"Really, Indigo?" the first girl says.
"Okay, I am Indigo, but you know nothing about me." I cross my arms.
Cat is totally passed out now. The girls are whispering about me. My eyes keep on flitting over to Adam. To the skinny pencil of a girl by his side.
Adam is walking toward the balcony door. Our eyes meet. He's wearing the necklace that I gave him. The one I wanted to get back. I mouth, "Help."
"That's her?" the girl with him yells.
God, what did he tell her about me? How far is the jump down from the balcony? I really would consider it if Cat wasn't snoring away against the wall.
Adam whispers something into Pretty Girl's ear. She frowns. I hear someone say, "This is gonna be good."
Jade and Green Eyes are clearly talking about me, but I manage to ignore them.
I pull on Cat and half heave her body up. If I get her into a cab, we're home free. But I know we're a long way from that.
"Let me give you a hand." Adam puts one arm around Cat's back and helps her up. He's stronger now, too.
"Why's he helping those hoes?" I hear one girl say.
Another one comments, "Sorry asses, how did they get here? This party was invite-only."
"Leave them alone," a guy says, but I don't have time to turn around and see who it is.
Pretty Girl follows us to the elevator and rides it down with us. Cat's as heavy as a dead shark and it takes both Adam and me to hold her up.
"Just get her a cab and let's go back up," Pretty Girl says firmly to Adam.
"No, I better ride with them to make sure they get home okay." We pull Cat out of the elevator together.
"Don't you dare go with them," the girl threatens. "It's only eleven thirty."
"I won't be gone long." Adam waves down a cab, Cat still leaning against him. I think she's actually drooling on his shoulder, but he doesn't seem to notice.
Pretty Girl tries another technique. "But how will I survive without you?"
"You'll be fine, Hannah. All your friends are up there."
Figures those are her friends.
She stomps her foot on the pavement. "If you go with her, then we're through."
I feel like we're in a really cheesy soap opera. Is this girl for real?
"Really, Adam, we'll be fine," I say, climbing in next to Cat.
"I know you will," he says, and climbs in after me. He leaves Hannah standing on the pavement, stomping up and down in her four-inch heels.
just want to thank you for helping me with Cat. I've never seen her get that wasted before," Indigo says, leaning against the couch. Her hair is tucked behind her ears and her lips are still cherry red. I almost forgot how naturally pretty she is.
"Don't worry about it. It happens to everyone. You should've seen Zach when we first moved to New York."
"That's not hard to picture." She laughs.
I walk toward the door of their apartment. I don't want to hang around like some unwelcome leech.
"Hey..." She stops me, her hand lightly brushing my arm. "The least I can do is offer you something to drink. Want a beer? Glass of water?"
"Water would be great." I've done enough beer damage for the week, and I definitely don't want to go on TV tomorrow with a hangover. My phone rings, and I quickly switch it to vibrate-I can't talk to Hannah right now. I'm not in the mood to hear her whine.
Indigo hands me a bottle of Dasani. "Well, I guess your girlfriend is waiting for you."
"She's not really my girlfriend." My phone goes off again in my pocket.
"Not really? How does that work?"
"Mind if I sit?"
She shakes her head and I take a seat on the leather couch. "We've been dating."
Indigo sits down in the armchair farthest away from me and bites her lip. "She's pretty."
"Yes, she is," I say, because it's true. But what I don't say is that looks aren't everything, and when you listen to someone whine all day, that's not pretty.
Indigo is staring at me intently, like she wants me to throw her a bone. Like she wants to know if Hannah is sporting a promise ring.
The silence is awkward. I pick at the water-bottle label and Indigo plays with the strap of her shoe. "Well then," she finally says.
"But she's not for me," I say out loud, because I need to hear it, too.
"She's not?"
"No. She's way too into this I-want-to-be-a-celebrity thing, and even worse, she's always up my butt."
"Oh, that can be a problem." Indigo laughs. It's great to see her smile again.
I can't stop staring at her. I need to pick another focal point. There's a painting of a sunset up on the wall. But you can only stare at a painting for so long before it becomes rude. I look back at Indigo. She's sliding her necklace back and forth.
