and for the first time, my mother and I were actually civil to one another. She liked the idea of Sam and I together and fully supported our upcoming marriage. Normally, the things my mother wanted me to do made me cringe, and I attempted to do the exact opposite just to piss her off. But I couldn’t do that with Sam. I loved him too much to be petty.
As I hung my red sparkly clutch, that matched my Badgley Mischka dress perfectly, on the hook behind the door, two female voices broke the silence in the spacious bathroom. Instantly, I recognized them and smiled to myself. Chloe and Aubrey were my two back-up singers. Both had been with me since the very beginning. They were three years older than me, and growing up on the road as a teenager, they helped me with my homework and gave me advice on boys that I couldn’t or wouldn’t ask my mother for. They were good friends, and I was glad to have them in my life.
“Did you get a look at that gaudy rock he stuck on her finger? Jesus. Talk about obvious. I’ll take 'I’m Trying to Buy Your Trust’ for two-thousand, Alex.'” Chloe laughed as I heard the faucet turn on.
“She is so damn clueless it’s sad. I almost feel bad about fucking him last week while she was at the studio, but then I remembered how much money she makes in just one fucking weekend and it doesn’t seem to bother me anymore,” Aubrey added, the contempt obvious in her voice.
I held my fingers still against the door lock where they froze seconds ago when the conversation began. I had begun to leave the stall to say hello, but now I couldn’t do anything but stand here holding my breath with my heart beating out of my chest.
They weren’t talking about me. There was no way this could be about Sam and me. They wouldn’t do that to me.
“It’s not her fault her mother bribed him to go out with her by guaranteeing his music would see the light of day, and he got a bonus for scoring a ‘yes’ when he popped the question. With a ring her mother bought using her money, no less,” Chloe told Aubrey with obvious fake pity lacing her voice. “But really, have you ever met anyone so stupid?”
The water turned off and the sounds of purses unzipping and compacts opening and closing took its place.
“Layla walks around here like she’s such hot shit. I’m so sick of it. If you ask me, she deserves to marry that greedy dick,” Aubrey added with scorn. “But oh what a dick it is!”
The two women cackled together like witches while they finished touching up their make-up and walked out of the bathroom, never noticing Finn standing guard around the corner, completely oblivious to the devastated occupant in the bathroom.
I faked a stomach bug once I was finally able to pull myself up off of the bathroom floor that night. With one look, Finn knew I didn’t have any kind of bug. He could read it all over my face.
“I would never say that to you. Unless of course you completely lose your mind and take that idiot back. At which point, I might have to give you some harsh, strongly worded pieces of wisdom. ”
I forced out a watery laugh and burrowed my face deeper into Finn’s neck as he tightened his arms around me.
“I’m so sorry, Layla. I can’t believe Eve would do that to you. That heartless bitch is getting a piece of my mind when she gets home tonight,” Finn stated angrily.
“No!” I exclaimed loudly, pulling my head away from the comfort of him so I could look at his face. “You also have to promise me that you’ll leave it alone. Leave Eve alone. She’s already threatened to go to the tabloids about your past and—”
Finn reached a hand up and covered my mouth with his fingers. “Hush. I’m not afraid of Eve. I’m sick and tired of her doing this to you. I can’t just stand by and let it continue to happen.
I pulled his fingers away from my mouth and put on an air of confidence that I didn’t feel.
“I’ll be fine. I’m strong. I can handle whatever she throws at me, you know that. You’re my best friend, Finn. I would never forgive myself if she went through with her threats. You finally have some peace in