Jaded (Rock Star Trilogy) (22 page)

Stephan and I take the elevator to the third floor, and we go inside the chapel. It's empty. Stephan takes a seat towards the back, and I walk towards the front. I'm still unsure what to do.

“
Hey, God,” I start out. “I'm not sure if you're there, or if you even want to listen to me. I kind of feel selfish for coming to you like this, I mean, considering I've never talked to you before. But I need your help.

“
My sister, Bridgett, just recently came into my life. But she's sick, and I don't know if she's going to live.” Tears start running down my face as I say the words. “Please, don't let her die. I need her.”

I wait, and listen for a reply, but I don't hear anything. There is no lightning coming down, and I'm wondering if I did it right or not.

Stephan comes up behind me and puts his hand on my shoulder. “He heard you, Scar, don't worry. Bridgett is going to be fine.”

I nod, hoping that he is right.

5:38 pm

Out of surgery

A couple hours later, Bridgett finally comes out of surgery. Her doctor comes out to talk to Stephan and me. Bridgett's family had a long drive, so they still had a few hours before they would be here.

“
Your sister is going to be all right,” is the first thing he tells me, and I sigh of relief. “But she has a long road of recovery ahead of her.”

I nod, letting happy tears run down my face. “What happened?”

“Her eating disorder caused her cardiac arrest,” he explains. “She is very lucky that she survived this. If she wasn't so young, and if her heart wasn't as strong as it was, she wouldn't have.”

I wiped away my tears. “But she stopped. We went and saw a therapist, and she hasn't made herself throw up in a week.”

“It doesn't matter,” he explains. “The damage was already done.”

“
When can I see her?”

“
You can see her now, but she is out of it.”

Stephan and I follow the doctor down a long hallway to Bridgett's room. She's inside a room with a couple other people.

“Can we move her to her own room?” I ask the doctor.

He looks at me. “Where are her parents? Private rooms are expensive.”

He doesn't recognize me. “Maybe you don't know me, but I'm Scarlett Ryan. Money is
no
issue for me. I will be the one paying the bill.”

He nods, and a look of recognition comes over his face. “My daughter
loves
your music... Give me a few minutes and they will have a room ready for Bridgett.”

“
Thank you,” I say, and then walk inside the curtain, followed by Stephan.

Bridgett is hooked up to a bunch of machines, and she has IV's stuck in her arm. She's asleep, and laying there, she looks so small. She shouldn't be here.

I walk up her her, and hold her hand. I'm not sure what I am supposed to do, so I decide to just be here for her... And for me.

It is in that moment I realize just how much I love Bridgett. I may have only known her a few weeks, but the bond that we share is so strong. If anything happened to her, I don't know how I would survive. I need her, and right now, she needs me.

10:41 pm

Crazy can be fun.

Later that night, Bridgett's family gets to the hospital. They immediately go in to see her, so Stephan and I wait in the waiting room. They stay back there for about 30 minutes, and when they come out to where we are sitting. Her mom, Mary, has tears in her eyes, but when she sees me, her expression changes. She looks
furious
.

“
You,” she glares at me. “You
LET
this happen! If she would have just stayed home with me, this wouldn't have happened!”

“
Calm down,” Stephan interjects for me. “If anything, Scarlett
helped
her. She got her help.”

“
She wouldn't have needed help if she wasn't with
her
. I knew it was a bad idea to send my sweet, innocent child with this... this...
whore
.”

Her comment hurts, but I've heard worse from the tabloids. I know that she's just mad right now, and once she calms down that she will regret what she said. Unfortunately, Stephan doesn't feel the same way. As soon as the word
whore
leaves her lips, I see Stephan's arm goes up. I know that he is about to punch her, but there isn't anything I can do.

Everything is going in slow motion, yet so fast at the same time. I know that Stephan's fist is about to connect with her face. Before his fist connects with Mary's face, Rick steps in front of his wife, taking the hit for her.

When Stephan's fist hits Rick's face, I literally hear bones crunch. Rick falls backwards onto the ground. I hear myself gasp as he hits the ground.

Rick sits up, and I'm thankful the hit didn't knock him out, but his jaw is already swelling and hit lip is bleeding.

“You!” I hear Mary. She goes to put her finger in Stephan's chest, but Rick pushes her back.

“
You've caused enough trouble,” he tells her. It's hard to understand him because his face is so swollen. He then turns to us. “You should leave. I won't press charges. Scarlett, you can come back in the morning.”

Mary huffs beside him. “She can
not
come back.”

“
Mary,” he says, a little more firmly. “Bridgett is 19 years old. You can't keep her away from her
sister
. This would've happened whether she was home or here, and you know it.”

“
Thank you, Mr. Evans,” I tell him. I grab Stephan's arm, and pull him away. He doesn't want to budge at first, but finally, he turns and comes with me.

As Stephan and I walk to my car, he is silent. The silence is awkward, and I am not sure what I am supposed to say. He is still fuming. Once we get to the car, Stephan takes my keys.

“
I'm driving.”

