=Chapter Nine=This Just In=

Kenzie visiting someone in rehab or is she really there herself?

I about fell over when I read the headline of the latest gossip magazine.  I picked up the magazine and stared at the photo on the front.  It was an actual picture of Kenzie in rehab.

How in the hell did they get that?  Fuck, this isn’t good.

I frantically flipped through the pages until I found the page for the story.  I read through the story.  The whole thing was a bunch of made up stuff.  At least as far as I could tell.  Well except for the fact that Kenzie really was in rehab but that wasn’t the point.  I wanted to know who this ‘source close to Kenzie’ or this ‘close friend of Kenzie’ was.  The only people that knew about it, was our family, of course, a few people in management, and a few other people.  Other than that no one else knew.

I angrily stared down at the pictures.  Tears started to fill my eyes as I looked at the pictures.  I was upset with the photographer and the magazine for publishing them but I was more upset with myself for not see all the changes.  As they showed pictures of Kenzie over the last year you could see that she’d lost weight.  And she was always out partying and other changes that I was now beginning to see that I hadn’t before.

I shook my head and closed the magazine.  I placed the magazine back on the rack and scanned the others.  Several more of the gossip magazine’s had pictures of Kenzie on the front.  I wanted to scream.

How the hell did this happen?  This place was supposed to be top secret.  I have to call my mother.

I made sure my sunglasses were on my face and pulled my hat down a little more.  I didn’t want to deal with the paparazzi today but I knew they’d be waiting for me outside.  I hoped I could make it through them without any mishaps.  Making my way through the store was actually easier than I thought it would be.  Not many people recognized me.  It was the afternoon in the middle of the week so most were either at school or work.

Once I stepped outside I was attacked the by the paparazzi.  I just gritted my teeth and walked through the crowd toward my tour bus.  My bladder was the only reason I’d gone into the store in the first place.  The toilet on our bus was busted to I had to go into the store.  My pace quickened as I went through the crowd.  But they followed after me, so I quickened my pace even more and ended up in a sprint.  I finally reached the bus and knocked on the door.

Avery opened the door and I quickly climbed in.  The door closed behind me.  I flopped down on the couch and let out a small groan.

“Paparazzi get in the way?” Avery asked as he looked at me.  I rolled my eyes and sat up.

“You have no idea.  God, they’re annoying as hell.  You know what?  They’ve got pictures of my sister, in rehab.  How the hell did they get those?” I asked but by the end was practically yelling.  Avery laughed lightly but stopped when he realized the severity of all of this.

“Are you serious?  They’ve got pictures of Kenzie in rehab?” He started up the bus and started to pull out of the parking lot. “Lola, you know how vicious those paparazzi are.”

“More like stalkerazzi, if you ask me.  Av, what are we going to do about this?” I heard Avery laugh a little at my comment.  I rolled my eyes at him and glanced out the window.  They were still taking pictures.

“What’d you do now?  I told you I should have gone with you,” I heard Marty say as he walked to the front of the bus.  I shook my head and smiled.  I turned toward him.

“I didn’t do anything.  The paparazzi and the tabloids did it.  They have pictures of Kenzie in rehab.  They’re plastered all over the magazines.  I was asking Avery what we were going to do about it.  You got any ideas?” Marty sat down next to me and put his arm around me.  He rubbed my shoulder.

“I’m not sure there, Lola.  Call your mother, she’ll know what to do.” I nodded.  He was right I needed to call her.  I stood up and grabbed my purse from the table.  I rummaged through it until I found my phone.  As I flipped it open my phone rang.  I hit the send button and answered the call from my mother.

“I was just about to call you, what’s wrong?” I asked as I walked toward the back of the bus.  I sat down on my bed and folded my legs underneath myself.

“Have you seen the magazines?” I sighed.  She was calling for the same reason I had been.  I was relived that I wasn’t the only one freaking out about this.

“Yeah, that’s what I was going to call you about.  Mom, what are we going to do about this?  How could they do this?  I mean this place was supposed to be top secret.  How am I going to deal with all of the media attention this is going to get?” I questioned as my voice started to raise and my throat started to tighten.  Tears started to blur my vision.  This was terrible.  This wasn’t supposed to get out.

