Rumor Has It: A Raura Fanfic

Chapter Twenty-Six

Screw it.

Screw it all.

When life gives you lemons, what do you do? Say fuck it, and take a chance.

But...he couldn't do it. Who was he to act in his own selfish ways, letting his feelings control his every move, to corrupt her career? No matter how much it killed him, he wasn't that heartless. Especially towards her.

He was a real dick. He really was.

'Just...just think about what could happen if people found out. She'd hate you.' No. He couldn't let that happen. He won't let it happen. Because what's worse than not getting to be with the one you lo-care about? Having them hate you, making your chances of being together thinner than the ice.

"So what's it gonna be?" Garrett eyed the blonde, who returned the glare. "Laura and me or her career down the toilet?"

'Can I punch that little pretty boy face of his? His ass is blackmailing me. I swear to God, he's gonna regret this.'

"Fine. But only for her. I could give one less of a hundredth shit about you. Never had, never will." The actor hissed back. Applying his Ray Bans back onto his face, Ross made his way back to his car, ignoring the horrid, gut feeling he had of leaving her with him. The last thing he wanted was to leave. But the last thing he needed was for her to see him and start asking questions.

Just his luck, her body appeared just as he passed the bathrooms. He frantically ducked his head down and fixed his sunglasses. He figured that she did recognize him because she made a small noise as she looked up right as their bodies passed each other like two ships in the night.

Walking to his car, the blonde hesitated for a few minutes whether to just risk it all and go back or drive away. Both choices were screaming with consequences he was not ready to face.

"For Laura." With that, he shut his eyes and turned on the engine.

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'You're seeing things.' Her thoughts repeated several times. Lots of people have sun-kissed blonde hair, black beanie, and the...exact same pair of Ray Bans as him... 'Yeah. Definitely seeing things.'

She had thought she had seen her...um brother sitting across the table from Garrett as soon as she turned her head towards it as she entered the Ladies' Room. But when she got out, he was gone. Or at least, if he was really here.

As soon as she exited, she felt an odd tension lingering, but she chose to ignore it. There was always tension, right? But this tension...it was different. She didn't know how or why, yet she couldn't shake it off.

"You okay, Laur?" Garrett glanced at her as she sat down in her seat. Laur. That's what he would call her. And her seat...it was warm. Like someone had been sitting in it only minutes before.

'He was here' her thoughts cranked through her mind. Of course he was. But why? He had no reason to act like an...overprotective boyfriend. 'You mean, brother?' Right. Brother. 'You know...his ass was on this chair. So technically, you guys have touched asses. Ass touch. Looks like Ramona has a new friend other than Roger...'

'Shut. Up.' She mentally responded to her brain's idiotic (yet uncomfortably comforting) ideas.

"Yeah. I'm alright. Just a little...uh...hungry. Being deprived of food has gotten me zoning out, I'm sorry." She apologized not so sincerly. She hated lying. But she had to to avoid any further questioning from Garrett. "Can...can I ask you something, Garrett?"

"Yeah, sure, Laura. What's up?"

"Why'd you," The brunette took a deep breath. "Why did you suddenly take interest in me? As in, why did you ask me out?"

That took him by surprise as she could tell by his facial expression. Confusion, shock, and...guilt? Why would he look guilty?

"Well, " he began after a minute or two. "I simply wanted to get you know you better. Obviously, we've both worked with Blondie-"

"Ross." Laura corrected him.

"You mean, J-" He had a slight smirk on his face, when he realized what he was about to say and cleared his throat.

'Was...was he about to say Jake?' She swallowed hard as she made eye contact with the actor across the table from her. 'He knows. God, he knows.'

"Yeah. Ross. Anyway, I'm not sure. You interested me, Marano. Couldn't let him have all the ladies."

'What is that supposed to mean? "Interest him". "Couldn't let him have all the ladies"? Was he jealous of Ross?' She merely nodded and continued to wait for her order.

"But I'm not in it to ruin anything between you two..." He added, eyeing her for a reaction.

Lies.

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"There's got to be something here." The blonde was rummaging through old boxes of files. He couldn't take it any longer. Twenty minutes passed as he reached the house and it nearly killed him just sitting there. Doing nothing.

Box after box, there was only pictures of Laura and Vanessa as children, old school projects, home videos, and other things. He was looking for a birth certificate, pictures, just something that would really prove or disprove his blood relation to the girl that had stole his heart in the small amount of years that he had known her.

"God damn it! Where could it be?" He groaned in frustation, running a hand through his slick locks.

He refused to fully believe that after nearly 19 years, his parents had never mentioned that he was apparently adopted. He thought through it over and over and nothing seemed to add up. He was blonde. She wasn't. She was born a month before he was. Exactly one month. He looked like Riker, Rydel, Rocky and Ryland, not her. They were just too different to be even categorized as distant relatives. Well, different physically. And that's what made them fit. Opposites attract.

He refused to be a victim of his own incest love story. No. Not him. He was going to get to the bottom of things. Even if it took him all day-

"Bingo!" He smiled to himself as he held a file folder labeled 'Family Records' in carefully written letters. Whatever was inside this folder could either make or break his whole being.

And what he discovered next...well that was unexplainable.

Grabbing his phone from his back pocket, and dialed the number of the person who desereved to know the truth as much as he did.

"Hey," He paused for a second as he listened to their response. "I know this is not the time but, I need to show you something." Pause. "It's important! Laura, you need to know the truth. Now."