tomgirlx93@yahoo.com Stories from a Life- Break up Pending part two July 22, 2007 COPYRIGHT 2007
Author's Note: Thanks so much to all that have commented on the first installment. I hope this chapter will be just as exciting, as the first. Feedback is always welcome and I will try to give an immediate response. ----------------------------------------
Charisma Collin had walked off of the movie set, while in the middle of intense dialog, just to call Ashley. The thoughts of not feeling loved were killing her more that day, than any other. Nothing mattered to her at that moment, but to handle the personal issue. As she speed-walked through various props, the movie crew tried to halt Charisma. The normally sweet girl had fire on her tongue, when she would turn to tell them to leave her be. Collin then drove to the nearest bar and stood outside to end it with Ashley. Then went inside the shabby bar. It had no windows, the lighting was dark and it seemed to be the perfect place to hide. There were only about three other occupants in the pub. Charisma planned to get as inebriated as possible, without someone breathing down her neck.
"Hey aren't you that girl?" The bald bartender asked Charisma, as she took a seat.
"Just fix me your strongest drink and give me a Miller while you're at it." She said without making eye contact.
As the bartender, taken aback by her request, went to do as told, Charisma's phone buzzed in her hand. She did not bother to see whom was calling. Collin just dropped the ringing cell into a half full beer mug and watched it die. *******************************************
I tried to call Charisma multiple times, before giving up.
"Shit! What do I do now?" I asked Frankie, breathless from coming closer and closer to a mental break-down.
We stepped in between two small buildings, as Frankie tried to calm me.
"Look, call the studio. She has to be there still." She suggested, her strong hands firmly gripping my shaking shoulders.
"Fine."
The call went through, only for me to be told Charisma had disappeared.
"What? When? Who let her?" I asked the director, whom came to the phone.
"She just walked clear off of the set, right in the middle of a scene. Then growled at anyone that tried to stop her." The director explained, he too was frantic.
I hung up and immediately flagged down a taxi.
"What are you doing?" Frankie asked, as we entered the cab.
Instead of responding, I told the driver where to go.
"Chadwell. In the Valley." I ordered.
"Why there?" He asked, seeming to know ex actually where I wanted to go.
"Just drive, man." I almost shouted at him.
Frankie kept quiet, as we headed to the Valley. We pulled up in front of where we needed to be, about twenty-five minutes later. Then threw the driver a hundred dollar bill as I jumped out, pulling Frankie along.
"What is this?" Frankie asked, looking around at the various houses and small studios.
"This house, right here. I gotta talk to The Girls." I said, rushing through the door and past the security guard that knew me.
"Wait. Are we really about to walk on to a porn set, right now?" Frankie knew of Crystal, Abby and Nia from her past visits to California.
"I have to see if they've seen Charisma."
"Why don't you call?"
"Just in case Charisma is here, I don't want to get lied to. Plus, where else would she run?" ******************************************* Meanwhile....
Upstairs from the bar, where Charisma Collin was drowning her sarrows, Josh Sullivan released the fifth orgasm she had had that day. The woman she was with rolled away, giving Josh an upset expression.
"What?" Josh asked, wiping the sweat on her breasts with a towel.
"You just seem to drift somewhere else, when I'm fucking you." The woman said, as she massaged her aching jaw. "Actually, your eyes drift to that stupid poster over head." She pointed to the ceiling, where a full-length poster was taped.
"You're paranoid." Josh sat on the edge of the bed, her back to the woman.
Sullivan had picked up the blond in the bar, about an hour or so ago.
"Don't call me a liar. It's true!" The woman stated, as she stood and dressed.
Josh stared out of the window, across the room, until the bleach blond was gone. Then she laid back on the mattress, looking straight up. Josh had indeed been averting her eyes to the poster. She couldn't let the blond know about her secret obsession nor let her in on the very thing that was always on her mind. There was a name posted all over and around the glossy poster: Charisma Collin. **************************************
A rather large man led Frankie and I to the room The Girls were in. There we found Crystal, Abby, Nia and a few other girls. They were passing a champagne bottle around, not bothering with glasses. All sorts of film equipment lined the farthest wall.
"Oh hi!" Crystal was sitting in a vanity chair, wearing a pink robe and eight inch stilletos.
"We really need to talk. And what the hell is going on in here?" I asked.
"Oh, we're just helping this one loosen up, for her first scene." Nia said, pointing to a young and innocent brunette sitting near by. "But what brings you kids by? Showing Frankie the set?"
"No, Charisma broke up with me and I don't know where she is." I answered, nearly frantic, from stating the truth out loud.
Everyone's face dropped, as well as the Moët bottle that had been in Abby's hand.
"So I'm assuming none of you have spoken to her all day?" Frankie asked.
"No." Abby and Crystal responded.
Nia bit her glossy bottom lip and stood. "Well, she did call me earlier and did, like, sound weird. She wouldn't tell me what was wrong, but told me she would let me know later."
