Twenty minutes later Sofia and Jacob stroll into the lobby dragging Gigi in between their bodies. Jacob dressed in a pair of brown shorts and a white shirt with tiny pineapples on, Sofia in red, ruffle skirt and polka dot white short-sleeved blouse- I'm guessing red's kind of her colour and Gigi... Gigi has her caramel hair tied up into a messy bun, loose strands shaping her face. Her body clad in a white sundress accentuating her smooth curves and gorgeously tanned skin. She's applied natural-looking false eyelashes and added a line of fiery red to her lips making her freckles pop out like a constellation. She looks down at the floor as she's dragged from the elevators, her eyes look so lifeless, where has her light gone? There's a stabbing in my chest, her eyes look hollow and her body looks too skinny and frail, still as gorgeous as ever but worrying. I'm bought away from my lingering thoughts as they approach us,

"Right I'm fucking starving, there's a car outside waiting," Jayden announces, he casually links his arm through Sofias and drags her out of the lobby doors into the mass of cameras waiting for their paycheques. I can sense Gigi tense beside me as they start up, their shouting gets louder through the room.

"Look... I'm just going to uh.. stay behind okay." She says quietly turning to leave.

"No your not," I grab her arm and swirl circles on her skin, her smooth arms coming up in goosebumps, "We're not going to leave you, Spiller, we're right here with you, just ignore them. We're gonna have a good day, I promise." I can't stop myself, she draws me in and I just want to fix everything for her, I physically can't stop talking to her, hell I don't want to stop!

She considers what I've said for a second then nods her head with a tiny hint of a smile. I wrap my arm around her shoulder carefully, I see her internal deliberation on whether to reject the contact but then makes no attempt at shooing me away. I swallow thickly, knowing I shouldn't be doing this.

We walk through the lobby, Jacob on her other side until the rash clicking of heels screeches to a halt behind us,

"Colton! Where are you going?" Laycie says pulling on my shirt, I turn around hesitantly, still holding onto Gigi's shoulder, she spins with me and immediately her gaze hits the floor, her body retracts and tenses.

"Not that its any of your fucking business Laycie, but I'm going out with my friends." I look down at her as she scoffs,

"Fucking hell the ice king has friends, don't make me laugh." Her eyes wander across Jacob then linger on Gigi for longer than necessary, "Especially with her, Miss wannabe 2010," Gigi grabs my free hand and slips her fingers into it resting it behind out backs, she gives a reassuring squeeze, still looking down at the floor, just that tiny bit of contact makes my anger simmer down and my breath hitch slightly in my throat, god what is she doing to me, Laycie steps closer to Gigi and my hand tightens around hers, "Maybe you should listen to what they're all saying, quit now and go back to your drug-fueled little life with your whore of a mother you untalented swine." Gigis face blanks, not a single emotion present, just hollowness in her eyes. I step in front of her and square up with Laycie, no way is she just going to stand there and take that shit! I would never threaten a woman but I can not bear to hear another pathetic word come out of her disgusting mouth especially when they're directed at Gigi. I made the mistake of not sticking up for her before, I won't do it again.

"If you ever, EVER, speak to her like that again, I swear to god I will put you on the first flight back to LA with no reference, no pay and no fucking dignity, you won't even be able to get a job at Walmart. We slept together, that does not make you my girlfriend and it sure as hell doesn't even make you my fucking friend. Stop being a jealous bitch and back the fuck off." Her mouth twitches in shock, and she just stares at me her mouth opens slightly then closes quickly before backing away slowly. I feel a warm hand on my shoulder, un-tensing my muscles I didn't realise had gotten that tight. Gigi's hollow eyes are slightly more lively, She gives me a tight-lipped smile and we watch Laycie shuffle towards the elevators. It's not until you surround yourself with good people you realise just how bad the bad people really are... just as we reach the doors we hear a snuffled laugh,

"Hey Gigi, that dress it's...well I wonder what they'll have to say about it... it makes you look very... chunky." I can sense Laycie snarling as she struts away. That's it, I flinch round ready to unleash hell but Gigi catches my arm, her nails grazing my skin slightly as she rubs her thumb around my wrist,

"She's not worth it." She whispers, gazing up into my eyes, pleading with me. She knows there all waiting outside, watching our every move and it could end very badly for me if they see our altercation but I know it hurt her, she's fiddling with her dress trying to pull it away from her skin. She's fucking gorgeous, it pains me she believes what Laycies said. I slip my hand around her waist to stop her fiddling with the fabric.

