Chapter || Thirty-Two

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** This is Kristen **

(not previous chick who wouldn't get out MG's bed)


Snow sat her cell phone down after holding it up to her laptop comparing the paused interview with Demitri in front of his fireplace and the picture he sent her. There was no way he could deny that that wasn't her painting. She even zoomed in on the left corner where she wrote Runner in cursive black ink.

He had lied to her for months. Letting her tell him how hot and sexy she thought he was over and over again. How nervous he made her when they were in the same vicinity.

How could she not pick up on the hints? Being watched, having lawyers, having a driver, people ruin his fun all the time. The Demitri she spoke with on set had a strong Cuban accent compared to the fake American accent Demitri she spoke with on the phone day and night. Phone Demitri and Actor Demitri didn't sound alike at all.

Making her promise to answer his every phone call after their carnival meet now made sense. He wanted her to promise to forgive his lies before the truth even came out.

Pulling her black hair up into a pineapple she fluffed her curls grabbing her sunglasses and keys. As she stepped out of the elevator to the main floor lobby her cell began to ring. Intending to ignore the call like she had been doing for the past twenty-four hours she looked at the ID realizing it was her best friend calling.

"Hey, I'm on my way."

"Okay. Just fyi, Anthony is meeting us there."

"I thought it was going to be just us."

"It was but he's leaving in the morning and I wanted to do the romantic kissing at the top of the Ferris Wheel. I won't leave you to walk by yourself after we get off, I promise. Is this okay?"

"It's fine. Anthony is cool so it'll be good."

"I promise to buy you an extra elephant ear before we leave, deal?"

Snow thought about the last time she took a promise as she got in Kristen's Volvo. Tonight wasn't about sulking over Demitri. He was off having another party and she would try not to be a sour third wheel while her best friend enjoyed her boyfriend.

Walking behind Kristen and Anthony while they held hands looking like the perfect couple goal, Snow pulled a piece of her powdered elephant ear off popping it into her mouth. She didn't want to wonder what her and Demitri would be doing if he never lied.

Would he hold her hand and share and elephant ear with her? Would he try to show off and shoot oversized basketballs into a net to win her a stuffed bear? Would he take her on the Ferris Wheel and kiss her at the top like other couples? What would happen when the carnival closed for the night? Would he ask her to make things official? Would he kiss her again?

There were too many questions going on in her mind when she was supposed to be having fun. The sun was beginning to set and the Ferris Wheel lit up glowing over the entire carnival. All of the smaller rides lit up along with the pants and suspenders of the clowns making glow in the dark balloon animals.

"Hey Snow, we're going to get in line for the Ferris Wheel before it gets too long. Are you going to be okay for a bit or do you want to stand in line with us?"

"I'll be fine. I'm going to buy a lemonade. You two have fun."

"I'll call you when we get off, okay?"

"Okay."

Snow waved to her friends watching Anthony wrap his arms around Kristen's shoulders as she wrapped her arms around his waist walking towards the long line of cute couples. Heading back towards the lemonade booth she passed a kissing booth with two long lines filled with girls giggling to each other as two boys stood at the head of the booth pecking one after the other.

Buying her lemonade Snow took at seat on one of the benches taking a sip of the lemon, water, and sugar concoction before tearing off a piece of elephant ear. Licking her lips as she swallowed a green lit balloon appeared in her peripheral that smelled like . . . hot sauce?

Looking up to the lit balloon sorry was poorly written in hot sauce with a sad face.

"Where'd you get hot sauce from? No one sells them here."

"The man with the big cowboy boot in front of his vendor does. Says he's from Louisiana and nothing goes without hot sauce."

Snow looked up to the man wearing sunglasses so dark that you couldn't see his chocolate pudding eyes. His black attire was complete with a black baseball hat low on his head. Taking the seat next to Snow, he offered the balloon again.

"They didn't have ghost or baby powder white so I got green to remind you of me."

Snow continued to eat her elephant ear trying to ignore her crush. Apart of her wanted to walk away and never look back while the other half missed her friend leaving her heart to kept her planted to her seat begging for him to fix their broken trust.

"Can I please explain?"

"You have until my friends come off the Ferris Wheel."

Demitri looked towards the Ferris Wheel and sighed not know if her friends were at the front or the back of the line but hoped for the latter.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry for keeping the truth from you for so long. Your uncle wasn't happy when I -"

"My uncle knew?!"

"He did but I made him promise with a little extra cash to keep it a secret."

"So you bribed him with money?"

"I -"

"Your explanation is really coming together. You even got my uncle to lie to me with money -"

"Would you just let me talk for a second?!" Demitri's voice elevated getting Snow to stop talking. Scooting his chair closer to hers, he covered her powdered stained fingers leaving butterflies to flutter wildly in her stomach. Clearing his voice, Demitri didn't hide his accent anymore. "A few months ago I was able to get away from my security and the paparazzi for a few hours so I went to the mall to grab a gift for my sister. A few fans noticed me asking for autographs and pictures but for the most part people left me alone. After going to a few stores with no luck I went to my car and found a note poorly written in hot sauce with no name. After I paid your uncle plus the extra, he explained that you don't have insurance and this was you first accident so I let it go but then I had called you drunk and you were nice. You treated me like a normal person and for once I wasn't Demitri with a million screaming fans. I was just me before the fame. I was just . . . MG."

"Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

"When you said that I was your crush I was speechless. I was going to stop calling you and end it but then you said that you worked on set for the film I'm in and that people don't pay you any attention so I thought that I could get to know you as a person and not just a fan."

Snow moved her hand from under Demitri's ripping off a piece of her elephant ear. "Do you want some?"

A smile spread across Demitri's face as he took the piece of elephant ear popping it into his mouth and chewed. "Wow. How have I never tasted this before?"

"Because you stayed hidden at stupid rich celebrity parties . . . or at least that's what I was told from you."

"They are stupid and boring and I would rather be with you."

Snow couldn't fight back her smile as she took the lid off of her lemonade offering it to Demitri. "Don't you have a party you're supposed to be at?"

"I am but I snuck out hoping to find you here." Demitri looked at the Ferris Wheel again. "Come take a ride with me."

"Where?" Snow asked knowing that the destination didn't matter. She would leave the carnival and go back to his stupid party if he asked her.

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