"Here, try calling her now. She's not answering for me." I said.
While Nia set to do that, I explained what had happened. I even went into how I was going to end the relationship, but changed my mind. After Nia tried calling several times, Crystal tried and then Abby.
"Where in the hell would she go?" Crystal asked, tossing her phone on to the vanity. "She knows not to run around alone."
"We have to find that crazy bitch. And from now on, you two need to work on your communication skills." Abby pointed at me, as she walked toward the door.
The others in the room were quite entertained. Crystal ran out with us, even though she was only in her robe and heels. The five of us scrambled out to the parking garage and jumped into Nia's Mini Cooper. ****************************************************
Josh went downstairs for another drink. She had been watching All the Good Girls and was planning to see it again, after a few shots. Meanwhile, Charisma was working on her sixth shot and ready to order another Miller. The drink the bartender had made earlier wasn't strong enough, even though it burned as it went down.
"You should slow down. Besides, you know I'll get in a lot of trouble if someone sees you stumbling out of here. I'm sure everyone knows who and how old you are." The stout bartender said.
"Man, don't do me right now. I know what I'm doing. Just let me out of the back door later. A limo or some shit will get me." Charisma said, with low growl in her voice.
Josh walked in through the back exit, sitting at the very end of the bar.
"Hey Marcus. Give us a few Jaeger bombs, yeah." Josh said to the bald man behind the bar, keeping her eye on the cigarette she was lighting.
"Sure. Hey, do you recognize that girl down there? I can't think of her name, but I know she's famous or something?" That Marcus asked, leaning in so Charisma wouldn't hear. "She won't tell me her name."
Josh tried to look, but Charisma was slightly turned away from her view.
"I'll see later." Uninterested, Josh took three shots in a row.
"I know how you like the blonds. Why only them, any way?" Marcus asked, as he fixed Josh three more shots.
"No reason." The sandy haired, twenty-three year old, Irish girl brushed off the question with a smirk.
She was unmistakably good looking, with her deep green eyes and shoulder length hair. Sullivan's looks made Charisma turn and stare, at the sound of her accent. Josh did not notice, as she sipped on now a chilled beer. There was a resemblance Ms. Collin could not help but notice about Sullivan. The deeply tanned skin and girly, yet mannish mannerisms Josh possed kept Charisma glaring. Even the way Sullivan's hair laid around her shoulders, as well as the color, reminded the nineteen year old of.....Charisma thought. If it wasn't for the guyish clothing, the girl at the other end of the bar could have been her ex. ***************************
Nia impatiently weaved in and out of the mid-day traffic, going well over the speed limit. The radio was blasting a popular station, that normally gave listeners a heads-up on celebrity sightings, in between songs.
"You drive wild." Frankie said from the back seat.
"Thanks." Nia winked.
"Ok, where could she possibly go? I can't believe no one has seen this girl." I asked, puffing a Newport 100, as though it had the answer.
We were now heading to the airport, to see if Charisma had booked a flight. We didn't have many options. I had called her mother, whom was on a yacht in Spain. I did not let her know what was at hand, not wanting to ruin her vacation. Mrs. Collin could be stressed out very easily, just like her sensitive daughter. I also called her publicist, but not even Erica had heard from Charisma.
"Maybe she's getting fucked up." Abby suggested, while grooming her fingers through Frankie's hair.
"Ooh, yeah! Let's, like, call every bar in L.A." Nia said over her shoulder, her layered, dark brown hair blowing in the breeze.
"Are you serious?" Crystal asked in a uncertain tone.
"Yeah. I mean, we have, like, no choice now do we?"
"Cool. We'll grab a phone book and each start callin', but I still wanna check out the airport." I agreed. *************************************
Charisma chugged the fifth beer. The pain stinging her broken heart was still there. She wanted to forget about it, if only for that day. Then again, while she sat there drowning those endless sarrows, Charisma vowed to do this for days on end, until thoughts of Ashley did not hurt anymore. She stood and all of the alcohol hit her at once. Dizziness almost knocked her to the floor. 'At least I'm not sick yet', Charisma thought, as she made her way to the end of the bar. She had an uncontrollable urge to speak to that mysterious girl. Perhaps it was the mix of that delusional depression and the alcohol, making Collin believe it was a good idea.
"Hi. Do you know who I am?" She asked, when standing near Josh.
The Irish girl almost screamed, immediately recognizing the love of her life, but had to hide that fanatic urge. "No."
"Good. I want to forget who I am." Charisma hopped on the closest stool, trying to hide how drunk she was. "Who are you?"
"Um, Josh. And you?" Sullivan was starting to sweat.
"Me? I can't say. Someone may hear me." Charisma flagged Marcus over. "I need another...uummmm. Hey, what are you drinking?"
"Beer." Josh said, now unable to hide her huge grin.
