A FILTHY Enemy: a filthy line novel

by Kidman, Jaxson

  “Why?”

  “What are you doing later?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “We should hang out.”

  “Hang out?”

  “Yeah,” Sasha said.

  “Your version of hanging out is whoring yourself to anyone who will listen to you sing.”

  “Right,” Sasha said. “Buuuut… this time it’s really good.”

  “Really good?”

  “I got us a gig.”

  “Us? The four of us?”

  “Just you and me,” Sasha said.

  “Hell no,” I said.

  “What?”

  “Are you kidding me? That’s a bad move. Really bad move. You can’t do that to the other two. It’ll ruin this. It’ll ruin our friendships.”

  “You’re such a good person, Abby,” Sasha said.

  “No. I’m not. I’ve just been through it before. Being left on the side of the road…”

  Quite literally.

  “Okay,” Sasha said. “You’re right. Forget about it.”

  Sasha turned and I grabbed for her hand. “What was it for?”

  “Studio time,” she said. “Real studio time. We were asked for specifically. You. Me. More you than me.”

  “How…?”

  “I whore myself out, remember?” Sasha asked. “And you have the best voice out of all of us. I know you were kind of popular at one time. I know you hate singing like this. But I don’t know why you don’t try to do more.”

  “So you’re going to do it for me?” I asked.

  “No,” Sasha said. “We have to go sing. Then they’re going to choose two or three singers.”

  “Out of how many?”

  “I don’t know,” she said. “You don’t want to do it, remember?”

  “Do what?” Rae asked as she appeared from the back of the boutique, fully dressed.

  “The singing gig,” Sasha said.

  “Why wouldn’t you do it?” Rae asked.

  “It’s stabbing you and Jess in the back.”

  “What? No. Sasha already told us about it.”

  “You did?” I asked Sasha.

  “Yeah,” Sasha said with a laugh. “I’m not a bitch.”

  I looked to the front of the boutique and watched Jess flick her cigarette away.

  She came back inside.

  “How long did you know?” I called out to her.

  “You told her?” Jess asked.

  “Yeah,” Sasha said. “She’s afraid she’s going to hurt your feelings.”

  “Oh, fuck,” Jess said. “Be greedy, Abby. Sasha showed videos of us singing. Okay? Whoever is making this decision said you and Sasha had the voices of the group. So go with it.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  “You deserve it,” Rae said. “You’re a really good singer. You’re kind of the lead singer of our group.”

  I looked at Sasha. She nodded. “I’m sure they’re bringing me in as a favor. I won’t get it. But you will.”

  “What exactly am I singing? Or who am I singing with? For?” I asked.

  “I guess we’re going to find out,” Sasha said.

  “Right now?” I asked.

  “No,” Sasha said. “We have to go sing for Mackenzie. She’s turning nine today.”

  “Little bitch,” Rae muttered. “When I was nine, my father left to go live with his girlfriend.”

  “Need a tissue?” Jess asked.

  “Not funny,” Rae said.

  “It kind of is,” I said with a wink.

  “What did your father do for your ninth birthday, Abby?” Rae asked.

  “Died,” I said.

  Rae shut her eyes. “Shit. Sorry.”

  “Don’t be,” I said. “It was a long time ago.”

  “Okay, let’s get going,” Sasha said. “I’m sorry to everyone who has Daddy issues.”

  “You’re one to talk,” Jess said. “You call whoever you’re sleeping with Daddy.”

  Sasha’s face blushed a little. “I’m never getting drunk and talking about my sex life with you again.”

  “Oh, I want to hear this,” I said.

  “Hey, Sasha, when you’re done fucking him, do you ask for money to go to the mall?” Rae asked.

  We all started to laugh.

  Even Sasha.

  We left the boutique and Jess was at my side.

  She nudged me with her elbow.

  “You better fucking do this,” she whispered to me. “And you better be awesome. And when you’re rich and famous, pay those crazy people off and then buy me something nice.”

  I force a smile. “Deal.”

  * * *

  “Shit, we’re going to be late,” Sasha said to me.

  Singing to sweet, little Mackenzie turned out to be a pain in the ass.

  She was shy, then upset, then shy again. We ended up singing to her three times. Just to make her happy.

  Of course, we were paid for our time. Plus gratuity.

  I felt like a fool the entire time, but cash was cash.

  There was nothing quite like being laughed at just to make enough money to afford two meals and some gas.

  “Just follow me,” Sasha said as she ran toward the building.

  It was actually kind of cool though… running toward a recording studio.

  My heart fluttered a little. My mind kept that under control.

  This wasn’t anything real or serious.

  Best case, I’d get to sing on a song or something.

  Maybe make a little money.

  The true hope was to get recognized.

  Have some big wig executive or record producer hear me and then want to sign me.

  That was always the hope.

  Sasha opened the door and I followed.

  We ran down a hallway.

  “We didn’t get changed,” I said.

  “No time,” she called out.

  She turned the corner and suddenly came tumbling back.

