From Fame To Shame

Chapter Eight- END :)

I sprang off the bed, looked out the window and saw my Volkswagen Beetle hugging the edge of our lawn. What was Kelly doing back? Something was wrong.

Dashing out of my room, I zoomed down the stairs, darted outside and tore across our lawn, practically skidding to a halt just a few feet from my car.

Not Kelly.

David climbed out of the car and planted himself directly in front of me. He stared down at me, his lips thinned to a straight line, his gray eyes dark.

“David, what are you doing here?” I blurted without even saying hello. “Is everything okay?” By the look on his face, everything was not okay. The coward part of me wanted to retract the question and run back inside.

The scowl lessened just a bit. “We need to talk.”

“Uhm… How did you get the key?” He’d gotten it from Kelly, obviously. Did that mean he knew I wasn’t her? And why drive my car, instead of his own? But the bigger question banging around in my brain was why he’d come.

“Kelly gave it to me. And your address.”

So he knew the truth. “Did she tell you or did you figure it out?” I asked.

“Kelly enlightened me.” David’s jaw tightened. “But I want to know why you didn’t tell me?”

“I-I couldn’t. It wasn’t my secret to tell and I swore to Kelly.” But I still felt sick to my stomach for betraying him. Avoiding his gaze, I folded my arms over my chest. “A promise is a promise.”

“Really, Candy?” he growled. “You were just going to let me go? The last few days meant nothing to you?” He fisted his hands at his sides.

My eyes narrowed. “Did it mean something to you?”

He exhaled. “Would I be here if it didn’t?”

He’d come all the way out here for me? Not possible. “But… guys like you don’t go for girls like me. The real me, I mean.”

His brows rose. “And why’s that?”

I hesitated, shifting my weight from one leg to the other. “Because I’m not like those other girls that you know. I get a little nervous in crowds, especially in the spotlight. And I’m not exciting like the Kelly you thought I was. I may be boring by Hollywood standards, but I like myself the way I am.”

“Guess what?” He inched toward me. “So do I.”

David had to be experiencing a moment of insanity, because he couldn’t possibly like me back. “Why are you really here?”

David blinked, then his words slowed. “For you, Candy. It’s only been one day and I miss you already.”

“Really?” I asked, still skeptical. It’s not that I didn’t think I deserved to be liked. But how could he trust me after I’d deceived him like that? “Even though I pretended to be someone else?”

“Out of loyalty to your sister. Family’s important.” His voice softened. “And if you hadn’t switched places with Kelly, we wouldn’t have met.”

Relief washed over me, but my smile faded. “You’re still my sister’s ex. Isn’t that… weird?”

David gently grasped my shoulders. “I hardly count as an ex. Two dates, one kiss and it was over.”

“According to the magazines, you guys dated for weeks.” I scoffed. “How could you only kiss her once after dating all that time?”

“Weeks, huh?” He shook his head. “Did you read that in the same rag that said Kelly was pregnant? We go places together, just as friends. You know, it’s convenient since we’re neighbors.”