Page 85 of #Starstruck

She had seen the article.

My shoulders drooped. “Lexi, please. Let me explain. This has all been really painful.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did my back hurt your knife?”

I sat on my bed, letting my purse fall to the floor. Lexi eyed my expensive dress, my shoes. “Did he buy those for you? Is he your sugar daddy or something?”

I gasped. “I can’t believe you just said that to me.” She knew me better than that.

“You’re offended?” she hissed. “Just think about the stuff I’m holding back! You’ve been dating Chase Covington for months. You’ve been lying to me for months. Which part of that is okay? Which part of that do you think you can explain?”

I put a hand over my queasy stomach. “Technically I didn’t lie. You just assumed I was dating Noah, and I let—” Even as I said it, I knew it was no excuse.

“Technically? Seriously? You think I’m going to stop being mad because of a technicality?” She stood up and started pacing, something she did only when she was really upset. “We’ve been fans of Chase our whole lives. And you were dating him. How could you not tell me?”

“I wanted to protect what we had. His privacy is really important to him.”

“So you were doing this all for Chase. Awesome. That makes you a martyr.” She flung her arms wide. “I hear churches keep a special spot in heaven for people just like you.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I lied to you. I shouldn’t have. I was just afraid you would take him from me. That he would like you better than me. And I ... I love him, Lexi. I didn’t want to lose him.”

Now that I had told her the most important reason, I hoped she would forgive me. Hoped I could tell her everything that had happened. I needed my friend.

“I can’t do this with you. I’m going to stay at Gavin’s.” She grabbed a bag that she’d already packed.

Tears burned at the corners of my eyes. “Lexi, wait. Please don’t go. Let’s talk about this. You’re my best friend.”

That made her pause in the doorway. “I hope he was worth our friendship, Zoe. I hope the two of you are really happy together.”

“We broke up,” I told her in a strangled voice.

She blinked a few times before responding. “Then it sounds like you got exactly what you deserved.”

When the front door slammed shut, my tears started all over again. It was painful to cry; my throat was already sore, my eyes burned, and my chest ached. In one day I’d managed to lose my boyfriend and my best friend.

I wanted my mom.

Once the tears subsided, I took a shower, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and changed my clothes. I looked at the expensive designer dress lying in a puddle on the floor in my room. I wondered if I should return it to Chase.

Deciding he could eat the cost as a jerk tax, I kicked it into my closet. I checked outside my bedroom window and saw the same paparazzi smoking and talking to each other as they waited in the parking lot.

I wasn’t going to let people like that make decisions for me. I wasn’t going to allow them to turn me into a cowering hermit. I grabbed a pair of sunglasses and held my head high as I ignored them again. They got in their cars to chase after me, but I didn’t know what they were hoping for.

Once they realized that I wasn’t driving toward the Hollywood Hills, they gave up. They probably wanted an updated photo of Chase and me together. Too bad none of them would be getting that.

I arrived at my mother’s house. I had half expected to see more paparazzi on the street or in her driveway, but the neighborhood was quiet, as always.

As I opened the front door, I called out for my mom. She didn’t answer. I wondered if she’d seen the article. If she would be angry with me, too. I didn’t know if I could bear it.

“Mom!” I was panicked as I called for her again. It was almost the little ones’ bedtime, but they might not be home. Maybe they’d gone out to eat.

She walked out of her bedroom, still in her scrubs, Zia trailing behind her. “I’m here. What’s going on?”

My mother didn’t know. She didn’t hate me like the rest of the world.

I began to sob, and she opened her arms and hugged me tight. “Oh, baby, what is it? What’s wrong?”

I nearly choked when I tried to speak. “Everything.”

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