by Mj Fields
T responded, ���The night I met my Goddess.���
Ava did not respond, but her father did.
���Leave it alone, or I���ll rip your face off.���
T had a bit too much to drink and replied, ���The pleasure of her company for just a second in time would make the pain bearable.��� Maddox laughed as they sat in front of the computer
���You should be warned, pushing ones father is ill advised,��� Maddox���s heart literally stopped when he saw it was from Harper.
T looked at him and smiled, ���What shall I reply?���
���Whatever you want,��� Maddox scowled.
���You reply for me,��� T wiggled his eyebrows.
���No.���
���Come on you know you want to.���
Maddox did want to, and he wanted her to know it was him. He typed, ���Thanks for the advice, Sweetness.��� He stared at the screen and waited.
���Sweetness? I would never call her that.���
���I know that, and so does she.���
She did not reply, and he became agitated, ���You got nothing?���
When her reply never came across he closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair.
Maddox walked into the studio with T, Zach, and Jazz. They were going to record the last few tracks for the album’s release before their European tour started up. The band played the music and Maddox would stay behind and do the vocals with the producers. Maddox had a few minutes to wait until they were ready. He grabbed his phone and looked at Ava���s page, and still Harper had not responded. He sat back and closed his eyes. He heard someone walk into the room, and he opened his eyes and sat up.
Four girls walked into the room. ���Maddox Hines,��� one said, and he looked up. She had long blonde hair that hung to her waist, and blue eyes. She was very attractive, and her smile was from ear to ear, ���I am Ally: and this Taylor, Jenna, and Laura we���re M.A.S.S.���
Maddox stood and smiled, ���Nice to meet you all. So you���ll be opening for us?���
���Yep, thanks for the opportunity.���
���We are stoked,��� Taylor shook his hand.
���We just finished up down the hall. Could we stick around and hear you guys?���
���Ally, was it?��� she nodded her head yes, ���It���s just me and I���m only doing two songs. Sorry to disappoint.���
���That���s would be cool with us if you don���t mind.��� Ally sat down not waiting for an answer. Maddox laughed.
���He probably doesn���t want us to,��� Jenna whispered.
���No, it���s fine,��� Maddox smiled and walked into the recoding booth. It only took twice through for them to get everything they wanted, ���Thanks Maddox.��� Ziggy, took his hand as he left.
���Thank you,��� Maddox smiled.
���That was awesome!��� Ally jumped up and hugged him, ���I think we should celebrate. Let’s go get dinner.���
���Alright then. We can take my car,��� Maddox loved her energy. It was the excitement of a new artist. One who truly loved their craft. They sat in a pub not far from the studio. They all ordered, and Maddox found out they were all eighteen and went to the same school together. They were from a small town in Massachusetts, they all had boyfriends at home, and they were all taking a semester off before their first year of college to pursue their dream. They had put a few of their songs online and Maddox���s record label found them and decided to give them a shot. He had a great time just hanging out with them. No one asked questions about his childhood or reminded him of any of his recent mistakes. He paid for dinner and promised to download their music and listen to them before he dropped them off at their hotel.
Maddox woke the next morning to banging on his door. He had started locking it at night so that Jazz wouldn���t come in. He needed the distance. To show her that he was serious about no longer having any type of sexual relationship with her.
He opened the door, and Jazz lunged at him, ���Is it because she looks like her?���
Maddox grabbed her arms to stop her from hitting him, ���Calm the fuck down!���
���NO! Do you like her now, because she looks like Harper?���
���What the hell are you talking about?���
���The TV Maddox, your date with three girls is all over TV!���
���I did not go on a date, Jazz!���
���You did, and you like her because she looks like Harper!���
Zach flew down the hall and grabbed her, ���Come on Claire.���
���I am not Claire!���
���Fine Jazz, whatever you say, let it alone,��� Zach carried her down the hall kicking and screaming.
Maddox followed them and turned on the TV. Sure enough the entertainment channel was mudslinging less than twelve hours later.
���I went to dinner after recording with four girls Jazz, not one. They are M.A.S.S our opening act. Three teenage girls from the US, with boyfriends at home. Nice girls who do not resemble Harper. And if they did, so fucking what? They���re not her! I walked away from love for friendship Jazz--- for you my friend! What you just did was uncalled for!��� Jazz glared at him and she started to walk away.
