HEADLINE ✓

TRACK 9

TJ slid past me, entering my room before I had the chance to respond. I closed the door and turned around to see her fixing herself a drink. She brought the glass to her lips and instantly drained the contents, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"What are you doing here?"

TJ brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and turned to face me. "The boys made me realize I was a dick and I should apologize." She placed the glass down on the table, staying silent as she tapped her fingers against the wood. "Look," she finally said, "You just freak me out a little, okay?"

"Is this your attempt at an apology?"

"Just let me explain." TJ poured herself another drink. "I'm not used to nice people," she said, "And you're nice, or at least you seem nice – I haven't figured that all out yet – and that freaks me out. All of this," she motioned her hands dramatically, around the room, "freaks me out. Everything. Okay?"

I sat at the end of the bed, giving myself a moment to try and piece together what she was saying. "You know an apology usually uses the world sorry, right?"

TJ made her way over, taking a seat beside me, "I..." she slowly started, closing her eyes, "I am sorry."

"That sounded like it was painful to say," I teased, nudging her side.

"It was."

"Do you say that often?"

"Never. Feel honoured."

"I am, trust me."

"Are we supposed to hug now or something?"

I grinned, "I think we will save that for next time."

TJ nodded, looking down at her drink. She gently swirled the liquid around and brought the glass up to her lips to take a sip. "Does it ever get easier?" She asked, her eyes meeting mine, "Everyone knowing everything about you? Or at least, acting like they do?"

"Not really," I replied honestly, "I think you just get immune to it. They all say it comes with the territory. You never really know what it's all like until you go through it."

"Well that fucking sucks," her voice murmured against the rim of her glass.

"It does. But that's the price of fame."

I watched as her eyes roamed around the room, her fingers tapping against the glass she held in her lap. The brief amount of silence was halted by the sound of her voice.

"He was never in my life," she began softly, turning her head to the side to look at me, "It was just my mom and me. That's why it pissed me off so much. I don't like people knowing he's my dad. Everyone else thinks of him as this great rock star... but in my eyes, he's just some guy that knocked up my mom and skipped town."

Listening to her, I wasn't sure what I was more surprised by. The brief insight into the story of her father, or the fact that she was telling me in the first place.

"I always knew there was a high chance it would come out one day if we ever made it... but I thought I'd get to decide," she continued, "That's why I didn't want my name on the song and why I freaked out when it leaked. There's a lot of outside shit that I still need to figure out and I wasn't ready for people to dig into my life. Now it's out there, thanks to someone I thought I could trust and now suddenly strangers think they can form an opinion and turn it into a fact. Not just about the family shit but also you and me, and..." Her voice trailed off as she shook her head, a smile cross her lips, "And that just fucking sucks."

You and me.

"Yeah... it does fucking suck," Was all that I was able to manage.

You and me.