Legacy

EIGHT

Chapter Eight: Imagine getting stabbed by Hello Kitty

L U C A S

Joey wasn't listening to me. I didn't come in with the hopes that she would believe every word I said, but I didn't expect her to fight me on it.

"I didn't fuck the cheerleaders."

"You sure made it look like you did."

I waved my hands around the place, "That was the point."

"You committed a crime to piss a couple jocks off?"

I blinked at her, before a sigh of annoyance left my mouth. "Christ, J. How many times do I have to say that it wasn't supposed to be a crime. It was an accident."

"So, you didn't plant a firecracker in a locker?"

"Well, no, I did do that, but–"

"Luke."

I shut my mouth at her tone. I knew I crossed the line her. I knew that this could possibly get us in trouble with the record company. I knew that it was careless, reckless and irresponsible.

I knew all that.

It just all slipped my mind when I was doing it. I just didn't like them people. I didn't like how the jocks were messing with Delaney. I didn't like that she felt uncomfortable with that girl in the hallway. I didn't like–

"Delaney is important to you. I understand that, but just because you can get out of these situations doesn't mean that you have permission to do them, even if they are for the 'right' reasons."

I never been in serious trouble with Joey before. At least, not alone. Whatever trouble we got into it was either for publicity or ended up being publicity anyway.

This was not one of them situations.

I knew that the label was going to keep this from the press, or at least the part where this was over a girl. Everything else they'd change to make it fit our image and push us further into the image of the band they wanted us to be. The band we are.

"J–"

"I'm not finished," she cut me off, "frankly, I don't care what Delaney is to you. I like her. She puts you guys in your place."

"But," I added, almost reluctantly.

"But," Joey stated, "if she's going to cause you to get into trouble like this, you need to rethink this whole situation. You're not messing around with only your future, Luke."

I was messing around with Xander and Everest's futures too.

I clenched my jaw thinking about how my recklessness could've ruined everything for them.

"I've talked to the label about it. They want this squashed before it becomes something. You're scheduled for three dates this weekend already, so we scheduled you fully for next week."

Next week? "J, I have–"

"School? No, Luke, you don't. You've been suspended. You all have been. We've gotten it brought down to a week and made sure the school and parents weren't pressing charges. I really don't think you understand how much of a big deal this was."

"It was an accident," I pressed.

"An accident that could've seriously hurt someone, Luke," Joey shook her head, "you have a week with Sandra James. You're doing whatever she wants you to do. You're being whoever she wants you to be and you'll do it all with a smile."

I couldn't fight her on it. No matter how much I wanted. I didn't mind Sandra, I really didn't, but I didn't like her management.

Every time I messed up she was my scapegoat. The person who made me catch headlines for better reasons than lighting a locker on fire or getting caught high.