Catching Red Eyes - NYC

Chapter 120

"Miss, is this where you wanna be dropped off?" The driver asked, tapping on the plastic divider between us. I looked up and saw the front entrance to my apartment.

I nodded, threw a twenty at the driver and got out. I looked down at my hands and found my keys. I opened the front door. Laurie was watching TV in the living room and I walked in and stood in the kitchen. Laurie quickly turned her head when I took a breath in.

"Rowan? What the fuck are you doing in the dark?! Christ, you scared the shit out of me breathing like that. Hey, did you know you had two VIP passes to the Billboard Music Awards? I might have opened that black envelope...holy shit, what the hell happened?" She asked, coming into the kitchen and turning on the light.

I wasn't looking at Laurie. I wasn't really looking at anything. I was staring off into something.

"Rowan?" My roommate waved her hand in front of my face as I continued to stare. "Wait, why the hell are back so early? Row, you gotta talk to me. Or blink at least."

"He-he dumped me."

"He what?"

"Yup. Dumped me."

"Shit, are you fucking serious? Why??"

I walked into the living room, sat on the couch, and looked up at my roommate who followed and sat down next to time. I explained what happened to her and shook my head and started laughing. The anger I felt now turned into amusement.

"To think I am actually sad about this. I hate him. I absolutely hate him. I mean, who does that? Dumps me not only in public but to think I actually wanted to be with him. After what he said to me back there? Hell no. Harry and I are done for good. No more of that. God, he is such a piece of shit."

"Shit, dude, I agree with you 100%. Damn, he really said he didn't want a girlfriend anymore. Wow."

"I know! Its fine because I don't him as my boyfriend anyway."

I realized I was standing now. "I mean, all I did was try to love him and be the girl who-"

I stopped talking when I heard knocking.

"Fuck," I heard Laurie say when she followed me to the front door. I threw it open and there he was. Standing in front of me.

"Can I help you?" I asked, my eyes in slits, glaring at him.

"Rowan, listen to me. I know you hate me right now but I want you to understand that this is what's best for both of us. Trust me when I say that you will thank me later. Not right now, but down the road from now you will. I just want you to know that dating a musician, especially a famous one, isn't for everyone. This life is hard enough for me and I don't want you to have to deal with it anymore. Being famous is hard for people to understand."

"You seriously are fucking delusional, aren't you? Harry, whether you want to believe it or not, I am kind of famous myself now thanks to you. I walk outside, there are people with cameras taking my pictures, I am in the headlines every other damn day, oh and lest we forget, I had people taking naked pictures of me! All I need is a fucking sex tape and I'll be an A list celebrity! Remember that the next time you think I don't know what your life feels like because thanks to you, I do. Oh, and one more thing."

I left the door open, grabbed the VIP passes and the black envelope and shredded them in front of Harry. "Thanks but no thanks for those. Considering who I am now, I can probably go without your help. Now leave."

Harry looked at me then at the shredded mess at his feet. "You know, Rowan, I can't believe I actually wanted to spend my life with you."

"Me either," I said and slammed the door in his face.

I turned and saw Laurie watching the entire exchange with wide eyes. "Jesus, Rowan. You two are, like, over over."

"What gave that away? I have never detested someone so much in my life."

I was fuming. I saw red. Who did he think he was?

"Word of advice."

I shot a look to Laurie which made her back up a little. "Relax, first. And second, you will calm down soon enough and when you do just remember the anger you feel right now towards him. Like, when you start to miss him, remember how you feel right now."

"Oh, I will."

I was pacing the kitchen. "I wish I had never met him."

"I'm just curious as to how all of a sudden he just changed. Do you think someone made him say those things?"

"No. He had time to come up with this on his own. He isn't stupid to where he would allow someone to rule his life like that. He's too famous. He is like, untouchable. Everyone caters to whatever he wants. This was all Harry."

Laurie shook her head. "I mean, you would know him better than anyone."

I started biting my thumb nail. "I bet after it all happened, he was hurt and down on himself and someone close to him reminded him he was famous and how I was a nobody. Like, someone reminded him he could have anyone he wanted and I was insignificant. Does that make sense?"

"Yea, honestly it does. Like someone convinced him to dump you."

"But made it seem like it was his idea. Or, I don't know, he just came up with it all on his own. Either way, I am done."

"Yea, fuck that. If Alec ever said even a quarter of what Harry said to you tonight, he would have no balls left."

I smirked and went into my bedroom. I looked around and didn't know what to do with myself.

"Here."

I turned to see Laurie with a glass of something in her hand. I took it from her and sniffed it. It was harsh but I took a sip. It was cold and it made me shutter but I took another sip.

"Its straight whipped vodka. Its chilled so it shouldn't be as bad."

I tipped my head back and the cold liquid rushed down my throat. I handed the glass back to Laurie and shuttered from the vodka.

"Do you want more?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm good, thanks. Fuck, I need to calm down," I said looking at my clock. "I need to get up at like 6 AM tomorrow."

"Shit, why? That's like when I fall asleep."

"Apparently there's a huge meeting tomorrow and we have to get there by 7 AM for it."

"Damn."

"Yea, I don't know. I probably won't be able to sleep."

"You just need a distraction. Come on, let's watch a movie or something."

Laurie grabbed my arm and pulled me into the living room. I slumped down on the couch and watched as Laurie picked a violent horror movie. I watched the whole movie with no emotion. Thankfully, the cold vodka helped mellow me out. After the movie, I looked over at Laurie.

"I'm going to try and sleep. Thanks for the vodka and the movie."

Laurie nodded and gave me a hug. I wandered into my bedroom, changed, and fell into my bed. I tossed and turned for an hour but finally felt my body shut down and sleep took over.

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