CHAPTER 23

(Xavier's POV)

The room was deathly silent. My heart was pounding and my lungs wre full but I felt light. Like a burdern has been lifted off of me. I felt free.

Commotion started to erupt from around the room, people started yelling but I was in a trance like sate. The terrible interviewer was ushered out of the room and the door was closed leaving me in here with my manager and two of his second in command. I was in so much troublr but the thing was I didn't care. Especially now that it was out in the open.

Three of them, the people who controlled my life, stood in front of me. All of them with angry eyes. Angry at me. But I didn't care. Why should I care?! It's my life. My choices and it cost Annabelle to see that.

Anabelle.

Thinking of her turned me into a tornado. A storm full of emotions. I didn't think it was humanly possible to feel so many things for one person. I was a mess. And it was all her fault.

They were talking to me but I couldn't hear them. They all looked the same; black suits, straight faces.

But I was free.

I was staring at them. One's face was red in anger. One was shooting arrows at me through her eyes. The other was tearing his hair out.

They kept shouting. I kept staring.

"Enough!" A deep voice bellowed out from behind the cameras. And I was suddenly lifted out of the trance I was sinking in.

Dad.

He looked angry, tired, confused.

"Xavier, tell me what's going on."

And I did. I told him everything. From my clone to their threats, the lies. Everything.

The three of them stod there. But they were no longer angry. But scared. Fear lining their eye. I didn't care.

I lost Annabelle.

Annabelle.

Then my dad said the greatest thing said all day, "You're fired. All of you."

And they disappeared.

My dad looked at me, really looked at me.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."

I smiled, "It's ok dad, I'm free."

He hugged me. He hasn't hugged me since mum's funeral.

"Dad," I murmured.

"Yeah, Xav?"

My music. Annabelle's words replayed in my head.

Annabelle.

"The demo CD you found on your desk. It was mine. All of it's mine, my real music.

He smiled then, a big loving and caring and proud one.

"I knew you weren't someone for autotune or to have irrelevent songs."

I nodded, nervous.

"I want to see some more of your stuff Xav. This is real art. This is what I wanted and created Golden Records originally for. For art, for music. Not money, or fame but for art. Like the works your mother created."

I smiled thinking of my mum. She was the greatest singer and musician I have ever known.

Damage control. I was being hidden away from the public for a week. No interviews, no shows, no signings or promotions. And most important no social media. Not even a tweet.

Whatsoever.

The media ate this up. They made it the news of the week. I saw it trending on Twitter.

#Xavierblowsup

The show was also postponed. So I would have to take the girls on their dates next week. I didn't see any of them, any of Annabelle for a week.

I was in the studio. Our private family studio. Mum's studio, with dad, just the two of us.

I showed him a lot more of my original work and I was pretty nervous showing him my work. It was like stripping my sould and leaving it naked and exposed for someone to analyse.

But he loved it.

And we spent the time creating more stuff. We created.

He played on the guitar just like he did when I was little, creating riffs and melodies and then I joined in on the piano.

It was nice. I never saw dad before and I think it was because he was too ashamed of what I had apparently become.

On Wednesday I asked, "Dad, what would you do if I got a tatto?"

He gave me a little smirk, "Don't tell me you actually got a tattoo of a gun on you?!"

I laughed, "No I don't have any but..."

He thought about it before nodding, "I'll come with you."

And we sat in the tattoo parlour. The best in LA. I was on the chair and I was slightly nervous. Just kidding I was pretty terrified. I had forgotten that it would be painful. Until now.

"Do you need me to hold your hand?" My dad asked teasingly.

I sent him my biggest glare.

Marcus, the tattoo artist prepped my skin and put the stencil of the design I wanted on.

"Ready for this?" he asked.

I nodded.

And the process began. I ended up holding my dads hand.

I didn't know how long it took, at least an hour if not more, till it was completed. My skin felt raw and numb but it felt somewhat good.

Marcus handed me a mirror.

And on my chest, close to my heart a treble clef sat and it was engulfed by a human heart. Music notes were intricately designes to be floating out of the arteries.

It was perfect.

I thanked Marcus a billion times as he bandaged it up. I was ready to leave when dad decided to get a tattoo. My dad! Out of all people. I so I waited and held his hand as well before Marcus finished.

On the inside of his upper right arm sat my mum's name in elegant cursive handwriting with a tiny heart next to it. On the exact same place on his left arm was my name in the same handwriting.

"What do you think?" My dad asked.

I grinned at him, giving him a somwhat manly hug, trying to make up for all of those years.

"I love it dad, its perfect."

My week in lockdown was almost over and I never thought I could be this close to my dad. But I did and I felt so satisfied and content. Except for one thing.

Annabelle.

I missed her. I needed her.

Thinking of how I had yelled at her made me loathe myself. Without her none of this would have happened. I would still be a puppet on a string and my dad would still be a stranger.

It was ridiculous how she took up so much of my mind,

Of my heart.

Every thought.

Annabelle.

My dad obviously thought something was wrong as he came up to me.

"What's on your mind Xav, a girl?" He was teasing but not teasing at the same time. I looked at him, just looked and he knew he was right.

He smiled, "One of those girls caught your heart Xavier?"

If I was girl I would of blushed. Although my face grew rather hot.

"You seem upset about it though. Did something happen?" My dad asked.

I sighed. I think my dad is secretly a psycologist who can invade and analyse the brain and emotions of others. Or maybe he's a mindreader.

"I made a mistake dad. I said some things; she hates me now."

She would have to.

Dad gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"We all make mistakes. She should be wise enough to understand this. Don't let her go Xav."

Deep down I knew I wouldn't be fully content with my life unless Annabelle Kennedy was in it.

"If it's meant to be it will be."

A/N: Yay! Xavier's POV!

Basically I'm sorry i didn't update but I was overseas in Vanuatu with no Wifi escaping the winter in Australia so yay. But I wrote like a few chapters over there so quicker updates!!

Ohh Im changing the cast members. Well two of them. Xavier is Chad Michael Murray because I watched the Cinderella story again and he's beautiful. And Rose is Kiersy Clemmons. The chick who plays Kiera in Austin and Ally.

Dedicated to @lewebbz for the super rad trailer on the side! Thank you!

Question of the update: Favourite book? (like book from not on here aha)