by Mercy Amare
I wonder if her and Stephan will ever get over the grudge they have for each other. While it seems like they won’t, I truly think they will. Or at least, I hope they will. Stephan needs to get to know his sister, no matter what the circumstances have been.
I can’t help but feel bad for Mona. I know that how she treated Stephan was wrong, but she just reacted in the only way she knew how… And that was to lash out and blame the only person left to blame. I can understand where she’s coming from.
Then I think about my own dad. Seriously, what is up with all this cheating? Though, if my dad hadn’t cheated, Bridgett and I wouldn’t be here.
I know that I will forgive him.
Bridgett, however, may never forgive him.
I want to talk to him again. I want to know about my mom. I want to know what she was like. I wonder if he has a picture of her. Maybe Bridgett and I get our looks from her. Someday I will ask. But for now, I’m just going to give myself time to heal. I need a minute to breathe before I can move forward.
Tuesday, November 11
8:34 PM
Absence makes the heart grow fonder… Or not…
“And… cut!” Nancy yells. “That’s a wrap.”
Even though I am completely exhausted, I somehow manage to jump up and down and scream like a little girl. I’m glad that we finished the video early and ecstatic that when I get home Stephan will be there.
No more Nancy!
Nancy narrows her eyes at me. “Where was this excitement while we were shooting?”
Alec pats Nancy on the shoulder. “Try living with her.”
“Yeah, why are you still living with me?” I ask him, as we walk to my dressing room. “You have a house in LA. You live like five miles away from me.”
“I get to be with Bridgett at your house,” he answers easily. “I have to make her fall deeply and madly in love with me.”
“Haven’t you heard the saying absence makes the heart grow fonder?”
“You see, that might work in some instances, but when it comes to Bridge, I have to act now,” he explains. “She’s too pretty. If I don’t stake my claim, some hot actor with awesome abs will come sweep her off her feet. Then I’d have to kill him.”
I laugh. “Great logic, Alec. But I’ve seen your abs. They’re very nice.”
He smirks. “I know, right?”
“Your conceitedness never ceases to amaze me. No wonder Bridgett can’t stay away… Oh wait…” I wink at him. “I’m going to shower and go home to my husband. So I’ll see you later. Go bug my sister.”
“I’ll tell her you sent me.”
Twenty minutes later, I am in my car on the way home. I have a missed call on my phone. I don’t recognize the number, so I play the voicemail as I drive.
“Scarlett…” I hear Mona’s voice on the other end. Her voice breaks, and I can tell she’s been crying. “I told my dad… about Stephan and my real dad. I wanted him to know before the documentary aired in three weeks.” She stops talking for a minute, and I hear her soft sobs. “He kicked me out of the house. He doesn’t want anything to do with me. I don’t have anywhere to go. Demi’s Mom is letting me stay there tonight, but I can’t stay here forever. I don’t have any other family, and I don’t know who else to call. Please, call me back. I… Tell Stephan that I’m sorry.”
The voicemail comes to an end, and the person behind me honks. I realize that the light is green. I take off, but my hand is shaking as I drive.
I dial the number back.
“Scarlett?” Mona answers after the second ring.
“Yeah, it’s me…” I don’t know what to say.
“I guess you got my voice mail.” She’s scared, and I can hear it in her voice… But more than scared, she’s hurt. The only dad she’s ever known kicked her out. DNA doesn’t matter to her. I guess it does to him. It makes me sick that the past eighteen years meant nothing to him.
“I’m so sorry — about your Dad.” Sorry is such a lame word. Especially when you’re apologizing for something that is completely out of your control. But I know what I can do. “You’re welcome to come here and stay with me.”
“In LA?”
“Yes.”
There is a short pause. “Does Stephan mind?”
Mona is hurting. And I’m pretty sure Stephan won’t mind — you know, eventually. So, I lie. “No, of course not. He’s the one who suggested you come stay here.”
“Really?” She sounds surprised. “Are you sure you don’t mind? I wouldn’t be in the way. I would be at school during the day anyway…”
“It’s fine,” I promise her. I truly hope that it’s a promise I can keep. “Just fly out here tomorrow. Text me your flight schedule, and I’ll have Stephan come pick you up from the airport.”
“Oh. You’re not coming?” She sounds a little disappointed.
“I can’t. I am recording a song for my new album tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Her voice is timid, and I’m not used to it. She’s usually so in control of her emotions. That, or she’s usually better at faking. “And Scarlett, thank you.”
Wow.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard Mona say the words thank you before. I could definitely get used to nice Mona.
“You’re welcome.” I hang up my phone as I pull up to my house. I take a deep breath before getting out of the car.
How in the world am I supposed to break the news to Stephan?
9:33 PM
My life is crazy.
Stephan is asleep when I get home. I am just going to let him sleep, but when I climb into bed beside him he wakes up.
“Hey,” he greets me in a groggy voice. “I guess I fell asleep waiting for you. I need to get used to California time.”
“Sorry I’m so late,” I apologize. “But I am happy to say that I am officially finished.”
“That’s great news.” He looks excited.
