Chapter 10 – Lacey

I'm going to kill her. I swear to God I'm going to kill her.

No you won't.

No, like actually.

Really now?

Yeah, and I'll blame it on that hoe Ashley. I'll say that Ashley got jealous and murdered Linette.

By accident?

No, no, on purpose.

With what?

What ever, I'll figure that out later. And then I'm going to chop her body up in little pieces and stuff it somewhere in the hotel…

Ew, that's disgusting.

Ok, ew, yeah, that was a bit nasty.

Yeah.

Whatever I'm still going to kill her. Why am I having an argument with myself? That's retarded.

I stood outside, the wind blowing onto my plain black Guess dress. It was one of my favourite dresses. It had sleeves that came down to my elbows and was three palms short above my knees. It had lace at the bottom and it matched my black lace pumps perfectly. Too bad no one would see it.

I raised my hand for a taxi but it drove right past me and into the newly formed giant puddle of rain water. I gasped as the dirty water splashed all over my expensive and favourite clothes. Are you fucking joking me?

I swore at the top of my lungs as my hair dripped water. What the hell? When had it been raining? I whipped some of the water off of my face and noticed black traces on my hand. Eyeliner. Great, now I look like how I feel. Wonderful.

I stood outside and now I was even colder since I was wet and the wind seemed to have picked up. I needed to call someone. I needed to get out of this place.

/tom I need u! now!/

I pressed send on my LG Shine slide phone and stuffed it back into my purse which was also wet. Pick up, pick up.

/what happened./ Thank God he replied. It was always Dougie who I'd call first in a crisis but I was mad at him. Then Linette, but I was mad at her. So now I needed Tom.

/just plz drive me good./ I pressed send a little too quickly. God damn T9.

/drive you what??/ Tom replied almost instantly.

/home genius! I need 2 go home/

/wtf happened! R u k?/ No of course I wasn't, but I wasn't going to explain it to him either.

/yhe I just feel sick/ That wasn't exactly a lie.

/where r u?/

/outside/

Suddenly the door opened and Tom stepped outside into the silent night air. I spun around and couldn't help the urge to run into his arms. He wrapped his arms around me tightly, obviously sensing that something was definitely wrong.

"What's wrong?"

"Everything." I allowed myself to cry into his shirt. This could not be happening. I wanted to just wake up beside Dougie and realize that this was all a dream. But no, if I did wake up I'd see Linette in bed with him. I burst into larger tears. Tom stroked my hair.

"What happened?" He asked as he pulled me off of him so he could take me to the car.

"Nothing. Just… whatever." I stepped inside his blue Mini Cooper. I watched the city lights shine quickly past me but I still didn't feel like I was getting away from the after party fast enough. The car came to a stop as soon as we reached the hotel.

I quickly stepped outside of the car and didn't bother to wait for Tom. I didn't want to be around anybody right now.

"Lacey wait up!" Tom yelled after me, running into the elevator beside me. "You need to tell me what's going on."

"No I don't." I protested through salty tears. Tom took me into his room and then sat me down on his bed.

"Explain." He wasn't going to let this one go, was he?

"Linette… she just… well… she's my best friend and she didn't act like it tonight, that's all I'm saying."

"No, you have to tell me." Tom sat down beside me. I threw myself backwards on the bed and sighed. I did not feel like talking about this right now. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I didn't want to do a lot this night.

"No, it's just not the right time."

"It's never the right time to confess to anything."

"This isn't a confession." I replied and a short pause followed.

"It's about Dougie isn't it?" Tom randomly asked.

"No." I replied too quickly.

"No one has made you cry before and you've gone through some tough shit so don't give me that. It's something about Dougie, so tell me."

"No."

"Yeah you have to."

"I'll answer a question for a question."

"What?" Tom asked, throwing himself down beside me. I propped myself up on an elbow.

"I ask you a question and you have to answer it truthfully and then I'll tell you what happened tonight." I bargained.

"Fine. What's your question?" His brown eyes bore into my hazel ones.

"Why do you like Ashley?" Tom looked taken aback.

