Carlos was giving me a ride to work today. I was grateful to Carlos because he volunteered to give me a ride to work every day. Last night Carlos had a talk with Mr. Harrison and I got out of trouble for being late. We arrived at the studio half an hour earlier than required. Gustavo looked at us oddly as well as Kelly. "You're early. James isn't even here yet and he's always early." I wrapped my arm around Carlos' waist giving him a side hug.
"Carlos offered to give me a ride."
"I think the world has ended. Carlos is at the studio before me." I glanced over my shoulder and smiled. James had on his usual attire, but his hair was messy. It looked similar to sex hair. I must have zoned out on my wild fantasy because Carlos was waving his hand in front of my face.
"Hola? Dez? You in there?" I blinked a few times and smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night." It wasn't a lie. I didn't get much sleep, so instead of telling him I was fantasizing about James without a shirt on and the actions leading to his messy hair, I told him the other truth.
"You're doing it again." I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. Just then Logan and Kendall walked into the studio.
"Oh, thank gosh!" I ran and threw my arms around both their necks. Carlos was laughing while everyone else looked confused including James.
"Okay. So Carlos is here earlier than James, James' hair is a mess, Kelly, Kendall, Logan, and I are confused, and my photographer had little sleep and is high. Today's starting off great." I shot a glare at Gustavo.
"First off I'm not high and secondly you should know better than to affiliate drugs with me, Gustavo." My past revolved around abuse, drugs, and alcohol. Gustavo noticed the pained expression in my eyes.
"I'm sorry, Dez. I spoke without thinking." I merely nodded and walked out of the studio to my office. The boys were going to be recording a new song so I had today off really, but I need to straighten out my studio from the photo shoot yesterday. Clothes were thrown around the room and different props were scattered about. Sighing I picked up a black t-shirt and caught a whiff of cologne, James' cologne. I smiled before cleaning up the rest of the studio. About four hours later I heard knocking at my door. I turned the stereo down and opened the door.
"Mr. Harrison." I looked out the door to find Gustavo, Kelly, Griffin, and the guys standing there each with a smile. "Everyone. Can I do something for you?" Mr. Harrison chuckled.
"I think the correct question would be, 'what can I do for you, Griffin?' You look confused. You are being promoted. From now on you are Big Time Rush's personal photographer. You work for Griffin and Gustavo now." I smiled and looked over at the guys and Kelly.
"Thank you Mr. Harrison. Will the studio still be mine though?" Mr. Harrison understood the fact that I always felt more comfortable in the studio over my apartment twenty minutes away.
"Of course. I know how much this studio means to you." Mr. Harrison shook my hand and left to go to his office.
"Well Miss Smith, welcome. Now I must go. My pants are getting cold." I gave Griffin an odd look as he walked away from my studio. I shook my head and focused on what Gustavo was saying.
"Welcome dogette." My eye narrowed into slits. "It's family. I have your first assignment for you. I want you all to go home and get some pictures of the before life." My heart sank. Gustavo was sending me back to Minnesota? Wait, Minnesota? I looked at the four boys. I pictured each of them as a little boy. Kendall and Logan looked familiar.
"Kenny? Loge?" Kendall and Logan looked confused for a second before Logan's eyes widened.
"Mable?" I smiled and threw my arms around Logan. Instantly his arms wrapped around my waist and he lifted me off the ground. "Mable! I can't believe it. Is it really you?" I nodded my head as my eyes began to water. I gave Kendall a hug as well.
"Is this where you disappeared to after you left school?" I faked a smile. Gustavo and Kelly saw right through it though. "Desiree left our school before you two came to Minnesota. Logan and I were her only friends. Her father didn't let her go anywhere nor have friends over." Kendall grabbed my hand and spun me around and in the process he was checking me out. "You look great. I thought you would look more like Loge here." The guys laughed and I remembered the comment I made to Logan yesterday.
"Who says the nerdy ones can't be sexy?" Logan smiled as the other guys cleared their throats and looked around the room aimlessly.
"Now that you've finished your reunion, you guys will fly out tomorrow morning and stay the weekend. Now go home and pack." The guys eagerly ran down the hallway and disappeared around the corner. "Look Dez, I know you're afraid to go back home, but he's in jail. He can't hurt you anymore and the dogs will be with you. They'll make sure you're okay." I nodded as Carlos came around the corner and stopped beside me.
"I got excited. Sorry." I giggled and smiled at him.
"It's alright Carlos. Let me grab my camera and lock the door." Carlos waited patiently for me and he gave me a ride to my apartment. I frowned at the landlord standing in front of my door. "Carlos, can you just wait here for a minute?"
