The Dating Rules of a Record Label

Yumi wouldn't answer her phone. Nobody answered their phones. It wasn't until ten in the morning the next day after my breakup with Dougie that I realized everybody was at the recording studio. Something about one of McFLY's songs making the top song of the week again. It didn't stop me from calling Dougie so many times though. Karlie couldn't do anything about it. She was a big help though. She was there all night with me after Dougie left and she hasn't left my side since. That is until she had to go to her nerdy book club. They were reading about a woman who doesn't want children but gets pregnant anyway.

I wanted children.

With a particular someone but I guess that won't happen now.

I was driving on Southwark Street, nearing the Tate Modern, calling Dougie yet again. I had to explain to him. I'll even get my mother and engaged male-model cousin involved if I have to.

Damnit..." I mutter to myself when once again, Dougie's voice mail reaches my ear. I tap the steering wheel with my fingers. I was trying to think of every possible solution to get a hold of Dougie. I really didn't want to ruin his meeting.

But if I have to just so he can talk to me...

I changed course of going to the Tate Modern to think alone and head all the way to Kensington High Street where I knew McFLY, Yumi, Oliver, and Nae would be.

I get a text while I almost hit a garbage truck. I felt like a wreck so I might as well get in a wreck eh?

"What the hell is going on?" It was Yumi. I may be a fast driver but I can't text and drive at the same time. I put my phone down and continue driving.
I run past annoying, old Edna and down a hallway. My heart thumped rapidly and I was very tired from not sleeping or eating. But sleep and food isn't important now.

Dougie is.

"Please be in there..." I say to myself and burst open into the familiar room Dougie took me to all the time. Out of breath, I look around. Who was in there? James eating a donut. A fucking donut! Alone!

"Fuck, dammit, shit..." I mumble and fall to the floor in frustration.

James gets up, shocked at my random outburst. It wasn't random for me. I kept saying those fowl words every hour so far.

"Kaya, are you okay?' He walks to me. He wasn't stuttering.

I look at him. "No." I wasn't sure if I should tell James or not.

"I heard about the breakup." He boldly tucks a strand of hair behind my ear as I look at the floor. I slap his hand away and get up, avoiding eye contact with him.

'Where is he?" I ask James.

He shrugs. "Not sure. They left about ten minutes ago. He seemed quite emo though."

I narrow my daggered eyes at him. "Just because he's depressed doesn't mean he's emo. It could be a fashion term too you nerd," I snap and walk away.

"Why so cranky-" Edna cackles.

"Put it cork in it!" I yell and push the double doors open and walk to my car.

****************************************************************

This time, I drive slowly while on the road. I couldn't stop replaying last night in my mind. It was so sudden; so quick. I wish I could take back what I said.

"...Fine..." stupid! How could I give up so easily? I miss Yumi. One thing I need besides Dougie would be my cousin. The last I saw of her, she was running barefooted while I created havoc with my car in front of the paparazzi.

I walk up to Nae's door. She would listen to me. I don't even bother to knock but I run in like I own the place.

"Kaya?" Nae comes in, shocked at my intrusion.

"Nae!" I exclaim, breathing heavily. I run towards her and give her the biggest hug I could muster up.

"Whoa there! Kaya what's wrong?" Nae chuckles and pats the back of my head. I let Nae go and get a good look at her.

"You don't know?" I whisper.

Nae frowns. "Oh...that. Dougie wouldn't say much but there's been a lot of guessing. They think you left him. I wasn't at the meeting but I heard Oliver and Yumi got in a little row over it. She thinks this is all bollocks..." Nae looks to the floor.

I shake my head. "No...He broke up with me. He thinks I cheated on him!" My voice begins to quiver.

"Oh dear...you're a mess..." Nae steers me to the kitchen where her laptop lay on the table. "Let's get you some tea."

"Tea would be nice." I take a seat at the kitchen table.

"I'll get some tea bags. I left a new box in my room." She gives me a reassuring smile and leaves. I sit in silence, seriously feeling myself going crazy. And why won't anyone answer my calls? For the first time, I felt so alone. I didn't realize that I depended on Dougie this much.

I listen to the clicking of the clock on the wall and Nae's jazz music playing on the radio. I kept thinking of any possible ways to get Dougie to listen to me.

Yes...I am one crazy woman who wants her man back!

He says he loves me and I'm not stopping until he proves to me he doesn't love me. Words are not enough.

I stare at the laptop. The laptop stares at me. My ears strain to hear sounds of Nae coming back. I look around. I wall all alone. Next second later, I dash to the laptop and press the enter key to wake it up. It was sleeping if you speak computer.

It was very random and stupid but I was going to email Dougie my explanation! But when I expect to see Nae's screensaver or something, I see that Nae was in the middle of typing. She was typing on Blogworthy.com. My gut felt like it was frozen yet on fire. And the shock felt like a large car just smacked me in the face.

"What?" I scroll down. I read so far what she typed. It talked about my breakup with the male-model. I cover my mouth, not sure if I should scream and run away from everybody or if I should scream, delete what Nae wrote, and then run away. I'll take the latter.

I look for the delete button to at least get rid of her current blog entry.

