by K. T Fisher
Roxie and Crystal are still getting ready when I’m finally done. Tonight I’ve opted for a dark purple dress, which looks a little bit like a pin up model with my black Mary Jane’s. Seeing the opportunity to have a private moment with Cole before he steps on stage, I take it. I check the time and see that it’s been two hours since the meeting took place. I take my chance and tell the girl’s I’ll meet them over there. I open the door and see Frank, the security guard Cole has told to keep an eye on me. He’s real quiet, but I appreciate him keeping me safe. After a kind smile, he follows me toward the venue where he then takes a step back and lets me do my own thing. I like that and I know he’s there so I feel safe, but he’s not too close that I feel trapped.
I make my way to the dressing rooms, showing my pass as I go. The arena guards eye me like a piece of meat, probably thinking I got my pass sleeping with the band. Which technically is true, but not how they’re thinking.
The man points me in the direction of Cole’s dressing room and I pass Mason on the way.
“Hey Lace, what are you doing here so early? Thought you and the girls weren’t coming until right before the show?”
He looks around for Roxie and I can’t help but feel sorry for him. He truly loves her and for whatever reason, she’s going through something at the minute that she can’t even tell me about.
“I’m early, wanted to give Cole a surprise.”
He chuckles and nods his head. “Go on ahead girl, catch up later yeah?”
I watch him as he walks off and then walk towards Cole’s room with a big fat smile on my face. I open the door wide, about to shout ‘surprise!’ But my words fall silent. As I open the doors I spot a blonde woman from behind, her dress is pulled up to her waist as she straddles someone. His hands are on her waist, covered in tattoos and as I look at the details on them I gasp. This causes the girl to turn, I triumph look on her ugly face.
“Oh my god! Lacey!” Shelly shouts with fake shock.
The bitch!
The man under her struggles at first but manages to get Shelly off him and Cole stands before me. Shock and grief written all over his fucking face! Along with bright red lipstick, matching Shelly’s shade.
He takes a step forward, reaching out for me. “Lace-“
“No.” I interrupt him. “Don’t come closer.”
He frowns, but lets his arm drop anyway. I don’t want those hands touching me after touching her.
“It’s not what you think.”
I laugh. “Really? ‘Cause that’s exactly what it looks like to me.”
A stupid tear falls down my cheek and Cole takes another step closer. I hold my hands up and back away.
“I told you to back off!” I take a deep breath. “Don’t follow me, don’t call me, don’t text me. I never want to see you again.”
I glare at his beautiful face before I walk away. Wanting to take one last look at his gorgeous face before I do. Before a waterfall of tears can fall, I run out the room, running past a shocked looking Booker and a stunned Tate. I hear Cole shouting at me but I don’t stop, I keep on going. I don’t even know if Frank is following me, all I care about is getting back to the bus as quick as I can.
Shelly’s words were true! She was right!
God I am so fucking stupid to believe I could make a man like Cole be loyal to only me!
I push open the door and storm through the living area. Past the kitchen where Roxie is having yet another drink and into the bedroom.
“Lacey?” Roxie calls after me but I don’t answer.
I reach under the bed and pull out my case. Taking every bit of clothing I own and just throwing it in. All my shoes, make-up and accessories follow. As I’m running around Roxie and Crystal stand and watch.
“Lace, what are you doing?”
I don’t bother to glace up. “I’m going.”
I catch sight of them both slowly walking into the room.
“Why?” Crystal softly asks.
I sigh heavily but the tears fall anyway. I stand and face the girls, not caring about the tears.
“I went to surprise Cole, when I got there he was with Shelly.”
“That skank?” Roxie roars.
“Cole doesn’t seem to think so, seemed pretty cozy to me.”
Crystal holds up her hands and steps closer. “Wait a minute. Back track a little. You mean to tell me, you walked in on Cole cheating on you? With Shelly?”
Tears fall and I nod. “She was on his lap, her skirt was up and they seemed pretty intimate.”
“I don’t believe it.” Crystal looks utterly shocked.
“Better believe it babe.”
I go back to packing and Roxie grabs her case and without a word starts packing her things too. I don’t tell her to stop, truth be told I’d rather her come home with me. She needs to get away from all of this and sort herself out.
“Are you going home?”
I nod my head and zip up my case, now panting because I’m out of breath.
“Where’s Cole now?” She asks.
I shrug my shoulders. “Probably getting ready for the show or finishing what he started.”
Crystal sits on the edge of the bed and watches me as I search for a taxi service. I ask for one right away for the airport. Roxie zips hers and we carry them into the living area. I only have time to pack my work things and then the taxi arrives.
