To Set You Free

I blow kisses to the crowd then exit to stage left. That was it, my second tour was official over and I was going on vacation. I was going back to my hometown, my mother, my roots, to find inspiration for my next album.

"Tommy nice job man. See you back in the studio," one of my producers met me in the hallway near my dressing room.

"I'm going home Chet, for a couple months."

"Why? You're on a roll!" Chet nearly shakes me to death as he grabs both of my shoulders.

"Well Quinn is going to be in North Carolina on some movie set, and it's not too far from my hometown, so I thought it would be a good idea to introduce her to the family," I scratch the back of my neck as I stretch.

"That's a pretty big step. Congrats, man," Chet gave a big smile. "Make sure you stop and see Ed before you take off. I think he wanted to talk to you or something."

"Yeah sure man. Catch you later."

I enter my dressing room and I'm alone. Even when I'm not alone, that's how I feel. I find comfort in the pictures I carry around. From the old days, back when I was just Tommy Van Pierce the twenty year old kid with a dream. Now that my dream had come true, I have nothing to reach for. After stardom and fame, I thought I would be happy and I cloud nine, but I'm not.

I have an A-list actress of a girlfriend, who is beautiful and sassy. She always seems to keep me on my toes. I love her, more than I thought I ever would. I was excited for her to meet my mother. I was excited to take the next leap in our relationship - marriage.

I pulled the pictures out of my back pocket. They are creased and faded but it makes me cherish them even more. I carry three pictures.

The first one is of me and my very first guitar. I was only four but I remember that Christmas morning better than any other morning. Looking at the picture and seeing my toothy grin brought the same smile to my face.

The second was of my and my former band members. It was our first official gig. I am up on stage, sweat beaded on my forehead, singing into the microphone with the guys behind me jamming out to the tune of their instruments. I no longer have that. Everyone but Blaine has found a love of drugs and has slipped into the world of crack addicts. Blaine found out that he doesn't enjoy playing like he used to. He moved back home shortly after our first tour. Now it was just me, with a back up band.

The third and final picture is what means most to me. If I feel that I am becoming someone other than the small town boy with the big city dreams, I pull out this photo and it brings me right back to familiar grounds. Elena is smiling into the camera, her beautiful, all-american girl smile. Her blonde hair falls messily around her face. I can hear her bitching about how she hated her hair. I laugh out loud. I look at myself in the picture. I am staring at her, Elena. Watching her take the picture of us. I also remember when this was taken. It was during the short time where we didn't fight. Everything was right in the world. It was the first time I told her I loved her.

A knock on the door interrupted my flashbacks. I quickly folded the pictures back up and put them in my back pocket just as the door was opening. In walks Quinn.

I immediately notice her outfit. She saunters in, barely dressed. "Quinn, there are young girls here. You can't dress like that in front of them. You look like a hooker."

"Oh hush, I just got here. I had more important things to do."

"More important?" I hated when she called my music unimportant. I hated that she hated my music.

"Lets not rehash this argument. I'm really horny and I just want to take your pants off. Now want me to do that at home or here?"

Her bluntness caught me off guard, "Oh um, home. Let's go home."

"Good," She winked grabbed my hand then walked me out of the door.

*

I'm sitting in Ed, my manager's, office. We had become good friends over the years. Being a couple years older than me, I looked up to him as a brother. He was the one that really jump started my career, both by signing me and by setting me up with Quinn, to make me look desirable. It worked, girls fall over themselves at concerts and I am one of the most well known new up and coming singers. I have it all thanks to him.

"Dude, last night you killed it. It was completely sold out, everyone went wild. You're hot shit, my main man," Ed said throwing a stress ball up in the air before catching it again. "You made my paycheck pretty hefty, so I thought I would get you something," Ed stops playing with the ball and reached to open the bottom drawer of this maple desk.

He pulls out a wrapped present. I open it quickly. Inside the box is a autographed picture of himself. I pull it out before giving out a loud laugh. I actually love it.

"I'm just kidding, here," Ed hands me a check. It's half of his paycheck. "Since I signed such a rock star, I got a little extra. I thought I would give it to you."

"No man, I couldn't have done it without you. Here, this is for you," I hand him back the check. I already had more than enough money to know what to do with.

"I couldn't have done it without that Elena chick you used to date," Ed laughed as he reached to take the check out of my hand.

"Wait what? What did Elena have to do with this?"

"You didn't know?" I shook my head no, "Well for a good three months she would send some of your music to the record label. We ignored it at first but then it became overwhelming so we gave it a listen. We thought you were pretty good, so I gave her a call. I was in town to meet up with you two when she called me to say you were playing and that she wanted to surprise you. That's the night I called you. I can't believe you didn't know. I mean she went nuts with getting us to listen you."

I was dumb struck. I didn't know what to say. I managed to mutter some words before lifting myself out of the seat and out of the building. I couldn't believe that I was here because of Elena. I pulled out the picture of us on the way home. She wasn't even in my life and she was still helping me, being my biggest fan.