the truth will out

18. Home

"ok I'll see you when we get back home" I smile hugging Chris, Jason and Angela. I've decided to stay an extra day just me, norman and vince before we fly home to LA together where vince will be staying with me.
It's been a little over a month since the "incident" shall we say, and it's been so much more calmer now that me and vince are that much closer, even Norman took a strong liking to him and he barely likes anyone.
The underwear that was stolen was later found up for sale on ebay which is disgusting but it was returned to me and I threw it out immediately, buying some new clean underwear.
As I'm sat in the bathtub I lean my head back, listening to the soft crackle of the bubbles around me, I try to imagine how this films gonna turn out. How people are gonna react. If people are even gonna see it.
We wrapped up last week, the final scene being me and vince running into each other after a while of not being together. I remember after the scene how he wrapped his big arm around my waist and we walked to the coffee shop that he likes down the road. Even though paparazzi were across the street it was still quiet and cozy, plus the coffee and cake was incredible.
I've been staying in Chicago for almost 3 months now and it's made me want to move away from LA more than I thought it would. It's nice to have a different scene for a while. But all the houses here are so far away from friends and family.

Just then a soft knock on the door pulls me out of my thoughts;
"you ok in there?" I here vince's voice.
"yeah" I call back, sitting up only just realising how long I've actually been in the tub.
After getting out and drying off I change into my comfy cargo pants and a tank top, walking bare foot into the kitchen where vince is at the stove cooking.
"mmhh what we having?" I ask from behind him as I slip my arms around his stomach.
"just a carbonara" he smiles, his warm arm wrapping around my shoulder.
"need any help?" I ask helping myself to the cheese on the side.
"only to not eat all the ingredients" he smirks as I pick up some more cheese, lifting it up to his mouth.

That night after we'd finished eating me and vince finished the rest of our packing for the flight tomorrow before settling down to watch a movie with Norman at my feet.

We boarded at 7am the next morning, me and vince side by side and Norman in the seat opposite, sleeping lightly.
The turbulence for the most part was minimal and I managed to sleep for a couple of hours as vince played with my hair and made little circles on my palm with his finger.

"have you got our bags?" I ask as I stand up, stretching after the plane lands.
"yeah" he smiles picking up his two bags stuffed with clothes.
I do one last check that I haven't forgotten anything before tying my hair back, adding a hat, sunglasses and wrapping a scarf firmly around the bottom half of my face.
"why are you trying to hide?" he laughs as he pulls the scarf down slightly so I can still breathe.
"the paps are alot worse here" I look up to see his smile falter slightly.
"hey don't worry it'll be fine" I squeeze his hand reassuringly then grab Norman's lead.
"ready?" I ask.
Vince nods so I take a deep breath and  walk out of the plane heading quickly over the tarmac, just hoping vince is close behind.
When we get into the airport security escort us to the entrance where the crowd of paparazzi is huge.
The cameras are already flashing before I've even set foot outside.
I grab onto the back of one of the security guys, keeping my head down as I let him lead me to the car that's waiting.
I climb in and turn around to see vince fling the bags onto the floor and climb in beside me.
Once we're driving there's a deep silence as we take deep breaths, getting used to the dimmer lighting after all the flashes of cameras.
"well..." vince swallows "that was new" I notice his voice shakes slightly.
I grab a hold of his hand, squeezing it again as we let our driver take us back home. I silently pray that the paparazzi and stress of the media won't put vince off like it has done with previous boyfriends. I remind myself over and over that we're not official yet but still, vince has a soft spot in my heart.

We arrive back at my little beach home, my heart doing flips as I realise how much I missed this place i call home now.
"welcome to my casa" I smile as I step to the side letting vince walk in.
He drops our bags by the door and walks in, looking around at everything.
I smile as I watch Norman run and jump up onto the sofa as he sees his favourite toy we forgot to pack with us.
"this is really nice" he smiles
"thankyou" I smirk walking up to him and wrapping my arms around his middle.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about what the paps are like" I say my smile fading as I lean my head back to look into his eyes.
"no it's ok it would have probably just scared me off" he says sweeping my hair off my face.
"please don't let it put you off" I say as he lowers his face, our lips connecting.
We stand there kissing slowly for a while before I pull away.
"I'll show you around" I smile.