"I just love her. She came up to me in a bar once and chatted me up and no girl has ever done that to me before. I always had to make the first move and it just showed me that Ashley was the kind of girl who takes risks. What guy doesn't like that? Take it from me; the reason why guys don't always make the first move is because they're scared of getting rejected. It's just nice to know that the girl has enough confidence to make the first move. Ever since then I've been put under her spell and I can't seem to get out from under it. Not that I want to or anything. She's just different from other girls."

Damn right she is. She's probably the only one who isn't satisfied with dating a McFly guy.

"So tonight was by far the shittiest night I have ever experienced." I started as soon as Tom had finished. "First of all I couldn't come to the concert because Linette's old friend came to visit and half kidnapped me."

"How did he half kidnap you?"

"Well I sort of went with him… in his car…" I explained reluctantly.

"You did WHAT?" Tom shouted, sitting up in his bed.

"Well he seemed nice at first but then he got creepishly creepy."

"You got in his CAR?"

"No, I got in his pants!" I rolled my eyes. "Idiot! I just said I got in his car!"

"You got in his car." At least it was a statement this time not a question.

"Oh my God. Ok let's try this again. I got in his car and then –"

"YOU COULD HAVE DIED!" Tom shouted as he got off of the bed.

"But I didn't."

"You are so naïve!" Tom kept shouting.

"No I'm not! He knew Linette so I sort of trusted him. He did seem sort of familiar."

"So if some guy looks like Dougie walked up to you and asked you to get into his car, would you do it?"

"No, I'd kick him in the balls thinking it was actually Dougie Poynter." Tom rolled his eyes. "Let me finish my story!" Tom sat back down. "Anyway, so we went to a café and he kept asking about Linette and who she kissed and how she kissed and who she likes and if she talks about him and it was really creepy. And then he kept saying he loved her and he left her and I was all like… um… okay? And then he offered to drive me back –"

"You got back in the car didn't you!" Tom yelled once more.

"Well I kind of had to!"

"You are SO dumb!"

"Shut up! I had a bad day! Just listen! Anyway so then he drove me back and as you can see I'm FINE. Anyway so I walk in and then Linette is making out and then I ran out of the after party and then this gay ass taxi driver splashes me all over and then I call you and now here I am." I said in one breath.

"Linette was what?" Tom had calmed down, except he was still edgy and it wasn't about Jacob and his car.

"You like Linette?"

"Answer my question."

"Making out. Answer mine."

"I have a girlfriend."

"That wasn't my question."

"I'm not sure. I just met her and all but I think I might. It doesn't matter though, I'm happy with Ashley. Who was she making out with?" I gasped but then replied a moment later.

"No one." I didn't want to replay the scene in my mind: Linette, with her perfect blonde hair nicely falling in curls beside her perfectly pale face; Dougie, with his gorgeous blue eyes, looking at no one but Linette in the entire room; and then me, standing in the corner taking it all in. Taking in the fact that my two best friends were going for each other and I was left on the sidelines watching.

"Lacey…"

"Dougie." Tom's eyes widened but he didn't speak. "That's why I ran out." Tears stung at the back of my eyes again. Why would she do this to me? She knew I liked him, she knew I was going to go for him and yet she totally went behind my back and made out with the guy of my dreams. I didn't date a single person just for Dougie and Linette knew that. And despite all that she went for him. Why would she do that to me? Was she ever going to tell me?

"Do you like him?" Tom looked concerned and apologetic. Was it sympathy or did he actually feel for me?

"A lot but there's no point in liking him anymore. I think I should just move on."

"I hate saying this, but I thought he liked you for a while, but now I'm not so sure. Maybe the best thing is to move on." Tom wrapped me in his arms. At that moment the door burst open revealing Dougie with Linette in his arms, carrying her bridal style into the room. Exactly what I wanted to see.

I pushed Tom off and walked past Dougie outside of the room.

"Lacey what's wrong?" I heard him yell after me. He can go fuck himself.

"You should go fuck yourself!" I shouted at him.

"Why? What did I do?" He seemed urgent for an answer.

"Nothing. I'm just giving you suggestions of what you should do later on in your life." I smiled a fake smile at him and went down the hall into my room.

