“Ashley it’s not that big of a deal,” I said trying to stay calm, though I was far from it.
“Really because I beg to differ Teal. You were gone all day with a guy,” he said. His eyes were like burning coals that were burning huge holes in me. I shrank back trying to hide the flinch that had escaped my body.
“So, we’re just friends Ash,” I argued back.
“Just friends is how it starts. Then the next thing you know you are carrying his kid,” he said basically calling me a whore.
“Are you calling me a slut?” I asked really pissed at what he said. I was not a slut. I was far from it. I have only has sex with two guys. One of them being Ashley, the other was a douche I dated after I quit high school to start modeling. I thought I loved him and I let him take my virginity. He then pressured me about sex all the time, so I quickly ended it with him. Of course, Ashley didn’t know that. I had told him Indigo had the possibility of being the product of me and about four different people.
“Well I’m not calling you innocent. Tell me Teal where is Indigo’s father?” he with a smirk. He knew damn well how touchy of a subject that was for me. I froze in place and tried to pick my words carefully.
“That doesn’t matter. She has her mom and that’s all she needs,” I said with my head held high.
“She needs a father figure in her life and you know it. She needs someone to be there to kick the ass of the first guy that breaks her heart,” he said.
“Why? I grew up without a father and I came out just fine,” I argued back.
“What are you going to do when she asks where her father is?” he asked. His eyes had turned back to the fiery coals.
“Tell her the truth like my mom told me,” I said with a shrug of my shoulders. I wasn’t worried. She was my daughter and I knew what was right to tell her and what wasn’t. I didn’t need Ashley telling me how to raise my daughter.
“Is that really the right thing to do Teal?” he yelled with a raise of his right brow.
“Why do you care so much Ashley? She’s my daughter. My responsibility, not yours so just but the fuck out,” I yelled back at him. I was so glad that the other guys had left to get food. I had told Jinxx about Indigo while we were out yesterday. He was a bit hurt that I had lied but he understood the reason I wanted to keep it hidden from everyone else. I just mostly wanted to hide it from CC. There was no way I could handle the snide comments from CC. There was no way I could handle him calling me a whore, a slut, and whatever else he could think of. There was no way I could handle his comments about me raising a bastard child.
“Teal I have been the only person there for you since you lost your job as a model. I was there for you during your whole pregnancy with Indigo. Who was there to hold your hand when you gave birth? Who was there to cut the cord? Who watched Indigo get her first bath? Who took you and Indigo home from the hospital? Whom did you name Indigo after? I care because I was there through everything. Something her really father didn’t do,” he said in a deep voice.
“You were there. You did everything. However, that doesn’t give you the right to tell me how to raise my daughter. Even if Jinxx and did go somewhere with some form of a relationship I know he would be there for me and he would treat Indigo like his own daughter. That’s just the way Jinxx is. He’s caring and loving. He has the kindest heart of anyone I have ever met,” I said with a small smile forming.
“Yeah, but he also gone on tour for long periods of time. Indigo needs someone that is going to be there in her life. She doesn’t need someone that is in and out. I have no doubts about Jinxx treating her like his own daughter.”
“Ashley again, she is my daughter and I will raise her how I want. If I want to date a guy who is going to be in and out of her life then I will. I can do what I want, now but the fuck out,” I said before standing up and walking off the bus. I walked over to the tent where I needed to set up the merch table.
I grabbed the first table and moved the legs out so that it would stand. Once I got it in place I grabbed the second table before doing the same thing to it. Eventually I got four tables set up and I started with getting the t-shirts on the table. Once that was done, I started putting out the bracelets and the other miscellaneous items that had to sell. Eventually all the stuff was in place and I was ready for customers. I sat in the plastic chair behinds the tables and waited for them to open the gates for the fans to come in.
About ten minutes later a huge mob of fans was heading this way. Once they reached the tables I yelled at them to get in a straight line. I sold many shirts and albums. Bracelets weren’t as popular as usual but I’m sure their sells will pick up soon. The band was always nagging at me to sell more stuff. They told me to lie and convince the kids that they needed it. I did once or twice before deciding I couldn’t do it.
It wasn’t very long before the guys were back from getting food. Jinxx immediately came over and started talking to me. I saw in the corner of my eye a group of about six teenage girls giving me the death glare. They were whispered things back and forth. I assumed they were huge fans of Jinxx and were hoping that they could marry him one day. I never understood why people actually think that they had a chance with these guys. The only one they had the slightest chance with was Ashley, but most of these girls were underage and Ash knew better then to end up in jail.
“Teal are you even listening to me?” Jinxx asked me when he realized I was staring at the group of girls.
“No, I’m sorry. It’s just those girls over there are giving me the death glare and they’re whispering stuff,” I said not taking me eyes off the girls.
