Do You Trust Me?

Chapter Seven

(Not proofread)

Catalina

I didn't know how to help her.

"Lauren," Roger sighed as he banged on her green room door, "You've got five minutes!" He shook his head as he rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

I slowly walked up to him after making sure with wardrobe that my outfit was on right, "Roger?" I called out to him only see him get his usual business smile back on his face. "She didn't answer your calls again?"

He let his shoulders fall as he fixed his dress shirt, "She's been really out of it." Roger told me as he pulled out his phone, "I'm going to make sure they have everything ready to hook her up so we won't waste anymore time." He looked over to me and gestured to the door, "If you see her let know all she has to do is go side stage. She should be dressed already." He smiled towards me and wished me a good show.

Looking to the door I just stared at the laminated paper that read my tour's name and Lauren's.

Something started happening to her as the tour went on. Show by show, I could see Lauren's attitude get worse. Not that she'd be rude or mean to anyone of our teams, but more towards herself. She'd started waking up late. Practically dragged out of her tour bus by her security guard with an annoyed Rachel marching behind her. My manager barking her ear off all the while it seemed like Lauren wasn't there. Her eyes were starting to be vacant and whenever someone would be in conversation with her she would barely speak.

Except for the nights when she'd come stumbling to my tour bus. When we'd talk about everything but whatever was really on our minds.

I knocked on the door three times while hoping she wasn't passed out in there, "Lauren?" I pressed my ear against the door only to hearing fumbling around and the strum of a guitar.

I stepped back once the door knob rattled only to see something that made my chest ache. Roger was right. Lauren was dressed and done up already, but even through the makeup I could tell she was exhausted. The red in her eyes let me know she was under the influence of something, "Cata." She smiled while pushing the door open while holding her electric guitar in her other hand, "I was just heading out." Looking into the room I was able to see faint clouds nearing the ceiling.

I looked to both of my sides to make sure no one was around before I stepped up to Lauren to whisper, "Were you smoking in your green room?" I didn't even realize I'd brought my right hand up to straighten out the the collar of the blue flannel she was wearing over a black crop top.

She was even deviating from her usual wardrobe which was a sequence once piece, probably why Roger was speaking to Rachel while I was getting dressed. I'd overheard him asking for advice, but I continued putting on my own outfit. Trying to think that maybe it wasn't something bad.

I knew better than that. I knew the second he joined us on tour, things were slowly crumbling.

Lauren shrugged while diverting her gaze down, "It's just a pen."

I couldn't help myself. My hand came up to cup her cheek and bring her eyes to look back at me, "What's going on?" I asked her softly while Lauren closed her eyes and let her head rest against the top of mine.

"I just need to distract myself," she whispered before stepping back to put her guitar away, "You should watch me perform today. I added a new song." She told me while coming back to step out of her green room.

I followed behind her as she made her way to the side stage to get her in-ears and mic ready, "A new song?" I asked her while trying to think of when she could've written that or what it was about.