Exposed In Lights

Time Lapse- 2 Days

Leaving Bora Bora was so hard. I wanted to stay there for the rest of my life, just me and Nick with no interferences. But no, I had to go back to L.A and face my potential death. Also Nick had a show at the Houston Rodeo and wasn’t planning on missing it. Nick and I had parted ways at the airport, his family had sent two SUVs to come and pick us up and had security prepared at the airport to guide us, one by one, to our cars.

My heart was bursting through my chest. Never before had I been so scared to face my parents before in my life. The closer I got to home the more scared and nervous I got. I was sweating and nervously tapping my foot against the ground. Henry, the driver, was quiet for me as I thought about what was about to happen to me.

For one moment I stayed in the car, “Julia, go on.” He urged with a comforting smile.

But, before I could move the door was yanked open and my Mum pulled me out the car into a hug. “You safe? Not hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

“Julia Rose Caroline Beckham!” My Dad’s voice bellowed. I cringed, he always pulled the on middle name of ‘Rose’ but he had never used my hidden one of ‘Caroline’ that was also my mum’s middle name. I cowered down as his tall figure stormed out the front of the house. With his long legs it only took him a few seconds to get to me. But when he did I braced my self. Then he hugged me. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again. Ever.” He said into my ear.

I dropped my bag and wrapped my arms around his torso, “I won’t.” I mumbled against his shirt.

He threw his arm over my shoulder and I kept mine around his waist as we walked into the house. “You do realise that because you took three days away from me, I’m taking three days away from you. Go get dress, you’re coming to my always exciting training. Then we’re going to do some sports shopping and then to get the food shop. You’re not leaving my sight for three whole days.”

I groaned, “That’s so…” I paused to look at his serious face and decided it wasn’t worth it to make things worse for me. “Fair.” I grumbled and stepped into the cool house.

“Julia!” Cruz shouted running over to me then launching his body onto mine. I grabbed a hold of him and hitched him around my torso instead of my legs.

“Hey smelly.” I cuddled him, “Did you miss me?”

He nodded, “Yeah!”

Romeo and Brooklyn came running towards me then tackled me to the ground. I hugged them on the floor, laughing at their enthusiasm. “Kids, can you go upstairs. Your Mum and I need to talk to Julia alone for a few.”

I sat down on the stairs, letting my parents stand over me. “What were you thinking?” My Mum started with a soft tone, she never did like to shout at me.

“I was thinking I’m tired of being in the spotlight with Nick, I wanted some alone time and the only way to get that would be a spontaneous, unplanned, unknown trip away somewhere.” I answered simply.

“Jools, I know you want time with Nick but doing it like that isn’t going to work. You should have asked us and we could have went with you.” My Dad said.

I was surprised they weren't shouting at me, it was what I was expecting when I came home but instead they just seemed disappointed and that was worse. “No, do you seriously think that if this was planned, especially with you two, that I would get to go somewhere without cameras. They find out, they always do. This was the only way.”

“Okay, I understand. You know one part of your punishment but there’s one more thing.”

My eyes widened, “What?”

“You’re going on Oprah tomorrow. And you’re going to get grilled so bad you’re going to never do that every again.” Dad smirked as my jaw hit the floor. “Go get dressed.”

I obeyed him like the lower status I was in this house. When I got in my room my clothes from Texas were already un packed in my closet and my room had been tidied. I couldn’t get my head around this punishment, was embarrassment in front of the whole nation really necessary? Wouldn’t most parents just take away a phone or ban them from leaving the house? No, not a Beckham. David Beckham goes all out when it comes to revenge.

I pulled on a black tank and a red skirt then wrapped a black leather belt around my waist, the main feature being the lion on it. Then I pulled on a yellow and white striped cardigan and tied some beige sandals around my ankles. I slipped some white Ray Bans, my promise ring them clipped Nick’s watch around my wrist.

I checked my hair and ran the straighteners over it one more time the touched up my make up. “Julia!” My Dad called.

I snatched my iPhone and Blackberry from my bed and headed down stairs. “This is unfair.” I reminded him as we climbed into his black Rolls Royce. I put on my seatbelt and stared out the window watching paparazzi following in the side mirror.

“Can I at least invite a friend?” I asked after ten minutes of driving. He swung the car into the car park of the L.A Galaxy training grounds, his team members were all gathered on the pitch. I climbed out of the car into the lot of expensive cars then followed my Dad onto the field.

Paparazzi took pictures from behind the barriers where fans watched them train. “Sit on the edge of the pitch, don’t interrupt me and yes, one friend.” I grinned, “Not Nick.”