"Lacey what the fuck!?" Dougie shouted after me but I slammed the door behind me as soon as I got inside the hotel room.

What am I doing? What was I doing? I was on a bridge to nowhere and I was getting there fast. I should have acted like nothing was wrong instead of bitching at my best friend. It wasn't his fault he fell for Linette. He saw me as a little sister and who could blame him? I never made a move or anything. I just acted like his little sister and never anything more, so what was I expecting?

I threw myself on the bed, tears spilling out once more and I allowed myself to close my eyes and sleep.

I woke up to hard pounding on my door. I reluctantly opened my eyes and went to go open the door.

"I've been knocking on your door for five minutes and now my hand hurts. Anyway, I think you should go talk to Linette." It was Tom. What did he know?

"No I don't think I should." I tried to close the door in his face but he pressed his hand against it. Of course, the door remained open.

"How long do you plan to stay mad at her?"

"How does forever sound?" I asked with a fake questioning look.

"Bad."

"Good."

"You're her manager!"

"Apparently that's all I am. If I were her friend she would have had enough respect for me to not have done that."

"You should talk to her. I'm sure if you heard her side of the story it would change your outlook on everything." Tom tried to reason. I didn't feel like hearing any of it.

"How can you be sure?" I leaned against the door frame.

"Because it's always like that!"

"Why shouldn't I talk to Dougie?"

"Because what he has to say won't change the situation."

"Same with Linette. It won't change anything. What could she say? 'Oh Lacey, hun, it was about time to tell you! I never wanted you to find out this way! Oh I'm so sorry! You can have all the other McFly boys I fuck around with though.'" I mimicked her voice. God, I wanted to slap her across the face.

"She's not like that and you know it."

"Things change." I tried to close the door again but to no success.

"Talk to her." Tom smiled and left. Damn it, I was supposed to have the dramatic exit, not him. I sighed. I knew I couldn't stay mad at her. She was, after all, my best friend. I went into the bathroom and fixed my make up, brushed my teeth, but I didn't bother to change from my dress that I had worn the night before. I checked the clock that hung above the two beds. 6:54. Oh my God, how long have I been sleeping for?

I stayed in my room for another two hours thinking of what I would say. How could I react? What would Linette say? What would she come up with? I stood up from the bed and walked out into the hall.

The door to room 801 was wide open. Stupid Tom. I stepped inside and noticed the boys just hanging around and Linette sitting in Dougie's lap on the couch, her legs spread over Harry. I slightly laughed and shook my head in disbelief and noticed Tom's smile fade almost instantly as soon as he noticed me walk through the door.

"Lace, stay!" He ordered.

"Great timing Tom." I smiled largely at him. He knew too well how fake that smile was. Tears were threatening even more to spill out now. I thought I had drained my eyes out the night before. Damn the body system and it's …functions and crap…

"What's wrong with you?" Linette laughed. I glared at her. How dare she?

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I snapped. Tom looked at Linette and then at me. He knew I could get really physical if someone challenged me to it or pretended to act stupid when they backstabbed me. It seemed like no one else had any idea what was going on.

"No… what's gotten into you? You never came to the after party last night, or my concert and you didn't show up here this morning. We had to make Tom go get you. He said something was up but he won't tell us. So what's up?" Linette kept smiling.

"Can I talk to you somewhere else?"

"Yeah…" Linette looked confused. She got off of Dougie's lap and walked out of the room with me. "What's up?" She asked as soon as we entered our own room.

"Do you have anything to tell me?" I asked, trying not to accuse her or anything. Maybe it had been a girl who looked like her? No way. Impossible.

"I don't think so… why?"

"Nothing happened at the party yesterday?"

"I don't think so… why?" She repeated. She was either good at acting, stupid, or she had no idea what was going on. I'll say the first one.

"You don't remember, or nothing happened?"

"I totally have no idea what you're trying to say." Linette replied confused. Okay, definitely the first one.

"You really don't remember making out with anyone?"

"Oh God I did what?" Linette flipped out. "Oh my God! Who? Did you see it? Did you stop it? Please tell me you stopped it!" What the hell is she doing? Is she for real?