"Don't lie. I saw you downing some dark shit earlier." Charisma was totally losing her sweet character and herself, turning into a completely different person.
"Wait. You've been watching me?"
"So?"
"No reason." The sandy haired woman almost chuckled, as she finished her beer and ordered them both her favorite drink. ************************************************
"This is Crystal Crocker....Yeah I'm serious, dude!....So have you seen her?.....I'll come in right now and prove it.......Oh, why thank you.. Which was your favorite scene." Crystal was on the line with the third biggest bar in the city, girlishly tossing around her freshly highlighted, caramel hair.
"Bitch, hang up. This ain't about you." Nia scolded.
"Girl, if we say who we are, then maybe people won't lie. They're probably protecting her or some shit." Crystal said, clicking her cell shut.
The airport had failed us. After leaving there, we stole Nicole Richie's phone book. Crystal, in her robe, had slipped her hand under the tall gates that lined the mansion, dove back into the car and Nia sped off on screeching tires. It gave us all a good laugh, brightening the sour mood.
"Fuck this sober shit. We need a bottle. Maybe if we drink a little, like, we'll relax and find Charisma." Nia suggested.
"Yeah and so you can get a DUI, and fuck up the whole witch hunt." Abby stated.
"Bitch, I drive drunk all the time. Don't play."
"Yeah, right about now I need a drink. Pull this bitch over." I said, spotting a dingy pub coming up on the left.
It did not concern me at all, that Nia would be as tipsy as I wanted to become. Back home, I was used to the driver holding a bottle of alcohol between their legs, while either cruising to a party or the inner city. Even if a drunk driver was not fine with me, I would have done anything to calm me down. The more we drove, the more I felt Charisma was slipping away from me. *************************************************
Charisma was looking at Josh, through double-vision, after the third Jager bomb.
"Wow, you are gone girl." Josh laughed.
"No, I just need some coffee or something." Charisma slurred.
"Naw, it'll just make all that drink come up. Your best bet would have been coke, if ya did it."
"Oh? You got any?"
Josh had trouble hiding her shock. Just when she thought she knew every little thing about Charisma Collin, Josh realized that there was more to learn. She mentally recalled the stash hidden in her apartment.
"Let's go upstairs. I'll fix ya up." Sullivan smiled as she stood.
They went out of the back door, as the front door flew open. *************************************
"Hey! Mr. Bar man." Crystal whistled as we walked into the bar, taking our seats in unison. "We need three Cunnilingus shots, each, and some answers."
The bartender looked stunned for a moment, at both Crystal's request and attire, then served us. "What can I help ya with?" The bald man asked, as he set the creamy shots in front of us.
"Has Charisma Collin been in here today or have you heard anything about her?" I asked.
"Uh, I don't even know who that is." He shrugged.
"What's your name, man?" Abby asked.
"Marcus." The man responded.
"Look, Marcus, that girl is damn famous right now. You must know of her. So, like, a rather pretty blond hasn't been through here at all today?"
"Well, plenty of pretty blonds come in here. Actually, there was this one that looked familiar to me. Can't say where I think I've seen her, but am sure she was famous."
"Blond? Hazel eyes? Medium height? Small waist? Adorable face?" I asked, lightly blushing at the thought that the lovely girl in question had been mine.
"Yeah, I think so." Marcus looked unsure.
"When did she leave?" Frankie asked.
"Just before ya'll came in."
The five of us downed our sweet shots and thought. We wanted to believe it had been Charisma.
"Was this girl getting wasted? She just broke up with her girlfriend today, so...." Nia said.
"Oh, yeah she was. Did look sad as hell in the process. But she couldn't have been that hurt, 'cause she walked out with the girl that lives upstairs."
We all looked at each other, sure that could not be our girl. Charisma was way too reserved to pull a stunt like that. She would not even make eye contact with a person, if she did not know them well. Then again, none of us knew her to be the type that would walk off of the job, with no good reason. Let alone get drunk in broad day light.
"Hey man, sell me that bottle of Smirnoff over there." Crystal demanded sweetly. "Yeah, that bottle. I'll give you a bill for it." Then she waved a hundred dollar bill under Marcus' nose.
Where she had pulled that bill from, I can never be sure.
"Why?" Marcus asked, giving her a suspicious glare.
" 'Cause we gotta get goin'. We have to find our girl." Abby spoke up, before slamming her last shot. *************************************
Meanwhile, Charisma was sitting at Josh's kitchen table, snorting lines off of a small mirror. Every time she leaned down to take in the white powder, Josh discretely leaned in to inhale the scent of Charisma's hair. She wanted to touch Collin and devour her whole. The urge was becoming harder and harder to avoid.
"How many can I do, before I've had too much?" Ms. Collin asked, her double vision clearing up, as both nostrils became clogged. She had never done such a thing, without being with good friends or Ashley.