“Do you want me to go and say something to them?” he asked when my eyes refused to look at him.
“No, you have a show soon. You need to get ready before Jon kills you,” I joked when I was finally able to pull my eyes away from those girls.
“Alright, I will see you later Teal,” he said giving a sweet smile and warn hug before walking away. I watched after him until he went back into the green room where I couldn’t see him anymore. I turned back to the fans that were patiently waiting.
After I sold to the person in the very front of the line, I felt a tug on the back of my hair. The next thing I knew I was being pulled to the ground and two of the girls from early were on top of me. I struggled from under them. I felt another girl who wasn’t on top of me trying to hold me down kick me hard in the ribs, knocking the wind out of me. I was gasping for air and I knew I was having an asthma attack. I reached for my pocket that held my inhaler but another one of the girls stepped on my hand and I couldn’t move it. I tried to call out but I wasn’t able to find my voice. The girl who had grabbed my hair was now pulling it hard. It felt like it was going to fall out and my head was bleeding. I slowly started to lose conciseness when I felt one of them kick me in the stomach repeatedly while the other one kicked me in the ribs again. It felt like one kicked me in the head a couple times but I wasn’t sure as everything was numb and everything was slowly going black.
- -
I woke up to hearing beeping. I looked over and saw the heart monitor. I looked and seen the IV in my wrist. I looked around the room to see I was alone. But I did notice the balloons and stuffed animals sitting in one of the chairs. I looked at the balloons and noticed one said ‘It’s a girl’. I laughed and figured it was probably from Andy.
Andy has always been the joker with me. Everyone thought that the joker would be CC, but boy were they wrong. CC was the complete opposite. He was always dead serious. I don’t think in the whole year and half that I have known the band I have ever heard CC laugh. It wasn’t something he did. And I have asked Ash numerous times if CC even knew how to laugh.
I sat up the best I could, which wasn’t much, because my sides felt like they were on fire. I gasped and on instinct pressed my hand against it. I could feel the bandage through the hospital gown. I felt another on around my head. I sighed when I remembered what happened. I didn’t remember every detail, but I remember enough to know that those girls who were staring at Jinxx and I attacked me.
I don’t know how long I was sitting in the room by myself but once the guys arrived I wished I was back to being alone. They were so loud and so annoying. I mean honestly does it look I’m okay? I’m in a fucking hospital bed for fucks sack. I was nowhere near being okay. I wanted scream at them that I wasn’t okay but I ignored them and sat there. Ash had eventually made his way in my bed. I carefully laid my head on his chest. He moved his right arm so that it was around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him. I desperately needed the loving comfort.
I didn’t remember falling asleep but sure enough I woke up with my head on Ash’s chest. I breathed in his scent. He smelled like AXE anarchy and bubblemint. It was an interesting scent but it seemed to work for Ash.
I turned my head and pressed my face into Ashley’s chest. In return, he tightened his arms around me. His muscles were no longer relaxed so I knew he was awake. I took a deep breath not wanting to get off Ash.
“Teal, are you comfortable?” Ash asked in amusement.
“Very,” I whispered back.
“I'm sorry about yesterday Teal. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. And your right; Indigo is your daughter and I need to but the fuck out.” He apologized to me. I sighed before carefully picking the words I wanted to tell him in response.
“It’s okay Ashley,” I said though I felt I should have said more to him.
“I talked to Jinxx about it,” he started to say before I cut him off.
“I told you there was nothing going on Ash,” I said getting frustrated by his actions.
“I know and you didn’t let me finish. I was going to say he agreed that nothing was going on and that even if something was he would be there for you. And shockingly he said that he would be there for Indigo. When did you tell him about her?” he asked quietly.
“The day we went out. I wanted to go to the mall to get Indigo a Build-A-Bear for her birthday and I asked him to go with me because I knew you would be mad if I went by myself. He promised not to tell the guys,” I replied.
“I would have gone with you,” he said really quietly.
“I know Ash but I wanted Jinxx to go. I was tired of lying to the guys and out of all them I trust him the most. Plus, Ash we do everything together. I just wanted to have someone else to talk to and stuff. A change in environment if you must,” I said in the best way possible so I didn’t sound like a bitch.
“You don’t like my company?”
“Ash, that is not what I’m saying and you know it,” I said really frustrated.
“Why did those fans attack you?” he asked completely changing the subject.
“I don’t know; because they were a bunch of fan girls who thought that they might actually have a chance Jinxx. I mean he came out and talked to me for like five minutes and the whole time he was out there they gave us the death glare. And then once he was gone and out of sight I started to sell to the fans again and they snuck up on me,” I said.
“I don’t get fan girls at all,” Ash said.
“Neither do I Ash. Neither do I,” I said with a shake of my head.
