"Pop Life"

Chapter 75

The next day I wake up late and walk into the family room where Ashleigh is watching TV.

"Hey there kiddo," I say, sitting down next to her.

"Hi."

I rub my face and then I hear my name on the TV.

"The pop artist known as Ana was removed from school yesterday following a report about her and her boyfriend publicly having sex outside of her bus in Washington DC recently while on tour.  Reports say that she left school in the middle of the day because of the media attention that followed her."

They cut to a few kids standing on the outskirts of the high school property.

"Oh my God," I say as I see Darcy.

"She was fine this morning...she hadn't even heard the report about it.  She acted like she didn't know anything about it..."

"So far no comment from Ana's camp."

I flip off the TV, stand up and start pacing.

"I can't believe her.  After what I told her yesterday morning."

"What's going on?" daddy asks as he comes up from the studio.

"Adriana's friend was just on TV," Ashleigh says excitedly.

I turn and glare at her.  Before I can say anything daddy grabs my arms.

"Ash baby, why don't you go see what Cody's doing?"

"Okay," she says skipping into the hallway.

"She didn't mean anything by it," he tells me.  "Now, tell me what happened."

We sit down, daddy still has his hands on my arms.

"I just came in and Ash had the TV on.  It was a report about me...I don't know what it said, I wasn't paying attention, I just remember seeing them talking to Darcy.  Darcy daddy.  After I told her yesterday that mama had a friend betray her."

"What did she say?"

"It doesn't matter, does it?  She talked to them," I groan as I throw my head in my hands.

He rubs my back.

"Everything okay?" mama asks.

I sit back up.  "When does Tony get here?  I need to make a statement about this."

Mama sits down on the other side of me and pats my knee.

"I know it seems bad right now but it will die down..."

"I don't want it to die down, I want to get rid of it."

I stand up and face them.  "I'll just tell them the truth, I'll tell them that I'm a virgin..."

"No!" both of my parents scream.

I'm so shocked by their outburst that I put my hand over my heart and I stare at them.

After a second they look at each other and start laughing.

"Okay, I don't get it.  What's so funny?" I ask.

Mama pats the spot that I just vacated on the couch so I sit back down.

"When I was seventeen, a teen magazine reporter asked me if I was a virgin.  I told her yes and that I planned on staying that way until I was married.  That I believed it was important to make love with someone you were going to spend the rest of your life with..."

"Mama, that's what I believe too.  I don't take it lightly..."

She touches her finger to my mouth.  "Let me finish," she says gently.  "I truly believed in that but from that moment on I was branded as the "Pop Virgin".  I regret ever having told anyone my choices.  It was hard for your daddy too since he was the one I was in a relationship with.  I mean there were jokes and things said.  It got annoying after awhile to be twenty and in a relationship with someone for three or four years and still being asked if I was a virgin."

"It's none of their business though..."

"That's what I told them.  It was a personal question.  Did they really expect me to make an announcement once I had sex?  But anyway, your daddy and I have already talked with Uncle Lance and Tony about this.  Please just consider not saying anything you'll regret in the long run."

I stare at mama for a second and when I begin to think about what she said, it makes me giggle.  "That sounds funny that way mama.  But, I get what you're saying.  I'll just tell them that's a personal question."

"Good girl," daddy says kissing the side of my head.  "But we're glad you can say that you are a vir..."

"Justin...stop," mama says.

"Sorry, I'm just proud of our baby."

Later in the day Tony stops by.

"Some mess I've caused huh?" I say as he walks into the family to join mama and I.

"You didn't cause it.  It's just a bump in the road, my dear," he says opening up his daytimer.  "I talked to Lance and we agree that you just need to continue your time off until your tour starts.  We might have you do a couple of call in type interviews so that you can promote when the tickets go on sale but other than that just rest."

I stare at him.

"That's it?  I don't get to tell people the truth?"

"We're not going to make a comment about it, no," he says setting his pen down and looking at me.

"But it's not true.  Tony you don't believe we'd do something like that do you?"

"No, I don't.  I know it's not true, but this is the best way to handle something like this.  Another suggestion is for you to not return to school.  I can get in touch with your counselor and have them assign you a good tutor."

"You don't think I can go back at all?  Not even in a week?"

I look over at mama.

"I'd feel better if you didn't go back," she shrugs.

My mind is reeling.

"I don't want them to rule my life."

I feel myself starting to pout so I try to stop it before it happens.

"I just think it will be safer for you right now," Tony adds.

I nod, but with a frown on my face.

"What about Brad?  This affects him to.  Now he probably has PR people, what if they tell him to talk about it?"

Tony shakes his head.  "I've already talked to the band's manager and he agrees with me."

I stare at him with my eyes wide open.  "You've thought of everything then I guess."

He shrugs and says, "It's my job."

Tony writes a few things down and makes a few phone calls as I sit there watching TV.

"This is so boring," I mumble.

The phone rings.

Mama walks in with it in her hand.

"I think it's Darcy," she whispers as she holds the phone out to me.

I shake my head.  "No," I whisper back.

"Take it," she says more sternly.

I don't look at her and grab the phone from her.

"Hello!"

"Hey girl.  I was so scared for you yesterday.  I couldn't believe how many people were outside like that."

"Yeah, I bet.  Is that why you went into the middle of them and talked?"

