"You cannot live your life to please others. The choice must be yours."

~Alice in Wonderland

~~~~~~~~~~

Kelsey didn't exactly know what happened when someone made the front page of a tabloid.

As she walked through the airport, she found herself subconsciously keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact as if she were a criminal on the run.

But no 'breaking news' flashed across the TV screen, and no one seemed to be staring.

Maybe the tabloid would stay on the shelves until another, juicer piece of gossip took its place.

"Now boarding flight 349," the announcer said.

Kelsey gathered her things and stood in line for her group, feeling a heavy sense of nostalgia settle on her.

The last time she'd waited to board a plane, she'd been filled with excitement about living in California, working as a chef, and living with Sandy. Now she was running as far away from all those dreams as fast as she could.

Would she even go back?

Her suitcase rolled behind her as she boarded the plane in the same awkward fashion as before.

She sat down in her seat by the window. She gave a faint smile when she pulled out a little cookbook she'd picked up at one of the airport kiosks, having decided against a giant hardcover this time.

A man began loading his carry-on into the compartment above Kelsey and ducked down.

He was middle-aged and had the suit and hairstyle of a businessman. He shot Kelsey a smile and she returned it halfheartedly.

She watched absently as he pulled a laptop out and began typing away.

She closed her eyes tiredly as the safety video began playing on the headrest in front of her.

A nag of guilt had been tugging at her ever since she drove out of L.A. when she thought of Ethan. What was he doing today?

He couldn't run away and take a breather like Kelsey could. She doubted that the tabloid had sent him into a downward spiral, but she couldn't shake the worry that his heart had been broken again.

She never wanted to hurt him. Had she?

But what else could she have done? Scenarios of a better resolution played through Kelsey's mind. What if Ethan had told Kelsey point-blank, "the paparazzi are everywhere. They're going to snap pictures and everyone will think we're together."

What would she have done?

After a long while of contemplation, Kelsey came up short. If she really cared about Ethan, she had to be willing to stick with him through it all.

What is she didn't care as much as she thought?

She pulled out her phone to check if Sandy had replied to her text from that morning.

-Hey Sandy. I tried to wait for you, but I had to catch my flight. I'm so sorry about how things turned out. I have a lot to think about, but if I come back to California, I want you to know that I won't be back in L.A. I'll get an apartment or something and start over. Maybe we can do the same?

There was still no response.

After what seemed like an endless sea of clouds, the plane made its painstaking landing three hours later.

Kelsey pulled out her phone and texted her brother that she had arrived.

The woman in front of her took forever to move down the aisle and Kelsey almost thought she was going to suffocate in the crowded cab.

Finally, she broke free, and hurried through the airport.

Outside of security, Jacob stood, dressed in the same blue hoodie he'd worn since high school. His black hair was a mess, as usual, and his stupid red sneakers were scuffed into tatters.

As Kelsey neared him, her eyes filled with tears.

"Kelsey! The woman, the myth, the legend!" He called loudly.

She ran up and hugged her brother tightly, sniffling like a baby.

"What's wrong with you? Geez." He muttered, but squeezed her back.

"I'm sorry," Kelsey laughed, wiping her tears. "I'm just really glad to see you."

He spread his hands apart. "I don't blame you. I survived my first year of college, sis. How do I look? Smarter?"

Kelsey swallowed and shook her head with another laugh. "You act more like Uncle Ned every time I talk to you."

"I take offense to that. Uncle Ned saved his toenails in a pickle jar."

"Yeah, I know."

They made their way outside and wind tossed Kelsey's hair about her face.

The air smelled fresh and clean and exactly like home. The trees and old, broken-up roads brought Kelsey more joy than she ever thought they would.

As they drove, the scenery got more and more familiar. The golden wheat fields rolled by, followed by several rundown towns that Kelsey had visited more times than she could count.

"So how long are you staying?" Jacob asked.

Kelsey tore her gaze away from the window and bit her lip. "I'm not sure yet."

"This was all kinda sudden," he said, using that tone of voice that was so familiar to Kelsey. It was light, but clearly tried to pry into a deeper conversation.

"Uh, yeah, I got some time off unexpectedly."

"Kel," Jacob scolded. "Tell me what's going on. You've barely said a word or cracked a smile since I picked you up. I'm used to that from most of the girls I try to talk to, but not you."

Kelsey sighed. "I just... can we talk about it later?"

Jacob glanced at her curiously. "Sure. How do some McDonald's fries sound?"

~~~~~~

Kelsey walked into her house and couldn't help but stare.

She'd been expecting it to feel like she was back home, but it felt like she'd stepped into someone else's living room.

"Yeah, mom decided to redecorate after you left," Jacob explained, then proceeded to complain about how heavy her suitcase was.

"I can see that," Kelsey murmured, shocked at how nothing remained of all the things she remembered.

It suddenly felt like she'd been gone for years instead of four months.

"So, uh, where are Mom and Dad, exactly?" She asked, dropping her purse off on the kitchen counter. Her Mom had even changed the countertops from ceramic to brown granite.

"Well, Mom's still visiting Aunt Josephine in Manila, and Dad took a fishing trip with a buddy."

"Oh," Kelsey said, her face falling.

