Cyberspace Romance

Paparazzi

Zoey walked out of the star bucks shop with her hot coffee in hand, she turned the street corner and noticed a huddle of people standing in front of the salon. She scrunched her eyebrows up in confusion, and pulled her sunglasses over her eyes as she walked down the side walk. Before she could even figure out what was going on, one of the people from the crowd turned around with camera in hand and started yelling at her.
"It's her! It's her!" The small Asian man with the camera yelled.

Zoey looked behind to see if their was a celebrity, politician, or someone behind her, but there was no one. She ignored them and started moving closer, she had to go right through the madness in order to get into the salon.

"Are you and Bam dating?"
"How long have you two been seeing each other?"
"Are you the reason for his recent divorce?"

The questions came so fast, and from so many different directions. Zoey dropped her coffee to the ground, causing it to splatter up on her jeans, and burn her a bit. She then realized what all the commotion was about. She tried squeezing her way through the crowd of paparazzi, but it was harder than it looked. Some of the larger ones were blocking her, and demanding answers.

"THAT'S ENOUGH. LET HER THROUGH OR I WILL CALL THE COPS." Bellowed a voice from the door way.

Standing there in the door was Zoey's savior, Jessica. They took one look at Jessica and moved out of the way; scared she would go through with her threats. Zoey fumbled over one of them and then made her way into the salon. Jessica slammed the door in their face and then turned around to face her friend and employee.

"Are you alright, Zoe?" Jessica ask.
"Yeah. . . I guess." Zoey said shaking her head, she didn't know why they was really here.

She and Bam wasn't dating.

"Why are they following me?" Zoey wondered.
"It could be this." Jessica said handing her the latest tabloid magazine to hit the shelves.

On the front page was a picture of her and Bam skating in the park. She ran her fingers through her long auburn hair and flipped to the page where the small article was wrote.

"Clearly, Bam Margera has moved on from his recent divorce. He's skating it up with a N.Y. cutie. Sources say the couple was seen at a Skate Park in New York laughing, flirting, and looking very much in love. Bam nor his new flame has made a comment about their relationship as of yet, but we're sure there is more to come from the Jackass and his new mysterious lady."

"I can't believe this!" Zoey squealed.
"Yeah. . . me either, since when do you hang out with celebrities?" Jessica ask laughing.

Zoey sighed, and then explained how she and Bam met. She told Jessica the whole story over a thirty minute time period. Jessica was smiling ear to ear by the time Zoey finished her story.

"You like him." Jessica stated.
"Yeah, but. . . I don't like this, Jess." Zoey said.
"No one does, Zoe. But it comes along with him." Jessica said.

Zoey sighed, and tried to put the events of the morning and the article behind her. She started working on some customers and sung along to the radio hoping that it would her mind off everything. She liked Bam a lot, but was she ready for everyday to be like this morning was? Was she prepared to be followed by hounding paparazzi every second of the day? That was one thing she was unsure of. She enjoyed her privacy, freedom, and safety.

The paparazzi didn't seem to go away. They stood outside the salon, waiting for Zoey to leave. Jessica had called the police, and they said that unless they had threatened Zoey's life in some way that there was really nothing they could do about it.

Zoey finished washing color from a woman's hair when her cell phone started vibrating from inside her pocket. She placed a towel on her head and pulled it out of her apron pocket. She sighed, seeing it was Bam. She opened it up and mouthed to Jessica who it was. Jessica waved Zoey off, so she could talk to Bam in freedom.

Zoey walked into the hallway and took a seat.

"What's wrong?" Bam ask hearing the distress in her voice.
"Bam, the paparazzi have been outside the salon all day." Zoey stated.
"Are you shitting me?" Bam questioned.
"No, they huddled around me this morning asking questions. I spilled my coffee. If it wasn't for Jessica they probably would've stomped right over me!" Zoey continued.
"I'm so sorry, Zoe. ." Bam said sincerely.
"It's not your fault, Bam. Did you know we made the front page?" She joked, trying to make him feel better.
"Are you serious? Fuck, what did it say?" He ask.
"Nothing bad, surprisingly. Just you moved on from your divorce and was seen with me skating." She said leaving out the details, especially the one that mentioned love.
"At least they didn't lie." He said laughing indicating that he had moved on from his divorce.
"I should've known that would happen if we went out in New York. . ." Bam said.
"I know, I bet there isn't paparazzi in West Chester, are there?" Zoey ask.
"Not really, every now and then some will come through hoping to scoop up some dirt. But it's such a great community around here, people don't say anything and they eventually give up and move on."

Zoey soon finished up her phone conversation with Bam and returned to the shop. She done a few cuts, and then the end of the day neared. Jessica offered her a ride home so she wouldn't have to make her way through the circus of photographers.

"God! Don't you fucker's believe in privacy!" Jessica screamed out the window when they passed the paparazzi.
"Thanks for everything, Jess." Zoey said getting out of the vehicle.
"No problem, Zoe. You wanna start riding with me in the mornings? I drive right past here, and it might save you some trouble."
"Yeah, thanks. Hopefully it blows over soon."
"I'm sure it will. Next week some celebrity will shave their head and you and Bam will be old news, don't worry." Jessica said with a reassuring smile.
"I hope you're right, Jess." Zoey said shutting her door and walking inside her apartment.

Zoey walked into the living room to see Ryder, Kyle, and Jacob sitting there reading the same magazine that she had saw earlier. She rolled her eyes as she walked over and collapsed back onto the recliner. Ryder chuckled, and then read the article out loud.

"Wow! You're famous, sis." He said laughing.

Zoey groaned as Ryder tossed her the familiar magazine. She didn't even look at it, she just rolled it up and tossed it into the near by trash can. She announced to the boys she was going into her room for the evening, leaving them alone in the living room. She walked into her room, and over to her bed. After the day she had; sleep sounded like an amazing invitation.

Thanks to my lovely friend jetblackhotelmirror for the wonderful banner. Love you darling :)
♠ ♠ ♠
Earlier today I thought my account was banned for some reason. But I guess it wasn't. . . I'm not sure what happened ;\

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