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Theo was careful about being seen in public together. We spent most of our time hanging out in local cafes around campus.
I know he was doing it for my benefit; he didn’t want to run into any paparazzi and scare me prematurely. John, unlike what Ellie said, was nowhere to be seen.
Even if our dates were low key, things with Theo seemed to move at a rapid speed. By the third date, he confessed he was falling in love with me.
I felt I was on a speeding train, with no conductor or brakes.
“I think I am falling hard for you, Cassie,” Theo said.
I nearly spilled the coffee over my dress. My hands were shaking, so I put the cup down.
“I think we are moving things too fast,” I said. “We have only been on a few dates.”
“Sorry... I should have realized,” Theo said, rubbing his neck. “I am a race car driver.. I kind of have only one setting.”
“I am the opposite,” I said, sighing. “Please be patient with me.”
“Don’t apologize, Cassie,” Theo said, taking my hand and kissing it. “You are worth the wait.”
I blushed.
“Are you ok for tonight?” Theo asked. “I know it is last minute, but I just got an invitation to this brilliant party.
“Tonight?” I asked. “I was hoping to stay in. I am falling behind on my readings.”
“Can we just go to this party?” Theo pleaded. “I promise I won’t ask you again until you are caught up with your studies.”
I hesitated. I will have to cancel my Sunday plans with Ellie in order to catch up.
“Please?” Theo said again.
“Ok, just this once,” I said, relenting. “But I am serious, Theo. I might not be able to do this again on last-minute notice.”
“You are amazing!” Theo said. “The party will be amazing. It will be our first time officially being seen together.”
I wondered if that meant being the fodder of more tabloid headlines?
The party was an elegant affair, held in a manor with a beautiful garden, where Theo seemed to know everyone. I wished I knew someone, especially when Theo left me by myself to meet an old friend.
I wandered around, looking at the perfectly manicured topiaries and flowers, when John walked through the rose arches lit with fairy lights. It was like a dream.
He was wearing a black suit that only intensified his gorgeous amber eyes. When he caught me staring, I quickly looked away.
I felt him walk up to me. When I finally looked up, he was looking at me with a strange expression.
“Cassandra, are you here alone?” He asked.
“I came with Theo. He went to catch up with a friend,” I replied, trying not to blush.
“I see,” John said and then paused. “So you and Theo?”
“Are we dating?” I said. "Yes, we are."
“How does it feel dating a celebrity?” he asked in a low voice.
“It doesn’t affect me the slightest,” I said, giving him the same reply as I did before.
John asked me that question before when he showed me his video that went viral for the wrong reasons.
He looked at me with a gaze that made me blush. I wondered if he remembered?
“I didn’t think it would,” John said in a solemn tone.
What did he mean? Was that a compliment or a criticism?
I couldn’t ask John what he meant as Theo returned, wanting me to meet someone. When he saw John standing next to me, his expression changed. He greeted him coldly before excusing himself.
Theo took my hand and led me away inside the manor, making me feel like a puppet on a string. He didn’t even give me time to react or say goodbye to John.
I looked back apologetically at John. His gaze never left my side.
——-
I missed one weekend with Ellie because I had to catch up on my readings. I was feeling guilty and miserable, but she assured me nothing exciting happened and I missed nothing.
The next Sunday, however, was eventful. It started when Hira came hyperventilating to us. Once we got her some water and she calmed down, Hira told us what she had accomplished.
“You won’t believe this, darling, but I got you a date with none other than James Evans!” Hira said and then squealed. I had to laugh at her enthusiasm.
Ellie just stared at her.
“Why isn’t she saying anything?” Hira asked me.
“I think she is in shock,” I replied.
“Of course, if this is her reaction, I can’t imagine how the rest of the world will react,” Hira said. “Oh wait, I know already. They will go insane!”
“How did you set up a date with James Evans?” Ellie finally said, recovering.
“You don’t ask the magician how they perform their magic, my love,” Hira said. “This is big! I am getting goosebumps thinking about what it can do for your acting career. Not to mention how cute the two of you will look!”
Ellie gave a grim smile.
“Oh, don’t be nervous, my angel!” Hira said. “James Evans is lucky he gets to date you. If it works out, I can’t wait for the wedding invite. Imagine how cute the babies will be? I will be an adorable Auntie Hira!”
I had to stop myself from falling over, laughing. Hira had a greater imagination than me.
