Chapter 12 #2
I told them what we’d heard… I told them enough, didn’t I? I’ll be honest, I’m not so sure anymore. My mind drifts, and I’m back in my awkward eighteen-year-old body, standing right outside the band room door hearing Melody talk to some chick.
“I don’t want any of them. They’re nothing to me.
Nothing. They’re not successful, and we all know they won’t be.
Especially not with that band we all know isn’t going anywhere.
They coast by on their looks and charm. They’re like my brothers; it’s sick to think of them like that.
I’ll tell you the truth: they latched onto me and I’ve been reaping the benefits.
No one but your dumbass messes with me. Talk about using them to make my life better. ”
Was her voice wobbling? Was she nervous? Was she trying to save herself? Are Markus and Adam right? Did I…
No, there’s no way, because if I have…
No, I’m not even going there.
My mom said Melody hadn’t even come by after we left.
When we went home that day and told my parents the plan, my dad threatened to cut me off.
I didn’t care. Still don’t; I don’t need that alcoholic fucker in my life.
I did everything possible to make sure Melody was never left alone when he was there.
My mom didn’t agree with him, but she was her own bag of crazy issues.
I choose not to interact with them anymore.
None of us have very involved families, so we got on a bus at midnight with nothing but a few changes of clothes, our instruments, as much cash as we could get together, and a burning need to prove to the girl we cared about that we were going to make it.
I called my mom from my new cheap phone a few days later, and after a few minutes of her wailing, I asked what we were all wondering.
“Did Melody come by?” I asked worriedly.
My mother was silent on the other end of the line. I knew she had never liked Melody, but I always thought she’d get that Mel was important to me and accept her.
“She hasn’t come by, Reisyn. I told you that girl was nothing but trouble. Look at you now—she quite literally ran you out of town without a second thought. She’s a witch, Reisyn. A witch.”
At the time, her words had thrown gasoline on a fire in my heart, incinerating any good will and love for Melody left in my heart. All that remained was despair, anger, and my hurt pride.
I didn’t talk to my mom again after that.
And she never tried to call me again.
Whatever. I sneer mentally and take a deep breath, pulling myself out of the memories before lifting the bar again. My muscles strain and it feels good. I like pushing myself.
If they were so fucking upset about leaving Melody, then why did they leave with me when I told them what we’d heard?
Push up, let down.
If they care so fucking much about her, why’d they just give up?
Push up, let down.
Do they all still love her?
Push up, let down. Sweat builds over my skin and starts to drop slowly.
Do I?
I push the bar up one more time and set it back on the hooks, letting my arms drop down for rest.
Why’d you drug her, man? They’re all asking me.
Why? Why? Why’d you do it? My mind won’t shut up. I shake my head and push my hair back in frustration. And honestly, I don’t fucking know why I did it. It was a split-second decision. She was being annoying about coming with us and I knew I couldn’t let her walk away again.
Not without getting some fucking things set straight.
I load up the bar with some more weight and just as I sit down to do my last set, the music playing over the speakers cuts out. A robotic voice blasts; “ Call from Louis, manager. Call from Louis, manager. ”
Ugh. This can’t be good. Reluctantly, I pull the phone from my pocket, cutting the Bluetooth and taking a steadying breath before answering.
“Yeah?” I absolutely do not want to talk to this man right now.
He’s a good manager, but he’s an awful fucking human being.
Louis knows not to speak to me the way I’ve seen him speak to others, but he tends to forget his place and talks to me about inappropriate things.
I’ve seen how he acts when he’s off the clock; if he wasn’t so good at his job, I’d have fired him long ago.
“Reisyn! There’s a situation. Some pictures are circulating of Kai with that groupie you guys had backstage last night. Looks like she conned you all into a private ride, huh?” Louis insinuates, and I can hear the wink in his voice.
“Excuse me?” I ask, disgust in my tone.
He must think I’m agreeing with what he said, because he laughs like a freaking Bond villain.“Oh yeah. I’m looking at the pictures now. Looks like you all gave her a nice ride. Was she able to satisfy all of you? Maybe I need to see–”
“Watch your fucking mouth!” I boom into the phone, wishing he was in front of me so I could punch his teeth in. “What did I fucking say would happen if you ever spoke about her like that again?!”
“Jesus, boss,” Louis squeaks, and I can hear him gulping in fear over the phone. “I didn’t think you were serious.”
“I’m so goddamn serious. Don’t. Say. That. Shit. Again.”
“Understood,” Louis replies, clearing his throat.
“Well, like I said, there are some pictures of that girl and Kai in the city this morning. They look awfully cozy strolling down the avenue, arm-in-arm and whispering. The problem is, the paps sold the pictures to the tabloids and now they want all the information on her. We’ve built the band’s image around mystery and tried to keep your real names out of the press as much as possible, but having this… it’s going to catch on like wildfire.”
“What are you asking here, Louis? I don’t have time for this.”
“What do you want me to tell them?”
“Tell them no comment.” That seems like a no brainer, really. “Demand that no picture with her face is printed or posted.” We’ve all signed on for this shit, but Mel didn’t. I’m going to protect her as much as I can.
In this aspect.
It’s not that deep. Don’t look into it.
Fuck, I’m not even fooling myself anymore .
“Done,” Louis says. “I’ll get the people running our social media presence to flag the pictures and order takedowns”
Social media…
Wait, didn’t Mel say she runs a social media business? A successful one, at that.
“Also, I want you to hire Social Media Buzz, Inc. for our social media shit,” I order, without really thinking it through.
But this could work… One of the reasons I bet she was complaining was because she had to work. So if I take that out of the equation, or at least make it so that her only work is ours , maybe I’ll gain some favor.
Or she’ll hit me again.
I’ll take either one.
“What?”
I roll my eyes and speak clearly. “Hire the social media agency called Social Media Buzz, Inc., and make it clear that On The Edge is to be Melody’s only client from now on.” I don’t know if her company has more than one person, but I’m going to cover my bases. I don’t give a shit about the others.
Melody, and her time, is ours. Exclusively.
“I don’t know if that’s possible,” Louis argues.
“Make it possible, damn it,” I growl. “Pay her five times her normal rate.”
Louis scoffs. “Five times? Do you know how expensive that’s going to be?”
“I don’t care,” I snap. It’ll be worth every single penny. “I will not take no for an answer here, Louis. Get it fucking done.”
“Got it,” he says meekly and hangs up the phone.
There.
She’s all ours now.