Broken (The Guitar Face Series Book 1)

by Sasha Marshall

  “Little girls don’t fight, Henley,” Ms. Randolph says.

  “He started it. He pulled my hair,” I defend myself.

  “Is that true, Caleb?” Ms. Terry asks.

  “She wanted to play kickball, and no girls are allowed. It’s in the club rules,” he shouts.

  “It’s not nice to leave someone out, Caleb,” Ms. Randolph says.

  “But no girls are allowed, ever,” he says again.

  “I will tell you how we’ll fix this. Caleb and Henley, you will spend the rest of morning recess sitting with one another and holding hands. You will do the same at lunch when you’re not actually eating. You will repeat that this afternoon during recess. Until you two apologize to each other and become friends, you will do this each day you are at school,” Ms. Randolph says with a smile.

  “I can’t hold a girl’s hand. It’s against club rules! My friends will laugh at me,” Caleb says.

  “I guess your friends need to learn how to get along with girls too, or they will be holding someone’s hand as well,” Ms. Terry says.

  We all march to a bench near the entrance of our school and are told to sit. Caleb offers me his hand with sheer disgust all over his face. I won’t take it, though. He pulled my hair, and it really hurt. He should apologize, not me. I quietly refuse to hold his hand. My teachers attempt to coerce me into this whole ridiculous handholding, but I’m not budging. Ms. Randolph says she is going to call my parents, which is fine by me. He pulled my hair, and I punched him in the nose. That’s what my daddy taught me to do.

  We are allowed to enter class after recess, but at lunch, my mother and father sit at a lunch table that has been designated specifically for Caleb and me. There are two other old people there, they must be the idiot’s parents. Stupid boys. I look down at the table and refuse to meet any of the adults’ eyes.

  “Henley,” my father says.

  “Yes, sir?” I pout.

  “It wasn’t nice to punch Caleb in the nose,” he advises.

  “Daddy! He pulled my hair because he was scared he was going to get beat by a girl in kickball. They wouldn’t let me play.”

  “I was not scared of being beaten by a girl,” Caleb shouts.

  “Was too.”

  “Was not.”

  “Was too.”

  “Was not.”

  “Was...”

  “Enough,” The lady at the table says.

  “Caleb, you must play nice with everyone. You can’t exclude girls. How would you feel if she was playing kickball and wouldn’t allow you to play?” his mother asks.

  “I wouldn’t want to play kickball with her because she is a girl,” he answers.

  “I see we have two stubborn children on our hands,” my mom says, and I glare at her. She is supposed to be on my side. This isn’t fair.

  “I guess you two will have to eat lunch together, miss recess, and hold hands until you become friends. If you do not hold his hand, or if you refuse to do anything your teacher asks you to, I’m taking away your guitar,” my mom says.

  “What?” we both yell.

  “Y’all have a nice lunch,” Caleb’s dad says.

  The parents leave the table and speak to our teachers on their way out. I’m mad at my mommy and daddy. I eat lunch in silence, and with the threat of my new guitar being taken from me, I place my hand palm side up on the table. Caleb takes my hand, and we both wear a scowl that could rival any villain. After lunch, we are made to walk down the hall to class holding hands. I roll my eyes the entire way. I don’t like this boy. He is mean and stupid.

  At recess, we sit on the bench and hold hands again. I make sure Ms. Randolph can see, so she will tell my mommy, and I won’t have my guitar taken away.

  “You have a guitar?” Caleb asks.

  I nod.

  “Do you know how to play it?”

  “Better than a boy can,” I snap.

  “I don’t know how to play the guitar. I didn’t know girls could play guitars.”

  “I told you, girls can do anything that boys can do.”

  “Except pee standing up.” He giggles.

  “Okay, fine, except pee standing up.”

  “How did you get a guitar?”

  “My granddaddy bought it for me. He plays guitars with all of his friends, and they make these really cool faces when they do. My granddaddy says it’s called a guitar face, and I had to learn how to play the guitar. I could have a really cool one too. I’m still working on my guitar face, though. It’s really hard because sometimes I still have to look at the guitar while I play.”

