You Talk Like You're Famous, You're Shameless.

I starred blankly at my reflection, not caring about what the hairdresser was doing to my hair.
Apparently, my make up was done, she’ll just have to put the final touches. But I couldn’t careless, I felt hollow, empty.

It was worse than when I left HB to go to Hollywood.

Events of the previous days flashed in my mind. I closed my eyes, hoping it would fade away.

After the ‘small talk’ with Zacky, I had been randomly walking in the streets of New York for hours, trying to decide whether or not I should dump Justin. I mean, I hadn’t any feelings for him now, and I wasn’t even sure I ever had some.

We seemed as the perfect match, both beautiful and famous. Well, me more than him and everyone kept saying that he just wanted to be known, to use me in a way. I always refused to believe it.

I always thought he loved me for who I was. I guess I was wrong.

It was late that day when I decided that it was time for me to go back to my apartment. Well, by late I mean it was 6pm, and I had been out for 5 hours. Surprisingly enough, there was no paparazzis waiting for me outside of the building. I got in without much difficulty and headed to my apartment. I slide the key in the lock, kicked the door open and dropped my bag by the table. I headed towards the kitchen, opened the fridge and grabbed a can of coke.

“What are you doing here?”

I turned around and saw Justin coming out of my bedroom, bed sheets wrapped loosely around his waist.

“Excuse me? That’s my apartment.” I told him.

“Well, I know but I wasn’t expecting you until like 10pm or something of that sort…” He explained.

“Change of plan.” I said simply, taking a sip of my coke and heading to my bedroom. Justin blocked the way.

He covered his action by taking a step forward, pretending to hug me. I wrinkled my nose and took a step back. He stunk like sex.

I ducked under his arm and walked in my room. The sight before me should have made me puke.
And it did, a couple of hours later.

Emilie was trying to cover her naked form on the bed.

I grabbed the covers and threw them to the ground.

“Get up!”

She slowly did, covering herself the best she could.

“How long?” I asked, my voice raising.

“How long what?” she asked, stuttering.

“Have you been fucking my boyfriend behind my back…” I snapped. She took a step back, not looking at me.

“Explain, this instant before I loose my temper and kill you with my bare hands.” I growled.

“It… It kinda happen Scarlet, I swear I never meant to!” she stuttered.

“Like crap you didn’t! What did you expect?! That he’d dump me for you? He’s just using for sex just like he uses me for fame.” I snarled, turning to look at Justin. “You’re both worthless… How could you do that to me Emilie? I thought we were friends!”

“Of course we are Scarlet, you’re my best friend!” she said, taking a step forward.

“BUT YOU WERE FUCKING MY BOYFRIEND!” I yelled, finally loosing it. I pushed her, making her stumble backwards. “And on my bed!”

“Scarlet, just listen!” pleaded Justin.

“You! Just shut up! You’re just a fucking monkey trying to get famous by fucking the model, and her best friend. I knew something was off with you… I should have listened to Jess…”

I heard Emilie snickered behind me.

One swift movement and the bitch was left with a red mark on her cheek, my palm and fingers imprinted on her skin.

“Now you both stay here, I have to do something, I won’t be long…” I mumbled, taking my cell phone out of my pocket and walking into my walk-in closet.

I held back a smile as I remembered what happened next.

Emilie, walking out of the building with a single sheet covering her body; Justin dressed the same; me, at the balcony yelling profanities at them and throwing random objects at their heads, while the paparazzis were taking pictures.

After that, I had pretty much locked myself up there, I had been sleeping on the couch after setting my bed on fire.

I had been throwing up and having nightmares the rest of the time. My phone had been ringing non-stop until I swathed it off, it was either that or the toilets.

Jess had come to see me, but I didn’t let her in. She had seen the news on TV, and I assumed that Zacky and the rest of the guys did too…

Now was the big day…

The première of the movie I shot with that fuckface.

Apparently, my manager and Justin’s were still hoping for reconciliation. They could go fuck themselves with their lame excuses of reconciliation. If they ask me to take pictures with him, I will not agree, except if he’s dead and hanging off the ceiling or in a coffin. I’ll not get near him if I could avoid it.

“Stop frowning like that, you’ll have wrinkles.”

I just shrugged in answer, checking my phone anxiously, hoping he would see my message before it was too late.

**

Alright, I was stuck in the damn limo with Justin and Emilie, holding onto him for dear life. I was trying my best not to kill them both at the moment, I swear.

“Alright, let’s go…” said Justin, pulling at Emilie’s hand as the door opened. The flashes were blinding them as they both stood smiling next to one other. After all, they looked good together, both as stupid as they look…

“Scarlett…” whispered the driver.

“This is it…” I whispered, sliding on the backseat and exiting the limo. The flashes started again, more important this time. Completely blinding me.

