Beastly Lights

by Theresa Jane

  Slowly, I felt the shock begin to wane, and suddenly everything came flooding back to me. His lips were pressed against mine, and despite all the sensations, my mind had wandered elsewhere.

  I could feel an amused laugh crawl up my throat, and there was very little I could do to stop its progression. Suddenly, it burst free, forcing Liam to push back from me as I broke out into crippling fits of laughter.

  “That is not the reaction I usually get,” and I could hear the frown without even looking up to see his face.

  “It’s just…” I gasped. “You’re…well, you and I’m me and all those things you said, then you kissed me and…” I trailed off as the laughter overtook me again.

  Finally, I caught my breath and looked up into Liam’s stunned face, his expression nearly causing me to lose it again.

  “You’re impossible,” he muttered, shaking his head with an amused smile. Then he pulled me into him again with the same arm that had moments before been sending my body into a frenzy. Now, it just felt safe and warm.

  I was content just to sit there, lost in my alternate world. I didn’t want to think about the consequences of what just happened or overanalyze why all I wanted to do was kiss him again. The people watching us didn’t even register in my mind as my head spun, filled with thoughts I had no right thinking.

  Chapter 19: The Economy of Gossip

  The Other Woman

  November 13 9:12 amNY Chatter

  The rumors of the 28-year old rock star Liam Henderson’s infidelity to America’s Sweetheart, 27-year old Jazelle Ericson, have been flying since the unlikely pair announced their relationship months ago. However, now it seems the two are definitely over.

  Although neither camp has issued a statement about last night’s scandalous rendezvous with Liam’s new gal at celebrity hotspot Mako, it is believed this was a message from Liam himself. It couldn’t be any clearer; THEY ARE OVER. However, many of us thought this inevitable for the music world’s notorious lady lover.

  However, the real question we should be asking is who’s the new red vixen, and is she really the new love interest of our delectable rock star?

  What makes her different is no one knows who she is. Delving into the depths of Hollywood’s unknowns and scrounging the bottom of the barrel of fame, no one seems to be able to place the girl, but by all reports, she has enchanted our superstar. The two were reported to be getting comfortable in their secluded booth but surprisingly, not a drop to drink was shared. We all know it’s not Liam unless he has a glass in hand and beautiful women on either side of him.

  So, who is she? And how did she usurp starlet Jazelle? Or even more pressing, is she here to stay?

  Comments

  Jazelle_is_my_girl12I saw the pictures of the new girl; she’s got nothing on Jazelle. How insulting for Jazelle to have him dump her for that?

  Blunt45Who thought that relationship was real anyway? I call publicity stunt.

  Fan4lifeWhat? Did the sleaze even break it off with her first? What a D-bag!

  HWStarI saw the pictures of that girl, she won’t last long, probably gone before he woke up this morning. #walkofshame

  * * *

  Fiery Temptress

  November 13 10:33 amTRG

  The rumors are already burning up the world of celebrity gossip, and of course it’s none other than our deliciously golden rock star Liam Henderson lighting the fire.

  Last night, he was seen attending the exclusive and well-known celebrity hotspot Mako without his leading lady, Jazelle Ericson. We’d all be lying if we thought that relationship was ever going the distance. You don’t earn the term manwhore for your strict adherence to fidelity.

  So, it is unsurprising to learn that our beautifully dangerous Liam has traded in his starlet. The only real surprise is the model he has exchanged her for, or more accurately, how unlike a model the girl really is.

  Pics of Liam’s new miniature fireball were taken as the two made their way into the restaurant that was originally reported to be where the doomed couple were going to be last night. Then Liam surprised us all by arriving with the sexy redhead, in a dress we all wish we could have pulled off as well as her.

  I guess with this public appearance we’ve seen the birth of a new couple, but accounts from people in the restaurant wonder if she can survive the perils of celebrity. Not to mention the shot snapped outside the restaurant of her temper flaring. You aren’t famous yet, sweetheart, this is no time to be a diva. In fact, we don’t even know your name.