���You wait just a fucking minute!��� Jazz stopped and turned around, ���You will behave around them. You will not discuss me, my past, or your past. This is business— do you understand me? And if you do, so help me god Jazz, all of this is done! I am dying here. You are not alone anymore. No one is going to fucking hurt you. You get to choose who you are now. I am doing you absolutely no good. You continue to suck the life out of me don���t you? And your brother!���
���That���s enough, Maddox,��� Zach snapped.
���The hell it is,��� Maddox screamed, ���I was given a chance, I fucked up, and those who truly love me continued to give me chances. My family loves me. Jesus Christ Jazz, I don���t even spend time with my sisters anymore because you can’t pull your shit together. Look at me!��� Maddox pounded his chest, ���I���m dying inside. I can���t go a day without getting fucked up, not one fucking day! You do NOT love me Jazz, not even as a friend. You are doing the same to him!���
���Don���t speak for me,��� Zach snapped.
���I won���t, I fucking won���t!��� Maddox stormed to his room and slammed the door.
Maddox walked backstage after his sound check. He watched as the three girls laughed and chatted. Their excitement was so pure and innocent. Something he remembered lasted only a moment for him. The moment he first walked on the stage of O2 until the moment he thought he saw Harper and Blake. Since that time more than two years ago he hadn���t felt it, until now.
Ally skipped over to him, ���Are you excited?���
���I am excited for you three, more than I am for myself,��� he smiled.
���Aw, thanks Maddox Hines,��� she playfully hip checked him and he laughed. He saw Jazz out of the corner of his eye, watching them. She had something of a different expression on her face. Not the normal blank stare or scowl.
���Earth to Maddox,��� Ally snapped her fingers in front of her face.
���Sorry,��� he laughed.
���You like her?���
���I care deeply for her but not in any way aside from friendship.���
���She doesn���t like us.���
���She doesn���t know how.���
���Do you know her from���
?��� Ally stopped when his eyes widened, ���I���m sorry. I didn���t mean to overstep.���
���You know of my past?���
���Doesn���t everyone?���
���But you don���t act like everyone, none of you react the way we are used to.���
���That���s because we���re that cool,��� Ally smiled and laughed, ���And we don���t judge, we all have pasts, Maddox Hines.���
He laughed, ���Maddox is fine.���
���Fine,��� she rolled her eyes, ���We���re going to get pedicures to celebrate. Do you think she would like to come, you know— hang with girls and not you boys?���
���I don���t know if you should take that chance.���
���Well why not, no harm in asking right?���
���Ally, she may be a bit nasty. I don���t think it���s a wise idea.���
���I never said I was a wise girl. But I am a bit of a risk taker. Here���s the deal; she says no and gets angry, and I don���t know, hits me, I won���t sue you. She says yes, you have to come on stage and play or sing during one of our songs.���
Maddox laughed, ���Not a good idea.���
���What? You don���t like our music?���
���No I do, I would however not like to have to replace you if you run screaming for the hills. The tour starts tonight.���
���I promise I won’t,��� Ally walked over to Jazz before he could say any more. Jazz looked at her, confused and then looked at Maddox. He smiled, and she nodded her head yes.
Maddox about fell over from shock and then texted Surge instructions to follow along. The four girls left in Maddox���s car, he insisted.
���That���s not a good idea, Maddox,��� Zach was angry.
���We have to start somewhere, this has not been working,��� Maddox walked away.
Maddox, T, and Zach sat backstage waiting for Jazz and the girls to come back when the car pulled in. Ally, Taylor, Jenna, and Laura got out laughing carrying shopping bags. Jazz got out and smiled at them shaking her head looking down. Maddox and Zach looked at each other hopefully.
���You girls better hurry it up, you are on in an hour,��� T yelled to them. Maddox watched them all, including Jazz walk by and go their dressing room, and smiled.
���They are not miracle workers, Maddox, don���t get your hopes up,��� Zach patted him on the back and walked away.
T smiled, ���One can always hope.���
They all stood on the side of the stage listening to the crowd, the three girls were in a huddle with their arms around each other. Maddox watched Jazz looking at them and walked over to her. ���Did you have fun?���
She looked at him briefly.
���Good,��� Maddox patted her back and started to walk away.
���Are you trying to give me to them?��� her words stopped him dead in his tracks and he turned around.
