“Glitz and Glamour”
Chapter One: Here We Are
“I cannot believe Nick convinced you to share a place with him.” I heard Iz say as she followed me inside Nick’s newer apartment. Can you believe him? He bought a place with another bedroom so we can be “dating roomies” as he put it. That and he wanted a place where fans don’t all know his address. C’mon, the fact people are trying to stalk outside his patio thingy was getting creepy. So now we just will be “dating roomies” together. Okay so he’s hard to say no to. And I could use the freedom. I’m so trying to justify this. Is it working yet? No? Well um, nothing’s happening in the way too fast area that most couples likely would be at. I’m…I’m a weird virgin. There I said it.
“Well you know my parents are still mad I’m not registered for another semester, I think they still want me to be a Dr. Rayne instead of all freelance-y artist type.”
“So they flipped.”
“Not until they saw I really wasn’t going to register.”
“Then they flipped?”
“Then they flipped. Telling them I was considering art school did nothing to calm them either.” I glanced back at her hands that are very much not helping and not carrying a box. I stuck my tongue out at her. “Here to just watch?”
She shot me her cheesiest grin. “Of course! So where’s Nick?”
“He’s been at New York all weekend; can you believe his label thought it would be a good idea to put the band on TRL for promo stuff? So he’s been doing that kind of stuff for the video. TRL is today, which I plan to watch. He comes back tonight. Thanks for helping me bring my stuff over by the way.”
“Not a problem. Shocked you’re moving in when he’s not here though.”
I shrugged, maneuvering the box so I can unlock the door. By some miracle I’m able to do it without a klutzy moment. Yay Cally! “He said it’d be easier to adjust to the place when he’s not here. I think he wanted to avoid the idea of seeing my parents by helping me get my stuff.”
She laughed, walking in beside me. “I’m shocked they didn’t try to stop you.”
Dropping the box on the floor, I pulled out my cell phone, tossing it to her. “Pretty sure that’s full of voice mails saying three months is far too soon.” She caught it, took a glance, and nodded as she set it on the counter.
We sat on the insanely gorgeous black leather couch in the huge living room. Really the place is beautiful and I’d be lying if I said that didn’t help me make my decision to move in. Amazing wood floors, we were on the edge of Los Angeles, and the building was on top of a hill overlooking a great view. We were on the top floor, third one if you’re curious. Cream colored walls, that I had the urge to splash some color on. Big windows. It really was amazing, and expensive. I keep trying to tell Nick that I’d contribute. My boyfriend (Hehe it still feels crazy to call him my boyfriend) is freaking more stubborn than an aged mule. Izzy pushed her long brown locks away from her face. “It kind of is.”
“I turn 19 next month Izzy; you know it’s time for me to break away. You’re living in UCLA’s lovely dorms or I would’ve tried to room with you. I can’t afford my own place yet. This works. We’re roommates who happen to date. If he tried anything more I’d move out. I trust him.”
She nodded. “Nick isn’t the type…”
“My parents would let me back in cause it’d be admitting they might have been right.”
“So you do have the backup plan.”
I gave her a wry smile. “Besides we’re not dating according to the public.”
“How have you guys pulled that off?”
I laugh as we both get up to get the rest of my stuff out of her car. Teddy helped me get my major furniture like my bed, bookcase, and etcetera, yesterday. Today was boxes of clothes and such. “Lots of wigs, hats, sunglasses, and low key dates. Though it’s not easy to hear him say on the radio and TV that he’s single.”
Another understatement of the year!
Let’s just say his management hates me. That’s being nice. So we agreed at first while we’re very not serious we’d keep it low key. Which I admit, was nice since I was and am totally freaked at the idea of being in the public eye the way he is. Not to say I haven’t been seen with him. It’s rare cause we try hard to stay out of sight, but it’s happened. But then we act as casual friends. Which is hard. Very very hard. Not to mention hearing him say how he’s totally single and looking. I know it’s for the image, for the fans that obsess and worship. Doesn’t make it any easier. Or simple at all. Not that I want people poking at why I’m not good enough. My self image is one thing that hasn’t changed. I still know I am not the pretty perfect looking girl Nick typically dated in the past. I just have learned to try and ignore that. That’s not easy either.
“Didn’t people notice your name on the album cover, and Nick’s thank you was totally obvious.”