Frank helps me with our things into the car and nods his goodbye. With huge sobbing tears, I cuddle Crystal and say goodbye. She starts to cry herself as we part, Roxie the only one with dry eyes. I can’t wait to get her away from all of this.
Crystal stands and waves us away and when I can’t see her any more, I turn around and relax in my seat. Roxie gives me a sad smile and we ride in silence, ignoring the calls on both of our phones.
Chapter Twenty Two
Lacey
Yesterday was awful!
Roxie tried her best to not drink while we were traveling, but I knew she was struggling. When we stepped off the plane she was deathly white and sweating. Sure enough when we got home she dove right into our wine and hasn’t stopped. I’m so scared!
At one point we nearly had a fight because I blocked her entrance to the drinks cupboard. She managed to get pass me though and ran into her room with two bottles and locked the door. While she has been locked inside though I got rid of every bit of alcohol in the apartment.
I watched her door all night, ready for when she would make an appearance. I couldn’t get to sleep anyway because Cole and Shelly were on my mind. That moment burned into my head and Cole keeps ringing me, every minute of every day!!
I know Crystal has given him a piece of her mind because she told me so and Cole has left messages. Apparently, I got it wrong and he wants me to come back. No way!
A noise wakes me and I jump up off the sofa. I look around wide eyed, shocked that I actually fell asleep. When I see Roxie’s door open I jump up but she’s not in there. In fact, she’s not home at all. The cupboard which had our drinks in it is open. So she’s seen that I threw them away and ran outside.
For fucks sake I should have locked the fucking door!!!
I jump up and make myself decent enough to be running around L.A to find my friend. At first I run into all the stores, thinking she’s going to be buying some more, but I come up empty. Where the fuck is she?
It’s starting to get late now and I’ve been looking for two hours. I didn’t bother bringing my phone because Cole keeps ringing me and I know that Rox didn’t take hers out with her. I stand in the middle of the street, looking around at everyone passing me. I even looked along the beach to see if she was sitting alone, drinking from a bottle. I hear music in the distance and I look to see the local bars are starting to fill with people and then it clicks. I haven’t checked bars or clubs! What an idiot!
Immediately, I jump into action and start checking everywhere. Bar staff look at me weird as I ask about Roxie but everywhere I look she’s not there. I’m
starting to get worried because she’s drunk and desperate for more alcohol and she’s alone!
Tears sting my eyes. Why is all this shit happening? First Cole and now this!
What has happened to my best friend that was so bad, that has her acting like this?
I’m slowly walking home, sad and empty handed when I hear shouting. My ears pick up and I don’t believe it, it’s Roxie!
I run in the direction of her voice and then I see her. A bouncer is pushing her out of a bar, she can hardly stand so he’s leading her to a police car. Oh no!
I run towards them. “Wait!”
The bouncer turns to look at me, an irritated look on his face.
“Wait, I know her. Please, let me take her home.”
He looks between us both and then nods. “Whatever.”
He unloads an unexpectedly heavy Roxie onto me and I begin to walk.
“Why are you here?” Roxie slurs.
“To save your sorry ass.” I snap.
Roxie laughs and I fight to hold in my anger. Here I am worrying about her and she’s getting shit faced with not a fucking care in the world!
I spot a taxi and wave it down. Thankful that I don’t have to support Roxie any longer.
The car drive is short and I’m glad to get Roxie safely home. I make sure to lock the door and make us both a coffee. I’m surprised to see Roxie awake when I sit on the sofa, she takes her cup and sips. A look of disgust shows on her face, probably because she’s so used to have something extra in her drinks lately.
I take a deep breath before I get started.
“Look Roxie, enough is enough. I need to know what’s going on in that head of yours.”
Roxie just stares into her cup, not saying anything.
“You’re scaring me Rox and you’re destroying yourself.”
I hold back the tears, but the crack in my voice is clear to hear.
“I know.” She finally speaks. “I’m just struggling right now.”
I go to sit closer to her, putting my cup down and placing my hand on top of hers.
“You can tell me anything Rox.”
She sniffles and lets it all pour out and it leaves me heartbroken.
“I love you Lace.” Tears fall down her cheeks. I’m about to say ‘I love you too,’ but she carries on. “I thought it was just because you were my best friend, but it’s deeper than that. I thought I was happy for you. You found Cole and you’re happy and I saw that, but I realized it was too hard. I know I have Mason, I do love him but I love you too and I can’t help it. I know you don’t feel the same way, but it’s killing me not telling you. I don’t want to lose you as a friend and I know this is fucking weird, but I do Lace. I love you.”
I take a deep breath and gather my thoughts. “So, the reason why you’re like this is because you have feelings for me and couldn’t tell me?”
