Hated (Rock Star Trilogy) (3 page)

Barry, Bridgett, and Alec go over my schedule. There are not a lot of breaks scheduled.

“Alec, what about your music career?” I ask him.

“Oh, did I not tell you? This is a Scarlett and Alec tour.”

“Really?” I am getting excited.

“That was another thing…” Barry jumps in. “I was wondering if the two of you would be willing to sing a duet on Scarlett’s new album.”

“I already wrote the song for it,” Alec answers him. “Actually, Bridgett and I wrote it.”

I look at Bridgett, who is now blushing. “It was mostly Alec.”

“Excellent,” Barry says. “Scarlett, we are very excited for your career. You only
thought
you were famous before.”

I’m not sure how I feel about his statement. I’m famous enough. How can I get any more famous?

“Think Elvis. Or Michael Jackson,” Barry continues. “There won’t be a person who doesn’t know the name
Scarlett Ryan
.”

But they’re dead
.

I smile and nod.

Oh my God…
What did I get myself into
?

After that, we say our goodbyes and leave to grab some brunch before heading over to studio to do all our promotional shots for MTV. I’m hoping that we can get a lot of good shots today, so we won’t have to do anymore. Though, that probably won’t be the case.

“I get the feeling that even though I’m going to be here with you, I probably won’t actually get to spend time with you,” Stephan says once were in the limo. What he’s saying is true — we probably
won’t
get a lot of time together.

“This life is hectic. But it’s just a year. After this year, I can slow down. I won’t have to tour as much,” I tell him. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? It’s not too late for you to back out. I would understand if you did.”

“Actually,” he whispers, “it
is
too late to back out. I promised you forever, and
forever
is what I meant.”

“But you were drunk,” I counter. I keep my voice down. Alec and Bridgett are having their own conversation, so they’re not paying attention. Peter and the rest of the camera crew are following in their SUV. We promised not to talk about anything Barry-related until we went to brunch. I just needed a minute to clear my head.

“Drunk or not, I meant what I said with my whole heart.” He kisses the side of my face. “You’re stuck with me, Scarlett. Besides, it’s just a year.
How bad can it be
?”

I really wish he wouldn’t have said that… Because in my experience, it can get very bad, very fast.

“Scar, you excited about the song we’re singing together?” Alec asks me.

“I’m curious,” I answer. “I think it’s awesome that you and Bridge wrote a song together. I can’t wait to hear it.”

“We will start working on it after you finish your music video,” he says.

I can’t help but wince. Starting Monday, I will be working with
Nancy Hunter
. That bitch is crazy. “Considering who is directing my video, I’d say it will only take two, three days tops.”

“Oh, and you need to have auditions for your new band,” he informs me.

“What’s wrong with my current band?”

“For one, you’ve changed sounds. The record company feels like a new band would be in your best interest. And two, they’re on tour with Demi Lovato right now.”

“Right.” I really liked my band. I have toured with them since I was sixteen years old. It’s like I’m losing part of my family, and it makes me sad. Also, I really hate getting used to new people. I have to spend like ninety percent of my waking hours with them on tour.

“Barry seems very confident in you. It’s a huge change from a few weeks ago when he didn’t want to give you a shot,” Alec comments. “I wonder what changed his mind…”

“I don’t know, but I’m glad he did.”

“Maybe they realized that they were going to lose you if they didn’t realize how amazingly talented you are,” Bridgett adds. “Seriously, I don’t understand why they held you back for so long. You’re unique. There is
nobody
else out there like you. I’m just glad you have a chance to prove yourself.”

We come to a stop in front of a small restaurant. When the limo driver opens the door, I see a ton of paparazzi snapping pictures of us. I smile and walk inside the restaurant, even though I’d love nothing more than to flip them off. Our bodyguards and the camera crew follows us.

“I guess I can kiss my privacy goodbye,” Stephan whispers.

I laugh. “Privacy? What’s that?”

One thing is for sure — once you’re in the spotlight, you can’t hide.

11:11 PM

Make a wish.

“It’s 11:11,” Alec yells excitedly. “Make a wish!”

