Rock Solid? (The Next Generation #1)

by K E Osborn

  “The last thing I remember is falling onto a lounge suite. I don’t remember what happened before that though,” I say and try to think of why I was falling onto a lounge suite. A flash washes through me and I remember I was topless on the lounge suite. I furrow my brows while Mum frowns at me.

  “Annie, were you with someone?” she asks and I nod. “Who?”

  I shrug and shake my head. “It’s all a bit of a blur,” I say honestly.

  “Jesus Annie, can you remember anything?” she asks and I close my eyes trying to relive what happened. An image of the guy floods my brain and then I see him taking his clothes off. I remember laying on his bed. He rips open a condom packet. I gasp and open my now watering eyes.

  “What Annie? What are you remembering?”

  “I… I think I slept with him,” I say and Mum exhales and shakes her head.

  “God Annie, please tell me you were safe?” she asks and I nod as the tears fall down my face.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, Mum,” I say and bring my hands up to cover my face as I cry into them.

  “Oh Annie, sweetheart, please don’t cry. I’m angry and hurt and really confused as to why you would do this, but Annie I’m just so glad you’re alive,” she says leaning in and hugging me tightly.

  “I’m such a fuck up. Why can’t I ever do anything right?” I say through a sob and she holds me tighter. “I miss Aston so much Mum, and he’s moved on and I just wanted someone to make me feel wanted. I fucked up so bad, Mum. I fucked up!” I say and now I am a blubbering mess. I grab hold of Mum tightly and squeeze her to me.

  “It’s okay Annie, we will work through this like we work through everything,” Mum says and I cry so hard I can’t even see. My heart is racing and the walls are leaking right along with me. I’m pretty sure that it’s the drugs still in my system, but it seems fitting that the walls are crying along with me.

  “What did Dad say? Is he coming home?” I ask and Mum backs up and pulls my hair from my face and looks at me wiping my cheeks.

  “Your father doesn’t know yet. I’m not sure whether I’m going to tell him or not. Keeping a secret this big from him doesn’t sit well with me. But knowing how utterly distraught he would be especially because it involves drugs, well I never want to see him that upset and I know he will be. So for now, until I know my plan of action, I’m going to keep this between us three.”

  “You would do that?” I ask and she frowns.

  “I’m not doing it for you, Annie. I’m doing it for your father. I think him not knowing is the only way to go right now. Ella, you can’t say anything, okay?” Mum asks and I look up at her to see she’s crying and holding herself tightly.

  “Okay,” she says and I wipe my cheeks.

  “I’m sorry, Ella,” I say to her and she shakes her head and cries harder as she walks over to the other side of my bed.

  “No, I’m sorry,” she says taking my hand in hers. “I shouldn’t have left you there alone with that jerk. I was angry, and if I had made you come home with me then this wouldn’t have happened. I wouldn’t have nearly lost my sister to an overdose. I’m just so glad you came to the hospital when you did,” she says and I get another flash back of me in the back seat of a car. I furrow my brows and think really hard.

  “What is it, Annie?” Mum asks and I close my eyes reliving the memory.

  “I think I passed out at the guy’s house and he got me into a car and drove me here. I remember him dumping me by the door, but everything was black and I couldn’t move my body. I vaguely recall him pushing me out of the car and driving off. I think he stole my purse and phone cause the nurse said I didn’t have them on me when they found me at the emergency doors,” I say and Mum shudders.

  “I hate that you spent the night tripping with some stranger, Annie. It makes me sick to think of what he could have done to you,” she says.

  “I know, I’m so sorry Mum. Trust me this will never happen again—”

  “It better not Annie, because I don’t know how long I can hide this shit for. What if this guy knew who you were, huh?” she asks and I shake my head.

  “I didn’t tell him my name, Mum,” I say as another memory flashes right into my brain.

  “Let me fuck you, Annie,” I remember him saying. Shit, he knew my name even though I never told him.

