Guitar Face Series Box Set: Books 1-4

by Sasha Marshall

  Walking Back To Georgia

  Copyright 2015 Sasha Marshall

  Published by: Sasha Marshall, LLC

  Originally Published: June 26, 2015

  Edited by: M. Glass

  Cover Designed by Sasha Marshall

  Photographs on Cover: © undrey / Dollar Photo Club

  Without limiting the rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the above author of this book.

  Dedication

  For Joe, Cory, Erica, and Dane. Thank you for saving me. Thank you will never be quite enough to show my gratitude for what you did for me in the worst moments of my life.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. Please be advised there are sexual situations, profanity, and other situations which are not suitable for anyone who is younger than 18 years of age.

  There are character biographies and profiles on the author’s website at SashaMarshall.com.

  Please leave a review on a retailer’s site for this book. Indie authors depend on you to spread the news. Thank you for reading my book.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Review

  Follow

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Prologue

  Henley

  Darkness sometimes surprises you, especially when you find it inside of yourself. It doesn’t matter how pretty you are, how much money you have, or if you did everything right in life, darkness does not discriminate. It’s all-consuming and a slippery slope of evil.

  Imagine being unaware of ice skating, really unaware as in you have no prior knowledge of the pastime. If you came upon an ice rink you would feel how it chills the surrounding air, and how glossy the ice may appear. If you had no clue what an ice rink was, you wouldn’t know not to step on it. When you step on it, the new experience will most likely seem exhilarating and the sides of your mouth will turn up in a smile. This new adventure will give you a chance to throw all the bad moments of the day into the wind. As you walk further into the rink, you will eventually struggle with balancing yourself. Common sense tells you it would be a good idea to walk back to the edge and hold on the wall for dear life, but once you’re in the middle you’re surrounded by ice skaters who are zooming by you.

  Now, walking back to safety may seem more ominous than remaining in the middle, because while you’re in the middle of the rink you’re less likely to become harmed than if you attempt to cross the traffic of skaters. You’ll fall on the ice and your ass will hurt, but you get up and dust yourself off and try to figure out why in the hell you ever thought it was a good idea to find the middle. You remember you had a shitty day and exploring this rink of ice was fun and you just wanted to forget the negative thoughts you’ve had all day. For a fleeting moment in time, risk and adventure seemed to be your friend. It couldn’t be all that dangerous to live on the wild side for just a little while, right?

  I guess that’s what I thought too when Noel first handed me coke in a Vegas bathroom. For a fleeting moment in time, the risk seemed to outweigh the danger. I thought the risk was minimal and worth the escape from the darkness that lives inside of me. While I was running away from the hurt and pain I forgot to look ahead. I forgot to look at the path in front of me so I ran straight into another type of darkness.

  The room spins and the surrounding air seems to whirl in my ears. My vision is blurry and I try to call out to Kip who’s in my bedroom, but my voice won’t work. My heart is thumping so hard I’m pretty sure it will explode.

  Where is Kip?

  And that’s the last thought I have before the darkness of another plane envelopes me.

  I’m so sorry, Kip.

  Chapter 1

  Kip

  “Kip!”

  Rocking. I need to rock. I need to rock. Her arm is dangling. No heartbeat, no breath sounds. Rocking. I need to rock.

  “Kip!”

  I can’t do this again. I can’t do it. I don’t have it in me. People think I’m so damn tough, because I joke around a lot, but I’m not. I’m not tough at all. I depend on a group of people more than they will ever realize. I depend on them for love and companionship. I depended on Caleb for that, and he died. He left her and me. Can’t do this.

  “Kip!”

  I search for the screams. My eyes land on a red-eyed Jagger. He can’t do this again either. We were both there with Hen when Caleb died. We saw him die. I can’t do this again.

  Jagger grabs my face, “Kip, listen. Are you listening?”

  I nod my head.

  “I need words, Kip. I need to know you comprehend me.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “I know we’ve been here before, but she needs you right now. Later, when all is said and done, whatever that may be, you can crawl in your head for as long as you want, but right now…. Henley needs us. Okay?”

  I nod, “She’s dead though.”

  “I can’t believe that,” he sighs and tears run down his face.

  “I saw her. She is dead. My best friend is dead. She’s my Caleb. I can’t do this, Jag. I can’t fucking do it,” I plead with him to leave me be.

  “You can and you will do it. They are continuing CPR. We found her just in time, but we have to get to the hospital. We also have a shit ton of people to call and notify before the media gets a hold of this,” he says.

  I nod, and rock again. I want to go back to my own little alternate reality. It’s nicer there because no one dies.

  “Kip, listen to me. I need you to pull through this and help me help her. She’s your best friend, yeah?”

