Not Another Diva

9 - Boy Toy

Paper Houses // Niall Horan

My foot is bouncing. I keep rubbing my hands up and down my legs to get the sweat off, knowing I'm about to hold Brianna's hand. In front of everyone. The whole world will potentially see us out in public for the first time. It's a ton of pressure.

"Zack, are you paying attention?" Char's seated across from us in the back of the limo, one of those seats that faces backwards. She's got her clipboard and has been tapping it while she's talking, for the entire ride.

And no, I wasn't paying attention. I just shrug and grimace to answer her question.

She sighs and starts over. "After today, I need you to give notice at the Dojo. Your face will be plastered on every magazine and you'll probably be followed everywhere you go. Where you go needs to be wherever Bree goes, now. Your bodyguard duties officially start the second you two step out of the limo."

The pressure is getting to me. I had been feeling relaxed about the whole bodyguard thing while I was just hanging out with Brianna at her house. She hadn't gone many places in the last couple of weeks, mostly hunkering down alone in her room. The friendly vibe I had tried to create seemed to have backfired and instead I was getting the cold shoulder. I spent most of my free time working out in her home gym. I had hoped that the further we got from that intense kiss, the easier it would be to forget it had happened. Unfortunately I couldn't forget it.

And here we are about to hop out of a limo and paw each other again. Char felt like a healthy level of PDA would cement our fake relationship. Which was what she was going on about the whole time we've been trapped in this limo.

"Zack, you've got one really important task tonight." She pauses, her favorite way to dramatize any statement. "Be a hard ass."

"And how exactly am I supposed to do that at an afternoon premier for Bree's latest perfume?" I wasn't even in a tux. They shoved me in some designer jeans and a classic rock band's t-shirt. Brianna looked kind of similar. Her hair and make up were over the top. Too much if you asked me, but it's not like anyone did. She had some skimpy tank top layered over some type of lacey bra and a bunch of necklaces all jumbled together.

Char gave me the eye. That one she's perfected. Seriously, she should give my mom some pointers in that stink eye look. "Don't smile, don't make eye contact with anyone, except for Bree. Keep one arm around her waist at all times. And for the love of God, don't talk. They will goad you, Zack. Those photogs will say anything they can to get a reaction. Do not give them one."

"Stay silent and look pissed. Yeah, okay I can do that." I agree with her, mostly to shut her up. I get it that Char is the most trustworthy person in Brianna's life. But dang, if that's the case her life is pretty messed up. I think she has Brianna's best interests in mind, but it seems like she's forgotten about the real girl. The one whose scared out of her mind any time she sets foot outside of her house or her office. I've seen it. I know it. Does anyone else even give a shit?

Char leans forward. "Zack, just keep your eyes open. For anything...unusual. Anything that seems off. Go with your gut on this. Don't hesitate to get her out of there if you need to. Keep your arms around her so you can steer her away from anyone who gets too close."

Her statement should have freaked me out. But it actually does the opposite. Char does get it, she sees the fear. Somehow I feel better.

"That's what I was planning on." I had been planning. I've studied the layout of the venue, the streets surrounding it and all possible escape routes. I just hope we don't have to use any of them.