chapter 2.40
Jackson
After a head-banging month long tour in Europe, I was exhausted. So glad to be back in San Myshuno. The days of constant shuffling around, airplanes, schedules, hotel rooms were over for the moment. We had one gig left and then a welcome break. I wanted to get home so bad, I didn't even take off my stage makeup. I couldn’t wait to snuggle with my girl. She was all I could think about.
“Who’s up for some herb?” Manu asked.
My band mates, with the lead from our drummer, Lane, were a bunch of stoners now. But as long as they did their jobs, I didn’t care. I wouldn’t touch the stuff, though. I couldn’t think whenever I took just one hit. No way would I ever mess up my creativity. It was my lyrics and melodies that were the meat and potatoes of our success. Why fry it?
“I definitely need some of that R & R. It was a tough one. Too bad we can’t headline and make our own schedule, eh?” Clarke added.
My friends made a beeline for the bong.
“Come on, Jackson. Sit with us,” Lane said, trying to coerce me.
“And end up giggling like a bunch of girls all night? No thanks.”
“Boss,” Clarke said, “You’ve got to lighten up or you’ll turn into an old man and you’re not even 20 yet.”
Ignoring them, I charged up the stairs, clicking my boots over the metal. I wanted my bedroom and Winter in there with me. I couldn’t wait to tell her we came home early.
The sights of the gorgeous city comforted me as I walked up another flight. Clarke talked me into getting the largest room since I was the “boss” as he liked to call me. But really, it was because his lazy ass didn’t want to trek up all these damned steps.
Ignoring them, I charged up the stairs, clicking my boots over the metal. I wanted my bedroom and Winter in there with me. I couldn’t wait to tell her we came home early.
The sights of the gorgeous city comforted me as I walked up another flight. Clarke talked me into getting the largest room since I was the “boss” as he liked to call me. But really, it was because his lazy ass didn’t want to trek up all these damned steps.
Bouncing on my bed, I whipped out my phone and dialed.
When I heard her sweet voice, I smiled. “Hey, Angel. Guess what?”
Winter
I tried not to read the gossip sites. I tried really hard. But when you don’t see your boyfriend for months and he rarely calls, what was I supposed to do?
This latest slam hit hard. I slapped my laptop shut.
My roommate, Celia, took a look at it. “I don’t know what you’re worried about, Winter. He’s just sitting there. He doesn’t even have his arm around them. Don’t listen to the noise. They’re just trying to sell lies. That’s what all those sites do.”
“Yeah, but take a look at the pictures below. He’s got his arms around Mako.”
My roommate, Celia, took a look at it. “I don’t know what you’re worried about, Winter. He’s just sitting there. He doesn’t even have his arm around them. Don’t listen to the noise. They’re just trying to sell lies. That’s what all those sites do.”
“Yeah, but take a look at the pictures below. He’s got his arms around Mako.”
“Arm and so what? I’ve seen pictures of Manu with his arm around Mako, too, and you don’t see me foaming at the mouth.”
I stomped over to my vanity to freshen up. My study partner, Victor Landgraab, was about to come over. At least I could look good for someone.
I stomped over to my vanity to freshen up. My study partner, Victor Landgraab, was about to come over. At least I could look good for someone.
Dabbing on lipgloss, I said, “Manu isn’t on every gossip rag in the country. He has some anonymity since his family isn’t famous. But because of Alex’s stardom, it’s spilled over onto Jackson. He should know better. I’m his girlfriend and those sites are just making fun of me. Our relationship is just one big joke.”
“So, what are you going to do about it?” Celia asked. “Break up with him?”
“So, what are you going to do about it?” Celia asked. “Break up with him?”
“Don’t be an idiot, Celia. What I’m going to do is make him suffer like he’s making me. Then maybe he’ll show me some respect when he’s out there. I’m not going to take it anymore.”
Celia closed the laptop and sat on her bed. “You know that doesn’t work on Jackson. Remember what happened when you told me to stand up for myself in our relationship? That’s a sure way to make him run.”
Celia closed the laptop and sat on her bed. “You know that doesn’t work on Jackson. Remember what happened when you told me to stand up for myself in our relationship? That’s a sure way to make him run.”
“This is different. I’ve been his girlfriend for over a year not a few months. He loves me. At least that’s what he says. He’s planning our lives together. If he cares a whit about me, he’ll listen. Otherwise, he can hang himself.”
“As your best friend, I’m going to call you out on that. Do not make the same mistake I did. You know Jackson doesn’t like to be told what to do. I don’t care how long you’ve been dating. He will just get mad.”
When I didn’t say anything, she added, “You know I’m right.”
I stopped powdering my nose. “You are...but what else can I do? Jackson just gets to run off to these extravagant places, have girls hang all over him, and then come home to me without any consequences? No.”
“Okay...but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“You’re forgetting one thing. I’m worth every sacrifice he’s ever going to make. It’s not like I’m some nobody. So what if he’s Jackson Day? I’m Winter White.”
At that point, my cell went off. The screen said, “Boyfriend.”
“Speak of the devil,” I muttered, anger already lighting a raging hellfire within me.
At that point, my cell went off. The screen said, “Boyfriend.”
“Speak of the devil,” I muttered, anger already lighting a raging hellfire within me.
Standing, I said, “Hello?” like nothing was wrong.
“Hey, Angel,” he said, all happy. Boy, was that going to change. “Guess what?”
Jackson
“I’m here in San Myshuno! We didn’t have to do Champs Le Sims after all. When can you get here? I’m dying to see you.”
“Hey, Angel,” he said, all happy. Boy, was that going to change. “Guess what?”
Jackson
“I’m here in San Myshuno! We didn’t have to do Champs Le Sims after all. When can you get here? I’m dying to see you.”
“Oh, really? Didn’t look like you were dying to see me in Windenburg. Oh, how are Ho One and Ho Two anyway?”
Her voice was spitting venom in my ear, making the blood rush out of my head. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
Her voice was spitting venom in my ear, making the blood rush out of my head. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
Winter
I felt like Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty when she transformed into the fire breathing dragon. I wanted to engulf him with my rage. “Wrong? How about a boyfriend who can’t keep his plumming hands off of every girl within two miles of him?
I felt like Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty when she transformed into the fire breathing dragon. I wanted to engulf him with my rage. “Wrong? How about a boyfriend who can’t keep his plumming hands off of every girl within two miles of him?
I clicked the phone off and threw it on my bed.
Jackson
Winter hung up on me.
Mind reeling, I couldn’t understand what was happening. Did I do something wrong? When? I knew the paps hunted me like I was some vampire marauding the streets, waiting for me to make a mistake, but I never did anything wrong with anyone. And I couldn’t say that for my friends. ALL of them cheated. Every plumming last one of them. But I wouldn’t do that to Winter.
A tightness pinched the back of my eyes as I slumped to the floor.
Shit . What was I going to do?
Jackson
Winter hung up on me.
Mind reeling, I couldn’t understand what was happening. Did I do something wrong? When? I knew the paps hunted me like I was some vampire marauding the streets, waiting for me to make a mistake, but I never did anything wrong with anyone. And I couldn’t say that for my friends. ALL of them cheated. Every plumming last one of them. But I wouldn’t do that to Winter.
A tightness pinched the back of my eyes as I slumped to the floor.
Shit . What was I going to do?