All About the Hype (26 page)

I can’t stop Sienna from being nice to her sister. Why would I want to? I just hope she’s right about Dana having changed.

‘You gonna go say hi?’ Jack asks.

‘I should,’ I reply. ‘Back in a sec.’

I slide out of the booth and make my way onto the dance floor. Sienna spies me almost immediately.

‘Jessie!’ she gasps with delight, shoving the guy she’s dancing with out of the way and coming over to engulf me in her slightly sweaty arms. ‘What are you doing
here?’

‘I came with Jack,’ I respond. ‘Who was that?’ I ask, nodding at the guy.

‘Just a model from my agency. Hot, isn’t he? Oh my God, this is so cool,’ she gushes, not waiting for an answer. Abruptly, her face shifts.

‘What?’ I ask.

‘I’m here with Dana,’ she admits, looking awkward.

I instantly come over in a cold flush.
Shit
.

‘Please don’t stress out,’ she implores. ‘Seriously, why don’t you come meet her? I think you’d really like her!’

‘No way,’ I say. ‘I don’t even want to be within ten metres of her.’

Sienna’s expression blackens and she shrugs, looking away from me. ‘OK,’ she says simply. ‘See you at school, then.’

Now I feel bad. ‘Sorry.’ I grab her arm before she can walk off. ‘I know it’s not your fault; it’s just complex, that’s all.’

‘I know it is.’ She frowns. ‘But it’s ridiculous. I’m sorry, but it is. She’s my sister; you’re my friend; Dana and Johnny don’t even speak to
each other. She’s trying really hard to make amends. If you could just meet her, you’d see that. She’s not on drugs – she doesn’t even drink, for Christ’s sake.
What’s the worst that could happen?’

I take a deep breath. Maybe she’s right. And I want to be a supportive friend. ‘Fine,’ I say. ‘Introduce me.’ I can make up my own mind whether I think she’s
a bitch from hell.

‘Yay!’ Sienna says, beaming as she leads me off the dance floor. I shoot a look in Jack’s direction, but can’t see him for all the people.

Dana is in a booth on the other side of the club, surrounded by a group of hipsters, all in their late twenties.

‘Little sis!’ she cries, as we approach. ‘And—’ Her eyes widen at the sight of me. ‘And Jessie Jefferson,’ she finishes, looking surprised. I manage not
to flinch at the name she uses, but how the hell did she know who I was?

‘She’s seen photos of us together,’ Sienna says hastily, as Dana stands up and edges out of the booth.

Nerves tangle in my stomach as she joins us.

‘I’m Dana,’ she says, holding her hand out.

‘I know,’ I reply, obligingly shaking it.

She’s strikingly attractive, in skinny black jeans, stiletto heels and a sheer gold top. She’s tiny and her cheekbones are prominent, but she’s nowhere near as gaunt as she was
in the pictures I saw of her after her infamous overdoses. Her long dark hair is tied up into a high, sleek ponytail and her eyeliner is even thicker and heavier than Agnes’s. She’s
wearing a dark shade of lipstick that’s almost black in colour.

She shakes her head at me, seemingly amazed. ‘You look just like your daddy.’ I tense, but she smiles brightly. ‘It’s great to finally meet you,’ she adds.
‘Sienna says you’re cool.’

‘Thanks,’ I reply, not knowing what else to say.

‘You want to sit down?’ she offers. I look at the people she’s with and decide that I couldn’t want anything less. They seem pretty daunting.

‘Thanks, but my boyfriend is here.’

‘The elusive Jack Mitchell,’ she declares, grinning, as I stare at her in alarm. ‘Don’t look so freaked out, baby girl. My little sis has told me a lot about you.
Let’s meet him.’

‘OK, sure,’ I say, trying to sound nonchalant and mature. My pulse races as I lead Dana and Sienna through the crowd to the booth on the other side of the dance floor. Drew is
sitting opposite Jack, nursing a beer. They both look up as we approach. Jack freezes.

‘Dana’s here,’ I explain nervously. ‘She wanted to say hi.’

‘Hi,’ Jack and Drew say simultaneously, as Dana slides into the booth next to Drew. I guess we’re sitting down, then.

‘Hey, guys. You DJ-ing tonight?’ she asks Drew amiably. I remember that they met last weekend at the club.

Sienna sits down next to her sister. She looks happy.

I really need to relax. My friend is just trying to show me that her sister is OK. And maybe she is. I pick up the beer Drew bought me and take a large gulp.

Half an hour later and Dana is still with us. We’ve heard all about the plans for her comeback tour, and she seems genuinely thrilled for us that we’ve got a gig at
Marlin’s.

