Chapter 14
March 23rd 2008,
Tonight is the night; tonight I play the House of Blues in Anaheim. I should be stoked but I’m not, well I am, I mean its HOB, and it’s just me, but ever since I left Kentucky I find myself distracted. I can’t stop worrying about Chels, I haven’t heard from her at all since I left and our goodbye was well, I dunno it was weird. Last week I probably would have thought they were right, but that night she talked to me, the night she told me what she thought she wanted. How she just wanted get back into life, get a hold of something, find a direction, a goal something to help her fight her way through the shitty ass place her dad left her in and then work on getting passed what had happened. But everyone always knows better than you do. Plus people seem to actually want to forget about her Dad but I can’t, I can’t forget he’s still out there, I can’t forget they said she would be safe and ok before and look what happened. I hope she’s doing ok. I miss her too. Everyday I find myself missing her more; maybe I’m use to the idea of her being around again. Well was getting use to the idea.
“Dude your on in half hour and you’re writing in your diary.” Eric asked as he stood at the door.
“It’s a journal and what’s it to you.” AJ said jokingly as he tucked the book away.
“You’ve been writing in that thing a lot.” Eric said as AJ stood up and grabbed his black knitted hat. “Anyways someone’s here to see you.”
“Who?” AJ asked a confused. Eric pulled back the door and AJ saw Kevin standing there, dark sunglasses and a ball cap, a dirty style shirt and stone washed jeans.
“Oh no, no one will ever recognize you.” AJ said sarcastically at Kevin. “And what the hell are you doing here it’s Easter.”
“I’m here with Chels.” Kevin said as Eric walked out and closed the door.
“What?” AJ asked stunned.
“She’s out front waiting for the show to start.”
“Alone?” AJ asked.
“Yeah, she said she didn’t want to come in and make you all nervous right before you go on.” Kevin said with a light smile.
“So, what are you guys doing here?” He asked.
“The doctor she saw in Kentucky sent her out here.” Kevin said as he sat down.
“Huh?” AJ said now even more confused.
“He told Mom and I that Chelsea is suffering from a type of Attachment Disorder.” Kevin told him. “He explained that because she was alone for so long her mind and body want comfort. Some people go crazy from that kind of abandonment, some just tune everything out and some become obsessed with attachment, with Chels it’s like she needs it and she knows where she can get it from.”
“Me.” AJ said understanding. “I guess it’s a good thing I did leave then.”
“No, no it’s not.” Kevin said quickly. “And Mom is going to make Tim and Jerald apologize to you.” AJ looked at him confused. “Chelsea actually talked to the Doctor, whether she wanted to or not I don’t know but she did, about everything.” Kevin told him. “The Doctor said because of what happened to her, she feels alone, no matter who’s around, how many are around, she feels alone. Her brain is telling her that it’s wrong to feel that way and it’s looking to be corrected.”
“What does that have to do with me?” AJ asked.
“The Doctor prescribed you.” Kevin said with a light smile and laugh.
“Huh?”
“He said that Chelsea knows she is safe with you, protected, we were wrong and she was right, you were right, she knew what she needed.” Kevin said. “It’s called Love Therapy, it’s something they are trying on people who suffer from something like what Chels does. As the doctor put it, she’s been alone for 13 years she wants to be held.”
“I see.” AJ said nodding lightly.
“As soon as you have time he wants you to come to Kentucky to talk to him, I told him I would talk to you about it and well as soon as Chels found out she wanted to come and there was no saying otherwise .” Kevin said and AJ lightly smiled.
“I have a tour and everything coming up.” AJ said looking at Kevin.
“We’ll find a way to work around it.” Kevin lightly shrugged.
“See now if you had stayed..”
“Shut up.” Kevin said rolling his eyes as he stood up. “I’ll be hiding back stage, Eric said Chelsea can hang with him and Chris until you’re done.”
“Cool.” AJ nodded as Kevin walked over to the door.
“Have fun out there.” Kevin said with a smile. AJ smiled back as his band mate closed the door and then his face dropped, he was about to let it all out on stage, in front of his fans, and now her.
“Craptastic.” AJ sighed as he let it all out and mind prepped for the show. There was another knock at the door and he shouted for them to come in. He turned around when he heard the door open and then he stopped breathing.
“Hey, Rachel.” He said uncomfortably.
“Hi.” She said with a soft smile. “Did I just see Kevin?”
“Uh, if fans ask no, but um yeah.” He said trying to collect his thoughts.
“I see.” She said understanding. “Well that’s good that he showed.”
“Yeah, yeah.” AJ nodded, he played it cool on the outside but he was freaking out on the inside. In all honesty he had completely forgotten about Rachel coming tonight, and now Chelsea was here too.
“So how have you been?” Rachel asked.
“Busy.” AJ nodded.
“I heard you went to Kentucky, there’s some drama or something, I talked to Sarah, Sarah talked to somebody I dunno.” Rachel shrugged.
“Oh.” AJ said. “Yeah well it’s a really long story.”
“Well I’ll have time after the show.” Rachel said with a light smile.
“Ah.” AJ said trying to think of an excuse quick. Just then the door opened and Eric poked his head in. He caught the look on Eric’s face when he saw Rachel was in the room and it almost made AJ bust out laughing.
“Umm, we need you out here if you’re ready.” Eric said.