“I wish to never have another picture taken as long as I live,” Stephan wishes out loud. I second it.

Today was the
longest day ever
. After brunch, we headed to the studio to take promotional pictures for the documentary. First, we had to get our hair and makeup done, then we met with wardrobe. Stephan complained about every outfit they put on me —
too short, too tight,
or
too low
… Every single outfit. And when I tried to reason with him, he countered that I was his
wife
and that no other guy should be allowed to look at me except him. This aggravated me to no end.

I have to talk to Stephan about this.

Also, I must leave him at home when I do my music video. There is no way I can handle both him and Nancy Hunter.

When we get back to the house, I decide I will talk to him. Maybe convince him that he should stay home.

“So,” I say to Stephan once we get to my room. “I’ve been thinking… Maybe you should go back to Florida on Monday. I’m going to be crazy busy with the music video, and you need to get your stuff. Plus, you need to tell your mom that you’re moving here. A phone call doesn’t seem like the best option.”

Stephan considers this. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

“No,” I lie.

I’m a terrible liar.

“Is this because of the whole dress thing today?” he asks.

I nod my head. “Most definitely. Today would have been a lot smoother if you wouldn’t have complained about every outfit they put on me. I can’t deal with it again on Monday. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too.” He sighs sadly. “I just keep thinking about all the guys that are going to jack off to pictures of you in those tiny dresses, and it makes me mad. You’re mine.”

I shake my head at him. “Stephan, you’re right. I am yours.
Only yours
. I don’t want anybody else. I chose you.” I pause for a second, putting my hand on his shoulders. “I’m a rock star. And I know that this is new to you, but this has been my whole life. I can handle myself. You just need to back off a little. If that director wasn’t so nice, you would have been kicked off the set.”

Stephan shakes his head sadly. “I have been acting like a jealous idiot. I’m sorry.”

“Just remember what I said.” I smile, thinking of a compromise for our previous dilemma. “I’ve been thinking about the whole name thing… What if I changed my name to Scarlett Montgomery, but kept Scarlett Ryan as my stage name?”

“You’d do that? For me?”

I nod.

“Can we do it first thing Monday morning?”

“NO!” I laugh. “Nobody knows yet. I’m pretty sure if my last name suddenly changed, people would put two and two together.”

“Would it be so bad if people knew? I mean we
are
married…”

“Stephan, we dated two months before we got married. I’m pretty sure
everybody
, including your mom, would freak out. I’m thinking we wait until this tour is over, and then we can tell everybody.”

“One year. I can do that.” Stephan rolls over on top of me and starts kissing me.

“Are you seriously horny right now?”

“I’m
always
horny,” he replies as he pulls my tank top over my head. “I’ve been wanting to do this all day. Ever since Alec barged into the room early this morning.”

“Tomorrow is my day off,” I inform him, as he kisses my neck. “I’m okay with spending all day in this bed.”

“I love that idea.”

Me too.

Sunday, November 9

9:47 AM

One in a billion.

I am woken up early Sunday morning by a
very angry
Bridgett.

“Scarlett Ryan —
what the fuck
?”

Scratch that… Bridgett isn’t angry. She’s furious. She never curses. “What’s wrong?” I sit up, careful to keep myself covered.
I have got to remember to lock my bedroom door before falling asleep
.

“You’re married.” She crosses her hands over her chest. “How could you not
tell
me! I’m your
sister
!”

OH. Fuck. “How… How do you know that?”

Bridgett grabs the remote off the table beside me and turns on the news. Stephan sits up beside me as we watch ourselves make headline news. There is a video of our wedding, along with a copy of the marriage license.

“Oh my God…” I want to hide. Under the covers. Under a rock. On the freaking moon.

“How could you not tell me the second it happened?” Bridgett’s expression turns from anger to hurt in a matter of seconds, and I’m left feeling like the world’s biggest bitch. I am the worst sister
ever
.

“I’m sorry. We were really drunk, and we didn’t think that it would get out. I knew that everybody would think it was too early, so we decided to wait a year and then tell everybody,” I explain.

