Celebrity Status (currently being revised to 1st person) Walk of Fame-- Book 1

Chapter Five

"Ignore him," Lane said. "Sawyer just has no idea what it means to love  somebody other than himself. He never will."  

Sawyer didn't dignify Lane with any response, turning to Sebastian. "Listen. She  doesn't want you. It's not what you wanted, but it is what it is, yeah? I say forget her.  

You don't need some chick distracting you, man. You need to focus on the thing you're  best at. Music. Making music. Making us famous. Take all this-whatever it is you're feeling-and write a song, write two. It'll probably be the best thing that you've ever  put on paper."  

Sebastian stood. Sawyer was right. "Yeah," he said. "I'll see you around."  

Lane followed him from the garage, digging into his pocket. He retrieved a  shard that looked like someone took a mega mouth jawbreaker and sliced it as if it  were a round brick of cheese. The outside was rough, like sandpaper, but the inside  shimmered with shiny layers. "Here," Lane handed it to him. "It's agate."  

Sebastian held it to his eye to examine it. "What's it for?"  

Lane smiled. "It eliminates negativity. Promotes clarity, perception."  

Sebastian laughed. Lane believed in all things metaphysical. Auras, chi's yin,  yang, all of it. Maybe the guy was onto something though, he was unquestionably the most balanced person Sebastian knew.  

"Thanks," he said. "I'll let you know if it works."  

"Oh," Lane spoke confidentially, "it will."  

Charlie lay on her bed with her knees tucked to her chest. She wasn't sure how long  she'd been crying. Sebastian had walked away some time ago, but her eyes were too  blurry to see the clock. A horrible emptiness filled the pit of her stomach every time she  thought of his face. She wished he'd never said anything.  

Her phone vibrated on the nightstand. It was reminding her she had seven  unanswered text messages from Mitch. Seven. He'd stopped sending new ones about  half an hour ago, she guessed.  She closed her eyes and willed the phone to stop vibrating, willed the clock to  reverse itself. She wished she could go back to yesterday when Sebastian was still just  Sebastian, her best friend, not her secret admirer.  

Her thoughts were interrupted by the bedroom door creaking open. She brought  the hem of her shirt up, to wipe away the stream of tears on her face.  

"Baby?" Mitch's voice was low. "Are you here?"  

Charlie nodded even though he couldn't see her.  

Mitch's silhouette entered the room and he rushed to sit on the bed beside her.  

"Charlie, what's wrong?"  

No words came. She wasn't about to tell him Sebastian had just declared his love  for her. That he'd more or less said Mitch's affections didn't even come close. She just  shook her head and continued to cry.  

Mitch sucked in a breath and glanced at the door. Resigned to his duty as her  boyfriend, he began to rub small circles on her back with his hand. "Babe, what  happened?"  

Through horrible, wrenching sobs, she managed. "I had a huge fight with  Sebastian." That was the best way she could word it without admitting what happened.  

The concerned expression Mitch wore faded into sympathy. "Aw, don't cry. I'm  sure everything is going to be fine."  

"It's not," Charlie told him. "It's not ever going to be fine."  

Mitch brushed a tangled mess of wet hair away from her face and tucked it  gently behind her ear. "Don't be silly. Sebastian and you can't go like two days without  seeing each other. I'm sure whatever it is you fought about will work itself out."