"You're gorgeous. Don't let anyone tell you any different." Her eyes stare up into mine almost admirably, they're glassy but still sparkle bright like sapphires. I break the contact by gently pulling her out of the lobby into the sea of paparazzi. She covers her stomach with her arms as they hound her with questions and flashing cameras. Her waist moves quicker and faster, tensing up completely, shit she's starting to panic, I pull her closer into my side, shielding her from the dense population joining the steps to the hotel, I can't ignore the bolt of heat that surges through me when she put one of her hands on my chest as she tries to make herself small. I push through the echoing of questions, brutal, harsh questions. I've never been hounded as bad as this and the questions they're asking her... it like she's on trial for murder. I'm the one always caught doing obnoxious overly cocky shit, I've never been questioned this brutally before. We scramble down to the SUV and I practically have to throw her in due to her size, she glares at me and takes a seat on the window side of the car, gazing out into the bustling streets of Rome, little flowers are planted in flowerbeds on the side of the road, adding a pop of colour to the beige, rustic landscape.

"Fuck me, what took you guys so long?" Sofia moans from opposite Gigi, she doesn't wait for an answer before continuing, scrolling through her phone, "I spoke to Anto before we left and he said we should go to a place called "Leandos ristorante." She says slowly squinting at her phone,

"Its Antos brothers restaurant, it's down one of the backstreets near the Piazza Campo De' Fiori," Gigi mumbles still staring out of the window, she then turns to the driver behind us and gives him the address, hearing her speak Italian vanishes my appetite for food and is replaces it with a hunger for something much more... tasteful.

We arrive at a quaint little restaurant down one of the quieter backstreets, small red and white squared table cloths cover the tables that sit on the cobblestones path outside, hanging baskets swing from above the doorway titled 'Leandos risteroante' which has been swirled delicately onto a dark plaque of wood in gold paint. Immediately we're shown to a larger table near a row of faint coloured Vespas at the side of the outdoor dining area. Washing lines of dimly lit bulbs cascade from each side of the courtyard style eatery and a small clear jug of flowers is placed in the centre of the table. I place myself down opposite Gigi, she rests her head on her hand staring off aimlessly at the peach painted wall opposite the restaurant that had been marked with childlike chalk drawings.

A man walks over in a black shirt and black jeans and hands us menus, we all graze over the laminated sheets but Gigi doesn't even pick hers up, she just stares off nonchalantly. The sun dances about on her collar bone, accentuating her olive skin, her long dark eyelashes brush against her freckled cheeks and strands of her hair drift around the contours of her face. Her bright blue eyes dazzle against the rustic backdrop, her radiance is captivating. No wonder her middle name is Eturpe, she truly is a fucking goddess... and that has to be about the cringest thing I've ever said.

The man in black returns, flipping a page on the small notepad as we place our orders all of which contain pizza because when in Rome.... But Gigi orders a raspberry ice tea, I've noticed over the last few months this tends to be her drink of choice, that or diet coke but considering I hadn't seen her eat anything today it raises a cause for concern. Sofia gives her a harsh smack on the arm after the waiter's walked away from the table, she glares at her then goes back to staring at the wall like she's not even here.

Trying to diffuses the sudden tension between the two Jayden lets out a low whistle,

"The press are fucking brutal today, we had to battle our way through them, it was like black Friday had come early." I take a side glance at Gigi who's squirming uncomfortable with Jaydens choice of diffusion, I swear he's such an idiot sometimes, I kick his shin under the table but instead of taking a hint he proceeds to make her even more uncomfortable, "I don't think I've ever had it that bad." Jayden says slurping from the bottle of beer that's appeared in front of him, "I mean I don't think I've even seen Colton have it that bad and he's a prick." He snickers nudging me in the side, it's true though, we may have been thrown about in the press a lot especially after Hailey but never as bad as this.

