Falling Stars
By Sadie Grubor
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Copyright 2012 Sadie Grubor
Cover Art by VST
This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any existing means without written permission from the publisher. Contact Author at [email protected].
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. The characters are products of the author's imagination and used fictitiously.
Blurb
'A falling, or shooting, star, is the common name for the visible path of a meteoroid if it survives impact with the Earth's surface.'
Christopher Mason, the infamous lead singer of The Forgotten, has a reputation for being 'difficult'. Harboring dark memories and the burden of a painful secret, he struggles with a past he desperately wants to destroy. Amidst this star's battle with the pull of his demons, he risks losing everything he’s built as a musician.
Enter Mia Ryder, the head strong yet laid back, lead singer of Hushed Mentality. As the opening act for The Forgotten, Mia and her all girl rock band are sure to gain the publicity needed to sky rocket to the next level in their dream career.
Mia's laidback personality is challenged by Chris’s plotting for their demise and removal of the 'girlie band' from 'his' tour. But even Chris's best laid plans aren't prepared Mia.
As the demons pull this shining star down, is the one person he wants to eliminate the only person who can save him from the collision course he is on?
Dedication & Special Thanks:
This is for those who love an egotistical, arrogant, often arse-hole, anti-hero. Not every hero has to be 'good'. What matters is the effort to be real, open, and honest.
Special thanks to my husband – You are my rock star!
To iTunes for your endless rock inspiration, to Mary Harris for all her long hard effort working with me, and to all of you who have supported my writing.
Chapter One
Surrounded by darkness and the familiar stagnant smell, I curled into the proverbial fetal position and tried to block out his screams and her cries. My hands covering my ears couldn't drown out the horror. I sobbed until hands made me scream out.
"Shh…it's okay, baby." She tried to be convincing, but her swollen eyes and blood-streaked mouth told a different truth.
Ringing and vibrating pulled me out of the darkness of my nightmare. When my cell landed on the floor with a thud, I opened my eyes to blinding daylight, immediately shutting them again. I was partly annoyed and partly thankful for the interruption in my nightly rerun. I leaned over my bed and grabbed the phone from the floor.
"Hello," I must have been screaming again; my voice was raspy.
"Christopher, I need you to be at the record label in an hour. Can you make it on time?"
I pulled the phone away from my ear at the loudness of Nicholas' voice then quickly turned the volume down.
"Why?"
Pulling myself up, I sat on the edge of my bed and rubbed the stiffness out of my neck. Movement behind me—a hand sliding up my back—caused me to turn around. The blonde who’d been with me last night laid next to me, her upper half-naked. I covered the phone with my hand.
"You can go now."
In fact, she should have already been gone. I hated when they tried to cling on in the last moments.
"I don't know why I even waste time with someone who only cares about him-self and keeps me up all damn night with the moaning and shouting." She huffed and rustled around behind me.
I knew I’d dreamed the inevitable last night. However, I hadn't known I had been vocal. That wasn't a good sign. I needed to make a call to my personal pharmacist.
"Christopher, did you hear me?"
Shit!
"Sorry, still trying to wake up. What were you saying?"
"Another morning distraction, I'm guessing?" The annoyance in his tone was familiar.
"Gee, Dad, you gonna ground me?"
Ignoring my remark, Nicolas Shaw—bio-Dad and manager—stayed on topic. "The label has some news they want to share with the band. The meeting's at nine."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll tell Jackson. You can track down Elliott and Jimmy." I yawned. My bedroom door slammed and I flinched as my head protested the noise.
"They aren't home?"
"If they were, do you think I would be asking about it?" My sarcasm matched by the annoyance in my voice.
"Yes, I will call them to let them know. See you in an hour and, Christopher…"
"Yeah?" I prompted him to continue during my walk to the bathroom.
"Lose the attitude." Nicholas hung up. With a snort, I tossed my phone onto the bathroom counter.
While pissing, I heard my phone vibrate against the tile counter before it alerted me to the text message.
"Don't be late." It was Nicholas. Rolling my eyes, I tossed the phone back onto the counter and walked into the shower.
The shower washed away the sweat and aftermath of my night. For a moment, I remembered how much alcohol and pills it took me to sleep the few hours I had got without a nightly episode. When my mind started to drift toward things I did not want to remember, I turned the silver shower knob and let the cold water blast me. After dressing, I woke up Jackson and told him to get ready.
Walking down the hall of our shared house, while Jackson got ready, I tried to take my mind in any direction other than my past. I thought about Jackson, my stepbrother, whom I met when I was about twelve. Nicholas, my father and manager, had married Jackson’s mother Gwen before I came to live with them.
I stopped in front of one of the many framed discs lining the hallway. There was a picture of Jackson, Elliott, Jimmy, and myself above one of the discs. That was the day The Forgotten had first gone platinum.
The band lived together on the outskirts of Seattle in a house kept under heavy surveillance. With our personal guards and cameras, there were no way the paparazzi or crazed fans could get closer than the locked iron gate of our long driveway. Not that there hasn't been some extremely well planned attempts.
