"I'll have a tall Caramel Macchiato, please. Hot," Beth said, smiling at the cute red headed girl at the register. She typed in Beth's order, then took her card and swiped it.
When she handed it back, she looked shyly at her and said in a nervous, little voice, "Excuse me, miss?"
"Yes?" Beth asked, putting her card back in her purse and looking at the younger girl quizzically.
"Aren't you Bethany James?" Beth was shocked. How did she know that? "You're the girl who's dating Hunter Hayes, right?"
Oh, right. We announced it last night. She blushed furiously, and nodded, feeling a terrified tightening in her chest. Is this going to be a normal thing now? I wish Hunter were here. Or at least that Sam wasn't all the way across the room. I need a bit of moral support here.
"Yep, that's me." The young girl beamed and bounced in excitement.
"Oh, my goodness, I'm so jealous! Hunter is the best! And you looked so gorgeous in your dress last night! Hey, wasn't that you in the "Tattoo" video? You two are so adorable together! Can I get your autograph, please?"
Bethany was shocked. She likes me? She thinks Hunter and I are adorable? She wants my autograph? She took the pen and napkin the girl offered her and signed it quickly, thanking her for her nice compliments.
"Thank you so much, Bethany! I'll have your order right up!"
Beth walked away to find Sam, and he was laughing, having obviously watched the whole encounter from across the shop.
"What are you smirking at?" she said, swatting him. "That was embarrassing!"
Sam just laughed, taking a swig of his coffee and looking down at his phone. Just as Beth was about to pull out her own phone, she was approached from the side by two wide-eyed girls of about 12 or 14.
"Can I help you?" she asked pleasantly. Jeez. News travels fast, doesn't it?
"Bethany James? Is that you?" Beth laughed and nodded, noting that both girls wore Hunter's merchandise and were glowing with excitement. One of them, a slightly big girl, was clutching what appeared to be a magazine to her chest, and she was looking at Beth with concern.
"Yes, it's me," Beth replied, waiting for them to say something else.
"Uh, will you sign this for us?" The girl handed her the magazine, the back facing up. "There's some white space on the ad right there," the girl pointed, and Beth pulled a sharpie from her bag. "My name is Joyce."
Beth signed it, laughing as she handed it back to her. "It's nice to meet you, Joyce. What's your name?" she asked the other girl, who was looking equally concerned for Beth. Was it normal for people to look at you this way when you were suddenly thrust into the lime light? She wouldn't know.
"I'm Beverly."
"Nice to meet you, Beverly."
She was going to say something else, but Joyce cut her off. "So, are you going to break up with him?"
She laughed, but it looked like Joyce may be serious. She paused, taking it the two girls' faces. What's going on? "Why...why would I break up with him?"
Joyce and Beverly exchanged a look, and Joyce handed the magazine back to Beth, face up this time. She looked down at it with apprehension, and her hand flew to her mouth when she saw who was on the cover.
TWO GIRLS IN ONE NIGHT: Country Star Hunter Hayes Turning Up the Heat
On the left...Oh my God...was a picture of her in her silver gown, leaning against the door to her hotel room. Hunter had his hand on her hip, and his body pressing hers to the wood. She gasped. No, no. Please no.
On the right...Hunter...no. No. It's not true. It's not true. The tears spilled over. Pictures didn't lie. It was there, printed in color, clear as day, black and white: Amanda pulling at his shirt in the same hotel hallway, not but a few doors down from where Beth had been asleep. Her lips pressed to his and his hand on her...oh my God.
She got up from the table, handing the magazine back to Joyce. "Excuse me, ladies." She managed to keep her composure on her way out the door, but the second her feet hit the concrete, she was running for her life.
I told you, babe. You knew it would end this way. You can't live up to Amanda. You never could. YOU ARE AN IDIOT. YOU ARE UGLY AND STUPID AND YOU LET YOURSELF FALL FOR HIM WHEN YOU KNEW THIS WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN.
The Devil's voice was back, and it was screaming at her. The tears ran down her face almost as quickly as she was running down the sidewalk in the direction of the hotel. She had to leave. She had to get out right now.
WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID? HOW DARE YOU TRUST HIM?
Her shoes came off one and then the other, but she didn't care. She just kept running. She made it to the hotel, and pushed through the door, rushed into the elevator and burst through the door to her room. She threw her purse on the bed and paced around the room, packing everything in sight.
How will you ever show your face again? Everyone is going to know who you are. "You're that girl, right? The one Hunter used to get his ex-girlfriend back. You're that stupid slut who fell for him when he didn't want you! HAHA, that's a great story!"
She sobbed as she threw her things in her suitcase, until she caught sight of Hunter's necklace glinting around her neck. She tore it off and stormed into the bathroom, resolutely flushing it down the toilet.
I hate you, Hunter Hayes. I never want to see your face again! You were supposed to prove me wrong! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE GOOD GUY!
She crumpled to the floor, crying onto the tile and feeling her shattered heart fall out of her chest piece by piece.
I have to get out of here before he comes back. I can't face him. I can't let him see me like this!
With a sudden strength, she got off the floor and grabbed her belongings. She rushed down to the lobby and checked out of the hotel as quickly as possible, ignoring the magazine rack riddled with her clandestine pictures. She grabbed a taxi and threw her suitcase in the back, giving the driver instructions to take her to the airport.
Where can I go? I can't go home. Mom is going to freak out when she hears about this. Oh, my God, Mom! She's going to be so worried. I can't handle that. I need to be alone. I can't be around her right now. Where can I go? What can I do?
She only had one option, so she pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Ned. He picked up on the first ring.
"Beth, thank God! Where are you? I'm coming to get you right now!"
"No, Ned. I'm not coming back. I can't." She was getting choked up again, so she just got to the point so she could hang up and cry in peace. "I need John Cooper's manager's number."
Ned was quiet. He knew what this meant. She was leaving the crew. She was leaving for good. He could tell her no. He could make her stay. But he couldn't hurt her that way. He could hear the horrible wobble of her words, and he hated it.
"All right, Beth. Here you go," he said, ranting off the numbers.
"Thanks, Ned." She went to press the 'End' button, but was stopped by his voice.
"Listen, Beth..." she did, but he didn't say anything for a moment. "We're going to miss you. Take care, all right?"
The lump in her throat got impossibly tight, and the tears started again. "I'm going to miss you, too, Ned. Tell the boys I'm sorry." She hung up, clutching her suitcase to her chest and letting out all the pain.
I am such a stupid girl. I have become my worst nightmare. I'm the core of every cliche romance movie ever. How did I not see this coming? I was in too deep. Of course he'd want Amanda instead. Who would want me?
I can't believe I loved him.
Actually cried a bit writing this.
I can't even wish you "Happy Reading". That's how depressing this is.
YOU ARE READING
Secret Love (Hunter Hayes Fanfiction)
Romance"I'm falling for someone who isn't falling for me." "I know exactly how you feel," he answered, leaning down and hugging her tightly. "Do you?" She hugged him back, willing him to know just how much she cared for him. He chuckled. "Yeah, I do." H...
