The Rockstar Within Me

The Rock Star Within Me - Chapter 48

Copyright 2013

I was stunned into silence as River Johnson stood before me.

“Is this a joke? What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice just below a scream.

River stood with a pair of tight black jeans with a white washed blue button up shirt. He had the top few buttons of the shirt unbuttoned with his sleeves rolled up messily to his elbows and wore one long dog tag necklace. His scruff was more unruly than I remembered but he was still the same River.

And with the same River, the same emotions came back. I still felt the hurt and the betrayal that he had put upon me six month earlier. You would think that after such a long time that my feelings would have dissipated at least a little bit.

“Dammit.” Drew murmured. I could sense the others standing behind me but they were quiet and just as shocked as I was.

River registered everyone behind me.

“What are they doing here?” He seemed just as surprised, pointing to my entourage.

“River!” I yelled at him appalled. My eyes were wide; did he really have the nerve to ask why I brought along my support system?

River smiled at the sound of his name.

“Alice.”

It caught me off guard with how tenderly he said my name.

I held my breath.

No, this was wrong.

“What the hell are we doing here?” I snapped at him again.

River shrugged.

“I don’t know. It was Anthony’s idea. Believe me; I had nothing to do this.” He explained casually.

He was too calm and I knew that he was lying. There was no way the head of the record company would make us his puppets unless his biggest artist demanded it. No, this had River written all over it.

That son of a bitch.

The old me, before all this had happened, would have probably lunged at River and tried to strangle him to death but I restrained myself. At that moment River deserved every swear word I could think of and more, but I just didn’t want to waste my energy on him.

“I’m done with this.” I said, turning to leave.

For the first time River showed an emotion other than unconcerned.

“No, wait.” He made a dash to follow me but was stopped.

Drew pushed him back, suddenly getting defensive.

“What the hell man?” River asked, angrily.

“You try to follow her and I’ll ruin that pretty little face of yours.” Drew warned.

This only seemed to infuriate River.

“You’ve always had a thing for her haven’t you? What, now that I’m out of the picture you and Alice are shacking up?” River mocked.

Drew laughed without humor.

“I’ve wanted to do this ever since Paris.” Drew informed. Before I could stop it, Drew leaned back and punched River.

The impact of the hit made River fall back. He held his face, wincing from the pain.

“Christ.” River groaned.

“Shit.” I mumbled.

I couldn’t help it; when I saw Drew move forward to strike River again and I saw that River was going to retaliate even with a bloody nose, I knew I needed to intervene.