"I say do one more, then stop. You'll be fine after that." Josh assured.
"But what if I want more?" With her heart already beating rapidly, Collin was thinking of how much more she could do. She wanted to safely be as inebriated as she possibly could.
"I'll give it to you, but not too much. Trust me." Josh's smile, that followed, was a evil one.
"I need a beer." Charisma really needed water, to sooth her numbed thoart, but wanted more to drink instead.
Josh laughed. "Already, huh? Come on, lets go back then." She was loving the whole situation. Sullivan knew after so long and just enough cocaine, that Charisma would be in her bed. Then she would prove to be the girlfriend, she believed, Collin always wanted. Josh put her arm around Charisma's waist, tingling with glee, and helped her down the stairs. When they came through the back door, Charisma went straight to the bathroom, which was right near the exit. Josh hopped on the nearest bar stool and looked for Marcus.
A group of girls were arguing with him. The girls she recognized all too well. Three were the infamous porn star friends of Charisma Collin and the olive skinned girl, surrounded by them, was a person she loved to hate. Why, she thought, is my enemy also in this damned place? One of the small bits she knew about Charisma was who her girlfriend was. Sullivan moved to L.A, from Ireland, just to be able to follow Charisma Collin around. Which she succeeded in doing, clicking pictures from afar, when spotting Collin in a public place. Josh ran to the bathroom, just as Charisma was about to step out.
"Hey, ready for another bump?" Josh asked, dangling the baggie of white powder in Charisma's face.
"Oh, I was just thinking about that." Charisma smirked happily.
The two headed into the farthest stall, giggling as they went. ****************************************************
"Fine, if ya want the bottle that damn bad. Just don't say where you got it, when the cops pull you over." The bar man scolded.
"Let's go girls." Crystal said, shoving the Smirnoff gallon into Abby's oversized purse.
"Wait, I gotta wash my hands. I had them on this nasty bar." said Frankie.
While she went to the bathroom, the others and I started to wait for her in the car. That's when the phone in a mug caught my eye. The cell was decorated with gem stones, in the exact pattern Charisma's phone had. I pulled the phone out of the stale beer and inspected it.
"Ew, Ashley. Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with everything you see?" Nia asked, standing over my shoulder.
"This is her phone." I was sure. That was all I had to say. We all scrambled to the bathroom. "Frankie! She was here! Here's Charisma's phone." I stated. ****************************************
Charisma's eyes widened. She put her hand over Josh's mouth and listened.
"Where did that guy say she went?" another voice she knew all too well asked.
"Upstairs. Come on. I'm knockin' that door down!" her ex's voice stated.
Charisma waited for them to leave before moving. "Shit. What do we do?" She asked.
"Stay here. I'll work it out." Josh assured. ********************************
I flew up the stairs, leaving the others behind. I banged on the door and pounded it with my feet.
"Open this bitch up! I'll burn it down if I have to." I yelled.
The others helped me kick at the door, hoping it would fly off of the hinges.
"What the fuck is going on?" A heavily accented voice came from the stairs behind us, after a few moments.
I turned and was ready to attack the girl, certain it was the owner of the apartment.
"You have something of mine." I stepped up and said.
"Come again?" The girl came closer.
"My girlfriend. I was told she was here." I stood my ground, as the other four surrounded the girl.
"I'm alone, sweetie. I was with someone, but sent her home. She was quite trashed."
I took a deep breath, not sure if I should believe her.
"How did she get home?" Frankie asked.
"Taxi." The girl simply responded.
"Where does she live? I mean, if she was wasted, you had to have told the cabbie where to take her." Crystal said.
"On Wilshire blvd. Condo 113." The girl gave us precise information.
We were all stunned, not knowing what to say. She went on to say how Charisma really didn't want to go home because her girlfriend was abusive.
"Now that's some bullshit." I had cut in.
"She wouldn't say that. You're a liar, dude." Abby pointed.
"Oh, but she did. Now if you would excuse me." The Irish sounding girl went to open her door.
As she stepped in, we peeked inside, hoping to see something that would give her away. Nia was the one that spotted the coke-stained mirror on the girl's kitchen table, before the door was closed and immediately knocked on the it.
"What now?" The sandy haired girl peeked out.
"Was she doin' shit?" Nia asked.
"Shit?"
"Coke, bitch. Was our girl doin' the shit?" Crystal stepped forward.
"No. She was never up here." The sandy haired girl said.
"We should go. For some reason, I'm getting creeped out by this place." Frankie said.
My best friend wasn't the kind to back down from a battle, but seemed sure we all should leave a.s.a.p. After giving the Irish girl a quick look up and down, I led the way to leave. We went out of the back and walked around the front, through the alley. There was a small parking lot toward the front, of the shabby building. All at once, the five of us noticed Charisma's glossy-blue Volkswagen. We had not noticed it before, since we had parked down the street.