"They didn't know you were coming," Jacob said quickly, "they were both upset they were gonna miss you, depending on how long you stay."

"Right," Kelsey resolved quickly. "Hey, do you know why they never call me? They still haven't told me about, you know, the affair and stuff."

Jacob shrugged with one shoulder. "I dunno, I didn't tell them you knew, so they're probably just trying to keep you from it."

Kelsey gave a shallow laugh. "Right, as if I'm some teenager and not a twenty-two year old grownup."

"Ah well," Jacob sighed.

"So I recall you promising a pillow fort night," Kelsey said, going into the kitchen and washing her hands. She opened the cupboard to get out her favorite mug, but found that all the glasses had been replaced.

She cleared her throat and grabbed two of the new mugs and began heating up some milk in a saucepan.

Thirty minutes later, Jacob and Kelsey had made a grand fort out of blankets, chairs, and pillows that made a tent above the TV.

They watched "Predator" over giant mugs of hot chocolate that overflowed with marshmallows.

Kelsey watched the movie absently and couldn't help but remember her and Ethan doing the same thing; watching gory movies and laughing at the corny parts.

Jacob didn't talk as much as Ethan did during the movie, she noted with a smile.

The movie ended with a bloodied Arnold Schwarzenegger being carried off in a helicopter, and the living room that had once been filled with the laughter of four people, was now in silence with only two in residence.

Jacob chugged his hot chocolate and leaned back on one of the pillows propped against the couch. "Alright, Kel. I know my dashing charm wasn't the only thing that brought you back to Kansas."

Kelsey set her mug aside and drew her knees up to her chest. "No."

"So...?"

"I'm just having boy problems, I guess."

"Boy problems?!" Jacob spluttered, almost spitting out his hot chocolate. "You?"

"Shut up," Kelsey muttered.

"Who's the guy? Please tell me he's not some vegetarian!"

Kelsey gulped and looked down at her hands. "Uh, no, it's Ethan Glenn."

"Ethan—what?!" Jacob got to his knees and his mouth opened and closed like a fish. "What?! The actor?"

"Jacob, seriously—"

"No, no, no, wait," he said, flailing his hands in front of him. "Is this one of those things where you have a celebrity crush on someone who doesn't even know you exist, or...?"

"He knows I exist," Kelsey sighed, rolling her eyes. At least he hadn't read the tabloid.

"I just—my mind is blown. My sister... and Ethan Glenn."

"That's the problem," she said. "We're not a thing."

"Why not? Is he into you?"

"Jacob, I'm being serious."

"So am I. You said boy problems, so I'm assuming you've both got a thing for each other, right?"

"I—" Kelsey was blushing furiously. She couldn't believe she was having this conversation with her brother. "I mean, maybe."

"There are no maybes," he stated.

Kelsey gulped and bit her lip. "Yes," she admitted quietly, "we do. Did."

"Did?"

"Because we can't be together. I mean, we could, but I don't know if I want to be. I don't want to be famous or deal with paparazzi or crap like that."

She drew in a breath and spilled everything about her and Ethan. She hated the way she started bawling all over again when she talked about the tabloid and all the things she told Ethan, things she didn't want to regret, but did.

"And now I don't know," she dropped her chin to her chest and whispered, "I want to be with him. I do. But I don't want his life. It's too much and I couldn't handle it."

Jacob was quiet for a long while, enough to make Kelsey wonder whether or not she'd weirded him out with all her drama.

Finally, he regarded Kelsey thoughtfully. "Maybe he doesn't want that life either."

Kelsey looked up at him. "What?"

"I mean, I don't know him or anything, but from what you said, it sounds like he's burdened by his life too. He's probably used to it, sure, but if he's trying to escape through you, he's gotta be running from something. Maybe it's from something bigger than his ex."

Kelsey opened her mouth to give an answer, but found that she didn't have one. Images of his face when they'd gone to the theater replayed in her mind. The way he lit up when he talked about his memories there, compared to the heavy expressions that weighed down his features whenever he talked about acting.

She blinked. "I guess I never thought about that. Why doesn't he just get out, then? Why not go back to the theater?"

"Maybe he doesn't see it either. Maybe he thinks he has everything he wants."

Kelsey swallowed and stared at her brother for a moment. She chuckled and shook her head incredulously. "When did you get so wise, huh?"

Jacob checked his nails dramatically. "Well you learn more than math in college, it turns out. Just call me The Love Doctor."

"Oh my gosh, just shut up."

"I also found out how to fry an egg, which is something I thought you'd be interested to know."

Kelsey laughed, and they chatted for more than two hours in their fort.

Kelsey's heart still ached over Ethan and Sandy and everything that had happened, but she was finding that it was becoming easier to talk about. And now her emotions had become less inflamed, so she could think rationally.

Ethan had never expressed anything but negativity about being a movie actor. The more Kelsey thought about it, the more it made sense. He'd never chosen to be an actor, really. He'd been chosen by a scouting agent and propelled into acting.

But then again, what if they were both deceived into thinking they had the lives they wanted?

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

Kelsey's back home! Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

~What do you think of Jacob/Jacob and Kelsey's relationship?

~Do you think Jacob has a point?

~General thoughts on the chapter?

Thank you so much for reading! 

{Don't forget to comment, vote, and share!}