by A. E. Murphy
Enri moves the roses and places them on the foot of the bed.
I roll onto my back; the bus makes me sway side to side. It does nothing for my stomach.
“I brought you breakfast.”
I sit up, forgetting about my state of undress. My cheeks heat as I pull the blanket back up over my bra.
He places a tray of eggy bread, bacon and beans onto my lap and a bottle of water.
“You didn’t have to do this.” I’m actually rather confused as to why he has and then it hits me and my cheeks heat even more.
“I am so sorry about last night,” he clarifies.
“Don’t,” I chuckle nervously, wishing that he hadn’t even brought it up. “Let’s just pretend it never happened.”
“What? Didn’t you enjoy my grinding?” He stands and starts circling his hips in the air.
“Oh good god,” I sigh, amused at his antics. “Go away. I’m eating.” I take my first bite of the eggy bread. “Man, this is bloody good eggy bread!” He grins triumphantly. “Did you make it?”
“Nah, I ordered it from the hotel.”
“Want some?” I offer him the tray.
He sits back down and around a mouthful of my bread he says, “I thought you’d never ask.”
“Seriously though,” he adds after swallowing, his eyes suddenly serious. “I shouldn’t have acted so… disgustingly last night and I hope you don’t lose the trust you had for me.”
We share a smile. “I still trust you. As soon as I said no, you stopped.”
“Still…” He stands, stretches and stumbles when the bus turns. “Enjoy your breakfast.”
“I shall.” Kind of. It tastes great but I also need to expel the residual traces of alcohol that are lining the walls of my stomach.
I take a few deep breaths and check the many missed calls and texts on my phone. There are no missed calls or texts from Lockhart, not that I expected there to be. I just can’t help the disappointment I feel. I really do care for him more than I should.
I call my sister once I’m done eating and lay back down. Who opened the curtain? It’s too bright in here. People might not be able to see in but the sun bloody can.
“Hey,” I greet Sammy around a yawn. Why do people always answer the phone at the worst moment.
“Bitch, you are plastered all over the internet!” She squeals. “Why haven’t you called me? I’ve been trying to get in touch with you since yesterday.”
“I’ve been busy.” I roll onto my side and balance the phone on the side of my head. My arm is too weak to hold it right now. “What have I missed?”
“I’m not sure if I should tell you. You told me not to tell you!”
“It depends what it is.”
“Are you sleeping with Enri?” Her voice gets so high and excited I’m surprised my phone doesn’t crack.
“Definitely not.” I shan’t tell her about last night. I can trust my sister with a lot of things… just not that.
“Oh.”
“Don’t sound so disappointed.”
“I’m famous by association. I’ve had calls offering me money for inside pictures.”
Groan. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope. Mum and dad had to call the pigs yesterday to get rid of this weird foreign guy hanging around our front garden.”
“Oh my god. That’s crazy. I’m not that famous.”
“What are you talking about?” She squeals. “Your single got to number three. NUMBER THREE!”
My hand tenses on the phone. “Holy shit. Really?”
“Oh yeah and now that everyone thinks you’re fucking Enri, it’ll either skyrocket or drop.” She laughs maniacally. “You’re infamous. Dad is miserable. His mates at work are winding him up about you and Enri. It’s gross, dirty perverts, but funny because well… you know how much I love pissing off Dad.”
“Leave him alone,” I sigh but I can’t stifle my smile. “I can’t believe we got to number three.”
“Me neither. Lucky bitch. I can’t even pass my driving test.”
“Keep practising,” I instruct and the door opens. Enri gives me a small wave and heads to his closet. “I’ll call you back later. Enri wants his room back.”
“Why are you in Enri’s room?” She yells before I hang up, cursing for slipping up.
“You didn’t have to. I just came to grab some after shower clothes.”
I wave him off. “I feel bad. I’m hogging your bed.”
He grins. “Your sister?”
“Yeah. She was filling me in on the outside world.”