“Lola, calm down sweetie.  Take a few deep breaths.” I did what I was told. “I’ve already talked this over with Will.  We’re just going to have to do damage control for this.  There’s nothing we can do now.  Well I guess…we could always sue them but too many of them published the story.”

“Plus what would suing them do?  It wouldn’t do anything.  If I sued them I’d be called a money grubbing drug addict or something like that.  There’s no point in suing.”

“They wouldn’t call you a money grubbing drug addict and neither is your sister.  She’s getting help for her problem.”

“Yes Mom I know that but come on…suing will do nothing for us.  Plus they’re going to push this until they get an answer that they like.  Which is not going to be one that we like.  I’m not sure if I can handle this.” I shook my head and rubbed my face with my hand.

“You have to.  I know this is a tricky situation but you have to handle it.  Talk to Dee, she’ll know how to handle this.”

Ha.  You don’t know how tricky this whole situation is.

=

I’d discussed what to do with Dreana and we’d decided that we wouldn’t do anything at the moment.  We hoped at everything would calm down and the story would go away.  When in reality I knew it wouldn’t.  I guess it was just wishful thinking.  But of course I knew that they wouldn’t give up until they heard what they wanted to hear.  Which was me confessing that Kenzie was doing drugs.  I got my first taste of what it was like to try and counteract the drug allegations at my next interview.

“Now, Kenzie, as you’ve probably seen, there’s been pictures of you published of you in a drug rehab center.  Is it true that you’re in rehab for drug abuse?” A reporter asked.  She said her name was Kasie.  She actually didn’t look much older than me.  She had blonde hair that was curly and reached her shoulders.  Blue eyes were hidden behind her glasses that she pushed up every few minutes.

“If I was in rehab, how could I be here at the same time?” I asked as I titled my head to the side.

“Well, there are many celebrities that continue to work and go to rehab at the same time.”

“Yes, well, I’m not one of those celebrities.  I’ve never had a drug problem.”

“Then what were you doing at the rehab center?  Visiting a relative perhaps?” I shook my head lightly.  She was not going to give up on this.  I took a deep breath.

“If you must know, yes, I was visiting a relative.  Which they have asked to remain anonymous and I would really appreciate it if that information would stay anonymous.” I folded my hands in my lap and stared at Kasie.  I was relieved for a moment when she changed the subject.  The subject though would not have been my choice.  She started asking me questions about me and Justin.  Not about the tour but about our relationship.  I painstakingly answered her questions.

=

“I hate interviews,” I complained as I walked onto Justin’s bus.  He was sitting at the table with Trace.  He and Trace laughed.  I walked over and sat next to Justin.  He put his arm around my shoulders and kissed me lightly once I looked over at him. “How are you two today?”

“Pretty good.  Is Dee on your bus?” Trace asked.  I smiled and looked over at him.

“Yeah, she’s over there doing some business stuff.  Scheduling mostly, I think,” I said.  Trace smiled and stood up.  He started to gather his belongings. “Oh, by the way, she’s not in a happy mood today.”

“Why?”

“The press.  Making up stories about me.” He nodded like he knew what she was going through.  And I supposed that he did.  I knew a few stories about Justin had been published and they were completely false.

“So, what is so terrible about interviews?” Justin asked once Trace was gone.  I looked over at him and smiled.

“They’re so damn pushy.  Especially the girl I had today.  There are rumors going around that I’m in rehab for drugs.” Justin laughed. “I know, how can I be in rehab when I’m here with you?”

“I don’t know but,” Justin said then leaned down and kissed me, “I do know that, I’m glad you’re here.” I smiled.

“But I don’t think reporters are as annoying as the damned paparazzi.”

“I know, just try to ignore them.” I shook my head.

“That’s easier said than done and you know that.  How many times have you flipped them off in the last month?” I asked with a playful smile. 

“Oh shut up.  You can’t tell me you’ve never flipped them off before.” I shook my head.  Hell I’d only been dealing with the paparazzi for the last month.  They hadn’t pissed me off enough to do so.  At least not yet.  All though, I really wanted to punch them today, I held back.  Thankfully I did.  I don’t want to get sued by one of them, since they’re the money grubbing sons of bitches not me.