Capture (Seaside Pictures 1)

It was also why one of my best friends, Demetri, had come up with the whole texting thing.

It had basically saved my life.

Then again, he'd basically saved my life, both he and Alec, lead singers for AD2.

It was strange, going from fan-girling over the guys to having them by my side after the accident. They would have left — should have left Seaside, but they'd wanted to put down roots, so when they weren't traveling, they lived there full-time.

Demetri lived next door to me.

He'd been there the first night things had gone dark.

I still don't know why it happened, or how…

My leg was still healing from the accident, and I'd been told I had to exercise it as much as possible.

Walking at night was my mom's and my favorite thing to do, so I went for walks and talked to the stars and sometimes, I really believed they talked back.

I didn't hear the car coming.

All I saw were lights.

And then screaming.

So much screaming I had to cover my ears because I thought my eardrums were going to explode.

Demetri was with me, not that he could have done anything to prevent it, just like I couldn't do anything to prevent the screaming.

My voice was hoarse.

Completely gone.

On the outside, I was fine.

The car had missed me just in time.

But on the inside?

I was absolutely destroyed.

I had no idea who was driving it, just that it was a black Mercedes AMG. The plates had even been a blur. Not that it mattered since the person hadn't actually hurt me.

I think I'd been hurt before that night, my emotions hanging by a thread, and then the car had acted like scissors, snapping the thread in half, leaving me falling into a pit of despair.

I hit the penthouse level again and waited, praying the elevator wouldn't do the creepy thing it had before.

A short Asian girl with dark hair ran toward the elevator. "Can you hold it please?"

I nodded and pressed the button, but the doors wouldn't re-open. They closed with her yelling "Bitch" in my face.

That was another thing that sucked about being mute.

People constantly thought I was stuck up or rude.

My own friends — friends I no longer had in my contact list — had told me I acted like a bitch.

It had hurt.

It still hurt. And sometimes I wondered if that was true, or maybe this was my punishment for not being thankful enough during high school.

The elevator dipped, then soared to the top floor and opened.

I quickly let myself into the large suite and quietly went into my room. Tomorrow we were returning to Seaside since filming would be starting.

I shivered.

Seaside used to be home.

Now? It held just about every bad memory it could.

Because, everywhere I walked, I saw my parents and every time I closed my eyes, I woke up thinking they were still alive.

Only to realize within a few seconds that it wasn't just a bad dream — they were dead.

I stuffed a few pillows behind me so I was sitting up in bed and grabbed my phone to check my text messages. I needed a good distraction.

Demetri: I heard from a bird, also known as my brother, that you're the new assistant to Lincoln Greene? Tell me; is he as scary as his sister? That bitch still makes me want to slap a woman, and you know me, I'm all about love — no violence. It's in the songs…

With a laugh, I wrote him back and sent a few emojis of smiley faces with hearts in their eyes.

Dani: I can't imagine you slapping anyone. Wouldn't that ruin your manicure?

Demetri: Take it back!

He sent a picture of his angry face. The guy was seriously hot. Married, taken, and completely happy — but hot. No sane girl could ignore his crazy dimples, blond hair, and crystal blue eyes. He was like a younger version of Brad Pitt and Paul Walker's love child — it was its own hashtag.

Dani: Sorry. You're pretty?

Demetri: I'll take it.

Dani: He thinks I'm stupid.

Demetri: Impossible. Did the bastard actually say that?

Dani: No, *I* say that.

Demetri: Do we need to have that talk again where I make you list all my favorite things about you, little sis?

I smiled through my tears. I'd never had brothers; I didn't count the two guys that my parents used to support down in Haiti, even though my sister often did. Demetri and Alec were as close as I'd ever gotten. I imagined they were even better than the real thing.

Dani: No, weak moment. Sorry.

Demetri: Tell you what, when you get into town tomorrow I'll take you out for ice cream, and we can throw taffy at Alec when he's rehearsing.

Dani: One of my favorite things in the world!

Demetri: Mine too. Also, fair warning, he's been getting basically no sleep since the baby was born so, if he snaps at you, it's not you, it's him.

Dani: K

Demetri: You swear he was nice to you?

Dani: Who?

Demetri: Don't play dumb. You know who. Lincoln freaking let me take off my top Greene.

Dani: Crap, do you think I should have played harder to get?

Demetri: WTH?!

Dani: Kidding. Joke. Ha ha?

Demetri: Dude would be lucky to still be breathing. Don't scare me like that. I'm getting old. I have a weak heart.

Dani: Aren't you twenty-two?

Demetri: Hold on, let me get my magnifying glass so I can see this tiny, tiny typing.

Dani: Go to bed.

Demetri: Only if you go to bed and promise me you'll try this summer.

Dani: Try?

Demetri: To have fun like a normal teenager. I'm not suggesting drugs and alcohol or all night orgies. Maybe go see a movie, remember what those are? Swim naked in the ocean but don't tell your sister I encouraged said behavior. Just live, Dani.