65 Slow motion

LJ

I choreographed a solo during a dance break for a remix of Hunger for our World Tour, where I slowed down every movement so that it looked like I was moving in slow motion. I really conditioned myself to this state that after the third concert I did this, I would start out with my vision so clear because I was hardly moving, then everything was gradually blurring and all that existed was the movement, the control of each muscle to unfold at the correct time, the haze in my head where all I could see was my skin and sweat and the threat of my tears.

This is exactly what this day was like.

I stared at Rory's text and read it a million times.

My Girl Rory: [LJ OMG Charlie went to Chastity's room to call her for dinner and she's dead she has a knife in her chest and so much blood I'm freaking out.]

"What do you mean, she's dead?" Burt grabbed my phone to look at it.

"I don't know," I blinked.

This is when everything started to blur. Missy and Mark were beside Burt to also read Rory's text, they were reading it a million times. Jamie was calling Ned, I could hear them talk beside me, I could hear Ned's voice over the phone.

"You know better than to believe in rumors, Tiger," Ned said.

It's not a rumor, it's Rory.

I wish it was just a rumor. Or a prank. Rory doesn't know how to prank, though.

"It's a text from Rory and she's upset, you need to tell us what to do or else we're going to go over there and find out on our own," Jamie said.

"I don't know what's going on, but that idiot bitch from Succulent might have tried to kill herself in the dorms and you need to do something about it," Antonia was also on the phone.

"We should go there," Mark said, walking towards the door.

"No, we can't, we can't get involved," Burt said, grabbing his arm. With his other hand, he pulled Missy into an embrace and patted her back. It was only then I realized that Missy was sobbing.

"Can't you just call their manager or something? Can't you even do that for us? For LJ?" said Jamie, sounding like he was losing his patience for the millionth time today.

"These are our friends, Burt!" Mark argued.

"You're the first one I called," Antonia said.

"We're all in Steve's house, planning our lives without you," Jamie said.

"Just fucking stay there, don't move," Ned said. "How's Steve? Does he know yet?"

I stared at Steve. He was staring at his computer screen, his eyes glazed over, blurred.