My Heart's a Stereo

three

"Lauren, how long are you in town for?" Ryan asks across the table

"I'm only here until Sunday. I need to get back to the farm and I miss my dogs?"

"Whoa, you live on a real farm?" Harry asked a little to eager.

"It's more of a tobacco plantation instead of a farm. It was my grandmothers until she died on '09."

"So what do you do there?"

"All I do is pay people. I don't really know much about it except that you can only harvest it at certain times of the year and then you have to dry it for a while. It smells really good all the time around there."

"So... you own a business and write songs? Did you go to college or are you just lucky?" Zayn asks

Laughing I told him "I went to Belmont University in Nashville, which is how I got the job with Sony. I graduated last summer and moved to Ashville which is where I live now with my two dogs."

Ryan looks confused,"I thought you had three dogs?"

"I did but Stark got bit by a snak about two months ago."

"Damn! So it's just Thor and Loki now?"

"I have a dog named Loki." Liam's face was full of joy.

"Really? I hope yours isn't like mine. He tends to run into the glass door going to the back yard. Every time he does I look over at Thor and just say 'he's adopted'.

"No, he doesn't do that." He says as they all laugh. "What kind of dogs are they?"

"Thor's a Great Dane , Loki is a German Shepard, and stark was a Dalmatian."

"Those are big dogs for such a small girl."

"Yeah, I live in the middle of nowhere so I have them for protection if I need it." Thinking about my dogs makes me miss them so bad. I wish I had brought them out here with me.

After dinner, that I wrote off as a business meal, I took the boys back to their hotel and then went back to mine. I can't help but go by the studio to see if Tyler's truck is still there. It wasn't. Maybe John or Dianne got it towed or something. Maybe John went and paid his bail and Ty came back and headed to rehab again. I hope he's not at my hotel. The tears start to come at that thought. No he's not there Lauren, he doesn't know where you're staying.

I finally pull into the parking lot of the hotel I left while running almost 12 hours ago. I needed a shower something fierce! I get to my room and pull of the sweatshirt and my shorts. The hot water doesn't relax me and all I think about is Tyler. I need to know where he is so I won't be afraid to go outside. I decide to call the rehab clinic in the morning. Fuck, I've gotta go buy a new guitar tomorrow too. I'm to tired to put on clothes so I just crawl into bed, letting the dark calm me until I fall asleep.

The next morning I find myself trying to remember the number to the clinic. He hasn't called me from it in a while so I hope this is it. The voice on the other end tells me I was wrong. Shit, how am I supposed to get a hold of him? I find some jeans and a band tee and head for the police station.

The drive was long but at least I had Luke Bryan on the radio to keep my company. There's nothing like a good country song to make you forget about your problems for a while. I arrive at the station only to find out that someone other than John paid his bail and that they don't know where he is. Great, now I have to worry about him finding me. I climb back in my truck and head for the diner near the studio. I'm gonna need some breakfast if I have to deal with my brother again today.

This place smells like my grandmothers house used to. It's a mix between fresh biscuits cooking and cigarette smoke. Most people would find this repulsive but not me, it makes me miss her if anything. I wave to Nancy behind the counter and she quickly comes to my table.

"Hey honey, I didn't know you were back in town." She says as she sets down a menu and silverware

"I'm only here for today and tomorrow. My flight leaves around noon Sunday."

"I wish you would've come by sooner. What can I get you this morning?"

"Some of those biscuits I smell cooking and some white gravy."

"Any coffee?"

"Please! And can you bring some milk too?"

She gives me a nod and takes my order to the kitchen. I use this time to find out what I have planned for today. Dianne is the worst at texting, it takes her what seems like 2 minutes just to respond to my first one. Apparently I have don't have a meeting at the office today but I could've sworn she said be there at 9 this morning. Oh well, more time to figure out what's going down tonight at the glow rave. As I'm about to text Ryan my food arrives. Ryan can wait, I'm starving!

I step out of the diner and call him. He doesn't answer so voicemail it is

"Hey Ryan, it's Lauren. Call me with the dets for tonight. I still need a place and time." I hang up the phone and start to pull out of the lot. I spot the black car I was pushed into by Liam yesterday outside the studio. Was Dianne trying to make me look bad by not showing up to another meeting with the boys? She wouldn't do that to me. I decide to sneak in the back door and that's when I heard all of them talking.

"She doesn't need to keep,coming out here if he's here." I can't decipher that voice

"She chooses to come out here" Dianne shoots back

"Maybe if the artists she works with out here knew what was goi-" Niall was cut off

"They all know. They all try to keep her safe. Don't think that just because you all met her yesterday that you know what she's been through. That was just the tip of the iceberg compared to other time. Granted Tyler never came here looking for her but he still manages to find her." The feeling in my gut was confirmed. They were all talking about me.

"Still I think she should go back to her home and stay there until he decides to leave from here." That was the same as the first voice. Harry maybe.

"She does. She needs to stay away from LA forever. Nothing good ever comes from her being out here." I've heard enough and I slip out the back door unnoticed.

I get back to my car and turn up the radio as loud as I can. Maybe music will drown out the thoughts in my head. What does she mean nothing good comes from me being here? What does she want me to do? Quit writing? Then she'll be out of a job. I can't so that do her. I need a drink. No Lauren, it's not even lunch. Alcohol can't solve all your problems.

I get back to my hotel room and thoughts are still flying. I need to go run so I decide to run in the direction of the closest liquor store. It takes me no time to get there seeing as it's on the corner. A fifth of jack and handle of fireball later I'm walking back to the hotel. A car pulls up beside me and rolls the windows down.

"Lauren, you know whiskey's bad for you right?" A man says as he get out

"Ben!" I try to hug him but with the bottles it's difficult. "I was hoping I'd see you before tonight."

"I knew I was going to see you at some point in this trip of yours. You should've told me you were coming."

"I know but I didn't know if you were here or not."

"Ryan said you're being underage friends tonight?"

"Yeah I hope that's ok." If they still want to come that is.

"I'll make the exception for them this time." The look he's giving me makes me a little uneasy.

"Thanks Ben. It means a lot to me." I look down at my watch and see it's almost noon "I've gotta get back to the hotel. You know pregame for tonight." I saw holding up the bottles that were now getting very heavy.

"I'll take you back. How far is it?"

"That's it right there." Motioning towards a building two doors down.

"Oh never mind then. I'll see you tonight" he gets back in his car "don't forget all black."

I have a funny feeling about the rave after that conversation but I brush it off. After hearing the boys talk with Dianne, I know they won't let anything happen to me. I just hope I can do the same for them. Ryan's raves can get a little crazy. don't think about the last time Lauren, that won't happen again