The afternoon of her fake date with Harrison she sat on her living room floor while Mar and Darcy went through the articles. Unlike her, y/n refused to look at them or even peek at the comments on her social media, she didn't feel ready to see herself with him.
As much as it pained y/n to admit, it had worked. The online coverage of their first outing was insane, far greater than it was when she was with Mark not to mention far more positive. Of course, there were bitchy comments and articles here and there but for the most part, her fans only caved into the positive ones. She figured they were just as tired of the bad press as she was.
Avoidance lasted just a couple of days, the pictures haunted her every time she picked up her phone just to find a google alert with her name or when she turned on the TV or tried to catch on with her mums Instagram Stories. They were everywhere and the first time she saw them her chest tightened.
Harrison smiling at her as he stood by the table, him taking a seat next to her, him pressing a kiss to her temple, her head resting on his arm. All particularly clear as if the pictures weren't taken through windows. Him walking her away from the paparazzi, some up close to their faces where she could see every detail of her face... of his face. So close she could see how his fingers dug onto the softness of her waist, pads touching the exposed skin between her top and trousers.
She swallowed at the sight, shaking her head and straightening up in her seat when she vividly felt his touch still lingering on the dip of her ribs. His eyes focused on Darcy flashed before her and that was enough for her to blink back to reality and compose herself. She didn't bother on reading any sort of comment, the pictures had been enough plus, she didn't want her make-up artist to see her reading articles about herself, that'd be next-level embarrassing.
The room was filled with people, between the hair and make-up team, publicists, agents, camera crew and interviewers the hotel room was packed making the space seem smaller than it actually was. The brightness of the softboxes illuminating her and the director was blinding and the heat they radiated annoyingly was making her upper lip sweat. Between half-arsed questions about the movie that the director was throughout and rambly about and very specific ones about y/n's "new relationship" which she dismissed by saying she was there to promote the movie and not her relationship.
It was weird to say the words "my relationship" when she didn't actually have a relationship with anyone yet it felt oddly satisfying to see the interviewers faces when she didn't deny there was someone but wouldn't elaborate on them. It had been long since the attention the media gave her wasn't linked to Mark and she was both relieved and annoyed about it. She was relieved that they had finally shifted their narratives but annoyed that it was because of Harrison.
Why was Mark being replaced by Harrison worth articles upon articles but her later achievements weren't? She hated it so much more now that when she was sixteen starting to with her role on Cold Waters, the work was demanding but the majority of the people she met back then were nice to her, even Mark was nice back then. A call for a break from one of the agents pulled her back to reality, her eyes blinked a couple of times adjusting back to the present time and focusing on the lady in front of her.
"Congrats on your nice beau," The interviewer beamed at y/n. "I've met him once before and he's a total darling." A smile was offered to y/n and she returned it, giving the woman a nod before she left the chair with her notebook clutched to her chest. Y/n watched her stepped out of the little set before the cameras and have a few words with the people in charge of the footage as she got de-microphoned but one of the sound guys. She had met him once before too, and he was far from being a "darling", everyone kept saying nice things about him and she just didn't get how all those people considered Harrison a nice person.
Maybe she was just an isolated case. Maybe he just didn't like her.
With a sigh, she rose from her sit handing the mic pack to the sound guy, thanking him before stepping away from the lighted set up to where Mar and Darcy stood in a corner of the room away from the camera crew. "I'm starving, when is lunch being delivered?" Y/n said, grabbing the water bottle Darcy handed her.
"It should be here in a minute or two," Darcy told checking her phone as she did. Y/n only nodded her head looking elsewhere while she took a long sip of water. She had tried to leave the restaurant incident behind she never brought it up even when Darcy would ask if there was something wrong because y/n would barely speak to her and well, it was Darcy. She was y/n's best friend since they were fifteen so she knew y/n too well for her to get away with pretending they were fine but y/n just didn't have the energy or desire to say what was bothering her because she knew it was stupid.
She hated not having her best friend close in such a difficult time for her but she just couldn't bring herself to talk about it or to forget about it. She felt trapped and alone and silly.