He kissed my forehead and jogged over to his team where he began greeting everyone. I walked across the green pitch dialling in Miley’s number as I went. I sat cross legged on the grass and fluffed my hair.

“Hola!” Miley greeted, “How was the vacation?”

“Good, fancy coming to keep me company whilst I’m trapped watching my Dad train with the Galaxy so that I don’t go insane?” I breathed in and out again, “Please?”

“Will your Dad take his shirt off?” I rolled my eyes, “Well?” She said eagerly.

“Probably.”

“I’ll be there.”

She cut the line off and I created a new email to send to Nick.

Okay, so my grounding consists of having to spend 3 days with Dad. And going on Oprah which my Dad has promised will be especially difficult.

Has le publicists came up with a cover story yet?

LY :D xoxo

I waited a few moments for a new email to come in, but it took longer than I expected. I watched the grown men jump up and down, heading invisible balls. The coach called out an incoherent word then they began running three strides then touching the floor.

I jumped when my Blackberry buzzed on my thigh, I quickly opened the email.

You went to England to see your family. I stayed in Texas for a few more days with Mom to help her empty the house.

Good enough?

Ly xx

I smiled and quickly emailed back as I saw Miley’s car pull up, she’d just got her licence.

Perfect, at least now I can avoid those awkward questions. Miley is here at the training ground to keep me company so I’ll give you a buzz later.

I love you so much more than you could ever love me. –sticks tongue out–

I stood up and brushed down my skirt, “Miley!” I shouted as she jogged over. She ran but ground to a halt as my Dad pulled his shirt off. I jogged into the middle of the field and dragged her away. “You’re such a perv.” I scolded as we sat down on the benches next to a table with numerous Lucozade sport bottles.

“Sorry, I’m only human. Not my fault it’s incest for you.” She smirked and I shoved her shoulder, “Ow.” She mumbled, I chuckled at her.

“Thanks for coming to keep me company, so how’s Justin?”

That one question sent her off into a frenzy of chatting, I was very interested in her stories about all these romantic things he had been doing like taking her out for dinner, serenading her, taking her on a hot balloon ride; all very large. She’d also mentioned that because Nick took me away Justin wants to take her, how original? But hey, it’s her virginity.

I noticed Miley was looking at me oddly, I then realised I had giggle snorted at my thoughts, “Sorry, carry on.”

“I asked you what your Dad was planning on doing with you today.” She laughed, “You’re in deep.”

I rolled my eyes, “Sports gear shopping then food shopping, joyful.” I sighed. Miley gave me a small smile. As her mouth turned up at the side her hair got stuck on her lip gloss, I pulled it off and she laughed. “Attractive.” I said sarcastically.

“I know, right?”

Miley and I talked for an hour until my Dad alerted her that she had to go home, I was thankful for that as her banter was beginning to grind on me a bit. So, I sat alone until my Dad finished training and being the kind of person he is, he was the last one off the pitch obviously trying to drag out my boredom.

Once everyone had left, he jogged over to me and sat down. “Can I go home now? I’d prefer to be bored there than here.” I pleaded.

He laughed. “No, we have to do this today.”

I looked at him, confusion misting my mind. “Do what?” I asked cracking my knuckles one by one.

“Get this tattoo you’ve been talking about.” He smirked.

My face lit up and I grinned, “Really? What about mum?”

“She knows, like you said, spontaneous decisions?” I chuckled and leaned against him, he hugged me from the side and kissed my cheek.

“A tattoo is a serious decision, are you sure this is what you want?” I nodded furiously still smiling, “Okay then, you have an appointment with Kat Von D for half an hour so let’s get going.”

“Kat Von D!” I screamed, “Seriously?”

Dad nodded and stood up, I followed him speedily to the car and flashed a smile at the shutter-bugs behind the gates that once we were in the car were running to theirs. “Can I drive?” I asked with a soft smile, I hoped it would work.

“Nope.” He smirked. Damn, must try harder.

I sat in the car with my sun glasses on staring out the window with a smile on my face. I’d never imagined he would let me do this, ever. Being only sixteen was only one of the smaller issues. “Dad, can I still go and watch Nick perform at Houston tomorrow? I’m supposed to perform ‘On The Line’ with them.”

He smiled at me, “Of course, it will be a nice family outing.”

I kissed his cheek, “Thanks Dad.”

When we pulled up outside of L.A Ink it seemed like a dream, I’d watched people get tattooed at this venue on TV and now here I was, surrounded by press, about to go and get tattooed by a legend. I finally got through the press and into the shop where I immediately noticed Pixie behind the desk.

She seemed a bit star struck but composed her self. I gawked at the interior as my Dad leaned against the desk, “We’re here to see Kat.”

