Love Under Construction

27. Pacify-Her

Spencer's POV

"Spencer, Spencer— Look this way, Spencer!" The paparazzi yells as my gaze grows more and more intense. "To the left!"

I force a smile as my mind clouds with a memory of the day Olivia and I said goodbye, just eight months ago.

"Yeah, Spence!" I hear Coop and my little brother Dillon yell in the background, before I look over to see my mom, dad, sister Dee, and baby Elle proudly watching.

"Love you," I read my mom's lips before raising my fingers to my mouth and blowing a tiny kiss in her direction.

"Quick interview," a female reporter yells and I put on an even bigger smile before she shoves a microphone into my face. "How are you adjusting to all of this fame?"

"It's only a little different than before. But I know as the movie gets more popular around the world, the audience will grow. And that's when I'll embrace all of this." I answer as I watch Olivia greet her dad.

"How about the way you mastered the American accent? How easy was that? And who taught you?" She asks another question.

"Back home, one of my good friends was from here. He taught me a lot. And I also had some other help along the way." I answer, honestly, before I overhear a reporter say Olivia's name.

"She looks good," a different one says as they begin to turn their cameras towards her.

"There she goes," Coop whispers while no one is paying attention. "Are you going to go say something?"

I hear Coop, but I don't bother to answer her as I watch Olivia exchange smiles and laughs with her family.

"She looks happy," I whisper.

If anyone here was to steal a little of my spotlight, I'd prefer it be Olivia every time.

"At least try to finish the premiere before you lose your mind chasing a skirt," Coop adds.

"I'm not chasing anybody," I mumble as I watch Olivia answer a few questions.

"Bro, The Rock is at our premiere. We definitely made it." My co-star, Darnell, says excitedly as he walks over to Coop and I. "My momma is about to make all of the church women jealous with the selfies she's taking."

I chuckle as I peep over at my mom and dad, taking selfies in front of a full-size cardboard cutout of me.

"Spencer, how do you feel about Olivia Baker naming you Hollywood's rising actor of the year in her latest Lit Magazine release?" A random reporter asks and I cut my eyes over at Olivia, who's now within earshot of my response.

"Olivia is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant-beautiful—-sweetest journalist in the world. So knowing she thinks highly of my work is special to me." I say loud enough for her to hear and she smiles before walking into the theatre with her dad, step-mom, and brother.

The reporter gives a satisfied smile before walking away.

"That was real smooth, Spence! But if she's all that, why didn't you answer her calls?" Coop asks.

I didn't answer her calls because I didn't think anything changed between us in only a few weeks. And if that was the case, I didn't want to torture myself with the spin cycle we continued to find ourselves in eight months ago. I wanted to protect our hearts from crashing and burning again.

"You know why I didn't answer," I mumble.

"Tell me this, tweedle-dumb, what happens if you let months go by, between yall, and she found the love of her life?" Coop questions.