"We should drive it home." Crystal suggested, as we inspected the car to make sure it was Charisma's.
"With what keys?" asked Abby.
"We'll, like, hot wire it." said Nia. "We just can't leave it here."
"Fine. So, who knows how to hot wire a car?" I asked.
There was a short silence, everyone looking at each other, hoping someone knew.
"Well, I do." Crystal said hesitantly.
"Cool. Now how do we get into it? That's the first thing." I said.
Crystal sent Frankie to fetch her a wire hanger, from the vintage shop across the street. When it was retrieved, Crystal expertly popped the lock and got in the driver's side. As she fumbled with the wires, we took to the bottle of vodka, taking large gulps and passed it around. I lit a cigarette and puffed it, after every hard swallow. The smoke made the sting not so harsh. After some time, the car vroomed to life, making us all squeal happily. Abby was just putting the Smirnoff back into her purse, when a cop came walking up.
"Ah hm." The lady cop raised an eyebrow, looking at the hanging wires and us all.
"Look, there's a really good explanation for all of this, miss." Crystal said.
"I'm sure. Who's car is this?" The cop asked, removing her heavily tinted, aviator sunglasses.
"This is my girlfriend's car. She left it here because she was too drunk to drive." I explained.
The cop looked at me suspiciously. "Hey, aren't you that Ashley girl? I hear you and that Collin kid are on the rocks."
"Yes, but no. It's a long story." I puffed deeply on the cigarette, hoping she wouldn't smell the liquor on my breath.
Then cop lady looked over at Crystal. "Hey, didn't I arrest you once, for this very reason? For hot wiring your girlfriend's car and then crashing it into the side of her house?"
Crystal looked like a deer in headlights, right then. She started to speak, when cop lady put out her hand and asked for Crystal's ID. While the cop went to her car, to run the ID, we all turned to Crystal.
"See, that was a long time ago." She defended, before any of us could say anything.
"Ah, shit. This doesn't look good." Frankie shook her head. ********************************************************************
Charisma sat in the bathroom stall, waiting impatiently for Josh to return. After so long, noticing there was silence, she hesitantly stepped out of the washroom, peeked around and went up to Josh's apartment. Before stepping inside, she looked over at the parking lot a few feet away and saw the gaggle of people she knew all too well. They were surrounding her car, screaming in protest as a female officer handcuffed one of them. Charisma's heart sank. She wasn't sure of what was happening, but knew it was all on her account. She started to run over, but went up the apartment entrance instead. Running up the stairs, Collin could feel her heart beating wildly.
"What did you do?" Charisma asked Josh, as she entered the small apartment. "Did you get them in trouble?"
"What do you mean? I just kicked them out, before they could break my door down." Sullivan responded.
"Who called the cops, then? One of them is being arrested!"
Josh paused, unsure of how that could have happened. She really didn't care and hoped the girl being taken in was Ashley. Nonetheless, Josh acted concerned.
"They'll be fine." Sullivan assured, though she was certain the tight situation Charisma's people were in had only begun. *************************************
Crystal was jumping up and down, the cuffs tight around her wrists, demanding that they were only helping a friend out.
"Can't be too sure of that." The officer shook her head. "Until I can contact that Charisma character, I'll have to hold you for questioning."
"This is bullshit, dude! I'm telling you, she broke up with me, ran off and got drunk. Then got sent home by the person that lives upstairs." I stated.
"Can this other person vouch?" The short-haired officer, whom was sexy in that chick-in-uniform way, asked.
We all paused, knowing after what had happened that the Irish girl would do everything in her power to keep us in trouble.
"I didn't think so." The cop took Crystal by the arm. "Let's go. You better hope someone at the station doesn't talk me into also charging you for indecent exposure."
"She's got a robe on." Frankie spoke up.
"Yeah and with what under it?" The cop was relentless.
We watched the officer drag Crystal to the squad car and drive away. None of us could speak or think.
"Now what? Bail her out or go back to the condo, to make sure Charisma is really there?" Nia asked, becoming more and more unhinged by the minute.
"Well....." I was at a lose for words and a plan. I sighed and covered my aching eyes. "Frankie, say something."
My friend was staring off into space, with a disbelieving expression I had never seen on her before. She was always the one to think quickly and get out of the stickiest situations. Now, Frankie just stood there, looking like a confused little girl, as we all were.
"Hand me that bottle." She said and then took a hefty swallow of vodka, when Abby placed it in her hand. **************************************
Josh seated Charisma on her couch and handed her a beer. She tried to assure Collin that what ever happened, it would not end terribly.
"I hope so. But the press will see and they'll get reamed, all 'cause of me being a baby." Charisma had sobbed, tears gently streaming down her cheeks.
"Don't cry. It's ok." Josh leaned in and wrapped her arms around the girl.
