Don't Tell The Paparazzi

Chapter 9

The tequila bottle, reigning under the yellowish light of a low chandelier, had been Dominic's idea. Surrounding it were six shot glasses. The drummer poured himself a drink and distributed the other shots: one for each band member, another for the voluptuous redhead, one for the busty miss, and finally, a shot for Stella; the girl whose physical traits weren't striking enough to earn her a new nickname from Elijah. Thank God.

No one took a sip until Nash finished explaining the rules:"For those who've never played 'Never Have I Ever,' and it seems it's just Stella," Elijah laughed at the girl's irritated look before continuing, "the game works like this: when it's your turn, you say something you've never done. Then the participants who've done what's been stated must drink. If no one has, the person who made the statement drinks. The game ends when the bottle is empty, and the winner is whoever stays the most sober."The rules established, the game proceeded accordingly. Predictably. Stella was the one who had kept her glass untouched the longest on the table. That's what happens when you spend your teenage years more in the company of books than at parties: you don't become the most entertaining person for this kind of game. Brian, Elijah, and Dom shared the top spot on the podium, showing no visible signs of drunkenness.Most of the statements were as obvious as the responses. Like the redhead saying she'd never had a threesome. Except for Stella, everyone downed their shots. Including the declarant herself, who turned out to be a liar after all.By the third round, Stella also began taking occasional sips. After all, it wasn't fun being the puritan at the table. She noticed Brian's worried look every time she did. But everything was fine as long as she didn't see double faces and could count all the fingers on her hand, right?The bottle was already halfway empty when it was Dominic's turn:"Damn, I've done everything in this life," he paused thoughtfully, "but something I've never done and never will"—he emphasized with a grimace—"is being with someone of the same sex."Chuckles. Girl A and Girl B took their shots, nothing surprising there. For Stella, the real surprise was seeing Elijah's glass empty. Okay. Maybe not so surprising. After all, the man was the typical person who couldn't care less about moral conventions, and this should reflect on his sexuality in some way. Dom and Brian showed no reaction, they must have already known about their colleague's broader range of options."Well, we still have enough tequila for one last round," Nash said, turning to the vocalist with a smug smile on his lips. "So come on, goth prince, don't disappoint us. Tell us something the media hasn't revealed yet."All eyes turned to Brian, who raised his glass and declared without emotion:"Want to know something the press hasn't uncovered? I've never truly fallen in love."Elijah glanced sideways at Stella. She read "I told you so" in the guitarist's smug expression. Then he, Dominic, the redhead, and busty miss downed their shots. Stella and Brian exchanged glances: their lonely, full glasses forming a perfect pair on the table.Nash's gaze shifted between Brian and Stella, his empty glass spinning between his long fingers:"And wouldn't you know it, they have that in common? Two hearts of stone, after all.""And don't we?" Brian said with a half-smile to his colleague. "Okay, guys. The company's great, but Stella and I need to go.""What? Now?! No way! Not yet," Elijah growled. "You're not leaving until we dance to a song! This guy's the best DJ in Colorado."Brian, tired of keeping up appearances, said irritably:"Dance? Seriously, Nash?""Let's go, Stella?" The guitarist ignored Carter as he made the invitation."Better not," Brian spoke before the girl could open her mouth.Elijah raised an eyebrow at his colleague:"Unless you've changed your name to Stella, don't answer for her, pretty boy. She's a grown girl already." Nash then looked directly at the teacher, "big boobs" pouting at him proportionally to her bust. "What do you say, little mouse? Just one song, scout's honor."The guitarist made a finger-crossing gesture and kissed his own fingers. Stella glanced from Brian to Elijah, the alcohol finally taking effect all at once, slowing down faces in slow motion."My God, Elijah, you're so insistent," the girl said, but the man gave her a heart-melting look. "Okay... just one song!"Stella barely had time to mumble an apology to Brian before Nash pulled her onto the dance floor. Dominic and his companion got up as well. Carter considered staying seated but ultimately gave in. After all, someone had to keep an eye on Elijah to ensure he didn't do anything reckless.
