“Rehab”
Chapter One: Homecoming
Don‘t even recognize
The ways you hurt me…
Do you?
"Rehab" by Rihanna
“When are you going to finally tell him?”
“I know! I just, Kevin I’m telling him.”
“When?”
“Soon” More than he knows.
“You’ve waited too long as it is Kay.”
“Asshole deserves it. Besides, I was on assignment over in LA, one of the biggest games of the year too. Year, career making here ya know. Not all of us are lucky enough to be famous pop idols who can retire at thirty five.” (Which shocked me when he decided to leave. Then I got shocked even damn more when Brian, AJ, Nick and Howie went on without him. Kevin was the one to tell me this heh.)
“Yeah well you’ve seen how that life is.”
I let myself munch on a pickle as I drive my little black 2004 Volkswagen convertible Beetle down the familiar roads of my home state. I try to avoid Florida anymore. Not bad memories, just more of I’ve moved past this place. Why go back? Other than to visit family, but my mom’s in California too where I live now. And the rest of my family is we’ll just say very distant.
I see Kevin more like family honestly. When the Backstreet Boys were just forming, I met Kevin, more there wide eyed at all that Nick had been trying out for. Maybe it was because I was a girl, but I was the one who didn’t mock him, and even supported it. Kevin, well kinda took us under his wing all brother like. He still does. I was shocked when he told me he was quitting the group though. I do get why, he and Kristen do have their new baby Mason, who is so cute, spitting image of Kevvy. I know for a fact he’s been jealous of Brian and the woman I used to call Yoko Ono (Leighanne) cause they had Baylee. Another adorable one. I hear they’re trying again too. But yeah, knowing that, K and K (as I call them) did deserve some happiness and a family of their own.
It’s just been an interesting upbringing I’ve had. And now here I am, back in the home country. Wisps of clouds are all that are above me in a sea of sparkling blue. Palm trees, green around me, and the ocean on the other side of the road are what greet me. I almost feel bad, almost miss this place. Almost don’t hate my life and situation right now. But almost only counts in horseshoes. It’s not enough for me to be totally pissed off at the world and how it’s decided to fuck me over in the past year or so. In so many more ways than one. Screw the world, I am going down with a fight dammit.
Yeah, I’m in full on rant positions. Get used to a lot of cursing bitches. I speak my mind, say what I feel. Kevin is what’s interrupting my thoughts now however.
“You still there Kay?”
“Yeah I’m here, are you going to the big Richardson/Littrell gathering again this year?”
Almost Thanksgiving, not that you can tell here in Florida. There ain’t even any nasty rainstorms today. Which is why my car top is down.
“Of course, and now we have a new addition.”
“Aw, so how is Mason, I need to come up and see you guys again. Y’all are back in Kentucky again right?”
“Right, and yeah it’d be good to have him see his Godmother.” Brian was his Godfather, just so you know. Kevin and Kristen don’t have any sisters so they asked me. I was honestly touched by the whole thing. And now it’s thanksgiving. I’d rather be working to be frank. I’ve never been one for family bonding, since my family is extremely scattered and my mom? Well we’ll just say she’s distant. She loves me, and is always there, and I love her. But yeah definite emotional walls. I’ll just say I’m amazed she was able to get pregnant to begin with. That whole letting someone in idea isn’t her.
“You’re not working are you?”
That earns a roll of my eyes even though I know he can’t see it. “No, I’m not.” Not that I can anyway, that assignment in LA is my last for awhile. I’m a bit of a workaholic in my own right. Guilty as fuck but I want to get my mark in this world. I’d love to be working right now. Thanksgiving is the biggest work day of the year. Big sports day. I’m a reporter for various news bits on ESPN. What I want is to host my own show. It’s a struggle cause sports is the “man’s” journalism. Fuck em.
Funny how a girl with no father ends up a tomboy. Eh, whatever.
Moving on, I’m getting close to that. I can feel it. I’m on the verge of the big story that breaks me through. Of course now that’s on fucking hold. Thanks to the asshole. Again, his fault. I ain’t complaining cause the situation is…well it’s… okay I am complaining. Kinda sorta. It’s just…it’s a toss up on the whole deal. Even if the asshole is part of the mess.