“But I’m not everybody, Scar. I am your
sister
— your twin!”

Just then, Peter and the rest of the camera crew barge into my room, along with Alec, and the rest of the security team.

“Hello, I’m naked here.” I point at the sheet that’s covering my frontside.

“You’re married,” Alec says the obvious.

“Yes. We are married,” I answer. “We got married in Vegas Thursday night. We thought we could keep it a secret, but obviously we were wrong.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Alec is now yelling, and he is furious. “You’re nineteen years old, and you are at the height of your career. Why would you go and do something so… so…
stupid
?”

I feel tears sting my eyes. “I don’t know, Alec. But I did it. It’s too late to do anything about it now.”

“Why didn’t you get it annulled? Hell, why don’t you get it annulled now?”’

“I don’t want to get it annulled. I like being married to Stephan.”

“What about a year from now?” Alec crosses his arms. “Or fucking two months from now, when you’re on tour getting five hours of sleep or less a night? What about then? Are you still going to like being
married
?”

“Alec, that’s enough. Don’t talk to Scarlett like that.” Stephan comes to my defense.

Alec turns to Stephan. “Don’t even get me started on you!” He turns back to me. “Did you even get a pre-nup? What is going to happen when this little marriage falls apart? What’s yours is his now, and he will get half. Is that what you want?”

The second that Alec brought Stephan into the argument, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to hold myself back any longer. “Do you think any of this
shit
means anything to me without Stephan? I left this all. I walked away. I was missing something in my life, and Stephan was that missing piece. If something happens, and our marriage doesn’t work out, I won’t give a shit if he takes it all. But you know what, it
is
going to work out.”

“What’s the statistics for teen marriages lasting? I’m pretty sure they’re like one in a million.”

I roll my eyes. “That’s a
bit
dramatic, don’t you think? Besides, Stephan and I
are
one in a million. Hell, we’re one in a
billion
. And what happened isn’t going to hurt my career. If anything, Stephan is going to
help
my career. He’s the reason I’m here. If it wasn’t for him, I would still be hiding out in Florida. I’d be hiding from my parents. I’d be too afraid to stand up for myself. So don’t stand there and criticize me. You’re my best friend, Alec. Start acting like it.”

Alec is speechless. Bridgett takes his silence as an opportunity to speak up. “I’m not mad at you for being married. I like Stephan, and I do think that you’re meant to be together. What I’m mad about is not getting the opportunity to be your maid of honor. I never got to go with you to pick out wedding dresses, and we never got to have a bachelorette party. I feel like you rushed into something that you could have waited a few months for. Or years even. Plus, you and Stephan have only been together a couple months. You ran once. Who says you won’t freak out and do it again? You have your whole lives. Why did you rush it?”

And just like that, I feel like crap, because
Bridgett is right
. I rushed into this marriage. When Stephan and I have kids, I am not going to have a
special
or
romantic
wedding to tell them about. I’m going to be telling them about one drunken night in Vegas that I was too drunk to remember.

“It’s too late now,” Bridgett continues. “So I’m not going to keep making you feel bad about it. But you hurt my feelings, Scar.”

Bridgett walks out of the room, taking a piece of my heart with her. I start to get up and go after her, but then I remember — I’m naked.

“Can you guys get out of here so I can get dressed?” I’m trying really hard not to cry in front of the camera. I’m pretty sure there are enough tears for the documentary already.

One by one, everybody leaves my room until it’s just Stephan and me. I fall back onto the bed and cry.

“They’re right. They are
so right
. Why did we rush into this, Stephan?”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time.” Stephan grabs my hand. “You can’t regret this, Scar. We got married because we are in love. People are always going to have something to say. Maybe we are too young. And yes, we definitely did rush. But I don’t care. I’m in love with you, and I know without a doubt that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Nothing anybody says is going to change that. I promised you
forever
, and
forever
is what I meant.”

Stephan’s words comfort me. But I still feel bad for hurting my sister. “I can’t believe I didn’t think of my family though. Bridgett is so mad. And I dread talking to Stacy and Anna. They’re going to be mad too. I just wish I would have thought, you know?”