  “Crap I think he knew who I was,” I say and Mum shakes her head and purses her lips. “He called me Annie, but I never told him my name. Shit!” I say and run my hand through my tangled hair.

  “For God’s sake, Annie! Let’s just hope he doesn’t say anything to the tabloids. If this gets out, can you imagine what the headlines will say?”

  “And he has my phone,” I murmur annoyed at myself.

  “It’s okay we can disconnect it tomorrow morning and go and buy you a new one, but Annie this shit cannot happen… ever again. I swear to God Annie, if you scare me like this again I’ll have to tell your father and I won’t stand in the way of whatever punishment he sees fit. Yes, I know you’re legally an adult, but you’re still living under our roof and while you’re doing that you will abide by our rules. You got that?” Mum demands.

  “This won’t happen again, Mum. I feel terrible about it, knowing I could have overdosed is making me feel sick. I feel dirty because I slept with some stranger. I know that Aston and I are done, but still… How could he ever have loved me in the first place?”

  Mum exhales. “Annie he loved you. A part of him probably still does, but you left it too late and you can’t keep kicking yourself because he’s moved on. I know it is hard sweetheart, but maybe I can call Dr. Ludwick tomorrow and see if we can get an emergency consultation?” she asks.

  I nod because talking to Dr. Ludwick always helps me see things straight. And maybe right now because I’m still half-drunk and still coming down from the effects of the LSD tablets everything seems a whole lot messier than it might actually be. Well, that’s what I’m hoping anyway.

  I stayed in the hospital until I was released the following day. Mum and Ella stayed with me and Mum stuck to her word and didn’t tell Dad. I feel sick and not just from the after effects of the drugs and alcohol, but also from my actions. I hate the fact that Mum is not saying anything to Dad about it, I don’t want to cause trouble between them.

  It feels weird not having my phone with me, even just to check Facebook. Mum said we would go out tomorrow and buy a new mobile phone and she has cancelled my current one, so he can’t use it even if he tried. But he would still have access to all of my photos and messages, not to mention everyone’s phone numbers that are on my phone.

  What a royal screw up!

  I’m sitting in the lounge room with Mum and Ella. We decided we would spend the night together watching a movie like we should have done last night. If only I stayed home none of this mess would be happening right now. I’m just so glad Dad doesn’t know. It’s nice to be spending some girl time together seeing as normally the house is full of males. I feel like shit, and I haven’t laughed or smiled since I woke up in the hospital, and I know Mum is on edge about the whole not telling Dad thing. I feel sorry that she has to lie for me, but as far as he knows we’ve all been home and spending quality girl time together. He isn’t due back for another week, so hopefully I will be feeling better by then and all of this will just blow over.

  Mum and Ella casually laugh at the movie on the television and I frown thinking of Aston and how, even though we’re not together, it feels like I’ve cheated on him. Even all the times I snogged the guys at the pub here in Oxfordshire, I never once felt like I’d actually cheated on him. But, I guess, a simple kiss is different than having sex with someone. That was only the second time I’ve had sex and even though I can’t really remember it, that proves to me how terrible this whole situation really is.

  I hear the front door open and I look at Mum, who heard it too. She quickly gets up and looks down the hall.

  “Oh, hey babe. I thought you were still on yo
ur press tour?” she asks.

  Ella and I turn around to see Dad walk straight past Mum without even acknowledging her and straight across to me. He slams some papers down onto the coffee table and his face is contorted with rage. His nostrils flaring and his face bright red. I can see the vein pulsing in his neck.

  “I would still be on my press tour if my daughter weren't getting wasted and then being photographed half-naked,” he says and I tense up.

  I lean forward and pick up the pieces of paper to see photos of me on the yellow plaid lounge suite unconscious with a bottle of vodka next to me and I’m completely topless. My hand rushes to my mouth as the tears start to pool in my eyes.