  “I want to learn how to play too. Maybe my mom will buy me one if I become friends with you.”

  “That would be cool,” I say.

  “You should bring your guitar to show-and-tell on Friday. I really want to see it. What color is it?” he asks.

  “Brown.”

  “At least it isn’t pink.”

  “Why would it be pink?”

  “Because girls like pink,” he says.

  “I don’t. My favorite color is blue.”

  “Mine too!”

  Ms. Randolph approaches us. “It looks like you two are having fun.”

  “Ms. Randolph, Henley has a guitar and knows how to play it. She’s going to bring it to show-and-tell Friday so I can see it. Her favorite color is blue like mine,” Caleb says.

  My reverie is disturbed by a gruff voice, but I try to fight my way back to it. I want to go back to first grade with Caleb.

  “I’M GOING TO kill him.” I hear my brother’s voice.

  Light is shining in from somewhere. I just need a few more hours of sleep. I feel something shift beside me, and I let out a hungover groan. Wait, something shifted beside me? My eyes pop open, and I see Jag. He really is a gorgeous man. He winks at me, and the night’s events come back to me. We kissed... twice. It was amazing.

  He whispers, “I think we are in trouble.”

  “I know you fuckers are awake,” my brother says.

  Shit, I’m not ready to deal with an overprotective brother and all the man rules that accompany kissing your best friend’s sister.

  “I’m hurt, Henley. I really thought what we had was beautiful. I sacrificed everything for you last night. I went for a brunette out of mad respect for you. You are my everything,” Kip says.

  Jag and I chuckle.

  Jag stands from the couch and then offers me his hand to help me. I decide I can’t make it upright just yet, but I manage to sit up. He sits back down by me. Kip jumps on my other side and pulls me to him with both arms.

  “She is mine, and you can’t have her, Jagger Carlyle. Do you know where his penis has been?” he asks.

  I didn’t want to think about that. “No, I don’t, Kip. But I know where your penis was last night.”

  “Shit. You have a very valid point.” He releases me. “I will need to think of a million more reasons why you should be with me and not him,” he says.

  I laugh at the ridiculousness that is Kip.

  “You ready for this?” Koi asks.

  He flips on the TV in the suite living room, and the E! Channel blasts through TV’s surround sound.

  It appears Henley Hendrix has reemerged after a four-year sabbatical, and what better way to reappear than on the arm of Jagger Carlyle? The two were spotted at a Jacksonville nightclub last night entering arm in arm. Onlookers report he was very protective and fond of her. Once inside the bar, the pictures reveal a pretty intimate tale. This particular picture shows Carlyle and Hendrix holding each other on the dance floor. It is reported the two danced to Purple Rain. Are you trying to tell us something? More pictures emerged from club goers who captured the two in the corner of the club. It appears the Guitar Goddess is giving ro
ck-’n’-roll’s bad boy a run for his money. The pictures are a bit grainy, but it shows Carlyle in a chair, and Hendrix is straddling him. I’m not sure who I’m more jealous of.

  Kip turns the television off. “I can’t take this. I’m dying with jealousy over here. You never straddled me in public, pumpkin.”

  Jagger throws a pillow at him. I burst out laughing. I stop long enough to see the look on Koi’s face, and then I laugh some more. I laugh so hard, and for so long, tears run down my face. No one else in the room is laughing or smiling. They look a bit concerned.

  “Is she losing it?” Koi asks with concern in his voice.

  I keep laughing. He wants to know if I’m losing it. Funny.

  “Maybe we should get her a doctor,” Kip suggests.

  “Just give her a minute,” Jag orders.

  I keep laughing. I tried several times to stop, but I found their hypocrisy to be too much.

  Cam enters the room from his bedroom. “Is she okay?” he asks.

  I laugh some more.

