What Happens In Vegas (Miniminter / Calfreezy)

Part 23 - The Limelight

You were in a panic, everything in your body said run - you'd grabbed your phone off the floor, clipping the edge of one of your hands along a shard of broken mirror, causing you to snap back to where you were as blood trickled down your arm. You pushed as much mascara off your face as possible, grabbed your purse and headed for the door, intending to bust out and run off and disappear until everything was normal again, though you didn't know if that'd ever be the case.

You burst through the door, but you didn't get far, because he was there; standing, waiting, arm outstreched to knock on the door again, looking as worried as you were.
"I can't stay here" you said and went to walk past him
Without a word he grabbed your hand before you could walk away, but not stopping you, letting you lead him past the sea of tables and out of the restaurant. You saw him gesture at the manager as he left, assuming he'd already paid and maybe arranged something for the mirror, you hoped anyway - you were out of your depth.

Once you were outside you felt yourself gasp for air, as if you had been stifling yourself from breathing whilst being inside. You started walking, you had no idea where you were going, but you knew you needed to keep going - down the street and around the corner and wherever your feet were leading you - and though you knew he had no idea where you were going, his hand still clung in yours, silently following you, letting you lead the way. 

You didn't know how far you'd walked into the night, but when you found a bench by the edge of a dimly lit park, on a hill, overlooking houses, hidden amongst the night you just stopped. The cold night air blew back your hair letting the cool breeze cascade down your neck and shoulders and allowed your body to slightly relax, and you just stood there staring off into the blackness that was the park. You watched twinkle of lights from streetlights and houses on the other side while you thought about how all of those people in all of those houses and wondered if any of them could see you and what you must look like.

"It's funny, I never realised how much I hated myself until people reminded me..." you said, the truth in your tone taking out any sense of humour, his hand shifting slightly in yours but remaining entwined amongst your fingers, standing there somewhere beside you, strong and silent.
"It's hard to have your flaws detailed to you, I mean, I know you must get it from YouTube, but not all at once - and not from everyone - god forbid someone attacks Simon Minter online and half the teenage world rushes to his defence" you continued distressed and angry and heatbroken, yet still he remained silent
"I never wanted the limelight - I mean, I knew what came after meeting you came with risks, but I never wanted to be in the public eye - I don't want the YouTube world...and I'm not pretty or witty or thick skinned enough to face my life, and my body, and basically my world being replayed to me and judged by other people. I'm not a limelight girl, I'm a stick to the shadows, keep your head down be a no face, no name hard worker" you tried to push out with conviction
"And I know it's no secret, the fangirls said it, but we both know it's true; I'm batting here, I'm not at the same level as you", your voice cracked and you fought to maintain it "..so you don't need to try and be nice about it, everything that has happened has put us here, not normal life, because if you ever saw me out normally in public, you wouldn't even give me a second glance...that's it, I get it, you don't have to pretend" you finished, remaining staring off into the darkness in front of you, your eyes prickling with tears, not daring to look at him directly incase he was nodding in agreement - both hoping that he would just let go and walk away, but also praying that he would stay.

And then his hand slipped out of yours...