Rock 'n Roll Dreams

Chapter 5

I hopped out of the stretch limo my father had sent to the airport to pick us up and glanced up at his house. Okay, let's get real for a minute. The guy had a mansion here in Beverly Hills. Plenty of space to house not only myself but my friends and their parents, too.

It didn't start out that way. Dad only had a modest home in California so that we could all visit on weekends and come on vacations in the summer months. That was back when he and mom were still married and he would make the commute home at least every other week to visit us.

Once he and mom went their separate ways, dad changed. He bought this huge house on the hill and when he wasn't working he was attending all the Hollywood parties he was invited to by his clients. That's how he met his current girlfriend, Monique, who was a little closer to my age than his. And by a little closer, I mean a lot closer. Like, a lot. I can't stress that fact enough. It's gross.

I pushed that thought from my mind as the driver pulled our luggage out of the trunk. Fortunately, we had all only packed for the weekend so there was plenty of space for all our bags. I grabbed my bag and it rolled along behind me up to the front door. I found the spare key in the usual hiding space, beneath a potted plant on the front porch, and unlocked the door, opening it and letting the others inside before I brought up the rear, closing the door behind me.

I looked around the foyer of the house, to see if any changes were made. There were high vaulted ceilings and cool, white tiles on the floor. Every piece of furniture or décor was sleek and modern. You couldn't even tell anyone lived in this house. It was pristine in every sense of the word. I glanced at the others, who were completely awestruck. I don't know that any of them had seen a home like this in real life.

"This is your dad's house?" Jackson asked, his eyes taking in the enormous home around him.

I nodded, sarcasm dripping from my words, "Yep. This is the humble abode of Ian Templeton."

We entered the living room area, off to the right of the foyer, and it was decorated similarly. Everything was either a cream color or black. There was a black, fuzzy area rug that sat beneath the black coffee table with a glass top. The couches were a cream color and there was a huge TV in the corner, probably the biggest one I have seen. There were no personal touches like family pictures on the walls or the mantle of the fireplace. If I didn't know any better, I would think that we were viewing this house to buy it rather than staying with my father.

"Well, guys. I think we should take our luggage upstairs and get settled in. I know Dad plans on having his cook make us dinner tonight so that we can all talk before the meeting tomorrow." I said, glancing from person to person, getting their full attention.

"Does this place have a pool?" Brody asked, almost bouncing excitedly.

I'm glad to see he has his priorities straight.

"Yeah, Brody, there's a pool out back. Once you get your bags to your room, we can go check it out until dinner."

Brody whooped and headed for the staircase with his bag as well as his mom's. I followed him and we ascended the stairs. I pointed out the guest rooms in which the rest of them would be staying. I had my own room here, even though I barely visited these days.

Once the boys had settled into one room and the parents each inhabited their own separate rooms, I walked into my bedroom. It was a time warp with all the posters on the walls, Disney stars and pop star pin-ups. You could tell I haven't been in this room in a couple of years. I wrinkled my nose in distaste. Re-decorating was definitely in order.

I unpacked my small bag, putting the clothing I would need in the drawers and taking my toiletries into my ensuite bathroom. I checked my reflection in the mirror quickly before heading back to my king-sized bed, flopping down onto the purple comforter, staring up at the ceiling with a smile. I can't believe we're here. We're in LA and tomorrow our lives are going to change forever.