  “They’re everywhere, Annie! How could you be so fucking reckless?” he yells and continues to yell at me, but everything he’s saying is blending into the ringing in my ears. My heart is thumping in my chest and I feel like I literally want to throw up the little that I’ve eaten today. I look over the photos and each one is worse than the others. There’s one that clearly shows the open pill box and I start to really lose it knowing that Dad probably knows I took drugs.

  “Annie, for fuck’s sake, how the fuck could you do this? Drugs Annie? After everything, I have taught you. After everything, I have told you. How could you do this to me and your mother? To your sister? To your bandmates, huh? How the hell do you think this is going to affect the sales and future tours of Staked, Annie? Didn’t think of that when you were off partying and acting like a slurry! And where the hell were you, Lia, when all of this was happening?” Dad turns his anger from me to Mum. I can’t stand to see her coping the brunt of his ferocity, so I close my eyes bringing my knees up to my chest while I rock on the spot.

  How the hell could I have been so stupid?

  Now there are topless photos of me out in the world for everyone to see. I bet they’re all over Facebook…

  Oh God! Aston has probably seen them by now, and I bet he thinks he’s lucky that he escaped from the girl whose life is on a downward spiral.

  Mum and Dad are yelling at each other and I caused it all. Ella wraps her arm around my shoulders and pulls me to her as I move my hands up to my ears to try and stop the loud, relentless yelling. Dad is furious and I can’t blame him.

  “Annie, stop pretending this isn’t happening and face up to your actions young lady!” Dad says as he steps right in front of me making my look up at him. I drop my hands from my ears noticing the yelling has stopped and I look up at him through tear-soaked lashes as my bottom lip trembles.

  “I’m sorry Dad—”

  “You’re sorry? Annie, all you do is act out and all I ever get from you are apologies. You were doing so much better with Dr. Ludwick’s help and now you’ve gone and probably ruined any chance of Staked getting off the ground. You know what the papers are saying, Annie? Do you?” he yells and I shake my head.

  “Like father like daughter. They’re saying that you are following in my footsteps and that you’ll be in rehab before you turn twenty-one. Is that what you want, Annie? To end up in rehab? Because you’re going the right way about it. God damn it, Annie, how could you be so fucking crazy! Who the hell took these photos anyway, huh? Who were you with that saw you that wasted, half-naked and decided to take happy snaps to capture the moment that Staked’s career died?” he yells and I look down at my lap. I feel like I want to be sick.

  I’ve ruined this for everyone.

  Staked could very well be fucked now and it’s all because of me. I knew I was messed up, but I never thought I would ruin it for everyone. I never thought this would ever happen and right now, I just want to crawl into a ball and die. Thank God, Dad doesn’t know the full story and that I slept with that guy. I can’t even remember his name. The second guy I’ve ever had sex with, the second time I’ve ever had sex, and I can’t even remember his name.

  I’m such a fucking mess!

  “I’m sorry,” I murmur and he scoffs.

  “Well, sorry doesn’t cut it, young lady. I don’t even know how Rob feels about this. He will probably drop Staked and don’t be surprised if the record label drops you too. Nude photo scandals don’t sit well with the people who strive to promote you, Annie.”

  I nod because I know he’s right.

  “The media are saying you’re following in my footsteps. But I come from fucking scum Annie, not you! I thought I did a good job, I thought I was a good Dad, but I’m the fuck up here, not you. I love you Annie, but this fuck up is mine as much as it is yours. If I had raised you better then maybe you wouldn’t be falling apart like this—”

  “Colt, baby, stop,” Mum says, reaching out and grabbing his arm. He turns and glares at her.

  “Don’t you dare tell me to stop Lia, you’re as much at fault for this as we are,” he says jolting his arm free from Mum’s grip. I hate seeing them fight.

  “Just get the fuck out of my sight. I think I’ve seen enough of you all over the internet today,” he says and moves forward picking up the paper with the photos and throws them in the air in anger. I watch as they fall lifelessly to the ground. Just some girl who fell to the ground and couldn’t get out of the pit of despair she was in. Watching them fall is like watching my career end.

