by J. L. Ostle
“That motherfucker!” he shouts into the room. I take the photos from him, looking through each one.
“He was watching us,” I say quietly.
Colin
What the fuck was I thinking, kissing Sasha in a dirty alleyway? Fuck, it was more than kissing, I was basically ravaging her in a public place, and this sicko was watching, taking pictures.
“We need to call the police,” Karen speaks up. I look to Sasha and she still is looking at the photos in her hands. I grab my phone from my pocket when Aaron stops me.
“You can’t.” I look to him angrily.
“Why the hell not?”
“They will ask to look at the pictures. They will know that you are related and this may get plastered all over the papers.”
“Fuck.” He’s right. I bet the stalker knows that, too. He is toying with me and I don’t like it.
“I guess you won’t be able to tell Xander, either,” Karen says quietly. I’m screwed. I really wanted to keep Sasha safe and I’ve just made things worse. I walk to Sasha, taking the pictures away and sitting her down.
“I will figure this out,” I try and reassure her.
“I know you will. I tried to be spontaneous, and follow what I was feeling, and I didn’t think of anything else. All I’m thinking about now is what if you never came out when you did? Was he watching me before you found me?” I look into her scared eyes and my blood starts to boil. She’s right. How long was he there for?
“You need to go get some sleep. I’ve checked your room already but Aaron and I will take turns watching over you.”
“I’ll sleep over, too. It will be like a slumber party.” Karen smiles to her and Sasha nods. I watch them walk up the stairs but I quickly run after her, stopping her with a gentle kiss.
“It doesn’t change what we talked about tonight. I’m all in, okay?” She kisses my cheek and nods before heading back up with Karen.
I head to Aaron and he is looking at his phone. “What’s up?” I ask him.
“Oh, it's Danny, he’s saying he’s around and if we want to meet up sometime.” God, I haven’t heard from Danny since graduation. I think I remember him saying he’s going to work for his uncle or something.
“Tell him we’ll meet up soon. But don’t fill him in on what’s going on. I don’t want anyone else knowing about what Sasha is going through.”
“You got it.” He presses a few keys and pockets his phone. “What now, boss?”
“I’ll take the first watch and you get some sleep. We switch after four hours.” We say our goodnights and I walk around the house once more, making sure every window is bolted shut and front and back doors are locked. I know I did a sweep already, but I need to double check.
I feel eerie knowing he watched me and Sasha be intimate. If I was a stalker obsessed with a girl, I know I would be angry seeing another man touch her. I don’t think he will be happy with me right now.
I head back upstairs to Sasha’s room and knock softly on her door until I hear them both tell me to come in. Seeing Sasha sitting on her bed wearing a light pink tank and shorts, hugging a pillow, it makes her look so much younger.
“I’m just checking the windows.” I kiss her forehead before looking around the room one more time.
“I thought you said windows, not seeing if there is a bogeyman under the bed,” Karen jokes.
“Sorry, just want to make sure you’re both safe. I’ll be right outside that door. If you hear anything or feel unsafe, just shout out to me. I’ll be in here in a flash.”
“Thanks, Colin,” Sasha whispers. I walk to her, leaning over her as I hold her.
“I’ve got you,” I whisper in her hair.
“I know.” She breathes into my chest. I step back and give her one final look before stepping back out. I grab a comfortable chair from one of the rooms and sit outside her door, listening to my surroundings.
Aaron took over, and once my head hit the pillow, I was passed out like a light. Hearing my alarm go off makes it feel like I was only asleep for ten minutes. I quickly wash my face and brush my teeth and head back to Aaron who is on his phone.
“Hey man.” I clap his shoulder. “Anything to report?” He shakes his head.
“Nope, nothing.” That’s good.
“I’m going to make us some coffee.” I head to the kitchen and make a fresh pot. I’m leaning against the counter when I hear something outside.
I walk slowly to the other side of the house, opening the front door and my mouth hangs open when I see a crowd of reporters at the barred gate. They all shout when they spot me, asking me question after question.
“Is it true Miss Bennett is being stalked?”
“Is it true you only took this job because your career ended so terribly?”
“Is it true that Miss Bennett is having a breakdown?” Flashes of lights are going off. I am about to close the door when Sasha walks out with sleepy eyes.
“What’s going…” She stops mid-sentence, looking shocked. I grab her, pulling her back into the house. “Why are they outside my house?” she asks, panicked.
“It leaked that you’re being stalked.” I hold onto her shoulders.
She rubs her forehead. “How?”
“I don’t know.” I pull her to me.
“What the fuck is going on?” Karen and Aaron both run down the stairs.
“It’s all came out. They are asking about the stalker.”
“What the fuck?” Karen shouts. She starts pacing. It doesn’t take long until the door barges open and my dad and Marie walks in. Looking at my dad’s face, he doesn’t look happy.
“I asked you to do one job. One job and you can’t do that. How the hell did all this get out?” he shouts at me.
“I don’t know,” I shout back at him. He looks to Aaron and waltzes to him.
“Who the fuck are you?”