‘I like your ink, dude,’ she says to Jack, reaching across to take his arm. She brings it closer to her face, studying his POW! tattoo. ‘Is this your only one?’

She releases his arm and he fiddles with the leather straps around his wrist to reveal his tattooed bracelet.

‘Nice,’ she says, pulling the neckline of her sheer gold top down to reveal a tattoo of angel wings just below her collarbone. ‘I got this done before Christmas.’

‘Cool,’ Drew says, leaning in to study it.

‘Ironic,’ she replies, smirking at him before studying his tattoos in turn. ‘Where do you go?’ she asks.

I give Jack a sideways look as they start talking tattoo parlours among themselves.

Eventually she returns her attention to Jack. ‘What are you planning on getting done next?’ she asks.

‘Er, I’m thinking about getting some soundwaves done on the back of my neck,’ he tells her, rubbing the spot accordingly.

‘Really?’ I ask him in surprise.

He looks at me from out of the corner of his eye.

‘Have you got any ink?’ Dana asks me suddenly.

I shake my head. ‘Not yet.’

‘Johnny won’t let her,’ Sienna reveals with a grin and I wince at the sound of my dad’s name being brought into the conversation.

Dana laughs wryly. ‘Really?’ She raises one dark eyebrow. ‘That’s rich, coming from him.’ She smirks at me and I stiffen at her overfamiliar comment, but try not to
let it show.

I shrug and force a smile. ‘Tell me about it.’

‘What would you get done?’ she asks.

I glance at Jack, remembering the time he drew a couple of tattoos on me. We ended up snogging each other senseless.

‘I was thinking about noughts and crosses,’ I reply eventually. ‘My mum used to play it with me when I was a kid. She always let me win.’

I suddenly feel tainted. I didn’t want to share something so personal with her, but my revelation came out without me thinking.

Dana nods. ‘That sounds really cool.’ She reaches across the table and gives my hand a quick squeeze. I look down in surprise. Her fingernails are short and blunt and painted
blood-red. ‘I’m sorry about your mom, chick. I just wanted to say that.’

I’m caught off guard as she lets me go. It occurs to me that she used the same term of affection that my dad uses. ‘Well, guess I should get back to my friends,’ she says, as I
remember with unease how much else she and Johnny used to have in common. ‘It was nice meeting you.’ Sienna stands up to let her out. ‘Maybe see you around.’ She looks at
each of us sitting at the table, but her eyes rest on me.

‘Bye,’ I say, trying to shake off my bad feeling as I wonder what’s going through that mind of hers.

‘Dana’s coming to your gig at Marlin’s. I’m sorry!’ Sienna cries before I can say anything. ‘I didn’t tell her to get tickets –
she just got them after you guys told her about it on Saturday night. She’s bringing a bunch of her muso friends.’

‘It’s OK,’ I reply with a sigh. It’s Wednesday afternoon and we’re at school, on our way to first period. Sienna accosted me as I was slamming my locker.
‘Johnny’s not even going,’ I tell her. ‘I need to chill out about it, so honestly don’t worry.’

I’d completely forgotten, but, when Brandon lined up the Marlin’s gig, it was for the same weekend that Johnny is launching his new album in New York. I’m gutted to be missing
such a momentous occasion, but there was no way I could let my bandmates down by backing out. Johnny understood. He, Meg and the boys are flying to New York on Friday, straight after Barney
finishes school. Gramps is coming to look after me.
Yes!

‘Did you like her?’ Sienna asks of her sister, her face contorting into a hopeful expression.

I nod. ‘I did, actually.’

She beams at me and links her arm through mine. ‘I told you! She’s cool, isn’t she? I can’t believe how much we’ve been hanging out. She’s so nice to me
now!’ she gushes.

‘I’m really happy for you,’ I say, trying to keep a straight face at her enthusiasm as we reach our classroom.

Brandon and Miles were disappointed that Johnny wouldn’t be at our Marlin’s gig, but Jack seemed disappointed only for me.

Butterflies fill my stomach at the memory of us in his car on the way home on Saturday night. We pulled up and climbed into the back seat. Things got pretty heated. The windows were still fogged
up when Lewis buzzed us in through the gates. I hope he didn’t notice.

I sigh again. I’ve got it so bad.

My dad wasn’t thrilled when he found out that Jack had driven me home, but he let it go. Thankfully he didn’t discover that we’d gone to a club – or that Dana had been
there. I’m sure I would have been in for it if he had.

But I don’t regret anything. I loved being able to act like an ordinary girl again. It’s addictive.

On Friday afternoon, I stand and wave off my family with a lump in my throat. I’m gutted to miss my dad’s launch party. It would’ve been fun, and I had a
genuine reason to celebrate because I’m singing on one track on the album. But it can’t be helped. I’ll see them all on Sunday night. Right now, I need to focus on the band.

