Chapter Sixteen
C hristine leaned back against the wall.
She felt safe with Austin and Matt a mere twenty feet away, even if the door was closed.
She shut her eyes, thinking she could fall asleep standing up.
She marveled at what stress could do to the body and took a moment to gather herself.
Seeing people from her high school had given her some much-needed closure, but it had also reopened some wounds.
If she’d had a crystal ball and seen her future, she could have let a lot of the insults roll off her back then.
But she didn’t. High school had seemed like the be-all and end-all when she was living it.
It had felt like if she didn’t become someone then, she never would.
What a ridiculous notion that she should have peaked in life at eighteen.
If only teenagers realized they have their whole lives in front of them.
Christine’s phone chimed with a social media update.
She wasn’t going to look but figured it had to be something good.
She’d just treated twenty people to a fun encounter with a star.
How could it not be good? She beamed, envisioning her classmates mentioning that she had planned the meet and greet, saying that Austin had spent time with them, and remarking that he was obviously her friend.
Did she want validation? Of course she did. Doesn’t everyone?
She pulled up the post and froze. Her hand went to her mouth and she felt the blood drain out of her face.
She fell back against the wall. Her legs were wobbly and she started to shake.
There was a video of her with the high school group, Austin in the middle, but someone had dubbed a guy’s voice over it.
“Yeah, she’s a pretty cool big deal now.
But back in high school, she was just Chrissy the Sissy.
It was some dumb chant we used to do: ‘Chrissy is a sissy; Chrissy is a sissy.’ Cruel shit kids do to other kids that you wish now you could take back.
It had something to do with a night when a bunch of guys were harassing her.
They came up with it, but then we all played along.
Why are teenagers so mean to each other?
Hey, you’re not recording this, are you? ” Then it stopped.
The video had been posted on multiple social media platforms with a dozen hashtags, including the venue name, the tour, Hit Songs Publishing, Austin, and various country music sites.
Even her high school was hashtagged, along with the year Christine graduated.
Who? Who could’ve done it? Who had said those things?
She sank to the floor as tears flowed down her face. She covered her face with her hands and let her emotions pour. “No. No, no, no,” she cried.
“Christine? Christine? What’s wrong?”
From somewhere in her brain, she heard Julianna calling for her.
“Austin, help me get her up,” Julianna said, but Christine wouldn’t move. She couldn’t move. She never wanted to move again.
“Chrissy, what’s wrong?” Austin was on the floor beside her, hugging her. “Honey, tell me what’s wrong. Did someone do something?”
Christine shook her head. She handed Julianna her phone, the social feed still showing.
Julianna played the video. “Oh, sweetie. I am so, so sorry.”
“What am I missing?” Austin asked. “What the hell does this mean?”
“Does he know what this means, Christine?” Julianna asked.
Christine shook her head.
“Somebody tell me what the hell is going on,” Austin said.
“Christine?” Julianna said.
“I can’t. You tell him,” Christine said, refusing to look up.
Julianna gave Austin the quick version of what had happened all those years ago.
“Jesus, Christine. Why didn’t you tell me that’s why you didn’t want me calling you that?” Austin said, rubbing her back.
Loud footsteps came stomping down the hall. Christine didn’t have to look to know who it was.
“Oh, for God’s sake. What’s wrong with Christine now?” Phoebe said, causing Christine to cry harder. She couldn’t handle one more person being mean to her.
“Not now, Phoebe,” Austin said.
“Nice attitude, Austin. She sits there crying like a damn sissy and you get pissed at me?” Phoebe said.
Christine’s head snapped up. She couldn’t form words, but she pointed at Phoebe, moaning.
“It is you,” Austin said, standing up and walking toward her. “All along it’s been you.” He was pointing at Phoebe.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Phoebe said.
“Maybe you’re misreading it, Austin,” Julianna said.
“I’m not misreading shit. You’re Christine’s stalker,” he said.
“Me? Are you out of your fucking mind?” Phoebe said. “Why would I stalk Christine?”
“You’re jealous. You’re jealous because of me, and you’ve been harassing her all along,” he said, pointing his finger at Phoebe but not touching her.
“I’ll break that damn finger if you don’t put it down right now. You are freaking losing it, Austin. You’re not so great that I’d stalk anyone over you,” Phoebe said.