Charisma melted into her and Josh felt flames of lust ignite from inside. She could no longer control her yearnings. Sullivan took Collin's face in her hands and kissed the flowing tears. Charisma let out a gentle moan, when their lips met. Josh's heart fluttered and kissed the girl deeper. It was an earth-shattering lip lock, for Sullivan. Every nerve and cell in her body reacted to Charisma's soft lips and tongue. It was the moment Josh had dreamed and daydreamed about for three years. She felt fate caused this day for a reason and that she had to take it all in, promising herself she would never let Collin go.
"I need you to..." Charisma began breathlessly, in between intense kisses, trying hard to erase Ashley from her immediate thoughts.
"What?" Josh whispered, moving her lips to Collin's chin.
"Make me forget about her. Please. She makes me so sad." Charisma's tears came quicker.
She embraced Josh tightly, pulling the Irish girl on top, as she laid back. Yes, Sullivan thought, this is just the way I want you: vulnerable and wanting only me. As she kissed down the girl's neck, Charisma could not fight the images of Ashley, that were haunting her mind.
"Wait. I need some more of something." Charisma was not in her right mind at all. ***************************************
Abby waited in Charisma's car, to keep it running, when we all pulled up to the station. Nia followed behind in the Cooper. The Los Angeles police department was swarming with issues, that day. Some computers were down, a series of criminals were being brought in one by crazy one and there was a line at the bail booth. Since the system was down, many ahead of us left the line. I finally stepped to the booth, after fifteen minutes, lightly buzzing from the vodka we had downed on the way.
"No. No one by that name is written down here." The elderly woman had said, glancing over a notepad.
"She has to be here already. The officer brought her in, about fifteen minutes ago." I stated.
"Which officer?" The woman gave me a skeptical once over.
"I don't remember. The girl she dragged in had on a bath robe." I answered, already greatly impatient.
"There are plenty of women being dragged in, with their bath robe and slippers, everyday." The bail lady smirked.
"She had on this season's Christine Dior stilettos, actually, with that bathrobe." Frankie cut in.
I looked over at her, surprised she even knew that.
"Look, she should be coming in soon, if not here already. I'll pay the bail right now, so it's done." Nia said.
"Nope. It all depends on what she did." The elderly woman shook her head.
"She did nothing, but try to help a friend." Frankie growled.
"I've heard that one before." The woman scoffed.
The longer we stood there, the more I wanted to find Charisma laying in our bed, resting peacefully. Then again, I had a gut feeling my love wasn't there at all. **************************************************
Charisma was now leading the kiss. After stuffing her nose with more of the drug, she was rowdy and steaming. Collin was straddling Josh's hips, grinding into her the deeper their kiss became.
"Take me to your bed." Charisma whispered, slowly peeling her clothes off.
"No. I like it right here." Josh said, flipping the girl over on to her stomach.
Charisma was now in her bra and socks. Nothing more. Josh kissed her firm back, slowly trailing the flat of her tongue up Collin's spine. Again, memories of how Ashley used to do the same attacked Charisma's thinking. Like the times her breasts were pressed against the shower wall, as Ashley fingered her from behind. Everything Sullivan did could have been the carbon copy Ashley's touches. Only her ex's touch felt so much better. Nothing would ever be the same, if it was not Ashley. Charisma knew she had to fight the images and longing. Reality set in, when Josh cooed sweet and warm phrases into her ear. Yes, Charisma thought, I can fight this. I hate her. I hate Ashley and she hates me. Then Collin thought, why would she choose some random girl, that resembled her ex, to help her forget? Charisma was letting her thoughts drive her mad. It was all becoming too much. The cocaine was making her panic and the alcohol was causing confusion. Everything had become way too scary, to ignore.
"I can't." Collin got to her feet and reached for her clothes. *************************************************
We tumbled out of the police station, stricken with defeat. The booth woman had been just as ruthless as that damned cop. There was nothing any of us could do. Frankie, Nia and I stood near the Volkswagen and dwelled.
"Should we wait?" Abby asked, hanging out of the driver window.
"I don't know." My head was really starting to ache, from all of the stress. "Hopefully the bitch will really call, when Crystal gets here."
"Well, let's go check on your girl. One thing at a time." Abby pulled off and we followed in the Mini.
It was the early evening, by then. Traffic was becoming tighter and so were the nerves in my head. Not only was I longing to see Charisma, to tell her how sorry I was, but Crystal being arrested was killing me. Just as we were turning down a busy street, Frankie spotted Crystal, in her pink bathrobe and long heels, running from six chubby camera men. Abby, also spotting her, honked from the Volkswagen to get Crystal's attention and stopped in the middle of the street.
"What the fuck, Crys?" Nia said, when she jumped in the Cooper.
"You won't believe what I've been through." Crystal was breathless.
She explained how the officer drove to the condo, to speak with Charisma. No one was home, but it made her look good when she extracted and used the spare key hidden in the door panel. She then went on about how on the way to the station, she managed to seduce the cop or, more, the cop seduced her.
