The Desired Effect ~ Cameron Liddell

Chapter 16. "Mission Compromised"

"Fucking look." Cameron handed me his phone. We were both laying out by the pool in our bathing suits, attempting to get a little color. It was an article on MetalTrain.com. Asking Alexandria And Crew Violently Attack Band Motionless In White, In Fit Of Drunken Rage.

"What the fuck is this."

"It's about two days ago. Read it."

"During my interview they were spastic. Constantly moving, picking at things, shouting randomly, saying just... the grossest things I've ever heard. All of the footage is unusable. Hours before, Ricky Horror of Motionless In White told me they were violent alcoholics. He said I can quote him." said reporter Troy Marcus, just hours after he left. Reports of disturbances seem to follow the band wherever they travel, and it's not just every day pedestrians doing the complaining. Other bands on the Thrash and Burn tour have made statements saying they scream and fight at all hours of the night. One, who asked not to be named, said he was even worried about the guitarist's wife, Naomi Liddell. "It seems every day she has a new scratch or scrape somewhere. She's getting hurt. I'm just worried someone is hurting her. Her relationship with Danny (Worsnop) is even more concerning." Asking Alexandria have a reputation for being loud and obnoxious, but abusive to women? It sounds pretty hard to believe, but there's enough evidence. Maybe there is something to worry about. We have been unable to collect statements from the band, or Mrs. Liddell. Could the adorable girl we all fell in love with be having an affair? Or could she be in danger?

Is it just a tour, or is Asking Alexandria really on the path to thrash and burn? We'll keep you posted."

And then it gave a list of sources. Including a video of me screaming about how much I hate MIW - the one Sam took that night. And multiple pictures of me from all of our social media, the scratch on my head and the bruises that seemed to endlessly cover my body. And then pictures of a massive bruise on Ricky's shoulder. "Fuckers!" I screamed. "Fucking snitches."

"Everyone is gonna think that we're garbage. We need to say something. I'm gonna post something." We both sat up and made posts on Instagram:

Hi. Listen the fuck up please. I am not being beaten or abused. All my minor injuries were sustained due to having fun. I'm clumsy, and I fall a lot. Please ignore the rumors, and remember that you can't always trust the narrator. I appreciate everyone's concern, and I know it comes from a good place, but there is no need to worry about me. Much love, Naomi and Cameron Liddell <3.

I posted it with a selfie I had taken with Cameron the day Sam gave me my new computer. Cameron posted something along those lines, mentioning that he was offended that anyone could possibly think he would hurt me. It was just untrue. We ranted really loud, talking over each other for a full minute, before we both calmed down and went back to tanning.

"Next time they come near us I'm calling the real cops." Cam said.

"Not with everything that's in the back lounge you aren't." I glanced at him from above my sunglasses. "I don't really wanna go to prison."

"Yeah well I'm damn close anyways. Let's just forget about this." After an hour of holding hands and tanning in silence, we both went upstairs to the room. The loud air conditioning unit in the corner of the living room was just what I needed. Everyone else arrived along with one of the assistants with our stuff for the night.

"Did you guys see the fucking article." I jumped up after the assistant left. On other tours the boys were a lot closer with the crew and the rest of the bands.

"What article?" James yelled from his and Sam's room as he started neatly folding all of his clothes on the bedspread. Danny pulled everything up in different tabs on the desktop computer that the hotel provided. Everyone else crowded around while I searched for a clean outfit in my bag. A pair of denim shorts, a bikini top as a bra, and a plain black tank top were the only things fresh enough to put on. I sat on the side of the bed and pulled my knees to my chest, trying to make myself as small as possible. MetalTrain already sent me a direct message asking to do a phone interview. As much as I wanted to kick and scream and have a little hissy fit about the fact that all of my friends, my family, were being scrutinized so cruelly by everyone they knew and everyone they didn't, there was a sense of relief that was worming its way into my heart.