"It's because she's a woman," Sofia says removing the sunglasses from her eyes and pushing her hair back with them, " Bloody hell, you guys are dumb if you can't see it." Me and Jay both glance at each other eyebrows raised, Sofia sighs like we're the stupidest people she's ever met,

"Do you guys get a say in what you wear to events or on stage?" We both nod unsure where this is going, "Alright, are you told you have to look a certain way or be a certain size?" We shake our heads,

"Babe we're two fine-looking daddys anyway." Jayden winks at her, what an idiot.

"Do you get to sleep with people freely without being called out on it by the media?" We both nod again, "Okay and do they push your boobs up to your chin, tell you to show as much skin as possible because-"

"Sex sells." Gigi says from the end of the table, still glancing off into the distance she takes a deep breath through her nose, "I don't have a single say in what I get to wear. Everything I wear on stage or out to interviews or events has been approved by the men higher up, Castro designed all my outfits constantly telling me I need the ultimate sex appeal to sell more music and gain more popularity. He said don't act like a whore but make sure you show enough skin to draw in a bigger audience. Before I came on tour I was told to, stay the same size, if I could- lose some weight 'off my sides', not go out too much, not to say anything political or controversial and basically act like a fucking airhead." She continues as my blood boils up through my veins like a cooking pot ready to overthrow. I stare at her dumbfounded. There's so much pressure on her to pretty much change herself and become some sort of Barbie. I never had that when I started out? Sure the label has a hold on parts of my life and have done a lot of damage in the past, especially with my family but never like that!

"That's fucking bullshit!" I shout drawing attention from the tables around us.

"No its society." Gigi shrugs and goes back to staring at the wall.

"Gigi's been pushed out of deals by men left right and centre, constantly being put on the back burner because shes a woman and when she finally gets a chance to what she loves, of course, society is going to pick holes in everything she does and berate everything about her because she's the inferior sex. It doesn't help she grew up working class in a shitty part of London and now someones taking shots at her, trying to drag parts of her past that aren't even true." Sofia says between sips of coke, my obnoxious self has never really taken much in about the gender equality stuff, I've kind of been shielded away from it all by the label, we're taught as artists not to chime in on anything political or controversial as it could 'ruin your career'. I've blocked out the past few years so much that I haven't even realised this is happening right in front of me, all the other female artists around me that have probably gone through or are still going through the same thing. I appreciate the fact this was bough up though, it's really made me appreciate the advantages I have got and the opportunities I've had just handed to me. Sofia's right I'd never be called a slut and I've slept with more girls than I've had hot dinners. I've never had to worry about what I wear or where I go, who I necessarily hang out with. Wow. With that swimming around my mind, I find myself re-evaluating a lot of major events in my life and the females that I have been around as a waiter drops four large pizzas to the table.

Sofia snaps a picture of her food and then a side shot of Gigi sipping her ice tea, I shove a slice of mine into my mouth and chew slowly still gazing over at her, admiring how her hair sparkles in the sunlight. We fall into a comfortable silence chowing on the fire-baked food, Sofia leans over and tries to give Gigi a slice of her pizza, she refuses it and ends up chewing on the ice in the bottom of her glass.

"Gi you've got to eat something!" Jacob sighs from the end of the table,

"I'm just not hungry, it probably the heat." She shrugs nonchalantly and gazes off into the distance.

"Nuh-uh, we're not doing this again Euterpe!" Sofia whispers into her ear just loud enough for me to hear over the table, her hushed tones piquing my interest. Suddenly the table clothe vibrates under my arm, my phone wriggles on the table I pick it up and skim over the caller ID. Mom. Shit, I swallow the lump in my throat and quickly excuse myself from the table, wandering off to a private spot. I haven't spoken to my mom in about six months, things are tense, I know my family still resent me for leaving them and neglecting them, I know they probably try their hardest to forget I exist. I hesitantly push down on the green phone button.

"Hey, mom," I say sucking in a deep breath.

"Hey, honey!" Her soft voice fils the line, the voice that used to lull me to sleep and comfort me when I was upset. I miss that voice. She almost sounds relieved as I hear her release a large breath on the other end.

"I know you're probably really busy so I'll keep this short! It's just well... if you have time...the whole family's coming around in a few weeks for dinner, I already checked and the first week you start the American leg you have few days off so I was hoping you might want to drop by. If you're not to busy of course!"

