Catching Feelings

50

I toss my phone down on the bed and sigh "Scoot just texted...he'll be here in like ten."
"Thought he wasn't landing until this evening?" B asks without raising her gaze from her laptop.
"Nope." I nudge her with my foot to get her attention "Let's go eat or something."
She finally looks up at me "With Scooter?" I shake my head "But you just said he'll be here in ten minutes. We'd miss him."
"Yeah, that was kind of the point."
She reaches out and pats my leg "J...it'll be fine. Plus, that would make it worse, he'd be pissed."
I release an exaggerated groan "I know, but fuck B...I'm not in the mood for one of his lectures."
"Oh come on," she smiles "It won't be that bad."
I give her a sarcastic look "Have you met Scooter?"
"I know..." she sighs "Might as well get it over with though right?"
"I guess." I mutter, still not on board.
Right on time, there's a knock on the door. She sets her laptop aside and stands to let him in while flashing me an encouraging thumbs up.
He greets her with a hug and a peck on the cheek "Hey Bobbi...how are you doing?" He looks concerned.
She  knows instantly that he's referring to her night spent at the ER and  looks away, embarrassed and uncomfortable "I'm good Scoot...how have you  been?"
"Good..." he nods, making his way further inside the suite.
I rise to my feet and give him a quick hug "Good to see you kid..." he smiles.
"You too..." I pretend to punch him in the stomach, a playful gesture that he immediately returns. "Sorry about that mess on your birthday."
I shrug "It's cool." We've already discussed it over the phone, but he repeats himself sometimes, likes to say things in person.
"Want something to drink?" Bobbi asks. She always offers people something to drink, says it's the polite thing to do.
He gives her a strange look and she hurries to clarify "Like a bottle of water or something."
"Yeah,  water would be great. Thanks Bobbi." He also subscribes to her rather  strict manners policy, including the belief that it is just as rude to  decline someone's offer of a beverage. Whatever the hell that's all about.
He  settles into a chair when she hands him one and places it on the table  without taking a drink "So, you know why I'm here right?"
I nod but offer no comment "Alright let's just get down to it. What's going on kid?"
I decide to downplay it "The medias just blowing shit out of proportion as always Scoot...it's really not that big of a deal."
He squints at me "Do you really think I'm getting my information from the press Justin? Try again."
"It's  just hard Scooter..." I'm not upholding my end of the conversation, but I  don't want to be here having it in the first place.
"I told you that..." he points out "I practically pounded it into your head in the beginning. You knew and you still wanted it."
"I didn't know!" I counter "Did you? Did you really think it was gonna become all this?"
"Yes."  He replies without hesitation "So did everyone else we worked with  early on...apparently everyone except you saw the insanity coming."
"I  can't stand it anymore Scoot...you have no idea what it's like! Camera  flashes blinding me every second of every day, the crowds, the  security...I can't even walk down the street without 4 or 5 bodyguards  circling me. Rumor after rumor after rumor...I just..."
"And?" he raises his eyebrows "Go on."
I  remain silent so he continues "Is that what all this is about? Is that  why I'm getting phone calls all day? 'Justin's partying way too much'  'Justin's smoking too damn often' 'Justin and Bobbi were doing ecstasy  and she wound up in the hospital' Do you know how bad that could have  been for you?"
I don't bother to correct him on the ecstasy comment "I know."
He  turns his attention to her "Do you know how bad that could have been  for you? You could have died Bobbi...this isn't just a little harmless fun  anymore...it's graduated to pretty damn serious."
She is quick to agree "I know Scooter, trust me...I know that better than anybody."
He  seems satisfied "This has to stop Justin. The press is having a field  day and there's only so much we can pass off as rumors. Hell, even the  fans are passing information around from things they've seen and heard."
"My fans aren't going anyway..." I disagree defensively "I trust that."
"I  didn't say they are...yet. Look, I know you're in this crazy, chaotic  situation...one that no one should have to deal with, but it's the cost of  doing what you love. Do you still love it? Do you still want this?"
"I just want to make music and perform...and I want the paps and reporters to go fuck themselves."
"We all do..." he nods "But that's not going to happen...so you have a choice. Do you still want this?"
"Yeah...you know I do."
"Then this has to be it..." He says firmly "No more clubs, no more crazy partying, no more attitude...just no more. Period."
I roll my eyes "What the fuck does a little partying have to do with my career?"
He isn't buying it "Don't pull that shit with me Kid...You know damn well what it has to do with your career."
"It's just hard..." I sigh.
"You  said that already. Do you really think that being wasted constantly is  helping anything? Do you think it's gonna make it go away?"
I lay back on the bed and stare up at the ceiling "It makes it go away for a little while."
"How's that working out for you? You've been slammed more by the media these last few months than you have in your entire career before combined."
He's right and I tell him so.
He seems greatly relieved "Great. So we have a deal then right? This ends today, right here right now in this room?"
"Yeah, we've got a deal."