With a quick glance at the other two doors in the hallway, I remembered Jackson and I were the only ones to come home last night. Jimmy had disappeared into a crowd of short-skirt girls early on. Elliott, on the other hand, had taken up a booth with twins. He’d departed about an hour before Jackson helped me and the blonde out to the car. Our assigned bodyguards, Darius and Gerald had been waiting for us, while Stan and Vince had split up to chaperone Elliot and Jimmy.
I could hear Darius and Gerald downstairs talking and watching television. Darius had gotten the unfortunate task of monitoring me. I often made it my goal to disappear on him, an act he rarely found amusing, but could do nothing.
I chuckled at the thought.
Once Jackson was finished and downstairs, Darius and Gerald escorted us to the waiting black car. We headed to Nobil Records in downtown Seattle. Upon arrival, Tonya greeted us very warmly and looped elbows with us as she guided both of us to the conference room on the second floor. Jackson slowly pulled his arm out of hers, as if he had to stretch. Neither one of us would go near Tonya again once we’d learned she had been screwing both of us.
"They have been waiting on you," she smirked slyly. "Are you being a bad boy again, Chrissie?" Her body molded against mine. I chuckled and shook my head at her desperate attempts.
Before she headed back to her desk she leaned over, placed her hand on my chest, and whispered. "When are we going to see each other again, Chrissie?"
I grimaced at the nickname she used, and then glared at Jackson when he snorted at her words. Ignoring her question, I walked into the conference room.
Taking the available seat in front
of me, Jackson on my left, we slouched into the leather. I looked across the table at Elliott. He had his head down on his folded arms. Jimmy was next to him with his head tossed back on the chair, the dark sucker bite on his neck on display for everyone.
"You're late." I looked up at the sound of Nicholas's disappointment.
I shrugged. He scowled at me, but before he could begin his lecture, the door opened.
"Okay, everyone is now here?" Richard entered the room, flanked by Una. He saw that we all were at the table. "Good. Let's get this meeting started."
Una stood at his side. Just like her father, her face held the same half-tilted smile Richard wore when he was excited. It worried me. What were Richard and his second in command up to?
"We have great news for you gentlemen." As Richard spoke, I looked over and saw Nicholas's unease. My suspicions immediately ramped up. I pulled my attention away from Nicholas when Richard continued with his speech. "So it's time to take the new CD on tour, wouldn't you agree?" He smiled largely.
"Hell yeah!" Elliott eagerly agreed and pounded his fist to the table.
We all knew what tours were about and enjoyed them. I got away from the day-to-day bullshit and got to go on the road. It did wonders for my songwriting. We all sat up, everyone wore a concentrated look on their face.
"Great to know that you are all on board." Richard turned to Una and motioned for her to begin.
"Okay, fellas, The Forgotten will be starting the tour in a month and will be traveling for ten months, unless we pick up more dates." She handed out some folders to all of us. "You're going to have some flying to do, but we will be able to do a lot with the tour buses since we've planned this out precisely." Una returned to her place next to Richard.
Nicholas stepped forward and began to go over some of the details. We listened while going through the tentative schedules and tour dates. After finishing with the specifics, Richard came around and shook our hands. We all thought the meeting was over, but Una stood center stage with Richard at her side.
This was different.
"Now for the last bit of news for the tour, we have secured your opening act. They will be joining us here in Seattle to get ready for the tour kick-off concert." She paused. I glanced over at Nicholas.
So, that’s what he was uneasy about.
"Since when do we not get to decide on our opening act?" I spit out. Nicholas's face took on a hard expression.
"Well, Christopher, we usually let you have a say in the matter; however, the band is an up-and-coming group that already has a decent following. We recently signed them and just released their single. They have been climbing the charts non-stop. To be honest, we haven't seen a group grow so quickly since The Forgotten. So that should tell you what a good match it will be for the tour." She smiled widely.
Before I could say anything, Nicholas stepped in.
"Not to mention that Una here was the one to discover our new prospect." Nicholas gave me a warning look.
Ah, so that’s it. Daddy's little girl was the founder of the band, so she has to place them on our tour to help them grow in the midst of our fan base. There is no way I’m going to stand-by being some group’s springboard to fame.
"So, have we heard of the band?" Jackson asked.
I quickly looked at him in disbelief. He was just accepting the situation without a fight. I would've thought they all would be as upset as I was. Looking over at Elliott and Jimmy, all I saw was curiosity on their faces. What the hell?
"I'm not sure. As I said, they're fairly new. It's an all-girl band named Hushed Mentality." Una beamed like the proud mother she was. "They're a very talented band and their lead is really, really amazing. I think you guys will enjoy the company on the tour and get along well."
A girl band, she has to be kidding. They have a pop tart, giggling girl fest on our tour. How does it make a good match?
I was going to protest, but Una gave me a look, which told me my argument would be pointless. Slouching back into my chair, I decided to bide my time. Once I got Nicholas alone to talk, there would be changes.
* * * * *
"Holy shit, Mia, can you believe we are going on tour? Like a real tour!" Kat screamed and excitedly punched my arm. "We’re on our way baby!” She grinned at me and lifted her beer bottle in the air. I rubbed the spot she’d hit before picking up my own bottle.