  Comments

  TempertanrumFiery Temptress? More like flickering birthday candle. How could Liam ever be seen with that?

  SharonLike Liam needs to associate with another diva? Jazelle should have taught him to steer clear of pouty divas. She’s a nightmare!

  Henderson75NOOOOOOOO! He should dump both of them and be with me!

  * * *

  Diner’s Delight

  November 13Scooped

  Patrons at the popular restaurant Mako experienced a special treat last night with the resurfacing of Liam Henderson after he dropped off the radar nearly a week ago.

  The famed party addict disappeared earlier last week after one of his wilder nights, leaving us with countless accusations and nowhere to throw them. Well, now he’s back and is eagerly filling the rumor mill with fresh grass on what he has been up to and more importantly, who has been doing it with him.

  Last night, he burst back onto our collective radar when he arrived with a new girl on his arm, and not just any girl.

  Wrapped tightly in our muscle-bound rocker’s arms was a petite redhead who is a complete mystery to the world of celebrities and fame. It begs the question not just of who she is but why a man with Liam’s notoriety would associate with such an unknown?

  Is she an aspiring actress, singer, songwriter? The possibilities are endless, and I know my mind is spinning with millions of unanswered questions, just waiting for the juicy details to be revealed. However, we can cross one possibility off the list. This girl is no model and a complete flip from the usual girls we find on our rocker’s arm.

  But what were the two like together? Well, diners from last night reported that they looked like an odd pair from the minute they walked in. One diner even said, ‘He looked angry from the second they stepped through the door, and it only got worse when they sat down and the bird started talking.’ Now, if you are neither British nor an eighty-year-old man still using the lingo from his youth, then you should know that ‘bird’ is in reference to the girl who was with Liam last night.

  Diners were even more shocked to see that Liam was without a drink in his hand, and we all know from the last time he ate at Mako that the only way to see our boy sober is if he had a body transplant. Our party boy was so intoxicated last time that he attempted to convince the other diners he had a lion trapped under his table.

  According to onlookers, he didn’t have a drink the entire night, and after the initial awkwardness between the two, our resident charmer managed to salvage the date.

  It was reported that after dinner was served, the two started getting more than cozy in their partially secluded table.

  So what does this all mean? Well, for one, it does spell the end of the doomed relationship between Liam and Jazelle, but is it the start of a new one with this new green-eyed mystery girl?

  I’m as baffled as all of you. I guess we’ll have to see whether the unknown surfaces again or if she was just another in a long string of brokenhearted women.

  * * *

  Mystery Girl?

  November 13 12:13pmStarWatch

  If you slept in today, then you have missed the frenzy that was last night. It exploded while you were dreaming and almost broke the Internet.

  So, get your coffee and start clicking because Liam Henderson has a new woman and her identity, or lack of one, is causing waves through the world of gossip.

  Images are surfacing that place the redhead
with the delicious rock star almost a week before her debut last night. Can you believe it? I can’t, but from the images emerging, it seems as if this girl has been spending quite a bit of quality time with our golden boy. And from what I’ve seen, she is definitely not as stylish as she was in that divine dress last night.

  The photos taken of her as she leaves and returns to Liam’s penthouse apartment show her in worn jeans and old band tees. Not the style savvy girl we saw last night, tucked securely where I wish I could be.

  Has this relationship been brewing for some time now? What about Jazelle?

  There have even been reports of Liam driving across town to pick her up and take her back to his place. Is she a New Yorker? Who is she? I want to know more.

  Whoever she is, footage recorded from their date has me swooning. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Liam so sweet and attentive even when he did have Jazelle Ericson by his side. I know it’s soon and as unlikely as the moon turning blue, but I’m calling this couple. Whoever this girl is, I wish I were in her shoes. Blisters and all.

