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Celebrity Crush

Chapter 62

Same Day

Someone was shaking me awake. I groaned and then heard the deep chuckle that caused my heart to skip a beat. I opened my eyes and was greeted with a pair of crystal blue eyes staring back into my brown eyes.

“We just entered New York skies. Molly said you had never been to New York before so I figured you would want to look out the window.”

Don’t get me wrong I wanted more than anything to look out the window at the buildings of New York City but I couldn’t. Being afraid of flying caused looking out the window of a moving plane thousands of miles in the air to give me a panic attack I wasn’t ready to have.

“No thanks,” I whispered.

Robert looked at me confused as he squatted down on his knees. I looked around the plane to see Mom on the phone talking in hushed whispers. Sarah was asleep in her seat with a thin blanket wrapped around her torso.

“Afraid of flying?”

I sighed but nodded my head, “Unfortunately. I only fly during the holidays because of the fear. Maybe if flown more places with Mom or something I wouldn’t be so afraid.”

He sighed, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know, Molly never mentioned you being afraid of flying before.”

I humphed as I scooted up in my seat and pulling the jacket from my front torso. Robert stood to his feet and took the seat next to me. I raised my eyebrow to which he replied, “Molly’s busy. She’s been talking on that phone for at least an hour now.”

I nodded my head and then a lady came from the front of the plane. She started cleaning up the glasses and plates from around mom and Sarah.

“The plane is about the land, shortly. Captain wants everyone awake and buckled up.”

Robert and I nodded and Robert stood walking back to Molly. He talked to her about getting off the phone and looked at me before looking at Sarah. I groaned not wanting to mess with princess b**ch. I waited until he returned to mom before grabbing a book from beside me and tossing it into Sarah’s lap. She groaned her eyes snapping up.

Robert looked over at me shaking his head with a small smile on his face. Sarah was glaring at me as she realized I had thrown a book into her lap to her wake her. Mom started talking to her.

“Sarah, get buckled up, plane’s about to land.”

She groaned before sliding the book across the floor. I picked up the book before dropping it back into my bag before buckling my seat belt around my waist.

I stuffed my ears full of earpieces and turned up the music as loud as I could. My MP3 player wouldn’t interfere with the plane in any way since I had done this many times before. Music blared into my ears butt my concentration wasn’t on it as I watched the flight crew find their own seats to buckle into.

Mom was off her phone now and was talking with Robert. I looked at Sarah and she was shaking her head at me before mouthing the word “Baby” in my direction.

I just shrugged; I wasn’t the only one that was afraid of flying. Grown people were afraid of flying every day around the world. If she called me a baby then she was calling all the people around the world a baby as well, even if she didn’t really know it.

Suddenly I saw Mom and Robert’s mouth’s stop moving telling me the captains’ voice had come on through the intercom. I closed my eyes feeling my fingers tightening around the end of the arm rest.

I peak through my eyes to see Sarah looking at me with a disgusted look on her face. I look around the room and feeling the plane jerk around causing my eyes to snap shut. I held my breath as I felt the plane shake again and then it slowing down telling me we were effectively landing.

I waited until the plane stopped completely and opened my eyes. Everyone else was smiling and Mom and Robert were talking once again about something. I pulled my earpieces from my ears hearing the captain speaking.

“We have effectively landed in New York City. Please remember to grab all belongings. I hope your flight was enjoyable and we all hope that you fly with us again very soon.”

I smiled unbuckling my seat belt. Everyone was getting their things as the crew opened the side door. I grabbed my small carry on bag stuffing everything back inside the bag before walking to the door.

“Laura, not yet. You know I need to make sure there aren’t any media out there. We can’t have you in the spotlight just yet honey.”

I groaned stepping aside as she walked in front of me. I looked back to see Robert grabbing most of his and mom’s things. Sarah walked right past me smirking with a little glint at something hidden behind it.

I walked back to Robert, “Need any help?”

He looked up, “I have to take these outside and until your mom says coast is clear than no, I don’t need any help.”

I look at him flabbergasted by his sudden attitude toward me. I frown moving around in the plane.

“Oh, since you mother seems to want to tell you both at the last minute, I guess I’ll tell you. You and Sarah are sharing a small apartment. Molly has an apartment in town so she rented a small one next door for the week.”

