Reputation → Chris Evans

014: real life

"I guess congratulations are in order."

Delilah looks up from underneath her lashes. Chris leans over the door, blocking her way into the bar where Scarlett is having her party.

"Chris..."

Delilah had been regretting this moment ever since Tom knelt on one knee and asked her to marry him. She could not say no now, could she? Especially since her manager had called her an hour before and informed her of Tom's plans. Apparently, Tom's PR management team and that of her's had thought it would be for the best, to fix the mess she had made. She had made.

So she said yes. She did love Tom... but not in a way one should love their fiancee. Not in the way she loved her past lovers. Tom, sweet Tom... he just got in the path of the cyclone that is Delilah. Now that they are all over the news, they have no choice but to stay.

Because Tom loves Delilah with his whole freaking heart, but he knows Delilah doesn't reciprocate. And he can't leave her to be with someone who treats him right, like his childhood best friend Chloe, because if he did, his manager would probably kill him. "Delilah is good publicity, Tom. And you're good for her -- she needs you, no, her reputation needs you. I mean, she has like ten exes! You're saving her from turning into America's slut. You do love her, right? Soon, she will love you too. It's a good partnership."

Delilah really should stop eavesdropping.

Her PR team had said the same thing. They had all assumed that she and Harry would get married. But, they were so toxic together. They were completely different people, with different worlds, different characters, and everything. They just clashed horribly. They did love each other -- Harry was the nicest person Delilah had ever met -- but they were so incompatible as lovers. They had a beautiful friendship and their relationship was just ruining everything. 

So, they took a break from each other and dated others. Still, they came back to each other after months, but not in the way the world expected them to -- but as what they were previously, as the best of friends. Now, after many months, they still are close friends. He is one of the very few real things Delilah has in her extremely public and fake life right now, and she never ever wants to lose him.

So, now, Delilah is engaged to a guy she doesn't even like -- in order to save her reputation and get in the good graces of the world because after all, she is the daughter of the renowned fashion designer Stella McCartney and the brilliant director, Alexander Baizen, plus granddaughter to the Paul McCartney and she just can't be titled as 'America's Slut' or something. She worked so hard to get out of her family's shadow, be her own person, and be this level of success. She, or no one really, would be too happy if she threw all that down the drain for being 'indecisive' and 'fickle-minded'. 

No pressure, right?

She is pretty sure she is ruining Tom's life. Not her fault, though. 

Right?

"I'm sorry." She whispers to Chris, who's clad in a white t-shirt, dark jeans, and Nikes, who looks so damn good.

"Whatever for?" Chris says, scoffing. Delilah bits her lip, feeling her stomach drop.

He stands up properly and waves a hand inside the pub. "Come on in. It's cold outside."

Delilah notes how he hasn't called her princess once. Nor even said her name. She sighs and nods, as he opens the door for her, and she passes by him to enter the lowly lit bar. She is overcome by Chris's musky deodorant and feels a pang in her chest.

Yesterday, after she'd made a complete embarrassment of herself and had a mental breakdown when Chris had called her, he had come over with McDonald's and ice cream. They had sat facing each other on Delilah's spacious sofa, with Delilah's legs positioned on his lap and talked about, well, a lot -- everything that was happening with the jackass Marcus, her label, the media, and her boyfriend. (It was good to finally get all that off her chest.)