My Little Decoy

♪ Not a Little Girl No More ♪ {35}

"Got my band and a light that won't go out
Been burning since the day I was born
So I cried just a little then I'll dry my eyes
Cause I'm not a little girl no more." -Grow Up

The one thing I noticed instantly about Chicago was that it was windy. As soon as I took a step out of the airport I was struck with a frigid chill that had me shivering, wishing I had worn more than the light jacket that did nothing to shield me from the cold. I guess they called Chicago the 'windy city' for a reason. Noticing my slight shivering, a warm arm enveloped me, holding me flush against his body. I breathed in Blake's scent, involuntarily warming up against him.

"First time in the city?" he mused, amusement in his tone.

"Not everyone can be in a famous rock band and tour the world." I retorted, shuddering as another breeze ruffled my hair. He chuckled at my side, as we waited for both our bands to appear. Blake had happily volunteered us to hail a cab while the others grabbed the luggage; before I could complain, he was already tugging me away. I had oh-so sweetly interrogated him about not being met with a limo at the spot, to which he replied, "We want to dwell in the simple pleasures too."

As we stood at the exit of the airport, still huddled closely against the cold, I groaned. "Can't we just wait inside?"

"Sturm, we came from Seattle. Don't you know well enough that once we leave, someone else will grab these taxis? It's a city fact." I mumbled something incoherently in agreement, looking up towards the two yellow cabs idly parked at the curb. I could see the drivers growing increasingly annoyed by how slow we were taking, when he probably had other passengers to take.

Suddenly, Blake's arm tightened against my shoulders. I glanced up only to find his jaw tense as he seemed to notice something in the distance. "Nevermind," he said gruffly, releasing his hold and pushing me back into the airport. "Let's just wait inside. We can catch another taxi once the others get here."

"Bipolar much?" I teased, but my curiosity had me sneaking glances over my shoulder to see what he was looking at. I was met with a blinding flash in the distance, seeming to appear out of nowhere. Blinking back stars, more flashes seemed to emanate, coming from a black van parked about a block away.

"What the actual fuc-" I mumbled but before I could take a closer look, Blake was blocking my view and the doors closed tightly behind us. Instantly we were surrounded by warmth and I reveled in it, letting out a soft moan of appreciation. "Harnage, who were those people?"

"Paparazzi." Blake answered tensely, his mood suddenly sour from their appearance. Sure enough, I realized that Tilted Reality were simply themselves, and not decked out in disguises to hide from both the press and their adoring fans. "They probably stalked our flight down to the seconds and now they're on the look out for some shit to deal to the tabloids. I just hope they hadn't managed to get a picture of us."

"And why not?"

"Then the rumors will start to formulate. I can see it now." He held out his palms dramatically, raising them to the ceiling. "Blake Mercer's Mystery Girl? You'll never get rid of the paps after that. They'll always be watching you for the latest scoop. I don't want to do that to you."

It was a sweet gesture, but I knew I would go against his attempts in the long run. Knowing Mike, he would take this as an advantage, getting the news of Blake and my 'relationship' out in the public to further ruin Tom. Revenge could literally turn a man into a monster. I shrugged as he walked ahead, towards the luggage area, casting one last furtitive look behind me before I trailed behind.