"You know, I read about Hannah in some newspaper article," she says.
`Apparently you're not the only one that saw it. I think Hannah contacted everyone she ever met to check her out.
"She's a model, right?"
"Yeah," I say. Hannah would die if she knew we were discussing her. Of course, she might have been friendly to Indigo if things were different, but only because Indigo is newsworthy. Come to think of it, I'm surprised Hannah is even friends with Erica, given how Hannah's the type of girl who always wants to be on top. She won't let anyone outshine her in the I'm all that department.
A groaning noise comes from the bedroom, followed by a thud. Okay, now I feel bad wishing for a diversion. That sounded like it hurt.
"I better go check on Cat. Be right back." Indigo gets up and shoots out of the living room.
After she's gone a couple of minutes, I walk toward the bedroom door. "Everything okay in there?"
It takes a second, but Indigo emerges from the room. "Yeah, false alarm. Cat knocked over a stack of books next to the bed. Thank God nothing's broken. I think she's out for the night, snoring like you wouldn't believe."
"Well, that's good. Better than puking her guts out."
We sit back down and resume talking. Despite the afterparty glaze, Indigo still has a glow to her. Her hair shines and her eyes gleam.
I have finally freed the label from my water bottle. Before Indigo can bring up Hannah again, I ask, "So, are you ready for the interview tomorrow?"
"Well..." She has a worried look in her eyes.
I reach out and pat her knee. "It should be fine."
"Really? Because I'm not sure what to expect. I guess, since you and I weren't talking much, I thought it would be set up like an interrogation."
I laugh. "The media can be pretty vicious sometimes, but at least this interview is prerecorded."
"And Sabian seems a lot calmer than Candi Campbell from back home."
"Oh, that lady is fierce." I make my hands into claws.
"She's been at me for months to get my side of the story. But she's just out for blood so I never return her calls."
"Don't blame you. Well, for tomorrow, how about letting Sabian wade his way through the conversation. Let him think we're still mad at each other, and he'll be surprised when he sees that things are pretty laid back."
"We're not mad at each other anymore," Indigo says, almost in a whisper. I'm not sure if it's a question or a statement.
I hear someone opening the front door. As if on cue, I stand up. "It's getting late. I better go."
"Hi," a girl says. I assume it's Cat's cousin. She looks so familiar. And then I look down at her shirt-she's a waiter at Pirate's Booty.
I reach over and shake her hand. "Hi, I'm Adam. Just escorting the girls home." She's probably wondering what I'm doing here at one a.m.
"Jane." She gives me a nod. "Hope they behaved."
"Of course," I say. "Wouldn't expect anything less."
Indigo walks me to the door. "Thanks again for your help." She leans over me to undo the lock.
I can almost feel her warmth. I dig my hands into my pockets to stop myself from reaching for her. "Don't mention it."
"Things got out of hand."
"Really, it's no big deal. Everyone gets wasted," I say.
"I'm not talking about Cat." She looks down at the floor.
"Oh. Yeah." I need to say more, but it's hard to get the right words out. "I ... ah ... acted like an idiot."
"You weren't the only one."
I wake up before my alarm. The first thing I do is grab a bottle of water and two Advil. Hangover or E! jitters? I'm just not sure if this whole interview thing was such a good idea. I probably should've stuck with the instinct that blast ing my name and love tribulations all over E! was a bad idea, very bad. Maybe by next week people will have moved onto a new boy band crush. Next year people will already be asking, "what is `Indigo Blues'? Urban legend? Myth? Surely they're not talking about a real person." But now I will be forever branded as the guy who wrote the song for the girl that wronged him. I need to show them, show myself, that I can move on. Have moved on.
'm lucky if I slept five hours last night. I probably look like the psycho ex-girlfriend that everyone expects. Black circles under my eyes, matted hair, and last night's makeup smeared all over my face. It was sweet of Jane to let Cat and me sleep in her bedroom while she took the couch, but even two pillows smushed against my ears couldn't drone out Cat's snoring.