We all tapped our beer bottles together. Sitting at our favorite local bar in Whitbey Island and celebrating our band's new success, I looked around the table.
Kat, our bassist, had her head tossed back. Laney, lead guitar, danced in her seat. My sister and drummer, Serena, pulled her bottle from her smiling lips. Sara, who was our occasional backup singer, caught me looking and winked.
"It's so crazy!" Laney bounced in her seat.
"It's amazing." Serena sat back in the wooden bar chair and sighed.
I have not been able to stop smiling since our meeting with Una yesterday. A few months ago, she found us playing at the very bar we were sitting.
We had just wrapped up a rehearsal in the bar when she approached us. We knew she didn't belong in a bar like this. Her perfect, shiny light brown hair, clear fair skin, and executive power suit screamed high class. Her presence drew attention. She had this look, which sent out pulses that danced across your skin.
As the lead singer, Una introduced herself to me first and wasn't shy about telling me why she was here. She asked Serena, Kat, Laney, and me to sit and talk with her. I thought Kat was going to pass out when Una said the words, "Nobil Recording". Una continued to discuss some things and asked us to think about it. Leaving us with a business card and a lot think about, it only took til the next morning to call and set up a meeting.
After touring the place and introduced to Richard Nobil himself, we signed the intent to commit. From that moment, everything started to fall into place for us. We trusted Una, who had, from the beginning, ensured and showed she had our best interests as a priority. We recorded our first single and Nobil rushed to get it playtime.
Laney was the first to hear our song on the radio. It came on while she was at work in the coffee shop. She called all of us, screaming. From that moment forward, we got more and more popular in requests and playtime.
"To top it all off we are touring with The Forgotten! You all know how huge they are. We are going to be playing to gigantic crowds. Ahhh!" Serena stood and did a dance. Laughing, I watched.
Serena, my sister and best friend, took on the role of mother after our mother died when we were young. Even after our father, John, remarried to Linda, I was twelve and Serena thirteen, she still felt my protection and nurturing was her responsibility.
Serena and I didn't look much alike. She had my mother's curly red hair and freckles, along with her hazel color eyes and body build. However, Serena dyed her hair to a much more vibrant red. I, on the other hand, had my father's black wavy hair, extreme fair complexion, and eyes so dark brown they were almost black.
Serena’s tall and built with curves while I’m average height and very slender. Where my sister had a full C cup, I had a medium B cup. However, I inherited our mother's singing voice, and after my school choir coach got hold of me, she made sure to meet with me for private lessons in voice coaching. I was thankful for her extra attention, even if her driving goal was simply for the school choir to win a state championship.
When Serena got drum lessons, I wiggled in some piano lessons, loving the way the keys felt under my fingers. The piano led to me picking up a guitar and learning the basics from a guy I dated in high school. I relentlessly practiced so I could improve; after the piano, it wasn't too difficult to catch on.
"What about all the rumors about the band, especially the rumors about the lead singer? They say he is a real douche bag." Sara spoke softly, but it was loud enough to break me from my thoughts again.
"Hey, I vow that we wait to make any judgments about them until after we meet them in person." I raised my beer, and everyone
else joined me.
"I still can't believe this. It's unbelievable!" Serena laughed.
I was nervous about the chemistry between us and the other band. It was no secret. The Forgotten was one of the hottest bands around, musically, professionally, and physically. It was also no secret the band had a reputation, especially the dark lead singer often labeled the hot, arrogant asshole. I only hoped we could all get along amicably and if not, then we could at least fake it when necessary and ignore each other the rest of the time.
"What about your dream to be a famous ballet dancer?" Serena laughed, winking at me. Everyone else joined in. Rolling my eyes, I sighed.
Being a dancer was a bad inside joke. Our stepmother, Linda, had been determined to keep me dancing. Out of respect for my dead mother, who had started my lessons when I was four. Deep down, Linda really was hoping she would have one girlie stepdaughter. Imagine her disappointment when, after eleven years of dance classes, at the rebellious age of fifteen, I quit. Pursuing our dream of signing a contract became the full focus. Now, twelve years after quitting dance, I felt justified. We’d signed a record deal.
"What about your dream to be married with kids?" I shot back at Serena.
Laney shot beer out her nose. Serena scowled at me. I knew it was unfair, but I had to return the ill joke.
Serena had gotten very rebellious after dad remarried and ended up pregnant at twenty-four and unmarried, much to Linda's horror. Linda tried to convince Serena to get married, but, luckily, it never went that far. The father disappeared from town after Ryan's birth and hadn’t been seen or heard from again. Our father assumed he was off in prison somewhere. Wishful thinking on his part. I knew somewhere, deep inside; Dad hoped he was some big guy's prison girlfriend.
Linda ended up taking to Ryan as if he were her own child. So much in fact that when Serena told Linda she would be hiring a nanny and taking Ry on tours with us, Linda wouldn't hear it. Therefore, they had worked out an arrangement where he would travel with us some of the time and stay with Linda the rest of the time.
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