Chapter Sixteen, Demeanor Changing
Posted by DiF on Saturday, August 13, 2011
Title: Love Runs Deeper: Chapter Sixteen, Demeanor Changing
Rating: R [mild drugs & drinking, language, violence]
Summary: Chris and Lily bond. Lindsey and Mick bond. Lily finally confesses something to Lindsey...
Chris stared at the young woman for a brief moment. Saying nothing, she got back up and refilled both of their glasses with whiskey. Drinking half her glass before returning to sit before Lily, the songstress tried to figure out how to respond to Lily’s confession. She did not want to react too strongly, as the girl had confided in her, but she could not ignore it. Instead, she sipped her drink for another minute, took a deep breath, and sighed.
“Lily, you need to tell someone.”
“I thought I was,” she instantly replied.
Chris sighed, “You need to tell the authorities.”
“Oh no,” Lily’s eyes instantly widened. “I can’t... Oh no.”
“Why not?”
Lily set down the glass of alcohol and got up, pacing the small room, “Things... are never that simple.”
“Explain it to me?”
She sighed and glanced at the older woman, “You promise to not tell Lindsey?”
“Of course, chickadee. Your secrets are safe with me.”
“The man who nearly raped me is a drug dealer and a hustler.”
Chris remained silent, waiting for more of an explanation. She sipped her drink, watching the blonde pace around the room. Feeling the heaviness of the moment, she reached for a pack of cigarettes and lit up. The younger woman eventually paced through her thoughts and returned to Chris’s side, sitting back down.
“I don’t do drugs. And I’ve never had sex, much less sold my body,” she declared.
“No need to worry, girlie. I have no need to judge you for your past.”
“It was my mother,” her eyes dropped to the hem of her shirt, which her fingers began to play with. “She was in to all kinds of things... that I’m sure I don’t eve know about. The ones I do know about is merely a result of the fact they came to me after her accident, or I suppose, more precisely to my step-grandfather. And he...”
“Lily, you don’t need to explain it to me.”
“I just...”
“The man who attempted to force himself on you today, he has done this before?”
She shook her head, not looking up.
“Someone else?”
Again refusing to look up, Lily nodded.
“Lily...”
“...I can’t... I can’t tell Lindsey. He’d...”
“Child,” she reached forward and touched the girl’s hand, bringing her eyes up to her, “Lindsey is far more understanding than you’re giving him credit for. He adores you. Share this with him. He will surpass your expectations.”
“He’s going to think that I’m damaged and...”
“No, sweetheart. He won’t.”
Her eyes dropped again, her fingers tensing into a small fist.
“Lily, you should tell him.”
Before the younger blonde could respond, the door to the small room burst open. Lily did not even glance up, but reached for her stolen glass of booze and finished it. Chris attempted to keep Lindsey out of the room, despite his excited bubbling about something he just worked out in a song. His eyes flicked beyond her, noticing Lily. Suddenly, his entire demeanor changed, his face dropping excitement and replacing it with concern.
“Go on. Leave us be,” Chris waved him towards the hallway.
“But―”
“Girl stuff,” she declared, standing firm.
“But―”
“Stevie could use your help on some of her songs,” she suggested.
He glanced once more at Lily, “Okay. Come find me later?”
She nodded and followed him out, closing the door behind him again, “Lily, you should tell him.”
“I can’t...”
Sighing, Lindsey ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head, “No, no, no. It just doesn’t work at all, Stevie. I don’t care what pitch you want to sing it in. It doesn’t work.”
“But, Lindsey, I ―”
“Don’t care,” he interrupted, picking up her pile of loose papers and throwing them at her. “It’s crap.”
She stared at him without blinking, the papers fluttering to the floor around her feet like sad rose petals. A few seconds passed before she recovered the ability to breathe when he broke eye contact to crack open another beer. Her bottom lip trembled slightly and she quickly squatted, picking up the scattered remains of her song.