“That’s Aaron, my best friend, I asked for his help,” I say defenselessly.
“Did you fucking tell? I bet you got a good amount of money by squealing.” My dad pushes him and I run to him, pushing him away.
“Back off, it wasn’t him. You said this has been going on for months but now it’s gotten worse. It could have been anyone working with the band, so calm the fuck down.” I point my finger at him.
“I’m sorry. I woke up and the house is all over the news.” I step away and head to the living room, putting on the TV and, yup, cameras are on the house. At least I know with them out there, the stalker can’t get close.
“It was going to come out eventually. We just need to hold a press conference, if that’s what you call them, and tell them that, yes, there is a stalker but it’s being handled. I am sure the greats had to go through all this before so it will be fine. With the paparazzi all over Sasha, there is no way the stalker can get close to her with all the cameras around.” I try and reassure everyone.
“He’s right, honey.” Marie holds onto my dad’s arm.
“I will get it set up.” He smiles to her. I am calming myself down also when I feel arms wrap around my arm. I look to see Sasha smiling up at me. I hold onto her hand smiling back.
“I like when you take charge.” She chuckles, causing me to laugh.
“Hell no.” We both turn to my dad and his face has turned red. “What did I say about her?” He runs over, pushing me. “I told you to stay away from her. You couldn’t even do that. It’s been a week, a fucking week, and you couldn’t keep it in your fucking pants.” I push him back.
“Calm the fuck down,” I scream at him.
“Don’t tell me to calm the fuck down. I told you not to touch her. To stay away from her.”
“Honey, what is going on?” Marie asks, looking at us confused.
“My son is fucking your daughter.” She gasps and I pull my arm back, punching him.
“Don’t you dare!” I scream at him. He is huffing and puffing, but he knows he won’t be able to take me. I am bigger than he is, he knows it.
“Why do you think we are sleeping together?” Sasha asks softly. Xander glares at her.
“I knew all about you two years ago. I fucking heard you both at it after graduation and I told my son to leave you alone. I try and help him to get back on his feet and this is how he repays me?” He glares back at me.
“You knew?” Sasha asks him, shaking her head. “All this time and you knew, and yet you asked him to be my new bodyguard?”
“Only if he didn’t fuck up, but guess what, he did.”
“That night, when you ended it,” she looks to me, “it was because of him.” I look to the ground. I don’t know what to say to her. “You didn’t leave because you wanted to, but because you had to. That’s why you avoided me over the years.” I walk to her, holding her hands.
“What is happening?” Marie yells out with her hands in the air. “Sasha, you were with Colin?” Sasha nods.
“He was the guy I liked back in high school. The one I was in the arms of when you called that day. The one I fell for.” She looks up to my face.
“You were together when we told you we were going to get married?”
“We ended it, we stopped it. We tried to move on, but it was hard. I guess it ended again but it was because of Xander, I guess.”
“You knew about this and you never told me?” Marie yells at him.
“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he tries to explain.
“I knew after Colin left that something wasn’t right with my little girl. I saw the sadness in her eyes for years. She wasn’t the same. Now I know why. You shouldn’t have kept me from it.”
“But if people found out…”
“I don’t give a damn what people think. I remember seeing how my daughter was back in high school. I saw her glow and because of us, they put their happiness to the side, they were kids and they acted like grown-ups.” She walks to Sasha. “You should have told me.”
“You were so happy.” I see tears in both their eyes.
“So were you.” Sasha sniffs. “Do you love her?” she asks me.
“I always have,” I tell her, entwining my fingers with Sasha’s.
“Then be together.”
“Marie, you can’t be…”
“I’m not finished with you,” she interrupts him. “I don’t care what people think and I know they wouldn’t be outing themselves to us if they already haven’t thought about all that. My daughter is in love, fuck anyone who gets in the way.” I look to her and my mouth hangs open. I don’t think I have ever heard her swear.
“Your mom is so badass,” Aaron whispers in Sasha’s ear.
“Marie, it could ruin her career.”
“Her career is music and that’s it. Not her personal life. I want my baby happy, end of discussion.” She winks at me. “Take care of her.”
“I will.”
“I always told you, you were a good man. A little rough around the edges but a good man.”
“Thank you, Mom.” Sasha runs into her arms.
“Now that all the drama about you two is over, we still have a stalker and the media to sort out.”
“Xander will call a press conference and with the stalker thing, we will wait to see what he does now knowing that the media is around.”
“I’ll make some calls,” Xander says before heading to the kitchen.
“Thank you for being so understanding. I thought you would have killed me.” I smile to her.
“Don’t get me wrong, if you hurt her, I will gut you like a fish.” She pats my cheek before following Xander.
“I can’t believe you two are together. Just makes you wonder what would have happened if you spoke to her at the very beginning. You would never have broken up,” Aaron says and I glare at him.
“You really know how to put a damper on things.” Karen pushes him.
“Just saying.” He shrugs.
“Least we are together now.” I smile down to Sasha and she leans on her tiptoes, kissing my lips.