"I'm surprised you kept calm." Nae stares at me and walks into the kitchen. She starts to make tea. "English or Jasmine tea?"

"I don't want any," I reply slowly and stand up.

"But you've had a rough day." Nae frowns overdramatically and takes the laptop away.

"All thanks to you," I snap.

Nae folds a towel and shrugs. "Like I said- I'm surprised you're not a complete wreck. Then again...you could be keeping your cool now...no doubts later you'll try and kill yourself probably." Nae sits down and smiles at me.

"You're horrible." I ball my fists.

Nae's eyes light up. "Wait until you hear the whole process of it!"

"I would rather not." I feel sick to my stomach. I have to get to Oliver AND Dougie.

"I'll tell you anyway!" Nae pipes up. She doesn't act like the shy, innocent girl anymore. She seems...evil.

I define evil as anybody who purposely ruins a relationship.

"It was quite easy now that I think about it..." Nae looks like she's thinking. "In school, I blogged about the scandals within the walls of an all girls boarding school in northern England and got away with it. It highly entertained me and it was a natural talent of course. After school, I worked for a newspaper - got dead bored and I met Oliver on accident at a gig that I was covering for the entertainment section. At that time, McFLY was just getting started and I innocently helped him out deal with the young boys after I saw that he couldn't handle it without help and I soon found out that the pay of an assistant is good and music industry scandals are fun." Then she giggles as she thinks silently for a moment.

"That's disgusting." I growl.

Nae ignores me. "Let me finish, Kaya!" She smiles. "So I balanced two wonderful lives: A personal assistant in the public and a blogger in private. Over the years I blogged about various music couples- Kate Moss and her drugs then Kate Moss and Pete Doherty, Seal and Heidi Klum, Paul McCartney and his expensive divorce with Heather Mills, Posh Spice and David Beckham, Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan and Sam Ronson even if they are or are not dating, Hilary Duff and Aaron Carter, Hilary Duff and Joel Madden, and I'm proud to say that I was a part of the scandal between Harry's little rumored fling with Lindsay as well. But then they bored me to death!

"I wish you were dead..." I mutter sarcastically. I wanted to say so many things to her. I trusted her! She made me believe I could rely on her!

"That breakup between Dougie and his then girlfriend Kendra - I had no part in that. She was a no-namer. He cheated on her all by himself...for you!" Her eyes became large and wild. "And just when I thought my blogs were getting boring, you came into the picture." She smiles. "Kaya Sambora - Hollywood's wild teen full of angst. And you and Dougie got together. Do you really believe I helped you because I was nice? I sweet talked to you because I needed information! I didn't want my blog to be boring again. So this time, I used better information: Half true- half false. Twisting the facts around just to make Dougie unsure of you was an amazing outcome! And I had help of course. Obviously, I was too busy cleaning up Oliver's messes so I had another close friend join me in on the fun - James. And you thought he fancied you? No - he fancied me. All I had to do was promise the loser I'd sleep with him once Dougie left you. Too bad he's stupid though." She rolls her eyes. "I'm ditching him tonight. Everytime you saw us together, we were planning your wonderful downfall. Whenever he started to get scared of ruining you, I cornered him alone even if you were around and I threatened him.

"And when I wasn't around or James became too cowardly to stalk you, all I had to do is hang out with you or Dougie later- you both told me everything I wanted to know. And James took plenty of photos of you and Dougie snogging in the recording studio - I have them on my computer if you want them."

"That Photoshop picture," I think about all the situations that now make sense, "that jacket was yours. That was your body."

"Naturally..." Nae waves the fact away.

"Why not blog about Yumi and Danny? Or Gio and Tom? Or Harry and Izzy?" I ask.

Nae puts sugar in her tea. "Ah, Kaya, this is where things become interesting: Your father - Richie – has a past with cheating am I correct?" She raises her right eyebrow and rests her legs on the table.

I shrug. "Yeah, so what?" I see Nae have a look of annoyance for the first time in her eyes.

"Before he married your slutty mother-"

My left side jaw twitches as I refrain from starting a cat fight.

"-he was seeing a woman names Kristin who already had a little girl from a previous relationship. Richie took Kristin and the little girl in-"

"-and helped them get back on their feet. I know. He told me the story already. They parted as friends." I say, feeling a dull headache forming in my right temple.

"No!" She yells. "They didn't fucking part as friends! He met that slut, Heather, and left Kristin for her! Kristin loved Richie! Richie cheated on her and broke her heart! Kristin was my mum!" Nae looked enraged. "I hated seeing mum drink her life away, heartbroken. You're just like your mum, Kaya! Always stealing women's boyfriends! Dougie cheated on my best friend, Kendra, to be with the slutty you!"

"Stop it!" I yell at her. "I'm not a slut! My mother is not a slut and you can go to hell! Kendra sold personal pictures of McFLY and their lives to the media! She was in it for the popularity and money!" I turned to walk away, scared I might do damage to something when Nae makes a weird laugh. I hated it.

