Labels || H.S. [#Wattys2020]

FORTY-EIGHT

Needless to say, Reagan's parents were beyond outrage at the fact that there were about fifty teenage girls rioting outside their house. They were silent as they stood before Reagan and looked at her, no indication of wanting to start conversation what so ever.

Reagan understood, it was jarring to see so many people in front of their quiet house in their quiet neighborhood. It was even more jarring to know that a lot of them wanted Reagan's head on a plate. But there she was, still in one piece, safe and sound after she and Kennedy had fought their way back into their house with the help of one of the boys' guards. Harry had one of them stay outside the house in case anything should happen, so at least they had that. Reagan had a feeling though that one guard wasn't going to be enough to comfort her parents. In fact, she had no idea what would at this point.

"Are you guys...going to say something?" Kennedy said, brow furrowed as she watched the face off.

"Go your room." Reagan's mom said, firmly.

"Not what I meant." Kennedy said, rolling her eyes, but getting up regardless of the fact.

It wasn't until she left the room and Reagan was left alone with the two of them that her father finally spoke, "Please tell me it's not true."

"It's not."

"Because you've worked so hard to get this job, Rae. You can't just throw it all away for some punk singer." He ran a hand through his dark hair, and Reagan noted that he was getting more white hairs. She figured it was the fact Kennedy was leaving to college soon and his other daughter was possibly dating a pop star.

"He's actually a nice boy, James." Reagan's mother said, trying to calm him. She tried to grasp his large arm with her tiny delicate hand.

"That's beside the point, Julie." He snarled, pulling his arm away "Do you think other firms are going to care if he was a nice boy? No! They're going to care that she dated him. That she dated a client! What was the first thing I told you, Reagan?"

"Not to mix your personal life with your business life."

"Exactly. Don't you remember what happened with Kennedy?"

She rolled her eyes, "That's not the same thing, dad. So her friends wanted a peak at an album I had. So what."

"You shouldn't have told her who you were working with in the first place. You have a lot of high profile clients in this business, Rae. How are they going to entrust you with their entire reputation if you can't even keep your mouth shut?"

Reagan didn't say anything back, she knew it would just be adding fuel to the fire.

"You girls thought I was being unfair not telling you who I was working with? Now do you understand why?"

Reagan rolled her eyes once more, obviously it was her turn to be silent.

"I've been in this business far longer than you, Rae, and I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I know."

"Then just stay away from him. If he's your friend, he'll know it's for the best."

"Uhuh."

"You can't be seen with him anymore Rae, you know how the tabloids love gossip. You'll be front page news if you keep this up."

"She already is!" Kennedy yelled from the staircase.

"You're not helping." Reagan said, rubbing her temples.

Reagan's father sighed loudly, "You're really not involved with this boy, Reagan?"

She didn't hesitate in responding, knowing her dad could read her like a book, "I know better than that."

"Well, those pictures won't help solidify that statement."

"You saw them?"

He nodded, "Had them forwarded to me by a colleague, asking if that was you."

"Oh."

"You see what I mean? You don't want people knowing you as the intern that ended up dating the pop star she was working for, do you?"

Of course she didn't, that was what she wanted to avoid all along. That was her biggest fear. Was. Now she wasn't quite sure what to think. She didn't find it fair that her entire reputation could be tarnished like that. Harry's certainly wasn't going to be, after all he was the "womanizer". She'd just be another one in his book. But he'd be the deciding factor in her entire story. How was that even remotely fair?

"N-No."

"Has your boss talked to you?"

Reagan shook her head, "She's in France or something right now. We haven't heard from her."

"Oh, believe me you will."

Well, Reagan knew that. She had already been warned once by Lydia to avoid being photographed with Harry, now look at what happened.

"Do you think she'll fire me?"

Reagan's father shook his head, "It would look bad on the company. Especially if they want to maintain the claim that you two are just friends and it's a simple misunderstanding. After all, it would like immensely suspicious if they were to fire you right after these photographs were released."

"The press would love it. It would just mean that they were together, right?" Reagan's mom added. Sure, her dad said he'd never share anything from work with his daughters, but he told her mom everything. She was at times the one who helped him come up with his strategies for certain campaigns.

"Exactly. You'll be fine, Rae."

"Yeah?"

He nodded, "Just stay away from that boy."

"She works with him." Kennedy shouted again from the top of the staircase.

"Didn't we tell you to go to your room?" Reagan's mom quipped.

Reagan's dad ignored Kennedy though, "I realize that you work with him. But your internship is almost over isn't it?"

"Not til November."

"That's not too far off."

"It's like six months, dad."

He sighed, "Look, if you don't like this boy, then you shouldn't have any problems just keeping away from him right?"

Reagan wanted to say yes, that it wouldn't be a problem That she wanted to have a huge, successful career. That she was willing to sacrifice whatever it was she had with Harry to accomplish a dream she had had for such a long time.

"I-I..."

But she just couldn't do it. Of course she wanted to be successful, but was a career the only way to qualify her success? What about love? What about happiness? Why couldn't she have it all?

Why couldn't she just be with Harry?

But for the sake of her dad and the sake of her future, she mumbled a non-committal "Yeah, of course I can." Even though she knew she couldn't. Even though she wouldn't.

"You'll see it'll all work itself out." Her dad muttered, patting her hand as he got up to leave the room, "And Kennedy, nobody likes a smart aleck." He said as he headed towards the stairs.

Reagan though just sat back in her seat, weighing what was more important. And for once, she didn't have a clear cut view. She didn't have set goals. All she had was the gnawing feeling that things were just going to get worse from here on out.