The whole family? I miss that too, we used to have big family gatherings a lot when I was younger, I loved them but I haven't been to one properly in about six years, even at Christmas I try and stay away. About three years ago was the last Christmas I spent with them, it was tense and so unwelcoming. I know it sounds so nasty but I'm too worried it'll be awkward and I'll turn up and they'll all hate me and no one will want to talk to me. I think back to the conversation I had with Gigi, maybe I should go... if anything just to apologise. It's the least they deserve and if my Spiller's taught me anything it's how lucky I am to have a big family that supported me, still supports me I guess, even though I was a massive ass to them.

"Colton?" My mum says sweetly into my ear.

"Yeah sorry, I'll uh... be there." I sigh, my nerves tainting my tone.

"Really?" Shock runs through my ear, "That's great, we all can't wait to see you, sweetheart! Especially the girls, they've been asking about their uncle!" I doubt that very much, I can hear the edge in her voice, she's probably only calling because dads at work so he can't stop her. I can feel the hesitation.

"Anyway, I'll let you get on! Busy, busy you know... I love you, honey." She says hesitantly, a deep ache comes from the pit of my stomach.

"I love you too mom." I murmur before putting the phone down. My muscles tense as I fall back against a wall, running my hands down my face. I haven't been home in two years, not fully, I don't know if I can do this. I exhale deeply and groan, they're going to hate me.

I walk back to the table and sit down, slumping more against the back of the chair now and hastily pick up my bottle, the condensation trickles down my fingertips.

"Who was that?" Jayden asks drawing away from his flirtatious conversation with Sofia.

"Mom," I say bluntly, I watch as his eyes widen and drift over to his bottle, not saying anything else. Jayden is practically my brother, my mom sees him that way anyway, I think he's seen my mom more in the last few years than I have. He doesn't say anything else, just slaps a hand on my back.

I lean my arms on the table and zone out of the conversation Jacob's just initiated, a warm hand covers mine and my eyes find Gigi staring intently at me, furrowing her brows but offering a small soft smile.

'You ok?' she mouths, I nod quickly and give her hand a light squeeze.

Must not drag her into my damaged life.

First, on the girls' itinerary was typically the 'Trevi Fountain', I think the most cliché thing on the bloody list. Sofia lets out a high pitched scream and goes into full photoshoot mode, doing hundreds of poses per minuet while Jacob snaps away on her phone. Yet again Gigis staring off into space. Whilst everyone's distracted I drag her gently towards the back of the gathering crowd.

The little voice in my mind keeps saying 'Leave it, Colton. Just leave it. Don't get any more attached.'

But I can't, my hearts arguing that maybe I'm already... too attached. I ignore the niggling voice and cage her in against the wall. My arms resting on either side of her head. She looks a little taken aback by the whole thing and a blush quickly creeps up her neck. I smirk at the sight.

"What's going on Gi? I know your upset with the whole TMZ and media thing but you can't seriously believe that shit!" She avoids my eye contact but her jaw tenses.

"I'm surprised you fucking care, nice to see you this morning by the way, did you run off to your girlfriend or something?" Her ager ridden eyes quickly fill with hurt, "Did I scare you off?" Shit. I really shouldn't have left this morning but how do I tell her that I left so I wouldn't get attached? I sound like an ass.

"Of course not and I don't have a bloody girlfriend!" I place my hand on her cheek and she doesn't flinch away, "It's just um," I sigh... words are not my forte, ironically, "I just don't want to drag you down." I remove my hand and arm with a sigh and look off to the side, embarrassed.

"What are you on about?" She asks softly, stepping closer to me.

"It's just... I'm damaged, Gigi! And you have so much going for you, especially after what you told me last night, I cant bring you down with my shit and get in your way. You're so kind and talented and just fucking amazing," I rub a hand down my face, she places her hand on my arm and rubs small circles, just the electricity from her touch makes me feel so different... alive, "You light up a room every time you walk into one and I just fucking dim it. I'm an ass, a prick, an obnoxious senseless boy! Tessa's right, I need to stay away from you so I don't fucking ruin you like I do everything else!"

I turn away from her and look down to where Jayden is still trying to shoot his shot with Sofia. My hands shake, I've never been this vocal about anything in my life, I've never felt this way in my life before, let alone acknowledged it. I can feel the hurt rippling through my stomach, I feel like I've guilt-tripped her now but she has to know.