“I know it’s hard blocking it out, but don’t search yourself. Okay?”
“I know.”
“No, really. Don’t do it. Live in this bubble for as long as you can.”
Nodding, I sit up, careful not to knock the tray as I slide it off the blanket. “I promise I won’t. Though… she told me people think we’re seeing each other.”
“Yeah.” He scratches the back of his head. “I think that arsehole took other pictures on his phone of us the night before last, back stage. When I was spinning you. It looks more intimate than it was.”
“Oh.” That’s understandable. “Well, there’s no such thing as bad publicity, right?”
“Right.” He winks at me and tosses a few things from his messy bag that sits on the floor of his wardrobe onto his shoulder. “Call your Rep. He needs to set you up with a publicist, okay?”
“Okay.”
“And… umm… tell him not to go through Lockhart.”
I nod. “Got it.”
Then he’s gone again.
The last thing I expected when I climbed out of bed this morning was to be escorted out of the tour bus by two Police officers with search warrants. This isn’t my first rodeo with the Police but it sure as fuck will be my last.
“What the hell?” I shout, annoyed at this sudden and unexplained assault. I was just chilling in Enri’s room playing on my piano when I was assaulted so violently.
The man tells me my rights and I’m escorted from the bus and lined up next to Enri, Dane, Kai and even Wayne.
“I am so sorry, guys,” Kai whimpers.
“What the fuck is going on?” I hiss.
“Officers,” Wayne reaches for his wallet with permission to show them he’s security. They take him to the side and whisper to him as we’re ordered to shut up.
“What did you do?” Dane asks a now sobbing Kai.
Sobbing. He’s sobbing.
Another Police officer comes around the bus with an angry looking German Shepherd on a lead that doesn’t look strong enough to hold the beast. He leads the animal onto the bus and my stomach drops.
“No,” I whisper and turn to Kai. My eyes burn with fury, hatred and betrayal. “You didn’t!”
“I’m sorry. I take full responsibility.”
“Oh my god,” Dane breathes when the dog lets out a loud bark and the officer announces that he’s found something.
“You son of a bitch!” Enri yells and grabs hold of Kai before any of us get the chance to intervene. Officers grab them both, separating them.
“It’s all me,” Kai tries to tell them, but they don’t listen. “It’s all me. I’m addicted.”
That’s impossible. I’d have noticed. Wouldn’t I?
“I can’t stop,” Kai sniffles and wipes his nose on his wrist.
“Stay where you are!” One of the officers bark and we all line back up.
They exit the bus with a bag of white powder in a sealed plastic evidence bag. It’s placed into a container which has a hazard symbol on the side.
Dane and I stay still and don’t speak. At this point it’s best to never speak. They won’t listen.
We’re all arrested, all but Enri whose solicitor calls and stops that from happening before it begins.
We’re carted in separate Police cars, cuffed and feeling broken, to the nearest station.
I’m photographed and forced to undergo numerous urine samples and blood te
sts. They even take a few strands of my hair. What the hell?
Can they even do this? The drugs weren’t found on me personally, nor were they found in anything I own. This seems so unfair. I’m going to kill him. I’m going to rip his hair out and feed it to him.
I pace back and forth in my cell. It’s too small. Too cramped. There’s a dingy metal toilet in the corner with no seat. I can’t sit. I can’t stand. I need out. This is horrid. It smells bad. There are urine stains on the wall.
I can hear moans from the other cells, shouts that go ignored.
What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
*
I feel as though I have been locked up for a lifetime when the door opens and the same sour faced lady that locked me up informs me, “You can go.”
“Go?”
“Yep. Your solicitor is here to pick you up but because your results have come back clean we can’t hold you anyway.”
“I told you I was innocent!”
“Yes and so did every other dick head in here and I can assure you, they aren’t.”
Fair point. “What’s going to happen to Kai?”
“That’s not up to me unfortunately, but I can tell you that he won’t be coming back tonight.”