She shakes her head. “It was hard to watch you and Cole and know I love you and then Mason at the same time. I can’t love two people at the same time! I just can’t!”
She starts to full on cry and I hold her in my arms. I think about what she has told me while she lets it all out. I think I kind of knew about her feelings, if I look back to before we met Cole and Mason, because of how we were. When we were sleeping together, she would become jealous if I came back with a man and she didn’t and then it quickly turned into a girl on girl show for the guy.
Her cries calm and she looks up at me. “That’s not everything.”
“Ok, you can tell me Rox. I’m not going anywhere.”
She nods her head, her face changes. It doesn’t look sad now, she looks ashamed and angry.
“I slept with Joe.”
My eyes widen. “You slept with someone else? But what about Mason? Who is Joe?”
“He’s the roadie I crept off with at the first show.” I gasp and she nods her head, knowing how bad it is. “I know alright. I was messed up, watching you and Cole act all lovey dovey. I had one drink too many and he charmed me. Later I found out how much of a dick he is. He wouldn’t leave me alone, he was sending me notes and following me. Everywhere I went, Joe was there. He kept threatening to tell Mason and I didn’t want that. So it all got too much and drinking made me forget, it took the edge off.”
“Oh god Rox, why didn’t you tell me? That’s awful!”
“I was scared you would judge me.”
“Rox, you’re my best friend. Yeah sleeping with him was bad, but the rest is just torture. No wonder you’re like this.”
She hangs her head. “That’s not all.”
She begins to tell me what really happened that night Booker found her outside. She cries and I cry along with her. It’s so wrong! I can’t believe that asshole blackmailed her like that! He practically raped her!
I hold Roxie and we cry together. When she drifts off to sleep in a wet mess, I gently lay her down on the sofa and quietly take my phone into my room. I need to make a phone call.
***
I hang up and feel like shit that I just went behind Roxie’s back, but I had to do it. It was the right thing to do.
Chapter Twenty Three
Lacey
The next morning, there’s a loud knock on the door. I shout at Roxie to get it, and with many complaints, she does. I watch her as she opens it and I see her back stiffen. Roxie slowly turns back to face me as she stands at the front door, shock and terror written all over her face. I can’t help but cry, she’s going to hate me I know it.
Instead, after a couple of minutes of silence, she surprises me and runs to me. She’s sweaty, pale and to be honest a little smelly, but she’s my longest, best friend. She means the absolute world to me. I had to do this for her because it was the only way to help her.
“Thank you.” She whispers into my ear.
I squeeze her a little tighter, even though she’s not better and clean yet, I feel like I already have my Roxie back.
“I had to help you.”
“Come on now darling, it’s time to go.” Roxie turns to look at her mother standing at the front door. Her dad standing behind her, holding Roxie’s luggage.
Last night, when Roxie fell asleep, I rang her parents and told them what has been going on and how their daughter’s heath is failing. I felt like a traitor, but I had to help her and I feel like this is the only way. I thought she would hate me, but I’m pleasantly surprised. She knows herself that this is the only way to become herself again.
Roxie turns back to me and hands me an envelope. It has Mason’s name on the front.
“I woke early and couldn’t go back to sleep, so I wrote this for him.”
“I’ll make sure it gets to him,”
She hugs me tight and looks at me, real serious. “I know you don’t want to see him, but you need to talk to him. You’re great together Lace, just let him explain. It might not be what you think. I don’t think he would ever do that to you.”
All I do is nod my answer because I don’t know what to do about Cole. She gives me a sad smile.
“Keep in contact with me?”
“Always.”
And after out last hug and goodbyes, Roxie steps out the door with her parents. Hopefully she will return to me and she will be healthy and back to the old Rox.
Chapter Twenty Four
Roxie
I place my bag on the plain single bed in the corner of the white room. I look around at my surroundings and take it all in. Let the reality settle and when it does I collapse onto the bed. It’s hard and stiff but I don’t care. I’m a heap of crying mess, blubbering like a baby.
I cry for Lacey and for the damage I might have caused our friendship.
I cry for Mason for the damage I have most certainly done to our relationship.
And I cry for me. For all the shit I have been through the past few weeks that has landed me in rehab. The torment I was put through by Joe and I’m now relieved that I have escaped him. He can’t hurt me now, he has nothing on me.
That
thought settles me and I finally smile to myself. This is a chance for me to make myself right again, to get my life back on track and I’m not going to waste it.
***
Lacey
I get a quick phone call from Roxie the next morning, her only phone call before she starts her rehab. She seems surprisingly ok and calls to say what she’s going to be going through.