Driven by Confidence, a Ross Lynch Fan Fiction

Chapter 7

The rest of the barbeque went well. Rydel and I had become much closer. We realized we had more in common than we anticipated. We had plans to go shopping on Tuesday, the day after my read-through, because my wardrobe was limited. The phrase "quality not quantity" ruled my clotset. I had cute and fashionable clothing, but only about seven bottoms (skirts, shorts, and pants), fifteen tops, and three  dresses. My dad took one look in my closet and told me I needed more if I was going into the business. Thus, I ended up with some of Rydel's old clothes and a shopping day planned with her.

I was so grateful.

Anyways, I had just gotten out of the read-through when Amreet, Emma, and Rose caught up with me, and we walked together.

Amreet said, "Hey, girly! We heard about you and Jace."

About how he hurt me? "U-um... What?"

Rose added, "You know... How you two are an item now?" I took a subtle sigh of relief.

"You two are totally going to be the next 'it' couple. Both of you are absolutely hot," Emma said. My questioning look prompted her to add, "Oh, I'm bisexual. I think both of you are hot, but I don't want anything, I swear. Not all bisexuals want something with everyone." She laughed like this was a normal conversation.

"Must you bring up your sexuality with everyone?" Amreet laughed.

Emma shrugged. "It's me. Anyways, we were wondering if you'd like to have a sleepover on Saturday!"

I smiled. I was making friends! "Sure!"

"Great!" said Rose. She had really pretty hazel eyes. "It'll be at my house at six."

"Thank you all so much!"

As we got to the parking lot, the girls stopped in their tracks. Leaning against my car with a cigarette nestled between his lips and smoke slowly leaking from his nose was Jace. No matter how cruel he was, I couldn't deny that he was hot.

Amreet squealed quitely. The girls gave me hugs and said their good byes as they rushed off to their cars giggling and shrieking. I finished walking to Jace, nerves plaguing my mind.

"You're really good at acting, and I know that just from a read-through."

"Oh," I said. He was being sweet. I tucked a straight blonde lock behind my ear. "Thank you."

He nodded and took the cigarette from his mouth, dropped it on the asphault, and ground it out with his foot. "Wanna go get some dinner? There's this really good outdoor diner around the block."

I was defensive and tense. It was as if there were two versions of him: the sweet and gentlemanly one and the abusive one. For the rest of my time with him, I would wonder which version I would get.

"Okay. Am I driving?"

"No. I am. That's what the gentleman does, right?"

I was expecting him to be rude and abusive, but he walked me to his car, opened my door, and drove me to dinner. He didn't say one rude thing to me or hurt me that entire day. When the paparazzi surrounded us and pestered me with questions about his past and if he was abusive now, he kindly asked them to leave, "we are having a nice dinner", and sheilded me from them. He opened doors for me and paid for my dinner and was in awe at the fact that I was a vegetarian.

Why was he like this? I was so confused. I kept waiting for him to hit me or something, but he never did. I even found myself relaxing and enjoying my time with him.

When he dropped me off at my car, he gave me a sweet kiss on the forehead and left.

Of course, when I got home, I had to do research. Jace had acted like nothing happened earlier.

I learned he could be doing one of two things. He could be saving the abuse for when we're alone, which would be understandable. But he could also have an extreme version of bipolar disorder: he could be abusive one moment and a gentleman the next and have no recollection of his abusive ways.

I didn't know which one he was.

-----

While shopping with Rydel, I explained to her what I had learned.

"Oh my God, that all makes so much sense..." she said as we browsed the racks of skater skirts at Charlotte Russe. We had already been to Forever 21, H&M, and Hollister. I felt weird spending so much money, but dad insisted with the excuse that it was to make up for all of the birthdays and Christmases he missed. "So, if I were you, I would just avoid being alone with him as much as you can."

I nodded as I held up a black floral skirt to my waist. It'd look good with a pink crop top I bought earlier. "You're right. And then I'll find out for sure."

"Yep! Ooh, that's a cute one! It'll go great with that crop top you got at H&M!"

"I was just thinking that!"

We proceeded to the checkout. After a few times in the fitting room, Rydel had seen the bruises Jace had caused and told me, "None of this would have ever happened if Ross hadn't been a douche. I'm gonna kick his butt."

That was something I had laughed at.

After Charlotte Russe, we proceeded to Urban Outfitters, where I bought a couple pairs of shoes, some overall shorts (Rydel had infected me with her love for them), a couple dresses, some shorts, and two shirts. The back seat of my car was getting full of shopping bags, which were only mine. Rydel put her bags in the trunk and I put mine in the back seat.

We hit one more store, Tilly's, before relaxing at a cheap pizza joint. We both got some water and two slices of cheese pizza.

After scarfing down our first slices, she asked, "You used to the paparazzi yet?"

The paparazzi had been at every store we went to. But she expected it because we were in the number one shopping district for celebrities. I hadn't expected it. If I had, I would've put on more than mascara and worn a trendier outfit than my Bruce Springsteen tee shirt  and old skinny jeans.

"I'm getting used to it. It's weird, though."

"I'm still getting used to it," Rydel added before she took the first bite of her second slice. After swallowing, she said, "It's weirder seeing pictures of yourself in magazines."

I nodded. I'd only seen myself in a couple preteen magazines, but she was probably all over the preteen, teen, and young adult magazines.

"Ross wanted me to tell you he apologizes for the incident at the barbeque."

I pursed my lips.

"He said he was out of line. He's working really hard to be just your friend, Dianna."

"I know. And you can tell him I forgive him." For the second time, I added mentally.

She smiled her adorable smile. "You won't regret it!"

"I hope not."