"The middle of them?  No, I didn't go out there.  There was one guy left when I left school and he asked if we'd answer some questions.  Since I know you I thought it would be a good idea to defend you."

"Defend me?  Is that what you called that?" I ask, raising my voice.

Tony looks up from his laptop and mama walks back into the room, from the kitchen.

"Adriana, what are you talking about?"

"Did you see the interview Darc?  I didn't see a whole lot of defending going on."

"Adriana, keep your voice down," mama whispers loudly.

"I didn't see it but I know what I said."

It sounds like she's about to cry.

"Well next time it would be better if you didn't help.  Good bye."

I hang up the phone and smile.  When I look up, mama is looking at me with a sad face.

"What?" I ask her.

"Honey...lesson five-thousand and four...the media can piece together video clips however they want.  If Darcy didn't think she said anything out of context, there's a good chance that she didn't and the media pieced it together to look like she did."

"But I...I..."

She takes the phone from me and caresses my cheek.

"Just don't believe everything you see or hear."

She walks back into the kitchen and I plop back down on the couch.

"Can this situation get any worse?" I ask throwing my arms up in the air.

"God, so dramatic," Cody says as he passes through.

"Shut up."

"Adriana, don't use that tone with Cody," daddy says as he walks into the room with Ashleigh piggy backing on his back.

"But he was telling me that I was being dramatic," I say with my arms flailing around.

"What's dramatic mean?" Ashleigh asks daddy as she starts to pull on his ears.

"See, what your sister just did?"

Ashleigh nods.

"That's being dramatic."

I throw my arms up in the air and groan loudly.  "No one gives me a break," I say before I stomp down the hallway to my room.

Justin looks over at Britney.

"Should I go in and talk to her?" she asks as she's drying her hands.

He walks over to her, leans down and kisses her cheek.

"No, let her stew for a little bit.  She'll get over it."

"Daddy, you almost made me hit my head on the wall," Ashleigh starts laughing.

"Like this?" he asks as he pretends she's going to hit the wall again.

She starts laughing and screaming, which makes Britney jump and stick a finger in her ear.

"What happened?" Cody asks running in from the kitchen.

"Nothing, just your dad being a goob.  Put her down before you really knock her in the head."

Justin let Ashleigh slide down his back until she reached the floor.

"Should I go play with Adriana?  Maybe if I show her one of my paintings it will cheer her up," Ashleigh says.

Britney starts to play with Ashleigh's pony tail and shakes her head.  "No, I think she needs to be alone right now.  Maybe in a little bit you can.  I'm sure she'd love to see it."

"Are we going to be able to go back to school tomorrow?" Cody asks, leaning into Britney's side.

"I'm going to call Andre and see what he thinks.  I think they'll be okay as long as the school is aware of what's going on.  Andre might want to have someone posted outside though, just in case."

Britney nods.

"Cool," Ashleigh says.  "I can turn my art project in tomorrow then."

Britney smiles at her.

"Can I go to play rehearsals today?" Cody asks.

Justin looks at Britney then back at Cody.  "What time are they?"

"They're at three."

"I'll go with you..."

"Dadddd," Cody whines.

"Or you won't go?" he says holding his hands out.

"Okay," Cody mumbles.

About an hour later I come out of my room.  I walk into the family room with my head down and I'm shuffling my feet.

"You feel better about yourself now?" mama asks.

I shake my head and sit down, still not looking up.

"Can I show you my painting?" Ashleigh asks.

I shrug.  Ashleigh jumps off of the couch and runs to her room.

"Adriana?" mama says gently.

I look up at her after a few seconds.

"Quit feeling sorry for yourself and count the blessings in your life."

I stare at her and nod.

"I know.  I feel stupid about the way I acted.  I'm sorry."

"We all go through moments like that.  Just remember the things in your life that you are grateful for."

Ashleigh runs back in the room with a posterboard.  She sets it down on my lap.

"Wow Ash...this is beautiful.  What's it called?"

"The teacher wanted us to draw a favorite memory and this is what I drew," she shrugs.  "See, that's supposed to be mama and the baby.  That's all of us...that's you up on stage singing.  That's Cody on stage in a play."

"And that's you in the middle of it all," I smile.

"Yep."

"Ash, this is great.  You did a good job," I say pulling her closer and giving her shoulder a squeeze.

"Thanks.  I have to turn it in tomorrow.  I was supposed to turn it in today but..." she shrugs.

"Oh, I'm sorry.  You won't get a lower grade because you missed today, are you?"

"I don't think so."

"We talked to her teacher," mama adds.

"Good.  Where's daddy and Cody?"

"Cody had play rehearsal so daddy's staying with him until it's over.  They're going to pick up Chinese food on the way home," mama says.

"He almost missed rehearsal because of me?"

"Sweetie, don't get upset over this.  It's only one day and he's at rehearsal right now.  It's okay."

"Yeah but this is just showing how much the media is having over my life.  I'm sick of it mama."

"Baby, do you like being on stage and performing?" mama asks as she touches my arm.

I nod.  "Of course I do."

"Then you'll have to get used to the media controlling part of your life.  I did, your daddy did and all of your Uncles did."

My eyes get watery.  "But it's not fair."

She holds out her arms for me to go into.  "No, it's not but you're a Spears/Timberlake.  You can handle it."

I smile.  So true.

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