"Yeah, sure." I got out of the car.
"Miss Smith. This is your eviction notice."
"Eviction notice? Why I am being evicted? I paid all the bills and there is no property damage."
"My niece wants to move in. I want your stuff out by next Friday." The landlord walked away as I stared at the eviction notice in my hands. Next Friday? I was going to Minnesota for a week and that left two days to find another apartment and move my stuff out. I looked back at Carlos who looked concerned.
"I'm being evicted, have to be out by next Friday, we're going to be in Minnesota for a week, which leaves me two days to find a new apartment and move my stuff out." Carlos frowned for a second before smiling brightly. "What?" Carlos said nothing as he got out of his car and followed me into my apartment. It wasn't much. I had a bed, closet, nightstand, and an easel in the bedroom, a small table with two chairs in the kitchen, and my living room had a desk in the corner and a large coffee table in the middle of the floor. Papers, photographs, and artwork were scattered throughout the place.
"This is it? You have eight pieces of furniture in your whole apartment?" Carlos pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Momma Knight?" Mrs. Knight is Kendall's mother. "How would you feel if you had a-" I put up on finger and made a seven with my other hand, "A seventeen year old daughter who is an exceptional artist, author, photographer, and stylist?" Carlos smiled widely. "Okay. See you in a while Momma Knight."
"Carlos?" He put up his finger to silence me. He dialed another number and from what I gathered he was ordering a moving truck. "Carlos?"
"Dez, you'll be moving in with us." I grinned. I tackled Carlos in a huge hug.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" I kissed his cheek and ran to my room to pack my clothing into my suitcases. Most of my clothing was already packed because I travel a lot. I grabbed some portfolios and handed them to Carlos, "Can you put the photos in the black one, regular papers in the white one and other artwork in the tan one? Please?" Carlos nodded.
"Yeah, sure." I watched him put the papers in their respective portfolios delicately for a second before finishing my bedroom. Two hours later, Carlos and I were bringing up some of the easier things to carry while the movers had the heavier furniture. My mouth fell open in awe at the apartment.
"Perfect timing. We just finished moving out our stuff. Room is all ready." The movers followed Kendall to the room. "You must be Desiree, or Mable. I've heard a lot about you from these boys. I'm Jennifer Knight, Kendall's mom, but you can call me Momma Knight like the boys if you want."
"It's a pleasure and please call me Dez." Kendall walked out with the movers and I handed them each a hundred dollars each. "Thank you for helping on such short notice. The table and extra chair can be donated to a charity for someone who needs it." The movers smiled and left the apartment. I turned and looked back at the boys and Mrs. Knight. A little girl walked out of another room.
"Dez, this is Katie." I smiled warmly at her.
"So you're the girl that these guys won't shut up about." Each guy rubbed the back of his neck embarrassed.
"I guess so." Katie left to go to her room. It was already nine o'clock and we had to get up early tomorrow for our flight. "Thanks again for allowing me to stay with you. It's late and I want to try and get some sleep. Goodnight." Mrs. Knight went to bed and each guy gave me a hug goodnight. James was the last to give me a hug and it lasted longer than any of the other boys' hugs. I walked into my new room and smiled. I changed into a pair of shorts and tank top. My phone vibrated on the nightstand and I looked at the screen. Unknown. I frowned and answered the call. "Hello?" There was silence on the other end. "H-hello?"
"Hello Desiree." My heart nearly stopped. "I hear that you are living in LA now. Hope the city is treating you nicely." There was no way he got out of jail. "I shall be paying you a visit soon. Word out on the street is that you're famous. Goodnight love." The line went dead as I stared at my phone in shock. I jumped off my bed and ran into the living room turning on the TV to the news channel.
"In recent events, there was a large jailbreak in Minnesota State Prison. The riot is said to have been led by convict Robert Smith, who was imprisoned for abuse and rape on his daughter Desiree. Five officers were killed during the riot and other officers are searching the area for Smith. If anyone sees or hears anything regarding Robert Smith, please contact local authority immediately. In other news-" I turned the TV off and stared at the screen blankly. I looked back at my room and then the door to Carlos and James' room and lastly Kendall and Logan's door. I got off the couch and knocked quietly on Logan's door. I cracked the door and snuck into the room. Kendall was sprawled across his bed and his side of the room was semi-messy. Logan was curled on his side facing the wall and his side was spotless. I climbed into Logan's bed and curled into his body. Logan shifted in his sleep and wrapped his arm around my waist as I buried my head into his chest. A soft sob escaped my lips as I thought about leaving tomorrow.