"Now, I won't go on about the whole alley scene, but she took the cuffs off afterwards and let me go." Crystal finished.
"So, Charisma wasn't there?" I asked, feeling defeated.
"No." Crystal stroked my face. "I'm sorry." **********************************************
Josh, with her jeans around her ankles, stumbled after Charisma. Collin was running down the staircase.
"I'm sorry. I have to go." Charisma said, flying out of the exit.
"No. Please. It's ok." Josh protested, feeling the same way one would, as they watched something important roll down the drain.
"It's all too much. I need..." Collin and Sullivan were now standing in the parking lot.
Charisma realized her car was gone.
"What do you need?" Josh asked, combing her fingers through Collin's silky hair.
Charisma stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do. "I need my mother."
"Huh?"
"I need her. She....I just need to see her. I need her to hold me." Collin began sobbing.
"I can hold you."
"No! I need to be away from here. I need to get out of L.A.!" Charisma then took off down the street.
Josh began running after, but tripped. By the time she looked up, Collin had disappeared. The Irish girl's heart dropped. Meanwhile, Charisma had cut down an alley. She made her way to a busy street and looked for the nearest Airline agency.
"Tell me where I can buy a ticket." Collin asked a random man, dozing off on a bench.
"Two blocks that way." The man pointed to the right, not making eye contact. By the time he looked up and noticed Charisma Collin, she had already started running again. The man quickly gathered his camera equipment and called a friend. ***********************************************
We went to the condo, after driving around aimlessly. There I popped open a beer and slouched on the couch. I was losing hope in ever rekindling what Charisma and I had. The whole day had been my fault. If it wasn't for the fears I had been having, about the relationship, then everything would have been fine. At that time of the day, I would have been in the kitchen, preparing dinner, and Charisma would be walking through the door, anxious to see me. The realization of that never happening again slowly dawned on me, as I sat there drinking beer after beer with the others. By the time the house phone rang, I was definatly drunk. My hand fumbled for the phone, which was on the lamp stand next to me.
"Yeah?" I had an uncaring tone in my voice.
"What did you do to her?!?" Charisma's mother shouted.
I sat up. "Mrs. Collin?"
"Who else? She just called me from a pay phone. My daughter doesn't use pay phones."
"I can explain. There has been a misunderstanding." I tried not to slur.
"Surely there has. Nonetheless, she's coming to me now. In Spain. By the time she gets back to California, I don't want you in that house"
"But.."
"No, no. Enough has been said, and I hope I've made myself clear."
As I tried to protest, the dial tone buzzed in my ear.
"Now what?" Frankie asked.
She and the others were listening in on the call.
"Charisma's on her way to Spain, to see her mother." I said blankly.
"To the airport!" Nia jumped up, running for the door and we all followed. *********************************
After purchasing a ticket and taking a cab to the airport, Charisma floated around the various stores near her terminal. She had no clothes, so Collin decided to buy some things while waiting for her flight. Charisma, first, bought a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap. The paparazzi had followed her all the way to the airport, from the ticket agency. More and more of them were scattered around the airport. Collin knew the fiasco would be all over the tabloids, by the next morning. She did not care. When one camera man boldly jumped in Charisma's face, his camera flashing all over her, the man asked what the flight was for.
"I'm leaving, for a little while." Charisma said, trying to ignore him. By that time, she was picking through a rack of clothes, dragging along a newly bought suitcase. A sales clerk was trying to fend off the dozen men, that huddled into the store.
"For where?" Another camera man asked, all too excited to be close to Charisma. "Where's your girlfriend?"
Collin just went on to purchase the bundle of clothes she had picked out, without another word. Her head was still full of liquor, coke and those damned memories of Ashley. After buying what she needed, Charisma went to the airport bar for more to drink. It didn't matter that the camera men were getting her every, drunken, move. All that mattered was she was done with Ashley and about to be comforted by her mother. Security finally kicked the paparazzi out, after long minutes of them smothering the star. As they were scooted away, one camera man dropped his phone. Charisma picked it up and called a friend. She had never felt so lonely and never so violated. A friend's voice was all she needed to calm down. ********************************************
"Girl, stay there. Please!" Abby was begging into her phone.
"No. I gotta leave. This is the strongest thing I've ever done." Charisma was saying. The phone was on speaker, so that all of us in the car could hear. "She hates me. I know she does." Charisma continued, clearly drunk. "She don' want me no more, no matter what she says."
"Girl, please shut up and listen. Ashley doesn't hate you." Nia spoke up.
"Flight 310, leaving in five minutes." An idle announcement came from the other line.
"Gotta go. I love you. See you when I get back." Charisma signed off, before hanging up.