���Jazz, first of all you are not mine to give away������
���You���re trying to give me to Zach.���
���He���s your brother; I want you to build a relationship with him. He loves you; he looked for you for twenty years Jazz. Ally asked you to go, I absolutely did not encourage that, it was all her idea.���
���Are you angry that I went?���
���No Jazz, I am happy you went. I want you to make friends and be happy, and live.���
���So that you can?���
���So that I can what Jazz?���
���Live. So that you can live. So that you can leave me for Harper?���
���I���ve already lost Harper. My hope is the same for you as it is for me Jazz; that we can live life and be happy. That we can allow others to care for us, and we can care for them. Friends, family, and lovers. One���s who fill our lives and hearts. I want to be your friend, Jazz.���
���She said that too.���
���Who said that, MASS?���
���No Harper. I was mean, and she told me she would like to be my friend.���
Maddox closed his eyes and took a deep breath, ���Then she meant it.���
���You want to be my friend?���
���Of course I do.���
���Even after everything��� you want to be my friend?���
���Jazz where is this coming from?���
���They talked about friends--- ones they missed and ones they didn���t. Which would I be to you?���
Maddox laughed, ���A little of both,��� he looked at her face, ���You���re smiling.���
���Is that okay?���
���What did I ever do to make you think it wasn���t?���
���You don���t smile a lot.���
���I get sad a lot.���
���Because you miss Harper?���
���And my family. Jazz you need to stop talking about Harper. That makes me sad, okay?���
���Okay.���
���Jazz, your brother loves you. Be his friend too, okay?���
���I don���t know.���
���Hello LONDON!��� Ally yelled when they walked on stage, ���Thanks for coming out tonight we are MASS!���
As promised, Maddox walked on before their last song and the crowd blew up. Ally and the girls danced and sang, and he played the guitar. He had as much fun as they did. They called Jazz on stage, and she played piano alongside MASS���s pianist. The show was great, and at the end of the night both bands went out to a small restaurant outside the city and ate a very late dinner. They then went to a pub and danced and sang with the Juke Box. Jazz seemed far less awkward than normal. The tour was sold out all over Europe. MASS was climbing the charts. There were only two more concerts to go both in Germany: Munich and then Frankfurt.
Jazz was doing well. She and Zach were even talking more. She was alright if the conversation was not about her youth. When the subject came up, she would simply get up and walk away��� not flip out like she used to. Maddox was happy, he enjoyed fewer and fewer after concert autograph signing sessions in the dressing room. He preferred going to dinner and hanging out with his friends, old and new. He no longer drank before shows— occasionally he would hit the pipe with the crew before taking stage, but it was not always necessary. He could still not fall asleep at night without seeing her face, so he continued taking a few hits before dozing off to sleep. MASS had been contacted about taking part in a fundraiser in Zurich. Ally asked Maddox advice, and he told her it would be a great opportunity for further exposure. It was a few weeks after the tour ended and he offered her any help she needed and a place for her and the band to stay. When the tour ended at Brody���s request, Maddox went back to Liverpool to spend time with them for a few days.
Maddox walked into the entry and London and Lexington greeted him with a welcome home sign and balloons. He smiled and picked them both up and spun them in a circle. Brody and Emma hugged him, and they all went into the dining room to eat dinner.
���How long are you staying?��� London asked.
���Yeah, how long?��� Lexington copied her exact tone. Both blunt and to the point.
���As long as it takes for me to drive you both mad,��� he laughed.
���London���s mad at you already,��� Lexington smirked.
���Am not.���
���You said so, uh huh,��� Lexington frowned.
���I missed him. I wasn���t
mad, Lexington,��� London began to turn red.
���I missed you both as well. I���m not upset, London, I have been pretty absent lately. I apologize. Will you forgive me, please?���
���Depends,��� London smiled.
���What are your terms, London?���
���Never go a week without visiting again.���
���Unless I���m on tour��� done.���
���Never go a day without calling.���
���Alright, unless I have a terrible cold and I cannot speak,��� Maddox held his throat in jest.
���Never go a day without sending a text.���
���Unless my fingers are broken or my phone has been eaten by dreadful dragons, done.���
���When did you talk to Harper last?���
Maddox smiled sadly, ���It has been a very long time.���
���Okay London, that���s enough,��� Emma said softly.
���No, that���s fine. When did you last speak to her, London?���
���A week ago. I made her promise to call me once a week. She is living in Sweden now. An internship with the Who,��� London took a bit of her mashed potatoes.
���The band?��� Maddox was surprised.
London laughed, ���No silly, the WHO, the World Health Organization. She has been here for two months,��� London changed her voice mimicking Harper���s; she���s having a fabulous time. She enjoys her job a great deal.��� Maddox took a drink and cleared his throat.
���How long will she be here?���
���I guess it���s a six month gig. Then she���ll graduate from Cornell. She seems pretty excited,��� London smiled.