Chapter Six: Angel



Alleah smiled quietly to herself, holding back the laughter. She'd heard and understood everything, and this was far too interesting to just ignore.
"Maybe this wont be such a dull trip after all" she thought to herself and she slid down a connecting passage, so as not to be spotted.

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~
I wandered mindlessly down to the elevator. I couldn't believe I'd done that, I wasn't that attracted to Brian, and I don't think it was a matter of that, he was a nice guy, and definitely good looking, but it was almost like I wasn't thinking, like I was stuck in one of those romance novels where the girl and guy fall head over heals in love and live happily ever after, I may be young and inexperienced, but I knew that never happened in real life.

The elevator doors opened as Belle and Nick stepped out, his arm pulling her into his body as her arm lay strapped around his waist. They looked so cute together, almost like they were copies of each other, they had a similar build, similar features, only she was dark haired, he was fair. They seemed like one of those people who just simply belong together.

"Hey Riyan, shouldn't you be in bed" Nick taunted, like an annoying older brother
"Shut up Nick" Belle laughed, smacking the side of him. She then turned her attention to me, and the soft tear that slipped down my face.
"Something wrong?" she inquired
"Uh no" I muttered burying my head into my neck
"You look like you've been crying" she spoke softly.
"No really, I'm fine" I announced, ducking down the joining hallway.

"I'm gonna go talk to her, I'll meet you back at the room" Belle smiled at Nick as she turned to follow the path Riyan had taken.

"Hey speed demon, hold up" Belle called behind me
I stopped my speed walking and turned around as she stopped in front of me.
"I've seen tears on a young persons face before, I cried enough times to know what it looks like, what's up Riyan?" she inquired, obviously interested
"It's nothing, it's stupid" I replied, shaking the feeling of complete embarrassment from my head.
"Walk with me" she smiled placing her arm over my shoulder
"It's not often I get female company" she smiled
"The guys don't bring their girlfriends?" I questioned, trying to change the conversation from me
"Not really, sometimes Kristen comes, that's Kevin's wife, but she's working on some movie at the moment, AJ used to bring his girlfriend Amanda, but now its just the occasional girl he picks up, Howie's pretty much single right now, so we only see a girl from him once in a million and Leigh Anne, Brian's wife, well she used to come, but she couldn't really handle all the things that come along with it, so she kinda stopped coming, so I'm pretty much on my own" she rambled on "I'm pretty much the only one that doesn't mind been on the road, its not something that bothers me" she announced, summing it all up
"What do you do?" I questioned, as it occurred to me I didn't actually know
"Freelance Journalism" she smiled proudly
"So anyway why the tears? Missing home or something?" she questioned, bringing the conversation back to me
"Yeah something like that" I shrugged, throwing in a fake yawn "I should probably go, tired and all" I added, walking away
"Alright then, but if you need to talk, I'm here" she smiled
I nodded as I darted into my room.

It was empty, I didn't know where Alleah was, but frankly - I didn't care. I slipped into my bedroom, closed the door and sighed quietly.

~ THE NEXT MORNING ~
The phone beside me yanked me from my slumber as I reached over the double bed to answer it.
"Wake up call for Miss Riyan" a chirpy lady announced down the phone
"Thanks" I yawned as I hung up the phone. Chirpy morning people annoyed me, simply because I hated mornings.

I slowly pulled myself out of bed, we had to leave at 8:30, it was now 7:30. Still half asleep I wandered into the lounge and stepped into the bathroom. I closed the door behind me and turned on the shower. The water proceeded immediately from the head, pounding the walls and bottom of the box. I slipped out of my pajamas and waited for the water to heat up. I caught sight of myself in the mirror, a wall-length one stuck on the back of the door. I starred at myself wonderingly. I was small framed, and I always thought I had the longest arms in creation. I was thin, and destined to always be that way. There wasn't a lot I particularly liked about myself, but I found no sense in trying to change what I couldn't. I snapped out of my daydream and stepped into the now warm water.

~ 8:30 AM ~
I scooted into the foyer of the hotel where my driver, Craig, was waiting anxiously for me.
"Sorry I'm late" I smiled as I pushed my untamed hair behind my ears.
I wasn't usually late, but time sped past as I was in the shower, making me stay in there for half an hour, and I didn't even realize it, of course Alleah wouldn't tell me I was running late.
"Alleah's already on the bus, come on, lets go" he smiled, softly. He would have been about 40, with a soft ruffle of sandy hair and a sturdy build, he was nice enough.
I nodded as I picked up my backpack and followed him out of the hotel. There were people all around the place, I assumed for the boys. When I walked though the glass doors, it was then eyes turned to me. I looked down subconsciously, did I tuck my skirt into my underwear without knowing?
"Riyan" one girl screamed. I turned to look as she placed a pen and a copy of "Too hot" under my nose.
"Could I have your autograph?" she questioned
"Sure" I smiled, a bit taken back, this was the first time I'd ever been approached by anyone in this sense, I'd done record signings at shops and stuff, but this was different, this was a little more flattering.
I scribbled my name across the front and handed it back to her.
"I really love you" she smiled "You're so pretty and so natural" she gushed
I wasn't really sure what to say, I just smiled and thanked her, as another girl approached.

Before I knew it there was a crowd around me forming, and I was signing autographs left right and center. I never expected this to happen, and certainly not as quickly as it did. My ear latched onto a conversation that was going on beside me as I busily signed my name.
"I like her cause she's not like the others, she's not all tarty and stuff" a girls voice piped in
"And she's not blond" another laughed

An arm tugged on my arm, and a beefy black guy, I knew was Nick's Bodyguard and pretty much the head of security, Billy.
"That's enough for now" he spoke, looking around at the girls.
The backed up, which allowed me to actually breathe.
"Come on, lets get you to the bus" he whispered in my ear
I waved and thanked the bunch of girls again as I walked beside Billy, to the bus.

