Brand New Life (Sequel to Rise) (Colton Dixon)

Chapter 12

Alexis

I let out a long sigh of relief as I finally close my computer after a long session of Spanish III. That is by far my least favorite subject. But it was also the last one I had today, so now I'm finally done. Hallelujah.

I sigh and stare out the window to the new venue, where everyone else is inside, doing soundcheck and setting up for the show tonight. Finally, I reach over and pick up my phone, which I silence while I'm doing school.

Ever since a few hours after I met him yesterday, Aiden has typically kept up a steady stream of conversation that I answer with as few words as possible. Since I haven't responded in the five hours school took me, I'm assuming there's a new one.

As I pick the phone up, it lights up with a new notification, and I feel my eyebrows shoot up when I see how many there are. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and even Snapchat, which I honestly never use.

Um... okay then. I haven't posted anything since Monday, and it's Friday today, so I'm not really sure why I would have so many. I mean, yeah, since I started living with Colton, I've gotten quite a few more followers, but they typically only show up when I post something.

I mean, there is this tag that comes up occasionally, #lexistory , where people guess about why I'm living with Colt and Annie, but that's just every once in a while when someone gets bored. And never this much at once.

But there's also a text from Aiden, so I look at that first. He was asking about my favorites of different things, then telling me his, earlier, and this one continues the tradition.

Haha, relatable. What about sports? I play basketball and like watching football like any normal American man, but what about you?

I type back a quick response, my curiosity about the notifications tearing at me.

I run, and when I'm really bored I watch football with Colt.

And I turn to the others. I tap one where I've been tagged, the one with the earliest time on it. It's on Twitter, which I basically never use, by someone I don't know. And as I read, I feel myself stop breathing.

@jessicasofopals

No wonder Colton Dixon has never said much about @lexgreggors story. My brother talked to her, and she was a total ****. Heard she slept with a bunch of guys and blamed all her problems on her parents. And also, she still cuts and is suicidal. What a little *****. Pretends she's all Christian while in reality, she's just a total ******* sinner. #lexistory

It's like time has frozen as I stare at the message. How? That's not even how it is. I was sold. I didn't... it's not like that. Please, tell me I'm dreaming!

It hits me like a punch to the stomach. Aiden. He's the only possible answer. This is a girl, but "her brother" that she heard this from could have only been him. I just don't believe this. How could this happen? I thought I could trust him.

Apparently, I was stupid.

Of course I was stupid. How could I have told him everything I did? Haven't I learned enough? What, his face and his charm blinded me from everything I've ever learned? Now, I'm paying for it dearly.

Fighting tears and struggling to breathe, I start scrolling through the other notifications, more from Twitter, Facebook, and even Instagram. Already here, I start with Twitter, first all the awful replies to that one, and then on to another, and another after that.