Okay, I need to focus. This could very well be the end of Indigo Jackson as we know it. I'm about to go on the friggin' Sabian Lime Show. A show only Eli could aspire to. A show where they squeeze the juice out of you for all the world to taste. Am I going to be bitter or sweet?
Quiet so as not to wake anyone, I tiptoe into the shower and scrub off last night. Luckily Jane stocks up on some good-smelling products. I start off with the mango-peach body wash, followed by cucumber shampoo and apricot conditioner. Too bad TV doesn't come with a scratch-andsniff button-people might hate me, but at least I smell yummy.
I slide on a new pair of dark jeans and my thin, lavender V-neck sweater. It's probably a good thing I'm not at home, because I'm already second-guessing this outfit. It's actually all centered around the purple and silver beaded bracelet set that I made. Don't know if anyone will even be able to see it, but it's one piece that I'm really proud of. I saw the design in a bead book when I first started beading. It was labeled complicated, so I didn't even attempt it until recently. It didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would.
To complete my outfit, I sit on the edge of the bed and slide on my black boots. A second later, I feel Cat finally stirring.
"Hey, Cat. You're alive." I pat her feet.
She rubs her eyes. "I wouldn't miss your big day."
"That's funny, because I would."
"Glad you still have your sense of humor." She attempts to sit up but flops back down.
"Got to keep some dignity." I laugh.
"Not me. My head's pounding. Did I make a total ass out of myself last night?"
"Well-"
"I remember the shots and a bunch of obnoxious girls, but the rest is pretty foggy."
"That's about right." I stand up and peer at myself in the long mirror. Hopefully the sweater will give me a little color. I don't want to appear all washed-out on screen.
"Wait a minute-was Adam at the party?"
I nod.
"Oh, my God. I got that smashed?"
"Yup. You were mush," I confirm.
"Explains why I feel like shit now. So give me the deets. This is crazy."
"Wouldn't you rather read about it in The National Enquirer?"
"No way!" Cat covers her mouth.
"Kidding. I think. He was with that model bitch, but he ditched her to help me take you home." I probably look like a jumbo eraser compared to Pencil Girl.
"Damn, I am a slut." Cat shakes her head. "That's really nice of him. Sorry if I embarrassed you."
"No, you were my ticket out of the party vortex. Once those asses found out who I was, they were swarming around me like heroin addicts jonesing for a quick fix."
"Sorry I wasn't there for you." Cat stumbles out of the bed and hugs me.
"It's okay." I hug her back. "Adam actually bailed us both out."
"How ironic." She laughs.
"It's been one wild weekend and it's not over yet." I pull open Jane's makeup drawer and fish for the same stuff that I used last night. She has the best lip gloss. For some reason, I feel more sophisticated using Sephora products than my mostly hand-me-downs from Collection de Mom.
After I've glammed and spritzed, Cat goes back to sleep and I head to the kitchen to see if Jane has anything I can snag for breakfast. She's already at the counter, humming "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." I could've used that song last night-it's so soothing. Hakuna Matata.!
"Morning, Indigo. I bought some fresh bagels downstairs, and I'm brewing a pot of coffee. Figured you could use some.
Ah, there is a God. I could get used to living here. Well, except for the cramped quarters.
"Thanks, Jane. You're the best."
"Don't mention it. So are you ready for your big day?"
I take a deep breath. "Actually, I think I am. I'm definitely ready to face the music and move on."
ue the Sabian Lime intro song: "Taste the bitter, taste the sweet. It's The Sabian Lime Show squeezing the entertainment out of the news and delivering it to you raw."
The camera focuses on Sabian, who's wearing a crisp white shirt and dark blue jeans. He's wired on half a pot of coffee and a large capful of Scope, and ready to pounce on his next guests. The set could double as a backdrop for an antibacterial soap commercial-everything is lemony fresh and sparkling clean, including the faux walls and the huge yellow throw rug.
Three, two, one ...