  A split second later, a guy appeared with his hands out.

  I came to a quick stop as Sasha let out a yell and touched her chest.

  “Holy fuck,” the guy said. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah,” Sasha said.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “She ran right into me,” the guy said. “Are you…” He pointed to my outfit. “You’re the singers?”

  “Yeah,” Sasha said. “I’m Sasha. This is Abby.”

  “Oh, nice,” the guy said. “I dig the clothes.”

  “Yeah, they’re the best,” I said.

  “I’m Kent,” he said. “I’m handling the recordings. We’ll get you singing and then I’ll pass it off.”

  “How many people are singing today?” I asked.

  “We have like… I don’t know… two dozen,” he said.

  I sighed. “Okay.”

  “Let’s go,” he said. “I was just going for a little break…”

  He put his fingers to his mouth and winked.

  “Right on, dude,” I said.

  He turned and Sasha locked her arm to mine. “Are you excited?”

  “Yeah,” I said.

  We went into the studio and it brought back a lot of memories for me.

  Sasha’s face lit up with glee. She gasped and turned in circles. She looked like a little kid in the world’s biggest toy store.

  For me, I knew what it was all about.

  “What is this for?” I asked Kent.

  He made a gun with his fingers and pointed it at me. “Can’t tell you.”

  “Really?”

  “Totally,” he said. “But let me just say… it’s a big deal.”

  I nodded and smiled.

  Sasha went to sing first.

  She ran through four different parts of songs. Just to test her range.

  Then it was my turn.

  I stepped into the booth and put the headphones on.

  “Can you hear me, Abby?” Kent’s voice rang in my ears.

  I gave a thumbs up
.

  “There’s four parts in front of you. Sing your heart out. We can run through a few takes if you want. Can’t be here all day though.”

  I gave another thumbs up.

  Sasha stood behind Kent and looked so happy for me.

  I appreciated that.

  I took a deep breath and music started playing in my ears.

  I cleared my throat just to hear my own voice for a second.

  Then I started to sing.

  I shut my eyes and chased the world away.

  When I finished my parts, I opened my eyes and took off the headphones.

  Kent stood up and clapped for me.

  So did Sasha.

  “Fucking hell, Abby,” Kent said. “That was impressive.”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  “Hey… you two seem cool enough. Want to know what this is for?”

  “You said you couldn’t tell me,” I said.

  “Yeah, I know. Fuck that. Come with me. Just don’t make a fucking sound.”

  “Ooohhh, I like this,” Sasha said.

  Kent took us from the studio to a set of steps.

  We walked up the steps, our feet echoing all around the concrete walls.

  “This is going to get my ass fired,” he said. “But with a voice like yours, Abby, you should know what opportunity is in front of you. This is the chance of a lifetime.”

  “Sasha was good too,” I said.

  “Yeah, she was,” Kent said. “But you… they’re going to love you.”

  “They?” I asked, my heart starting to race.

  My version of they was different than Kent’s.

  He opened a door and put his fingers to his lips.

  We crept down a narrow hallway and he stopped.

  He pointed and nodded.

  “Check it out,” he whispered. “Just don’t go all fangirl on me.”

  “I won’t,” I said. “Trust me.”

  I walked toward a tall and skinny window.

  I saw another recording area.

  And then I saw who it was.

  I dropped down out of sight.

  Kent laughed. “Told you.”

  I looked at Kent. “Is this a joke?”

  “No,” he said. “This is for real.”

  “Who is it?” Sasha asked.

  She moved to the window and let out a gasp.

  I slowly inched back up and stared at them.

  At him.

  I was frozen.

  My mind screamed to move.

  But it was too late.

  Reed had already turned around and was staring right at me.

  5

  REED

  “You really opened this song up, Reed,” Nash said. “This is really good.”

  I opened my mouth and saw movement from the corner of my eye.

  I turned and blinked a few times.

  There was a narrow window to the back hallway.

  And I was staring right at Abby.

  Abby.

  My Abby?

  Looking at me?

  I hurried to the window but she disappeared.

  “What are you doing?” Jay asked.

  “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Sab said.

  “How do I get to the fucking back hallway?” I called out.

  Nobody answered me.

  I ripped open the main door and ran toward the steps.

  What the fuck was Abby…

  Then it hit me.

  She was here to sing.

  Toby said he was going to get a group of singers together and let us choose who we liked best for this song. The singers weren’t allowed to know who they were auditioning for.

  I ran toward the back steps and kicked open the door.

  I heard voices below, followed by a door shutting.

  I took the steps three at a time until I was on the ground floor.

  When I ripped open that door, Kent spun around.

  “Sorry, bro,” he said. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

  “Where’d she go?” I asked.

  He pointed to the door.

  I ran and slammed my shoulder off it and stumbled outside.

  There she was.

  Abby.

  Hurrying toward her car.

  “Abby!” I bellowed.

  She and another woman turned around.

  The other woman’s jaw dropped.