“Thank you for setting up the date, Hira,” Ellie said, smiling. “I can’t imagine the trouble you must have gone through.”
“It was no trouble, my lovely,” Hira said, beaming. “Now let’s get you some dresses for the famous date. You and James will be all the world will talk about.”
Hira was spot on about the world going crazy for James Evans and Eleanor James, or the ‘James-es’, as they were nicknamed. It was on all the prominent entertainment news.
It was bizarre hearing people talk about my best friend like they all knew her. I felt like I had entered the twilight zone.
The media circus surrounding Ellie was much worse than anything I faced, and it followed her everywhere she went. The media bombarded her with often very personal questions, and Ellie answered them as gracefully as she could.
Ellie even got hurt when a throng of photographers crowded her and there was a scuffle amongst them. She slipped and fractured her wrist. Luckily, one of the more decent reporters drove her to the hospital to get her checked out by a doctor.
I was in back-to-back classes all day, so by the time I found out about the accident, Ellie had already come back from the hospital. Hira texted me about what happened and assured me that Ellie was recovering well.
Ellie had enough of the intense spotlight and she broke up with James Evans. It devastated Hira, as she was the one who set up their date. The paparazzi had dashed Hira’s dream of becoming a favorite auntie.
The weekend couldn’t come fast enough and I could hardly concentrate on my remaining classes.
When I reached the townhouse, Hira was just heading out to meet with her fiance. She said the pain medications were making Ellie feel out of spirits, and she hoped I could cheer her up. I said that I would do my best. Buddy barked, likely to say he was up for the task as well.
Ellie was sprawled out on the living room sofa. It was odd seeing her still; she was perpetually always in motion. There was an enormous bouquet on the table beside her, along with a large box of chocolates.
“Gifts from your fans?” I asked.
“Theo’s assistant delivered the flowers today and James sent the box of chocolates,” Ellie said.
“Do you regret breaking up with him?” I asked, looking at the chocolates.
Ellie shook her head. “I didn’t feel any chemistry with him. He is gorgeous and checks all the boxes. He is any girl’s dream...”
“... but he is not yours?” I said. Ellie nodded her head.
That is because she already met someone like that, I thought. I wonder if she will tell me if I asked her?
“Ellie, can I ask you something?”
“What do you want to know?” Ellie said.
“It’s a personal question,” I said, hesitating. “I don’t know if I should ask.”
“After what I have just been through with the paparazzi, I don’t think any question can surprise me anymore,” she said, smiling.
“When you went on your world trip, did you meet anyone?” I asked.
“I met lots of people.” Ellie said, confused. “I told you about Ethan, Andrea, Skye...”
“I remember... I am talking about meeting someone special,” I prodded.
“I met Kaen, and you know Theodore.”
“I meant romantically... Did you meet anyone special?”
Ellie paused.
“It’s ok if you don’t want to tell me,” I said.
She looked at me and took a deep breath.
“I met a guy in Argentina,” Ellie said.
“Who was he?”
“He was studying to be a doctor,” Ellie said. “His name was Nicolas.”
My suspicion was confirmed. It wasn’t just a friendship, Ellie was dating him.
“What happened? Are you still in contact with him?” I asked.
“No... not anymore,” Ellie said.
“Why?”
“I broke it off with Nicolas,” Ellie said.
“So it wasn’t serious?” I said.
“It was serious for him... he wanted to marry me,” Ellie said.
“And you didn’t?” I asked.
She averted her gaze from me.
“Can we not talk about this now?” Ellie said.
“Why not, Ellie?”
“Think of it as a summer fling, and now it’s over,” Ellie said. “There is nothing else left to say about it.”
I wasn’t convinced. If it was only a fling, why did her lips tremble and her voice break?
Nicolas wasn’t the only person Ellie was avoiding talking about. She hardly mentioned her parents either.
“I got a call from your parents. They wanted to know how you were doing,” I said.
“I know. They called me too,” she said.
“Did you talk to them?” I asked. Ellie shook her head.
I sighed. Ellie was estranged from her parents since she was seventeen, but now it seemed she wasn’t even talking to them anymore. Mr. and Mrs. James were trying to reconcile with her, but Ellie hadn’t forgiven them.
“You know he came to visit me,” Ellie said.
“Who did?”
“John.”
“John?” I asked.
Ellie raised her eyebrows at me. “Your John,” she said.
I gaped at her, then quickly recovered. “First, he is not my John. Second, how on earth did that happen?”