"Good evening, Sweet Tarts, this is Sabian Lime with the real juice! I'm sitting here with Adam Spade from Blank Stare and the girl behind the song, Indigo Jackson. Welcome." He crosses his legs and flashes a huge dontyou want to know what I know smile. "We'll start with you, Adam. Did you ever think your song `Indigo Blues' would be such a major hit?"
Adam straightens himself up on the lime-colored couch and faces the camera. The only thing that separates him from Indigo Jackson is an oversized throw pillow shaped like a lime. "No, I didn't really think about it. Things happened so fast."
"Dude, you have to give me more than that," Sabian says. "Did your boys back you up when you introduced the song to them?"
"At first they were really surprised. I didn't plan on being lead vocals on it, but after I delivered the song, everyone gave me the thumbs-up. We all put a lot of sweat into making it happen."
"What I think the public really wants to know is the story behind the song." Sabian leans in close for a more dramatic effect. His long torso makes him appear taller than he really is.
"It's based on my relationship with Indigo, or at least, that's where I got the idea from," Adam replies.
"Sounds like you were obsessed with her." Sabian winks at him.
Adam tugs at the collar of his shirt. "Somewhat. Guess I mostly wanted another chance."
"Don't blame ya." Sabian turns his focus to Indigo. "How does that make you feel?"
"I was definitely stunned."
"As in pissed off?" Sabian clicks his shiny leather shoes together.
"Ah, no." Indigo shakes her head. "Well, maybe a little. I was like, is that song really about me? Is there another Indigo Jackson living in Massachusetts?"
"So you weren't devastated?" Sabian asks.
"I was more shocked. Couldn't believe this was my life. I wasn't used to being in the LIMElight." Her deep blue eyes widen, long lashes framing their beauty.
"Ha!" Sabian lets out a stifled laugh. "Is the song an accurate portrayal of you?"
"No way." Indigo's voice rises a bit. "I wasn't trying to make Adam feel bad. I'm not the bitchy type." She puts her hand over her mouth. "Whoops, am I allowed to say the B word?"
"Of course. This is not a show for the weak. We've had our fair share of bitches." Sabian runs his tongue over his teeth. "So, what really happened
?"
Indigo's face flushes. "It's all about how you interpret a situation. But I don't want to speak for Adam."
"I felt hurt." Adam takes over. "I took those feelings and poured them into a song. Once I got going, I was supercharged."
"I'll say." Sabian chuckles.
Adam bows his head. "Things got a little blown out of proportion."
"Is that so ... ?" Sabian's eyes roll from Indigo, to Adam, and back to Indigo. "Will you ever forgive her for breaking your heart?"
"I already have." Adam throws Indigo a sly smile. She smiles back.
Sabian's eyes grow wide. "Seriously?"
"Yes. I never expected the song would take off like it did. I never stopped to think what it would be like to be in Indigo's shoes-"
"But I'm sure you thought about what it'd be like to be in her pants," Sabian interrupts.
Adam does not react. "I was mad at her, and just letting off steam."
"Yeah, but those were your feelings and I should've respected that," Indigo says.
Adam's face lights up. "Really? And I totally crapped all over your privacy."
"Like pouring salt into the wound." Sabian laughs.
Indigo's gaze doesn't move from Adam. "Can't argue with that. But it made my boss at the Rock Candy happy. It definitely increased sales."
"I miss that place." Adam smiles. "Do you guys still make that big monster cookie?"
Sabian clears his throat. But before he can speak, Oliver, his producer, whispers, "Let it roll. This is the real thing."
Sabian groans.
"Of course," Indigo says. "Remember the time when you bit into one and all the green icing oozed out? You looked like a three-year-old with snot running down your face."
"Thanks for letting the world know." Adam laughs. "But seriously, folks, if you're ever in Caulder, Mass, check out Rock Candy. They've got everything to satisfy your sweet tooth."
Sabian shakes his leg. He can't hold his tongue any longer. "Speaking of sweet stuff, I've heard some buzz on your new single `Sugar Rush.' If it's true, you won't need Indigo anymore.
Indigo Blues Page 15