Hated (Rock Star Trilogy) (17 page)

Alec and Bridgett walk ahead of us, and Stephan walks besides me. I envy Mona. She stayed home today. Said something like “
No way in hell am I going to hike
.
”
Ugh, why must I always say
yes
to Alec?

“I thought today was celebrating your song hitting number one. Why are we doing something that you obviously don’t want to do?” Stephan whispers.

“Bridgett wanted to come, therefore this was Alec’s idea. The things I do for my friends…”

“This is kinda cool, though,” he says. “I have never been to the Hollywood sign before.”

“Well, at least some good will come out of this hike.”

“Yep. And on a very nice plus note, we are done with Season One of the documentary. We don’t have to film again for another four months.” This is great news to me. I am so sick of cameras following me around everywhere. Mona, however, already misses them.

Finally, we reach the top.

The view was so totally worth the effort.

Today the fog is minimal, so we can see the valley for miles and miles. From here, everything looks so small. And I can’t help but feel so insignificant from here.
My
problems.
My
worries.
My
drama… Why is it always about me? There are seven billion people in the world, and I am just
one
.

“This is incredible,” I hear Bridgett say.

“Let’s go closer.” Alec starts to crawl through a part of the fence that has been cut.

“Are you crazy?” Bridgett asks. “You’re not supposed to. There are cameras. You’ll get caught.”

“No I won’t. And if I do, I’m Alec Torch. What are they going to do?” He stands up on the other side. “Come on.”

I am the next to follow. Alec is right. We won’t get in trouble. After I climb through, I wipe the dirt off the front of my clothes. “They always do it in movies,” I say. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to sit on top.”

Stephan climbs through. Bridgett rolls her eyes but comes anyway.

“If we get caught, you’re paying for me to get out of jail,” Bridgett tells Alec.

He laughs. “Right. All I have to do is turn on the Alec charm, and we’ll be good.”

“
Alec charm
?” Bridgett snorts. “Puh-lease, don’t make me laugh.”

“You seem to be the only person immune,” he says.

“Ugh…” I groan. “Seriously, please, no fighting. Today is a celebration, because I have hit a huge milestone in my career. My song debuted at number one — for the first time ever. And my new single is successful. Which means that I’m finally
me
. The real me. And it feels good. So the two of you can either kiss and make up, or you can pretend for one day, because I’m sick of your fighting.”

“Agreed,” Stephan says.

“Look at the breathtaking view.” I decide to change the subject. “This is what I love the most about California. It’s a beautiful state.”

“After all this is over, where do you think you’ll live?” Bridgett asks. “You obviously don’t want to be a rock star forever.”

“I don’t know,” I say. “I love Hope. It felt like home from the second I got there. But now that Stephan is here with me, I realize that home is wherever he is. I figure maybe we can split up our time in different places. I just want to be close to family. You, Stacy, Anna, Natalee… Even Dad, if he still wants to be a part of my life. I’ve already traveled the world, so settling down will be nice.”

We all take a seat under the sign.

“So what do you plan on doing after the tour?” Stephan asks me.

“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “I guess it’s something we should discuss, but I think I’d like to continue music. But maybe at a slower pace. I want time to rest and enjoy life. I’m thinking when I’m around twenty-six, we can take a break and maybe have kids… If you want kids.”

Wow. We really didn’t discuss anything before jumping in marriage. We didn’t think about kids or our future. We were just thinking about the right now.

“I definitely want kids,” Stephan says.

I’m relieved by his words. I feel stupid for not asking before getting married.

“I want kids too,” Alec tells Bridgett.

“I do too. Just not with you,” she says.

Ouch
. “That was really mean, Bridge.”

“Sorry,” she mumbles to Alec.

He tries to smile, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. I wonder how many times Bridgett is going to hurt him before he finally gives up and moves on. I hope that she comes to her senses and realizes that she’s in love with him before it’s too late.

After sitting there for thirty minutes, we decide to head back down. Alec basically brags the whole way about how we
didn’t get caught
. But I know Alec. I know he’s hurt over what Bridgett said. I also know that he hates that he’s hurt.