‘Righto!’ Gramps exclaims, clapping his hands together as we return inside. ‘Let’s get this party started!’

I laugh at him.

‘Where’s the vodka?’ he asks. ‘Got any ciggies?’

‘I don’t smoke any more,’ I tell him.

‘You don’t smoke
any more
?’ he asks, aghast. ‘When did you smoke in the first place, you bleedin’ idiot? Don’t you know it’s a filthy
habit?’

I roll my eyes at his teasing. To my surprise, he pulls a packet of fags out of his back pocket. ‘Gramps!’ I berate.

‘I’ll be outside,’ he says with a cheeky grin.

He’s such a bad influence
, I think with amusement. But hopefully, between the two of us, we’ll be able to convince Johnny and Meg that he’s capable of being my
guardian while they’re away on tour. He might not be the best of role models, but he’s good company, and most of the staff will be here, too. Annie and Eddie are going on tour, though I
heard Annie talking to Meg about bringing in a temporary cook while they’re away. I know they’re seriously considering letting me stay here with Gramps. Score!

Eddie has done tacos for dinner and, as we sit in the kitchen and tuck in, Gramps wants to know all about tomorrow’s gig. I fill him in.

‘It’s going to be fab. I’m looking forward to it,’ he says.

‘Are you coming?’ I ask with surprise.

‘Of course I am!’ He frowns at me. ‘I can still rock a mosh pit.’

I try not to laugh.

‘How are things going with Billy Mitchell’s kid?’ he asks, taking a sip of his whisky and Coke. I’m just drinking Coke, but I can smell the alcohol from here.

‘Good,’ I reply with a smile. ‘Better than good.’

‘Is it love?’ he asks wryly, and I can’t tell if he’s taking the mickey or not.

‘Might be,’ I reply with a smirk.

‘So what’s going to happen if you screw it all up, hey?’

‘Christ, Gramps, in with the direct question!’

He shrugs, shaking back his wispy greying hair. ‘I’m curious.’

‘Well, I’m hoping we won’t split up. I really like him—’

‘And the feeling’s mutual, is it?’

‘Yes,’ I state, surer about this now than I’ve ever been.

‘That’s nice,’ he says amiably, taking a bite of his taco and crunching away. ‘You’ll be OK in any case,’ he declares, reaching for his drink and taking a
large gulp.

‘What do you mean by that?’

He shrugs again. ‘When you split up,’ he says.

‘Well, yeah, sure, I mean,
if
we split up, I probably will be OK. People get over broken hearts all the time, don’t they?’

‘I’m not talking about your broken heart.’ He waves that comment away dismissively. ‘I’m talking about your music career. You’ll be OK. You’re Johnny
Jefferson’s daughter. You’ll be able to go solo. You don’t need a band.’

‘But I like being in a band,’ I say, my heart squeezing at the idea of standing up on a stage alone without Brandon, Jack and Miles around me.

‘Your dad said that, too, but look at him now. He didn’t want to split up with his band,’ Gramps confides. ‘He loved those guys, but it wasn’t meant to be. When
you’re on your own, you get to call the shots. You don’t have to bow down to anyone. I think he found that liberating.’

‘Do you think he ever misses being in Fence, though?’ I ask thoughtfully.

Gramps looks nonplussed. ‘He had to make the best of what happened.’

That didn’t exactly answer my question.

‘Yeah, I think he misses those boys sometimes,’ Gramps says when I prod him for a proper answer. ‘I heard Finch and Lennie were talking about getting everyone back together for
a reunion tour a couple of years ago. Johnny vetoed it.’

‘Really?’ I never knew that. Finch was Fence’s bass guitarist and Lennie the drummer.

‘Yeah. A decade is a lot of water under the bridge, but some things should be laid to rest.’

‘Well, if All Hype get a record deal, we wouldn’t have any choice but to stay together. We couldn’t breach our contract.’

‘True,’ Gramps says. ‘That’s what happened with Johnny. Thoroughly fucked him up, it did. Whoops, shouldn’t swear,’ he says as an afterthought.

‘Forget it.’ I purse my lips. ‘Go on,’ I say encouragingly.

‘He needed a break, but they had to keep going. Drove them apart, it did. Then Johnny went off the rails. Dark times.’ He shakes his head, remembering. ‘Dark times. Been
through a lot, my boy. Glad to see him settled now.’

I smile. ‘Me too.’

Jack and Agnes come over to hang out that night and I notice how much more relaxed Jack is in Gramps’s company than he is with my dad. We sit in the living room, chatting
and watching TV. When Gramps and Jack go outside to have a smoke, Agnes turns to me.