“Jesus,” I whisper and follow her down the long hall. “Is somebody here to pick me up? Enri? Wayne?”
She shrugs. “Not a clue. Some fancy guy in a suit and his bald twin.”
“Suit?” Fuck. Lockhart? Bald twin?
My head hurts.
“What about Dane? Is he coming?” I ask as she unlocks the final door.
“No.” I’m basically pushed through to a waiting officer and the door is slammed behind me. I’m now standing in the lobby of the Police station.
Lockhart storms my way, a bald man at his side, and a blanket is wrapped around me moments later. I can’t see a fucking thing as I’m guided through a crowd of photographers and pedestrians. I’m all but shoved into a car and it’s driving before I even have time to pull the blanket off my head.
“Tell me you didn’t know,” Lockhart shouts as he helps to untangle me from the soft, brown blanket.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
His face is red. He’s furious. Who can blame him?
“Nobody is going to believe it.” He helps to buckle me in. “Especially not with Dane testing positive.”
“Dane tested positive?” I yell, my heart breaking. “For what? Coke?”
He nods and cocks his head to one side. “You truly didn’t know?”
“I hate drugs. If I’d have known, let me tell you… the Police wouldn’t be finding cocaine in bags.”
“This is a mess.”
The bald guy in a suit, in the passenger seat of the large black SUV, turns to face us. “I can twist this into something good.”
“I don’t believe that Dane was involved in this,” I mutter. “He’s not like that.”
“Drugs change people.” The bald guy smiles sympathetically and reaches a hand over his shoulder. “I’m Ed Clinton. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cerise, even though under such unfortunate circumstances.” I smile weakly. “Don’t you worry, I’ll have this sorted before you know it.”
“How?”
“Don’t you worry about that. You just focus on resting.”
I turn to Lockhart. “When can I see Dane and Kai?”
“We’ll talk when we reach my hotel.”
“Hotel? I’m not going back to the bus?”
“Starlight Touring company has confiscated the bus.”
Oh my god.
“Enri, is he okay?” I bite hard on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from crying. “I feel awful. He’s been so good to me. To us.”
“I bet he has,” Lockhart spits bitterly. “Enri is fine. He’s eager to talk to you, though not as much as your parents who haven’t stopped calling your phone.”
“My dad is going to kill me.” If I didn’t know fear before, I do now. “I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t drive down here.”
“Oh, he threatened to.” Ed chuckles. “Don’t worry, I’ve got everything covered.”
“Even my parents?”
“I settled them, for now.”
“How?” The thought of some strange man answering my phone and trying to calm my father down is almost comical. My dad has a temper and he uses it frequently.
“Can I have my phone, please?” I ask to the car because I’m not sure who has it.
“You’ll get it back when we get home.” Lockhart replies curtly.
“Don’t speak to me like that. I’ve had a shit enough day as it is.”
“Such lovely language for the person who is watching your back.” His sarcasm isn’t lost on me.
“Fuck off,” I bite, feeling bitter. “I’m in a bad mood. Don’t press my buttons.”
“You’re in a bad mood?” He laughs humourlessly. “Your band mates have turned me into a fucking joke. It hasn’t been two months and already they’re off their heads on drugs.”
“Kai, maybe, but not Dane. Something isn’t right there.”
He rolls his eyes. “The tests don’t lie.”
“They can,” I snap. “If it’s just a urine sample, they definitely can. Blood tests are the most accurate.”
“Don’t be so naïve,” he shouts, turning to face me as I look out of the window. “You sound ridiculous.”
The first tear falls and I hate myself for it but I’m angry and when I’m angry, if I don’t cry, I shout and that’s not what I want. “Just leave me alone.”
“You’re impossible,” he sighs. “Just face it, Cerise. Your friends are in serious trouble.”
“Then help them!” I cry, looking at his stern profile. “Help them.”
