I placed on last pin on my hair before I gave my reflection an approving nod at my personal work. The thing about me, no matter how grand a red carpet event may be, I usually prefer doing my makeup and hair, knowing the people in the business this day, they’ll turn me into a walking barbie doll.

A knock on the door alerted Adam’s arrival and I gave him a small smile as he entered the room when I called him to.

“You look beautiful,” he compliment after a quick assessment of my overall outfit for the night. I grinned at his words as I twirled in front of him, the skirt of my dress swishing around as I did so, giving the sequins the perfect lighting for them to be accentuated.

I do thank my stylist for the outfits she always plan for me. I have yet to experience a dreaded wardrobe malfunction at the middle of an event.

“Thanks,” I said as I reached for my clutch, “Now Axel is picking me up in fifteen minutes, we need to get everything down.”

He gave me a thumb up as he started to pace around my room, wracking his head for the plan we have laid out earlier this morning, “You go have fun, while I go deal with your problems.”

I pouted at this and I crossed my arms over my chest, “If you put it like that, it makes me sound selfish.”

“But you are,” he teased, and I raised a brow. It only made him laugh harder but when my expression wasn’t faltering, he walked up to me and took a hold of my shoulders.

“Look, you’re stunning tonight,” he pointed out, “And I think you need a little break from your family drama, so go enjoy the premiere and I’ll talk to both of your parents and see what I can dig.”

My frown deepened as I registered his words. Even with me protesting about this idea, he seemed to take this up as a challenge, something he can’t back down from. The moment when I told him that I was going out this evening, it was like a light bulb appeared on top of his head.

Since he knew I was too bitter to face both my mom and my dad, he claimed that nothing will ever get fixed if I kept avoiding them. He volunteered to do some digging, knowing that I were anywhere near the area, I will just barge in without thinking and once again, a new problem will surface.

The event was his idea to keep me away from blowing up again, he said that it would be a good distraction, knowing that I would be too busy being in an awkward situation with Axel instead of thinking about what’s happening.

“I don’t even want to go there,” I huffed, fidgeting with the hem of my dress, “I mean, especially if I know I wouldn’t get to concentrate on the movie.”

“Then why did you say yes?” he questioned, sitting on my bed.

“Because Axel asked me,” I answered quietly, it was as if I was ashamed about my reason, “Do you know what it’s like to be in something to compromising that you just need to go with it?”

He didn’t answer my question, instead, he just stared at me as I continued on with my little talk.

“I’m just trying my best for everything to work out, if I reject him then I know it will only add fuel to the fire,” I babbled, waving my arms in the air to make my point, “In all honesty, I don’t even know why I’m entertaining him in the first place.”

“Call me crazy if you like,” he said, “But I think there’s a tiny part of you that has a soft spot for him.”

I paused for a moment before I blinked at him, letting the words sink in. I started laughing, clutching my stomach as I reacted to his joke, “Well, you’re crazy then.”

The idea of me having a soft spot for Brooks is plain old hilarious. Everyone knows that my hatred for him did get replaced by something else, but that something is definitely far away from being nice.

When he didn’t share my amusement, I halted my movement and I looked at him, “You’re not kidding, are you?”

He shook his head, letting out a deep sigh, “Adam, I don’t have a soft spot for Brooks, having a soft spot means that I’m nice to him.”

“You’re acting decent with him,” he reminded, “And you even said yes to this date.”

I scrunched my eyebrows as I tried to deny his statement, but the words dropped out of my brain and I only clamped my mouth shut.

“But he’s not my type,” I mumbled, “He said it himself, he knew that he’s not the one I like.”

He reached out and gripped my waist, holding me on the spot as he started to soothingly stroke my hair, “But you don’t need to like a person that way in order to have a soft spot for them,” he smiled, “Sometimes, it’s just because that person triggered that side of you.”

And honestly, that was how we got stopped by the doorbell ringing around the house. He looked out of my bedroom door before he turned to me. He cupped my cheek and comfortingly ran his thumb, “Enjoy the night, when you get back, I’ll tell you everything if you do the same.”

“Everything,” I muttered softly.

“Everything,” he confirmed, “Promise?”

“Promise,” I answered, sealing the deal. The doorbell rang once again and we let out a light laugh. He offered his arm and I gladly took it as he escorted me down the stairs. I fixed myself at the foyer as Adam opened the door for Axel.