“You just called her a sissy right after this hit socials,” he said, showing Phoebe the video.
She grabbed the phone. “You think I posted that?” Phoebe said.
“Well, someone did, and it’s damned ironic you’d use that same word mere minutes after this posted,” he said.
“Christine, look at me,” Phoebe said.
Christine shook her head no.
“Christine. Please, look at me,” Phoebe said again. She stooped down and put her hand on Christine’s shoulder. Christine shrugged it off. “Christine. Please.”
Christine looked up, barely able to see through the tears.
“I did not post that. I have not been stalking you. I would never do this to you,” Phoebe said.
Christine nodded, not because she believed her but because she was afraid not to.
Suddenly, Matt’s voice erupted from behind the closed production room door. “You freaking bitch. It’s you!”
“Matt’s never called anyone a bitch as long as I’ve known him,” Austin said.
Austin offered Christine his hand, and she accepted. He pulled her up. The four of them moved closer to the door.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” a female voice said.
“I think that’s Alicia,” Austin said.
“You know damn well what I’m talking about. I just watched you type that, and so help me God, if you post it, I won’t be responsible for my actions.” Matt’s voice was strained, carrying a harsh edge.
“It’s not me,” the female said, her voice quivering.
“Yeah, it is you. Has it been you all along? It makes sense. You always knew where we were. You know where Christine lives, what she drives, when she’s on the road with us, and when she’s not. My only question is why?” Matt yelled the last sentence.
“Why? You want to know why? Because she fucking got between Austin and me. Yeah, that’s right.
Look surprised. We were starting a relationship.
He flirted with me. He’d always seek me out, tell me jokes, check in on me when we were on the road.
And the touching. He hugged me a lot, and he even kissed me a couple of times.
And then, he just stops. Right after he met Christine.
And it’s never been the same. I just needed her to go away and give me time to get him back,” she said, her voice catching, choking up.
“Why Christine when he’s dating Phoebe? This whole thing has made absolutely no sense.”
“He doesn’t love Phoebe. She’s a plant or something to get attention off Christine. You can see the difference in how he looks at them. It’s Christine he wants. Not Phoebe. I had to get Christine out of the way,” Alicia said, her voice rising, pushing her theory.
“And that’s how you chose to do it? You didn’t talk to her, explain it to her, or talk to him—or even me?
What the hell is wrong with you? You’ve spent the last year abusing the most wonderful, kind person on the planet.
Someone who would have bent over backwards if you’d needed her help.
Christine is the best of the best. How could you be so cruel? ” Matt said.
“Sounds like Austin isn’t the only one in love with her,” Alicia said, a biting tone to her voice.
“I don’t know about Austin. But I know I’m in love with her. And you’re done. Fired. Pack your bags and get the hell out of here,” Matt said.
“You can’t fire me. You didn’t hire me. Only Austin can fire me,” Alicia said.
Austin opened the door to the production room and stormed in. “You’re fired. Get the hell off this property now. You’ve broken multiple laws, and I will press charges if any of us ever hear from you again.”
“Austin, you can’t mean that,” Alicia said, looking up at him, her eyes pleading.
“I sure as hell do mean it,” he said. “She never did anything to you, and you have been determined to destroy her. Just get out, Alicia. Leave. Now.”
Alicia looked at all of them, started to say something, and then stopped. She walked out, coming face-to-face with Christine.
“You know you want him. It’s all you’ve wanted since you met him. And you came between us. You should be ashamed that I’m the one getting fired,” Alicia said.
Christine looked at Alicia and then at Matt. “You’re right. I do want him. And I have wanted him since I met him.” She looked back at Alicia. “You just got the guy wrong.”
Alicia looked from Christine to Matt and back to Christine. Then she looked at Phoebe.
“You’re not a plant? You’re really dating him?” Alicia said.
“Yep. And just try coming after me. I will destroy you,” Phoebe said, taking a step toward Alicia, her eyes boring daggers into Alicia’s.
Alicia took two steps back. “Well, fuck me,” she said.
“Don’t need to,” Christine said. “You did that all to yourself. But tell me this. How did you do it? How did you get someone to relive the worst experience of my life?”