One More Chance

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

 

“Hey, isn’t that Nessy Rose?”

I turned, my heart pounding. Haze’s hand was in mine, and we had been casually walking along the BBC studio until someone called my name. My old name.

“Oh my god, it’s her,” said the woman, and a few others turned. And soon they were all talking about the same thing. How I looked alike the model who was on drugs and then disappeared.

“It makes sense. Vanessa Rhodes, Nessy rose!” said another woman. I looked at Haze, who was staring at everyone as if they were Martians.

“Let’s get out of here, “I said, before anyone could say anything more. I lead him through a corridor. I knew that I had to tell him somehow that moment, before it was too late. Unless it was already too late.

“There’s something you need to know,” I said to him and his gaze focused on me.

“What is it?” he asked. “Who’s Nessy Rose?”

“Vanessa? It’s time for filming. Where are you?” called Finn. I turned to Haze.

“I’ll tell you as soon as I can. Please just don’t google Nessy Rose,” I said to him, before following Finn into the studio. Somehow, word had gotten around and everyone was glancing at me.

“Is it true?” muttered Finn under his breath.

I nodded slowly and he turned with wide eyes to look at me.

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered. “I think you’re in trouble,”

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“That’s it, thank you. Catch you all next week,” said the host before the direction screamed ‘cut’. During the whole show, I was getting worried because Haze didn’t turn up. I desperately hoped that he never looked up the name.

Then, I saw him walk in with a grave look on his face.

“You googled it, didn’t you?” I asked him.

He nodded.

*******************************

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.

“I would have but…it would have changed the impression of me,” I said.

“Why would I care if you were a model? It doesn’t make a difference,” he said, his eyes angry.

“It would have made a difference if you knew about the drugs,” I said and a confused expression passed his face.

“Drugs?” he asked.

I nodded. “Didn’t you read about it?”

“No,” he said. “I only went on your profile page for this website,” he said. “What drugs?”

I sighed. I knew that I had to tell him. But, again, I couldn’t.   

“It’s nothing,” I said.

“Vanessa, stop running away from me. Tell me,”

I shook my head. It would be over as soon as I told him. I knew it.

“I said it’s nothing,” I replied.

“This is the last straw. You have to trust me if you want this to work,” he said, his jaw clenched. I felt like bursting into tears, but I couldn’t cry in public.

“Haze, it’s nothing. I swear,” I replied and he shook his head slowly.

“If you don’t trust me, then I guess this won’t ever work,” he said and stood up. I watched him leave the café, every inch of my body desiring to run with him. It was those moments, where my head told me no, my heart told me go, but I couldn’t. I was frozen solid, watching me blow away the precious chance I got.

I never saw him again.

*********************************

Until I reached the hotel, where he was sitting on the bed with his things packed.

“Vanessa, I told you about Hannah and everything you needed to know about me,” he said. “So why can’t you trust me with this?”

“Because it’s not important. It’s in the past and I don’t want it in the present affecting us,”

“But it won’t affect us,” he whispered, his tone soft. He stood up and reached where I was standing. “Trust me please,”

I couldn’t.

“Please. Can we just forget?” I asked. I knew that I had blown it again. And it was true. He grabbed his suitcase and opened the door.

“I can’t do this. Not knowing that you can’t trust me,” he said and left the room.

I couldn’t go back to the café, not knowing that I had wasted my chance. I had to stay in London and face my mistakes.

I quickly dialled Rita.

 

“I’m not coming back,” I whispered.

Finally! The climax!