyone has tried to give Cole and I time on our own, seeing as I wasn’t in a great position to go out.
Now that all of my bruising has gone, I’m dressed to kill in my really short denim shorts and crop top to show off my stomach. I have chosen against the heels and gone with my high top blue Converse because they’re comfy and I don’t want to push myself too much.
Cole has left me to walk on stage and I’m standing with Roxie and Crystal. It feels a little awkward, so I turn to Roxie.
“You ok Rox?”
She looks over to me and I swear her smile looks relieved. Like she was almost worried I wouldn’t speak to her. I have no idea why.
“Yeah.” She simply answers and turns back to look at the stage. I watch her as she watches the guys work their magic. She looks like she’s swaying a little and truthfully it doesn’t actually feel like she’s here at all. She’s somebody else completely. As I look at her, the empty shell of my best friend, I feel tears fill my eyes. I feel an arm surround me and I jump. I look up to see Crystal looking at me.
“Shit, sorry.”
“No, it’s ok. I guess I’m still a little jumpy.”
Crystal gives me a sympathetic look. “That’s understandable honey,”
Cole roars his high note and I turn to look at him, I’m so proud. I hear Crystal giggle and turn to see she’s still watching me and I blush. Roxie hollers loudly at Mason and starts jumping about. I turn my wide eyes back to Crystal and see she’s looking shocked at Roxie too.
“I’m gonna be straight with you Lacey, that girl is damaged.”
My heart drops. “Damaged?”
She sadly nods her head. “I don’t know what she’s dealing with, but all Booker told me was its bad. She needs help.”
I look at
Roxie and take a big hard look. She does look troubled and sure enough she bends down and reaches for something on the ground. She stands straight, already taking a long drink from the bottle. She actually has a stash with her at all times.
As I’m sadly shaking my head at her, Roxie looks right at me. Her eyes narrow and she clumsily places her hand on her hip, still holding onto her trusty bottle.
“What’s your problem Lace?”
“Maybe you should take a break.” I nod towards the bottle in her hand.
Roxie frowns at me. “You don’t know shit.”
Tears fall down my cheeks, I can’t believe she spoke to me like that. Crystal takes me to the side a little and puts her arm around me.
“It’s not her Lace, it’s the drink.”
I look back over and see she’s happy again. Shouting and whistling to Mason, dancing with no cares.
I try to put it behind me and enjoy my first show in nearly three weeks. As I’m dancing with Crystal, I spot those three bitchy blondes again waiting by the groupie curtain. Crystal sees where I’m looking and groans.
“Ugh, I hate those desperate bitches.”
“You know them?”
She shrugs. “No, but the guys do.”
The girl in front smirks and waves. It makes me feel uneasy and I don’t like it.
Crystal is immediately at my side. “Why are those bitches glaring at you?”
I shrug and Crystal grabs hold of my hand, leading me over to them.
“Chris, what are you doing?”
“Shhh, leave this to me.”
We stop in front of them and the one in front snickers.
“Hi Lacey, aren’t you a cute little doll.”
I immediately hate the woman.
“Don’t talk to her, why the fuck you here anyway Shelly? Cole doesn’t want you.”
My spine stiffens. Cole? She’s after my Cole?
Shelly frowns at me. “Because of her? Oh please!”
She leans in closer to me and I’m swarmed in her sweet perfume.
“Listen to me pretty little girl. Cole is a man, a man who likes girls like me. We have a good time together and even with me he slept around. That’s what Nicole and Kirsty are here for.” She points to her two friends standing behind her. “Cole isn’t happy with just the one woman and I can handle that and give him what he needs. You on the other hand, can’t.”
Crystal tenses. “Listen bitch!”
I stop Crystal from her rant and shake my head when she looks over at me. This is my fight.
“Listen, I don’t know who you are but I know one thing. I’m here to stay and a skank like you isn’t going to change that. Cole isn’t interested in something as desperate as you. See, you weren’t enough for him that’s why he slept around. But with me, I’m too much for him to handle. So he doesn’t wonder away.”
Shelly’s face turns bright red and she squeals before storming away with her friends quickly following after her.
When Cole comes off stage, I don’t mention Shelly at all. There’s no need to.
