Page 167 of Fame & Chaos

“What?”

“I know you’re weird about people coming to your place because you think everyone’s judging you or whatever, but Indi, right now you need a friend, and unfortunately for you, I’m the only one you’ve got. So give me your damn address before I resort to finding it illegally at work, okay? I really don’t want to get arrested.”

Despite everything, a tiny smile pulls at my lips. “Okay,” I mumble. “I’ll text it to you. Bring chocolate brownies because I need carbs.”

She laughs softly. “Done. I’ll be there soon, and Indi…”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t read the articles, okay?”

I stare at the screen again, my stomach twisting painfully. “Okay.”

She exhales quietly, says goodbye, and hangs up.

The second the call ends, I stand up, walk straight back over to my laptop, and start reading the article anyway.

Because, apparently, I haven’t suffered enough.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Indi

As I bury myself deeper in the article detailing my history with Caleb and the deaths of my parents, my phone buzzes beside me. I wipe at my tears and glance down at the screen.

Kenzi: Address. NOW!

For a moment, I stare at the message. Maybe it’s finally time to stop being so terrified of being judged and let someone be there for me.

Exhaling shakily, I send her my address, then turn my attention back to the article.

‘Indica was always the love of Caleb’s life,’ says the source. Apparently Caleb wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. She was his forever girl. But Miss Malone was destined to break the budding musician’s heart. This may seem like a bad thing, but in our eyes, it means more musical genius songs of heartbreak and despair for the upcoming band, Staked.

The song “Saving Grace” was written especially with Miss Malone in mind and details their unstable past. The two lovers, with their on-again-off-again relationship, were always bound to end in heartbreak for poor Caleb, who is now said to be trying to mend his shattered heart.

Indica ended things, and now Caleb is left picking up the pieces while Indi moves on without him.

What will become of the rising star? Only time will tell. Time heals all wounds, and broken hearts make great music.

I scoff and slam my laptop shut, shaking my head in disbelief. He’s made me out to be the villain. I can’t fucking believe this. Storming over to the window, I stare outside, not even knowing what to do with myself anymore. My bottom lip trembles violently while my insides shake. Somehow, this betrayal feels even worse than him sleeping with Sally or Sandra or whatever-the-fuck her name was.

After everything I told him about wanting my past buried, he’s gone and handed it to the press because I hurt his feelings.

What a shallow, selfish, childish prick.

I pace my bedroom while images of my parents flash relentlessly through my mind. I bite down hard on my lip, desperately trying to remember their happy smiles instead of the faces haunting my nightmares.

The dead ones.

Dad foaming at the mouth. Mum pale and lifeless with blood dripping from her wrist.

I cradle myself tightly as panic grips me. My breathing speeds up until I feel like I might hyperventilate. No matter how hard I try, I can’t calm myself down. I keep pacing, sucking desperate breaths through my mouth, trying to force oxygen into lungs that suddenly don’t seem to work properly anymore.

Closing my eyes only makes it worse.

The darkness behind my eyelids twists into the horrific images I’ve spent years trying to suppress. Dad collapses again. Mum reaches for me again.

Blood.