"Colt," She pulls me back round to face her, her soft features showcasing a small smile, a smile that already brightens my mood. She places a hand on my cheek, like I did her, and strokes the small amount of stubble covering my lower jaw. Her eyes gaze into mine, I can't look away her pull is too strong. They flood with warmth as she blinks slowly,

"Firstly Tessa is talking out of her fucking arse because the last thing you do is drag me down. I wouldn't have been able to get on that stage if you hadn't have calmed me down. Every night you come and sat with me before I go on, that does more than you'll ever know. You make me a better writer, fuck, I love writing with you! You brighten up my room whenever you're in it with your pathetic sense of humour and flirtatious manner and to be completely honest you're... one of the best friends I've made, I didn't tell you everything last night because I felt I had to... its because I wanted to! I felt safe telling you. I know there are still things I haven't told you but I'm getting there. Your smart, funny, caring, sweet and sometimes a fucking idiot but deep down you're far too soppy to 'ruin things'. You could never ruin me, you idiot."

"Not unless you ask me too." I wink at her, she giggles slightly pulling me into a hug,

"There he is." She whispers as I pull her in closer into my body, inhaling her strawberry scent, loose strands of her hair tickle my chin as I lay it on top of her head. Her small hands rub up and down my back in slow motions, calming my muscles and mind.

Tediously she pulls away and sighs,

"I don't want things to be weird anymore, I want to be friends, I didn't like being... apart." She looks down at the ground and shuffles her feet.

"Me neither... friends?" She nods and smiles, her sparkly eyes brightening.

"No more listening to what other people think? We support and help each other and there's nothing wrong with that. You're not a distraction to me and you aren't going to drag me down okay?" I nod at her assertive manner. it's Cute.

"Yeah. So... I promised you we'd have a good day and so far I haven't been keeping to that, so let's just go and have fun for one day, Okay?" I mirror her 'cute' assertiveness whilst fiddling with a strand of her hair, she nods then bites on her lip, contemplating. That fucking lip bite. Holy shit.

"Wait, before we do that," She pulls a small envelope out of her pocket and unfolds it, handing it to me, I read the front of the brown paper, it's in Italian, "Will gave it to me this morning, apparently my dad left it last night." I pull out the paper and scan through the scrawny writing.

"He's invited me to his, for dinner tomorrow night, he wants to 'catch up' and 'explain' or something," She says scoffing awkwardly,

"Are you going to go?" She shuffles awkwardly and shrugs.

"I don't know if I can... I want to but I don't... I'm just scared, annoyed, hurt... I don't know." She shakes her head,

"You deserve answers Spiller, it's okay to not know how you feel about it, it's a shock but You'll never know if you don't try." I place my hands on her waist.

"I do want to go but... will you maybe... uhm come...with me? I understand if you don't want or its too weird or you just-"

"I'll come with you," I say rushing in to stop her rambling. She quickly pulls me into a hug and thanks me in whispers, holding onto my neck. I could tell she really didn't want to go alone, she's probably going to be so anxious and as her friend, I should be there for her.

"But I might need you to do something for me...?" I raise my eyebrows and she nods ferociously with an open look on her face.

"Come to my parents with me...?" Her face blanks, "My mom rang me earlier and asked me if I would come for a family thing in a few weeks and I know they're all going to hate me so I don't really want to go alone."

"They're not going to hate you CJ but of course I'll go with you."

I let out a gust of air, knowing she'll be with me steadies the waves in my stomach, I know my mom will love her anyway.

"Right now we're done with the soppy shit, lets go throw some coins in this mother fucker!" I shout tugging her back through the crowd and to the edge of the fountain.

Friends. Fuck Tessa, we can be friends. I'm going to be her friend and be there for her. Me and Gigi are more a-alike than we think, whether that's a good or bad thing I've yet to figure out.

Hey guys! Ahhhh two updates this week, i was feeling generous ;)

I really hope you you've enjoyed the chapter, how will dinner at Gigis dad's go and i love that Colton asked Gigi to meet his family :) The next few chapters are some of my favorites so i hope you're ready! 

Thank you all for reading, 

Iz x