Evening the Score // Book One

Chapter 12

He nodded,

"But no Skype date tomorrow night. I'll be on a plane."

"When do you land?"

"Noon...I think. Sometime around there."

"Can I come to the airport to get you?"

He smiled at her innocence,

"Not so sure that's a good idea considering how bad you're being hounded right now."

She shrugged it off, yawning again,

"I can take it."

"I know you can take it." He answered softly, "I just don't want you to have to."

She closed her eyes,

"Being with you is worth being called a bitch on my Instagram every time I post something."

Harry frowned,

"Is that happening?"

Elena nodded,

"Yesterday there was an all out war between fans who like me and fans who think I'm fucking you for your money."

Harry's frown deepened, he hated knowing that was happening. He hated it even more that there was nothing he could do about it.

"Hey." She said, calling his attention back to her, "It's fine."

"Yeah but your parents are seeing that."

Elena made a face,

"Please, Carolyn can barely make phone calls on her phone and Frank only has an Instagram so he can follow Tiger Woods."

"And Eric?"

"Eric delights in calling me to tell me the new insults people are coming up with. Some of them are pretty creative."

Harry sighed, none of this was doing anything to ease his anxiety,

"Len-"

"Harry..." She interrupted, "It's completely fine."

"Is it?"

Harry couldn't help but feel a slight bit of anxiety pop up. He'd been in this position before. He'd fallen for a girl only to have her underestimate the wrath of his fans and decide to end the relationship. He understood, lord knows he did. His own social media presence had dwindled recently due to the nastiness he encountered himself. But if there was a downside to his fame, the fact that those he cared about ended up paying any kind of price was definitely it.

"I've been here before, Len." He started, diverting his eyes to his keyboard, "I've been in that spot where things were really good and we were headed somewhere and then..." He looked up at her, shrugging his shoulders gently.

Elena was fully awake now. She hadn't realized just how much this affected him. It really didn't bother her at all, but clearly it was a sensitive subject.

She took a breath,

"So I guess there's some things you should know before you convince yourself I'm gonna walk away."

"What's that?"

"Chrissy has been my best friend for 22 years. My entire life. In high school she kind of lost her way...went all emo...wore black everything. Dyed her hair black. Listened to the most heinous music..." Elena said turning her nose up, "I was an athlete. So ya know how high school is...kids break up into cliques. At least that's how it is here, I dunno if that happens in England." She took a breath, "Anyway...she and I never wavered in our friendship. Not once. Not when the emo kids came to a game with her and made fun of me the whole time. We stood our ground. When the captain of the football team played a practical joke on her, asking her to homecoming and then showing up with someone else? She called me. I came to get her. I kicked him in the nuts and then we went to my house, ate ice cream and watched tape of me all night so she could help me with some footwork. We stayed friends despite every social circle in school trying to break us apart."