A/N: Well, summer holidays are almost over here in Qld, Australia. so here
I am, 4 days before I surrender my precious freedom, cooped up in my room,
trying to drown out the noise of my sister vacuuming with Avril Lavigne,
attempting to write fanfiction faster than I breathe. Yeah, I want to get
this finished before skool starts: I wish.. Oh well, there's always
Religion lessons.
* * * * * *
The next morning, Mac sat at her desk for two hours feeling guilty for what she'd said to Singer.
"I mean, you know what it's like when everyone just says to get over it, it makes it worse," she murmured to herself, admitting she was wrong privately, but not yet willing to apologise.
When the phone rang, she was grateful for the distraction. It was Joseph O'Donnell, requesting her presence at the Rebel Records studio. Agreeing to meet him there in half an hour, she set the phone down carefully.
Sighing in foresight, she stood and began looking for Singer.
"Um, our presence was requested at the Rebel Records studio," Mac informed Singer after locating her in the library.
"Ok," she replied.
Then she was silent.
When they arrived at the studio half an hour later, neither had spoken a word. Entering the large room slowly, they found it empty.
"You wait here, I'll go find them," Mac said to Singer, who refused to speak in a brooding reticence.
She found all the other rooms empty except for one. Sitting on the floor of a small practise room was Skatie. She was singing quietly to herself unaware she had an audience.
I'm not about to conceal
What I am, how I feel
I'm not hiding from the world
But God knows I've tried
And I hate it
Hiding it inside
Mac listened to the song, wrapt in the girls voice, thinking about the lyrics she had heard, when Skatie whirled around and stared at her.
"I had no idea you were here," she breathed in shock.
"I know."
"I'm not supposed to be here, I. I spent the weekend with my father. Sought of ran away and ended up here. Ms Reid will be really angry at me if she knows. She's just gone to put another application for a restraining order in this morning."
"Joseph said he'd meet me here," Mac replied, confused.
"Yeah, I know. They left just as I was getting here. I'm not fully sure why, but they do manage the legal affairs of a few other kid celebrities, so maybe something came up."
Just then Mac's mobile rang.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Hey, it's me, Joseph. Sorry we missed you, but something came up with this kid actor's parent's divorce and we really had to be there."
"That's Ok. Um, what did you want to see me for?"
"I had to tell you the Bentley's decided to accept the offer. They met us here this morning and wanted to tell you themselves. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. they said to apologise for causing you any trouble."
"That's a change of heart."
"Apparently their daughter told them they shouldn't be trying to assign blame for Jason's death. I don't know, some family moment story. Don't know much about them myself."
"You should learn. Thanks Joseph, it's been a pleasure working with you and Ms Reid."
"You too, I'll see you around DC sometime."
"Perhaps, bye."
She hung up.
"God I hope I don't see him around," she muttered.
"Who? Josie?" Skatie grinned, "He's alright. It's Ms Reid who's the problem."
"Why?"
"She doesn't believe me about my father."
"I know what that's like," Singer interrupted from the hallway.
"It's getting crowded in here," Skatie said, shooing them into the hall, "Let's go talk in the studio."
"Perhaps you should go back to your fathers place," Mac suggested gently.
"Perhaps not," Skatie replied immediately.
"Why?"
"Because he's awful to me."
"Why don't you tell him how you feel?" Singer asked.
"He wouldn't listen."
"Try," Mac stated.
"You two are ganging up on me," Skatie replied defensively.
"Listen, we, both of us, know what it's like having abusive parents," Singer informed the teenager, "And believe me, running away doesn't make it better."
"Ok, I'm going home," Skatie surrendered.
"My father died. the last time I spoke to him, I called him a sick bastard. It's not good for your conscience," Mac assured her.
"Are you saying I should I try to talk to my father?"
"Yes!" they both exclaimed in unison.
"I'll try." Skatie trailed off, "I can tell you're going to personally escort me to the front door, so let's go."
"Stupidly I trust you," Mac said as they walked out the door, "You go."
"Ok, see ya."
Skatie ran off in the opposite direction without another word.
"Well that was strange," Mac remarked.
Silence ensued.
"Loren, I'm sorry," she began.
Singer didn't reply.
"They decided to accept the offer," Mac said quietly, not sure of what to say.
"You're so judgemental sometimes Ma'am. But I was wrong to conduct myself the way I did. Can we, um, be friends?" Singer questioned awkwardly.
Mac smiled to herself, "I thought you'd never ask."