The DJ spun an exclusive version of *Bizarre Love Triangle*. Stella closed her eyes, dancing to the beat, and when she opened them again, she saw Dominic with a vacant expression, as if something had drained the drummer of his essence. Even the girl snaking between his legs like a cobra didn't seem to have any effect on him. To her left was Brian, the only part of his body moving being his hand swirling a glass of bourbon."Rock star..." Stella jumped in front of him. "You're downcast!" She touched his collar but quickly stepped back, slurring. "Oops! Forgot, no touching!"Carter raised his eyes to her before taking a sip of his drink."I'm not downcast. I'm concerned. I think you've had a bit too much."She frowned."What?! I'm a saint! I drank the least in the game!"Around them, people danced wildly to another remastered '80s classic. Brian had to raise his voice half a tone so she could hear him:"Yes. But these people are used to drinking.""What did you say?" Stella asked, and Brian spoke even louder:"I SAID YOU'RE NOT USED TO DRINKING.""Geez! When did you become so boring? Let the girl have fun!" Elijah appeared between them with a groupie in tow. The guitarist then spoke to Stella, his voice metallic, like amplifiers ringing in their ears:"Stella! Shall we spin?""What?" the girl shouted back, not understanding."Hold my hand, little mouse! Let's spin the world!""Stella! Don't..." Brian tried to warn her, but it was too late "...do it."The people behind Elijah's shoulders sped by in fast motion, faces blurred among shadows cast by blacklight. His black-painted eyes and maniacal grin were the only constants for the girl. The nausea hit her like a freight train. She let go of Nash's hands, and the laws of physics took over, throwing her off balance. She got up from the floor with her right hand already over her mouth. Luckily, the bathroom was nearby and had no line.Stella dropped to her knees on the glossy floor, beside the toilet. Her curly hair fell over her face. Before the second wave of nausea hit, she felt a hand on her hair."Let it all out, girl. You'll feel better.""Brian?" She saw the tip of his boot, embroidered lines on the leather forming flame designs."I'm here.""I'm sorr..."She couldn't finish the sentence."There goes the Big Mac," Brian said, and Stella didn't find it funny at all.Suddenly, the door opened. Music and conversation spilled into the bathroom. The chatter stopped, and the voice that should belong to the alpha of the pack spoke authoritatively:"Hey!!! This is the women's bathroom! You can't be in here!"Another, sharper voice interrupted the first:"Oh my God, isn't that Brian Carter?!"Wonderful."No way!!!" the girl said, and Stella caught a glimpse of approaching high heels: Louboutins. "Brian!!! I'm your biggest fan! Can I get an autograph?"Stella felt Carter squeeze her shoulder before politely addressing the girls:"Hey... Thanks. But maybe later? This isn't a great time for my friend."The teacher wished she could disappear. Straight into a world where her stomach acid and Brian Carter never met, where more spectators didn't materialize out of nowhere asking the man for autographs."Oh, poor thing! I have aspirin." A zipper opened, and the girl's voice came closer: female solidarity. "Give it to her tomorrow morning.""Thanks," Brian said, the chatter fading shortly after. "Stella. Do you think there's more left to come out?""Oh. God. No. I think I'm done.""Great. Do you... want to drink more, or... do you want to leave?"Stella looked at him, surprisingly deep dark circles forming under his eyes."I hate you."Carter laughed wickedly."The second option, then." Brian helped Stella lean on his shoulder, sliding his arm around her waist. To hell with the paparazzi. It was a shame that so much physical contact happened under such unfavorable circumstances. Stella followed him. Suddenly, she felt the sharp breeze on her face. They were outside, where a good dozen people waited for the valet service, which had chosen the worst possible moment to become chaotic. Apparently, one of the employees had stepped too hard on the gas, causing a Bugatti to rear-end a Lamborghini. Carter helped Stella sit on one of the benches at the entrance, left for a minute, and soon returned with the car keys."Can you manage to walk a bit more?" the vocalist asked her. "The parking lot is just around the corner, and we can head there. Or we could wait, who knows how many minutes, until they bring us the car."Stella was firm:"I want to get out of here."They walked slowly, and when they turned into the open parking lot, Brian checked to make sure no reporters were around. Apparently, there weren't. Then, with a swift move, he lifted Stella into his arms and carried her. The girl didn't protest. She really seemed unwell. About halfway there, he heard her mumble:"Sorry."Brian looked at her."There's no need to apologize; you're the one feeling lousy. But I'm going to kill Elijah when I get the chance—this is all his fault." He sighed, his eyebrows furrowing in a sad way. "And mine too, for not looking after you better."Stella placed her hand on her stomach and groaned before saying:"No. I ruined our night together, for the second time. I wanted to be nice to your friends and ended up agreeing to drink, drink, and drink..."Brian gave a faint smile. Calmly, he said:"You didn't ruin the first time. And as for tonight... well, waiting isn't so bad. Actually, it's something new for me, and... it's been interesting."Stella looked at him. From her position, she could see the faint stubble starting to appear on his chin."I'm such an idiot. I'm never drinking alcohol again.""That's what everyone says after their first hangover. It doesn't make you an idiot, just a girl experiencing what every normal person does one day.""Yeah, but I didn't have to drag you into it."He couldn't suppress his laughter."Believe me, I find this very amusing. Your English gets so cute when you're drunk.""Does it?""Uh-huh."She looked down, shocked, the pavement swaying with Brian's every step."Oh my God. You're carrying me in your arms.""Now you realize?" The man gave her an incredulous look."Your publicist. Being carried in your arms."Brian's lips curled into a mischievous smile."You're fired.""Wow. That was a short job.""It was, wasn't it? But I'll give you good references."His warm skin contrasted adorably with the night breeze. The man worked like a walking heater, with the bonus of being kind to clueless girls who didn't know how to drink. Stella heard the sharp click of the car alarm and the thud of the four security locks. Brian adjusted her on one arm to open the passenger door."Was that a sign? You carrying me, I mean." She took advantage of the significant amount of alcohol in her blood to be bolder. He was still looking at the car's handle."I don't know. Should I have asked your parents for your hand first?""Oh no... my dad would kick you out."Damn alcoholic honesty. His eyes turned sad. Apparently, he was hurt. Or it was cheap acting."Damn. That's the second time you've said that. Am I such a bad catch?"She didn't hesitate in her reply:"You're in a rock band, you've slept with several girls at the same time. Yes. You're the worst."Stella sat in the passenger seat, bumping her head in the process. She felt nothing. The alcohol had numbed her nervous system. She heard his laughter as the driver's door opened. When the engine roared to life, Brian turned to her:"What's the name of your hotel?""Hmm... Hotel... California?" She burst out laughing, remnants of the drink's euphoric phase."Hotel California. Like the song, huh?" Brian asked as he reversed the car."Yep.""Let me guess, it's run by the Eagles.""Exactly."He glanced sideways at her."You said you didn't like rock.""It's a classic.""Come on, Stella, what's the real name of your hotel?" Brian teased, his beautiful and harmless green cat eyes threatening. "Or I'll take you to Los Angeles."The teacher sobered up instantly."And what's in Los Angeles?""My house.""You don't say..." She stared at his perfectly angled jaw, losing herself in that image for a minute. She changed the subject when she noticed Brian tense up. "Ah... there's... a card in my purse."She deciphered the scrambled letters and entered the address into the GPS on his phone. They reached the inn fifteen minutes later. Small red lights, like police sirens, blinked around a vacancy sign. The place must have had its heyday, but now it was rundown. Brian parked near the entrance, and Stella waited to see what would happen next—whether he would turn off the car or not.He twisted the key in the ignition, and the car's interior fell silent; the only sound suddenly was the tinkling of wind chimes hanging by the inn's front door. Stella wished to invite him to her room, but the earlier events had drained any expectations that Brian would kiss her or offer anything more intimate than a handshake.She gave him an awkward look."So... are you heading back to your hotel now?"Brian stared at her."Are you kidding? Someone has to make sure you don't choke on your vomit." He laughed, but Stella remained serious. "You... don't want me to stay here?"She blinked rapidly, processing the idea of spending another night with the man."No! I want you to! But this place doesn't have Egyptian sheets or heated pools."A smile lit up his face:"I can live without that."
They got out of the car and walked to the reception. Charlotte Green, the inn's owner, was sitting in the dim light, watching an old movie. To Stella, the woman resembled one of those cool, single aunts who cover for their nephews' mischief. The lady straightened in her chair, the low light giving her platinum hair bun the appearance of a cake topping."Good evening, Stella." Charlotte looked at Brian with a smile that made her small eyes nearly disappear on her face. Apparently, Carter's good looks knew no age limits. "Oh, looks like the show was a good one.""Good evening, Mrs. Green. This is..." Stella paused, thinking about how she should introduce him."Hi, I'm Brian," he said preemptively. The woman didn't seem like the type who'd be familiar with the current generation of rock singers anyway."Nice to meet you," she said, then gave Stella a conspiratorial look. "Do you need extra blankets? Towels?""No, everything's fine.""Okay. Let me know if you need anything."The room was small and had pastel-toned wallpaper that matched the furniture. Stella quickly calculated the proportion between Brian's shoulder width and the bed's size: he'd be a good few inches too big to be completely comfortable. He, on the other hand, didn't seem worried about such matters. He had already removed his boots, his T-shirt, and was now unbuttoning his jeans. Stella froze in place, her eyes fixed on the exact moment his fingers pulled down the zipper."Wow. That was quick," she said, averting her eyes to the floor. Brian laughed at her reaction."Relax. I'm just making myself more comfortable here—nothing you haven't seen before. Any objections?""None. Are you... taking it all off?"He licked his lips before answering:"I like to sleep as I came into the world, but out of consideration for having a maiden in the room... I'll keep this." He pointed to his underwear. Designer, obviously. Damn. If the brand's stylist saw how good Brian Carter looked in it, they might reconsider the name embroidered on the waistband.Stella stared, jaw dropped, for a good few seconds. That man made her notice parts of male anatomy she hadn't even considered could be so inspiring. She shook her head, snapping out of the trance:"Okay. All right," she said while searching her bag for pajamas. Then she added suddenly, "Hey. Want to hear something funny?""Are you going to throw up again?"Stella stopped rummaging through her bag and gave him a disapproving look."That's not funny; it's tragic.""You're right, my bad," the vocalist said, holding back laughter. "Go ahead.""Brian Carter spending two nights with me. No sex.""That's tragic too," Brian puffed out."Think we could make a song about it? Like... 'The Man Who Waited Too Long.'""I think we could make an entire album," Brian said before throwing himself onto the bed, arms crossed behind his head, showing off tattoos on his biceps. "But it'd be better titled, 'The Girl Worth Waiting For.'"Her ego inflated."You really know what to say to make a girl happy, don't you?""Only the truth."Stella hid her smile. She brushed her teeth, turned off the main light, and left only the bedside lamp on. She felt his gaze on her body as she removed her shirt to put on her nightgown. Then she lay close enough to inhale the scent of aftershave still lingering on his skin.She called softly after a while:"Hey, Brian."His voice came, heavy with drowsiness:"Hmm?""Tomorrow I'll be sober, and tonight's situation will be resolved. But the problem from our first night... it's still here."First, silence. Then his response:"I figured it would be.""Really?" she stammered."I just don't know if I should be happy or not about that. I still hope you find the right guy. But at the same time, I wish that bastard never shows up."Their laughter echoed together in the darkness. Stella wrapped one leg under the blanket, the other bare above the sheet. Outside, the night wind stirred the chimes hanging by the entrance—a melancholy tune."Brian...""Stella.""I wish you were that right guy."She felt his thumb graze her stomach lightly, sending a shiver through her. Then she heard his long sigh."Oh, Stella..."The painful way he uttered those two words made her shrink. She turned her back to him, trying to make out the scrambled contours of the room's furniture. A foot slid against her calf, and his voice came again, a whisper near her ear:"Try to sleep, girl."She curled up."I'll try if the world stops spinning.""It will. I promise. Good night."His lips brushed the top of her head. A kiss that, undeniably, reached the wrong part of her body...For the second time.