Before we get in the car, I pull Alec aside. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m only twenty-one — way too young to settle. Besides, I don’t believe there is just one epic love. I think there are lots of them. I obviously just need to move on,” he says.

“Can you?”

“I don’t know. I hope so.” With that, he gets in the car.

Poor Alec.

3:34 PM

Without you.

Later that afternoon, my lawyer, Mr. Matthews, shows up at our house.

“I have good news,” he says. “Stacy has temporary custody of Natalee.”

“Temporary?” I ask. “Can she get permanent custody?”

“We won’t know until the trial. There is no way that Mary will get custody of her, but there’s always Rick. If he leaves Mary and wants to get custody of Natalee, he would win. So it depends on him,” he explains.

“Rick is a good guy for the most part,” Bridgett says. “He never hit me, but he always turned the other way when Mary used me as a punching bag.”

“Well, like I said — he’s definitely got a fighting chance. He has a lot to think about. As long as he stays with his wife, he will lose.”

Mr. Matthews talks to Bridgett about the trial. It’s in February. It’s on a day that I have a concert, so I won’t be able to go with her. While they go over everything, I decide to give Stacy a call and see how everything is going.

“Hello,” she answers.

“Hey, Stacy. How is everything? I heard about Natalee.”

“Things are going surprisingly well,” she says. “She got here this morning. I sat her down and explained that I was you and Bridgett’s big sister, and that she was going to be staying with me a while. She’s a really sweet little girl. She and Anna bonded instantly. They’re in Anna’s room playing right now.”

“When are you guys flying out here?” I ask.

“Monday morning. Since Natalee is here, I thought we’d come early.”

“Is Mr. Yummy coming with you?”

I hear Stacy laugh through the phone. “Yes. And please do me a favor and never call him that to his face. That would be so embarrassing.”

“I’m your little sister. It my job to embarrass you. And I can’t wait to see you. Tell Anna I said hi.”

After we hang up, I go back in the living room. Mr. Matthews has left, and Bridgett looks really relieved. “I’m so glad that Natalee is safe.”

“Me too. I just got off the phone with Stacy. She and Anna are getting along. They’re playing together right now. They are going to fly out here on Monday,” I tell her. “And yeah, Mr. Yummy is coming with her.”

“Who is
Mr. Yummy
,” Stephan asks.

Bridgett and I both laugh.

“It’s a long story,” I say without offering up any other explanation.

“You’ve changed my life,” Bridgett tells me. “Before you, I was too scared to stand up for myself. I just let my mom hit me, over and over. I didn’t have to, but I couldn’t bring myself to move out. Maybe I believed her when she said I wouldn’t make it on my own. Or maybe I stayed there to protect Natalee, I don’t know. Without you, I wouldn’t be here. You changed my life.”

“You have changed my life too,” I tell her. “Look at how far I’ve come since meeting you. I stood up to my mom and dad finally. I found Stacy… Life before you seems like a distant memory.”

“It does, doesn’t it.” She smiles. “So I’ve been thinking about my New Year’s resolutions.”

“You should definitely add stop being so mean to Alec to that list.”

“Actually, to stop being so scared is one of them. I’ve been hurt so bad by people I love… And I know Martin was a jerk, but I was with him three years. I did love him. I obviously wasn’t
in love
with him, but he was important to me. He was my best friend. And Mia and I had been best friends since junior high. And then of course, there’s my mom. So many people have walked over me, and I think I’m just too scared to let anybody else in. So I’m going to stop being so scared.”

“Does that mean you are finally going to stop denying your feelings for Alec?” I ask.

“Maybe. But not now.”

I try to understand where Bridgett is coming from, but I can’t. Obviously we both have different circumstances, but nothing could keep me away from Stephan. “I love you, Bridge, but you should probably figure out your feelings soon.”

“I know. And I will.”

I truly hope she does.

8:48 PM

I love you way more.

“We really need our own place,” Stephan says. Mona and Bridgett went to the movies, so Stephan and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity. I wish I had more alone time with him.

“Agree.”

“Do you think our life will ever be normal?” he asks. “It seems like just when we start getting comfortable, something crazy happens.”

