Désobéissance - Palaye Royale

Chapter 13

XIII

DÉCEPTION

I keep my cell phone in my hands for a moment, my eyes riveted on this blank page. I have no idea what message I could send him. I start to write something:

From Lexie:
Hi it's Lexie. Kylie gave me
your little note, so here it is, now
you will also have my number.

I erase it as quickly as I typed it. Suddenly I have Allison's phrase that comes to mind "We'll find you whining on a groupie forum in a few days", something like that. A forum for groupies. I didn't even know it could exist. My curiosity prompts me to know a little more. A little research on the Internet, it can not hurt?

I start by typing "Emerson Barrett". First page, Wikipedia. Real name: Emerson Kropp. He was born on November 22, 1996, which makes him 24 years old. Ok. We're the same age... I quickly go through the details of his career that I already know. In short, only technical details. That's not what interests me. I go back to the Google page and add "groupie" behind his name. I click on one of the first forums that appear. And there, I quickly realize that I should not have.

Posted by Podunk86 two years ago:
It wouldn't surprise me if this guy had fucked more than 100 girls... If I was in his place, I would take advantage of it at the same time!

Posted by Fancy-stacey two years ago:
I absolutely loved their show last night! And I was very lucky because I got a backstage pass by one of the security guards during the concert at Emerson's request who spotted me in the audience... And I'll let you guess the rest ;)

Posted by Napoleansolos 18 months ago:
I really think he's had sex with over 100 girls since he became famous. No official girlfriend known yet, just one night stands!

Posted by Fiezaa7x 13 months ago:
I find him very sexy! I've been in love with him for years! I hope he will eventually spot me too!

Posted by Anya89 8 months ago:
I slept with him after a PR gig in 2018. He's sleeping with a lot of girls, it's no secret. I know another chick he sleeps with regularly when he's on tour in his hometown. This guy is a real hitman, and a hell of a job! He is very considerate and of course uses condoms, contrary to rumors circulating on some forums.

I immediately regret doing this research and reading so much. So Allison was telling the truth. Emerson does select girls on tour to sleep with them. I have nausea. If he had ever had time to kill tonight, I would have finished like all these girls, on his hunting board. His attitude disgusts me. Yet he did seem so sweet and genuine when we spoke backstage. My naivety will kill me. I decide to hurt myself even more, and continue to browse the forum. The messages follow and look like each other. A whole bunch of girls he put in his bed for one night and never called back. Except some which remain official conquests. A perfect bastard. I see that a name comes up often in the comments, a certain Shelby who would have been one of the girls with whom he slept the most often. I type his name in Google, and select the images. Okay... a real bombshell. A gorgeous mixed-race woman with a perfect body. The complete opposite of me. And there are indeed pictures of her with Emerson at parties and so on. I understand even less what he can find in me after seeing the kind of girl he sleeps with.

Well, obviously, all this will not lead to anything. But I suspected it deep inside me. I go back to my contact list, swipe to his first name and delete him from my list. In the "E", my gaze falls on "Esténabe". My ex. I see that despite our breakup, seeing his first name always does a little something to me. I would have done better to delete his number too and not continue to torture myself like I do. He hurt me too much.

*

Back to School,
September 2019

Beginning of September 2019. Today is back to school. The last return to school in my photography degree if all goes well. The last year, the one with the final exam which will tell us whether or not we are suitable for this profession. Matt accompanies us Ellie and I. It's pretty cool that she has an older boyfriend. He has style, and is rather handsome. I envy her very often for having found someone like him. He also has very good musical tastes. Me, apart from a little romance last year with a guy I met in a party, we can't say that my love life is very exciting.

Ellie and I are in the same class again this year. We are in heaven. We haven't left each other since the 5th grade! It's crazy right! Some friends from last year are there too, and some new faces are added as every year. Among these newcomers, there is one in particular that catches my attention. Ellie notices it and quickly chases me with it.

"He's pretty hot the new one at the back of the class..."

"He's cute yes..."

"If I were you, I will mark my territory right away before the other girls do!"

"Ellie! We haven't even been in the classroom for a few minutes that you already want to hook me up with someone!"

"Like you want! But at least I'll have warned you."

He has charm, it's true. And indeed, I'm not the only one to have noticed him that morning. I then decide in a few second that I'm won't let pass the opportunity to meet him first and go to sit in the back of the class. Ellie is surprised by my reaction. It must be said that I'm rather used to the first rows usually. She smiles and raises her thumbs up as if to point out to me that she likes this new Lexie who takes initiatives. The boy rests his dark gaze on me. He has gorgeous brown eyes, raven brown hair and has lots of tattoos, and a few in his neck which accentuate his rebellious side even more. I give him a slight smile. He gives it back to me.

- You could have come here you know.

He shows me the chair right next to his. Out of modesty, I stepped aside a bit. But the urge is too great. I get up and put my things next to him. The scent of his leather jacket mingles with the one of his seductive perfume drives me crazy. I hardly dare to turn my gaze towards him, he so intimidates me. Why did I do this? Put myself next to the bad-boy on the first day of class? It looks so unlike me.

"By the way, I'm Estébane."

"And me, Lexie."

I plunge my gaze into his. A shiver runs through my body. By this simple meeting, I unwittingly fell into the clutches of the most perfect asshole in college.

_________

Note:

I want to make it clear that all of the quotes that
I use from the "groupie forum"are very real but normally
pertain to Joey Jordison (a big womanizer). I just adapted
them to the story because in all honesty if Emerson weren't in
a relationship I think like all young rock stars he wouldn't mind
to have some fun.

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