"You looked overwhelmed" he smiled as I stepped on the bus
"There was a lot" I shrugged, truth was, I wasn't used to the attention and well it was flattering, Billy was right, it was overwhelming.
"It looks like we might have to get you your own BG, crowds like that can get out of hand" he waved as he closed the door to the bus, and patted it as a sign for the driver to go.

~ 1 WEEK LATER ~
I yawned quietly as I watched another countryside zoom past as the bus speed along the road. It was only about a week into the tour, but already it was exhausting. There had been a show practically ever night, and we were zipping around every where on all sorts of transportation.

I laughed quietly as I stared at myself on the cover of a teen magazine, under my face were the words "Too Hot To Handle…over night success & hot new topic". I suppose most people would be offended been called an overnight success, but for me, I knew it was the truth, I was in the right place at the right time, and I was given an opportunity most struggled to find, I knew I was lucky, but more than ever I was also determined.

I placed the magazine down and opened my journal.
Dear Diary

It's been a while since I've written in here, I suppose because I've had so much to do, and perhaps I wasn't sure what to say. Anyway, I still cant believe I kissed Brian on the decking, it was so stupid, now things have been immensely awkward between us, he's still ultra nice to me, I think maybe I'm just the one that feels awkward, who knows?!

We're coming into Georgia now, which, I believe is where Brian lives (he has an apartment in Florida, but a house in Georgia) I think when I'm famous I'll have a house in every state, so I never get bored………anyway, as we've been getting closer to here, he's become even more upset, I pieced things together and decided he probably had to give the settlement back to his wife soon, I'm sure, on top of everything else, that must be upsetting, I wish him the best of luck - if there is such a thing, in such a situation.

XOXO Riyan

"It's so childish to write in a diary" Alleah laughed as she peeked over my shoulder
I slammed the book shut and glared up at her.
"Do you ever not act like a bitch?" I questioned sarcastically as I slipped on my ear phones and sunk down into the seat

~ HALF AN HOUR LATER ~
I opened my eyes and the bus came to a slowed halt. I yawned slightly and looked around as we entered the gates of a large dome looking arena. As we pulled up beside the guys buses I pulled a hair tie off my wrist and pulled my hair back into a ponytail.

I stepped off the bus, and shielded my eyes from the sun with my hand. As we all grouped together, my cell began to ring. I pulled it off my hip belt and answered it.
"Riyan, this is your Papa" Papa spoke softly down the phone
The tone of voice told me immediately something was wrong.
"What's wrong Papa?" I questioned, stepping away from the crowd
"It's you mother" he cried softly
That was one of the first times he referred to her like that, again, I knew, something was definitely wrong.
"She" he paused, it sounded like he was crying, I'd never known my Papa to cry "she was hit by a car, after she walked your brother to school, I'm sorry my baby, Mama died" he cried
I was speechless as tears sprung to my eyes. I gasped for breathe, as my whole body shook.
"No, no, she cant be" I cried
"I'm sorry" he kept whispering "I have to go now Riyan"
"I'll fly home as soon as I can" I whispered as he hung up
My knees felt weak, and without warning I crumpled onto to ground in a lifeless heap.

"Riyan, Riyan" I heard a voice yell as I slowly opened my eyes
I looked around to see people standing all around me, and Brian's arms coupling my head. I must have fainted.
"What's going on?" Belle inquired softly as she stroked my shaking arm
I sat up, leaning against the bus.
"It's Mama, she's dead" I cried, rocking myself back and forward

~ 2 DAYS LATER ~
I watched solemnly as the lowered the coffin into the ground. I'd taken a flight back to Mexico the same day Papa had told me the news. My little brother, Adrian, stood beside me, trying his best to remain strong, holding a single rose clutched tightly in his small hands. Papa was standing behind us, his tears silent, one hand on my shoulder, the other on my brothers. It was still al surreal to me, like it wasn't really happening, like I was stuck in a nightmare and I wanted nothing more to wake up, and run into my mothers arms, but no matter how much I wished that, I knew it would never happen. Grandma, was sitting down beside me, weeping openly for her lost daughter, her hand tightly gripping mine.

She went first, throwing a flower down onto the wooden coffin, Papa went next, then Adrian, still only five, so young and so innocent. I went last, as I knelt down beside the hole, a tear slid down my face, to the ground below. I swear at that moment, I felt her presence. I closed my eyes and prayed quietly,
Never leave me Mama, promise me, you'll look over me, never leave me alone, I cant do this on my own, be my angel, I love you, I miss you, I need you
Opening my eyes again, I threw the red rose I held onto the coffin, and backed away, into the loving arms of my grieving father.

~ 2 DAYS LATER ~
In the four days I was gone from the tour, I only missed one show, as they had a holiday period in between. I was to go on stage tonight, within 2 hours of landing at the airport. I wanted to stay longer with my family, but Papa insisted that Mama would want me to pursue a dream. Before I'd left, he gave me the necklace she always wore, it was a silver chain, with a small oval locket at the bottom. Inside it had a picture of Mama and Papa on one side, and us three kids on the other. My other brother, Jose, died 2 years ago, he was 12 at the time, and drowned in a swimming hole he frequently went to. We don't really know what happened, he was a good swimmer, but they say he jumped off one of the higher rocks, onto a covered rock below, knocking himself unconscious, and he drowned.

"We're approaching the airport, please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts for our descent" the flight attendant spoke through the loud speaker.

 

Chapter Seven

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