What Happens in L.A.

Chapter 2: Reputation Indignations

L

The words of Addilyn's mom hung in Jayce's head like a storm cloud.

"Hell yeah I heard that shit." He says. "Even if I didn't- how does that make it all right?" He continued to walk to his car. "Maybe if she wasn't so busy bitching to me, I could of caught Lilly before she left. But now I have to go all the way to her house and climb through her window, like I know she'd want me to do. She's probably waiting on me by her window weeping her eyes out." He talked out loud to himself. He tried his hardest to imagine this, the thought of someone needing him,  but he couldn't. The anger from tonight was beginning to boil inside of him, and he needed something to cool him down. He saw a flash out of the corner of his eye, and automatically felt his inner chaos leak through the tips of his fingers, eyes, and mouth. A news reporter, or at least what they think they are, was in the bush to his left. The paparazzi emerged from the bush, took another snap, then headed to the back seat of his car to put his camera away.

"Are you stupid?" Jayce asks baffled. The fact this guy did not even try to flee was enough to have Jayce thinking of all the things he should do to him.

"What? A man can't take a picture of an up-and-coming star to make some money? Put food on the table, like the fancy shit you eat everyday?" The paparazzi replied shrugging his shoulders.

"Don't try to act like you didn't record what I just said back there."

"No, dude, totally not. But if you want to say something-" the man smacked loudly on gum.

"Shut up!" Jayce shouted at him.

"Hey I have a wife and kids. Can't you tell by this minivan that I'm struggling? I should record you right now being belligerent to the upper lower class..." The paparazzi said powering up his camera and placing it back around his neck. Jayce lurked up to him one leg at a time. He took his camera and lunged the man closer to him with it.

"I do not care about you or your whore wife, who sat around and had a whole bunch of kids you obviously can't afford. Maybe you joke around with your career, but my career isn't something I fuck around with, Pap." He said to the paparazzi then shoved him to the ground.

"Okay! Okay! Just don't hurt me. Please! I won't post anything, I promise!" The reporter unrealistically begged muttering my wife, my kids, under his breath.

His playful attitude only upset Jayce more. "Only if I believed you. You see- paparazzis are no good. They lie to make money. So what makes you think I should have sympathy for you? You exploit my life- why can't I have fun with your's?" Jayce raised his foot then slammed it down. The camera to the side of the paparazzi's head on the pavement was still around his neck, but now just a wreck of mechanical pieces.

"Oh God." The paparazzi began quietly. "Why...no! My camera! Of all things- just no! Somebody help me! He attacked it! I'm just a tourist!" He began screaming on the top of his lungs.

"What? No! Shut the hell up!" Jayce began to panic. As the paparazzi kept screaming, Jayce began to kick his sides. "I need to puncture his lungs or some shit..."

"Get off of him Jayce! Right now!" Mr. Holdings came rushing out grabbing a hold of Jayce.

"You idiot! How is this going to look on grocery store shelves?!" Mrs. Holdings began to pace.

"Grocery... Store... Shelves?" The paparazzi's head began to raise up. Mason was holding Addilyn, who was smirking at the negative publicity she knew was coming Jayce's way. Mrs. Maintage stood in the background not knowing if she should smile or frown.