  She slowly looked at Abby, shocked that I knew her name.

  Abby shook her head.

  She went for her car again.

  When she got into the car and started it, I knew I was fucked.

  I gritted my teeth and dug in my pocket for the keys to my motorcycle.

  I got on my beast of a ride and took off like I was an outlaw in a TV show.

  The engine screamed like a hungry lion as I throttled it as hard as I could to get some damn speed and kill off the distance between myself and Abby.

  I cut out of the parking lot to the main street, cutting off two cars.

  They beeped at me.

  I didn’t give a shit.

  I spotted Abby’s car and throttled the motorcycle again.

  When I finally got up on the ass of her car, I saw her look in the mirror.

  She lifted her right hand and gave me the middle finger.

  I reached forward with my right hand and gave her the middle finger right back.

  This wasn’t some fucking happy-go-lucky reunion.

  Abby was in my city… and now she was in my studio… auditioning for my band…

  My mind flashed images of me throwing her shit out the tour bus window.

  My mind ran back to a little bit earlier from that moment to when I stood at the open bus door and waved as she sat her ass on the side of the road.

  That’s where it all ended.

  And it was supposed to stay that way.

  She turned left.

  I turned left.

  She turned right.

  I turned right.

  She finally made the right decision to pull to the side of the road.

  Her car was almost sideways and she threw open the driver’s door and got out.

  I turned off my motorcycle and stepped off.

  “Happy to see me again, honey?” I asked her.

  Abby swung her right hand and got me good.

  Her little hand had some power.

  My lip exploded and I tasted blood.

  “Fuck you, Reed,” she yelled at me. “If I knew what it was for, I wouldn’t have shown up. Fuck you!”

  I wiped my lip. “Still bitter?”

  “Yeah, still bitter,” she said. “And you don’t give a shit either. You never did. Fuck you.”

  “All this time between us and you just want to scream fuck you at me?” I asked.

  “Exactly,” she said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

  “Then why’d you run? That’s what you were always good at, right? Running.”

  I held up my right hand and made my pointer and middle fingers run through the air.

  Abby’s mouth moved but she didn’t say anything.

  Then she pointed at me. “I hope your song sucks. I hope it fucking bombs. I hope your fans… fuck you, Reed. Raunchy Recks is better.”

  I laughed. “Wow. You went right for the balls there, huh?”

  “Don’t fucking follow me again,” she said. “If you do, I will rip your balls off.”

  “Oh, honey, we had good times, right? You always loved playing with my balls. Don’t be mean to them. They did nothing wrong.”

  Abby’s face turned a bright shade of red. “I hate you with every ounce of my being.”

  “The feeling is mutual, Abby,” I said. I pointed to her clothes. “I saw you singing on the corner. What’s this get up supposed to be? You’re a barbershop quartet? How’s that paying for you?”

  “I’m not doing this,” she said. “Fuck you. Fuck you for what you did.”

  She started to back up toward her car.
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  “So that’s it?” I called out.

  “That’s right,” she said. “This time, I’m leaving.”

  “I’ll go back to the studio then,” I said. “I’ll record another hit song. I’ll make a few more million this year. I’ll stock up on drugs and strippers. Sound good? Let me know if you need something to eat. I’ll start a charity in your name, honey.”

  She waved both middle fingers at me.

  She got into her car and sped off, again.

  I watched her leave.

  My lip curled high in the air.

  Fuck… she still looked really good.

  * * *

  When I stepped into the studio, the band stood with their arms open.

  I did the same thing.

  The five of us were in complete silence for way longer than I thought the joke would go.

  “What the fuck was that?” Jay asked.

  “Saw someone,” I said.

  “Who?” Nash asked.

  “Nobody.”

  “You saw somebody but then it was nobody?” Dex asked.

  “Exactly,” I said.

  “You ran out of here like the building was on fire,” Sab said.

  “You ran out here like Sab saw someone,” Jay said.

  “Fuck you,” Sab yelled at Jay.

  Everyone put their arms down.

  “What happened to your face?” Nash asked.

  “I bumped into a wall,” I said.

  “Or a tiny fist,” Dex said.

  “Nope. Just a wall.”

  I turned away from the band.

  We went back to work in the studio.

  I sat down in a comfy leather chair and stared at the soundboard.

  The piano parts were mostly recorded.

  They weren’t perfect. We were bringing someone in for the final recording.

  The same with the strings and all that crazy shit too.

  We recorded the strings using the effects on a keyboard.

  But the song itself had some punch to it.

  It wasn’t a different sound for the band. It had that same feel to it. Just… a bigger sound.

  “What do you think?” Nash asked me as he sat down in a chair next to me.

  “I think it’s good,” I said. “Getting there. It’ll be a shock to everyone’s system. We’re going to get hell for it.”

  “Of course we will,” Nash said. “They’ll think we’ve gone soft. It’s been a little while since we were in the headlines, you know?”

  “I’m sure that won’t last forever.”