Take Off Your Make Up and Put Down the Camera

“Keegan, why don’t you head back to the house with Audra and the boys? I’m sure you could you some sleep,” Mom said.

“What about you?” I asked.

“I’m going to stay with Mary. I can’t take being at the house right now,” She replied.

I bit my lip and nodded, “Is she coming to get you?”

Mom nodded.

“Okay,” I replied hugging her. Audra did the same and all of us walked out to the car.

Audra apparently got here by a taxi, so she was riding back with us. Sisky drove again, with Gabe sitting in the back with me. It didn’t take us long to pull up at our house. Audra and I both took deep breathes before we walked into the house.

“I’m going up to bed,” Audra whispered. I nodded and Sisky said he was going to bed, too. I mentally rolled my eyes. Sisky has always had a thing for Audra.

I sat down on the couch and Gabe sat next to me. We sat in silence before Gabe turned to me.

“Keegan, talk to me. Let me know what you’re thinking,” He said.

I sighed and bit my lip, trying to decide if I wanted to tell him.

“My dad and I have always been close…he’s always been there for me. He was supportive of me when I wanted to become a model and always offered to drive me to the agencies…” I said letting a tear slip.

Gabe wrapped his arms around me.

“If I tell you something, will promise not to be mad and judge me? For some reason, I believe I can trust you with this secret I have.”

“Yes, I promise.”

I took a deep breath and then began.

“My dad helped me a lot in my life….when I started modeling, I was told I was too fat to be in the business. At five foot six, I weighed 120 pounds, which I thought was great, but of course they didn’t. That’s when one of my so called friends got me into drugs. She lost twenty pounds over a weekend. I has asked her how she did it and she told me cocaine. So I started using it. I dropped the weight instantly and I was also hooked,” I said.

I wouldn’t look at Gabe as I told him everything.

“When I turned 17, my dad found out about what I had been doing. He caught me. Needless to say, my ass was sent to rehab….kicking and screaming. I was treated for cocaine addiction and bulimia. My mom was there for me and so was Audra, but not like my dad was…..even when I came home after being in rehab, I would want my old life back and my dad would be right there with me when I went through withdrawal. He was pretty much my hero and I wouldn’t be alive without him. I feel like a part of me is missing right now. He’s always been my rock. What am I going to do without him?” I asked sobbing into Gabe’s shirt.

“Baby, you’ve had a tough life, but things happen for a reason. You have to believe that. You’re strong. You’ve made it through all of that and you can make it through this. I’ll be here for you. Just know that. You’re seriously one of the most amazing girls I’ve met and I can’t help but be entranced by everything you do….” Gabe trailed off.

“So, you’re not disgusted by my stupid past?”

“Babe, everybody has a past and that’s just it, its in the past. You’re clean.”

I nodded, “I’ve been clean for two years now and I regret all of it. I could have easily killed myself back then, but thank God I didn’t….”

Gabe smiled lightly at me and then kissed me. It shocked me and I didn’t kiss back. He pulled away and gave me a hurt look. He got up off the couch, but I pulled him back down before he could move. Then I pulled him into another kiss, which completely blew me away.

We pulled away from each other and smiled.

“Are you okay for this to happening right now?” He asked.

“I don’t know. I really like you, Gabe, but for right now, until this settles down, can you just be my friend?”

He nodded sadly, “I really like you, too, so yeah, I can just be your friend for now.”

“Thanks…I’m tired now.”

“Wanna go to sleep?”

I nodded my head. I got up off the couch and Gabe followed me to my room. I changed in the closet and Gabe stripped down to his boxers before climbing into the bed. I got in next to him and he wrapped his arms around me.