I look at my Lamborghini, and then at him. I'm so grateful he offered to drive, because I realize I can't. I'm still in emotional shock from what just happened. I hand him the keys, and he opens the passenger side door for me.

Once I'm side, he shuts the door, walks around the car, and gets in the driver's side. He turns to me, and smiles sadly. “I'm sorry about what she said.”

I shrug. “I've heard worse.”

“But this is different. She's your sister's mom. She's basically family. It has to hurt to hear that.”

I nod. “Yeah, a little, but she was mad. I know she didn't really mean it. She just said it in the heat of the moment.”

He grips the steering wheel tight.

“
By the way, thank you.”

“
For what?” he asks.

“
For standing up to me. I've never had anybody punch somebody for me. It was kind of
hot
,” I admit.

He laughs, and then starts the car. “Scarlett, you are crazy.”

“Crazy can be fun.”

He nods his head. “
Yes
, it can be.”

Sunday, October 4

6:51 am

Before I change my mind.

The next morning, I am woken up by somebody ringing my doorbell obsessively. I roll over and look at the time on my phone and groan. It's Sunday, and visiting hours at the hospital aren't until nine. I hope it's not Ethan and Stephan waking me up for early morning surfing again.

When I open the front door, I am surprised to see Bridgett's mom, Mary, standing there. Immediately, I panic.

“
Oh my god... Is Bridgett... Is she ok?”

“
Yes, she's fine. The doctor says she is going to make a complete and healthy recovery.”

“
Thank God.” I sigh of relief, and step back. “Do you want to come inside?”

“
No,” she shakes her head. “I just came by to ask you to leave.”

Her words hit me hard. “No way. I'm not leaving
my
sister. I just found her.”

“
Go back to California, Scarlett. You don't belong here. You are a negative influence on Bridgett,” she is begging me. “She is better off without you.”

Her words hurt me, because
maybe
she's
right.
If she would have been with her parent's they would have known the signs to look for. Maybe they could have prevented this from happening.

“
You know it's true,” she continues. I think she knows she is getting to me. “Just leave, and give Bridgett a shot at a
normal
life. The normal life that you will
never
have. You chose the path for your life, let her chose hers.”

I shake my head. “You can't chose for her. It's
her
choice. And if she wants to be with her
twin sister
, then you should let her. Me and her are related by
blood
.”

“
I've been there for her for
19 years
. I am her
mother
, even if it's not by blood. You haven't even known her a
month
. Do you really think she will chose
you
over
me
?”

I literally can't stop the words from coming out of my mouth. “She
already
chose me. She came here with
me
. And it doesn't matter that we haven't known each other that long. We are
sisters
, and I love her.”

Mary has tears in her eyes. “If you love her, then you need to do what is best for her. You need to leave.”

She turns and walks away, and I stare after her.

Even though I know what she said is
crazy
, I can't help but wonder if she is
right
. Bridgett will be better off without me in her life. I will
always
be followed by paparazzi. The spotlight would always follow me around. And the truth is, I am not completely ready to give up my old life. My dream is still to make music.

Bridgett doesn't belong in LA. She is so smart, and has her whole future ahead of her. She needs to finish college, and have a shot at normal. As long as she stays around me, she can't have that.

So, right then, I decide leaving
would
be for the best. Not just for Bridgett, but for everybody.

I pick up my phone, call my pilot, and pack a small bag.

I have to leave before I change my mind.

7:36 am

I'm saying goodbye

I'm on the plane, and we are about to take off. My phone rings, and I see Stephan's name pop up on the screen.

“Hey,” I answer. My voice is shaky. I am not sure how I am going to say goodbye, but I know I have to. I not only screwed up Bridgett's life, but Stephan's too. I made things worse for him at school. The rest of his senior year is going to be hell because of me.

“
Where are you? I thought we could go eat breakfast before you went to the hospital.”

I feel a tear fall down my cheek. I take a deep breath, and try to sound strong. I'm not strong. I know if he begs me to stay, I will. “I'm leaving, Stephan. Mary is right. Bridgett
is
better off without me. So are you.”

“
Scarlett, what are you saying?”

“
I'm saying goodbye.”

The pilot comes back to where I'm sitting. “We are ready for take off when you are, Miss Ryan.”

“I have to go. Goodbye, Stephan.”

I hear Stephan something something, but I click the “END” button on my phone. I can't hear what he has to say.

“I'm ready.”

As soon as the pilot walks back to the front, I let the tears flow, and I don't let them stop until I am back in LA.

Thursday, October 8

6:51 pm

Selfish bitch.

I have been in LA for four days now. My phone stopped ringing after the second day, and since then it has been quiet. I haven't had any updates on Bridgett, or worried/ furious calls from Stephan...
Nothing.
It's almost as if I
never
existed
to them. Maybe I would feel better if they still called me. I would rather them be mad at me, then have them forget me.

But
this is exactly what I wanted
, or at least, that's what I keep telling myself.

My time in Florida was short... I wasn't even there a whole month, though it felt like much longer.