***
When I wake up the next morning, the bus is driving and Cole is out cold. I can’t get back to sleep so I decide to get up anyway. Throwing on shorts and a vest and scrunching my hair in a messy bun, I grab my glasses and make my way into the kitchen. I make a bowl of my favorite cereal and open up my laptop, with a hot cup of coffee I make a start on my work.
About an hour in, I hear footsteps coming from where the bunks are. I see a rather messy looking Roxie appear. Her hair is in a mess and she’s only in her underwear. She walks right up to the kettle and boils the water. When she spots me at the table, she looks shocked to see me.
“Morning.” Her voice comes out croaky.
“Morning.” I reply.
She offers to make me a new coffee and I accept. The only sounds are my tapping on the keyboard of my laptop. Roxie settles herself at the table right next to me and hands me my drink.
“Thank you.”
I feel her eyes on me as I work.
“I’m sorry about what I said last night.”
“I’m surprised you remembered.”
Roxie’s face falls and I immediately feel like shit for it.
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.” She quickly replies.
“I’m worried about you Rox.”
She sighs heavily. “Yeah I know, so is everyone else.”
“We are and you’re scaring me.”
Her big eyes look right at me. “I’m sorry Lace.”
I shake my head. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“No I do, I’ve done something Lace. I-“
“Morning girlies!” Tate’s cheerful voice interrupts.
Roxie immediately shuts up and sinks back into herself. Damn Tate and his timing. I really feel like Roxie was going to give me something important.
I give Tate a smile and he winks as he continues to walk into the main living area. I look back to Roxie but she has that numb and empty look about her again. I’m not going to get anything out of her now.
I take a sip of me coffee and wince. “What type of crap is this?”
Roxie smirks and gives me her cup, taking mine. “Sorry, that’s mine.”
She then walks off, leaving me to my work. Well, at least I now know for definite that she spikes her coffee.
Chapter Twenty One
Lacey
A couple of days after my near revelation with Roxie, something strange happens. It’s weird and I don’t know if I like it or not, but if I’m wanting to be with Cole I will have to learn to cope.
I’m sitting in the bus, looking out the window as I stare at the small group of men waiting. They’re not roadies or body guards, they are paps and I already hate them with a passion. Obviously being with Cole, I’m going to have to ignore them, pretty hard though because this morning I was caught by them. Innocently strolling to the nearest store at our latest stop when something on the magazine isle caught my eye. Right there, on the front of a gossip mag was a picture of me, Roxie and Crystal! Below us, a smaller picture of the guys and the headline read, THE WOMEN OF BLACK INFERNO.
I grabbed the magazine and ran back to the bus, forgetting the supplies I wanted in the first place. As I reached the black gates, where the guards waited and let me in, I ran into a group of men with cameras. We stood facing one another for a minute before I quickly walked off.
“Hey! That’s Cole’s girl!” One of them shouted.
Just like that, they then chased me to the bus. Cole burst open the door and ushered me in and went bat shit crazy at the paparazzi.
Now here I am looking at them and worrying about the next time I have to go out.
“You get used to it.” Crystal settles onto the seat near me and glances out at the chubby men.
“I doubt it.”
Crystal smiles. “Trust me, ever since they realized I’m Tate’s baby sister, I’ve had one or two on my case for the past year. Being Cole’s lady will probably be a bit worse than that for you.”
I grimace and she laughs. “Relax Lace, I’m teasing.”
***
Cole and the guys decide to get ready in the dressing rooms provided by the arena tonight, instead of inside the bus with the girls. Their manager and the head of their record label wants a meeting with them over there before the show.
Crystal seems to be a bit down tonight and I wonder if it has something to do with the groupie Booker disappeared with last night. Those two are a mess and Cole’s told me to stay well out of it. I wouldn’t even know where to start if I did decide to meddle. Crystal has obvious feelings for Booker, but does her best to ignore them. Booker being with other girls blatantly bothers her, but she does nothing about it because she’s scared to tell her big brother Tate who apparently to Crystal, is real protective and has scared every boyfriend she has ever had. Booker on the other hand wants to give it a go and tell Tate which to me seems a little backwards. Booker is
a huge player and likes sleeping around, so it would seem right that he would be the one who wouldn’t want to settle down. Obviously that’s not the case, it’s Crystal and it just seems odd to me.
