Under the Hollywood Sign (editing)

Chapter 3

Shane

She was acting really weird the next day. I'm pretty sure that I didn't say anything wrong, but she looked uncomfortable the next day.

“Hey, what's wrong?”

I brushed the hair behind her ear.

“Nothing.”

She shrunk away from me.

“There's something wrong.”

“There's not.”

“Can you not lie to me?”

Before she could answer, Jesse said

“Your girlfriend is mean! Look what she wrote about us!”

He walked in the room with the new edition of Rolling Stone in his hand. Then, she gave me a look of distress, and she ran out of my house. I knew it was best not to follow her. So I just walked around the kitchen with the magazine as I cooked and ate, and I began reading. And I could see why she would want to run away from me with that magazine in the room. It was harsh. But it was written BRILLIANTLY.

I sighed after reading it, and before I put the magazine aside, I read through the rest. Then, I put it aside, and I picked up my phone, and I called her. It went to voicemail, and I said

“Hey. Listen up. I love you. There, I said it. I love you, and this article won't change a thing. You don't have to like the band, honest. I love you, ok? So please, pick up the phone, and stop worrying. Kay?”

Then, I went over to her house, and I knocked on the door with the magazine in hand. She opened up, and she looked at the magazine, then me.

“Brilliantly written, by the way.”

She gave me a confused look.

“Didn't you get my message?”

“I left my phone at your house.”

“Oh. Well, this,” I pointed to the magazine. “won't change anything. Please, stop worrying. And I want to say I love you. I'm in love with you.”

Then, she was just staring at me.

“I love you, too.”

“No, I think you tolerate me.”

I said with a laugh. She said back 

“No, I love you.”

Then, I dropped the magazine, and I pulled her towards me. But she was short, so I had to lift her up a little bit. Well, I was 6'4'', and she was about 5'5''. So I had to lift her up.

When we pulled away, she was in my arms, and when she began talking, her hot breath made the hairs on my neck stand up.

“Look, what you said at the club--”

“Shh. Baby, don't worry about what I said.”

“But, Shane---”

“You don't have to worry about it. It's over and done, and I have you now. Everything's ok. Ok?”

She nodded her head, and her head was right between my shoulder and my neck.

I gave her a little bit of a boost up because she was slipping out of my arms, and then I went inside. It was cold outside for some reason.

I shut the front door behind me.

“Where do you want me to put you down?”

“I don't.”