“Goddammit, Lindsey, you aren’t a fucking god. It’s a good song,” she hissed.
“Bullshit. My mom can write better songs.”
“Oh go fuck yourself,” Stevie declared, stalking towards the door.
His hand reached out and grasped her small wrist as she tried to pass him, “Stevie.”
She snapped her wrist free, glaring at him, “Fuck. You. Lindsey. Fuck you.”
Before he could say anything else, she stalked over to the door and pulled it open. Losing control over the papers in the movement, her notes once more fell to the floor. Instantly considering leaving them there and continuing her retreat, Stevie quickly scooped them up again. She held them to her chest as she hurried down the corridor, retreating back to her gaggle of friends who were drinking and giggling in the lounge.
Stepping out of a room, wiping his nose with the back of his hand, Mick narrowly avoided colliding with Stevie. Seeing she was in a storm of a mood, he knew it was directly related to her broody former love. Normally, he let the two of them bicker and fight until they worked whatever it was out. But with nearly three weeks in the studio and not a single song anywhere near being ready ― and Lily harassing him about finances ― Mick decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. At least Chris and John managed to remain professional and keep working and playing together. With that in mind, and the courage of cocaine in his veins, the tall drummer clomped down the hallway to the room where Lindsey remained.
Glancing up from his guitar as the band leader stepped in, Lindsey smiled slightly, “Hey, Mick. I’ve got a new riff to―”
“What did you do to Stevie?” he demanded, darkness in his normally mirth-filled voice.
“Nothing. What did she tell you?”
“I didn’t talk to her. I saw her practically running down the hall away from you. What did you do?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all,” he replied.
Mick folded his arms across his chest and looked down at Lindsey. He said nothing.
“Oh come on, Mick. You can’t honestly expect that it’s easy to work with her.”
He rolled his eyes, “Oh bullshit, Linds. Chris and John are working together just fine. Stop being an ass.”
“But―”
“Just knock it off. I don’t fucking care if you’re fucking Lily now, stop being an ass to Stevie, if for now other reason than she’s your co-worker.”
“Lily and I aren’t having sex,” he muttered.
“Bullshit,” he sat down in a nearby chair and reached for a cigarette.
“We’re not.”
Mick lit the cigarette, “Again, bullshit. She’s beautiful and completely into you. And you’re staying at that fucking hotel instead of here with the rest of us. There is no way you’re not fucking her.”
“I’m not,” he declared.
The drummer inhaled deeply, “Bullshit.”
“We sleep in the same bed, but that’s it.”
“You wanking in the shower then?”
Lindsey smirked, but said nothing.
“Fuck, man. No wonder you’re biting Stevie’s head off. It’s been what, three weeks since you had some minge?”
“Longer than that,” the guitarist responded.
“Seriously?”
“Stevie and I didn’t even breakup fuck.”
“Wow,” he inhaled the cigarette deeply. “Well, fuck, we can change that. I’ll make a few calls and we’ll fix that right up.”
“I don’t want another blowjob from some road floozy,” Lindsey declared.
“Then seduce your girl. Hell, I’ll give you the weekend off to seduce her.”
He laughed, “That’s not going to happen nor would it work.”
“No?” he ground out the stub of his cigarette. “How come?”
Lindsey said nothing.
“Fine,” Mick stood back up. “Whatever it is, fix your bedroom problem. Stop bringing your angst into the studio. Stop beating up on Stevie. And come have a drink with me.”
Returning to the hotel as the sun began to burn the morning mist off, Lindsey blew smoke out the cracked window in the car. He glanced over at Lily as she dozed, curled up in the passenger seat. It bothered him that she would not divulge whatever it was that weighed her down. However, he did find comfort in the fact she had spent most of the night with Chris. At least his girlfriend got along with... well, all but one of the band members now. He hoped the night with Chris cheered her; it was hard to tell when she was struggling to stay awake.
