Strung (Rock & Romance I.)

Chapter 36. - Intimate

A/N: Welcome back! I know I owed you guys one, so make sure you read the note at the bottom of the chapter!

This one is dedicated to rose1036 ! Thank you for the love, theories, and for being so invested! xx.

***

*London*

"I'm going to a spin class, then I might get a massage in with the girls." My mom said, from the door of the garage. "Would you like to join?"

I shook my head. "I'll be fine, mom," I assured her, turning back to my canvas. "Go have fun."

"Well, if anything were to happen-" She trailed off. "I'll have my phone on me, sweetheart."

I felt her presence behind me, her eyes trained on my back. She was worried - a worried parent, with a situation out of her control. I knew she felt helpless in this situation, but giving her life up to hover over me wasn't doing anyone any good. "Go, mom! We've talked about this."

"There's added security at the gate, and you have the agency's number in your phone. They're five minutes away if you need them." She rattled off, for the millionth time since I've been staying with them.

Behind the walls of my parents' rich, suburban gated community, I haven't spotted a single paparazzi since I've arrived, and with me being completely absent from the public eye for over a week, I prayed the tabloids moved onto a different subject. I was sure there was some celebrity out there who was entering rehab or getting arrested or pregnant. Between those troublesome stars, my simple existence shouldn't have caused such a ruckus.

"I'll see you in a few hours, sweetheart." My mom said after a heavy sigh before I heard a car door close and open, and the distinctive sound of my mom SUV's engine roar down the street as she drove away.

I was alone - for the first time since I've moved back in with my parents, I was left completely alone.

And unlike the heavy feeling I've experienced during the numerous times I've been alone in this house, wondering what my future was going to be like, today I felt at peace. Things out there were bad, sure. But in here? In my childhood garage, I felt content.

My father was always into carpentry, and he had a huge chunk of the six-car garage converted into a workshop long before I was born. Once I was old enough to stumble around, I followed him down here and played with my crayons while he built table after dresser after exquisite wall art.

I was about five the first time he let me sand one of the pieces he was working on, and soon, I was hooked. When my parents thought I was old enough to be down here by myself, I spent every waking moment in this garage, with the doors wide open, creating something remarkable out of ordinary supplies.

And these days, coming down here became my only escape again. My beloved studio has been hounded by reporters, fans, and... well, whatever the opposite of fans was. It was too dangerous to leave the house, and quite frankly, I just didn't feel like facing the public yet.

Callie and Ginger have been visiting me almost daily, and I've spoken to Lukas every single day. He called me after he woke, then again when they were done with practice. We would speak while he drove to a fitting, and in between sets of interviews. He texted me pictures of their shots from the various photoshoots they were required to go to before Hazmat headed off to tour.

I haven't seen him since he showed up at Ginger's apartment after that night, but I felt him. He made an effort. Lukas made me feel like I wasn't alone in this. Like he cared.