Overdue - A Rockstar Romance

Chapter 18 - Phoebe

Daylight poured through curtains that hadn't been closed properly last night and I sat up slowly, disorientated even in my own bedroom. I couldn't remember getting home last night. I vaguely remembered Cara getting in the cab she had called with me and hugging me as I fell apart.

Then we were at mine? I stumbled towards the bathroom and glanced in the mirror. Calling my hair, a bird's nest would have been an insult to birds' nests. I flattened it down as much as I could, staring at my bloodshot eyes, swollen from crying that the mirror revealed. At least I had managed to remove my make up before I crashed last night.

I splashed cold water on my face and brushed my teeth to deal with my cottony mouth. What time was it? I moved back to the bedroom and checked the clock. Nine?

Panic hit me. Nanna.

I grabbed my dressing gown and hurriedly wrapped it round myself and rushed down the stairs, "Nanna?" I called.

"In here dear." Came her reply from the living room.

I flung the door open. "Sorry I overslept. What do you-"

My voice trailed off as my eyes fell on her and Cara, chatting and eating breakfast together like old friends.

"How are you feeling today hun?" Cara asked, face pinched with concern.

"Like I fell into a strange universe where my boss is eating breakfast with my Nanna?" my eyes skittered back and forth between the two of them as I spoke.

They both laughed, "Well I'm glad you're better than last night." Nanna said and I could see the worry in her eyes.

"I'm fine. Sorry for scaring you." I said, pulling her into a fierce hug.

"It's okay Bebe. I heard what happened. I'm just glad you are alright." She murmured.

"Your phone has been going off nonstop." Cara pointed to the device currently buzzing its way across the coffee table.

I picked it up and unlocked it. Missed calls and voicemails from pretty much everyone I knew and a lot of people I didn't too. A text from Mum asking me to call her, ninety-seven unread emails and a text from Elliott.

I sank into the sofa. Where did I begin?

I dialled for my voicemail and began listening. It was a mix of people I had known from school claiming concern and wanting to check in on me, their 'friend'. Half of them had bullied me and the other half hadn't even given me the time of day. I knew where the sudden interest for my welfare came from and it wasn't from a real worry about my distress.

Then took a deep breath and dialled mum's number. She picked up on the third ring. "Is it true?" there was no need for her to fake a maternal bond.

"Is what true?" I asked tiredly.

"You and that rockstar?"

"I was in his music video. That's it." I told her firmly.

"That's not the impression I got from the photos."

My mouth went dry and my eyes shot to Cara, "What photos?"

She tapped away at her phone and handed it to me as my mother spoke. "The ones splashed all over the press. Do you know how embarrassing it is to find out from my friend's that my daughter is shacking up with some celeb?"

My eyes scanned the pictures of my terrified face and then me hiding in Elliott's chest. I hated that I had needed rescuing but even more I hated how safe he had made me feel. Maybe it was because he came with bodyguards? I tried to reason with my brain.