The Dating Rules of a Record Label

<I have a picture! Everyone bow down to me! I am the queen of Blogworthy.com and Kaya Sambora is my little joker! Always entertaining me! I'm not going to say much. Pictures do speak a thousand words after all. Kaya Sambora, if you're reading this (which I bet you are), I walk down that street everyday! We should have some tea together one day...>

"Oh my God." Yumi rubs my shoulders to reassure me that it's all okay.

"...Yumi...I...how do I respond to this?" I look at her. "That picture...it looks so real."

But it's not me. My face is magically pasted onto another girl's body whose hand was holding an attractive blonde guy's hand not too far from here. I do admit the body looks exactly like mine, all the way down to my shoe size, but it's not me! I sigh and lean back in my chair.

"They've gone overboard," Yumi mumbles. "This is too much. They know it’s affecting you. But mind you, it’s a nice jacket that the girl is wearing though."

"I hate Photoshop," I blurt out. At least it’s a nice picture of my face?

"It’s not even a good photo of your face!" Yumi snaps. I frown more. The phone rings. I answer it.

"Kaya." It’s Karlie.

"I hate Photoshop," I yawn. I did manage to sleep early this morning at two-thirty in the morning when Dougie came over, complaining that he couldn't think. He left about an hour ago. He didn't sleep at all which worried me.

"Me too," Karlie agrees. "I just don't get how to edit pictures," She sighs.

"Are you surprised?" I ask. I watch Nae try on my clothes. She's getting a kick out of all the tops I have in my closet. I nod to her that she can borrow a pair of faded jeans and heels.

"Honestly, no; you?"

"Nope." I look behind me. Yumi is killing a stuffed animal she's so annoyed. "Yumi isn't taking it so well though." I even laugh a bit. I'm actually quite surprised that I'm okay with this. It was bound to happen right? What blog can state things without proof?

"You're taking it quite well. Oliver sent James to one of Britain's top newspapers since Nae's with you. If anyone can dig up information, it would be journalists: Smart, nosy, people..."

"Good." I tap my pen. I told myself I wouldn't let this hit me personally. So I'm keeping my cool. Yumi storms off to the kitchen to get a drink. She pulls Nae with her who is yelping in pain at her grip. Getting wasted in the middle of day doesn't sound that bad at the moment actually....

"How is Dougie taking this?" Karlie asks.

"Shit! Dougie!" I jump up, my stomach doing a nasty back flip. "He doesn't know its Photoshop!" I hang up on Karlie and grab my sweater. I run to the kitchen. Yumi was stealing my brandy and vodka that I only drink on special occasions. Nae was getting out fancy glasses and ice.

"Where are my car keys?" I demand.

"Left pocket," Yumi sighs. She's not at all surprised that I'm running off to Dougie. I feel my sweater pocket.
"Oh. I found them....See you later!" I call over my shoulder.

****

I speed down the couple blocks to Dougie's place. Well...I tried speeding. Usually, no one is out at this time of day but just when I need everyone to disappear; they all go outside to play in the streets. Don't they have something to do inside? It’s not that beautiful outside! The weather man only said there will be clear skies for five days! Five days is not that much if you think about it!

I parallel park which takes me an extra two minutes.

"C'mon, stupid car," I mutter as I constantly steer my wheel. You know those scenes in a movie when a person is stuck in between two cars and the character's car is trying not to touch the other two cars, thus it gets really awkward? Yeah, I was in that situation. It sucks. A minute later, I managed to squeeze my car into the tiny parking space. I get out and speed walk to Dougie's door. It was such a nice day today and I can't enjoy it because I have to save my relationship from disaster!

I ring the doorbell three times, impatient to tell Dougie everything. I finally figured out what was missing. How could I be so stupid as to not tell him in the first place? I don't care if he didn't feel the same way; I'm going to tell him now.

But he has to open the door first.

"He's sleeping!"

I turn around to find Harry and Izzy walking hand in hand back to Harry's flat one block down from where I'm standing. He smiles at me, knowing that I'm in rush.

"Thanks, Harry!" I continue to ring the doorbell. I forgot my mobile back home. How should I break it down and tell him? I don't want to scare him if he doesn't feel the same way.

The door suddenly opens as I was in mid-ring.

