stories from the city; damon albarn

39

The minute Ewan reached Chloe, she pulled him into a tight embrace, pressing a kiss to his lips before they slowly pull apart, him sliding an arm around her waist. "This is such bull." He mutters angrily "Absolute Bull."

"I know. I know it's bad. I tried getting him to pull it. But he wouldn't." She says, sounding upset. "Damon looks like shit and he's talking out of his ass."

"I know." He says, sounding tired. He then grins, seeming to have a better idea than returning to the show and the hellhole inside of it. "Why don't we just leave? I mean they can't continue if we leave. And they can't stop us. We can just go camp out in our hotel."

She thinks about it for a minute before nodding her head. "Yeah. Let's do it."

The pair rushed out of the studio and out of the building, despite hearing both his manager and the show's stage manager calling after them.
But they were already out and down on the street.

"We can't call our driver can we?" He teases

She snickers "There are plenty of taxis. I've never been in one before."

"There's a first for everything." He says before going to signal for a cab.

He actually succeeds and gets a cab to stop for them, right at the time that his manager flings himself out of the NBC building and marches his way over towards the duo.

"Get back in there." He sneers "You've got a contract. Go in there and do the show."

Ewan rolls his eyes, having enough of the scene unfolding in front of him. "You expect me to just go up there and be okay with that? To sit through that?"

"It's just television." His manager says

"No. It's not. It's fucking humiliating. I'm getting to listen to some cunt get pissed because my girlfriend doesn't like him! I'm not going to willingly do that!"

Chloe looks around nervously, hearing the all too familiar sound of cameras clicking. Knowing that meant the paps were out and lurking.

"Ewan.." she mumbles, gesturing towards one of the parked cars a few rows back, and the people inside, taking pictures of the exchange.

He squints, looking over at the paps and rolls his eyes before flipping them off. "Fuck off!" He yells before turning back to his manager.

"I don't suppose you'd like hearing your wife's ex boyfriend going on a TV show and talking shit. And don't tell me it's not the same thing because it is. I'm just the one on the screen."

His manager sighs "That's not fair Ewan. It's not the same."

"What? Because I'm a fucking actor I don't deserve respect? Is that what it is?"

"No- it's not. Ewan- please. Don't get in that car."

"Why not? Because I'm sure as hell not going back in there and doing that show. That's for damn sure."

His manager groans, watching as the paps seem to be cruising closer than before. "You were doing incredible. Don't ruin your fucking reputation. Suck it up." He says gritting his teeth.

Ewan scowls "Fine." He reaches for Chloe's hand, tugging the two of them back into the NBC building, back to Hans' studio. Definitely not in the company of his manager.

The elevator ride was quiet.

"I don't get it." He says distastefully

"What?" Chloe asks

"Damon. I don't get it. Why the fuck should he give a rats ass about this? Or us? And why does he get to pull the sympathy card on TV?"

"He's high..." she says trailing off