  Comments

  so_cuteNo…just no. There is no way Liam Henderson is interested in her.

  howboutno45You know I want to believe this, I do, but it’s a lie. Liam is playing her and us. I’m expecting flames, and I’m not talking about her hair.

  Chapter 20: Tornado

  I groaned when the noise of shouting pierced my dreamless sleep. I rolled over in my bed, pulling the covers high and slamming my pillow over my head to block them out.

  When the shouting continued to grow, I sighed defeatedly. Despite my greatest efforts, I wasn’t going to be able to fall asleep again.

  Pushing to the edge of my bed, I rested my head in my hands and rubbed at my tired eyes before looking down to find myself dressed in one of my brother’s old band tees. I was confused, not only by what I was wearing but how I had gotten to bed last night.

  After getting in the car after dinner, my memories from the night before became a little fuzzy. I remembered sitting in the car beside Liam as Daryl drove us back to the apartment, but then the night began to blur, and I could only assume the previous night’s lack of sleep had caught up with me.

  Judging by my patchy memory, I had ultimately lost that battle with my drooping eyes and somehow ended up in my bed. I vaguely remembered shimmying out of the uncomfortable dress, and I must have fallen asleep instantly after falling into my bed.

  Outside, the voices continued to rise and reluctantly, I pushed off the bed then stumbled to my door and down the hallway until I reached the hostile scene.

  “You kissed her!” Lucinda screeched at a slouching Liam. He looked barely more awake than me. He was slouched at the kitchen bench, his head resting in his hands. He was wearing low-riding sweat pants that he must have worn to bed last night. “The whole world is talking about the two of you, and you have nothing to say?”

  “What do you want, Luce?” he grumbled, and I hid a yawn behind my hand as I stayed a safe distance away from Lucinda’s blast zone.

  “Good move,” I jumped at the voice beside me. I looked to find Ryan smiling as Lucinda continued to fume at a non-responsive Liam. “If she sees you, she’ll make you her next target.”

  “What? Why?” I asked in alarm, but making sure to keep my voice low.

  “The Internet is salivating over your date last night,” he beamed, and I looked away to the rest of the living room where I found Ant glaring at me from where he was slouching on Liam’s couch.

  “It wasn’t a real date,” I hissed, my anger rising at Ant’s hostility.

  “You know what they say about denial, dear,” Ryan shrugged, drawing my attention back to him as he beamed down at me.

  “Why are you so happy?”

  “No reason,” he answered innocently. I looked up when I heard a chair screech loudly across the floor. Liam was now standing as he glared down at an equally mad Lucinda.

  “Give it a rest Luce. The damage is done,” he growled. “I’m not with her anymore, never was.”

  “What, so you’re with Freya?” Lucinda scoffed, not backing down. “You don’t expect me to believe that.”

  “It’s my choice.”

  “Wait, what?” I blurted out, causing both their blazing eyes to fall on me. I immediately regretted speaking.

  “So close,” Ryan smirked beside me as Liam turned on him.

  “You,” Liam snarled, pointing an accusatory finger at Ryan, who quickly slipped on a mask of innocence.

  “Whatever’s the matter, golden boy?” Ryan asked as Liam stalked across the room to us.

  “You know what you did,” he accused. “You think you’re so smart.”

  “I like admiring my genius as much as the next guy,” Ryan mocked, picking a piece of imaginary lint from his purple suit before he continued, “but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “You know exactly what you did,” Liam answered menacingly, zeroing in on his stylist. My eyes were darting between the two like a spectator at a tennis match.

  “Please Liam, enlighten me,” and I heard a low growl from Liam just as the front door opened suddenly. My head snapped over to see a man walk in, carrying a squirming toddler. She seemed intent of relieving him of his thick black glasses. Then from behind him came a bounding Davis with the widest smile I have ever seen.

  “Freya,” he shouted, leaping into my arms and almost knocking me over.

  “Hey,” I chuckled.

