Lost Innocence

Chapter Twenty Nine

POV Steven 

It had been two years since The Beacon Theatre and we were now rockstars. Zach was right in every way, shape, and form. I had been dating Sherrie for two years now and Sophie and David had been in a relationship for about the same amount of time. Joe and Christine weren't together but they saw each other often. Paul and Christine hadn't seen each other in those two years. Samantha was now seven and the little nugget was getting cuter everyday. Emily and John were finally engaged after nearly a decade of dating. I couldn't be happier for my baby sister. We've recorded two albums and were touring like madmen. It was thrilling. Our bank accounts were fat and we were making money faster than I could even keep track of. We toured around Europe and different parts of America. The final leg of our current tour included a couple of shows back home in New York. It was good to be back home after all the touring. 

After the tour it was time for a month long break and then we would be back in the studio worked on a third album and then back on the road for a world tour. I was in my apartment alone and I looked out at the nightlife of New York. I sat by my grand piano and sighed. 

(Flashback) 

"How long?" Sophie asked angrily.
"Sophie I-" 
"How fucking long!?" Sophie said as she shoved me in tears. 
"A couple of weeks." 
"I fucking told you when you were in prison for this exact thing that if I ever found out you did this again it was over, you almost died of a fucking overdose, I'm done Steven!" Sophie said as she dropped to her knees.
"I'm so sorry Sophie." I said as tears streamed down my face. 
"It's too fucking late for you to say you're sorry." Sophie said as she stormed out of my apartment. 

(End of Flashback)

Three years ago I had a relapse and started cocaine again. A few weeks later I was in the hospital because I almost overdosed. Sophie found out and she didn't take it well. We broke up because of my stupidity. Three years later and I'm still always thinking about her while I'm a relationship with another woman. I grabbed my phone and called Paul.
"Hello?" Paul answered. 
"Is this a bad time?" Just from the way he answered the phone I could tell I had interrupted something.
"Is this important?" 
"Yeah, kinda." 
"Fine, I'll be there in ten minutes." Paul said as he hung up the phone. 

Paul arrived in a mere fifteen minutes. I opened the door and let him in.
"This better be good, I haven't had sex since Christine and that was years ago, I'm a man that has needs and was trying to fulfill those needs." 
"Okay you animal, I don't need details." I said as Paul chuckled. 
"I brought a bottle of Vodka." Paul said as he grabbed two shot glasses and poured himself a shot and downed it immediately. 
"Liquor never disappoints." I said as I downed a shot. 
The vodka proved to be pretty strong because minutes later I was moping about Sophie and dumping it all on Paul. I don't remember most of what was said, only that she was the main topic of my drunken stupor. Paul had gotten tipsy but he was still aware and listened to me. 
"I fucked up man. Sophie was the best thing that ever happen and all I had to do was stay away from fucking drugs and I wasn't even strong enough to do that. I knew it would cost me losing her and I fucking did it anyway, how could I have done something so stupid man?"
"Steven you need to relax. You've had quite a lot to drink and you are shit faced. Maybe talking about Sophie isn't the best idea right now." 
"I fucking love her man! What the fuck is wrong with me?" 
"Nothing is wrong with you Steven but you aren't having anymore vodka tonight." 
Paul got up and took away the vodka and shot glasses and hid them.
The next morning I woke up in my bed having no recollection of how I got there. 

POV Joe

While on our break I went to Jersey to see Christine and Samantha. Samantha was growing up so fast and she was now seven years old. We've built a very strong bond and I loved her more than anything in the world. I looked at her room one large poster of The Runaways hung over her bed on the wall. I laughed and she raved about how much she loved my music. It was adorable. Christine and I decided that while I was touring and busy on the road we would remain friends. A relationship wasn't feasible for us currently but I had hopes for us in the future. I was sitting on the couch of the living room with Christine in her home. 
"Ryan and I got a hold of our mother, she's back on fucking drugs. I can't believe she's had years to clean up her act and she still hasn't. I can't believe I was stupid enough to think she could change." 
Christine grabbed my hand and squeezed it softly. "I'm sorry." 
"I have a couple of days off and was wondering if I can stay, I want to spend time with Samantha before we start recording, the next tour is going to be a year long." 
"Wow, that's a long time." Christine replied, "You can stay here as long as you want whenever you want, I want you to spend as much time with Samantha as you can, she adores you." 
"I love her to death, she's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, I'm glad she's close with the guy and with my brother." 
"Samantha loves spending time with Mary, she says Mary is her best friend." Christine said with a slight chuckle. 
I turned and faced Christine and I smiled at her, at age twenty four and she was a goddess. 
"I miss you so much, I think about you every day. About your beauty, your body, and when I could make love to you again." I whispered. 

Within minutes we were in her room but instead of making love I was holding her as she trying to fall asleep. I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. We did kiss but it never went further than that. That night I fell asleep holding Christine in my arms. 

The next morning David and Steven arrived at separate times to pick up their new significant others and take them out of dates. That happened often. Everyone could fell the tension that went on whenever Sophie and Steven were in the same room or David and Sherrie. We all knew this was strange and flip floppy but we couldn't do anything to change any of their minds. 
I was in the kitchen pouring some coffee and Emily walked in. 
"Hey you." Emily said as she saw the arrowhead necklace she gave me years ago. 
"You still wear that?" 
"I never taken it off." I said with a wink.
Emily grabbed a mug from the cabinet and walked over to me. I poured her some coffee and we sat down ad talked. It was so good to be in presence after so long. 
"How long are you home for?" Emily asked.
"Three week and then it's back to the recording studio and then a year long world tour, sometimes it blows to always be on the road but when I get on that stage and I pick up my bass and see the crowd cheering, it's like magic." 
"I'm very happy for you and proud." 
"Christine and I are thinking about going to college, there's a really good college not too far from here and we want to major in music, I might want to teach music to children one day and Christine wants to be a vocal coach, give private lessons, that kind of stuff." Emily said.
"That sounds like a great idea." I said as I sat back and sighed.
"What?" 
"How did we get here? I never thought I would see Steven without Sophie, he may be dating Sherrie now but he's a wreck, we took him to rehab after his relapse and he's clean but for how long?" I said leaning back. 
"I don't know." Emily said sadly. 
"I'm sorry, I know he's your brother. I just worry about him the most. I get how hard it could be, I never want to go back to drugs again." 
I have faith that you won't fall down that hole, you've mostly got your life together, spending as much time with Christine and Sam as you can but Steven lost the love of his life." Emily replied. 
"It's going to be fine, I'll keep my eyes on him. For you." I said as I brought her hand up to my lips as kissed it affectionally.