“Don’t be too excited. Tomorrow and Thursday I have to be in the studio. Alec and I are going to record our duet. And then Friday, we are flying to New York. I have some TV interviews to promote the documentary and the new single.” I sigh, and lay my head back on the pillow. “My life is crazy.”
Stephan smiles at this. “I can help relieve some stress.”
That is exactly what I need.
But.
First — I have to tell him about Mona.
“I have one more thing.” I decide to just blurt it out. Procrastinating isn’t going to make the subject any easier to approach. “Mona is coming to live with us… Here…”
He sits up, and looks at me. “What?”
“Mona’s dad found out that he’s not her biological father. So she’s coming to live with us here, because she has nowhere else to go,” I explain. “And I kind of told her it was your idea for her to come here. Also you need to pick her up from the airport.”
“It was definitely not my idea. Seriously, Scarlett… Why?” He doesn’t look mad. Just frustrated.
“Because she’s your sister — your family. She has nowhere else to go. I think it’s a great idea for her to stay here. You can get to know your sister!” I try to make it sound exciting, but I can tell from the look on Stephan’s face that he’s not buying it.
“Why do you have to be so nice to everybody?” He is trying to sound angry, but I can tell he’s going to break easily.
“Please, Stephan.” I bat my eyelashes at him. “We can’t just leave her on the street. She needs a place to live. Besides, don’t you think your dad would want you and Mona to get to know each other?”
“You are a pain in the ass,” he jokes. “Okay. I will do this.”
“Good!”
“Now, where were we?” he says, pretending to think. “Oh right. I was going to relieve your stress. And well, I obviously need to relieve some stress myself.”
Stephan is pulling me over to him when I hear shouting. We both jump up and run out into the hallway where Bridgett and Alec are. I watch helplessly as Bri
dgett punches Alec in the eye.
“Ouch! That fucking hurt!” Alec yells, covering his eye.
I want to laugh as I think about the first day I met Stephan. I gave him a black eye — and that was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.
I walk over and gently push Bridgett away from Alec. “What’s going on?” I ask them both.
“Alec just propositioned me!” she answers angrily.
“I did not!” Alec quickly protests.
Oh my gosh.
I seriously don’t think I can handle living in the house with the two of them anymore. They are worse than children.
“One at a time. What happened?”
They both start talking. Or yelling.
“Bridgett first,” I say.
Bridgett sticks her tongue out at Alec, just confirming that they are in fact worse than children. “Alec asked me out again, for like the hundredth time…”
Alec cuts her off. “Puh-lease. One hundred times is a bit dramatic.”
“It’s her turn,” I remind him.
She glares at him and continues. “So he’s telling me all the perks of being with him. Like money. And all the cars he will buy me. So I’m like do you buy all the girls you sleep with cars, and he says, only you, babe.” She says it with disgust. “Like I’m some kind of cheap prostitute.”
“If I bought you a car, you wouldn’t be cheap, now would you?” Alec smarts back. “And I didn’t mean anything by it! I just meant that if you were with me, as in my girlfriend, that I would spoil you.”
“I don’t want to be spoiled.” She crosses her arms over my chest. “I just want to be loved. Like Stephan loves Scarlett.”
“Who says I won’t give you love?” Alec protests. “You won’t give me the chance to prove it, but I can!”
“If I give you the chance, you will just break my heart. No thanks. You should just go home, Alec.” Bridgett turns around and walks into her room, leaving Alec, Stephan, and me in the hallway.
“Why don’t you tell her how you feel?” I ask him. “That’s all she wants… She needs to know that you love her.”
Alec glares at me. “Says the girl who wouldn’t sleep with her boyfriend for two months because you were too chicken to say I love you… Guess you’re not the only stubborn one.”
“I wasn’t being stubborn. I was scared.”
“Who says I’m not scared?” With that, he starts walking toward the stairs. He turns and looks at me at the top. “I’ll be here at seven in the morning to get you.”
He walks down the stairs, and I feel bad for him. I know he loves Bridgett. But if Bridgett is anything like me, she is stubborn — and probably very hard to love. Stephan pulls my hand and drags me back into our bedroom. I don’t think about Alec and Bridgett anymore. I just let Stephan cover my body in kisses.
Wednesday, November 12
7:33 AM
I’m so stupid.
When we get to the studio, I am very surprised by the song that Alec is playing. Certainly this isn’t the song that he and Bridgett wrote together. Though, maybe they were fighting when they wrote it? I don’t know. Either way, I love the song. It’s upbeat and catchy. I look forward to singing it on stage.
I guess I expected a love song… But now that I think about it, it was kind of stupid of me to expect that from the two of them.
Ever since the day I met ya, everyone is tellin’ me that I’ve gone mad.
And every time that I see ya, my heart speeds up to 110.
My car never goes under 89. The cops keep tellin’ me I better slow down.
The judge is getting pretty ticked off, because he knows me by name.
I’m so stupid, I’m so stupid. My life’s been crazy since I got hit by Cupid.
I think I lost my head somewhere back there. I know I’ve gone crazy, but I’m okay.
I’m so stupid. Yeah, I’m so stupid.