I jump back a bit, shocked at the sudden door opening, and see Dougie. I drop my shoulders and sigh because I'm relieved he finally answered the door. Dougie indeed looked like he was trying to sleep. His hair was disheveled and his pajama pants (no boxers this time. He likes Xbox 360 logo pants) were wrinkled. He rubbed his eyes at the bright sun light behind me.

"Hi, Kaya," he yawns. He also wore no shirt.

Impatiently, I let myself in. "We need to talk. It’s urgent!" I walk to the couch in the other room leaving Dougie confused at the door.

"What wrong?" He seems now awake.

I turn to him, standing in the center of the room. My heart begins to beat really fast and my hands shook. I suddenly got dry mouth which I hate. Oh gosh I'm nervous. I observe Dougie. I look at his beautiful face- his blue-gray eyes, his soft lips, his smooth, sharp bone structure. I look at his hair that I loved to run my hands through; his body I loved to touch. I think of all the times he's made me laugh and smile and think and cry in happiness. I thought of how complete he made me feel and how everytime I see him, I get so excited and how I constantly think of him randomly and smile at his voice and his dreams and how I sometimes have trouble breathing whenever I see or think of him.

"The picture on that blog- Dougie believe me, it’s not me!" I roll my eyes. "They like Photoshop and took a photo from Google or something and photo shopped my face on that body." I play with my fingers. Dougie looks at me like I said something crazy.

"I know it wasn't you. I'm not letting people get in between us." He smiles. But I can tell that there is relief in his eyes. And why does it feel like ten people are in between us right now?

"Oh..." I look down. I should stop procrastinating. I look up to see Dougie gazing at me. His eyes seemed brighter than usual. I look at his neck.

"You're wearing the necklace I gave you." I point out and wrap my sweater around me tighter. It feels really hot in here though.

"Yeah. You're wearing the bracelet I gave you." Dougie smiles and then frowns. "What's wrong?" He takes a couple steps forward; as if afraid I might run away because I know I look quite tense.

Here it goes...

I sigh and look around the room. There were pictures of us together on the wall by his bass guitars. I also see pictures of Tom, Danny, Harry, Yumi, Oliver, Karlie, Nae, Giovanna, Izzy and his family. His couch looked really comfortable, reminding me of countless times we just sat there talking for hours.

"Dougie, I came here because..." I shrug, "this is a very foreign situation I'm not used to." I hear a clock ticking very slowly.

"What situation is that?" Dougie asks.

I bite my lip. If all goes well...maybe I won't end up like my parents....

"Er, well...I don't really talk about it much but my parents are really bad examples of a good relationship." I can't breathe. "And I'm terrified shitless that I'll end up like them one day...that we'll end up like them one day." I look at Dougie again and it looks like he's thinking back to a memory.

"I don't want to be like them, Dougie," I add quietly.

"I see..." Dougie swallows and gazes at me.

"So you should know that I'm taking a giant, blind leap right now because I-"

"I love you." Dougie walks to me and grabs my hands. I look at him straight into his eyes.

"I beg your pardon?" I ask faintly. I felt like my legs would give way soon.

Dougie softly smiles and brushes a strand of hair away from my eyes. His touch sent these new nice shivers down my back. "I love you, Kaya." I look at him silently, a million feelings rushing through me and a million thoughts rushing around my mind. Then I groan in frustration, furrow my eyebrows, and close my eyes as if I have a migraine.

Dougie cautiously lets me go. I wish he wouldn't. "That's not exactly the reaction I was expecting." He frowns.

I snap open my eyes. "No! No it's not...it's just that..." I sigh, close my eyes for a couple seconds and rub my forehead. I make a small helpless laugh. "It's just that you beat me to the punch. I was going to tell you first and I got all worked up and I was preparing myself to tell you-"

"Kaya, you're babbling," Dougie interrupts.

I pause and look at Dougie, "I love you, too."

There! I said it! Now I can sleep! I smile helplessly while there's this pure joy sketched all over his face. Dougie closes the distance between us and I forget the awkwardness. He wraps an arm around my waist and with the other hand, caresses the side of my face. I smile and kiss him softly. Dougie kisses me hard. But then he pulls away suddenly. He's holding me tightly now because I know I will fall.

"I can sleep now." He grins and kisses me once more.