Ellie shrugged her shoulders. “The live footage of me slipping and hurting my wrist was everywhere. He must have seen it, too.”
“I mean, how did he know where to find you?” I asked.
“He looked up my agent’s number, who you know is Hira, and contacted her. When she asked if I knew him, I told her to send John the address and he showed up,” Ellie said. "You just missed him. He left shortly before you came."
I was speechless. John came to see Ellie? I really was living in the twilight zone.
“You should forgive him. He really is a good guy,” Ellie said, looking at me closely.
“Is that what you want to tell me?”
“No, I want to say ditch Theo and date him, but you are not ready to listen to that right now,” Ellie said.
She was right. Now I was the one who was avoiding the conversation and wanted to talk about anything else. Ellie moved her injured wrist and rested on the table at her side.
“How are you doing?” I asked.
“Not great,” Ellie said, rubbing her forehead. “Production is delayed because of my injury. The studio is being generous now, but what if they change their minds?”
“They can’t do that. You have a contract with them,” I said.
“Yes, but it is based on my work. I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose this project, Cassie,” Ellie said. “My career is already hanging by a thread.”
“Then you will find another film,” I said. “Don’t worry about that now. You need to focus on getting better.”
Ellie looked away. “You don’t understand. It is not that easy.”
“Maybe I don’t understand, but you are not alone in this, Ellie,” I said. “You have Hira and you have me,” I said, smiling.
Ellie shook her head and mumbled something that sounded like, ‘But for how long?’
I couldn’t tell if that was what she said as Buddy plopped himself on Ellie’s stomach.
“Buddy, you weigh a ton! You are not a small puppy anymore. Get off her now,” I said.
“Let him stay,” Ellie said, scratching him behind his ears. “I will get my core workout this way.”
“I can’t believe you are thinking about exercising. You just fractured your wrist,” I said.
“Well, someone has to think about it,” Ellie said. “I know you only think about ice-cream... and wonder all day about what John is thinking.”
I blushed. “That’s not fair. His actions make no sense. I mean, he comes to visit you out of nowhere?”
“It isn’t out of nowhere, Cassie. Stop denying the obvious,” Ellie said. “We both know all his actions are motivated by you.”
I blushed. “We don’t know that.”
“Fine,” Ellie said. “Keep thinking he is some mysterious Heathcliff figure. I will just wait until you two stop being stubborn and get back together again.”
“I am dating someone else,” I said. “Theo, if you have forgotten.”
Ellie shrugged her shoulders, then winced in pain.
“Oh, Ellie. Does it hurt a lot?” I asked.
“A lot less than a broken heart,” Ellie said. When I looked at her, concerned, she said, “It’s fine, Cassie. You are not the only one that can be melodramatic.”
I smiled at Ellie and she scrunched her nose mischievously. Buddy was now fast asleep and snoring on her stomach.
“Just like when he was a puppy,” I said, shaking my head.
Ellie shushed me. “Let him sleep in peace,” she whispered.
When Sunday evening came, I was reluctant to leave, but Ellie said she was much better. I had a strange feeling something was amiss, but didn’t know what it was.
I had a terrible nightmare that night. They are occurring more frequently now.
I see her sleeping on the hospital bed and my heart stops. When I reach to touch her hand, she is cold... cold like death. It couldn’t be true.
I called her name, afraid to touch her hand lest it was really cold. Thankfully, Ellie opens her eyes but says nothing when she sees me. She scans the room to see who was there and freezes when she lays eyes on her parents. They stood there worried, but she was not pleased to see them.
“Why are they here?” Ellie asks.
“We are your parents, sweetheart. How could we not be here?”
“Is that so?” Ellie said coldly. I shiver at her words. “The only time you acted as my parents was when others were showering my praises to you, saying what great parents you were.”
“That is not true Eleanor. We have always been proud of you.”
“I don’t have time for any of your lies!” Ellie screams.
Why was Ellie so cold to her parents? Looking at Mrs. James’ teary eyes and Mr. James’ drooped shoulders, I felt terrible for them. They didn’t look like the intimidating successful lawyers, rather two defeated parents trying to reach their estranged child.
I woke up, heart beating fast and sweat pouring down my shirt.
Why did this nightmare feel so real? I realized that in a way it was true. Ellie was putting a wall up between all those she loved: Nicolas, her parents, and, at one point, even me.
What was causing her to act this way? What was hurting her so badly?
What was it she couldn’t talk about?
I wish I knew.