accidental | levi miller

IV

Viridity
(n.)
• Naïve innocence
— — —
"You're working with The Levi Miller?!"
"What's he like?"

"You're blushing... Isabella oh my gosh you like him!"

"Your phone keeps going off! Is that him?"

I roll my eyes playfully and shake my head as I hear my friends gush about Levi through FaceTime.

"You guys calm down. It's not that serious, we're just friends!" I say defensively, resting my chin on my hand as their voices chime in again.

"Uh yeah, friends who've known eachother for five months now!" Hannah says in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah! When are you guys gonna be a thing? I wanna know!" Clara cries, moving closer the the camera so she's the only one visible. I laugh when Hannah and Maddie push her out of the way.

"You guys know the only relationship type allowed on set is strictly professional. Besides, I don't like him... like that." I say, picking my phone up as it keeps ringing with notifications.

"Oh please, we all know that's a lie. You can't fool us, Bella. Everyone saw how you two looked at eachother when you went to the beach." Maddie says, making me look up at her from my phone. I adjust my MacBook's screen to look at them better and frown.

"At the what? How do you guys know about that? I've never told you about Levi, much less that day we hung out at the beach?" I ask, scrolling through the oncoming notifications on my phone as my stomach drops. I sit up abruptly and stare at my phone in disbelief as I see text messages from some people working on the film with a link.

"You haven't seen it? There's pictures and videos all over Instagram."

"I even saw a few pictures on some magazines, that's why we called you!"

I listen to them absentmindedly as I click one of the links sent to me. I cover my mouth with my hand as a video of the moment that wave splashed us starts to play. I scroll down as I see another one from the moment we were walking up to grab towels. I close my eyes and remember the moment I saw people recording us and sigh when the video ends.

"I saw people take pictures at the beach. I brushed it off then but I had no idea this is what was going to happen!" I groan as I click out of it and read more headlines.

"So... it wasn't a date?" Clara asks, siting besides Hannah again.

"No! I got lost that day and no one was picking up the phone so he helped me get back!" I snap, instantly regretting it as I look over at their reactions. "I'm sorry—I didn't mean to yell at you guys. I—I'll call you back." I end the call when they nod and close the laptop.

"Have you seen this? I'm coming over." I text Levi, sending him a link to one of the articles as I get out of my bed. I walk over to the door and open it when a sudden flash of light blinds me. I stumble slightly and cover my eyes when a chorus of voices start to yell. I uncover my eyes to see a whole sea of paparazzi crowding my door. I look at them in shock as cameras go off every second. I step back when they walk closer to me, almost inside my own room.

"W—who let you in?! Get out!" I yell, pushing my door closed again as their comments and questions get louder. I lock the door and call Aunt Rachel when another sudden flash of white light catches my vision. I notice more of them come from the windows as my call goes to voicemail.

"H—hello? Aunt Rachel? I—I need you to call security.. like right now. The paparazzi is at my door and now they're trying to break in through the windows and I don't know what to do I need your help." I feel my voice break as I end the call and chuck my phone at the bed.

"Get out! Leave me alone, please!" I yell, rushing over to the windows as I start to close the blinds. I hear their muffled voices as one of them pounds on the window's glass, making me flinch. I finish closing the blinds and bite my lip to prevent me from crying as I run over to to door connecting Levi's room to mine. I knock on the door hurriedly and look up as it flies open. An anxious Levi stands at the door as he holds his phone up with the article I sent him.

"They're at my door—and the windows. Are you okay? What's going on?" He asks, walking over as he pulls me into a hug. I shake my head and hug him back as I feel a sob rack through my body.

"I called Rachel but she won't answer. I—I don't know what's happening and I'm so scared." I say, squeezing my eyes shut at the sound of the paparazzi knock on glass and their camera's flashing.

"This is my fault, I'm sorry. I called security but I don't know when they'll be here." He says, looking over as I shake my head.

"It's not your fault, Levi. We have to get out of h—"

I freeze and feel Levi do the same as I stop talking when we hear glass crack.