Page 108 of Wherever You Are
It just sucks that some fans aren’t louder than the media.
When the cameraman rushed me, I wasn’t brazen enough to scream in his face, but I felt like yelling. A big part of me regrets not saying anything. Not sticking up for Rose and Connor when they’ve been so kind to me.
Especially Rose.
But I’m also kind of glad I didn’t say anything. Opening my mouth probably would’ve made the situation worse. Anyway, Ryke and Lo are yelling enough for just about everyone these days.
I did write a few supportive Tumblr posts, and I reblogged cute Coballoway gifs from fan accounts. Garrison told me to send him the links, and he did the same.
I walk down the sidewalk towards my apartment building. With the parking deck under construction, I had to park a block away. A white Volvo slowly moves on the other side of the street and keeps pace with me.
That’s weird, right?
Paparazzi have never really followed me to my apartment. They lose interest in me as soon as I climb into my Honda. They couldn’t care less about abandoning Superheroes & Scones for Loren Hale’s boring “cousin.” I’ve been glad about that.
But this…
Changes things.
I tighten my hold on the backpack strap and quicken my pace. The apartment complex’s front entrance is inches from my fingertips, and a man jumps out of the Volvo. “Willow! I’d like to ask you some questions!”
I flinch, my pulse spiking.
I don’t know why, but he sounds more serious than the other paparazzi. Like a fancy news reporter. It makes me do a doubletake, and he quickly catches up to me.
“I’m withCelebrity Crush—”
Oh…no. Nope! Do not want to talk.Celebrity Crushhas been known to spout off some of the worst and nastiest rumors about the Calloway sisters.
I mumble out anI’m sorryor maybe it was just unintelligible words. But I say something that my brain and mouth put together before bolting into the apartment complex. My hands shake as I dig for my cell. Just as I find it in the depths of my backpack, a text pings.
Garrison:made it to S&S. Thanks for the assist. Owe you like a million. Hey, did you know how comfortable the Millennium Falcon is? Who would’ve guessed?
I calm just reading his text. But my heart still thrashes against my ribcage, reminding me what I have to do.
I dial his number.
The line clicks. “Willow?”
“Lo, I have to tell you something.”
* * *
If I total all the days and weeks that I’ve been in Philly since I left Maine, it’s been around nine months, and I’d like to think that’s a long time. Almost a whole year on my own. It makes me feel better knowing that I tried really,reallyhard to not be a burden on Lo. To not accept more from my brother than I absolutely have to.
If I felt safe enough to live in my apartment, I think I could have even lasted longer than those nine months. But after the paparazzi followed me home, Loren asked if I’d like to move into his mansion-sized house in a gated Philadelphia neighborhood.
The same neighborhood that Garrison grew up in.
I couldn’t saynothis time.
I really like the Calloway sisters, Ryke, and even Connor. They’ve accepted me into their lives without hesitation, and I know in the beginning that acceptance originated from their trust in Lo. But I hope that now it’s because they also trust me.
“We should decorate and make this space more Willow-y,” Daisy tells me, rolling around my new bedroom on a skateboard. All my stuff (which isn’t much) sits in the middle of the room, still packed in a couple boxes and a suitcase.
I’m officially “moved in” thanks to Lo, Ryke, and Daisy’s help this morning.
They had a few empty guest rooms on the east wing of the house, and Lo let me pick which one I’d like. He didn’t seem pleased when I chose the smallest of the three, but he didn’t push me to choose differently.