I groan stomping my feet, “This isn’t fair. She’s been an evil b**ch the entire time we were at Momaw’s.”

Robert just shrugs, “You won’t be sharing rooms, as far as I know. Just the apartment, with a kitchen and small living room is basically what you’ll be sharing, I think. If I’m not mistaken I think you two will be sharing a bathroom as well.”

I lower my head feeling the anger pile up. Suddenly Mom’s voice comes up the plane, “Coast is clear.”

I grin at Robert knowing that he will have to carry the bags all by himself since he got an attitude with me. He sighs at my face and I walk toward the door of the plane. Mom’s standing at the bottom of the stairs texting on her phone. I make my way slowly down the stairs looking around. I can see huge skyscrapers all around the airport.

A huge smile comes to my face. I have always wanted to see New York in real life and not see it on a screen. Something about seeing the city in person I can tell that no movie or TV screen could ever do it real justice.

“Molly, could you possibly help with the bags?!” yells Robert from inside the plane. She groans causing me to chuckle.

She walks up the stairs and I smile just standing admiring the view I have of the city.

**

The apartment is on the wealthy side of the City. I smile at the fresh smell of the inside of the complex. Mom and Robert walk toward the elevator with Sarah in tow.

Robert and Sarah step in but Mom’s hand comes in front of me stopping my entrance.

“Honey, I hate to tell you this but just as a precaution, could you take the stairs? It’s just the fifth floor of the building. It’s to make sure that no media gets a picture of you with us or your life will never be the same again.”

My eyes widen. I have to take the damn stairs to the fifth floor?! Sarah doesn’t have to because she’s a big time model and the world knows all about her. It wouldn’t change the world she knew if her picture was taken. Mom didn’t realize that if Sarah was caught with them mom’s secret would be out in the world. Soon they would find out about me next if they find out about Sarah.

I sighed, “Where’s the stairs?”

She smiled liking that I wasn’t back talking her about this. She points to a door with a stair picture next to it.

“The wall will tell you when you have made it to each floor.”

I nod walking toward the door. It was far away from the elevator and for that I was grateful. Sarah could be bragging about the elevator when I finally did arrive at the apartment. I pushed the door opened and started my journey up the huge flight of stairs.

As I was walking up the stairs I was thankful that mom hadn’t chosen a higher floor for the apartment. By the time I finally made it to the fifth floor marker I was about out of breath. I wasn’t fit at all and it showed when I ran up the stairs. The first couple of floors weren’t a big deal, but I started getting winded by the third.

I pulled the door open to the fifth floor. It had a plush beige carpet down the hall with a wood paneling on the wall. I looked left and right before finding a sign pointing in the direction of the elevators. It seemed like the right place to start to look for them since mom failed to give me a room number.

I walked left and found them coming down the hall. Robert was fuming while Sarah was smirking behind his back. Mom didn’t look the least bit bothered as she rummaged through her bag. I watched mom pull out a set of keys from her purse and then suddenly she came to a stop.

I watched her pull off two keys from her ring and hand them over to Sarah. Must be our keys to the apartment. Mom stepped up to a door placing a key inside the knob and Sarah walked to the door right next to it closer to me.

I walked around the corner causing their eyes to snap up to my face.

“Sarah has your key, Laura.” Stated mom, like I didn’t already know that. She obviously hadn’t noticed me around the corner.

“I heard from around the corner.”

I walked up behind Sarah to see Robert looking at me with guilt in his eyes. I quickly turned my head when I heard both doors unlock.

“Choose which rooms you want girls. Both rooms are pretty big so no fighting over them, please.”

Mom and Robert started walking into their room the same time Sarah grabbed her bag from the floor and walked inside. The apartment was really nice compared to others around our town. I closed the door behind me as I took in the room before me. The kitchen was off to the right fully stocked with fridge, stove, counters, and other appliances.

The living room is right in front of me with a big flat screen TV; no doubt Moms’ is bigger in her apartment. There’s a huge white couch along the wall with red pillows on the corner. There’s a coffee table with a game system on top ready to be played.

I watch Sarah look around and try as quietly as possible to make it around her without her catching me. Unfortunately for me she catches me.

“I’m picking first. Mom might have said that the rooms are both huge but let’s face it, she’s always off.”

