Chapter Twenty Eight
Just When It Couldn't Get Any Worse
Glumly, I walked passed the front door of the hotel and made myself to the lobby. I was
supposed to meet everyone there that morning before we left for the video shoot. I'd only
been gone for two days, yet it felt like an eternity with all that had happened while I was home. I sighed. It wasn't home any more.
"Eli!" Brian exclaimed appearing before me.
"Hey Bri" I said happily as he wrapped me in his arms
"How are you?"
Brian shut his eyes tightly to keep tears away. It felt so good to hold her again "I love
you" he said unexpectedly, yet truthfully.
"How was your trip?"
"Fine" I lied pulling myself away from him. I didn't want him or anyone to know about
what happened. I rapidly changed the topic
"Let's get some breakfast before we have to go" I said taking his hand and leading him to
the cafeteria.
Brian sensed that something wasn't right, but quickly dismissed it. She was back, and that
was all that mattered.
As I walked in, I couldn't help but think of how unworthy I
was to be here. I didn't deserve happiness.
"Hey you two!" Naila welcomed, waving Eli and Brian over.
"Good morning" I said kindly as we took the seats across
from her and Kevin at the breakfast table.
Kevin took a sip of his decaff "Good to have you back" he
smiled placing a loving arm around Naila's petite form.
I grinned. They seemed so perfect together. Just as Brian
and I might have... "Thanks"
Brian glanced at his girlfriend as she placed her order for
eggs. As much as he tried to blind himself from seeing any
problems with their relationship, he knew that sooner or later
he had to face reality. Eli was hiding something from him.
He knew it. "Maybe she found out about Becca?" he feared.
And was only waiting for him to make the confession. He
sighed. Only one option left: seeking counsel from "Nick!"
His ears pricked at the call of his name, quickly spinning
around to find a table full of friends. At least he wouldn't
be stuck with strangers. As he got closer, his heart skipped
a beat. Eli was back. Good... wait. No. Shit! Not good. What
was he going to say?
"Hi" he coughed, trying to keep his cool.
"Morning" I greeted plainly. It felt strange being around
him again. We'd been through so much, and now were at such a
distance. Roughly like Brian and I. But something just felt
different with Nick. As he took a chair to join us, our eyes
locked, and in that spilt second, more was said and felt
than any dialogue could have ever exchanged. And that scared the
crap out of me, because it made me realize something I knew
was wrong... I'd missed him.
**Meanwhile**
Kristy's mouth curled into a mischievous grin as she quietly tip toed across the room. She
was in a silly mood and felt the need to "spread" her good whim. Slowly, she lowered her
lips to Alyssa's ear, getting as close as possible with out disturbing her... yet. She took in
a deep breath
"WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Alyssa's eyes sprung open, screaming as she fell out her bed.
"Holy... I'm going to KILL you!!!" she yelled, her dark hair covering her face.
Kristy giggled as she watched her friend struggle to stand "Sorry, but we're going to be
late"
"Rjummm" Alyssa grumbled falling back onto her bed "5 more minutes" she pleaded
pulling the off-white blanket over her head.
"Alright!" Kristy gave in. Struggling with Alyssa was like trying to free your arm from a
raging pitbulls jaw. You just couldn't win...
"I'm going to wake Laur, so be ready when I come back" she said as she left the room.
**~~**
Laurel lay still on her side, watching as Michael's chest rose with each breath, and
sunk as he exhaled. She still couldn't believe what she had done; losing her virginity to
someone she didn't love, just to prove some jerk that she wasn't a kid?
'What was I thinking?' she questioned herself as tears of remorse rolled down her flushed
cheeks. If anything, she had proven Nick right.
Her thoughts were soon interrupted as she heard a knock at the door.
"Coming" she yelled wiping away the stains from her face as she stood up, grabbing a
robe.
She opened the door "Hey Kris" she said forcing a smile on her face.
Her face lowered "Oh my god. What's wrong?" Kristy asked at the sight of her friends
distrot expression.
"Nothing" she responded trying to cover the sight of her nude boyfriend still asleep in her
bed. "What is it?"
Kristy saw right through her facade "Why were you crying?" she asked with concern. Laurel's
eyes were still bloodshot- she couldn't deny it.
Laurel didn't answer, only let herself fall into her best friend's arms
"What did I do?" she stammered between tears "I- I..."
"Shhhhh" Kristy soothed "It's Ok, what ever it is, you can tell me"
Laurel lifted her head "Take me with you" she sniffled.
**Meanwhile**
Dawn stared contently out the window of her hotel room. She hadn't been this happy
since, well, she couldn't even remember the last time her life felt so right. Howie was
wonderful, but more importantly, no more Eric.
"Life is good" she sighed happily.
Interrupting her picture perfect moment, her cell went off.
"Miller" she answered, pressing the phone to her ear with her shoulder as she pulled open
the rest of the curtains.
There was no answer.
"Hello?" she said again, this time paying more attention.
Still there was nothing.
"Who is this?" she asked loudly, her eyes searching the room aimlessly for an answer.
No response.
She started to lose patience "I'm going to hang up" she warned.
No sooner had the words left her mouth, that the tone was heard at the other end.
She huffed "Weirdo". She shut her phone and continued with her daydreaming.
**Same Time**
"I must congratulate you on a job well done Miss. Scalis"
"Thank you Mr. Lee" Annie smiled pulling on her jeans. Her pride was radiate. "When
will it be published?" she queried.
Mr. Lee leaned back comfortably on his pricy chair "Done" he said awaiting her reaction.
