Heart of Stone

Chapter Three: Never meet your heroes

"I thought you were having a lie-in?"

She shook her head, fiery red locks swaying from side to side. "Let's just get out of here."

My feet remained frozen to the floor as I watched her stride into the bathroom. Toiletries clattered against one another as she swept them into her wash bag before tossing that into the suitcase, too.

"Is everything okay?" I asked. "Because I just saw Teddy, and he seems pretty smitten."

Becca scoffed, proceeding to pack the rest of my stuff into my case when I still didn't move. Her bad mood baffled me. She'd just spent the night with her hero; had it failed to live up to her expectations?

"I bet he did," she said under her breath. "Just happened to bump into you, did he?"

"Well, yes, actually. Said he had a great time with you but seemed concerned about coming on too strong."

At that, Becca finally spun to face me, fists clenched and eyes narrowed.

"He should be concerned. What kind of man fucks a girl and then throws her out in the middle of the night because he doesn't share his bed with fans?"

That bombshell revelation stunned me, an icy chill sweeping down my spine. Becca dropped onto the bed, head bowed as she burst into tears. My legs sprang into action at that, rushing over to her. With an arm around her trembling shoulders, I pulled her close, resting my cheek against her hair.

"Bec, fuck, I'm so sorry. He seemed really nice just then. I didn't realise he'd done that to you..."

No wonder he seemed uncomfortable bringing up Becca. And then to have the cheek to say he wanted to get to know me? Was I an idiot for assuming he was trying to impress Becca by making an effort with her friends? I'd somehow completely misread the situation, falling under his charming spell just like Becca had.

"Of course he seemed nice," she said, wiping her eyes. "He was nice last night, too, wasn't he? It's an act. A stage persona. To get what he wants. I can't believe I've spent years fawning over this guy like some pathetic fangirl and it turns out that he's not the man I thought he was."

If only Becca had told me this before I'd bumped into him, then I could have given him a piece of my mind. And nobody could have sprung to his defence since he'd deliberately sought privacy with me.

What a privileged, entitled prick.

"Come on. Let's go home."

*

Gabby had prepared lunch for us—something that only happened once in a blue moon, and she reminded us of that as soon as we stepped through the door.

"Thank you," she said with a dramatic flair, throwing her hands up. "I've been bored stiff here all morning. I even made lunch."

"You weren't bored stiff; you just had FOMO." I dropped my bag outside my bedroom door.

"Of course I had FOMO. You got to go to a Teddy Stone concert while I sat through another excruciating meal with Charlotte's parents."

"Surely you didn't want to go into work on your day off?" I said.

"Normally I can't wait to get out of that arena, but I'd make an exception for Teddy Stone. Tell me, is he just as hot in real life? Did you shake his hand? Does he have nice hands?"

The well-intentioned questions triggered another onslaught of tears, and Gabby's face paled, her eyes widening in horror. She looked to me for help as I drew Becca into my arms and let her sob into my chest.