Page 40 of Beyond the Blues
“I changed it. I can’t stay here right now.”
“Sweetheart, please, can we just talk?” My mum tries to grab my hand and
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I shake her off, pulling my hand away.
“Mum, I can’t right now. I don’t want to say any more hurtful things to you.” Mum chews on her bottom lip and nods. I leave, without saying anything else.
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Chapter 23
Now I’m sitting on the plane on my way to Las Vegas processing everything that’s happened today. I messaged Scarlett explaining how I’m coming early, and just my luck I get to watch their last show tonight. I close my eyes and remember the first time I properly spoke to Nora on a plane like I am now. I smile at the thought of our first interaction. When I open my eyes, I feel like I’m thrown back into reality, of what I’ve just received and what has happened. I take Coco’s letter out of my handbag and read it again until the words just become letters, making no sense. I hold it to my chest and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to suppress more tears. I don’t think my head can take anymore tears.
Live for both of us.
Reading this letter, I can hear Coco’s voice so clearly. The gentleness her voice always had, even when she was upset or annoyed. In a weird way, although this is sad, there’s a sense of relief being lifted off my shoulders. It’s reassuring to see her last words to me, that in fact it wasn’tmy fault and I couldn’t help her. Although I’ll always have a sense of guilt, it’s less than it was before. I am looking forward to a hug from Nora, to tell her everything that has happened since I last saw her.
I spend the rest of the plane ride asleep, the abrupt landing shaking me awake. When I glance outside the window, I can already see the flood of buildings and bright lights. I can’t believe I’m really here. Luckily, I don’t
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have to spend a fortune on a taxi to the venue. Scarlett offered to come pick me up as she’s driving past the airport already. I collect my bag and speed walk outside, searching for Scarlett. She shouldn’t be too hard to miss. She has flaming ginger hair, and a fabulous sense of fashion. Everything is always matching, and looking as if she’s going out somewhere fancy, every day. Of course, I haven’t met her in person, but from her Instagram, I can tell she is confident and bubbly.
“Ophelia!” a loud voice echoes. I shoot round and there Scarlett is. Her hair in Hollywood waves, a bright red lip and a skin tight matching glittery red set. She really looks like a rockstar. I walk over, and she immediately embraces me in a hug, her skin smelling like caramel.
“I’m so happy you’re here! I’ve heard so many things about you.” She says ecstatically.
“All good things, I hope.” She pulls away, holding onto my shoulder, and smiles.
“The best things.” Suddenly I see flashes in the corner of my eyes, and there are paparazzi calling Scarlett’s name. I don’t look my best to be getting photographed right now.
We get into the back of this fancy black car, a bunch of refreshments on offer, and the driver in a suit. Maybe I didn’t realise just how big their band had got recently.
“So the drive is about thirty minutes from here, so if you want to touch up your makeup or whatever, do it now!” Scarlett says, scrolling through her phone. I decide to follow her advice since I don’t want to be photographed again looking the way I do now. I frustratingly untangle my curls from my scrunchie, unsure of what to do with it.
“Want some help?” Scarlett asks.
“Please.” I plead. Scarlett scoots over to me and looks at my curls. She grabs a spray of water from the door. She is truly prepared.
“Wet hair is always the way to go when your hair is not working.” She laughs, and spritzes my hair, scrunching and twirling my hair into the perfect curls. I know she has a similar hair type to me considering all her photos flaunt her big mane of ginger hair. Before I know it my curls are falling
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perfectly.
“How did you do that so quickly?”
“I’ll teach you at some point.” She winks and returns to her phone. I look down at my outfit and, of course, I’m still wearing my tracksuit with some ketchup on the leg.