His lips rise with a smirk. “I was hoping you’d say that. Ed, I’ll take it from here. You won’t need to further intervene with Ms Branch and I.”
“No worries. If you’d be kind enough to drop me off at my car, I shall take my leave and do what I can from my office.”
“Take us to my hotel first,” Lockhart orders the driver, whom I recognise to be Clyde.
“Hi, Clyde.”
“Hello, Ms Branch.”
“It’s Cerise, remember?” I sit back and keep as far away from Lockhart’s aura as possible as my turbulent thoughts take over my rational thinking.
“Aren’t you going to thank me for picking you up?” Lockhart asks and I don’t need to look at him to know he’s smiling.
“No.”
“I don’t deserve your gratitude?”
I fold my arms across my chest, acting every bit a petulant child.
He chuckles and places his hand on my thigh, which I swiftly push away. Again, I don’t have to look at him to know his smile has vanished.
“Dane wouldn’t,” I say to myself quietly. “He’s not that stupid.”
*
The car pulls gently to the curb and I’m relieved to see that we’re alone when Lockhart opens the door, though he doesn’t take any chances in ushering me inside. In fact, he’s downright aggressive with it.
We pass the lobby assistants and the receptionist without a word. I’m relieved when the elevator is empty and Lockhart doesn’t try talking to me. The second we make it into his room, I race to the bathroom, slam the door and wash my hands and face. It just isn’t enough. The filth from that awful cell lingers on my skin.
Lockhart doesn’t bother me as I shower under scorching water. I’m glad of it. Right now I don’t want to see him or anybody else.
Kai and Dane are ruining everything.
How could they be so stupid? I know I keep asking that, but I just… this is what they’ve always wanted!
I should have kept a better eye on both of them but I’ve been so absorbed in the performances. After what happened with Enri two weeks ago, I haven’t been drinking much and neither has he. Instead I’ve been focusing all of my energy on the music and the people listening. This tour is draining me. Dr
aining me.
If only I had known it was draining Kai and Dane to the point of doing drugs. Perhaps we shouldn’t have agreed to come on this trip.
After drying my body, I slip into a fluffy cream dressing gown that hangs on the back of the door and brush my teeth using a spare toothbrush from beside the sink.
The door opens with a click and I know who has stepped inside before I look.
“You were right about Dane,” Lockhart states, stepping into the bathroom. “His blood tests came back clean.”
I close my eyes as relief warms my body. “I told you so.” Frowning, I face him, my arms crossed over my chest. “How did the results come back so quickly?”
He smirks. “Money makes the world spin. I knew it was important to you, so I had it prioritised.”
I blow out a breath. “Thank you. I should go collect him.”
“You are to stay here,” he snaps, his eyes avoiding mine. “I will go and get him and you will stay here until I return. Am I clear?”
“It’s not like I have anywhere else to go.” I roll my eyes and brush past him. Curling up on the couch, I pick up the TV remote and try to figure out how to turn it on. The lights come on and the blinds close. This remote controls more than just the TV.
Lockhart sighs and swaps the remote in my hands for a small, shiny black one.
When I press the power button, the flat, black wall beast turns on.
I scowl at him.
“You’re mad at me for that too, are you?” He smirks and walks to the door. “I’ll be back soon.”
I don’t reply. I channel surf instead.
I’m not sure why I’m so mad at him. In reality, he hasn’t done anything to deserve my ire. I’m just angry at the situation and I think I’m also not being nice to him for fear that if I feel anything other than anger, I might feel like I did before.
There’s no chance in hell I want to retrigger how I felt before.
To distract myself, I look around the large hotel room. It’s basically empty save for Lockhart’s small overnight case resting in a closet by the TV. I won’t snoop through his things. I’m not that kind of person.
Instead I go back to watching TV and use the menu by the phone to see what I can order for dinner. I’ve never stayed in a place that has room service before. If Lockhart insists that I stay here then he can pay for a sorely needed dinner.