  “What did you do to her last night?” Koi asks Jag.

  “What did I do? Why is this my fault?” he asks.

  “You broke man code,” Kip explains. “First, you are sleeping with Koi’s sister on the couch. Secondly, you are trying to steal the love of my life. You don’t bone your bro’s sister, and you don’t steal another bro’s girl.”

  “Don’t forget he kissed her in the elevator,” Cam says. “I can’t believe he finally did it. I mean, who has balls enough to kiss her?”

  “You kissed my sister?” Koi asks.

  “You kissed my Henley?” Kip asks.

  “Jesus Christ,” Jagger says.

  “Why is she laughing like that?” Cam asks.

  “We were photographed dancing at the club last night. E! News already has the story,” Jag says.

  “I wouldn’t call the last set of pictures dancing,” Koi says gruffly.

  “Now you two will get the combo name. I already had ours picked out. We were going to be Kipley. You stole all my glory! Now you two will be Jagley,” Kip says, and it only makes me laugh more.

  Jagley. It is as ridiculous as Kipley.

  “She needs coffee,” Jag says.

  “Got it,” Cam says with concern in his voice. He thinks I’m leaving here in a straitjacket.

  I finally stop laughing and sit up from my slouched position.

  “Koi, I bet you are wondering why I’m sleeping in here, instead of in my room. Frankly, I didn’t want to listen to you screw your company all night. I had to listen to you and Kip both receive blow jobs last night; it was just a little much for me. Yes, Jagger kissed me. It was amazing. I was being kissed by a man who behaved like a gentleman the entire night, while you two were behaving like anything but. It couldn’t go any further if we wanted it to because I was up taking care of Cam’s date. Jag was already asleep on the couch after I helped Madison to bed, so I crawled in with him to avoid hearing you moan all night. Now, E! News has this breaking story of us two together, and the entire world thinks we ended the night with rough, raw rock-star sex. We are some of the only ones who weren’t fucking. I also find it quite hilarious that I haven’t been seen in four years, and the only thing anyone cares about is me being on Jagger’s arm. Nobody gives a shit why I went off the grid for four years, or where I have been. The world is shallow; they only want to know how many inches I took last night. And here I was, all worried the whole Caleb thing would come up.” I let out another laugh.

  Koi stares at me for a beat. “You two... didn’t?”

  How old is he?

  “What? Fuck, knock boots, shag, bang, bump uglies, screw, do the deed, make whoopee, get dirty, get it on, pork, bone, smash guts, play hide the salami, ride the bologna pony, hanky panky, or get balls-deep?” I ask.

  “Jesus Christ, that was impressive,” Koi says.

  “To answer your question, no, we did none of the above. Not that it is any of your business. You don’t get to play man code here. I have been friends with him just as long as you have. Man code is a moot point,” I say.

  “That is sacrilegious. You just totally dissed man code. If we don’t have man code, the world will fall apart,” Kip says hysterically.

  “Man code still stands in 99.9% of situations, Kip. Just not in this one. Your universe is still aligned,” I assure him.

  He sighs. “Thank fuck for that.”

  “I’m going to shower in my room. Koi, when I’m done, you and I are going out for breakfast. Be ready.” I leave the room and meet the concierge at the door who has my Starbucks in hand. I take it from him, kiss him on the cheek, and leave him blushing.

  Chapter 9

  THE HOT SHOWER hits the spot. I’m finishing my makeup when Koi enters my bathroom. He watches me with careful eyes and a hint of a smile on his face. Even if the rest of his face isn’t smiling, his eyes always give him away. I have the same tell.

  “I like the happy you. I really miss you like this,” he says.

  “I just needed some time, Koi, and apparently a little interference from Jagger. It all seems like such a blur now. The time just flew by. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts and grief. Everything around me reminded me of Caleb. Thoughts of Caleb always lead to memories of the car flipping. Then I have to remember trying to revive him. I couldn’t bring him back, and that makes me feel like I failed him. Maybe I didn’t perform CPR correctly, ya know? Then I remember me screaming at the paramedics to help him, and the look on their faces told me everything I needed to know. It felt like a bad dream.”

