Paparazzi//Grayson Hawthorne

Chapter Two

My sisters and I are sitting in a plane, but not in just any seats but first class. First class. I've never been on a plane before, let alone in first class.

All of this is magical. I could get used to this. But, I obviously wouldn't because I don't have that kind of money, and I definitely could not do that right now. Not with all of the competitions and tests, and I'm getting ready for college applications, and with my job, I don't get much free time and so I wouldn't be able to do something like this, ever. But for now, I will enjoy it to the best of my ability.

Libby and Avery are in the seats in front of me, talking about random stuff; I doubt Drake knows that we're on our way to Texas right now, let alone that Libby is with us. So I shut out the world as I plug my earphones into my phone, pressing play on my playlists as the music takes over my world, shutting out all the noise and all the people. Sometimes the world gets too much, the lights will be too bright, colors are too much, talking is too loud, everything becomes too much, so I listen to music; I like to think it helps calm me down, it helps my brain quieten down.

I need it right now; my thoughts are racing; it feels like they could go up to a hundred miles per hour. I need to stop and breathe, but it's hard; I try to look down, out the window at the clouds, but it doesn't help. I want out. I dont want to be on this plane anymore. The seats are too close, I can hear too many people talking, and they're too loud. My music isn't helping as it should, my thoughts aren't slowing, my brain isn't allowing me to have a break, and my lungs aren't allowing me to breathe. Soon- but not soon enough, the -plane lands, and the three of us step out, walking through the airport to be met by a beautiful woman.

She greets us before turning, introducing herself as she walks. "I'm Alisa Ortega" She slows ever so slightly to let us catch up, "From McNamara, Ortega, and Jones" She speaks; she's the most professional person I've ever met, or talked to, apart from Grayson maybe, he did seem very serious and professional, but he was the annoying kind. But, at the same time, Alisa Ortega is a beautiful kind."The two of you are very hard to get ahold of," She speaks, glancing between Avery and me, "I live in my car," Avery babbles, so that's where she went last night.

I had arrived home from work later than usual and had walked in to see Drake sitting on the couch; he had barely even glanced my way before I was messaging around, asking if I could stay at anyone's house; luckily, Leilani Jacobs had said I could stay with her. Leilani and I aren't close. We're in the same circle, but I'm not close with anyone at that school; I never planned on getting close with any of them because I'll be gone in a few years, and hopefully, I'll never have to look back.

But Leilani had said I could stay with her, and although we didn't gossip or bond a lot, she was still there, and I appreciated it; I appreciate her.

"She doesn't live there," Libby spoke to Alisa quickly, "Tell her you dont" She now turned her attention to Avery.

We made it to a black SUV. I can't see whos driving. Avery is on the driver's side, Libby is on the passenger side, and I am in the middle; I feel I could be suffocating.

Alisa talks about how she'll be who we go to while at Hawthorne house, but I'm not listening; I can't pay attention.

I try to focus on the trees passing outside or the other cars, or the random objects on the side of the road, anything but the people in the car or the voices or the radio quietly humming in the background or the sound of the engine humming, I try to not focus on the feeling of the seatbelt against my neck, rubbing against it, scratching my neck and the surface of it tightening ever so slightly, as though it might choke me.

I see Avery go on her phone from the corner of my eye. I see her thumbs moving; she's messaging someone, probably Max, definitely Max.

Max is Avery's best friend. They had been best friends for what felt like forever. However, Max had to move away the summer of eighth grade, it had torn Avery apart, but they had still somehow managed to stay in touch and have a connection like no other I'd seen.

I tear my attention away from Avery typing, away from everything, as I try to unfocus my eyes; I need to unfocus everything, zone out, and stop hearing the mumble jumble of the voices.

I can feel my arms move, almost as though they have brains of their own, but really, they're just listening to my actual thoughts, doing what my body thinks is best, but they reach up, covering my ears tightly as I close my eyes, scrunching them up as I try to disappear.

It works. Everyone is quiet; everyone is gone; it's just darkness, no noise, though; I can finally breathe.

I feel the car stop and slowly remove my hands from my ears, opening my eyes ever so slightly to let them adjust to the light again.

I can feel Alisa give me slightly confused while Avery and Libby give a knowing look; they both know that I probably want a minute just to myself, no one around to be there and make noise.

We all get out of the car, and that is when I see the absolute *castle* of a house in front of me. I can't help but stare up at it, a look of complete admiration on my face.

I'd seen photos of Hawthorne House when I had researched for my projects, but I never thought I would see it here, in person.

Yet here I was, mentioned in Tobias Hawthorne's will.