Katie McGrath moves to the UK for an acting opportunity but in order to make extra money she takes up a job offer as a lecturer in a university. Little does she know a familiar face from her new set also takes a seat in her first lecture.
#1 in Kati...
if you have good music taste, you'll be able to tell what this chapter is about already :)
Katie's PoV:
My alarm started squealing through my ears and I pulled my duvet up over my head, drifting back to sleep.
"Katie, shut your damn alarm off." A voice screamed through my serenity and I groaned, uncovering the duvet from my head and plunging us into silence again.
"Did you nearly go back to sleep... with your alarm still going?" Charlotte mumbled and I groaned in agreement.
"How? Are you really that exhausted?" The questions kept coming and i slowly opened my eyes.
"You really shouldn't go to work today... you're shattered." She smiled reassuringly and sat up.
"It's fine, i'll be fine." I mumbled groggily, pushing myself up to sit alongside her.
"Fine, well if we're both going on, we have 20 minutes to get out." Charlotte stood up and walked into my wardrobe.
I groaned audibly before reaching for my phone. I started scrolling through my notifications and frowned when I saw there were a lot more than usual.
A: Katie, how was your holiday with the blonde?
I frowned, I hadn't told anybody that we were going away, it was really spontaneous.
I scrolled through the rest of my notifications and sighed when I saw the group chat with 179 notifications.
M: Katie, you're gay? C: Course she is, we guessed that. A: How do you know that Mel? M: She's dating. C: Katie's got a girlfriend??? A: Mel how do you know? M: They were seen on some beach. A: Wait... pap got them? C: *website shared* Looks like it. A: Crap.
I stopped reading at this point and locked my phone, placing it face down on my bedside table before getting up and joining Charlotte in my wardrobe.
"I'm going to be refitted when I get to set so i'm just going to go in like this." I explained and Charlotte nodded.
I walked back out and wandered downstairs to make a cup of coffee and grab a granola bar before sitting on the sofa in defeat.
Charlotte joined me shortly after, in my grey coat and a t shirt complimented with jeans and her necklace.
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"Hey babe, what's bothering you?" Charlotte asked and I looked up at her.
"What would you think about us going public?" I tested the waters, I wasn't going to lie to her but I really hoped this wouldn't fracture our relationship.
"It wouldn't bother me much I don't think, it would drive my mother mad but if that's what you want." She nodded, clearly contemplating the concept in her mind.
"Well... this is no longer a decision that's up to us." I remained sceptical, I was only the messenger and I didn't really want her deflecting her anger towards me.
"What do you mean?.... did someone see us and recognise you?" Charlotte began to panic and I assuringly placed my hands on top of hers.
"It was that guy at the farm.... he.... he liked me back in the day and.... I guess he's jealous and did his research. He spited us. I'm sorry" I apologised, despite the fact it wasn't my fault.
"He.... he told everyone?" I could see the tears begging at Charlottes eyes.
"Yeah, he published an article, sent it into some news place with a photo of us kissing. I'm sorry, I didn't know he would be so spiteful." I apologised again.
This wasn't something that would affect me, I'm used to the public perceiving me in the way they choose to, it was saddening that it came from someone I knew this time but I felt worse for Charlotte. This wasn't fair on her, it should have been her decision.
"It's fine, you don't need to apologise. I just think.... I'm going to need some space from this... us... you. Just for a while, so it can calm down." The tears were now burning at my own eyes, I could feel them trickling down my cheek, stinging as they did so.
"Okay.... I fully understand. I'm sorry, this shouldn't have happened. I should have been more careful." I wiped away the tears as they fell, the saline taste hinting at my lips.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't stay with you, I'm running and I'm sorry about that because I really really liked you." The tears were now flowing freely down the rose cheeks of the blonde.
"Hey... don't use past tense with me. This isn't forever. Just until you're ready or until the press calms down." I assured and she nodded, still frowning.
"Look, I still want to look out for you. I'm going to give you a lift whenever it's dark, that's going to stay in place until this resolves. I'm not leaving you, however much you try to leave me." My tone became sterner and I fought my instincts and looked directly into her eyes, laced with pain and fire.
"Ok... thank you for that. I really don't know where i'd be without you Katie." She smiled painfully and I nodded, with a slight shrug of my shoulders.
"I love you, of course I'm not going to leave you to struggle. We can just go back to what we were before that breakfast." She nodded with a smile, refusing to let all her metaphorical walls collapse because of me.
"Thank you Katie. Can.... can you give me a lift in this morning?"Her voice faltered, laced with fear of rejection.
"Of course Charlotte. My feelings for you haven't changed in the slightest because of this and they might have changed for you but I'm still exactly the same Katie who you woke up next to this morning." I let go of her hands and stood up, walking out of the living room to find my handbag
"Grab whatever you want on your way out, don't go hungry." I ordered and she nodded sheepishly.
"Thank you... for letting me do this." She grabbed a granola bar and banana.
"Don't worry about it. I'll be here... until you love me. I'll be here." I assured and she smiled, a genuine smile.
