The magazine interview was on a Saturday, thankfully. Gustavo was trying to be kind and work with my work schedule. I drove up to London, where Gustavo's makeup team met me, they got me ready and I headed in for the interview. I had one magazine, and one that would air on TV. Kelly had came out here and was by my side the entire time. She debriefed me on the questions that would be asked, and how to evade answering questions.
The magazine interview wasn't too bad. I had a huge amount of anxiety bubbling, but Kelly sat within my line of sight giving me reassuring looks. They asked about what it was like to be taken, and I told them, "Terrifying. One second I was walking down the street, the next thing I know, I was pulled into a van and knocked out."
They asked about the little girl seen in my Instagram and I said, "She's my little sister. I have full custody of her, I met her in Mexico, she was in the house where I was. When I saw the life she would grow up to have, I knew I had to change her outcome. So I took her, and we ran. We drove for nearly a month straight. We Settled in America for awhile, before moving to Canada and around again."
They asked how I was handling it, I answered, " I haven't really handled it yet. I worry about my sister above anything else. I make sure she's taken care of before I am. Its been hard, we've learned to go without a lot, but we've survived."
"Are you single or in a relationship?" they asked. Kelly gave me a look that said I could answer either way.
"I'm in a relationship. I have been with Madi for several years now. She's amazing, she's been there right along side of me this whole time. She did everything I asked of her to help us get free. She Drove for hours, when i couldn't. She has been the mother that my sister needed, as well as the big sister. If it weren't for those two, I would have given up long ago. They're my purpose for getting up in the morning. No matter how much I want to stay in bed, not go to work and be young, and be 21, I don't. I have to provide for them, and be the best I can be for them."
Kelly smiled at me. The interviewer asked about BTR, I said that we had gone to the studio and had down some work recently. - answers on which Kelly had given me. By the end of the interview, I was tired and hungry but we had one more interview to do. Giving me food, kelly took me to the next interview. They made sure I was ready to be on camera before putting a mic on me and sending me off.
I sat nervously and fiddled with the hem of my shirt. The interviewer sat in front of me, and we then began.
"How are you doing James?" she asked.
"I'm doing alright, hanging in there."
"I know that there is a lot to cover, so tell me, what have you been doing recently?"
"Well, I've been working. I work a day job to help make ends meet. On the side, or really in any spare time, I've gone into the studio to work on music." I answered.
"What have you been working on?" she asked
"Well, the boys and I went into the studio and did some stuff for BTR. It was a very busy weekend. And I've been doing some solo work out here in the UK. There's a lot of artists I've wanted to work with, and having the opportunity to has been amazing. I did a song with Ed a few weeks ago. We went in knowing what we wanted the instrumentals to be, so writing was the hard part. We wrote the song in a weekend, and released it a few weeks later. Ed was a huge help. I wasn't sure if I was ready to say anything about the last 4 years, but he really helped me come to decide that it was time, and that I was ready to move forward with my life. The song, its really personal for me, and to share it was really hard at first, but once we got it, we went for it."
"The song has hints about the last four years, as you've mentioned. What have these 4 years been like?"
"Well, As you all know, I was kidnapped. I was taken off the streets of LA, and taken to Texas. The men who took me, were working with my father…" I stopped and took a breath, was I really about to do this?
Kelly who stood off in the distance gave me a nod.
"My father was the head of a cartel. He wanted me to one day take his position. I never wanted that, nor did my mom. She had hid me away from him for most of my childhood. We were always careful, we changed our names and she remarried. I was born James Alvarez, my name was Changed to James Diamond when my mom remarried, and I changed my name again when I…when I moved to the UK a few years ago."
"What was it like in Mexico?" She asked gently.
"I refused to do the work my father wanted me to, so I was beaten and tortured. They broke bones in my arms, my leg and my face at one point. They've all healed but its not the same as before. They forced me to work, to sell drugs. I never wanted to. At some point, I met my little sister. She was this small, shy 6 year old who didn't have friends, who was always locked up in her room to stay out of everyone's way.
I hated that. I met my current girlfriend while I was in Jail. I was forced to sell to someone who I knew was a cop, and got released a few hours later. Me and her became good friends. She helped me escape my father. We ran and we haven't looked back. We fled to the United States, where we drove for weeks, hoping to lose the people following us. We then went to Canada for a few weeks before heading to Washington. Seattle is truly beautiful, we lived there for a few months but knew it wasn't our end home. We came to the UK with virtually nothing. All we had was our carry one bags, and each other."
