Someone Like Me

Chapter Twenty: And Now To Peaches, Again, Who Is Crying, Again....

                  

I returned from work the next day late in the afternoon to find Peaches in the living room with my mother and some people they talk to. The TV was turned onto some gossip, talk show. They were all socializing and laughing when I walked into the door. I stopped in my tracks when I noticed a very familiar face on the screen. The face that I kissed last night before leaving with Charlie to get home.

               Dalton was on the TV with another man and woman. So this is what he meant by business.

               "Hey," I mumbled and they all glanced at me for a second but went back to looking at the screen. I stood at the entrance of the living room looking at the moving pictures as Dalton talked with the show hosts.

               "—Dalton after coming home from your cross country tour, you met a girl?" The man questioned and there was a smile on Dalton's face that made my insides turn and twist.

               "Yeah," The lady spoke. "Everyone is going crazy over who this girl is after Friday night's dance your mother hosted. She stole the show that night in that amazing dress." The famous picture of Dalton, Charlie, and me in our attire that night showed up on a screen behind them. It was the shot of me holding Dalton's hand and Charlie's arm was wrapped around my shoulders. Dalton looked back at the photo behind him and chuckled softly.

               "Yeah, she sure did."

               "So are the rumors true about your Huntress and celebrity model Peaches Westcott exchanging some harsh words that caused the Sweetheart to run out of the dance crying?" The lady seemed to be at the edge of her seat wondering what Dalton was going to say.

               "Yes, words were exchanged and Peaches did cry. But it's all a misunderstanding. Peaches actually tried to take me away from my date multiple times and actually insulted my girl and pretended that we were dating. I'm not calling her names but I think she needs a reality check on life." Oh my god, I choked back a laugh as I watched Peaches's mouth fall open in shock at Dalton's words. "I went to the dance with a girl to have a good time with her. I didn't go to make my Angel feel like I was dumping her because Peaches was acting like she deserved everything in the world and thought she could take me from my Angel."

               "So you're telling us that Peaches cries when she doesn't get what she wants?"

               "I'm not pointing fingers and labeling people, just telling you want happened."

               "This is a new side of Peaches that not a lot of people have heard of," The man spoke finally.

               "Yeah," Dalton was silent after that. He reached up to rub the back of his neck and I knew that action meant that he was deep in thought. He must have said too much because I could see how he looked uncomfortable and...ashamed. Why did he look like that?

               "Well, we will be right back after these messages." The lady smiled to the camera before the shot was changed. An ad came right up.

               There was silence from everyone.

               Peaches screamed.

               My mother tried to calm her down.

               Their guests stared shocked at the TV.

               "This is so unfair!"

               "Peaches we will fix this! I'll get you an interview and you can tell your side." My mother patted her back and the guests nodded their heads. One of the guests, a lady in her late fifties with grey hair and pale skin, got up and sat down next to Peaches as she wiped away tears.

               "What you need to do is be strong. If you start sobbing in national news they will believe what that man is saying. So you'll need to sit up straight and give them the Peaches they know. Be serious and hard. They will see how involved you are in the problem. This thing will go away in no time," Peaches nodded her head to the lady's words and I bit at my bottom lip as I listened.

               Great, now Peaches is going to lie.

               "Say something that makes you the victim."

               I was the victim! She tried to steal my date and tried to act like they were dating and she threatened me! How was she the victim in this situation?

               I couldn't take it anymore and went back up to my room so that I didn't get mad then do something stupid. I couldn't reveal who the Huntress was to everyone. With my mother and sister and then the public...I don't know what could happen. Plus, the last thing I needed was tabloids to print out is a fake story about how Peaches's 'assistant' is dating Dalton Mountains.

               Yeah, that's just what I need right now.

               I tossed my things onto my bed before going to my closet to change out of my work clothes and into something more comfortable. While changing I kept looking over at the dress in the corner. A smile appeared on my face as I stared at the covered dress.

               Besides the conflicts from that night I wished that I could relive that night again.

               Once everything was placed where it needed to be and I was comfortable, I grabbed my laptop and laid down in my bed to read a book. This was how I spent the next hour of my life. Reading and listening to everyone downstairs try to help Peaches and get her an interview on national TV. I kept my phone by my side in case of a call and within a couple hours I fell asleep.