“I know you are, she’s just in her office I’ll go and get her for you. Feel free to take a seat or eat some fruit candy.” She motioned to the bowl in front of her.

I skipped over and picked some off, “Frank Iero ate some of this.”

“It’s probably been changed since then.” Dad laughed and ruffled my hair.

“Stop crushing my dreams.”

Kat strutted through the doors and immediately noticed the paparazzi pressed up against the windows, “Pixie can you go and put down the shutters please?”

Pixie scattered off to the windows. “Hi, I’m David. This is my daughter Julia, she’s here for her first tattoo.”

“Nice to meet you both.” I shook her hand, still in awe. “Your Dad gave me a pretty clear idea of what you want.”

“He did?” I looked up at him and he blushed, there was only one way he could know what I wanted. “You called him?”

“Yeah, well.” I punched his shoulder and Kat laughed.

She walked over to one of the counters at the side and pulled off an intense drawing, “This is what I came up with.”

I traced my hand over the blossoms, counting them all to make sure they were all there and they were. It was exactly as I wanted it. “That’s perfect.”

“Alright, well I have it all drawn up if you wanna come over here and take off your shirt.”

I checked the shutter was down and stripped of my shirt, “Do you need my bra unclipped?”

“Yeah, just lay right on here.”

I lay on the black leather bed and unclipped my bra, she put the stencil on my back and told me to check it was fine. I checked it and it was so she began to ink me. The buzz of the needle was getting annoying and so was the constant burning feeling. I was only in pain when she went over my spine but other than that it wasn’t as bad as I expected.

“How you doin’?” She asked with a smile, I winced as she hit a soft spot.

I let out a breath and gave her a smile. I’d been laid down for around an hour and a half, I never knew they took this long. “I’m good.”

“One more blossom then we’re done.”

I sighed in relief as she said that. I was eager to show off my new tattoo to all my friends, especially the Jonas’s. I didn’t know if Denise and Paul approved of tattoos and to be honest, I didn’t know if my mum knew I was this specific one. She lifted the needle away from my skin and wiped some gel over it. “Time for the finger tattoo now.”

She drew that free hand on the inside of my right index finger, that only took about ten minutes but hurt more than my back, she put some gel on that the wrapped some cotton around it. “The back looks amazing. Wanna check it out?” She grinned.

I stood up and walked over to the mirror, I gasped when I saw my decorated back. It crawled diagonally up my back and decorated my back, the skin around it was a pink colour but even still, it looked stunning. My dad appeared behind me with a smile.

“You like it?” He asked and I nodded, unable to put a sentence together. “Good.” He disappeared again and went to pay as I stared at it. “Jools, come on.”

I walked over to Kat who put a protective piece of cotton over it and used some tape on the corners. I clipped my bra on loosely then pulled my top down over it and tucked it into my skirt. I checked my self over in the mirror as Pixie pulled the shutters back up.

“Oh my God.” I gasped as I saw numerous members of the public lining the streets and twice the paparazzi there was before hand. They snapped pictures of us in the shop as my Dad tried to work out a way to get me to the car that wasn’t even visible.

“That sucks.” Kat mumbled. “Photo booth.” She grinned and pulled me inside, my Dad poked his head in the side and we posed for four random pictures then we definitely had to scurry off before things got out of hand outside.

“Thanks so much.” I called as my Dad pulled open the door. He forced me to hold his hand like a two year old as he pushed his way through the cameras and people. I climbed into the car and they ran in front of it. Dad got in and started it up, it took twice as long to get away because they wouldn’t get out the way of the front of the car.

“McDonalds?” Dad asked turning into the fast food drive in not waiting for my answer though it didn’t matter as it was a yes anyway. He pulled up to the first window, “One large big mac meal and another large chicken sandwich meal both with diet coke please.”

The worked nodded, “Drive to the next window.”

He obeyed and we ground to a halt as he paid then we moved to another window. “Dad, can I please see Nick before the rodeo.”

He looked at me, “What’s that face?”

I chuckled, “What face?”

“That one you just did, I’ve never seen it before.” He looked genuinely flabbergasted.

I smirked, “I’ve had this face for sixteen years dad.” I joked.

“No, not that one. You had a… lover face but different to ones I’ve seen you do.” His eyes widened, “You’re really serious with Nick aren’t you?”

I nodded, “You’ve just noticed, I thought the whole Bora Bora thing would have done it if you didn’t know by then.”

My dad seemed conscious as he drove but honestly, he looked in his own world at the same time. I shook my head of these thoughts and filled them with ones of Nick and performing. I would definitely have to show him my new bare back tattoo, which would get him going.