Parking the car as close to the hotel as possible, Lindsey considered lifting her out of the seat and carrying her in. While he did not worry she would be too heavy for it, he questioned his own exhaustion and beginning hangover. Instead, Lindsey decided to lean across the middle console and wake her with a sweet kiss.
She stirred and forced a quick smile before glancing around to determine where they were. She smiled again at him, before pivoting to get out of the car. Thinking nothing of it, Lindsey clamored out of the car as well. He circled around quickly and looped his arm around her waist, leading her up to the hotel. They did not speak as they headed up to the room, but it did not worry Lindsey. He did not even worry when she immediately disappeared into the bathroom. Rather than think much on anything, especially as tired as he was, Lindsey mechanically prepared for bed, including making certain the ‘Do Not Disturb’ tag hung on their hotel doorknob.
He had already slipped into bed when she stepped out of the bathroom. Flicking out the light, she hurried over to the bed and laid down, leaving enough space between them that another person could fit. Lindsey waited until she seemed settled before he turned on his side and moved closer, slipping his arm over her abdomen. Her body instantly tensed; quite the opposite reaction he expected. Concerned, he pulled away, rolled over, and clicked on the nearest lamp.
“Lily, what’s wrong?” he instantly questioned.
Her golden eyes met his only briefly before flitting away, “Linds...”
“Baby, I know something is wrong. You have been weird and distant ever since you came back yesterday. I had hoped that you spending time with Chris would resolve that, but it doesn’t seem to have. Please tell me what happened. Please tell me anything,” he requested softly.
“Lindsey...”
“Please, Lil,” he reached over and brushed her hair from her forehead.
“I... I don’t want you to think differently of me.”
“Baby, I’m not going to think differently of you. I l―”
“I was nearly raped yesterday,” she quickly blurted out, cutting of his declaration.
His eyes widened, his fingers freezing on her cheek. Slowly, her eyes went to his, trying to ascertain his reaction. She fully expected to see disgust, contempt, perhaps even hatred in his eyes. The emotions flitting across his face were none of those. Rather, anger seemed to dominate his reaction.
“Who?” his voice quivered slightly with his rage.
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, Lily, it does. Because that fucker deserves to be―”
“No. You’re not going to do anything.”
He sat up and quickly left the bed, pacing the hotel room, “Who did this to you, Lily? He will fucking pay for even considering touching you.”
Sitting up, the bedcovers puddled in Lily’s lap, “Lindsey, please... please...”
Unable to contain his anger, rage, and frustration, he idly tossed one of the light dining chairs. It bounced off the back of the couch and fell to the floor. Lily’s hands slapped over her face, trying to subdue her scared gasp. Her fear pierced through Lindsey’s anger, freezing him in his irate pace. He slowly turned to her, all of his red rage draining from his face.
He quickly rushed over to the bed, sitting down facing her, “Oh, Lily... baby... I would never, ever hurt you. You know that. I’m just... That asshole who tried to... if I knew who he was...”
Her fingers slowly lowered from her face, “Please don’t... don’t make this into such a huge deal. I... I’m okay. He didn’t really hurt me. I... I kneed him in the groin pretty hard and I might have broken his nose.”
Lindsey smirked, “Really?”
She nodded, “I think... he’s out of commission for a bit.”
He reached forward, his fingers gently, carefully touching her cheek, “That’s my girl.”
“I... you don’t think I’m... damaged?”
“Damaged?” his brows furrowed. “No, Lil, not at all. Not at all.”
Her eyes dropped again, breaking eye contact, “Linds...”
“Baby, what is it? You can tell me anything. Anything at all.”
Lily lifted her eyes and met his, tears rimming her tired eyes, “He wasn’t the first.”
“Today ― I mean, yesterday? Multiple men tried to force you? Fuck, Lily. We have to take care of this right no―”
“No, not yesterday. But yes... more than one man has attempted to force me to...” she swallowed as a large tear ran down her cheek. “None have been successful... I think...”