"why the UK?" she asked.
"We felt that it would be far enough away, that no one would look for us there. At that point in time, my father was still on the run looking for us. We faked our deaths in Mexico, but he knew it was fake. We changed our names when we got here. We got jobs, we struggled but we've made it so far."
"What is it like to raise a young girl?"
"Its definitely been hard, but mostly because there is so much I've wanted to give her. I wanted to give her a better life then the one she had in Mexico, and Its hard. She's going to a good school, she has lots of friends now, and she's a lot happier. She understands why things are different for us, why we didn't have furniture, why she had a bed but we didn't. Everything We have made goes to making ends meet, and then giving her anything she needs for school."
"You made money when you were in Big time Rush, what happened to it?"
"Unfortunately because I was out of the band, because I was missing, and when they went forward without me, which I had told them to do. There was one instance where I saw them, they knew I was okay, and why I couldn't come forward. Everything I have done, was because I wanted to protect my sister. My biggest fear was my father finding us, him hurting her, and him hurting me and then him killing me, leaving her all alone.
The money, it went to us getting to Canada, and then to Seattle. We used the last of it to get to the UK. My mom had helped us as much as she could, but I didn't want to use her money, or anyone else's."
"Has anyone recognized you in the streets?"
"Surprisingly no, I think part of it was that I've been gone for so long from the media. I don't look the same as I did when I was 17. I've got tattoos, and many scars from the time in Mexico. My hair was longer, I've cut it recently, but it was really long prior to that, it's gotten long again."
"Do you mind sharing your tattoos with us?"
I smiled and rolled up my left sleeve.
"I have a lamp with a genie coming out of it, as well as a red apple and the cheshire cat. Its my little Disney Sleeve. It has a lot of meaning to it, as do all my other tattoos."
"What does it mean, if you don't mind?"
"The Lamp and genie are a symbol of my sister- they relate to her name before we changed it. The apple relates to a Disney Movie, Descendants which is my sister's favorite. The cheshire cat is one of my favorites. I have a few that I got i with the guys, we all have matching tattoos. They mean a lot to me."
"Do you have anything you want to tell the fans?"
"Thank you, Thank you for supporting Big Time Rush throughout the years. We've been forever grateful for their support. I hope you guys understand why I've been the way I am, Why I'm much more private now, and why I want to come back.
Music, being with the guys, its what makes me most happy. I love the family I've made for myself, but I miss the stage, I miss singing.
I think Big Time Rush will move forward, and we will write music thats a lot more personal, and a lot more relatable to everyone. I'm excited for everyone to hear what we've worked on. Its nearly ready, I'm not sure when it will be out, But I am excited for you all to hear about it." James said with a smile.
The interview ended, and I took the mic off. In the car ride back to Leeds, Kelly told me that I did very well, and that it would air next week. Once we were back, I thanked Kelly and headed to bed.
"So the world knows about most of it now. I didn't give them your name or Evie's, or even mine, but Its only a matter of time before they all show up and start knocking on the door. Kelly said that if it began to get out of hand, they would get a security team for us, and anything else we needed." I told Madison.
"I'm still not used to my name at times, But I'm much happier here. We've been through hell and back, and I'm never letting you go Jay. You'll always be that kid I saw sitting in Jail, who was scared out of his mind. You took me out of the path I had set up for myself. You helped me get an education, have something to work for. I never thought I could make something of myself. I was on track to go back and forth from Jail my whole life. You gave me a little girl to take care of, and someone to come home to. No matter how hard things get, and have got, you and I are in this together." She told me, holding my cheek.
"I know we've talked about the future, and its scary since we're young, but we'll be okay. The music is a means for us to get by. I know that when we eventually tour, it will be hard on you, with only Evie here. But I will do everything it takes to give you both the world. When things look up, you wont have to work until you cant stand, and your hands ache and you're exhausted but still have work. I want to give you everything. I intend to Marry you one day."
"Evie's at her friends house until tomorrow afternoon." She said with a wink.
Pulling her into bed, I laughed and said, "we can do a lot in that time."
A/N: Thank you all for the reads, follows and favorites! Glad y'all are loving this story still, after like 4 years.