Chapter 20
-Alyssa Taylor-
I sighed, placing down another magazine with my picture in it. All I needed to do was to stop being seen with Ryan and stay under the radar for a few weeks, and ta-daa, my life is back to normal. But normal is boring and staying away from Ryan is getting harder due to the fact that he just keeps showing up at my door.
I pushed my thoughts of Ryan to the side, making myself believe that he wouldn't show up anytime soon. He's a world famous artist; he has no time for a Youtuber like me.
I opened my front door and pulled my bike out of the closet and outside. I placed my bag and ukulele into the basket and clipped the helmet around my head before swinging my leg around the bike. I started off down the street but before I could make it very far, a familiar car pulled up beside me. I slowed down to stop and propped my leg on the cement to keep me steady. The passenger window slowly rolled down to show a pair of hazel eyes. Damn it.
"Hey, I was just about to head to your place," Ryan frowned. "Where are you going?"
"I'm volunteering at the soup kitchen today," I replied, looking back at him. "and I need to get going if I want to get there on time." I lifted my foot back onto the pedals, ready to get away from Ryan as fast as I could. After all, the paparazzi are everywhere, and I learned that the hard way.
"Alyssa, you're too nice. The least I can do is drive you there," Ryan yelled to me as I started to bike away. I just shook my head at him. Too much of us together would send the media-and me-crazy. It didn't take that long to see that Ryan was following me in his car.
"Can you stop? I already have a ride," I sighed at him. He's going to make me late and I'm going to find myself in another magazine.
"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I made my girlfriend bike everywhere?" He smirked.
"I'm not your girlfriend," I said quickly with a red face. He took me off guard; I have to give him that. "I need to go. Don't follow me."
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I poured a ladle full of soup into a man's bowl and he thanked me before walking towards the next volunteer, who was handing out drinks. I let out a content sigh as I poured out more soup to the next few people. It was nice to have a break from the real world.
"Thank you, Alyssa," A woman said. I recognized her. She was one of the many regulars here.
I poured some more soup, but this time the person didn't say thank you. "You must come here often if the people bother to learn your name." I looked up to see Ryan pull his scarf, sunglasses, and hat off.
"Why are you here? You're holding up the line," I said with as little emotion as I could muster up.
"Do you happen to know where to sign up for volunteering? I was wondering where I can sign up." Ryan grinned, ignoring my question.
"You're holding up the line," I said again with more strength. My eyes flickered to the door. Surely, the paparazzi would have followed Ryan here. What if they were taking pictures right now?
"Could you at least tell me where to sign up?" He frowned at me.
"You need to email them through the website," I said, urging him to keep moving.
"What's the website?" He asked with an eyebrow raised. He looked stupid with it raised, but it was more of an attractive kind of stupid.
"You can Google it. How else would you find where I am?" I smirked at him.
"You know me so well," He replied with a grin that lingered on his face as he kept walking.
Even though everyone had been served, many people still stuck around in the dining area. I stepped up onto one of the empty tables and sat down, placing my feet on the bench. I didn't notice at first, but Ryan had moved closer to the table.
I decided to ignore him as I started strumming my ukulele. The lyrics flowed out of my mouth as I just sat there and sang to the people, and everyone just listened. By now many of them knew my name and how I'd come, serve, and sing. I'd try and come at least twice a month, but with my busy schedule, it was hard.
I finished a few songs and it was getting late. I waved to the remaining folks in the cafeteria and stepped off of the table. I grabbed my bag and put my ukulele back into it's case before saying goodbye to the volunteers and the people I served.
I was walking towards the door, where my bike was locked outside, when a hand grabbed my arm and turned me around. "Hey, do you come here often?"
"Ryan, I think you're gonna need to come up with some better pick up lines," I rolled my eyes and kept walking.
"Hey, come on," He said following me, "You aren't still worried about the paparazzi, are you?"
"Of course I'm still worried," I scowled. They are everywhere and they are always watching. "So, if you would kindly stay about a hundred feet away from me, that would be nice."
"Alyssa, don't be like that," He said grabbing my arm again. I scowled at him, something was a bit different about him. He seemed a bit more needy, but needy of what? I pulled away from him and bent down to unlock my bike. "I can, uh, drive you back."
"It's fine, I can bike back," I said, shaking my head at him as I locked my bike lock around the body of the bike.
"Why are you so uptight about the paps now? Back on our date, you didn't seem to care," Ryan frowned, a crease in his forehead showed his concern.
"I just don't think that this is a good idea anymore," I shrugged, swinging my leg over my bike. The amount of publicity I've been getting hasn't really been working for me lately. Being overexposed, vulnerable, and constantly watching my actions is not the way I want to spend my life.
"Hey, don't bike away from me! I was still talking to you," Ryan yelled at me as I biked away, but my sixth sense was telling me that he'd show up at my door later.
-Ryan Fox-
I drove around for bit to clear my mind before heading over to Alyssa's place. Why was she mad at me? Was she even mad at me? Okay, sure, I come over to her place a bit too much. It was my fault that she's being stalked by the paparazzi. And hundreds of girls are probably commenting hate messages on her videos.
Oh shit. It probably was me. At least she hasn't found out about what Mr. Windle is telling me to do, so I guess it could be worse.
I arrived at her apartment before she did. Nima let me in, but he had a friend over, so I just sat in the kitchen until Alyssa arrived. The door opening alerted me that Alyssa arrived in her apartment, so I cautiously poked my head out of the kitchen.
"You're here," She stated as if it were nothing.
"Look, Alyssa," I said. "I'm sorry." She looked at me skeptically as if she was egging me on, so I kept talking. "It was my fault for everything. I should've done something simpler for the date. I know you're still new with the whole paparazzi thing." There. I said the truth; just not all of the truth.
"Thanks," She said softly, looking down at her feet. "I guess I kind of overreacted to all of this."
"Hey," I said pulling her into a tight hug. I felt her relax in my arms and lay her head against my chest. "It's okay, alright."
I rested my chin on top of her head as she whispered, "But if I see a picture of me with you outside of the soup kitchen I will cut a bitch."
"Is that bitch me?" I whispered back at her, slightly scared.
"Maybe," She whispered into my ear.
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Trouble in paradise? (I don't know... I just wanted to say that)
Hello! I updated! Well I said Monday and it's technically Tuesday where I am (it's 12AM), but whatever. YAYAYAYAY! Well I have a week off of school, so hopefully I'll finish my homework and have another chapter up soon. How's life?
OH I watched Catching Fire on 11/23/13 and I assure you that the movie is amazing! I liked it more than the first movie. It follows the book more than the first.
SOoOOoOOoooO... How'd you guys like the chapter? It took me a while to write it. Any Comments?
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Okay so vote & comment if you want to.. I'm not forcing you or anything. I'm still gonna update even if you don't, but comments and votes are greatly appreciated, so THANK YOU <3 (and I assure you I read all of the comments and send you internet kisses from my room)
Miss_terious