  I look up at him feeling utterly idiotic. “Go Annie, before I say something I might just regret,” he yells really loudly making me and everyone else jump. I stand up from the lounge suite and look back at him. He is fuming, I’ve never seen him look so mad.

  “I’m sorry Dad, I never meant for this to happen,” I murmur and he just glares at me.

  “You never do, Annie, and that’s the problem. Now get to your room and don’t come out till I tell you to,” he says a little softer, but still loudly.

  I look at Ella and she’s sitting on the lounge watching me. I turn to look at Mum and she tilts her head toward the staircase. I nod and walk out of the room to a deathly silence. My breathing is rushed and my heart is pounding so fast in my chest I can’t even think straight. I walk quickly to the staircase and take the stairs two at a time. I just want to be in my room where I can cry and let out all of this built-up emotion. I race toward my room and run inside slamming the door behind me. Not because I’m angry at Dad, but because I’m furious at myself. I start to cry so hard that snot is bubbling out of my nose as I fall onto my bed. Pulling my pillow in to hug it to my chest, I wish like anything it were Aston in my arms holding me and telling me that this mess will all be okay. But I know it won’t be. Dad will be angry for ages and Aston, I hate to imagine what he thinks of me. All I know is he’s the one person I want to talk to right now more than anything, and I don’t even have a phone I can message him on. I close my eyes and sob into the pillow hard and violently, venting out all of my frustrations. The world has seen my tits and there’s not a bloody thing that can change that. I’ve turned into one of ‘those’ girls. The ones who are seen as the sluts of the industry. I can never take back what’s happened, but like fuck, do I wish I could.

  I stayed in my room from the moment I got in there until the moment Dad came and got me this morning. I didn’t even leave to go to the bathroom. I didn’t want to do anything else to upset Dad. He had every right to yell at me like he did. I can’t believe there are semi-naked photographs out there of me for everyone to see. That guy was such an A-grade arsehole to do that to me, but then again I deserved it for taking those drugs and acting like a complete arsehole myself.

  I’m in the music room waiting for everyone to arrive. We’re having a crisis meeting and they are all coming over, including Rob, to see what we can do about the photos. Ella and Dad are sitting at the desk while I sit on the lounge suite, waiting and hoping, that somehow Aston hasn’t seen the images. Knowing he more than likely has, is making me feel sick.

  Mum walks in with Caleb and Chad, and I look up and Chad doesn’t look at me any differently, but Caleb half-smiles and nods, showing me some sympathy.

  “Hey guys,” Dad says and they both nod.

  “Hey An
nie, how you doing?” Caleb asks coming over and sitting down next to me wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close to him. His little show of support makes me want to cry.

  “I’m okay, just feel like a bit of a fuckhead really.”

  He chuckles. “Well, I won’t argue that it was a dick move, but I know you didn’t do it on purpose, and I know you wouldn’t want those photos out there. I’m sorry this has happened to you.”

  “Thanks cuz, I just wish I’d never gone out. I don’t know why I’m so stupid all the time.”

  “You’re not stupid, Annie. You just make stupid decisions remember, but I’m pretty sure you’ve learned from this one, right?”

  I nod emphatically. “Oh, shit yeah. I’m never… ever drinking again,” I say and he smiles.

  “Or taking drugs, I hope?”

  “That goes without saying. I’m never touching anything illegal or alcoholic again. It fucks me up.”

  “Good, glad to hear it, and you know if you were in trouble you could have called me?”

  “I know, I think I was on my way to call you when I passed out. Just didn’t make it in time, and that’s obviously when he took the photos,” I say. A shudder runs through my body thinking of the images that I can’t get out of my head.

  “Hopefully there isn’t a next time, but please remember to call me Annie. Anytime you need me. We’re family and I love the shit out of you, okay?” he says making me laugh. He always has a way with words.

  “Okay, I love you too.”

  “Right, we’re just waiting for Aston and Rob to show up. Then we can start talking about how we’re going to proceed,” Dad states and Caleb nods and unwraps his arm from around me.