Faded (Rock Star Trilogy) (8 page)

I swear, every day I fall a little more in love with him.

Monday, October 27

5:43 AM

So not fair.

On Monday morning, it is business as usual.
Part of me is excited to get back to school and into the studio, but the other part of me isn’t ready for the weekend to be over. I need more lazy days with Stephan.

On Sunday, Stephan came over and made me pancakes. He attempted to teach me how to
cook them, but after nearly catching the kitchen on fire, he declared me a lost cause and took over. I was relieved. My culinary skills tend to stop at anything that can’t be put into the microwave.

After breakfast, Stephan found out that I had “never watched Harry Potter”.
At that time, he went to his house, got all eight movies, and brought them over. We got through the fifth one before falling asleep on the couch. He promised that next weekend we would finish. I have to admit, the movies aren’t that bad.

Bridgett and Alec got back after midnight, yet
the late night doesn’t seem to affect Alec at all. He is in my room before six AM. He pokes me, and says, “Are you awake?”

I roll over and look at hi
m…
Well, more like
glare
at him. “I am now.”

“Good,” he
grins, satisfied that he woke me. “So you need to get up. Barry Stevens is coming to the studio Wednesday, and we have work to do before he gets there.”

This causes me to s
it up. “Barry Stevens, as in the CEO of my record company?”

Alec nods. “The one and only. He was impressed with the thr
ee songs we recorded this week, but he wants to hear a ballad. If he likes it, I think that you are going to get the go ahead for this CD.”

“We have until Wednesday,” I groan. “Just let me sleep like two more hours
, and then I’ll record the best damn ballad ever.”

“Do you have any good ballads?” Alec asks. He already knows the answer to the question.

“You know I suck at ballads.”

“Exactly. Now get your ass out of bed. You have ten minutes to get ready and be downstairs!” Alec smacks my butt and leaves the room. On his way out, he flips the light switch on, and my eyes shut in protest.

Ugh, why must he be such a morning person? Nobody should be that cheerful before noon.

I brush my hair and teeth in record time. Then I throw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie and am downstairs with exactly one minute to spare.
When I get there, Alec is literally staring at his watch.

“I didn’t think you’d make it,” he says.

Just then, Bridgett comes around the corner, carrying a cup of coffee. She hands it to me. “You can drink it on the way.”

“How are the two of you awake right now?” I grumble.

They both just shrug their shoulders in response.

Alec drives us to the studio, and I send Stephan a text.
Thankfully, Bridgett picked me up a new iPhone while in LA.

Scarlett:
Hey gorgeous. I’m being recruited for a long day of torture. If you feel like stopping by the studio after school, I will see you then. – S

My phone vibrates.

Stephan:
Ugh, it’s too early for torture. Glad it’s you and not me. I’m going back to sleep now. Be jealous. See you after school. – S

I am jealous. So not fair!

It’s cold in the studio, as usual. Otto has the air conditioner turned on 65, and it is miserable.

Alec stands at the keyboard, and plays a tune for me. I never learned to play the piano because I was never interested. Like Alec said, ballads aren’t exactly my strong suit.

“I’ve got nothing,” I tell him. “But what if I try to play something on the acoustic?”

“Okay.”

I pick up my Taylor acoustic guitar and start strumming.

I don’t want to play make-believe

I’m tired of the games

Who you see, this isn’t me

But I’m scared

Too
frightened to show the real me

I’m jaded

Too tired to fight

I’m faded

Am I even alive?

I’m hated

Just pretend that I’m liked

Once I start playing, the lyrics pour out of me. What I’m writing is exactly what I’m feeling. And when I start recording, I can hear the magic in the song.
I have no doubts that I am good enough to do this.

The song starts out with a simple acoustic guitar, but it picks up on the second verse. I add drums, and bass. At the bridge I add electric guitar, and then for the last chorus, it’s just acoustic guitar, and my voice.

3:54
PM

Jealous

We are just finish
ing recording my song when Stephan gets there. He is surprised that we are actually done for the day, and even more surprised that I have the day off tomorrow.

“When can I hear it?” I ask Otto.
I’m eager to hear how the finished product sounds.

“Not until Wednesday,” Alec answers for him. “You get to hear it when Barry hears it.”

“No way!” I argue. “This is
my career, and my future
. I want to hear it before he does!”

“Bridgett can hear it
with me later tonight, and we will decide what is the best move. Seriously, Scarlett, you need to trust us more.”

I glare at him. “You better not screw up my career, Alec
Torch. I am putting
lot
of trust in you.”

“I know, Scar. I love you like a sister, and I would do
anything
for you. I promise I will not screw up your career. This song is amazing, and I know that Barry is going to love it. You need to have more faith in yourself. You’re really good.”

I throw my arms around Alec, and squeeze him tight. “This is why you’re my best friend. I need you. Seriously, I don’t think I could do any of this without you and Bridge.”

Alec nods his head in agreement. “It’s true.”

I walk over to Bridgett and give her a hug too. “You’re not stressing out too much over this, are you? I’d hate for you to have another heart attack.”

She quickly puts me at ease. “I’ve gone to all of my follow-up appointments. My heart is healthy, and any damage I received is already healing. The doctor says I’m fine. But to answer your question, no, I am not stressed out. I actually
like
being your manager, and Alec makes this fun. I feel like I’ve found my niche.”