  “Henley, what happened, what you went through, was enough to crush anyone. We all lost him, and we all grieved, but you were his best friend since the first grade.”

  “I had a dream last night about the day I punched him in the nose.” I laugh.

  He laughs too. “I remember Mom took your guitar, and you pouted for weeks. I snuck you my guitar in hopes you would teach me how to play better, but you thought I felt sorry for you.”

  “Oh, your motives were self-serving, yeah?”

  “Hell, I couldn’t let my little sister play guitar better than me. I thought if you taught me, I would get better. You were always better at it than me though.”

  “Koi, you are a hell of a guitar player. You wouldn’t have gotten this far in this crazy industry if you weren’t.”

  Koi smiles, and the conversation turns to last night.

  “You and Jag?” he asks, sounding resigned to the idea.

  “Yeah, I guess maybe something is going on there,” I say.

  He lets out a belly laugh. “Maybe something, my ass. The two of you have had it bad for each other since you were in middle school.”

  “You knew?” I ask, genuinely surprised.

  “Yeah, and I’m okay with it. I don’t know how far it will go between you two, but don’t hurt each other. I said the same thing to him. I can’t watch two people I love hurt each other. We have already had enough hurt for a lifetime,” he says with a sigh.

  “I don’t know why you freak out about me when it comes to men. I’m not exactly a virgin, bro.”

  He looks disgusted for a half a second, and then realization struck him. “Yacht man?”

  I know exactly who he is referring to. “Yup.”

  “Damn. I’m actually impressed. I think I can talk to you about your sex life now. Did you get him to talk in the pirate voice?” he asks, clearly interested.

  This is... different.

  “You know I did,” I say with a mischievous smile.

  “Wait, and Irish boy with the temper? We drank like fish that night,” he says.

  “Yup.”

  “Damn. Impressed again. What about vampire man? You were in Africa on the environmental thing, yeah?” He rubs his jaw, c
learly running through all the men I’ve been photographed with in the media.

  “Yup. Him too. He is very... attentive. Not to mention well equipped,” I answer.

  “Shit. He is kinda pretty, with those blue eyes and all,” he says with a laugh, and I laugh along with him.

  “Dave? The whole music project? And he was married to.... God, she graced my walls during my puberty years. I loved Baywatch, and she was on my favorite issue of Playboy. You kinda had sex with her too, since you had sex with him. I’m feeling a bit jealous. Can I touch you?” He pokes his fingertip into my arm.

  “Feel better?” I ask.

  “Yup. What happened with all of them?” he asks.

  “I was looking for a good time. They fell in love. Sometimes, I think it is more the idea of who I am than who I really am if that makes sense. You know, beyond all the Guitar Goddess bullshit. I went into those relationships with clear expectations. You can’t help when your feelings grow for someone. It’s human nature. At the first sign of trouble, I got the fuck out of Dodge. I put space between us, and eventually, they moved on.”

  “Conversation over. I have been outdone by you already. Shit.” He smiles.

  I hug my brother. “Let’s go eat some breakfast.”

  AFTER BREAKFAST, Koi heads to the hotel gym. Jagger pulls me into his room as I attempt to make my way past. He scares the hell out of me. He picks me up as I wrap my legs around him and closes the door with his foot. We stand there for an eternity. This man always meant the world to me, and I’m both scared and excited about where this could lead.

  “What’s wrong, Henley?” he whispers as he strokes my cheek.

  “I’m just scared and excited about this. We can hurt a great deal of people if it ends badly, Jag.”

  He pulls back from my face to look me in the eye. “Hey, we don’t worry about the unknown. I won’t ever hurt you intentionally, and I know you won’t hurt me. We will be conscious of the people in our lives. If some unforeseen event drives us apart, then we act like adults, and figure it out. No worries, gorgeous.”