1-800-OOPS

Twelve: You suck at apologizing

"Welcome to my humble abode," I mumble. I don't bother showing Everett around. I jump onto my white couch and throw my feet onto my coffee table.

"Where are your manners? It's called being respectful of your parents." Everett surprises me by speaking up.

"You don't know what the hell you are talking about," I roll my eyes, ticked off. Hello? I invited him to my house. He doesn't just get to make statements like that. Especially when he doesn't know the half of it.

I glance behind me and Chase is nowhere to be found. Melanie catches my confusion.

"He went to the kitchen," Of course. "I'm going to go see what he's up to." Double of course. Leave it to Melanie to ditch me with this idiot.

"Well? Are you just going to stand there like an awkward beanstalk?" I ask him. He's loitering by the front door, his arms crossed.

Shaking his head, he walks towards me and sits at the opposite side of the couch as me.

Childish.

Everett pulls out his matte black iphone 8 and begins typing, ignoring everything around him. He slips on the hood of his black hoodie and goes back to texting.

I huff in annoyance and decide to turn on the tv. To add to the cliche, it's a broadcast of Everett's most recent concert, with behind the scene things that I assume he filmed prior.

"Turn it off."

I snap my eyes towards him. "What?"

"Turn it off. I hate seeing myself on tv."

But...he's a celebrity.

"My house my rules."

His jaw visibly clenches. He slips his phone into his hoodie pocket. "God, for once can you stop being so damn annoying? I get it, you are some sassy girl who gets what she wants. It's enough. If I bother you so much, just tell me. I'll leave." His green eyes are boring into mine.

"I--why are you so pissed off?" What I should have said is 'I'm sorry', but clearly that didn't happen.

"You actually don't know?" Everett throws his head back and laughs deeply.

Yes because I can read minds.

I shake my head, crossing my legs on the couch and inching closer so I can focus on him.

"You pulled the most iconic card back that at that ice cream shop," My brows furrowed in confusion. "You used me to get to someone else. That guy you were clearly trying to flirt with."

"No." I shake my head repeatedly.

"Don't bullshit me. I get it all the time."

I bit my lip, nervous. I was fucking doing that. I didn't think he cared. He played it on. But I wasn't flirting with Josh. He just had a nice butt.

"I'm sorry? You went along with it," I replied.

"You suck at apologizing. I went along with it because I didn't want to seem like an ass. And I bet his sister really was a fan. Believe it or not, my fans mean everything, Adrianna."

Everything he just said disintegrated into thin air after that word left his lips. "What did you call me?

Everett takes his bottom lip and chews on it, trying to recall what he just said.

"You called me Adrianna."

"That's your name."

"No, it's Carter."

"I'm sorry Adria--I mean Carter." His eyes widen for a second and it's then that I realize my vision has become blurred.

I turn around slightly and run a hand under my eyes, wiping the small tears that are threatening to shed.

"It's fine," I murmur and turn back to face him. "I'm sorry, about using you. I didn't realize my mistake."

Not only do I surprise him but I surprise myself for genuinely apologizing.

He's right. I've not very good at apologizing. 

"Forgiven." He breaks out into a smile and then shocks me by wrapping an arm around me. My body goes stiff for a moment before I tell myself to act normal. I look up at him and notice him glancing down at me, his eyes softening.

"Um, I wonder why Chase and Melanie are taking so long," I ramble. I shoot up off the couch, rubbing a hand through my pink hair. Everett backs away. My body betrays me because I feel a sense of heat rushing up my cheeks.

Everett goes back to texting on his phone like normal.

When I see Chase and Mel sitting on the kitchen bar stools, I relax and release the breath I've been holding in. Melanie is furiously scrolling down her phone.

"Mel, what's up?"

"Have you checked twitter?" She bursts, her blonde hair falling over her face.

"No, I rarely use social media."

"SCOOP is on the media. Photos everywhere."

No no no no.

"Of what...," I dare ask. I rush to Chase's side and glance at the phone in front of him and Melanie.

"Everett mainly. And the fans. Oh and his security," Chase rushes. He looks at me, his expression softening. "And you."

"You can't be serious."

But they are. Melanie scrolls through various photos. Some from inside the shop where I am talking to Everett and others where I am stuffing myself into Chase's car with everyone.

"I'm sorry. Paparazzi are everyone." A voice breaks my thoughts. I look up to see Everett leaning against the doorway of the kitchen. He has his phone in his hand. He gives a sheepish smile.

And then it clicks.

"That's why you've been on your phone this whole time. You knew?"

He nods. "It happens all the time. It was bound to happen when you are around me."

That's why I didn't want to be around him.

"It happens all the time to you, Everett," I sigh, crossing my arms. "Not to me. I'm still in high school. I may be rich but I'm not all over the media like you."

And that's what made me the most worried. I was worried about school tomorrow. Because knowing that this was on the news, meant that my school now had gossip.

And it was revolving around me and one of today's hottest celebrities. 

Think positive thoughts Carter. 

Maybe, just maybe, I could use this to benefit me. 

I bet Britney would just love that. 

Oh this is going to be fun.