The Downside of Popularity

5|Sadly, not okay.

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Jake
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Laurie was the girl of my dreams.

Pretty; not so reserved but not so outspoken either, and understanding.

Throughout my career, I'd dated at least seven girls. But none of them stood out or understood me as well as Sharon-my girlfriend freshman year-and Laurie. Sharon and I didn't end in a breakup. We just strayed apart and went our separate ways. No issues, no beefs.

But Laurie and I . . .

All I can say is that she grew tired of me.

Halfway through our summer holidays, she posted a video on her Instagram page, announcing that she was taking a break on us because we just couldn't work out. It was so unexpected, I found it hard to believe. What was even harder to accept was the way she'd gone on to say mean things about me on the video. Like how I was an abusive boyfriend, how I'd never loved her like she was worth, and how I never appreciated her or made her feel special.

Of course, they were all lies.

But that didn't stop the tabloid reporters and showbiz hosts from discussing and dissecting it every weekend like it was the most important news in the country. It was all they talked about, they just fed on the news like it was just what they had been digging for all these years to rub dirt on my clean reputation.

I'd even lost a couple of ambassador deals thanks to that.

But Laurie didn't care.

She didn't even try to check up on me after she'd show up live on one of those personality butchering late-night shows to share 'her side of the story' like anyone had heard my side in the first place.

And it hurt so much because I still loved her, despite all that.

I had always loved her. Right from the day we first hung out together. I don't think I ever failed to let her understand how much she meant to me and how meaningless my world would be without her. Countless times, I had stood for her. Even when she was wrong. I never raised my voice at her or insulted her. No matter how angry I was.

Ever since the day she released that video, I tried getting a hold of her so we could at least talk things out, and I could understand things from her perspective. But she blocked me on every social network so I couldn't chat with her. She'd probably also added my cellphone number to her blacklist because her number was never reachable whenever I called. I would have gone over to her house during that period, but my parents, PRO team and manager were against it.

And now it was the start of a new school year, I still felt like a hell of a mess.

I was not even prepared to hear the news Laurie had just given me as I watched her—hazel eyes twinkling, firm lips spread in a big happy grin— repeat her previous statement.

"Say hello to my new boyfriend, Jake..."

My head buzzed and I could feel the earth spin beneath my feet. Hugging too tightly right before me was the infamous playboy, Connor and my ex Laurie. Flaunting their bond in my face, Laurie acted like her world was perfect and there was no wrong in her dating a guy like Connor. But I could see so many wrongs.

The gnawing in my chest as Connor brought his lips to meet with Laurie's was wrong. I should not be feeling that way any longer. I should not care whose tongue slid down her throat and whose saliva she ingested. I had no right to care about her. I should not be feeling as jealous as I was seeing them together.