Rating: R [mild drugs & drinking, language, violence]
Summary: Chris and Lily bond. Lindsey and Mick bond. Lily finally confesses something to Lindsey...
Chris stared at the young woman for a brief moment. Saying nothing, she got back up and refilled both of their glasses with whiskey. Drinking half her glass before returning to sit before Lily, the songstress tried to figure out how to respond to Lily’s confession. She did not want to react too strongly, as the girl had confided in her, but she could not ignore it. Instead, she sipped her drink for another minute, took a deep breath, and sighed.
“Lily, you need to tell someone.”
“I thought I was,” she instantly replied.
Chris sighed, “You need to tell the authorities.”
“Oh no,” Lily’s eyes instantly widened. “I can’t... Oh no.”
“Why not?”
Lily set down the glass of alcohol and got up, pacing the small room, “Things... are never that simple.”
“Explain it to me?”
She sighed and glanced at the older woman, “You promise to not tell Lindsey?”
“Of course, chickadee. Your secrets are safe with me.”
“The man who nearly raped me is a drug dealer and a hustler.”
Chris remained silent, waiting for more of an explanation. She sipped her drink, watching the blonde pace around the room. Feeling the heaviness of the moment, she reached for a pack of cigarettes and lit up. The younger woman eventually paced through her thoughts and returned to Chris’s side, sitting back down.
“I don’t do drugs. And I’ve never had sex, much less sold my body,” she declared.
“No need to worry, girlie. I have no need to judge you for your past.”
“It was my mother,” her eyes dropped to the hem of her shirt, which her fingers began to play with. “She was in to all kinds of things... that I’m sure I don’t eve know about. The ones I do know about is merely a result of the fact they came to me after her accident, or I suppose, more precisely to my step-grandfather. And he...”
“Lily, you don’t need to explain it to me.”
“I just...”
“The man who attempted to force himself on you today, he has done this before?”
She shook her head, not looking up.
“Someone else?”
Again refusing to look up, Lily nodded.
“Lily...”
“...I can’t... I can’t tell Lindsey. He’d...”
“Child,” she reached forward and touched the girl’s hand, bringing her eyes up to her, “Lindsey is far more understanding than you’re giving him credit for. He adores you. Share this with him. He will surpass your expectations.”
“He’s going to think that I’m damaged and...”
“No, sweetheart. He won’t.”
Her eyes dropped again, her fingers tensing into a small fist.
“Lily, you should tell him.”
Before the younger blonde could respond, the door to the small room burst open. Lily did not even glance up, but reached for her stolen glass of booze and finished it. Chris attempted to keep Lindsey out of the room, despite his excited bubbling about something he just worked out in a song. His eyes flicked beyond her, noticing Lily. Suddenly, his entire demeanor changed, his face dropping excitement and replacing it with concern.
“Go on. Leave us be,” Chris waved him towards the hallway.
“But―”
“Girl stuff,” she declared, standing firm.
“But―”
“Stevie could use your help on some of her songs,” she suggested.
He glanced once more at Lily, “Okay. Come find me later?”
She nodded and followed him out, closing the door behind him again, “Lily, you should tell him.”
“I can’t...”
Sighing, Lindsey ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head, “No, no, no. It just doesn’t work at all, Stevie. I don’t care what pitch you want to sing it in. It doesn’t work.”
“But, Lindsey, I ―”
“Don’t care,” he interrupted, picking up her pile of loose papers and throwing them at her. “It’s crap.”
She stared at him without blinking, the papers fluttering to the floor around her feet like sad rose petals. A few seconds passed before she recovered the ability to breathe when he broke eye contact to crack open another beer. Her bottom lip trembled slightly and she quickly squatted, picking up the scattered remains of her song.
“Goddammit, Lindsey, you aren’t a fucking god. It’s a good song,” she hissed.
