You belong to me

Chapter 17 - Parker

I hate these events, I always feel like I have to watch myself the whole night in case I'm photographed doing the wrong thing or if I accidently get fucked and then the next day the front page picture on the news is a very drunk me stumbling into a car. I can't imagine how Charlotte is feeling, I know she isn't fond of this celebrity status or the lifestyle that comes with it, and now she is about to be in a roomful of the biggest people. Why do girls take so long to get ready, my Charlotte doesn't even need makeup in my opinion, she already has a perfect face and those thick black eyelashes of hers make it look like she's wearing that whatever it's called anyways. I really hope they haven't straightened her hair either, I fucking love her curls and how messy they can be, none of that perfect polka straight hair. It's about fucking time, I finally hear a click of a heel heading towards the living room. A very nervous Charlotte appears in the doorway, with her arms positioned in front of her stomach and her hands clenched tight. Behind the awkwardness is the most breathtaking dark green silk material that hugs her small waist and flatters her hips and oh my days, there's a thigh slit. "Well," Charlotte lets out a big breath and I suddenly feel like a dick for not saying something straight away but I am literally speechless. "You look, wow, Charlotte, I don't..." why can't I find the words to describe how I feel, I can't find the right word for how beautiful.

"I'm not sure what Mckenna is doing," Charlotte looks back into the bedroom, "Don't worry about Mckenna she's probably faffing with something, she always does," I reassure her. I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, it's my manager Grant "Shit, sorry Char, I have to take this," I say as I leave the living room and head towards the hallway. "Hi, what the fuck Parker?!" Grant snaps at me, "Hi to you too," I echo back to him. "I'm all for you being happy and what not but we had an agreement that you and Mckenna would pretend to date if not almost date with the build up to the second movie. The fans absolutely eat up you and Mckenna up and you and this normal ass girl together is putting a real halt on that. You can't flirt with Mckenna when you have a girlfriend! Please tell me it's not public knowledge that she is your girlfriend officially?" Grant sounds really angry, and I'm now fucking angry at what he's said to me. "First of all, fuck you. Second of all, people assume Charlotte is my girlfriend but no one officially knows we are dating other than Mckenna..." I don't even get to finish my sentence before Grant interrupts me again, "Keep it that way Parker, you can still be with Charlotte on the down low, it's just for another couple of months, alright bud? Promise me you will do this, you'll thank me later when you're making millions and if you don't, remember who you're talking to," Grant snaps then hangs up the phone before I can retaliate anymore.

Fuck. How am I even going to break this to Charlotte, she'll never ever understand that and she's all dressed up and ready to go to this stupid event for me. She came to New York, for me. After a few paces up and down the hallway I walk back into my apartment and Charlotte is standing a little too close to the front door for my liking, I really hope she heard none of that conversation but the way Grant was shouting at me, I would be surprised if she didn't. "You alright?" I ask Charlotte, mainly to calm my fucking nerves, "Mhm," Charlotte replies, pressing her lips together and I can see a glimpse of coldness in her eyes. "Shots anyone?" I frantically ask, trying to calm myself down. Silence follows, "Alright, just me then," I pour some Whiskey into a shot glass and throw it down my throat, feeling the cool liquid run down my throat, creating a burning sensation. We have to head down to the car to make our way to the event and Charlotte has barely said a word to me, pulling herself away from me every time I go to touch her. Mckenna pulls me aside before we get into the car, "Did you get the same phone call as me from Grant?" She whispers, "If it's what I think you're talking about, then yes I did," I whisper back in her ear, making sure Charlotte can't hear. "Does she know?" Mckenna asks, I shake my head in response. Mckenna takes a big breath and lets out a sigh as she gets into the car.

Mckenna sat herself in the middle of me and Charlotte, so I can't even test the waters to see how annoyed Charlotte is at me. "So, who's excited?" Mckenna awkwardly asks. Charlotte mumbles something under her breath that I couldn't hear and judging by Mckenna staring off into space she didn't hear either. "I'm ready to get absolutely smashed, fuck it, it's New Years," I say as I stare out the window. The flash of cameras and the gleaming lights on the red carpet leading up to the event are becoming closer and closer, I just want to hold Charlotte and kiss her in front of all the cameras, so the whole world knows she's mine. I know there's our photo on Instagram that heavily applies she's my girlfriend but I have to flip it now and say she's just a friend. "Parker, get out of the car," Mckenna says, pushing me towards the door. I take a deep breath before putting on my best Hollywood smile for the cameras. "Parker, Mckenna this way," is called numerous times with the flash of cameras. I hold Mckenna by her waist and smile for the cameras all around us. We're stopped numerous times walking on the red carpet, all for Parker and Mckenna. I notice Charlotte out of the corner of my eye just trailing behind us, staying out the way of camera shots involving me and Mckenna. Once we're finally inside and out the way of all cameras I grab Charlotte's hand and force her to look at me. "I'm sorry, we have a time limit on the red carpet and they all wanted me and Mckenna," I attempt to reassure her. "How fucking dare you," Charlotte looks me dead in my eyes, with a sharp tone, her jaw is clenched and a prick of tears in her eyes.