  “I love her so much, Jag. I don’t want her to be dead. She’s my favorite person in the whole fucking world,” I sob like a little bitch. I don’t care though, if she was your best friend you’d cry like a baby, too. Big fucking toddler sobs. She’s the only who has ever loved me unconditionally. My parents didn’t even give me that. Hen’s all I have in this world some days.

  Jag turns and sits beside me on the wall in the bathroom where Henley just seized and then died. He grabs my head and pulls it to his shoulder.

  His voice chokes on his own emotion, “She’s my favorite person too, man. We love that girl in different ways, but neither one of us can live in a world where she doesn’t exist. I get that. So here’s what we are gonna do… we will get up from this wall, wipe our tears, get in the car, and go to the hospital. On the way, we have lots of people to call who love her as much as we do. When we get there, she will be okay. They will make sure she is okay, because she’s Henley mother fucking Hendrix and she’s too goddamn stubborn to die, but more than that she’s too fucking amazing to die. We will thin
k happy thoughts, regardless of what we just saw.”

  “Okay,” I push down my emotions and try to focus on the here and now.

  “Henley is going to be okay. Say that over and over again, Kip,” Jagger orders.

  “Henley is going to be okay. Henley has to be okay,” I repeat.

  He stands from the wall, offers me his hand, and pulls me up. We march to the garage, get in the Audi R8, because it’s fast as hell, and head to UCLA.

  “Can you call Memphis? I’ll call Koi,” Jagger says.

  I nod in agreement. I pick up my phone and call Memphis while Jag calls Koi.

  “Yeah?” Memphis answers.

  “She… she uh…” I can’t say it.

  “Kip? What’s wrong with Hen?”

  “She was uh… seizing, and the ambulance came, but it’s bad,” is all I can muster without saying she’s dead.

  “Kip? What’s bad?’

  “I can’t.”

  “Kip? Please tell me.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Give me the phone, buddy,” Jag says and I hand it over.

  “Memph, she overdosed... yeah, man… I’m sorry… UCLA,” Jag says throughout the short conversation.

  “FUCK!” I hear Memphis scream through the phone.

  Jag hangs up the phone, “I can’t get Koi on the phone. Dial Jess, and put it on speaker, I can’t shift gears and hold it.”

  I do as I’m told.

  Jessica answers and Jag speaks, “Jess, is Koi with you?”

  “No, I haven’t seen him,” she answers.

  “We have to find him; he’s not answering his phone. We need everyone at UCLA hospital like yesterday,” he says.

  “What happened?” she asks nervously.

  “Jessica, I need you to listen carefully. I need you in business mode, because in a few seconds you will want to be in friend mode, but you can’t. We have to find Koi and Derek and get them to UCLA first. We need to get the rest of our friends there too, and then we can go into panic mode, okay?”

  “Jag, you’re scaring me. Where’s Henley?”

  “She’s on the way to UCLA.”

  “Why?”

  “She overdosed,” he answers.

  “Oh God,” Jessica sobs and her voice catches.

  “Jess, remember what I said. We have to find Derek and Koi first. I’ve already spoken to Memphis.”

  “Okay, okay. So I call everyone?”

  “Everyone except Kip, Memphis, and I and make sure Sam gets in front of this.”

  “Kip?”

  “Yeah?” I answer.

  “Kip, is it bad?”

  I don’t know what to say. I saw her seize and die? Those words comfort no one.

  “Yeah, it’s bad,” I finally manage, and another sob escapes her throat. “Henley’s going to be okay, she has to be okay.”

  We disconnect from Jessica and Jag throws the valet the keys over the car as we’re speed walking into the emergency room. We approach a counter, and a cute blonde, who would normally make my dick twitch, is smiling into her cell phone.

  “Excuse me ma’am,” Jagger interrupts.

  She turns and sets eyes on him, and then me, recognition flashing across her face. Fuck!

  “OMG!” Valley Girl exclaims.

  Jagger shuts her up immediately, “I get you recognize us, but right now I’m here because someone I love is hurt. Can you please give me information?”

  “Uh… yeah… I can… that’s like my job,” she grins.

  My dick is not twitching, it is limp as a dishrag because this girl has about five brain cells in her little head, and she’s using all of them to open and close her jaw. Not sexy, at least not right now. A great deal of liquor makes me love this kind. Their shallowness amuses me. Today it does not.

  “Name?” she asks Jag.

  He leans down to the corner, stares a hole into her head, and whispers, “Henley Hendrix, and do not repeat it out loud. Do not call the paparazzi or any member of the press. So help me God if they find out she is here it won’t end well for you.”

  She visually gulps, so I’m pretty sure he’s made his point.

  “Computer. Can you type her name in and tell me anything?” Jagger prods the girl who continues to stare at him.

  She finally types in her little computer, and I swear it takes an eternity.

  “She came in by ambulance, but there isn’t any other information here. You’ll have to be seated in the waiting room and wait for a physician to come from the back,” she says softly.

