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15
Jade
Maddox has sent me a couple of text messages since our fight, but he’s kept his distance. When we get in arguments, that’s usually the protocol we follow with one another. But I know he’s been looking forward to deejaying this party for his friend.
When he first started hanging out with Adam Coleman last year, I thought it was weird. Sure, we were already exploding in the music world, and our concerts were selling out, but it’s Adam Coleman.
He’s won awards, starred in big-budget movies, and has been linked to some of the top starlets around Hollywood. But when Maddox first told me he was going to party with him, I was nervous. No matter how famous Adam is, he’s a few years older than us and has been in show business for over ten years. I thought he was trying to take advantage of my brother somehow. However, I quickly learned despite Adam being an actor and Maddox a musician, they not only have the arts in common, they have partying in common, too.
So, when Maddox told me he really wanted me at a party Adam was throwing, I decided it was finally time to end our little stand-off and join him. Since Lily can’t make it, and Derrik’s out of town with Zoey, I messaged EJ and Skye. Skye’s at a gig with her band, but EJ decided to join me.
“How’s the recording coming along?” EJ asks as we walk through the paparazzi waiting in the front of the building.
Heading inside, we get in the elevator and make our way up to the top floor. “It’s going good. I was hoping you might come in this week.”
“Yeah, that’d be awesome.”
“What about you? You and Skye going good?”
A wide smile crosses his face. “Yeah. Real good.”
I’m happy for them. Even though EJ’s older than me by a couple of months, I’ve always looked at him like a little brother. It’s probably due to how he likes to stay in the background. He doesn’t mind the spotlight, but he doesn’t go out searching for it.
“Maddox told me what happened between him and Bret,” EJ says.
The elevator dings, and the doors open to loud thumping bass and lights swirling around. “Yeah,” I call over to EJ. “It’s getting more annoying than usual. It feels like Bret’s contacting me every day. I know his deal is linked to me recording my stuff, but he’s starting to push it.”
“Sorry,” EJ replies.
He won’t tell me to dump him, take some time apart, or anything like that. Neither will Derrik. They both know Maddox says that stuff enough for both of them. That doesn’t mean I don’t know he’s thinking it.
“Speak of the devil,” I whisper to him, seeing Bret walk over to me.
“Babe! Isn’t this great?” he asks, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. “Mitch is around here somewhere. Probably hooking up with someone. The bartender was hitting on him.”
I cringe, not only at the comment but the absurdity of it. “Are you drunk already?” I hiss, smelling the booze on him.
“Come on, it’s a party. Live a little,” he replies, pushing his red cup over to me.
I shove it away. “Stop. What are you doing?”
“Jade, I’m just having fun. Stop being so uptight.”
“You know I don’t drink.”
“Jesus, that lame, straight edge thing. You know that’s just an idiotic, cliché thing ever since punk bands, right?”
I don’t know why I snap. Maybe it’s because he’s treading on my last nerve since I’ve been recording. Or it’s his drunken stupidity, where he thinks everything’s a joke or one big party is starting to wear thin. Whatever it is, I push him away.
“Yeah. It’s all about punk bands and how you’re the next great thing.”
Hurrying away from him and EJ, I walk over toward my brother, who’s talking with Adam. “What’s wrong?” is the first thing Maddox says, reading my expression.
“You invited Bret?”
“What? Hell no. I haven’t even seen him.”
“Well, he’s here, and he’s drinking.”
