Chapter 4
“It’s crazy,though. All I ever wanted was to have the career I have now. I just never imagined how alone it would feel once I was at the top.”
“What goes up must come down,” he simply stated.
“The higher you climb, the harder you fall, and I remember that every day.”
“That’s not healthy.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love my career?—”
“Don’t do that, Bay. Don’t feel like you have to tell me how blessed you are so I don’t think you’re ungrateful about your status. More than anyone, I understand the pressure you’re constantly under. It’s worse than when we were kids. America’s Sweetheart is some glass slippers you’ve stepped into.”
I couldn’t open up to my family. I just couldn’t. I didn’t want them to think I didn’t appreciate or love what I did for a living. I was too worried they’d tell me to stop if they thought it hurt me.
I assumed I’d feel uncomfortable opening up to him again, being vulnerable and exposed to him, but I didn’t.
If anything, it felt right.
He always felt right.
With my head leaning on his chest, I looked up at him. “Nice analogy.”
He smiled at me. “I’m full of wisdom.”
“I am grateful, though.”
“I know.”
“How about you?” I changed the subject, wanting to know about him as well. “How have you been? You know, other than galivanting with models and socialites of the week.”
He grinned. “Kept tabs on me, huh?”
“It’s kind of hard to avoid when your face is everywhere. However, I wasn’t a fan of your leaked threesome porn from your twenty-first birthday.”
He winked at me. “That was some of my best work.”
“Eh,” I mocked. “But it was slightly less entertaining than the full-frontal pictures I saw of you on vacation last year.”
“What can I say? I’m not a fan of tan lines.”
“Oh”—I feigned ignorance—“so the undisclosed naked blonde who was with you didn’t have anything to do with it?”
He dramatically sighed. “I can’t be held responsible for women who love to be naked around me.”
“Right… you poor, poor man. I can’t imagine how hard that must be for you. Pun intended.”
He laughed, throwing his head back. “It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.”
“I’m sure your family loves that you’ve claimed that title.”
“We have different perspectives of what we think my life should look like, but they never tire of telling me how much of a disappointment I am.”
My heart hurt for him. “Aires…”
“It’s fine.” He brushed it off. “I’m used to it. It wouldn’t be a family dinner unless they threw daggers at me.”
“I’ve always hated that for you. You’re so incredibly talented at your craft, and despite your extracurricular activities, you’ve made quite a career for yourself.”
“I’ve done okay.”
That made me turn around to face him completely. “Aires, you’ve won an Oscar, not to mention an Academy Award.”
“And you’ve won several.”
“I guess someone’s been following my career as well,” I confidently pointed out.
“Well.” He swept the hair away from my face. “You’ll forever be nice to look at.”
“You’re too kind.”
“And you’re too humble. I’m serious, Bay. You’ll go down in history as this generation’s icon. That’s quite a legacy.”
“Aires, if you think for one second that you’re not leaving your mark on this industry, you’re absolutely insane. The depths you go through for the character development you play is like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and trust me—I’ve worked with the best.”
“Now, who’s being kind?” He smiled.
I smiled back. “Now, who’s being humble?”
He chuckled. “I’ve missed you, Bay.”
My heart skipped a beat. “I’ve missed you too.”
Lust was a very funny thing.
The desire.
The attraction.
All these chemicals released the same endorphins, similar to the ones we experienced right then and there with the Molly running through our systems.
And still…
It all felt real.
We felt so real.