“Fans think he meant Tracy, the time frame was close so they disregarded it. Fans love conspiracies, if LiveDaily is any sign. They thought I was just a friend of Nick’s, heh through the album art. Always out to prove how Nick is available for them. ”
“Can’t believe you still lurk there!”
“Hey it is not like I post. Some of the not so sane ones think I do. You go there too! And you know you’d go more if it was you they were talking about.”
“Just shocked the fan CIA team hasn’t realized the truth about ya yet.”
I just gave her a small smile. “We’re talented at hiding.”
Now that we were sharing a place, I was pretty sure it’s going to be harder to do that low key thing. Nick’s mentioned wanting to go public. To Brian. I don’t think he knew I heard him yet. I think he wants to make sure I’m ready for it. It is scary. I knew it was going to happen eventually though. Is it totally shallow to say I actually tried to drop weight before we stopped hiding it? Didn’t last long, as much as I hate my weight and not so tiny tummy, I love food. Honestly. And I just totally spaced out Iz. Oops!
“Cally, I said how are you handling the idea that girls must be trying for him thinking he’s single.” She asked again, grabbing one of the last boxes from her car. I grabbed the last one and shut the trunk.
“Not something I’ve thought about, I trust him.”
Not a lie, just a stretch. I’m new at this. I have self esteem issues. From the beginning we’ve learned this. I still have them. Nothing has changed that. The idea that so many girls can be hitting on him, trying to get one night stands, that they all think he’s free territory, bugs the living HECK out of me. I trust Nick; I just don’t trust other girls.
Also, there is another factor that I fight a lot to forget. Cause it was three months ago and yeah. The fact is, Nick, when he first wanted to see me, was cheating on the current, evil but current girl Tracy. Sure it was just kisses, but he was also trying to be with me. It all worked out, but there is that tiny annoying and doubting voice saying, if it can happen to her, it can happen to me. I trust him fully. I’m just paranoid cause this is my first real relationship thingy, it is far from normal, and I didn’t want to be hurt.
“Have you talked to Sebby lately?” Once again Izzy brought me back to reality.
I nodded. “Yeah, we’re still working on that trust thing. Three months going on fixing all the bugs in the friendship, but we’re getting there.”
She smirked. “Is he in the dark about the relationship or is he an insider like me.” That was when I dropped the box on the floor with the others and headed into the kitchen. Yep, so wasn’t up for carrying the stuff to my actual room. The entire thing was still so…so weird to me. Still adjusting.
“Um…he’s with the casual friend crew.”
“He doesn’t know?! I thought you were working on the trust thing!”
Biting my lip I checked the fridge. PLEASE let Nick have gone shopping for the frozen essentials. Yeah, fun when neither one of us can cook at all. We so need to learn or if our phone line ever died, and we had no power, and we were out of gas…we’d starve. Okay, I know the chances of that are SLIM but a girl can get sick of frozen food, take out, ordering in, and random restaurants where we risk Nick getting recognized and later mobbed. Maybe we can take cooking lessons together. Okay, no more daydreaming. I pulled out a bottle of red mountain dew and fixed myself a glass. Okay, he’s awesome to remember that. I looked at Isabel. “We are, I just…well I know he hates Nick. So I haven’t found a way to say it. Might be safer to say it when Nick’s not in New York right?”
“Tell him before everyone else knows, or he’s going to be upset. I know, Teddy knows…”
“Yeah but you two didn’t rag me for trying to hang with him to begin with. In fact Iz you were telling me to steal Nick from that evil redhead he had been with to begin with!”
“I was right wasn’t I?”
“Okay maybe, but still. Devi was the one against it, so yeah I’m all avoid-y in telling him cause I know the reaction.”
“It’ll be worse if you keep waiting.”
“Stop making sense.” I bopped her with a pillow after we went back in the living room. Okay, shallow moment. Warning. Maybe I should stop getting used to this, cause yeah, I do get these moments. Nick had the placed pretty hooked up. An incredible sound system, great TV and HD for that and the DVD player which was adaptable to so many things. His old apartment had been casual. This time he said it’d be cool if we “enjoyed the perks sometimes”; I think he was also trying to sell me on the idea. It helped but the idea of getting out of my house, and more time with Nick was what did it.
“I still can’t believe this place.”
“He overdid it. When he comes back I’m telling him at least some of it has to go.”