Sarah walks right past me down a hallway while I go down the other hallway to the right past the kitchen. The bathroom isn’t a part of the room but separate with just a simple of shower, no tub, a toilet, sink, and custom soaps from the complex.

I close the door to the bathroom hearing Sarah, “I don’t care what the other looks like; I’m taking this one.”

I sigh finding a door in front of me and pushing it open. The room is decent size since I’m only going to be here for a week. I step inside to see a huge bed in the middle of the room and a small dresser in front of the bed. There are custom pillow cases on the pillows and I look around the room some more.

For the most part the room is very plain and bare of anything personal. Really the way a bedroom should look for people moving in for good instead of staying a week. I suddenly hear a knock from the front door and run from my room toward the noise. Sarah’s too busy in her room to hear anything past her huge ego.

I turn the knob and find Robert standing in front of me with luggage sitting around his feet. I chuckle before reaching for my luggage. A hand comes out to stop me from grabbing them and I look up at Robert’s face.

“I got it. Just tell me which room.”

I sigh pointing to the right.

“Figures, she’d give you the smaller room.”

I shrug as he walks down the hall toward my room. Suddenly there’s a ringing from my pocket and I pull out my phone checking the ID first.

Annie

I smile pressing the send/talk button.

“Hey Annie.”

“Hey, girl. Are you in New York, yet? I tried calling earlier but I thought you were on the plane already.”

I smiled answering, “Yeah, I’m here already. Mom rented an apartment for Sarah and me to share. I’m just getting my luggage into the room right this second.”

She giggles, “No you aren’t. Carrying luggage would make you strain your voice. Robert’s moving your luggage.”

I could feel the blush filling my cheeks, she always talked like this though knowing it made me uncomfortable, “I tried grabbing them myself but he refused to let me.”

She laughed, “Whatever you say girlie. Anyway, I was calling because I’m bored sitting here with my friends. They are all being way too shy and refuse to leave the comfort of the hotel room. Do you think you could get away from your family and come join us? I mean we are going to explore most of the city. I know you haven’t been to the city before and you could see the sights with all of us.”

A smile forms on my lips and I grin, “I shouldn’t be a problem. I just have to tell mom I’m coming. She shouldn’t care since I’m going to be out of her hair.”

She sounded excited from then. She gave me the address of the hotel they were at and told me to call her if I couldn’t actually come. Robert comes from my room then just as Sarah steps from her room. She spots her bags in the middle of the living room and grabs them pulling them into her room.

“Who called?” asked Robert eyeing me. He’s been acting strange all day since the plane landed.

I grin, “It was Annie. She wants me to come meet her and explore the city with her.”

He grins, “That’s great. Molly has some people she and I need to meet. I was feeling awfully bad about you being here alone. Now I don’t have to. I can drive you if you want. The cabbies about here are vultures.”

I nod walking out of the room behind Robert. Robert steps into their apartment yelling out to mom, “I’ll be back soon, Molly. I’m driving Laura to meet Annie. She’s in town and wants to see Laura.”

I hear mom reply, “Okay, that’s fine. I’m about to take a shower anyway. Be careful.”

“Will do,” he replies before stepping out of the room in front of me. He walks in the direction of the elevator and I have the urge to run toward the stairs.

“Don’t worry; the media can’t even get in here unless they are living here. Most don’t, anyway. I don’t understand how come Molly made you take the stairs instead of the elevator with us. Crazy woman.”

I shrugged not knowing either. We both stepped into the elevator; Robert had one a hat and shades since he grabbed some from the apartment so no one would know who he was in the complex. I sighed as the elevator dinged.

“Does this elevator have a camera?”

He smirked shaking his head, “Nope.”

I giggled pressing my lips to his cheek. I watched him blush a deep red before I stood back to my feet. The elevator dinged once again telling us that we had made it to the lobby. I walked out first with Robert walking beside me.

Robert nodded toward people around the lobby and then he held the door open for me. Outside the city was loud and full of people walking around toward their various destinations. Robert hit the alarm on the SUV causing it to beep. We quickly moved to the SUV climbing inside. I buckled up as I waited on Robert to get the vehicle started.

He turned on the radio for background noise. He changed gears while I messed around with the vents and the heating system.

“Sorry for the attitude on the plane. It was totally uncalled for.”

My eyes gazed at him, “Its fine. I was just shocked you had gotten mad with me. We hardly ever get really mad at each other, anyway.”