"Oliver and Dougie will never believe you! I have them wrapped around my little finger! I wanted you to feel the misery my mum and best friend felt! The man you love leaving you! Richie is supposed to be my father! Not yours! You're not supposed to exist! You're not supposed to be here! Dougie is supposed to love Kendra! Not you! Not you! Not you, Kaya!"

"You insane, psychotic piece of -" But the last part is drowned out by me slamming Nae's door behind me.

***********************************
"Jazzie?" I ask, desperation trickling in my voice. I hold the phone tightly, sitting on my kitchen floor.

"Hey Kaya!" She exclaims. "What's up?" She asks like I just wanted to call her for the fun of it. I would do that...but not today.

"Do you know where your brother is?"

"No why? We got in a row last week."

"Oh well...erm he and I got in row last night." I frown.

"About what?"

I bite my lip. "Oh just stuff. I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later. Listen I've got to go. I'll talk to you later." I say hurriedly and hang up.

I cross Jazzie off my list in my head and within ten minutes I'm knocking on Tom's door. With all this driving around, I'll be paying a lot of fuel money!
Tom opens the door and when he sees me, he begins to close the door.
"No Tom! Wait!" I stop him from closing the door on me.

"Don't waste your breath, Kaya." Tom looks at me weird. "Nae told me everything already."

"No!" I reply.

"Yes she did." He nods curtly.

"No - I didn't mean like that-"

"Pulling off the stressed look by day, cheating by night...that's just brilliant." Tom rolls his eyes and slams the door on my face. I bite my lip nervously and I can't decide of I should knock again. My arm was raised to knock but I decided against it and walk four doors down to Harry's.

I knock rapidly, impatient. "C'mon Harry! Answer the door!" I mumble. I know he's home. I just saw his face in the window! "Fine Harry!' I yell. "Just wonderful!" I pout and walk away...actually it was more like stomping. Two blocks away, I catch Danny just before he opens his front door to go inside.

"What do you want?" He gives me a dark look. I'm taken aback by his comment and reproachful glare. I sort of felt scared to speak to him.

"Danny please listen-"

"No I won't," He interrupts and waits for my reaction. I blink, not sure of how to react to him.

"Okay...where's Yumi?"

"I don't know. She and I got in an argument about half an hour ago."

My heart sinks and a surge of guilt hits my chest.

"Oh..." I whisper and look to the ground. Danny sighs and walks inside him home, slamming the door on me.

I enter my flat quietly not sure of the exact feeling I felt at the moment. It was like a mixture of hatred, anger, fear, sadness, confusion and tiredness.

"No crying. Not this time." I tell myself as I stand alone in the middle of the small hallway leading from the front door to the rest of the flat.

I do feel heartbreak.

And it hurts so much that I can't cry. It's too shocking.

I slowly slide down the wall and sit on the floor that needs some serious sweeping and quietly sit in isolation. Nae out casted me and won - she got away with it all. I hope she's happy.

Of course she is.

I rub my scalp and run my finger through my hair as I felt my nose begin to burn and my eyes get watery. I bang my head on the wall and that stops my break down.

"Kaya, is that you" I hear Yumi call from the other room. I snap my head up, alert. I quickly get up and straighten out my appearance just as Yumi came into view.

She lets out a sigh and relief and I sniff. I try smiling but I can't so we run to each other and embrace in a tight hug.

"Yumi, I'm so sorry!" I say as I hug her. "I didn't mean for you and Danny to fight."

"No...no I'm okay," She says quietly but I feel her take a shuddering breath.

"She turned everyone against me. Dougie, Tom, Danny, Harry, Oliver - everyone."

"Who?' Yumi lets me go. "What is going on?" She raises her voice and we walk to the kitchen. "I'm hearing so many things at once! Dougie won't speak and I slapped Oliver for calling you a whore out loud during a meeting. Then Danny starts acting rude. James told me you did something horrible..."

"No it's not true!" I semi-squeak because my voice was dry. "Nae's the fucking blogger and James is her assistant. And we've been feeding them information all year..." I hang my head and look at my shoes. Yumi seems surprised by the outcome.

"Nae? Our Nae?"

"She's not ours," I snap, "Her mother had a past with my dad - I'll explain later - but it was NAE who convinced Dougie I was cheating on him! Nae took a picture of Peter and I hugging in Surrey and that photo was on the blog and that made Dougie lose his patience and break up with me. He thinks I cheated on him! And Nae is telling everyone to avoid me!"

"That's why she wasn't at the meeting today. She knew I'd back you up." Yumi thinks for a minute.

"You believe me?" A new feeling of hope swells in my chest.

Yumi looks at me. "Are you seriously asking that question?" She shakes me by the shoulders. "We grew up together. I'm with you all the time and I've known for months that you loved Dougie. I read you diary." She puts on a smug smile and drags me to the phone.

"You read my diary?" I yell.

"Yeah," she says it like it was obvious, "and dude I think you should be on birth control- I heard those brands of condoms you use don't always work." She grabs the phone I left on the floor.

I blush.

"And I trust you. I know you would never do such a horrible thing, Kaya. You're no whore."

I smile at her, silently thanking Yumi for taking care of me again like she always does.

"Who are you calling?" I ask.

"Oliver. The bastard better pick up or I'll have to kick Nae's arse all by myself."