"Got a delivery for y/n l/n." a familiar voice said from the door of the room bringing y/n's attention there. From the intricate entrance of the room to the living area where the cameras and chairs were set a mope of sandy coloured curls came into view making y/n turn to her publicist and glare.
"You haven't been seen together in a week, love." Was all she managed to say before Harrison was stood right where they were.
"Hey," He greeted Darcy, obviously, opening his arms and engulfing her in a hug which Darcy accepted with a huge grin on her face that made y/n's stomach twist with a sentiment she didn't understand at all. "Mar," with a wide smile he extended his hand to Marcella, leaving y/n to be the odd one out when he just handed her the bag with food. "This is for you." without saying a word y/n took the bag, walking alone to the far dining table where she hid from everyone's view behind the huge flower arrangement.
There was a sinking feeling in her gut that made her appetite vanish, so she just sat there staring at the white paper bag that contained her lunch simultaneously thinking too many thoughts at once and none at all. She didn't want to be upset by the way he treated her it wasn't like she liked him in the slightest yet, it bugged her that everyone around her told her about how nice he was while all she had gotten from him had been absurd comments and unsolicited physical contact.
"Hey, there..." Mar's voice rang in y/n's ears, the woman's bright smile toned down just a little in a sad why that had y/n confused. "I'm sorry about that," she signalled to the spot where she left Darcy and Harrison. Y/n only shrugged looking down at her lap where her fingers fidgeted with her rings. "Um, you know ... we could shorten the time if you'd like, maybe when the press for the film ends?" it felt implausible to y/n for the press they were doing then was at least two months away from the initial premiere date and still she wasn't sure if the film would be even be released, sure the press had shifted positively on her favour but she hadn't heard anything from the studio or Adam just yet.
"I don't wanna talk about this right now, Mar." Y/n grumbled even if Marcella was speaking quietly she didn't want to discuss the topic in a room full of people.
"Right, sorry." Mar pressed her lips together and stirred in her seat. "Weren't you hungry?"
"Not anymore." Mar's frown deepened and a subtle sigh escaped her lips.
"Got room for me in here?" the director appeared with a pair of cardboard containers in her hands and a huge smile on her face. Gladly y/n nodded a weak smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she moved her focus to the older woman. "Is that handsome fella your new boy?" She asked as she unboxed her lunch consisting of a pressed sandwich and a big salad.
"Um, yeah." her smile faltered.
"Nice. What does he do for a living?" She stuffed a forkful of leaves into her mouth.
"He's an actor too."
"No way!? Anything I might know him from?" Y/n's head blanked, the only thing she knew was that he was an actor but she didn't know what he had been in and it was probably basic information that she should know about her so-called boyfriend. The director stared at her as she chewed in her food, eyes expectant making y/n panic slightly.
"Hey, darling. You haven't eaten." Harrison's figure came unexpectedly settling behind her. His hands came to rest on the backrest of the chair taking her by surprise that he refrained from touching her.
"Uh- i-i'm not hungry." She forced herself to say but her back had become so stiff it hurt. She felt his hands slip further down the chair until they ended up on the armrests, consequently leaving his chest almost touching the back of her head. His fragrance invading her senses causing her brain to command her lungs to inhale as deeply as she could filing them with woody notes that nearly made her sigh. She eyed the director and the expectant look on her face still remained intact. "Um, Aimee, this is uh... Harrison. Harrison this is Aimee Cook, the director of the film."
Harrison's hand lifted to shake Aimee's extended one, his arm in front of her forcing y/n to rest her head on the blonde's chest. "Lovely to meet you." He said, the way she felt the resonance of his voice rumbling on his chest and throat making her hyper-aware of how close they were.
He kept speaking to Aimee after they shook hands, answering her questions about what he had been in far better than y/n ever could. He stayed stood behind her the whole time forcing y/n to hunch and almost curl into her seat just to avoid being too close to him again.
She felt trapped in that room. In the conversation that didn't have a place for her anymore. Between his arms.
: a.n : late update! i just didn't wanna miss another Friday update, so better late than ever they say. anyways, hope you like this chapter, please leave a comment and vote so I know how you're liking the series ♡