He sighed moving around the lanes. One thing I did hate about New York was the traffic. That was something the movies didn’t exaggerate about. The traffic was bumper to bumper, I had a feeling that I wasn’t going to meeting Annie in a timely manner.

“You do get mad at each other, always about the same thing, Laura.”

I sigh, “Do you have to bring this up, right now?” I say moving my hands around to the car and bumper to bumper traffic.

“Yes, I’m bringing this up right now. Neither one of us can back out of the argument in bumper to bumper traffic.”

I groan, “Robert, there is nothing either one of us can even say. You are still with Mom and have made it very clear to me that you are not willing to date me in the spotlight. I get it, Robert, but it doesn’t mean I have to agree with it. It doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt any, less but like I said at the Christmas party sooner or later you will have to choose between us. You can’t keep both of us because soon I won’t even be here, so just think about that.”

He sighs but doesn’t comment. The rest of the ride is very quiet from then on. I stare out of the window for a few minutes before closing my eyes. It hurt to tell Robert that part but it had been flying across my mind for a while now. What did he really expect? Did he really expect me to stay in the background while the entire world thought he loved my mother?

He had another thing coming to him if he really thought that.

“We’re here.”

I opened my eyes seeing the front of a huge hotel staring back at me.

“I’ll get Annie to bring me back so don’t worry about it. If anything happens I’ll call mom.” I quickly unbuckled my seat belt climbing from the SUV before he could stop me. I ran across the street toward the entrance of the hotel.

I found Annie huddled in a huge black coat with a hat on her head. She was rubbing her hands together in a pair of gloves. I rolled my eyes at her; it wasn’t even that cold out here. Her damn cheeks were even pink as well as the tip of her nose.

“Laura,” she yelled when I stepped in front of her. She stepped toward me wrapping her arms around my torso crushing me in a hug. The girl hadn’t seen me in only a week but she acted like I had been gone months or years even.

I hugged her back laughing at her antics. We pulled away at the same time the doors opened from the hotel. Two boys walked out holding hands and I grinned. Angel and Scott gotta love them. Angel still had his long black hair with it styled in just the right ways.

“Laura! Annie!”

Angel ran toward me taking me into his small skinny arms he pulled away quickly like he was on a sugar rush, “We are going to have such a fun day. First we are going to tour the city, then you have to see the statue of liberty, not to mention the empire state building, and the 9/11 memorial.”

He said all of that in one breath confirming he was on a sugar rush.

Scott walked up to Angel placing his hand on Angel’s shoulder, “Sorry about him. He drank a bunch of sodas, ate a bunch of candy, not to mention the five Monster drinks he drank.”

Angel held up five fingers before giggling. Annie just shook her head, “We can’t take him anywhere now you guys. He’ll crash in the middle of it and then we will have to carry him around.”

Angel whined, “Please, Annie, please! If I sit in the hotel room for hours for it to ward off I’ll go insane, not to mention I’ll bother all of you with my nonsense.”

Annie sighed, “What about the others?”

Scott shrugged, “You know most of them are asleep; something about attending late night parties or something.”

Annie sighed looking at me, “Ready for an adventure?”

I laughed nodding my head. Little did I know dealing with sugar high Angel wasn’t such a picnic.

**

The tour of the city had been really fun despite Angel annoying not only us but everyone on the tour bus. It was a good thing I had some extra cash on me because I wasn’t about to let Annie pay my way for the tour.

I loved Times Square even though it was packed with thousands of people walking around. I got to see Broadway or at least the building and the huge pictures outside.

“Let’s go see Lady Liberty, now!”

We haven’t even finished the tour and Angel already wants to see Lady Liberty. Scott has been trying, unsuccessfully I might add, to keep Angel calm even though he is on a sugar high. I have been able to tell that if we don’t get to Lady Liberty soon Angel might fall asleep because his eyes have been drooping for the last twenty minutes, telling me the sugar high is almost warn off.

Annie giggles from beside me; Angel and Scott are behind us on the tour bus. The blonde woman at the front of the bus is trying to show the tourists what they came to see. Angel has been a thorn in her side ever since we got on the bus. I feel really bad for her because she’s only doing her job but Angel seems to want to take the title from her.

I sigh almost bored with the tour already. I’ve seen everything I want to see on the tour but now they seem to think Wall Street is important for the tour. I can see thousands of people walking in and out of the huge building.