“Bullshit. My mom can write better songs.”
“Oh go fuck yourself,” Stevie declared, stalking towards the door.
His hand reached out and grasped her small wrist as she tried to pass him, “Stevie.”
She snapped her wrist free, glaring at him, “Fuck. You. Lindsey. Fuck you.”
Before he could say anything else, she stalked over to the door and pulled it open. Losing control over the papers in the movement, her notes once more fell to the floor. Instantly considering leaving them there and continuing her retreat, Stevie quickly scooped them up again. She held them to her chest as she hurried down the corridor, retreating back to her gaggle of friends who were drinking and giggling in the lounge.
Stepping out of a room, wiping his nose with the back of his hand, Mick narrowly avoided colliding with Stevie. Seeing she was in a storm of a mood, he knew it was directly related to her broody former love. Normally, he let the two of them bicker and fight until they worked whatever it was out. But with nearly three weeks in the studio and not a single song anywhere near being ready ― and Lily harassing him about finances ― Mick decided it was time to take matters into his own hands. At least Chris and John managed to remain professional and keep working and playing together. With that in mind, and the courage of cocaine in his veins, the tall drummer clomped down the hallway to the room where Lindsey remained.
Glancing up from his guitar as the band leader stepped in, Lindsey smiled slightly, “Hey, Mick. I’ve got a new riff to―”
“What did you do to Stevie?” he demanded, darkness in his normally mirth-filled voice.
“Nothing. What did she tell you?”
“I didn’t talk to her. I saw her practically running down the hall away from you. What did you do?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all,” he replied.
Mick folded his arms across his chest and looked down at Lindsey. He said nothing.
“Oh come on, Mick. You can’t honestly expect that it’s easy to work with her.”
He rolled his eyes, “Oh bullshit, Linds. Chris and John are working together just fine. Stop being an ass.”
“But―”
“Just knock it off. I don’t fucking care if you’re fucking Lily now, stop being an ass to Stevie, if for now other reason than she’s your co-worker.”
“Lily and I aren’t having sex,” he muttered.
“Bullshit,” he sat down in a nearby chair and reached for a cigarette.
“We’re not.”
Mick lit the cigarette, “Again, bullshit. She’s beautiful and completely into you. And you’re staying at that fucking hotel instead of here with the rest of us. There is no way you’re not fucking her.”
“I’m not,” he declared.
The drummer inhaled deeply, “Bullshit.”
“We sleep in the same bed, but that’s it.”
“You wanking in the shower then?”
Lindsey smirked, but said nothing.
“Fuck, man. No wonder you’re biting Stevie’s head off. It’s been what, three weeks since you had some minge?”
“Longer than that,” the guitarist responded.
“Seriously?”
“Stevie and I didn’t even breakup fuck.”
“Wow,” he inhaled the cigarette deeply. “Well, fuck, we can change that. I’ll make a few calls and we’ll fix that right up.”
“I don’t want another blowjob from some road floozy,” Lindsey declared.
“Then seduce your girl. Hell, I’ll give you the weekend off to seduce her.”
He laughed, “That’s not going to happen nor would it work.”
“No?” he ground out the stub of his cigarette. “How come?”
Lindsey said nothing.
“Fine,” Mick stood back up. “Whatever it is, fix your bedroom problem. Stop bringing your angst into the studio. Stop beating up on Stevie. And come have a drink with me.”
Returning to the hotel as the sun began to burn the morning mist off, Lindsey blew smoke out the cracked window in the car. He glanced over at Lily as she dozed, curled up in the passenger seat. It bothered him that she would not divulge whatever it was that weighed her down. However, he did find comfort in the fact she had spent most of the night with Chris. At least his girlfriend got along with... well, all but one of the band members now. He hoped the night with Chris cheered her; it was hard to tell when she was struggling to stay awake.