After a quick tour we leave our bags upstairs to unpack later and then head out for lunch seeing as its only 1pm.
I drive towards one of mine and courteneys favourite places to eat before I realise that I haven't talked to any of my girlfriends in weeks so after checking with vince that it's ok we drive over to courteneys.
We arrive unannounced because I know courteney well enough to know she wouldn't say no to me coming over for food.

We knock on the door and courteney let's us in, giving me a tight hug and vince a soft smile, I know courteney can get very protective when it comes to people her friends are dating so I don't take it to heart.
"jenny!" I turn around gasping as a little coco runs up to my, completely steady on her feet with a giant smile.
"baby! ugh how are you" I smile as I pick her up, hugging her tight.
"look how big you've gotten" I say bouncing her on my hip, unable to wipe the huge smile plastered to my face.
I look over to see vince watching and smiling warmly from the other side of the room.
"coco this is vince, he's a very good friend of mine" I wink to him as I walk over with coco.
She confidently says hi and starts talking about nonsense to which vince acts very interested.

After a while of talking with coco and courteney we head out into the garden where we sit in the same seats we sat the last time I was here, when I rang brad without thinking that someone else might answer.
Me and court laugh as we remember how long it took us to find my phone again after I'd flung it out into the garden.
Me and vince both light up a cigarette as we wait for our takeaway to arrive, vince wasn't fussy but me and courteney debated a long time over Mexican or Italian. I ended up winning with Mexican.

"I thought you were trying to quit smoking?" courteney asks a little over an hour later as we take the dishes inside.
"yeah but when vince is smoking so regularly it's kinda hard to not have one also" I mutter realising this is my 3rd cigarette in the hour.
"ok but I mean that's your what 4th cig whilst you've been in this house" courteney says as she turns away from the sink.
"actually it's my third and what's with you? You know I used to smoke this many"
"I know but you were doing so well and..." she sighs
"what?" I ask concerned as to why she seems so nervous.
"I don't like you smoking around coco"
I pause taken aback, feeling immediately guilty
"honey you should've said I didn't- I'm sorry"
"It's fine" courteney looks down before looking back up and outside re applying her smile.
"what do you think of him?" I ask timidly after a couple of minutes silence.
"he's nice I guess" courteney shrugs "I can see he's helping you"
"he is" I smile, I jump up and sit on the counter besides where courteneys stood "it's hard to explain but I genuinely feel like he's breathed life into me... You know? Like a defibrillator, my first full laugh in months was literally caused by him... I don't know I'm just grateful I guess" I look up at courteneys face to see her smiling at me.
"I'm glad" she moves towards me and hugs me tightly, standing inbetween my legs.
"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" I hear vince's voice from the door.
"no" I smile, wiping the few stray tears from my eyes.

Me and vince drive back home in near silence with the radio on quietly, my hand rubbing lightly on his thigh.
We ended up staying for dinner aswell so it's already starting to get dark now.
I may have had a few to many drinks but I'm not bothered because for once I'm actually happy.
Vince pulls into the drive, the gate shutting behind us.
We stumble into the house, our hands grabbing at each others clothes, our tongues battling furiously.
He picks me up, my legs wrapping around his waste as he quickly carries me upstairs and to the bed, throwing me down.
I moan as his lips trace down my neck and chest...

As I'm sat in bed, darkness outside, the crisp white sheets wrapped around my body, a cigarette in my hand as vince lightly runs his fingers up and down my back making me shiver; I realise there is nowhere else I'd rather be than right here... And I don't think I've ever experienced this feeling before.