Damn that made no sense. I’ll just go with “beyond complicated”.
My car roared as it passed it’s way through Ruskin, talking to Kevin all the while.
“Of course I ain’t working, that LA job was my last one for awhile. I ain’t fucking stupid.”
I hate having to do this. I honestly hate the man I’m about to face once again. Funny how you can be so close to a person, and then when you finally see what they truly became, you can’t help but hate their very being. It’s making me uneasy, and I’m a confident little bitch if you haven’t noticed yet. You have to be in my profession. The fact I am uneasy is making me hate this even more.
Once past Ruskin, I head into it’s twin city. Not even city, actually really twin town. Ruskin ain’t even technically a “city”. My car makes it’s way into the town connecting to it, very few know of it if you aren’t a native in one way or another. It’s way smaller and Ruskin is small to begin with. Neither are that far from Tampa, and are actually part of Tampa Bay and all that. My only remaining tie I kept to this place is I’m still loyal to the football team. Go Buccaneers. I ain’t heartless ya know. In this town however, things changed. I saw the almost ready to tip over sign, rusted and weather beaten, still saying “Welcome to Hutters, Florida! A nice place to live…”, I’m amazed it’s survived this long. And boy what a lie it is. Trailers beyond the way cover the area. This town is barely a town to be honest. It’s shocking it could afford it’s own name. Those lucky enough not to have a trailer had one of those homes that snobby bitches would dub as “crackerjack boxes”. Square shaped, beaten down, yet still able to survive all the hurricanes, tornados and those other water related natural disasters that come down here.
I can still remember the shame that came with living here. Shame that followed Nick, so that he never said his true hometown. A liar even then, but that lie I actually understood. Eleven years ago now, was when I finally first noticed it.
We had been sitting on the porch, in front of my own crackerjack box. I used to joke about never being able to find the prize inside. The wind was blowing, and Nick was just kind of watching the sun set. He always liked natural beauty more than I ever could.
“Hey, why did you say your hometown was Tampa today?”
He shifted those big eyes toward me as he brushed his shaggy hair away from his eyes, a smirk that would later become famous appearing. “Think about it Kayd, would you want everyone knowing you lived here? It’s close enough, and even Ruskin is better than this.”
I let myself think about that for a minute and nodded. I was also one for having big dreams of escaping this town. “Good point.”
“Now c’mon, I gotta show ya somethin’.”
Shame can affect a person. It’s that same shame that kept me from coming back to Florida. It‘s that shame that made me speed through that one street town like a bat outta hell without a look back. Who wants to relive that poverty? I don’t need those damn memories. I already had one rear its ugly head just from driving down the damn road.
The place I’m aiming for is beyond this, but outside of Tampa. Thing about celebrities, they always lie about the city they live in. It’s always just outside of it. In Nick’s case, he was in that house on Apollo Beach. I’m shocked he still has that house, but hell he can still afford it. He got it when he was I think twenty two.
Thankfully Kevin breaks me away from the damn memory lane I was starting to speed down.
“Kayden, are you still there?”
“Yeah, just spaced man.” I reply, adjusting the bluetooth in my ear. It’s the only and I mean ONLY gift I ever kept from the bastard. That’s only cause with my job, I got easily used to the damn thing and now can’t live without it. I threw all the other stuff up in my attic for the day I get the time for a bonfire session.
Yeah I’m bitter.
“So let’s stop avoiding the subject, you finally gonna tell him?”
“I tried to remember? When I first knew.” Boy had I.
“It was harder to believe then.”
“Bullshit.”
“It was, especially him.”
I shift gears, loving the roar of the car as it speeds up. I tend to gun my cars when I get angry. I wish I could’ve taken my motorcycle, I miss that thing. But not now. Again, thanks to the asshole. I let out an annoyed sigh, glancing around at the peaceful road around me. Once past the poor piece of a town that’s Hutters, the beauty of Florida did return.