“Scarlet over here! No, over here! Please Scarlet!” I twirled around, posing for the photos, with my fakest smile plastered on my face waving every now and then, glaring at the ex and his bitch.

“Scarlet!” “Over here!” “Smile for me honey!” “Please Scarlet!”

I kept on smiling, until someone caught my eyes by the stairs. My eyes widened slightly and I hurried there, almost knocking those two bastards off their feet.

“You came!” I whispered, face to face with Zack as he was still standing behind the line, in the crowd.

“Let him pass, he’s with me.” I whispered to the bodyguard standing there. He let Zacky in and our fingers linked together immediately.

I smiled at him, seeing him all dressed up for the occasion. Good thing he did, he probably wasn’t expecting what would happen next. I walked backwards, pulling him with me before turning around and walking to the middle of the red carpet. I let go of his hand and wrapped my arm around his waist, smiling brightly at the cameras.

I looked up at Zacky, afraid he would be destabilized but he seemed at his ease, smiling at the cameras like he did that his whole life. But of course being in a band, he’d be used to that.

Finally we walked inside, behind Justin and Emilie. Me, trying my best to prevent myself from stepping on the bitch’s dress and humiliate her. Zacky, pulling at my hand, giving me a warning glance.

We took place on the small stage along with the others actors. Zacky and Emilie were standing backstage, since they weren’t part of the crew.

Justin sat next to me, trying to grab my hand, I just gave him a stern look, ready to bit his head off.

The interview started and hands shot up everywhere.

“Scarlet, Justin… What exactly happened between you two?” asked a random journalist.

Justin crossed his hands on the table and smiled.
“Nothing major… We’re just taking a break for a little while…”

I cut him off.
“Correction, I dumped him. He cheated on me with my best friend, that ‘thing’ lasted for a few months. He’s just lucky I didn’t kill him. End of story. Next question?”

Questions were shot at us, Justin would answer professionally, I would just contradict him purposely or just deny it or whatever I could do to piss him off, as well as my manager.

I kept glancing at Zacky every once in a while, he was looking at me with the same expression, the ‘what-the-fuck-are-you-doing’ kind of look, I just smiled in return.

“Last question!” said someone.

“All right, Scarlet… Who’s your new boyfriend?” asked a girl, probably going to write a paper about the ‘rupture’ between Justin and me. They should name it ‘Scarlet’s deliverance’.

“Actually, he’s not my new boyfriend” I said and saw Zacky’s face fell, I looked back at the crowd. “He’s my high school sweetheart, my first love and the only man I ever loved in my life. His name is Zachary Baker, better known as Zacky Vengeance, guitarist of the metal band Avenged Sevenfold…” I explained, smiling, proud of myself and Justin’s angry face.

“I’d also like to make an announcement…” I said, getting up.

“This is my last movie and the last day of my presence in New York City. I’m going back to my hometown tonight. This is my last public appearance as an actress and a model. I quit. I’m done with this bullshit.” I announced clearly, my chin up. “I have more important thing in my life, I’m done of pretending to be someone I’m not. My friends and family are more important than fame and money. The charade is over.”

And with that, I walked off the small stage, grabbed Zacky’s hand and we both got out of the building as fast as possible, jumping in his car.

We both were silent. I was afraid of what he would say, maybe he would be angry, disappointed or mad at me?

I was waiting for him to speak first.

The silence lasted a few more minutes, until he parked the car in front of where was my apartment. He turned to me and looked at me.

“Jess will take care of my stuff, it will give her the occasion to look through my clothes and throw away what she doesn’t want me to wear anymore.” I whispered, looking up at my old home.

I looked back in front of me. From the corner of my eyes I would see Zacky briefly glancing at me before starting the engine again.

“Where to now?” he asked.

“California…” I whispered, fidgeting with my hands.

Zacky grabbed my left hand and linked his fingers with mine.
“I guess you don’t want me to bring that up anymore, but can I ask a question, just one single question and then we’ll pretend this never happened. We’ll act as if you never left, we’ll pick it up right where we left it…” he said, rubbing my knuckles with his thumb.

“All right… ask your question.” I whispered, looking out of the window.

“Why did you throw it all away?” he asked, briefly glancing at me.

“I had a choice to make, Justin or you. I choose you. I’m just sorry it took me so long to realize… As for the reason why I threw it all away… It was part of the choice. I couldn’t choose you and kept the life I had here because Justin would always be in the journalists’ minds. I want to erase it all. I want to start over, with you by my side. I want to go out without being followed, I want to be able to leave the house without make-up on without being afraid of a picture ending in a magazine the next day. I’m tired of rumours… I know that the way I left wasn’t the best, it might take time but everything will settle down eventually…” I whispered.

“I’m sure it will Scarlet… I love you.” Said Zacky, looking at me, smiling. I smiled back at him.

“I love you Zacky.” I replied. “I do have a heart too, I’m just sorry it took me so long to remember who it belonged to…”