“I think so,” I answer. “Unless you turn out to have a twin, I think we’ll be okay.”

He laughs at my twin comment. “So… Christmas with your dad. Are you sure you’re up to it?”

“Yes. I think so. I don’t know if I will ever had a great relationship with him, but I do know that I want him to be a part of my life.” I put my head on his shoulder. “How is your mom doing? Is she really mad about us missing Christmas?”

“My mom will be fine,” he says. “She’s not used to there being another woman in my life. But she will get used to you — eventually.”

“I can’t believe your mom hates me.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. My mom knows how I feel about you, and she knows how you feel about me.”

“And how do you feel about me?” I already know, but I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing him tell me.

“I feel like I am the luckiest guy on the planet,” he says.

“Why is that?”

“Because I am married to the most amazing girl in the world.” He gently kisses my lips. “You’re beautiful. You’re talented. You’re smart. And
you love me
… Almost as much as
I love you
.”

“Almost?” I ask. “No way. I love you way more.”

“Ha. No,” he says. “I’m pretty sure the love I have for you is more.”

“Can it be a tie?”

“Fine. But we both know the truth.”

“You’re so stubborn.”

“I know,” he says. “So are you. And it is
one of the many reason why I love you
.”

“Do you remember the first day we met?”

“How could I forget? You gave me a black eye.”

I laugh. “Oh my God, I totally forgot about that.”

“That hurt really bad.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he says. “I knew when you punched me that you were the girl I would marry.”

“How?”

“I just did. When did you know?”

“That I would marry you?” I ask. “The day that I woke up married. But I’m pretty sure when I met you, it was love at first sight. One look into your green eyes, and my heart was a goner.”

“We’ve been married a month and a half now. Any regrets yet?”

I shake my head. “No way. You?”

“Never.” He pulls me in for a kiss, but this time I know he’s not going to pull away. And I don’t want him to.

Friday, December 25

7:12 AM

Christmas.

I am up way too early on Christmas morning, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We are all sitting in my dad’s living room — Dad, Stacy, Anna, Natalee, Mathew (a.k.a.
Mr. Yummy
), Bridgett, Alec, Mona, Stephan, and me. This feels good. Having a family. Anna and Natalee are on the floor counting their gifts. Natalee still hasn’t master counting past ten, which is kind of sad. Stacy has been working on it with her. Anna, however, has counted over twenty gifts for herself. Yep — twenty. These children are going to be so spoiled. Okay, okay — so maybe a
few
of the presents are from me.

“Scarlett Ryan, you are going to ruin my children,” Stacy says to me.

“Sorry.” Yeah, I’m so not sorry. “I have ten years of Christmas presents to make up for with Anna. Not to mention, I missed her birthday. And by the way, my last name is Montgomery now.”

Stephan looks at me. “You changed it? I thought you were waiting until the second wedding…”

“I knew how much it meant to you. So I did it. Besides, Scarlett Montgomery has a very nice ring to it.” I love my new name.
Scarlett Montgomery
. I don’t know what I was so scared to change it before. But I’m glad I finally did it.

“Speaking of ring… I know I never bought you one when we got married. It was so rushed. I picked this up a few weeks ago, and have been waiting for the perfect time to give it to you.” He pulls out a box. “Now this is
not
your Christmas present. I owed you this. But it would make me very happy if you wore this ring.”

And for the first time
ever
, I think I’m speechless. Stephan slides the ring onto my left hand, and all I can do is stare at my hand. The ring is simple — a white gold band, and a single princess-cut diamond. And it’s
exactly
what I would have picked out myself. He knows me so well.

I throw my arms around him and squeeze him tight.

“Do you like it?” He asks once we pull away.

“I love it.” I look away from my ring, and up at him. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Mrs. Montgomery. I also love how that sounds.”

“It sounds even better coming from your lips.” I lean over and kiss him on the lips. Though I’ve kissed him hundreds of times, I will never get tired of the way his lips feel against mine. I’ll never get tired of the way he looks at me like a crazy person in love. I’ll never get tired of his laugh, or his smile… Even his corny jokes will never get old. And that is how I know without a doubt that I made the right decision. I will always love Stephan Montgomery.