LA Lifestyle

Chapter two

"Hello, boys. Welcome the Katherine show. Let's start the show off with romance. Ricky you're dating the amazing Stacy George. Dylan is dating Josh and vice versa. And Chase and Zack are single," Katherine, a talk show host, said in her annoying valley girl voice. "How is the single life?"

"Can't complain," I said uncommitedly.

"It's you're twenty-first birthday in a few months, right Chase?" she asked.

"Yeah. I can't wait, it's gonna be awesome. We're going to party all night long." I cheered in fake excitement. She agreed and turned the conversation to Dylan and about our new album. I tuned out the rest of the interview, in favor of thinking about Rain and the twins. 'I would much rather have a lazy movie night with them then go clubbing with the band,' I thought as I smiled, taking in the set. A hundred people were sitting in the audience cheering, laughing and booing when the action was appropriate. None of them could tell that I didn't want to be there, that I didn't want to be in LA at all.

I was out of the parking lot almost before Katherine had finished saying goodbye. I was racing down the highway going eighty miles an hour. The lights of the city blurred together. I couldn't feel the road beneath me, it felt like I was floating.

I got home, to my two story white house that overlooked the ocean and had a glass wall facing the water on the first floor, a pool on the roof, a wooden staircase to the beach, a four car garage, a movie theater room, six bedrooms, a small recording studio and a huge state-of-the-art kitchen, in under twenty minutes and dropped onto my bed. I took a deep breathe and changed into black leather skinny jeans, a black, silk button down that I only did the middle two buttons on, black and white Nikes and a gold, diamond encrusted rolex, much better for clubbing. I got into my jeep and drove to the club that the band wanted to meet at.

As I walked into the club, past the line that wrapped around the corner. I took a deep breath, putting a fake smile on my face. I scanned the busy club for the band and saw them standing in the VIP area overlooking the dance floor. I made my way to the stairs closest to them, trying not to let the annoying thrum of music with the base to high and people with too much alcohol in their systems to even form a coherent sentence get on my nerves. I bumped into dozens of people as I moved through the crowd. I hadn't even reached my friends and I already wanted to leave. I hated everything about clubs, the music, the people, the dancing, the drinks, the everything. I considered turning around and telling the others that I had a family emergency and couldn't make it to the club, if they even noticed that I wasn't there. I turned to do just that when I felt the front of my shirt get wet and sticky.

"Sorry. I wasn't looking where I was..." the person started but stopped when they saw me. "Chase?"

"Rain? Hi. What are you doing here?" I asked in shock.

"I turned eighteen last month, as you know. So I decided to have some fun before I start college in the fall," he explained.

"Really? You think this place is fun?"

"Yeah besides it's not that different from listening to your kids screaming and fighting."

"Wait...who is watching the twins?"

"Mason, I figured he could handle watching them for a week or two, until I find a house and then he can bring them up here, or I could go get them. Why? Did you think I just left them with some stranger and came to LA to party, I'm not stupid. Oh, wait, I guess I should have asked, huh?"

"No. You're their mom you can take care of them, you don't need my permission to do anything."

"Yeah, but that's a big change, I should have at least told you about it; it just slipped my mind, I guess."

"It's fine. I trust you. And besides now we have some alone time. So where are you staying?" I asked.

"A hotel by the ocean. A fancy one that famous people go to when they don't want the paparazzi to know where they are. I don't remember its name."

"You know you could move in with me. I always have a place for you, I thought you knew that. I'd love to wake up next to you each morning, you wouldn't have to look for a house, and the twins will have both of their parents again, instead of having a weekend dad." I offered.

"Are you sure? That's a huge change and then there's the paparazzi."

"Yes, of course I'm sure. I don't care what the paparazzi think and I've wanted to be a family with you and the twins since they were born, it just never worked out until now."

"It'll be a lot of responsibility all at once and it would ruin your bad boy look."

"I am positive that I want you and the twins to move in with me."

"Okay. Since you're sure."

"Do you want to get out of here? Go back to my place, where it's quiet, and talk, we'll go to the hotel in the morning and pick up your stuff."

"Can't we stay longer, I want to meet your new friends and catch up with the band."

"Okay. They're in the VIP section," I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the stairs.

"Names," the security guard in front of the stairs demanded. "Chase Summers."

"You can go up. Name."

"He's with me."

"Name."

"I'm giving him permission to come up."

"I'm sorry but if his name isn't on the list he can't go up. Name."

"Rain Storm."

"Is that a joke?"

"Nope. Check your list."

"You can go up? Is that really your name?"

"Yes."

"That's what it says on your birth certificate?"

"Yes."

"Do your parents hate you?"

"No," Rain said, giggling. He walked past the security guard and grabbed my hand.

"How is your name on the list?"

"I made friends with the owner of the club."

"Chase, who's your friend?" Stacy asked flipping her long black hair and batting her grass green eyes as she gave Rain a once over.

"Rain, this is Stacy. Stacy, this is my boyfriend, Rain."

"Hi," Rain greeted, offering her his hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Rain. How long have you two been together."

"Four minutes."

"Don't say it like that. We grew up together and dated on and off since I was six."

I introduced him to some other friends, Rain caught up with the band, we danced and had a few non-alcoholic drinks. When Rain got tired I handed him my keys and we went home and to bed.