"You had me at Hello."

Jerry Maguire

"I had to run out to get more rhinestones for my nails," Becca was explaining, "and then I remembered that I needed more setting spray for my makeup, so I had to go back to the store. Which is where I saw Mack."

She'd been talking for the past ten minutes.

"Wow," Ethan said, "I'm glad you got away."

"Oh! And Kelsey made chicken cordon bleu the other day for lunch! Did you know she could actually cook? Like, wow."

Ethan gave Kelsey and apologetic glance. "You've had to put up with her for all this time?"

"We made peace!" Becca defended.

Ethan raised his eyebrows. Kelsey shrugged.

"So, pizza?" she asked, repositioning her hands on the wheel of her car.

"I'm gluten free, remember?" Becca prompted.

"Ugh, Becca, you're such a pain," Ethan muttered, but waved Kelsey forward. "Keep going, Monte's has gluten free pizza."

"Thank you," Kelsey breathed.

She drove on for a few more minutes until she came to the gas station. The parking lot was empty, and half of the lights were off.

"Are you sure they're open?" Kelsey asked, glancing at the clock. It was almost twelve.

"Oh yeah," Ethan said.

They made their way inside. It was quiet and almost peaceful in the empty restaurant.

Anthony wandered out of the kitchen, tossing a rag over his shoulder.

"Hey, the late night crew," he said. "You always make me work extra, Glenn."

"I would say I'm sorry," Ethan replied, but shrugged.

"Ah, Miss Kelsey," he sang. "Glad to see you back!"

"Wait, you've been here before?" Becca asked.

"Uh, just once," Kelsey replied cautiously as they made their way to the table.

They sat down and sipped on the water Anthony gave them, claiming that the soda machine was out of commission for the night.

"So, they said the "Summer in Paris" premiere is going to be moved up," Becca said.

Ethan frowned. "What? We just finished shooting!"

She shrugged with one shoulder. "Yeah, well, that's what the director said." She lifted her water glass towards Ethan. "Better find a date to the red carpet." Her eyes bounced between him and Kelsey and she raised her eyebrows.

Ethan sat up and cleared his throat. "Uh, that's probably a few months away."

Becca lifted her hand to the side of her mouth and whispered loudly, "You should take her."

"I'm literally right here," Kelsey said. She took in a deep breath. She kept saying she didn't know what to do. That she could never be under the spotlight, that she could never be part of Ethan's world.

But she could compromise.

She bit her lip before turning towards Ethan. "Well? Do I need to wait for you to ask or do I get an invitation in the mail?"

Ethan blinked and opened his mouth, then closed it. "I—what—I mean..."

"Unless you don't want me," Kelsey said, suddenly aware that she'd been assuming.

His eyebrows knitted together. "Of course! I mean, I couldn't think of anyone better, but are you sure? It'll be on TV, me and you. It'll be in the media and everything."

The thought made Kelsey sick and she tightened her grip on her water glass. She swallowed hard and mustered a smile. "Yeah. I know."

Becca smirked as she twirled her straw around. "Now you said something about gluten-free pizza?"

~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as they got back to the set, Becca hopped into her car, said her goodbyes, and drove back to Kelsey's apartment.

She was doing it on purpose, Kelsey knew.

She and Ethan were left alone in the empty parking lot.

"I'm still in shock," Ethan said, putting his hands in his pockets. "Are you sure you're okay with her?"

Kelsey shook her head and laughed. "In all honesty, I'm still in shock too. I don't think I've ever been more surprised in my life than when she showed up at the kitchen." She shrugged. "But, I mean, she needed help. And honestly, as weird and loud and pretentious as Becca is, it's not so bad. I didn't like the quiet anyway."

An awkward silence filled the space between them as they looked everywhere but at each other.

"So, about the premiere," Ethan said cautiously, turning to her with a set expression. "Don't let Becca decide this for you. I never dreamed you'd want to go, and I totally understand why."

"No, I want to," Kelsey said, trying to sound convincing, but casting her gaze downward.

"Kelsey," Ethan plead, "be honest with me."

Kelsey took in a breath and met his eye. "We both said we wanted this to work out. And for that to happen, we have to compromise." She bit her lip. "You're a movie star, Ethan. I can't change that. You have the paparazzi following you around, you have to deal with Buzzfeed articles lying about you, you have to walk the red carpet. That's your life, and if I ever want to be a part of that, I have to deal with some of those things too."

"But it's not fair," Ethan said. "I don't want you to have to deal with it."

Kelsey lifted her shoulders. "Then what? Are we going to hide forever?"

Ethan sighed and hung his head. "No."

Kelsey ducked down to meet his gaze. "It's give or take, Ethan. Right now, I'm the one giving, and one day it'll be vice versa."

Ethan looked up at her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I just want you to be happy. I don't want you to get sucked into this stupid world or to be exploited by it." His thumbs made meditative circles against her sweater, and Kelsey could see the thoughts running through his head.

"I made a mistake," he said quietly. "I stepped into a life I thought I wanted, and it turned out to be something totally different. I never counted the cost, and now I can't go back." His eyes searched Kelsey's face. "I don't want that to happen to you."

Kelsey gave a half smile, so many words coming to the tip of her tongue. She wanted to tell him that he could get out. That he could blaze a new path. That he could start over and make new choices. But something inside told her that now wasn't the time.

Instead, she sighed dramatically and said, "Just kiss me, movie star."

Ethan looked surprised for a second before his face broke into a smile. He picked Kelsey up and swung her around, kissing her like she was the only thing that existed.

Once they pulled apart, Ethan whispered, "I've been waiting to do that since the first time I saw you."

Kelsey smiled, her nose barely touching his. "Since the plane ride? Seriously?"

"Well, a girl who reads cookbooks for fun and has the nerve to tell you that your acting sucks definitely stays in your mind."

Kelsey kissed him again and traced her thumb across his cheek. "Of all the millions and millions of girls, tripping over themselves to get to you, how did I ever get so lucky?"

"Shut up," Ethan chuckled, pulling her close and intertwining his fingers in her hair.

Kelsey was oblivious to her worries for the next few moments, not caring if there was some photographer lurking in the shadows, snapping pictures and writing headlines.

She was stepping into terrifying waters, and she knew it. Maybe she would drown. But maybe, just maybe, she and Ethan would come out of it all together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey guys! 

~What do you think about Kelsey going to the movie premier?

~WHAT ABOUT THAT KISS?!?!

Thank you so much for reading! {Don't forget to comment, vote, and share!}