Then the woman announces we have almost finished the tour, the last leg of the tour would be the Statue of Liberty.

Angel claps his hands along with everyone else, smiling like he won the lottery. The blonde woman at the front smiles at everyone before taking her seat. I can tell she’s ready for this tour to be over mainly because of Angel.

“I swear, we can’t go anywhere with him,” whispers Annie in my ear. Too bad Angel saw her.

“Oh what you whispering,” he whispers just by my ear.

Annie groans, “How long does it take for a sugar rush to ware off.”

I shrug, “It’s different with every person, I’m afraid. Me, I can’t stand those damn energy drinks, I drank one a few years ago before I met Kimi and it last for three hours only because I was eating like crazy. I don’t like because when it’s over your body craves sleep to keep off the sugar.”

She sighs, “Well obviously three hours isn’t working for dim wit, three hours passed an hour ago.”

I giggle glancing out the window. We were approaching the water for the tour boat that would take us the Statue of Liberty.

“Don’t worry girls when he does crash I’ll take him back alone.”

Annie sighed, “Thanks. If you miss anything really good I’ll get souvenirs.”

Suddenly Angel popped back in the conversation, “Sccoottt, I want to go back to the hotel so we can…”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence since Scott had placed his hand over his mouth. Annie and I couldn’t help but laugh. Scott was looking around to make sure no one had heard but the people closer to us had heard every single word causing Scott’s face to darken a bright shade of red.

“Okay everyone please walk calmly off the bus to the tour boat. The tour guide will show everything about Lady Liberty.”

We stood to our feet Angel standing in front of me. I moved back to let Scott behind him and Annie giggled, “Be sure to wait for the hotel now Scott. We wouldn’t want to hurt these poor people’s eyes.”

Scott groans realizing he was directly behind Angel in the direct spot for his ass causing me and Annie to giggle. Finally we step off the bus seeing the boat out on the water. Suddenly Angel’s face darkens and I can see him thinking about a shaky boat on water.

“Suddenly I don’t feel like see the statue.”

I smile at him, “Maybe the sugar is warring off?”

He nods, “I think it’s beginning to ware off. Maybe Scott and I should head back and let you girls enjoy the city. Maybe you two won’t cause such a stir.”

I giggled as Scott came up to Angel started to explain to him that the boat wasn’t such a great idea right now.

Annie came up beside me twining our arms at the elbows. Scott nodded at Angel and looked at us, “Angel and I are going to head back. I’ll call if we get bored and want to come find you.”

Annie nodded at him, “Whatever. I already know Angel’s going to fall asleep as soon as you two get in the room.”

Scott shrugged, “Oh well. Have fun girls.”

Scott and Angel started walking back in the direction of the city while Annie pulled me toward the boat. We walked on the boat and Annie pulled me toward a seat by the edge of the boat. She crossed her arms across her chest, “Now that the crazies have left, what’s up? You’ve been quiet all day like you have something on your mind.”

I sigh; not knowing Annie long enough was beginning to get on my nerves. I would have already told Kimi is she was here.

“It’s nothing,” say looking off over the water.

She scoffs, “Nothing means it has to do with Robert. What’s happened now?”

I can feel the tears wanting to fall but I keep them in. Suddenly the door of the boat is closed and we begin moving.

“He told mom that he loved her. Told me he was falling for me and that he lied to my mom.”

She sighs taking my hand in hers, “What else?”

I blink and the tears fall down my cheeks, “I told him he needs to make a choice soon. In May I’ll be graduating and I refuse to stay in the background while the entire world watches them on screen or in print.”

She gives me a sad smile, “You did the right thing. You can’t stay in the background forever. I might seem like a good thing at first but your heart can’t deal with that. What are you to do, though, if he doesn’t choose soon?”

I sniff, “If he did choose it wouldn’t be me. He’s already said that he refuses to change my life because of who he is. If he doesn’t choose soon I’ll make the choice for him no matter how much it hurts.”

She hugs me from the side her arms stretching out over me. We sit like that for a while and I was thankful to have Annie here. My heart felt lighter getting it off my chest but that didn’t mean I didn’t feel guilty. I just couldn’t tell anyone about the other problem on my mind. The letters and who was behind it. I have a feeling I’m about to find out very soon, though.