She looked at me like I was crazy. I don’t want to become one of those girls who get so used to it; they stay just for the stuff. Removing temptation right? Because Lordie knows, this is tempting. Iz grabbed the remote, turning the TV on. I can’t believe we’re going to watch TRL. That show was dumb even when it was cool. I wasn’t much for it back in the 90’s, even with my love of bubblegum pop thanks to that decade I grew up in.
“Hey I’m Damien and welcome to TRL…today we have Flames of Ice here…but first let us start off the countdown with…”
“Does this show ever change?”
Iz shrugged, taking my red mountain dew, the fiend! “No, its gotten worse since that tool Carson left the show too.”
“Didn’t know worse was possible.”
A video played and I heard my phone ring. I lunged towards it with such energy I could hear my lovely friend just laughing at my latest display. A lamp had landed on the couch thanks to me. Well, at least nothing broke! Then I heard it roll off and crash. Ooh I take that back.
“Cally baby? What was that?”
“Um, me rushing to hear your voice?” Sound innocent, good plan. “And possibly a broken lamp was sacrificed in that mission. Wait, aren’t you taping TRL right now?”
“Yeah, we’re waiting till we come on, hear the screams?” Isn’t that nice, him holding out the phone so I can be deafened by psycho fans.
“Thanks, I feel the love, you making me deaf and all.”
“Thought you would, you get your stuff in the place?”
“Yeah, Iz helped.”
“Tell her I say hey. Feeling better about being my dating roomy baby?”
“Better…went a little overboard on stuff didn’t ya?”
“Hell nah.”
“I miss you…” Did I just get sentimental? I think I did, and of course I have to watch him get asked if he has someone. I get to watch him say no. It’s like that invisibility thing. Never does feel too good.
“I’ll be home tonight; me and the fellas are taking a flight out after this meeting after the show.”
“Ooh that means I’ll see Brian!”
“Hey! Now that ain’t cool. I gotta go baby, we’re bout to go on and shit.”
I laughed just at the way that sounded. “Should be quite a show.”
“Hell yeah, you know me. Later Cally Baby.”
“Bye Squishy.”
I hung up the phone. Yeah we don’t use those three words yet. Maybe I’m sentimental but I want to. Yet I feel it’s too early so I hold back on it. I sat down by Iz again as we watched Nick come on the TV screen, and I can even see him tuck that sidekick he was addicted to in his pocket. “Nick says hey.”
“Miss him?”
“Yeah, but its something to get used to right? Cause he’s going to travel tons.”
We watched TRL and I only half listened. It was the same thing every interview. Who was “Any Other Way” about, that’s their latest single by the way. Think a more rockfish version of a Maroon 5 single and that’s close to what that sound of the song is like. It’s pretty cool but hard to describe. Nick says it’s about someone they all know. Nick gets a kick out of it because according to him he wrote it after I started avoiding him post The Grove incident. Of course it only influenced the song; it’s not 100% what the song is about. Still, the label picked it as the second single and after “Helpless When She Smiles” he thinks it’s funny the next one had to do with me too. That’s so surreal, hearing a song about you. Glad mine are good ones. Makes me wonder how Britney Spears felt after Justin Timberlake put her on blast with one of his songs. Iz watched the show while I stayed, contentedly in my daydreaming world. I need to feed Babyface later. Still can’t believe he has a pet iguana of all things. Odd boy. I love him and all, but odd. Then that question no one fails to ask caught my attention again.
“So Nick, AJ rumor has it you two are still available for all the ladies watching right now. Is that true?”
“Hell yeah man. I’m always looking. Always trying.” Typical AJ, he went through so many girls trying to find the right one, it’s hard to keep up.
“What about you Nick?”
“Yep, single as ever, so all you fine ladies out there know I’m free…" His trademark smirk. “And I’m very open minded.”
I went into the kitchen. It never got easier to hear him flirt with the fans through radio or TV. I didn’t know how much longer I can take it. I’ve thought about the three words and the world still thinks any witch can try and have him. I don’t think I can do that, hide myself. I know what comes with the world watching us, hoping for us to break up. Still, anything has to be better than that. Cause here we are, dating three months, and I’m one of a handful who knows how much I care about him and he cares about me. It just hurt and scared me to hear him say otherwise, even if it is all a show for the image his label wanted. An image for the fans.
Can you blame me?
Author's Chapter Notes:
Enjoy, and yes reviews are lovely :) hehe.
