Beside You

42 - didnt get to say goodbye..

"Excuse me.." a man tapped my shoulder quietly, trying not to interrupt the interview. "Your phone is ringing, said it was urgent.." he said.

Before we came in, we have our phones to the assistant in order to not interrupt. I told him to answer mine in case it was anyone back home.

Silently but quickly, I slipped out of seat and walked out the room. I felt Trent's eyes watching me leave, but he was too busy to ask questions.

"Hello?" I picked up the phone. "Hey.." Antonio's tired voice spoke down the line. "What's up? They said it was urgent?"

"Yeah...um..." he stuttered out, making me more anxious. "What Antonio?!" I ask, impatient and worried. "Momma just called me...it's..its papà.."

I felt my heart physically breaking as I heard sniffles down the line. He was crying. I've never seen him cry. Ever. Not since we were little kids. Thats how I knew what had happened.

"No.." I whisper out in disbelief, tears pooling down my face. "It just happened so quickly. They were walking by the water. He was telling momma how much he loved her. Loved us and Aria. Almost like he knew...next minute he collapsed. They did everything they could but...he's gone, Gio. He's gone.."

With that, Antonio's cries turned into sobs as I felt my legs get weaker. They gave in under me, my shins colliding with the hard wood flooring as I clutched the phone to my ear.

Tears streamed from my face as the assistant rushed into the interview room. Within seconds, heavy footsteps came sprinting towards me before strong arms pulled me into the familiar chest.

"What happened, Gee?" Trent asked panicked as I sobbed into his arms, clutching his shirt. "Papà...he..he's dead.." I cry out between sobs as I felt his body tense up around me.

"Oh baby.." his voice cracked, trying to hold back his emotions as his hands stroked my hair. "I didn't get to say goodbye Trent.."

"I know. I know." He tried to soothe me, but I just let it all out. I screamed out the pain which was coursing through my veins until I became numb.

"Come on..let's get out of here." He said softly, sniffling as he lifted me to my feet. Since Trent's parents abandoned him, my parents took him in. Treated him as their own. So I knew he was hurting too.

"What about your interview?" The woman's distant voice asked and Trent scoffed. "Yeah that's not a priority right now. Use what you have." He said bluntly as we walked out the building.

The second we stepped out of the building, the flashing of cameras snapped me from my numb daze. It quickly set in that we've both been crying, it more noticeable that I was hurting. The media are going to twist this, aren't they?

Trent's hand flung up, guarding my face from them as he shoved his way through the crowd and into the car that was waiting for us.

"Trent they-"

He cut me off, his hand gripping mine as the car sped away from the crowd. "Don't worry about what they'll say for now. I'll handle it." He reassures me, kissing the back of my hand as Andrew turns around from the front passenger seat.

"What was that about? Do you have any idea what the label will say if they see those photos? You're not thinking Trent." Andrew sighed, Trent's eyes shooting him a deadly glare.

"She just found out her father, the man who took me in when I had no one, is dead! So pull your head out of your ass for five minutes and go back to the guy I started working with eight years ago! I don't give a damn what this label says. It's not going to be hard to find another one, let's be honest." Trent snapped out, catching all of us off guard.

I've never seen him yell at Andrew like this. With all the pressure from the record label, it's put a lot of pressure on their relationship. But emotions are high right now. Andrew knew that, as he turned around and said nothing as we drove to the stadium.

Trent didn't let go of me once as we headed to the dressing rooms. "Bro, have you looked on social media?" Chris asks concerned as he walked into Trent's dressing room. "They're saying you've done something. That you caused her to be crying. You might want to get ahead of this before it spirals." He says, sitting opposite me.

"You okay?" He flashes me a sad smile as I just stare at the wall blankly. "She's just found out her dads dead.." Trent says quietly, my gut wrenching. It's never going to get easier hearing those words. "Oh shit..I'm so sorry, Gio." Chris offers and I just give him a small nod.

The sensation of buzzing coming from my hands catches my attention. Hudson's name flashes up on the screen. I slide it in acceptance, putting it on speaker because I had no energy to move my arms.

"Gio, are you ok? We're all at the airport right now. Figured you could use your family right now. Aria's here too. We'll be there before Trent goes on stage tonight." Hudson rambles out, making my eyes full with tears once again.

"Antonio stayed home with Hannah and the kids. Said he would call you later. He just wanted to be alone. But the rest of us are coming."

"Okay.." I whisper out. That's all I can manage to say. Trent walks over to me grabbing the phone as he takes it off speaker, pressing it against his ear as he paces the room.

"No."
"Yeah I've just seen them all."
"I'm on it."
"Alright fly safe. I'll have a car there when you land."
"Bye."

Trent kept his conversation brief with Hudson before hanging up. "Media is twisting this. Do you mind if I make a quick statement? I promise you I'll keep it very brief. Won't mention anything about your dad." He asks me, and I nod in agreement.

"Go. Do what you have to do. It's fine."

He flashes me a small smile, gesturing to Chris not to leave me alone as he walks out.