I was stupid to go out with you. Let’s just say I’m through with guys.
But I got one more thing to say — what’s the name of your friend?
I’m so stupid, I’m so stupid. My life’s been crazy since I got hit by Cupid.
I think I lost my head somewhere back there. I know I’ve gone crazy, but I’m okay.
I’m so stupid. Yeah, I’m so stupid.
“Was Bridgett mad at you when you guys wrote this?” I ask Alec, after we sing through it the first time.
Alec laughs. “Isn’t she always mad at me?”
I think for a moment. “Yeah, I guess she is. What did you do to her that made her so mad?”
“You mean besides breathing? Absolutely nothing.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“Ugh, yeah it is.” He jumps onto the bass amp and sits down. “Seriously, it’s like the harder I try, the more she pushes me away.”
“Do you think it has anything to do with Martin?”
“That asshole who cheated on her with her best friend?”
I nod.
“Maybe,” he says. “She doesn’t really like letting people in. I honestly think it’s a mixture of everything. Her overprotective mom, your dad, and of course the asshole and her whore ex-best friend. She is scared to be hurt again.”
“She doesn’t want to be sick again….” I understand completely both his perspective and hers. “Maybe she thinks that she will become dependent on you. And it’s inevitable to her that you will leave. You’re a huge risk to her.”
“How am I unattainable? I want to be with her so bad sometimes that I can’t stand it.” His voice breaks.
“You’re a rock star, Alec. That’s a fantasy. It’s not real to her. She can’t comprehend why somebody like Alec Torch would want to date her.”
“That’s it?” he asks, almost angrily. “I would give all this up for her. If that is truly what she wanted, I would walk away right now and never look back.”
“You really like her that much?” I ask.
“Yes.”
I think about Stephan, and I completely understand where he is coming from. Even though I know it’s stupid. We are so young. But if he asked me to walk away today and move back to Florida, I would. I would quit the tour. I would quit the documentary. I would stop recording. And I would go home with him. But because he loves me as much as I love him, he doesn’t want that. He wants me to live out my dreams. He knows that I need this. I’ve found him, now it’s time for me to find myself.
“I don’t think Bridgett wants you to give up music for her,” I tell him. “I think she just needs more time. I do think you should give her a little space. Staying the night every night is probably a bit much. She was an only child until about five years ago. Your forward approach doesn’t work with her. Maybe you should try playing hard to get.”
“You’re right. I just want to be around Bridgett all the time.” He shakes his head. “I sound like a clingy, teenage girl. Wow, I am pathetic. But I can’t help it. She drives me mad!”
“I have a feeling that she feels the same way about you,” I tell him. “Until the bridge of the song, I really thought the lyrics were sweet.”
“I know, right? She wrote the bridge,” he says. “I swear, she likes to make me suffer!”
“Suffer is a strong word…”
Just then, the studio door opens. In walks Bridgett carrying four cups of coffee. She hands me and Alec ours, and sets one down at the mixing boards. She takes the last one for herself.
“So who is recording this?” I ask Alec. I’m really hoping they aren’t going to make me work with the guy I’ve always worked with. He always stares at my boobs.
“Otto,” he answers.
“Really?” I can’t help but feel excited. He was great to work with in Florida. “How did you get him to fly out here?”
“The record company paid him well. And I told them you wouldn’t record unless Otto was doing it.”
I hold up my fist, and he bumps his knuckles against mine. “You rock, Alec.” I then turn to Bridgett. “I love the song,
by the way. I think it’ll be a big hit. You should write more songs.”
“Yeah, it was a lot of fun.” Bridgett looks at me, but she doesn’t acknowledge Alec. He sends me a pleading look. Like I can control her.
“Maybe me and you could write one,” I say. I’m just hoping to break up some of the tension. “I bet it would be awesome.”
“Maybe…” She sits down in the chair. I start to say something else, but Otto comes in.
We play the song for Otto and talk about our vision for it. At eight AM, the musicians show up and we get started. It’s days like today that I love my job. Spending time in the studio — singing and playing music, surrounded by other musicians — it’s the best feeling in the world.
5:57 PM
Want. Not wanted.
Normally, I’m excited to go home. Today, not so much. Today I know that Mona is going to be there, and I am worried. I hope that she and Stephan can get along. If not, it’s going to be very miserable until we leave to go on tour. Thankfully, Mona is not going on tour with us. Unfortunately, Alec and Bridgett are.
When I open the door and don’t hear screaming, I take it as a good sign. I walk into the living room and see Stephan and Mona sitting there. They are actually talking. It’s small talk, but still, they’re not killing each other. This makes me happy.
“Hey,” I greet Mona. “How was your flight?”
“It was good. I sat beside some drunk guy who was scared of flying,” she says. “It was very entertaining.”
I take a seat beside Stephan. “How are you holding up?”
She shrugs nonchalantly, but I can tell she’s very torn up over what happened. “It’s… I am… It may take a while for me to be okay. I didn’t think that him not being my biological father would matter, but I guess I was wrong. It’s hard.”
Stephan surprises me. “My dad would have loved you… Well, our dad, I suppose.”
