HONESTLY

Secrets

After I performed for the students at my old high school, I walked off the stage and made a beeline for Lily.

"Get me out of here," I said bluntly.

We exited out the same back door I used with Nate just hours before.

The black Suburban and security vans waited for me, blocking anyone from the area, including press. As they rushed me into the SUV, Lily and my father followed. I sat back, placed my seatbelt on, and pretty much lost it.

My father was concerned as he tried to calm me down, not knowing what exactly was happening to make me so upset. Lily assured my dad it was just an emotional day being back in the old neighborhood, and she had "this," meaning, "me," under control.

He decided to leave us alone as he jumped into the security vehicle behind us. He knew since my mother had passed, Lily had been by my side and was the one person I could confide in.

As I sat in the car having a total sob fest, Lily instructed the driver to head out as soon as possible. As I cried on my best friend's shoulder, I felt her move her head away from me and look out the window.

"Just drive," she told the driver, " It's just a few students that got through security," she said confidently and in control of the situation.

By the time we arrived back at the hotel to pack and leave, news had hit that my single was officially released. "Honestly" had an instant buzz, and I was selfishly disappointed. A little part of me wished Walt would quickly release the second song, making the first one disappear forever.

With heightened attention from the album release, news leaked out about where I was staying in town, and fans started to surround the hotel. More security was brought in so I could exit safely from the property. My father oversaw all the arrangements and made sure I waited until we received the greenlight to leave the building.

My bags were all packed and at the door. Lily brought her bags, double the number of mine, into my room so we could leave together. I stood at the window and peeked outside at the large crowd that had gathered. Any other day, I would've been pinching myself to see if this was all real. This was not one of those days.

"It was self-sabotage. That's all I can come up with," I said to Lily.

"I don't believe that. I think people do things for a reason, even if you might not know why at the time. There is a reason behind everything," she spoke confidently.

I moved the curtain back into place to cover the window and glanced at Lily with my blood shot eyes, the result of me crying the entire way back to the hotel.

"I should've never come here. I thought I could handle it, but obviously, I couldn't," I said.

Lily listened to my pity-party as I went on and on while she sat in a chair, scrolling through her phone intently reading emails and texts.

After a few minutes, Lily glanced up at me with a strange look that worried me.

"What's wrong?" I said.

Lily stood up and slowly handed me her phone. Something was really wrong. Lily's phone was never out of her hand, and never given to anyone, at any time.

"You should read this."

As she handed me the phone, all I saw was an email of some sort.

"I'm going to check in with your dad and leave you alone for a little bit."

Before I could say anything, Lily exited the room.

As I placed my eyes back on the phone, I focused on the email: