Picture Perfect

Chapter Eighteen: Haters

                  

Author's Note:
Hey guys, sorry I updated late. School's starting and yup it's hell. Anyway enjoy the chapter :)

Sabrina Daniels
Mr. Peterson timetabled a conference at the lobby for all of us. It was somewhat odd because he even made an intricate invite for a simple seminar at the bottom of the building. I finished the final touches of make up before proceeding toward the elevator. The metal exits unfastened at the foyer and from a far I could notice the students assembling around the enormous hearth.

I parked myself alongside of Laura and Peter and stared intently at the professor. The other girls- one batch older than I was-that were part of the internship glanced my way for limited seconds then shortly murmured and giggled. I peeked behind me but nobody stood nearby therefore making me a hundred percent sure they were laughing at me.
Mr. Peterson made me snap out of overthinking and ordered us to present our work progress. I clutched the portfolio hard on its sides before dispensing it in his hands.

He skimmed through the clear pages and couldn't hold his smile. He returned it to me with a simple 'well done', dismissing me from the so called assembly. Megan and Ave have just come out of the elevator once I reached the small restaurant.

They gazed at me with nervous expressions.

"What?" I query, feeling a tad bit insecure of how I looked.

"Sab you might want to see this," Ave gave her phone to me.

I scrolled through the negative commentaries of the people on a website. Most of them were from fans of Francis. Several of them stated I was using him for fame, I was stealing him from Olivia and I should just back off.

I passed the mobile back to Ave and shrugged it off, although inside I couldn't help but feel weird.

"You okay?" Meg said, concern dripping on every word.

"I'm fine," I say, bluffing, "I don't care,"

At the same minute my phone beeped.

Sebastian: Sab, I need you ASAP here at my apartment.

"Girls, I have to go, I'll catch up with you later."

They countered with an okay before I hauled a cab to my brother's home.

**

Sebastian's apartment was colossal. It was like the apartment in Jessie- in fact my favorite TV show on the Disney Channel. It had two floors with spiral steps directing into his mini office. I started to speculate what my life after college would be. Bastian was certainly not captivated to studies or even work. He was in a way the lazy guy that practically flunked but now he's swapped into a completely new individual.

He came out from his den and plopped a box in front of me. I opened it and there were a bunch of CD's, photo albums and then a heart shaped container. I lifted the closure of the canister to expose a heart shaped necklace.

"Oh my goodness," I exclaimed, holding on the strap to see the length of the chain.

"Grandma sent the box to me. She figured we would want stuff of mom's"

My smile faded. These were my mom's belongings.

"I can't take any of this,"

"The only way to move on is to accept Sab. Mom would've wanted you to have this. Besides look at the inside,"

I unlocked the small latch and a picture of her and dad appeared. I sensed tears trickle down my face. Sebastian wrapped his arm around my shoulders and looked at me. I pressed the heart to close it and put it around my neck.

"Look I have to get to work. Grab anything you want and I'll get the other things."

"I'm just taking the locket. It's small but it's enough." I reassured.

We scurried back down and shared a long embrace before we parted ways.

**

Back at the hotel, I was roaming through the corridors and found the girls from this morning. I strained to disregard their presence but they persisted to block my way.

"Excuse me please," I say quietly before one of them thrusts me against the wall.

"You think you could use Francis to make you famous. C'mon Sabrina. You're younger than us and you're still so pathetic."

"I'm not using him-"

"Save it." One of them cut me off.

They began intimidating me and naming me nasty things and all I could recollect were the millions of negative comments online about me. How could fans think of me this way? Was I too quick to be in a relationship that sort of gave people the impression that I was using him and stealing him from Olivia?

"Hey!" A boy shouted, thus making the girls rush down the hallway.

The boy aided to me. I muttered a thank you and started strolling down the hallway with tears in my eyes. The boy eventually stalked behind me and made sure I was alright.

"Hey it's going to be okay."

"No it's not. First I get bashed on the net now I get hurt physically."

He inspects my figure in the daylight. "You're the girl the pop star is with right?"

I bobbed my head. He gives me a small yet pleasant grin. "Don't mind them. I'm Caleb Hartley. I live three rooms down the hall from your room. I could stay if you need someone or I could visit you any time."

My mouth twitched into a smile. New Yorker's are really kind.

"I'm fine. But thank you Caleb. I'm Sabrina."

I offer him my phone and he punches his number then I take his number too. Caleb beckons at me as he enters another room. I meanwhile slam the door with my back against it, a smile stuck on my face.