  “Thank you,” Jagger says. “No media,” he says once more as sternly as possible, and the girl nods.

  We find a waiting room to the right, and I sit down. I try to focus on the television in the right hand corner of the room, but I can’t. Henley is going to be okay, Henley has to be okay.

  Jagger paces the room, running his fingers through the hair he now keeps longer on top. Ten minutes pass and Memphis walks in. He nods at both of us and sits beside me. His head in his hands, he whispers something over and over again, maybe it’s a prayer. Fifteen minutes pass, and we hear nothing. I keep my eyes on the door that leads to the back where my best friend is. I keep telling myself that if they haven’t come out by now, it’s a good sign.

  Ten more minutes pass and Koi, Derek, and Samantha arrive.

  “What happened?” Derek asks with red-rimmed eyes.

  He looks at me first, but all I can say is, “I can’t.”

  He looks to Jagger who stops pacing, and leans against a wall. He looks up like he’s asking for answers or strength, I’m not sure which.

  “Kip called when she arrived home and said she was talking to Caleb. When I got to the house, Kip was on the phone with 9-1-1 and she was seizing. I turned her on her side, and she stopped, but she wasn’t breathing and her heart wasn’t beating, so I performed CPR until the paramedics arrived shortly after. They told us to wait here, and a doctor will come out when they have more information.”

  “Her heart stopped?” Derek asks in a daze as his knees give way. Koi and Memphis get him to a chair.

  “If they haven’t come out yet, that’s a good sign,” Samantha says.

  Jagger paces again, and Rhys, Griffin, Kathrine, Cam, Meghan, Jessica and Kai arrive. Koi whispers the details not wanting to upset Derek any further.

  ***

  Jagger

  When everyone is present and informed, I duck into a restroom right off the waiting room. I’ve been pacing this damn place since I got here. I can’t sit still and remember what she looked like. I can’t do that and hold it all together.

  I wash my face with water and then dry it off. I feel the bile rising and try to fight the urge, but it’s no use. I drop to my knees and vomit. It tears through my throat, and my eyes pour tears from the acid being purged from me. When it stops I wash my mouth out, wash my face again, and dry it once more. I hold on to the edge of the sink to keep from falling to the floor again. Quiet sobs rack through my body, and I can’t stop them. My chest and back shake with each breath as I let it all out. I couldn’t stop it if I tried. Why did I push her away last night? I did this… again. I hurt her again.

  I’m such an asshole. I can’t believe I hurt her again. I’m so sorry Hen. I love you so much, please don’t leave me. Please stay. I’ll make it all better, I promise. I can’t do this without you. I can’t live without you, please don’t make me. I’ll be the best man you could’ve ever dreamed of if you just stay. I’ll give you everything, the entire fucking world, just please don’t leave me. I need you.

  I silently beg her to stay as the tears pour from my eyes. I need her to breathe. I need her with me. When I am able to pull myself together, I wipe my eyes, take some deep breaths, and return to the waiting room. I sit down beside Kip, who is barely holding it together.

  Another hour passes before the door opens, and a man who is just greying steps towards us.

  “I’m Dr. Patterso
n, and I’ve been working with Ms. Hendrix. Is there any family here?” he asks.

  “I’m her father, but we’re all family,” Derek answers.

  The doctor eyes all of us, clearly not missing the fact that most of us are not related to her, but he doesn’t comment.

  “We’ve stabilized her,” he says and a collective sigh of relief resonates through the small room.

  “How is she?” Kip asks.

  “She’s drowsy, and a bit confused which is normal. Are any of you aware of what substance or substances she was using?” Dr. Patterson asks.

  Derek looks to Memphis for help because saying it out loud hurts more than you would think. Memphis and Sam converse quietly with the doctor, and he nods his head throughout the conversation, answering where needed.

  When the exchange ends, Derek speaks up, “When can we see her?”

  “I would like her to rest for a few more hours. We need to get her to a room, and then she can have visitors. I need you to understand I can’t force her to stay here. I’ve seen situations like this too many times, and if the patient is not ready to get help, they won’t. If the patient is forced to get help, they won’t stay clean, because they have to want it for themselves. It usually takes something life altering for that to occur. Did she leave a note of any kind?” Dr. Patterson asks.

  “Note?” I ask.

  “Forgive me, I was merely attempting to determine whether this was accidental or intentional,” he states.

  “It was both,” I say before I think about what I’ve just let slip.

  The heads in the room swing to me suddenly.

  “What?” Koi asks.

  “She didn’t attempt to kill herself tonight, but she doesn’t want to live. When she came home from rehab, she told me she wanted to die. She said she wasn’t suicidal, she just doesn’t want to live anymore,” I confess.

  Kathrine breaks into a sob, because the woman she’s known most of her life is strong and independent, and would never be capable of losing the will to live.