Jaded (Rock Star Trilogy) - By Mercy Amare Page 0,55

to know she is still the same girl.

We both take a seat at the table, and she sighs heavily.

“I want to tell you how sorry I am,” she starts out. “I should have fought to see you nine years ago. I shouldn't have ran.”

“Why did you run?” I ask. “Was it because of me? Because we moved to California for me?”

She shakes her head. “No. I didn't leave because I wanted to. I found out I was pregnant, and mom and dad kicked me out. I had no choice but to go.”

The excitement of knowing it isn't my fault is quickly outweighed by the anger that I feel about mom and dad kicking her out. It makes me sick, but she just told me I had a niece or a nephew. I can't help but smile at that. “You have a baby?”

She smiles through her tears. “Well, Anna isn't a baby anymore. She just turned nine last week.”

“Will I ever get to meet her?” I ask, excited at the prospect of seeing her.

“I would like that. She is a huge fan. I haven't told her that you're her aunt.” She pauses. “Maybe you could come next weekend?”

I quickly agree to that. Making plans for the following weekend means that I will definitely see my sister again. Now that I have her back, I can't imagine losing her again.

Stacy catches me up on the last nine years of her life. I find out that Anna's dad didn't want anything to do with her, so she was on her own from the beginning. She chose Florida because she wanted to be as far away from Mom, Dad, and her ex-boyfriend as possible. She says that every day of her life, she regretted never getting the chance to tell me goodbye.

She also explains the first time she heard me on the radio. She knew it was me instantly when she heard my voice. She was so startled that she nearly wrecked her car.

Anna is a fan of mine. She has every one of my CD's, she has posters on her wall, and has seen every televised concert I've ever done. I can't help but smile at that.

Stacy is now a teacher. She teaches first grade, and she loves her job.

I also catch her up on everything with me, leaving out the bad parts. I tell her all about the glamorous life of Scarlett Ryan. I also tell her how I recently moved to Florida. I tell her about Stephan, and then I tell her about Bridgett.

“Wow,” she says. “We were both adopted. Mom and dad told me from the beginning, and I can't believe they never told you. And I can't believe they didn't adopt your TWIN.” She pauses. “Actually, yes I can. They are monsters.”

I nod in agreement, still pissed that they kicked my sister out at age 17. They left her to fend for herself because she was PREGNANT. I can't help but think they would've done the same thing to me if I hadn't become a millionaire.

Right then and there, I decide I am going to cut mom and dad off. I am firing my dad, and kicking them both out of my houses. They are scum.

I've always known they were selfish. But I never dreamed they would do something so evil. They took away MY SISTER. For that, they will pay.

3:07 pm

22 missed calls

Stacy and me talk for hours, and just after three, she has to go. Her babysitter had plans for that night, and she had to get back home to Anna. I needed to get back to Bridgett anyway.

On my way out to my car, I check my phone and see that I have 22 missed calls from Stephan. I am immediately worried. Stephan never calls me more than once. I am about to call him back, when my phone starts ringing. It's Stephan.

“What's wrong?” I answer frantically.

“Scarlett, you need to get here now.” I can hear the panic in his voice. “It's Bridgett. I think she had a heart attack, I don't know. We're at the hospital. She is in surgery right now.”

“Surgery? What? How could she have a heart attack? She's 19!” I jump in my car, and leave fast. As I pull out of my parking lot, my tires are squealing.

“Just get here!” Stephan says.

“I'll be there soon,” I promise, then end the call. I throw my phone in the seat beside me, and put on my seatbelt as I merge onto the interstate.