 They gave each other a nod of acknowledgement before Axel walked up to me as I tried to calm myself. I mustered up a smile when he greeted me.

“You look amazing, Valentine,” he admired, “Thank you, by the way.”

I tilted my head to the side in question, “For what?”

“For saying yes,” he answered simply, holding out a hand, “So, shall we go?”

My gaze switched to Adam and he nodded. Turning to Axel, I said quick yes, and that was enough for him to gently lead me out. I waved to Adam goodbye as I subtly patted my clutch, a quick signal that he should call me whenever trouble arises.

Axel tried to engage me into a conversation, but my mind was occupied about something else. The knowledge that Adam is heading his way to my parents this very moment is unsettling. I’m usually there whenever they interact, but maybe some distance will be nice.

When we got escorted out of the car, we slowly walked arm in arm down the red carpet, making a bunch of screams erupt from the fans being held back by a fence.

The last time I was in a scene like this, Adam was by my side, but now, Axel is with me and the horrible thing is, I’m not even paying attention to him.

I felt his ghost of a touch when he hovered his arm over my waist, it was as if he was afraid I will turn back the minute he continued.

“Can I…” he whispered into my ear, trailing off to find the right words.

Something I find endearing is the fact that he asks for permission with the gestures he make. I nodded and he wrapped his arm around my waist, taking a step closer to my side as I stared blankly at the photographers clicking away with their cameras.

I forced a smile, the lenses seemed to buy it, but I think my supposed date was aware of what I was feeling. Besides, for a person who usually talks a lot, I’ve been unusually quiet since the start of the night.

The amount of interviewers who pulled us to ask several questions about a thing they call our “budding relationship” is nauseating. Whenever somebody asked us if we were a couple, we’ll smoothly avert the topic and laugh it off.

Because in all honesty, we can’t deny it especially with the situation we’re in.

Before we could enter the designated theatre, Axel pulled me to the side. I gasped as I clumsily found my footing with the heels I was wearing.

“The hell, Brooks?” I growled as I tried to remove his grasp. He shushed me as he dragged me farther away, somewhere we were out of anybody’s earshot.

“I think that question is reserved for me,” he countered, looking around to make sure nobody was eavesdropping. He looked down to me, concern feeling his features, “Anything wrong, Valentine?”

 “Well…” I pursed my lips when I couldn’t find the words to explain what was happening. I just want to tell him that I want to leave, I was in no mood to watch a movie right now.

To my complete surprise, he ran a hand through his hair as he reached out to take my hand, “Come on.”

I gave him a questioning look, but he just took my hand and started to lead me through the halls of the cinema, finding the fire exit and sitting on one of the steps of the concrete stairs, “Talk.”

“What?”

He rolled his eyes, but it was obvious it was only a playful one. It was controlling his patience, looking absolutely calm and ready to listen to my messed up and petty case.

“Just saying, I’m not going to pour my heart out to you like a corny summer love story,” I snorted, using the wall as support as I took off my heels, “But I’ll thank you for getting me out of there.”

“You know Valentine,” he started out, leaning against the steps behind him, “The fact you’re keeping your distance away from me gives me no reason to give up.”

“I know,” I mumbled, sitting down next to him, tucking my skirt, “But that’s not my problem right now.”

He nodded slowly, staring at me, expecting that I’ll start explaining.

Sorry, buddy, but I’m not doing it.

“You could have said no, you know,” he muttered, his sadness and disappointment finally showing.

I could have too, and I should have in order to save us from spending our night in a fire exit.

But I said yes anyways, a big fat three letter word that I’m now resenting.

“I’m not giving up,” he whispered, but it was enough for me to hear, “But help me out here.”

I know that I was pushing him away, at the same time, I realized how much he put effort into this. Because in the hard attempt that I always avoid him, he always finds a way for us to end up talking in the same room.

He’s there, and I kind of liked it that he wasn’t calling quits yet even with my stubborn act.

“Axel, you chose this for yourself!” I exclaimed, “But you know, as weird as it may, I also don’t want you to give up.”

He started laughing and I discreetly scooted away from him, thinking he might have finally cracked.

“You said it,” he showed me the biggest grin I have ever seen on him, “You said my name, and not just Brooks or any other insult.”

Huh, guess I did.