"Yeah I saw it."

"Did you stop it!? Did anything happen?" She yelled.

"You kissed Douglas Lee Poynter." I looked at her. Her face went snow pale and her eyes lost every glow and sparkle in them as her jaw dropped slightly. I couldn't tell if she was still breathing. Was she still lying or did she actually have no idea?

"What?" She whispered. I knew she wasn't asking me to repeat myself, she was asking herself.

"That's what got into me."

"Oh God! Oh God!" She started pacing the room. "Oh my God! I remember getting mad at Ashley and I started chugging down a shitload of drinks but… oh God! Did he kiss back?"

"Yep." I nodded. Did he?

"Oh God!"

"Yeah."

"I'm so sorry!" She yelled out wrapping her arms around me. I realized she wasn't lying. She actually had no idea what she had been doing. I hugged her back. "I'm so sorry." She repeated.

"Whatever, it's fine. As long as I know you didn't do it behind my back." She smiled and let go of me. "You know I had a plan of how I was going to murder you?" I laughed as I walked back to their room. I was never a person who didn't forgive, especially my best friends.

"Are you serious?" She laughed.

"Yeah, I was going to blame it on Ashley."

"Are you serious? I actually agree with you on that."

"Oh yeah I know." I stepped inside the room and sat down away from Dougie. I couldn't face him. At least Linette didn't have feelings for him, but he had feelings for her. How could I take that?

"So it's all good?" Tom mouthed to me. I nodded and smiled. He smiled back and then nodded towards Dougie who was having a conversation with Danny and Harry. I shook my head. "Talk to him." He mouthed again. I shook my head once more. He nodded and I shook my head in reply. Tom rolled his eyes.

"I'm bored. Let's play hide and seek." Tom smiled mischievously at me. I gave him a confused look. "In pairs." My jaw dropped. I knew where he was going with this.

"Tom gets Linette." I could play his game.

"Doug gets Lacey." He retorted giving me a cocky 'bring-it' look.

"Dibs hiding!" Danny yelled.

"Same." Dougie said. Oh God I do not want to hide with him.

"We can hide anywhere except outside. And it has to be in the dark. I'll give you guys two minutes. Go." Tom ordered and all four of us ran outside of the room.

"Come on, we'll hide in the basement closet." Dougie offered.

"The what?" I asked as he grabbed my hand and pulled me along the corridors and down the stairs. We soon reached the basement and there was a small door behind a couple of boxes. Dougie pushed the boxes slowly out of the way and opened the door. It was one of the most compact spaces in the entire hotel building.

"Go in." He ordered.

"Where are you hiding?" Why do I care?

"With you." He replied as if it were the most obvious thing.

"We can't fit."

"We will." He lightly pushed me inside and quickly followed. We were crammed inside and I have to admit it smelled strongly of Abercrombie and Fitch cologne. Damn this boy smelled good. Wait no, I'm mad at him!

I could feel his breath on my neck although we weren't that close to one another. I instantly got butterflies as his continuous breathing brushed my neck.

"Why were you mad at me?" He whispered softly into my ear. More butterflies.

"I wasn't." Silence. "Do you like Linette?"

"God what!?" He replied a bit too loudly.

"Do you like Linette?"

"No!" He answered. I looked up into his eyes which seemed to sparkle in the pitch dark.

"Then why did you kiss her?"

"She kissed me to get back at Tom… I think… She was really wasted."

"Why did you kiss back?"

"I didn't. She blacked out right when she barely touched me."

"Would you have kissed her back if she hadn't had blacked out?"

"No. I would have kissed another girl." Dougie replied without a second of hesitation. My heart dropped.

"Who?" I couldn't stop myself before asking. He didn't reply. I felt his breathing get faster and closer to my face. I felt his body shift closer to mine and his hand touch my waist. I leaned in. This was it. I felt his warm lips softly brush mine lightly. He was so close and yet so far away. The anticipation was absolutely killing me.

The door swung open and light burst into the small compact room. I pulled away from Dougie and looked out of the small room.

"Oh shit!" Linette shouted.