* * * * * *
A/N: I DID IT!!! This is the last chapter I had to write (as I wrote 14 and then 12, then 13 in that order)! It's finished! *Jubilant author freaks readers out*
* * * * * *
The next morning, Mac sat at her desk for two hours feeling guilty for what she'd said to Singer.
"I mean, you know what it's like when everyone just says to get over it, it makes it worse," she murmured to herself, admitting she was wrong privately, but not yet willing to apologise.
When the phone rang, she was grateful for the distraction. It was Joseph O'Donnell, requesting her presence at the Rebel Records studio. Agreeing to meet him there in half an hour, she set the phone down carefully.
Sighing in foresight, she stood and began looking for Singer.
"Um, our presence was requested at the Rebel Records studio," Mac informed Singer after locating her in the library.
"Ok," she replied.
Then she was silent.
When they arrived at the studio half an hour later, neither had spoken a word. Entering the large room slowly, they found it empty.
"You wait here, I'll go find them," Mac said to Singer, who refused to speak in a brooding reticence.
She found all the other rooms empty except for one. Sitting on the floor of a small practise room was Skatie. She was singing quietly to herself unaware she had an audience.
I'm not about to conceal
What I am, how I feel
I'm not hiding from the world
But God knows I've tried
And I hate it
Hiding it inside
Mac listened to the song, wrapt in the girls voice, thinking about the lyrics she had heard, when Skatie whirled around and stared at her.
"I had no idea you were here," she breathed in shock.
"I know."
"I'm not supposed to be here, I. I spent the weekend with my father. Sought of ran away and ended up here. Ms Reid will be really angry at me if she knows. She's just gone to put another application for a restraining order in this morning."
"Joseph said he'd meet me here," Mac replied, confused.
"Yeah, I know. They left just as I was getting here. I'm not fully sure why, but they do manage the legal affairs of a few other kid celebrities, so maybe something came up."
Just then Mac's mobile rang.
"Hello?" she answered.
"Hey, it's me, Joseph. Sorry we missed you, but something came up with this kid actor's parent's divorce and we really had to be there."
"That's Ok. Um, what did you want to see me for?"
"I had to tell you the Bentley's decided to accept the offer. They met us here this morning and wanted to tell you themselves. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. they said to apologise for causing you any trouble."
"That's a change of heart."
"Apparently their daughter told them they shouldn't be trying to assign blame for Jason's death. I don't know, some family moment story. Don't know much about them myself."
"You should learn. Thanks Joseph, it's been a pleasure working with you and Ms Reid."
"You too, I'll see you around DC sometime."
"Perhaps, bye."
She hung up.
"God I hope I don't see him around," she muttered.
"Who? Josie?" Skatie grinned, "He's alright. It's Ms Reid who's the problem."
"Why?"
"She doesn't believe me about my father."
"I know what that's like," Singer interrupted from the hallway.
"It's getting crowded in here," Skatie said, shooing them into the hall, "Let's go talk in the studio."
"Perhaps you should go back to your fathers place," Mac suggested gently.
"Perhaps not," Skatie replied immediately.
"Why?"
"Because he's awful to me."
"Why don't you tell him how you feel?" Singer asked.
"He wouldn't listen."
"Try," Mac stated.
"You two are ganging up on me," Skatie replied defensively.
"Listen, we, both of us, know what it's like having abusive parents," Singer informed the teenager, "And believe me, running away doesn't make it better."
"Ok, I'm going home," Skatie surrendered.
"My father died. the last time I spoke to him, I called him a sick bastard. It's not good for your conscience," Mac assured her.
"Are you saying I should I try to talk to my father?"
"Yes!" they both exclaimed in unison.
"I'll try." Skatie trailed off, "I can tell you're going to personally escort me to the front door, so let's go."
"Stupidly I trust you," Mac said as they walked out the door, "You go."
"Ok, see ya."
Skatie ran off in the opposite direction without another word.
"Well that was strange," Mac remarked.
Silence ensued.
"Loren, I'm sorry," she began.
Singer didn't reply.
"They decided to accept the offer," Mac said quietly, not sure of what to say.
"You're so judgemental sometimes Ma'am. But I was wrong to conduct myself the way I did. Can we, um, be friends?" Singer questioned awkwardly.
Mac smiled to herself, "I thought you'd never ask."
* * * * * *
A/N: I DID IT!!! This is the last chapter I had to write (as I wrote 14 and then 12, then 13 in that order)! It's finished! *Jubilant author freaks readers out*