Annie's eyes bulged "What do you mean, 'done'?" she choked. "I just sent it to you
yesterday... it can't already be in The Monitor"
"Oh no" he laughed "I wouldn't waste it on our local paper. I sold it to the New York
Times"
"The New York Times!" Annie panicked "But we're in NY, I mean, I can't be here
when..."
Mr. Lee interrupted "They were very interested in it. In you. You've got a ..." 'click'. His
brow pulled together
"Hello?... Hello?..."
Annie looked sickly down at the cell phone she'd dropped on the floor. This wasn't
good... Things shouldn't backfire. But yet again... She grinned.
"I can have a little fun with this" she thought wickedly.
**Later**
Alyssa sat, bubbling in her seat, as the make up artist struggled desperatly for her to keep
still.
"Miss Morgan, pleeaaseeee"
"I'm sorry!" she laughed. She couldn't wait to begin the shoot.
"I still can't believe you got them to do this Lyss" Naila managed to say through shut lips.
"It's only a cameo" Alyssa said modestly.
Kristy giggled "The, ahum, 'objects of our affection' "
Alyssa couldn't have been more proud of her plan. So simple, yet so perfect.
"Are you all cool with the idea?" she asked, not really caring much about their answers.
"Of course!" Kristy exclaimed "I wouldn't have let you get away with it if I weren't"
Naila smiled "I think it's a wonderful idea"
"You're just saying that cuz you'll have extra smooching time with Kevy Kev" Kristy joked.
They all laughed, except for Laurel.
Finding her friends silence puzzling, Alyssa turned her head to look at her. Which of
course, she shouldn't have...
"That's *it* Miss Morgan!" John, the make up artist said frustratedly waving a scolding finger in her
face "I'm taking a break from you and your fidgetiness" and left with a huff.
They all laughed. "Oops" Alyssa joked, standing up to stretch. He was right though...She
couldn't sit still.
The others were all still being made up, so she decided to go pay Felicity a visit. She
hadn't been able to speak to her since her return.
Walking down the deserted corridor, she soon found her way to "Angel's" dressing room.
"Welcome back Eli!" she sang, opening the door.
I looked up and smiled "Hey Lyss".
"So" she began, taking a seat to my right "How was home?"
I tried to keep a cheerful disposition "It was Ok"
She laughed "Only Ok? No 'I didn't want to leave', no 'I had a blast' ?"
I lowering my head "Ok". God, why did she always have to interrogate.
Right away, Alyssa sensed something was wrong. Someone who'd been back home after
months of absence would surely respond with more than just 'Ok'.
"Are you sure?"
I looked at her. She really did seem to care
"No" I answered this time, shaking my head as a lump began to form in my throat
"Eli, what's wrong?" Alyssa asked quietly, placing a concerned hand on my shoulder.
My eyes flooded with tears "They hate me" I sniffled, breaking down for the first time
since I'd been back. I didn't want them to know. I just didn't...
"He hates me... doesn't-doesn't..."
"It's alright" Alyssa said trying to comfort her. "Don't cry. Tell me"
"They don't care, they-they don't-dont...." I heaved.
Alyssa watched her a few moments, not certain of what to say or do. She thought it best
to let her get it out of her system. "I'm going to get you some water, Ok sweetie?"
she said standing up and heading to the door
"I'll be back in a minute, and then we can talk about it, alright?"
**A Few Minutes Later**
Annie hopped happily down the hall, her work of art rolled up and help tightly by her eager
fingers. Things didn't work out the way she had planned, but what did it matter? This
would be even more fun.
Her face lit up at the sight of her innocent victim. Her heart did go out to him... almost.
But this was a cold business, and there was no place for pity.
"Hi Brian" she waved.
Brian looked up as he stepped out of the bathroom
"Hey... Annie, isn't it?!"
She grinned widely "Yup, that's my name"
"How are you?" he asked cordially, always being the well brought up young man his
mamma taught him to be.
"I'm wonderful, thanks for asking" her eyes twinkled. "Say, um, could you help me out
with that Fruit Cup" she asked, casually leading him over to the small coffee table in the
corner of the room "I can't seem to get it open"
Brian smiled "Yeah, sure" he agreed bending over to open it.
While he struggled with it, Annie slipped her paper on the table.
"Here you go!" Brian said proudly handing her the can.
"Thanks" she grinned and walked away with an expression of shear triumph on her face.
Almost too easy...
Brian eyed her strangely. "What an odd girl that one is" he chuckled to himself. About to
leave, his eye caught the news paper that had been left on the table. He had a few minutes
to spare, so he decided to take a look see at what was new in the world of entertainment.
Liking his thumb, he began to shuffled through the pages. "Here we go" he said quietly as
he reached his mark. He read the headline. No... His brow pulled together, grabbing the
paper to take a better look. This just couldn't be... He read it again, his blood turning cold.
No... He looked up angrily. Absolutely infuriated, he crumpled the paper, tossing it to the
ground, and walked away like a raging bull.
**A Few Moments Prior**
Lyss walked deep in thought to the cafeteria to get Eli that bottle of water. Poor girl, what
ever had happened must have been pretty bad. Oh well, she'd be there for her. After all,
Alyssa had already begun to think of Eli as a best friend.
Loyal as she was, her duty was to make her feel better. She quickly purchased the bottle of Evian, and started to make her
way back to the dressing room, having to pass by the magazine stand first, of course. The temptation was just too strong.
"She's probably still crying anyway" she thought, convincing herself to stay, only for a
short while. She browsed through the selections. Nothing interesting, that is, until she saw
the New York Times. "When in Rome..." she smiled as she took out the paper for a quick
peek. Her eyes grew large "Oh god" she gasped, dropping her bottle to the dirty floor.
This was NOT good. It took her a while to take it in. Finally pulling herself together, she
grabbed the paper and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She had to warn her...
