Not Another Diva

28 - Don't Go

My head jerks forward with a forced smack.

"Ow!" I reach back to rub the spot and turn to find the source of my pain. Elle is standing behind me with her arms crossed.

"What's the matter with you, stupid? Go after her!"

I'm still standing in the hallway, frozen from shock after watching Brianna storm out the front door. "She's not listening to me. There's no point. Our contract is void." I use air quotes when I say contract, a bitter taste in my mouth at the word. "The whole relationship was set up so I could protect her. And now she's done."

"I heard her little speech and this has nothing to do with a contract. That girl loves you but she's scared. Your pictures blew up yesterday when you were off having your love-fest. I've been keeping tabs. But it literally happens to every hot couple in Hollywood, little bro. You're just the latest victim. Brianna doesn't have any experience with this."

"She's had Hollywood boyfriends before." I scoff at my sister's lack of information. Brianna is used to this stuff.

"None of those relationships were challenged because," she grabs my face between her two hands, forcing me to pay close attention, "they.were.fake. Everyone in her fandom knew that. This time it's real and the media wants your blood to run in the streets."

I push Elle's hands off of my face and take a step away. "Dramatic much big sis?"

"Look around you, Zack! She just fired you and marched off to the airport! I'm not the dramatic one in this scenario. Your girlfriend is. Now, GO AFTER HER!"

Elle pushes me to the doorway and then through it all the way to the front drive. I'm surprised when I look over toward Mandy's car and Brianna is standing at the open trunk, hunched over with her hands covering her face, sobbing. My heart cracks again at the sight. Elle is right, I need to go to her and talk her down off of the edge. Brianna is practically trying to commit relationship suicide and its all those freaking tabloids' fault, like a damn cyberbully, and there's no way I'm going to continue to let her be their victim.

My feet once again rush over to where she is, still hunched over and crying her eyes out. "Bree, please..." I say as I bend down in front of her. She doesn't move so I instinctually step closer and wrap my arms around her.

"Don't go." I whisper.

"Zack, I'm so confused." Her voice cracks as the sobs once again break through.

"Bree, nothing is going to keep me away from you, certainly not some bloodthirsty tabloids that just want our destruction. That picture, that moment...it's when I realized I loved you. Not Colleen. You." My hands reach up to pull her face to mine, just like Elle forced me to listen moments ago. "I'm so glad the world got to see it because I could never love anyone more than I love you."

Her sobs return full force, but her arms rise to wrap around me, pulling me close as well. "I never thought any differently, Zack. I knew you wouldn't do what they said, deep down."

I want to question her about this whole scene if that's the truth, but I don't want to let her go. I don't want her to step away when I finally have my Bree back and the diva long gone. So instead I stay where we are, holding each other on the driveway. I run my hand down her back, cradling her in my arms. Consoling her with my actions and reassuring her that she can't scare me off that easily, I realize I need to put these emotions into words.

"Bree, we have to show them they can't ruin this. It runs too deep between us to tear apart. Please don't let them get into your head."

My words are whispered but her body jolts just the same. "It's not the papers, not what they said that's confused me as much as..." Her voice breaks off. She's hesitant to be honest with me.