Unknown
I grab hold of the table, tipping it over, grabbing anything that is near me, and chucking it against the far wall. This is not how this was supposed to go.
He was supposed to back off.
Now the media is involved.
I can’t get caught.
I open up my tablet and scroll through some videos until I land on one of them all in the hallway near the front door.
Colin may think he was being smart by checking everywhere, but he should have looked at the photos that hung around the house. Or the mirror in the bathroom. I made sure I was two steps ahead.
I watch as Xander and Marie enter the home. I listen to every word.
My eyes trail to Sasha and she doesn’t look freaked. She actually looks calm, and when she walks to Colin, I feel anger seep into my very soul.
Hearing them admit they are together just throws me over the edge.
I had a plan, but he has fucked it up.
She is mine.
Mine!
I guess I need to do the final steps now before she falls in too deep with that jackass.
I take in a few deep breaths.
I’m coming, Sasha.
I’m coming for you.
Sasha
Today has been crazy.
I am happy that Mom is on board with me and Colin; Xander, on the other hand, is a completely different story. I wish I could hate him for what he did, but I know he felt he had to step in. I have been so angry and upset for so long I have no energy to put it on someone else.
Especially to the person who has helped me with my career. He has been by my side, going to meetings with me, reading over the contracts. I can’t put years of him being there for me away.
The press conference is tomorrow and I have also decided to tell them about me and Colin.
I don’t want them to find out in any other way. I want them to know the whole story.
The truth.
The band and I have rehearsed for the rest of the day to keep my mind off things. It is the last night I’m back home before we are back on the road tomorrow.
Colin has stayed at my side all day, watching me. Nothing has happened since last night with the envelope incident but there were times in the past where I would receive nothing for weeks, so hopefully with the media on watch, it has scared him off.
I am about to head on stage, the crowd chanting out the band’s name over and over. I always feel buzzed before I start to play. I take one step and then I’m being pulled back, arms wrapped around my middle, kisses get laid all over my neck.
“Have I mentioned how hot you look?” Colin breathes onto my neck.
“I’m sure you told me after you fucked my brains out before.” He twirls me around, smiling seductively at me.
“I had to calm your nerves somehow.”
“I’m always calm.”
“Then my only excuse is that I couldn’t keep my hands to myself.” He kisses my lips hard before pulling back. “Go be amazing.” He slaps my ass, causing me to yelp.
I head on stage, standing in my spot. All the lights are switched off. One beam of light shines on me as the drums start to play. I look to the ground and when the first words leave my mouth, I look up slowly to the crowd.
I sing Bette Midler's ‘Oh Industry.’ I grab hold of the microphone, each word slowly leaving my lips. The crowd is hushed. I wanted to play something different, something of the old me.
I look into the crowd and move closer to them. When the instrumental part comes, I go to my knees, looking like I’m praying. I sing softer, my hand pressed against my chest before standing again.
I walk to the edge of the stage and take a seat, singing closer to the people that have made my dreams come true. I smile when I see phone lights shine. The spotlight shines off me and onto Karen, Leo, and Brady as the instrumental part plays again.
I sing the last words. Then there is silence before the crowd screams in cheers.
“I want to do something different tonight, I hop
e that’s okay?” The crowd cheers again. “I know you all have heard about what I’m going through.” The place hushes. “I want you to know that music is my life, it’s in my soul. I hope no matter what comes, you will remember that I thank you for supporting me, for being there.” Tears form in my eyes.
I sing all the covers I have ever sang from high school until now. The show should have ended an hour ago but no one seems to mind. I let all the words seep out of me. When the last word leaves me, I thank the crowd and leave, running into Colin’s arms.
“You were amazing.”
“You need to think up some other words.” I laugh at him.
“Perfect. How’s that?”
“I’m happy with that.” He kisses me. “I need to go get a shower, I stink.”
“I don’t care.” I hit his arm.
“You were supposed to say that I don’t stink.”
“I’m not going to lie to you.” He laughs.
“Right, I’m going for a shower.” He takes hold of my hand and walks me to my changing room. We get to my door when his phone starts to ring. He says a few words before hanging up. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, there seems to be a fight outside the exit. I’ll be right back. Go make yourself even more beautiful. He kisses my cheek before running away. I sigh as I watch him leave before opening the door. I’m taking off my jewelry, when there is a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I shout out and a guy in a suit walks in, smiling at me. I study him and he looks so familiar.
“Hey, hope it’s okay I’m here, just waiting for Colin.” I pause. “I’m Danny from school.” I knew I recognized him.
“Oh, my God, Danny, I remember you. You look so different.” I stand up, giving him a hug. He is beaming at me.
“You were great out there.” I wave him off.
“Thank you. It was my last night here so wanted to go out with a bang.”
“I liked that you just sang covers.” I smile at him. He walks closer to me, leaning against the wall.
“Thanks. So, you are catching up with Colin?” I ask him.
“Yeah, I messaged Aaron yesterday and he told me to drop by since you all go back on the road tomorrow. I didn’t want to miss out on seeing you all.”