“Let’s make a pact,” I told him, standing up, “I’ll just go with the flow, if anything happens, it happens,” I started to, gauging his reaction. Well, I’m actually surprising myself with the thing I’m saying, “If you promise not go over the top with everything, we’re in Hollywood, I think I’m sick and tired of everything near the word extravagant.”

“I think that has more benefits to you, more than it has to me,” he chuckled.

“Alright then,” I crouched down to his level, “Request something from me.”

“Answer me honestly, with no hesitating, don’t even think for a second,” he said, listing off the limits, “Just answer like reflex.”

I was slightly growing concerned with this, but hey, we’re alone in the fire exit with everybody probably inside the theatre, watching a movie we’re supposed to be viewing, thinking that both of us are seated inside. What could possibly going wrong?

Oh yeah, everything!

“Will you go on a date with me?” he asked, “A real one where we wouldn’t get stuck talking inside a fire exit, we could go wherever you’d like.”

“Yes.”

The word slipped out of my mouth like reflex, just the way he requested.  I thought I would regret it, but strangely enough, I wasn’t.

Maybe Adam was right, I did have a soft spot for Axel and if this continues, I’m scared of whatever outcome may happen.

Just like on the day that I found out during our kissing scene, fear was starting to once again consume my senses.

I was terrified, because I can’t allow Axel Brooks to enter my life in another way except for that arrogant co-worker. He’s going to mess up everything, it was like reliving my parents’ memories.

A girl meeting a boy who she absolutely despises, but soon, they fell in love. As adorable as it sounded, it ended in the tragedy that is called their marriage. That was why I want Adam, he has been there, he has seen what had happened, and I knew he wouldn’t let me down.

And here was Axel standing in front of me, unpredictable as a storm.

But maybe, living in a cliché town known as Hollywood, this is exactly what I needed.

We skipped the movie and the after party, instead, we took a taxi home, paying the driver extra to make sure the word that we bailed out of the event doesn’t go out.

“Adam, I’m home,” I called out, closing the front door behind me.

“Soph,” he ran out from the living room, “We need to talk.”

His eyes were troubled, and a permanent frown was etched on his lips. The thing in his hands made the color from my face drain, staring at the product of technology, recognizing that tacky design.

It was Kate’s laptop.

I quickly took it from his grasp and I marched back into the living room, crashing down on the couch as I started to scroll through the windows Adam had previously opened.

“We have to do something about this,” I turned to my best friend, before my eyes scanned the history page of her browser again.

Every one of her recent search was about me, but one phrase caught my attention, and it was enough for me to pick up the phone.

Somehow, the more I scrolled down, the angrier I got. I knew that she was too nice for her own good, and playing the nice girl seemed to work on me for a short while.

Well, not anymore.

I didn’t care if it was late in the evening, I was pissed off.

“Hello, thank you for contacting Forever and Always Bridal, we’re sorry that we couldn’t answer your call for we are busy at the moment, but please leave your message after the beep.”

When I heard the long sound, Adam looked at me and I shot him a sinister smirk, “This is Heart Valentine, I need to arrange a meeting really soon, could you please contact me when’s the nearest available appointment?”

It’s wrong to mess with me, it’s worse to mess with my career, but never, and I mean never, mess with my family.

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Hello my dear readers, how have you been? Are you feeling good, I hope you are.

I missed you, every single one of you, it feels kind of empty to be without wattpad for a long time. Fun fact: this chapter has been done in one night so it's likely to be over the place, but I think you guys like it, or I'm hoping you did.

Thank you so much @LittleA7 for the book cover on the side, I'm praying it was you who sent this because apparently, you changed username and the one I saved was your old one. Fingers crossed.

Question: What was the search on Kate's history that got Sophia mad?

Love you guys, I'll try my best to update more, but we're almost to December, I can smell Christmas already! Don't forget to vote, comment and follow, see you all next chapter.

P.S. So I have this school project where we have to do a musical, and my class is doing Wonderland, it would be a big help if you like our page, St. Eugene's Wonderland, it would be the external link, and it will also be on my profile. If you want, you can also post a picture or video there on the page, just hold up a sign that says "I'm *insert your name here* and I support #Wonderland all the way from *where you're from*" Please guys, I really need your supprt, and extra wink because I designed most of the stuff we're giving away.