  “Can we cook again, please?” he begged. My attention, however, was on the man struggling down the hallway. The baby bag had slipped down his shoulder, and the toddler was centimeters away from removing his frames. “Mommy never cooks, Daddy says her cooking is dangerous.”

  “Davis,” the man groaned, setting the toddler on the floor. He barely held onto his glasses as she immediately took off. She had the typical toddler waddle as she headed straight for Ant. Surprisingly, he scooped her up and started to bounce her on his knee. At least he wasn’t glaring at me anymore.

  “This isn’t a daycare, house-husband,” Liam glared. The new arrival straightened his tie and smoothed his suit jacket, dropping the bag he had on the ground beside him. He seemed to be ignoring Liam.

  “Shut up, Henderson. I’m here to see my wife.”

  “Freya, please?” Davis pleaded again, and I looked back at the eager boy, smiling at his enthusiasm.

  “Not right now, master chef. It’s a little crazy here.” I wasn’t lying. Apparently, I hadn’t even seen insane yet.

  “Jarred, what are you doing here? I told you to take care of the kids this morning,” Lucinda scolded impatiently.

  “Luce,” he groaned, shaking his head and walking over to where she stood, scowling by the kitchen bench. “We agreed, you need to take it easier.”

  “Charlie should already be at daycare, and you’re going to be late for work,” she continued, ignoring her husband completely.

  “I took the day off,” he frowned as he stopped in front of her. “When I woke up and you were already gone, I knew you were going against the doctor’s orders.” Immediately, Lucinda’s eyes narrowed, and I took a step back without even realizing it. I looked at Jarred in fear, wanting to scream at him to run because this was only going to end one way. Nothing could stop a tornado.

  “Don’t you dare,” she warned in a low, scarily calm voice, and I felt my skin begin to tingle.

  “Why is he still standing there?” I whispered to Ryan. He, unlike myself, was watching the display with an amused smirk.

  “Don’t worry, he knows what he’s doing,” Ryan assured me, but I didn’t share his confidence as I looked back at the pair and waited for the inevitable disaster.

  “Lucinda, I’m not going to let you endanger our child for a selfish, arrogant rock star,” Jarred replied, with more calm than I thought anyone should possess when facing a force of nature like his wife.

  “Jarred,” sh
e hissed.

  “Sis, do you have something you want to tell us?” Ant frowned, getting up with a bubbly Charlie perched on his hip. She started to pull at his hair from her new vantage point, but he didn’t seem to notice.

  “No,” she answered quickly, glaring at her husband with a look that should have had him lying on the floor without the privilege of a heartbeat.

  “We’re pregnant,” Jarred announced, bravely turning his back on his wife to look out at all of us. "And the doctor has told Luce that she needs to take it easy to prevent any complications later on."

  “She was being especially moody today,” Liam grumbled, crossing his arms over his bare chest with a look of indifference on his face. “Personally, I can’t see the appeal in reproducing, especially with slug-boy.”

  “You wouldn’t, you’re an egocentric, self-centered egomaniac,” Jarred shot back, pushing his glasses up his nose and undermining the effect of his insults.

  “Thank you, professor, for your vocabulary lesson,” Liam replied, his voice dripping with snark.

  “Sorry pretty boy, were those too big for you to comprehend? Do I need to get you a dictionary?”

  “Enough,” Lucinda cut over the top of them as Liam moved forward for what was sure to be another snarky reply. “Pregnant or not, this mess needs to be handled.”

  “There’s nothing to be handled,” Liam grumbled, leaning back against the wall with his arms across his chest again.

  “Oh, really, and what’s your plan to handle this publicity nightmare?” Lucinda challenged, placing a perfectly manicured hand on her hip threateningly.

  “I’m with Freya,” he answered, raising one of his shoulders nonchalantly.

  “What?” Both Lucinda and I shouted in unison. We were gaping at the calm rock star who may as well have just announced that he was planning on wearing a dress to his next concert.