LOVE AFFAIR [h.s]

02 - Har?

Valerie-

"Are we sure she's okay?" I ask Josh, as I'm laying my head on his lap while he's sitting up on my bed, scrolling through his phone.

Fate has been missing ever since our audition for Ecstasy, and that was over a week ago. She texted me the morning after, it read 'Don't worry Valerie, I'm okay. Just need a girls' trip alone, love and miss you, honey.'

Josh tells me not to read into it, but I can't help but wonder why. Why would she just up and leave like that, I mean I would understand if she brought me, it would be a good excuse to get away from our father. But she didn't, she just left, in the middle of my audition. Keep in mind, this was the most important audition of my life. everything that I've worked for was leading up to that moment. She'd been saving her money, I was hoping to book the tour, then we'd be out. Out of this life, out of our father's life. Or should I say he'd be out of ours.

We never wanted his life, but he dragged and forced us into it, as soon as we could walk. This dangerous fucking life.

She wouldn't leave me, right?

"Don't read too much into it, okay? Lyric, the 'detective' says that she must have got a big hit at work and wanted a vacation to herself." He reassures me, stroking a hand through my hair. "I know, it's strange. She's your sister, I wouldn't think she'd do this either, angel face."

"Yeah, yeah. you're right. I need to stop thinking about it."

Both of our heads turn to the dinging coming from Josh's phone, at least 20 alerts have gone through in 30 seconds.

"Fuck, what is that?" I groan, rolling off Josh and onto my pillow. Grabbing and covering the purple comforter over my head and ears at the constant dings.

Josh jumps up from my bed, and spins around a few times while squealing like a child, until he's facing me, "Oh my god! V, Oh my god!"

"Oh my god!" I mock while rolling my eyes, "what the fuck are you all excited about?"

"Oh my god! did you turn the group chat notifications off?"

I sigh, "yes you guys are annoying. Now please tell me why you're screaming!"

"We got the gig!!" he jumps. "We got the gig! We got the gig!"

"With Ecstacy?!!"

"No bitch with the yogurt commercial. YES! We got it!"

"Wait, are you serious?"

"Yes angel face!" he smiles, grabbing my wrists. "wait, why aren't you jumping and taking your clothes off with excitement right now?"

TWELVE DAYS AGO

"Oh shit, I forgot my phone in the dressing room." I groan to my bandmates as we leave the theater, mentally slapping myself in the face.

Everyone stops walking and turns around to walk with me, "Val, I swear you forget everything," Lyric laughs, grabbing my arm, and looping it between hers.

"Oh guys it's okay, I'll grab it. Go start the car it's freezing out," I suggest. January in New York is not my time of year. Yes, it's beautiful with the snow and the lights. But god, the winter breeze, ugh it's giving me chills just thinking about it.

"You sure?" Josh asks. I smile at him, "Yes, I'll only be like three minutes, Don't worry."

Lyric rubs my arm once, "Don't go searching for Fate, I bet she's fine."