A Chance Encounter

Hope showed her tabloid after tabloid, all of them bearing similar headlines: Potter Displays Affection, Potter’s Playmate, Horny Harry. Renee couldn’t believe what she was reading. Every magazine said the same basic thing- that Daniel was seen out and about “cavorting with an unknown woman” and that he was finally “acting out” because of all of the “pressure from being in the spotlight.”

And they all had tons of pictures to go along with their stories. There were a few innocent ones, of the two of them talking or holding hands… but most of them were not so innocent. They were pictures of Renee and Daniel dancing close together (often times with Daniel’s hands in perhaps some inappropriate places), and many, many pictures of them kissing in their little alcove.

“This is ridiculous! First of all I am not a HUSSIE! And second of all, where do they get off criticizing us? We are two young people, who like each other and who were just having some fun. What is wrong with that?” Renee fumed.

“Nothing, sweetie. They’re just spiteful and pathetic and trying to get a story. Don’t worry about it. It’ll all be fine,” said Hope, placing a comforting arm around Renee’s shoulders.

“I have to talk to Daniel. I don’t know what to do about this… Omigod, what if he doesn’t want to see me any more?” Renee felt her eyes begin to water at the thought.

“That’s NOT going to happen. We’re not going to let it happen. Now you get out your phone, and call him, okay hon?”

Renee slowly got up from her bed and made her way to her dresser, where her phone was charging. As she picked it up, it began to ring.

“It’s Daniel!” Renee said.

“Well go on, answer it!” urged Hope.

“Hello…? Oh… hi, James… Yes. I can be there. What time? … Okay. Thanks…. Bye.” Renee hung up the phone. “That was James, one of Daniel’s handlers… they want me to come into the city so we can all sit down with Daniel, and his publicist and what not to ‘talk about the situation.’…”

“Wow. I didn’t realize it was that big of a deal. Are you okay?”

“I don’t know. This is all happening so fast… I just…” Renee sighed.

“I know, hon. Listen, do you want me to come with you?” Hope asked as she crossed over to Renee.

“That would be great; thanks, Hope.”

When the two friends arrived at the address that James had given them, they discovered it was that of a hotel. Renee went up to the front desk and gave James’s name, like he instructed and they were immediately directed upstairs to a suite.

The living room area of the suite had several couches and chairs, with a coffee table in the middle. James was there on his phone, and motioned for Renee and Hope to take a seat. As they sat down on one of the couches, Hope murmured to Renee, “Shit! This place is niiiiice!” Renee just rolled her eyes at Hope, suppressing a giggle.

James hung up his phone, “Okay, sorry to keep you waiting, Renee… lovely to see you again. And this is…?”

“Hope. I’m Renee’s best friend,” Hope replied, extending her hand.

“Nice to meet you. Listen… I don’t want to be rude, but I’m not sure if you should really be here right now, there’s a lot going on and...”

Renee cut him off. “Look, Hope is my best friend. I asked her to come with me because I need her here. Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of her. You can trust her. I promise.”

James sighed, “Alright, fine. Daniel and is publicist will be here in a few minutes, so just sit tight.” He immediately went back to talking on his phone.

A few minutes later, Daniel arrived. When he walked in the door, Renee felt like her heart had stopped beating. There was a sharp intake of breath and, she realized that it wasn’t just coming from her.