“Good.
Now, I’m going to go home to hang out with my boyfriend.”

Stephan is talking with Otto, so I go put my arm around his waist. “Are you about ready to get out of here?” I ask.

“Yep.”

“More Harry Potter?” I ask, as we walk towards his car.

“Actually, the guys are going to be racing tonight at the track, if you want to go.”

Racing. “Will Zoe be there?” I ask, because if she’s going to be there I have to mentally prepare myself after what Stephan
told me about sleeping with her.

“Are you jealous?”

“Yes. I am not ashamed to admit that I am jealous. You slept with her. How could I
not
be jealous?”

Stephan
grins. “You shouldn’t be jealous. I was never hers. But I am yours, totally and completely.”

His words make me feel
better. He’s right. He is
mine
. Not hers. “Sorry that I’m acting like a jealous girlfriend. I’m usually never insecure about myself when it comes to guys. You’re just my first real boyfriend, and I’ve never been i
n…
”
love
.
“Um
m…
I’ve never felt like this before. I’m not sure
how
I’m supposed to act.”

“It’s ok
ay to have insecurities. It means you’re human. I think it’s good to talk about them, instead of letting them get bottled up inside.”

“You’re right.”

Stephan is wise beyond his years. Though, I suspect it’s because life has been pretty hard on him so far.

“But you never answered my question. Is Zoe going to be there?”

“Probably. It’s her family’s track that we race at,” he answers.

I crinkle my nose in disgust. “Ok
ay, but please don’t expect me to be nice to her.”

“She’s not nice to anybody, so she deserves a taste of her own medicine.
It’s not like I expect you to be BFF’s with the girl.”

“Good. Because that’s definitely
not happening
.”

When we get to the track, I am greeted by a now brunette Ginny, followed by Britney.

“Your hair is a different color almost every time I see you,” I tell Ginny. Stephan walks off to talk to a couple of the guys.

“This is my natural color,”
she informs me, with a shrug. “I like to switch it up. I get bored easily.”

“She’s that way with her men, too,” Britney adds. “I like her best as a brunette personally.”

“I do too,” she agrees. “But guys like redheads and blondes the best.”

“I think every guy has a different preference.”
My life is officially pathetic. I am talking about hair color with Britney and Ginny.

I look over at Stephan and see Zoe walk up to the group. She is putting her hands on his arms, and laughing. I glare at her.

“Girls, if you’ll excuse me.” I walk over to where Stephan is, and gently step between Zoe and him. I then give him a big kiss on the lips. I hear Zoe snort, and I give myself a mental high five.

Score o
ne for Scarlett, zero for Zoe.

“I fig
ured you’d be gone now. Though, I suppose your career is over. You have nothing better to do than be in Hope, Florida.” Even her voice is annoying.

I turn to her and paste a fake smile on. “Actually, I am here recording my next album. Alec Torch is producing it.
Maybe you’ve heard of him? Also, MTV is doing a documentary of my life.”

“MTV must be desperate.” She laughs hard at her own joke.

“Laugh all you want. When you’re thirty, living in a trailer, raising your six children, I’ll be vacationing at my home in France, or my mansion in LA, or right her
e…
Where I can run into your fat ass on the street. You’ll be working at McDonalds, and I will be a retired millionaire.”

Her smile fades, and she has no come back. Probably because she knows I’m right. Maybe not the exact scenario I spilled out, b
ut definitely something similar.

Stephan is talking to the guys still, but he’s smiling at me, so I know he heard the conversation between Zoe and me. He grabs my hand and holds onto it. This causes Zoe to storm off dramatically.

“Damn, girl, you are harsh,” one of Stephan’s friends tells me. “Remind me not to mess with you.”

“She’s a bitch. She totally deserves it,” I say with a shrug.

“Oh, believe me, I know,” he agrees. “I’m Dwayne, by the way. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Dwayne is really tall. He’s at least four inches taller than Stephan, who is 6’1”. I could totally see him being an NBA star.
He’s very nice looking and muscular, not at all like a boy in high school should look, though the more I look at him, the less I think he’s actually in high school.

“Hi, Dwayne. I’m Scar
—”

He cuts me off. “I know who you are.
Everybody does. That must suck, you know, never having privacy, and always getting recognized everywhere you go. I don’t think I could do it.”

“It’s a small price to pay
. I’ve been in the spotlight since I was fifteen, so I’ve kind of gotten used to it. In LA it’s not so bad. People there are used to seeing celebrities around.”

“So why put yourself through the torture of being here?” he asks.

“I thought I could have a normal life for a little while. I wanted a break. I see now that it isn’t possible, but now, I’m staying to finish high school, and of course, I’m staying for Stephan.”

“She hasn’t been at school for a whole day in over a month,” Stephan informs Dwayne.

“I’ve tried. I swear. It’s just hard to film a documentary, record an album, and go to high school, all the while trying to maintain a relationship with my boyfriend, my friends, and my sisters. And I haven’t seen Stacy in forever. I need to go see her and my niece. I’m the worst aunt ever.”

“I wouldn’t worry so much about your grades,” Stephan tells me. “Ethan went to get your homework, and all of your teachers said that it was already
taken care of
.”