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The loud music stops abruptly. I turn to face the figurative music with my brothers.
“Aurora!” my mom shrieks, the level of horror in her voice etching itself into my memory.
Sixteen
Aurora
“Comewithusyounglady,” our father says, reaching his hand out. My mother’s already outside.
Jack pulls his jeans on, forgoing his underwear. “She doesn’t have to go anywhere.”
“It’s okay, Jack. I’ll go.” I’ll do whatever it takes to make this end.
Travis zips his pants, stands at my side, and speaks to our father. “She doesn’t need saving. We’re all adults.”
Big D pipes in, “How the hell did you get in?”
“Calvin gave us the gate code, said we’re always welcome.”
Calvin paces away from us. “That was…over a year ago.”
“We didn’t realize we weren’t welcome anymore. Your text said you wanted to see us. Take a good look. Now, we’ve got to get Aurora out of here before you corrupt her any more.”
My four brothers try to intervene, but they’re fired up. Letting them argue will only drive a bigger wedge in our family. I calmly say, “Let me handle this.”
Then I scramble to figure out how as my parents drive me to their hotel. The drive is silent with the exception of Dad’s loud, nostril-flaring breaths.
My phone keeps buzzing. The guys let me know I don’t have to do this alone. Then a message from Cindy:Having celebs in the family can suck
She attached a video. I turn my volume down then play it. Lovely—footage from when the crowd rushed the stage after the concert. It’s hard to make out, but in the background, my legs are wrapped around Jack. My face is nuzzled into his neck.
At least our parents don’t use any social media.
When we finally get up to the room Dad paces, Mom sits in one chair and I take the other. Dad kicks off the inevitable. “You’re young and impressionable.”
“I’m an adult. I was as much a part of instigating it as they were. I gave my consent. We love each other. You don’t understand what you interrupted.” The more rapid-fire defensive statements I make, the flatter they fall.
“Oh, you love each other? Did they tell you that?” Dad asks.
Their proclamations streak through my mind.
He shakes his head. “And you believed them?”
I shrink into the cushions of the chair a little bit more.
“I never thought the four of them would stoop this low, especially Calvin.”
My mom’s voice is softer, and instead of anger, her words bear hurt. “Don’t get tangled up in their world, honey. They make a lot of money and think that means they’re successful, but they’ve thrown away their morals.”
Dad interjects, “How did your last audition go?”
This question, on its own, could have a lot of different connotations. Coming from him, it pours alcohol straight into the wound.
He barely pauses. “Okay. Judging by your face, it didn’t go well.”
My face? Does he not understand what I’m going through? It doesn’t matter if they outright say they’re disgusted that they caught me having sex with my brothers.
He keeps going. “It might be time you get a real job. You’ve been disillusioned by your brothers that you can be a celebrity. But fame is fickle. Accounting…that’s where it’s at. A good, steady job.”