Parking the car as close to the hotel as possible, Lindsey considered lifting her out of the seat and carrying her in. While he did not worry she would be too heavy for it, he questioned his own exhaustion and beginning hangover. Instead, Lindsey decided to lean across the middle console and wake her with a sweet kiss.
She stirred and forced a quick smile before glancing around to determine where they were. She smiled again at him, before pivoting to get out of the car. Thinking nothing of it, Lindsey clamored out of the car as well. He circled around quickly and looped his arm around her waist, leading her up to the hotel. They did not speak as they headed up to the room, but it did not worry Lindsey. He did not even worry when she immediately disappeared into the bathroom. Rather than think much on anything, especially as tired as he was, Lindsey mechanically prepared for bed, including making certain the ‘Do Not Disturb’ tag hung on their hotel doorknob.
He had already slipped into bed when she stepped out of the bathroom. Flicking out the light, she hurried over to the bed and laid down, leaving enough space between them that another person could fit. Lindsey waited until she seemed settled before he turned on his side and moved closer, slipping his arm over her abdomen. Her body instantly tensed; quite the opposite reaction he expected. Concerned, he pulled away, rolled over, and clicked on the nearest lamp.
“Lily, what’s wrong?” he instantly questioned.
Her golden eyes met his only briefly before flitting away, “Linds...”
“Baby, I know something is wrong. You have been weird and distant ever since you came back yesterday. I had hoped that you spending time with Chris would resolve that, but it doesn’t seem to have. Please tell me what happened. Please tell me anything,” he requested softly.
“Lindsey...”
“Please, Lil,” he reached over and brushed her hair from her forehead.
“I... I don’t want you to think differently of me.”
“Baby, I’m not going to think differently of you. I l―”
“I was nearly raped yesterday,” she quickly blurted out, cutting of his declaration.
His eyes widened, his fingers freezing on her cheek. Slowly, her eyes went to his, trying to ascertain his reaction. She fully expected to see disgust, contempt, perhaps even hatred in his eyes. The emotions flitting across his face were none of those. Rather, anger seemed to dominate his reaction.
“Who?” his voice quivered slightly with his rage.
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, Lily, it does. Because that fucker deserves to be―”
“No. You’re not going to do anything.”
He sat up and quickly left the bed, pacing the hotel room, “Who did this to you, Lily? He will fucking pay for even considering touching you.”
Sitting up, the bedcovers puddled in Lily’s lap, “Lindsey, please... please...”
Unable to contain his anger, rage, and frustration, he idly tossed one of the light dining chairs. It bounced off the back of the couch and fell to the floor. Lily’s hands slapped over her face, trying to subdue her scared gasp. Her fear pierced through Lindsey’s anger, freezing him in his irate pace. He slowly turned to her, all of his red rage draining from his face.
He quickly rushed over to the bed, sitting down facing her, “Oh, Lily... baby... I would never, ever hurt you. You know that. I’m just... That asshole who tried to... if I knew who he was...”
Her fingers slowly lowered from her face, “Please don’t... don’t make this into such a huge deal. I... I’m okay. He didn’t really hurt me. I... I kneed him in the groin pretty hard and I might have broken his nose.”
Lindsey smirked, “Really?”
She nodded, “I think... he’s out of commission for a bit.”
He reached forward, his fingers gently, carefully touching her cheek, “That’s my girl.”
“I... you don’t think I’m... damaged?”
“Damaged?” his brows furrowed. “No, Lil, not at all. Not at all.”
Her eyes dropped again, breaking eye contact, “Linds...”
“Baby, what is it? You can tell me anything. Anything at all.”
Lily lifted her eyes and met his, tears rimming her tired eyes, “He wasn’t the first.”
“Today ― I mean, yesterday? Multiple men tried to force you? Fuck, Lily. We have to take care of this right no―”
“No, not yesterday. But yes... more than one man has attempted to force me to...” she swallowed as a large tear ran down her cheek. “None have been successful... I think...”
blog comments powered by Disqus