“Stop defending the asshole.”
“I’m not and I’ve said the entire time I’m not taking a side. He’s my lil bro, you’re my lil sis.” He has held true to that one, I’ll give him that.
“Whatever.”
“You can’t avoid telling him forever. He needs to know.”
“Oh fuck it, actually I’m coming into Apollo Beach now man. Took me forever to drive my ass out here.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah I’m aight.”
“Does he know you’re coming.”
“Fuck no.”
“Now Kayden-”
I finally pull up to the gates, where the house sits in between two hills overlooking the beach not far in the distance. Nick had actually picked out this place himself and paid the people to build a compound type place here. Lifestyles of the fucked up rich and famous. Beyond the gates is the creamy white home, built in a Spanish styled architecture, with moss along the walls. The home only a popstar could own. Slowly getting my ass out of the car, I stare at it for a moment. It’s been awhile. Even when I didn’t hate the asshole, I rarely came to this home. I ain’t one for going back once I’m gone.
“Fuck it, this is happening my way. I gotta go though cause I’m at the gate. Later Kevvy.”
I shut off the bluetooth, walking over to the security pad. Thinking for only moments, I enter in the code as if nothing ever changed when so much has. And it was right, Nick would never change it. Plus he uses the same code for both his homes. He’d forget them otherwise, and then be stuck trying to climb his big ass in. Which then would set off the alarm and call the company. Yeah it’s happened before.
Once they open, I slowly walk to the door. I can’t believe I’m doing this shit again. I swore I’d never come back, that I’d never speak to that asshole again. I said it would take a miracle for it to happen.
I had to fucking say miracle.
*******
Hangovers fucking suck! Especially when you hear the damn door go off and you’re laying on your couch and don’t want to fucking move. I have this week off before we start doing those winter concert type shit. And then we tour. I want to fucking have my hangover in fucking peace! I had no interviews, no personal trainer, no vocal crap. Nothing.
Well fuck. If they got past the gate that meant their asses know the code. It’s someone I know. Fucking hell. I ain’t in the damn mood. And I gotta clean myself up to take out Lisette later. She’s fucking fine. Slim, wavy brown eyes, a smile that stuns, legs forever. And she has energy in the bed that’s like fucking whoa. She’s gonna be opening for us this next tour. Girl’s hella fine and talented. I know how to pick em baby. Mostly. Don’t fucking even bring up my big fuckups.
Aight, ADHD shut off now. I finally get my ass up and open the damn door in whatever pair of jeans I crashed in last night, no shirt. Only to see the psycho bitch I thought I’d never have to see again. Fucking hell!
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I demand, my voice hella raspy. I ain’t been up long, sue me.
Kayden Jamison. I’d known her for years. We even grew up together. That was before she decided to morph into the bitch she is now. I couldn’t hate her more if I tried. Kevin asks why I ain’t tried to regain our old friendship. Screw it. Ain’t worth it. Beneath her tall 5’9” frame that’s usually all athletic, the short blond hair, blue eyes, and innocent face is a fucking shrew. Now she ain’t so athletic-oh fuck.
“You look different Kay, who’d you steal the fat suit from? Or did you just decide to play whore? Cause you‘re just so damn good at it.”
Yeah I know what I said is fucked. But with her? It’s easier.
********
I’ll tell you one thing. It makes my day when my fist connects with an asshole’s pretty face and lands his big ass on the ground. I stare down at him, fuming. Dammit I’m doing the right thing and he wants to say that shit?! Fuck him! I see the bruise forming and can’t help but grin. I still got it.
“I’m seven month’s pregnant, it’s your fault and your damn child. And ANOTHER thing Carter. Pregnant or not, I can still kick your ass all the way down to hell!”
Damn I hate him.
Author's Chapter Notes:
I know it's a lot of the female lead and not as much Nick. But I do need to set the story up ya know. (Least favorite part as a writer lol). Anywho, please enjoy, and lemme know what you think.
Happy Early Thanksgiving :)
Happy Early Thanksgiving :)
