PAPARAZZI

Thirteen

You get up early in the morning to prepare things. Jay is arriving today, and you will pick him up at Tacoma International Airport. It's fairly distant from your home because you live in Texas, but this was your work for him, luckily you travel to Seattle early yesterday.

You were sitting on the waiting area benches when your phone vibrated. It was a message from Jay informing you that their plane had landed and that he was now at immigration.

Jay had no idea how tense you were due of that simple text, but you knew there was no significance for him. But so what? If you're still a simple admirer like previously, you might not get a chance to receive a text from him.

You compose a response text for him, indicating you're already in the waiting area, and Jay responds within a few seconds.

[I will get there.]

Your cheeks blush as your lips form a grin, thinking you were about to see your long-distance boyfriend, but after a few seconds, your smile fades as you realize you are delusional.

"Stop daydreaming," you say, lightly stroking your cheeks to bring yourself back into reality.

You're not here to be Jay's girlfriend, but to pretend for him in order to establish his clear name in the industry, thus you must set things in motion that might ruin your work.

You get up from your seat when you see Jay walking. He carries his travel bag on his left shoulder and a luggage on his right hand. Fortunately, people passing by do not identify him since he is wearing black eyeglasses and a black mask.

Jay was casually dressed in a black shirt that tucked into his black slacks, but god! He appears to be a wealthy young uncle, perhaps if you are unable to contain your emotions, you will find yourself going to him and yelling his name.

He was not on the runway, but the way he walked is quite appealing. You can't deny why fans and other prominent artists in the Industry are appreciating him.

You were simply glancing at him when Jay saw where you were standing.

You smile at him as he lifts his hand to you before walking towards you.

"Hi," you say to him, but he fails to greet you back, instead asking you a different questions.

"How long have you been here?"

"6 hours."

"You can wait for me at the hotel instead." he answered.

You can't think of anything to say in response to what he said because you're contemplating whether it's a good idea to go
fetch him or just listen to him. However, when Jay asks you to eat, all thoughts in your mind vanish.

"Let's eat first before heading back to the hotel. I can't eat later because I need to sleep."

Jay gently tilts his head.

"Damn! my head hurts from the stupid jet lag."

You and Jay eat at a well-known restaurant in Tacoma. You're concerned that some others will see him, but he ultimately arranges for a private location to eat before he comes.

Jay handed you the order booklet to pick what you wanted, but because you were unfamiliar with most of the meal options, you just responded that you'd get what he ordered, you expect Jay to say no, but he just nodded.

While you both waited for your dinner, the staff served a drink, which was a green tea juice.

"Thank you," Jay said to the server.

It was just one glass of greentea juice, which is why you're perplexed when Jay hands you the drink before settling back into his chair.

"Taste it. It's beneficial for your health."

You're not a lover of green tea juice, but it's difficult to say no to Jay while he's watching you drink it, so you have no option but to do so. At first, you thought you wouldn't like it, but as it melted on your tongue, you realized it didn't taste horrible.

"How is it?" he asked.

"It's good," you said.

Jay smiled before brushing his hair. Noting that he looks better bare-faced. You instantly felt that his future wife would be lucky to acquire such a wonderful package, man.

"Finish it."

"Are you not going to taste it? It's sort of odd if you simply watch me without drinking," you remarked.

Jay shakes his head.

"I've had a lot of it before, I simply want you to try it because they don't serve it in Texas."

"Huh? Is this rare?"

"Nah, but you couldn't find the same taste at other places outside of Tacoma."

"Really? So I'm just lucky because you let me taste it," you remark, laughing slightly, but when you look at Jay, he's simply watching you.

Your heart races as if you were in a race before you deflect your attention away from him. Luckily, the server enters and serves the food, saving you from the awkward position.

When the server left Jay began eating. He was silently devouring his meal, which is why both of you were silent, it's good since after that embarrassing moment earlier, you had no words to say to him.

"Do you want to go sightseeing with me?"

*silence...*

"Do you want to go sightseeing with me?" he repeat.

"Your grandmother says you love seafood."

"If we travel to the city and visit the port, there is a lot of wonderful seafood there."

If Jay hadn't tapped the table with his fingers, you wouldn't have realized he was talking to you since your mind was elsewhere.

"Oh, sorry. Are you saying something?"

Jay's expression turns darker before he returns to his eating.

He seems irritated.

"Nothing, let's just finish the meal."