The Rockstar Chronicles

The Truth

Or so the internet said.

In reality, Ransom left on a flight back to his movie set in the Australian Outback before I had the chance to ask him anything. He had flown all night to be there for Ryder and flew all the way back, going straight into work as soon as he arrived.

The rumor picked up speed quickly and with Ransom in such a remote location, it was hours before they were able to dispel it. It caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people and was totally unfounded, based only off of his wild behavior at the party and his disheveled condition, or at least, that's what Mom told me.

But I always wondered. Who started it? Who put it out there?

Because if I had to guess, I would blame it on the man who gritted his teeth as Ransom passed him, waving cheekily at him as if he hadn't a care in the world. The man who could end a person's career as easily as he could start it, or so everyone said. The man who stood to lose something if Ransom gained custody of Ryder, as the whispers around the room that night suggested.

Mr. Kane.

And the question I was going to ask Ransom, if I had the chance?

When he said, "Don't let them get you?"

Who, exactly, did he mean?

#

We escaped to the cabin with our parents blessing as they sorted out the problems Ransom had created. Thankfully, much of the media had left by that time, but damage control was underway and we were glad to not be a part of it.

The door was locked as a result of the party and we didn't have a key so we sat down on the porch and around the fire pit. None of us spoke, but we all watched Ryder out of the corner of our eyes. He stared at the ground, his arms crossed on his raised knees. He had argued as they ushered us out of the mansion, demanding to see his brother. But it was as if no one heard him. No one even responded.

It was as if he didn't speak.

Time passed as we waited for something to happen, but nobody came for us. The snacks Bridge had brought sat forgotten on the stoop. It felt as if we had been forgotten. And then a voice came out of the darkness.

"Well, kids, what do you think?" Nate Berkley asked us, but no one said a word. "Want to come downtown?"

"Downtown?" Bridge repeated.

"Yeah, an old friend of mine is playing at a little spot downtown. It's late," Nate shrugged, "but we only need to swing by for a minute. I want to take a picture with him and get him some press." I could tell he was trying to cheer us up, but no one seemed interested.

"I think I'm just going to go to sleep," Tom said. "If you can let me in."

"Sure, sure," Nate said and he pulled a set of keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. "What about the rest of you?"

Bridge shrugged. "Sure, I'll go."

"I just want to go home," Hardyn mumbled.

"Me, too," Ryder said.

"Grady?" Nate asked and Grady hesitated. "Sure, I'll ride along. It's not far from home, is it?"

"Not at all," Nate grinned. "You're welcome to ride along, too, Lindy."

I was surprised he knew my name. I didn't really want to go, but I knew Mom would be full of complaints after her magical evening was ruined and I didn't want to face her alone. I nodded.

The car ride was short. Traffic was light in the middle of the night. Mom rode up front with Nate, chattering excitedly while he nodded along. I wondered why Shayna hadn't come with us.

"Where's your Mom?" I asked and Bridge lowered his voice, glancing at his Dad.

"They had a fight," Bridge whispered. "Mama wanted to have extra security measures from the beginning, but Daddy was against it. He okayed Ransom coming in. Mama thinks it ruined the party. I heard them arguing in the kitchen when I went to get some snacks for the cabin."

That shocked me. It had never occurred to me that people like them fought. Their lives seemed so perfect.

The bright lights and loud music of downtown Nashville spilled into the car and as I watched the people passing by, I wondered how many would go crazy if they only knew Nate Berkley was in the car. I expected to pull over at any moment and be swamped by fans, but Nate drove on, the dark tint on the windows of his plain car shielding him from view.

We edged away from the glitz of the downtown section and pulled up in front of a quiet little building. Soft music spilled out from the open windows and as Nate stepped out, I rolled down my own to hear better.

It was a haunting song of unrequited love and long lost dreams. My heart throbbed, aching with the beauty of the night air and the melody and the lyrics.

It was easy to forget where I was as I listened, my eyes closed.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Bridge whispered. Mom was gone, having followed Nate inside. Grady snored softly in the seat next to us, his head resting against the car window.

I smiled. "It is."

"I used to come with Dad when he played here. Well, here and a couple of other spots."

"Before he was famous?"

"Before he was as famous," Bridge said, grinning wryly. "But he'd just dress up in some sort of costume and come play, just to play. I'd sit outside with his friends and just listen. You can really tell when someone loves it. Really loves it, I mean."

"That's why I do it," Bridge said. "That's why anyone should do it."

I listened to him, seeing the love Bridge had for what he did in his eyes and for the first time, I understood. He continued.

"My uncle would come sometimes and we would walk around, listening to all the bands and just hanging out. We didn't have to talk. We just enjoyed listening to the music together." He shook his head, smiling. "It was so much fun."

"What happened?" I asked and Bridge's expression changed.

"Him and my Dad got in a fight about a song they wrote together. About the royalties... and they haven't spoken since. I haven't seen him in years now."

The music called out softly to us, begging us to listen to its mournful strains, but I focused on Bridge as he shut his eyes, leaning back against the seat.

"Boy, I miss him."

***So how did you guys feel about Bridge? :( right? Sorry to leave you hanging on Ransom! What did you think about that twist? As always, thank you for reading!!!!