“Ok.” AJ said with a nervous nod. He hated how quickly that feeling snuck up on you.
“Oh, well I better go, I’ll see you after the show then.” Rachel said with a nod, she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and then walked out of the room as Eric closed the door behind her.
“Craptastic times two.” AJ said as he threw his hands into the air. With another sigh he looked around the room and made sure he had everything. He then closed his eyes and said a little prayer, then looked up hoping his grandparents were watching.
“Sorry.” And then apologized to them for the bad language and dirty dancing he would be doing on stage. With a deep breath he headed to the door and left for the backstage area.
When the concert was over AJ was escorted back to his dressing room by his bodyguards. He walked into the bathroom and put his head under the sink tap and turned on the cold water, washing away the heat and sweat. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his head, drying his hair out, and then wrapped the towel around his neck as he walked out of the bathroom. The door opened and he looked up seeing Kevin and this time Chelsea walk in.
“Great show man.” Kevin said as he walked over and hugged him.
“Think it went ok?” AJ asked.
“Better than ok.” Kevin said with a smile. “I’m really proud of you.”
“Sweet.” AJ said with a happy grin. “What did you think?” He asked as he looked at Chelsea.
“You were awesome.” She said smiling.
“So we’re going back to my place, can you come or do you have an after party?” Kevin asked.
“No, the after party will be tomorrow night after the Roxy show.” AJ said shaking his head.
“Cool.” Kevin nodded. “You can shower at my place if you want.” Kevin said as AJ gathered all his belongings. There was a knock at the door and Kevin walked over and answered it.
“Hi Kevin.” Rachel said with a smile as she stood on the other side of the door.
“Hi.” Kevin said a little stunned. “AJ.” He said looking at AJ.
“Rachel.” AJ said and he cringed when he didn’t hide his sigh.
“Great show hun, I knew you could do it.” She said as she walked over and hugged him. “You fucking rocked it.”
“Thanks.” AJ said as he pulled away quickly.
“So Rachel, how have you been?” Kevin said distracting her.
“Good good.” She said nodding. “And you? How’s the little guy?”
“He’s getting bigger.” Kevin said with a light smile.
“So Alex, are you ready?” She asked as she looked away.
“Sorry Rach, I was going to tell you before Eric came in, I already have plans for tonight.” AJ told her.
“Oh.” She said and he noticed she looked over towards Chelsea. “Well that’s fine we can get together sometime this week since you’re off or something.”
“I’m going to be busy for a while.” AJ said as she looked at him.
“But the tour doesn’t start for another week.” She said.
“I know but something has come up so I need to go back to Kentucky after my shows.” AJ told her.
“Alright.” Rachel said and AJ knew she was pissed off, and that pissed him off. He hadn’t heard from her in forever and she was the one that wanted to be friends, be supportive, yet here she was getting mad at him. Why must girls be this way? Not all, but most, it was irritating as hell to him.
“Bye Kevin nice seeing you, say hello to Kristin.” Rachel said as she walked out of the room. AJ looked at Kevin who was trying to hold back a smile.
“That was Rachel.” AJ said looking at Chelsea.
“Figured, tattoos and all.” Chelsea said looking at him with a duuh look and at that moment the anger disappeared and he lightly laughed.
“You know about Rachel?” Kevin asked Chelsea confused.
“I know about them all.” Chelsea said with a smile that told Kevin she knew it made her special that he actually told her.
“I told you we talked.” AJ said rolling his eyes.
“I know, it’s just.”
“So are we going?” AJ said changing the subject.
“I’m ready.” Chelsea said standing up.
They walked out of the room and down the small hallway towards the back lane. They stopped at Eric and the clubs owners to talk about the turn out. Much better than they thought, it was what they were hoping for though. They talked a little bit about the show tomorrow and then everyone got ready to leave.
“I wonder how many are out there?” Kevin asked.
“Dunno” AJ said as he put his sweater on. His bodyguard open the back door and everyone began walking out and walking to their cars. As he walked out he looked down towards the front of the building, the parking lot fenced off he saw a bunch of girls standing down by the fence. They started shouting when they saw him. He walked over to the fence area quickly and began talking to the girls standing there as he signed stuff through the fence.
“Ugh that boy.” Kevin sighed as he looked over quickly. “We’ll wait for him in the car he could be a while.”
“Ok.” Chelsea said with a laugh as she looked from AJ to Kevin.
“I don’t wanna get recognized tonight.” Kevin sighed. “And he could be a while.”
“Really.” Chelsea said with a light laugh.
“Yeah, he’s always signing autographs and talking to fans, I mean it’s cool but sometimes he tells them too much and it gets his ass in trouble.” Kevin said to her.
“Yeah, so I hear.” Chelsea said with a nod.
“He really told you everything?” Kevin said a little shocked as he stopped at his car door.
“Well I’m sure not everything, Cliff notes maybe but I think it was his way of trying to get me to talk to him.” She said as she opened her door. “I can’t say I’m really surprised by a lot of it. His dad did some major damage in the first place, then on top of how he was treated at school all the time. I can see why and how he went down the road he did, maybe I kind of already did. I knew how bad people can get Kevin, even at 16. I just always thought I would be there to help.” She looked away and got into the back seat. When he got in he looked at Chelsea through the review mirror she was sitting sideways on the seat, watching AJ from the back window as he chatted and took pictures with the fans.