Nia put her foot on the gas and gunned the car. We had to hurry. The airport was still fifteen minutes away. **********************
Charisma tossed the cell into a waste bin, as she made her way to the gate. 'This is it.' Charisma thought. 'I promise to never contact that bitch. I promise to never cry for her again.' She boarded the plane, taking her seat in first class. Charisma dug through her purse and took out a Zanex pill. She planned to pop half of it, after an hour or so into the flight. The pill would help her relax.
"Um, excuse me." A young stewardess said, standing over Collin.
"Yes." Charisma looked up, taking off the sunglasses.
"Oh my God. It is you!" The girl gushed. "I know I'm not supposed to bother you but, that movie All the Good Girls. It saved my life!"
Charisma smiled. The flattery loosened her up, though used to that kind of feedback.
"So, where is that infamous girlfriend of your's?" The girl asked.
"Um...We broke up." Collin answered, after hesitating. She figured saying that now, would make it easier to say to the press later.
"Oh. So it was true. I'm sorry." Another flight attendant chimed in, holding a week-old Star mag.
"Don't be sorry. It was for the best." Charisma forced a smile, as she suddenly became horribly sad. **********************************
We bolted through the revolving doors, of the airport. I ran to the nearest information desk, asking had the flight taken off.
"If not already, it will be soon." The middle aged woman informed. "Hey, aren't you that girl dating that other girl, who's famous?"
"Yeah." I was about to run off, to catch the flight.
"Here, I'll run ya over there. That way security won't stop you at the metal detectors." The woman offered.
She loaded us on to a vehicle, that looked like a golf cart, and drove us to where we needed to be. Frankie and the other three hung on to the cart, as we zoomed through crowds of people. Five fat men, with their over sized cameras, recognized me and chased the cart. By the time we reached the gate, the plane was pulling out. I ran to the window and watched it speed up, then take off.
"Shit." I said breathlessly.
I then fell to my knees and cried, not caring who saw me. The sobs came harder and harder, the longer it dawned on me that Charisma was really gone. Frankie picked me up and held me close. Abby, Crystal and Nia also huddled against me, trying to get me to calm down. In my mind, memories flashed. There were the times Charisma and I soaked in a hot bath together. There were the moments we laughed, ran and kissed on the beach. Then came the memory of our first kiss. How fireworks lit the sky, on a crisp August night, when it happened. I cried harder when I thought of that one crazy night, when we fought and then made love. I recalled how in love I felt, as I fucked her that night. I also recalled feeling the same, strong emotions radiating from Charisma. It was all too much.
The girls came back home with me, after driving from the airport. I opened the liquor cabinet. Nia, Abby, Frankie and Crystal helped me drink a bottle of brandy. We were all bummed. I tried not to glance at the pictures on the walls. They were full of times I knew would never happen again. As we drank, I started packing. I planned to return to Chicago with Frankie that night.
"So soon?" Nia asked.
"I can't stay here another night. I'll die." I responded, throwing suitcase after suitcase on to the porch.
Frankie was the last girl standing, after the last of my things were packed. The other three had fallen asleep. I was suddenly exhausted also, but had to keep packing.
"Is that it?" Frankie asked, as she taped an overly stuffed box.
"I think. She'll either burn or send back what I forgot. It doesn't matter." My eyes were stinging from crying.
I dragged the box over to the door, while I had Frankie get online and make reservations for our flight. The door was still open and, as I went to close it, Charisma burst in and jumped into my arms. We fell to the floor, both of us obviously drunk.
"Oh my God. I know you hate me, but I can't do it. I can't leave. I just can't. I get all sick to my stomach, like I wanna throw up, because I can't leave you, even though you hate me." Charisma said in one breath.
"Baby, I don't hate you. There was just.....a lot of...." Instead of trying to explain, I just kissed her long and hard. She finally broke the kiss, after what seemed to be a beautiful eternity.
"So you don't hate me?" Tears were steaming down her face.
"Charisma, I love you. I'm in love with you, actually."
We looked sweetly into each other's eyes. Then Abby and the others pounced on us.
"You bitch. You crazy bitch." Crystal said, attacking Charisma with tickles.
It was a day two years from now. It is a day we all still laugh and talk about. I can not say Charisma and I hadn't fought since then. I suppose all lovers have their bickering matches, that last a day or so. With every verbal argument, clarity is always reached. We try not to go at it, like two alley cats. The physical disagreements have never arised, since that insane day. Charisma and I learned to not confuse being upset, with having to resolve it by beating each other. We promised each other, and our friends, that if such a thing ever took place again that we would seek therapy. The more days go by, the more in love I become with Charisma. I kick myself anytime we do argue, and I regret ever laying a hand on her, in the past. Her career has become a bit more intense, since the day, but we try to stick through the hard times because that's what love is. Taking the good with the bad together, until all is well. Love is also genuine. When one feels it, then it's real. Though the experience was hectic, I am glad it took all of that for me to realize how to appreciate love, for all that it is and will be.
The End.