The Unexpected

Turn

"That bitch!" I said out loud, almost screaming. "I cannot believe she did such a thing! Why did she do it?"

"I think she wanted the publicity," Ben said.

I knew he was trying to calm me down, but I could see the worry in his eyes. I paced around our room, yelling all the bad words I could think of.

"You need to relax," Ben said, grabbing me by the shoulders, stopping me for a moment.

"How do you expect me to relax when that stupid woman did this to us?"

"First, we need to find out she was the one who shared the picture."

"Oh, come on! Are you really this naïve to believe that someone else did it? Of course, she did it! You saw her face of jealousy and anger when you told her you were dating me!"

"Well, it could be. However, people have leaked pictures of me in the past, so I wouldn't be entirely sure it was her."

I felt a sting of jealousy. Was Ben defending that idiotic model?

No, of course not. It's my imagination.

"Fine! What do you suggest?" I asked, sounding upset by that whole issue.

"I can go and ask her," Ben said.

"I want to go with you. I need to go with you. I need to hear from her own inflated lips; she didn't do it."

"Are you jealous?"

"Me? Jealous? Of that manikin? Of course not!" I said, riveting jealousy out of every pore of mine.

"I cannot believe you're jealous! I've never seen this side of you, but I like it. Your feisty!"

"Of course, I'm feisty. You're my man! And I want to remind her that!"

Ben laughed at my jealous face. Apparently, I looked cute while being angry. He hugged me and kissed me everywhere.

"Don't worry, We'll figure everything out, but let's do it in the morning, so we can be clearheaded. That way, we can speak coherently and calmly," Ben said.

He sounded too calm to me. How was that possible? Maybe he already had to endure other situations (besides ours), that taught him to be at ease. But still, his tranquility was not helping me. I wanted to yell at her and everyone else that Ben and I were in a relationship and yet, Ben had not said a word about it.

After a long moment of hugs and kisses, I calmed down enough not to breathe heavily. But my thoughts did not want to leave me alone. Ben picked me up in his arms and took me to bed, but I told him I was not in the mood for making love that night. He understood and said everything would be solved in the morning.

He fell asleep shortly after that, but I could not. My thoughts kept ruminating. I just started being happy again, and now that happened. The first time it occurred, Ben vanished from my life, and now problems were rising again. He was calm, which in a way it was good, as he did not run away. However, I was expecting a different reaction. I thought he would also get angry or at least upset, but it seemed to me he did not have either of those feelings.

Hours passed until I finally fell asleep, but all that time, I only have nightmares. I dreamt Ben left and ran away with the model, leaving me on my own once again.

I woke up the following morning, feeling quite sleepy. I looked at myself in the bathroom's mirror, only to see the dark circles in my eyes, and how bad I looked compared to the day before. How was I supposed to face that woman, looking like that?

Ugh, I should've slept better.

I took a long shower, trying to wake up a bit more. A cold hand touching my back made me scream.

"Relax, it's only me," Ben said, smiling like a child.

He got closer to me, completely naked and dry. I pulled him towards me and made the water fell on him.

Yes, this is going to wake me up!

I caressed his hair while his hands ran down my thighs. He then moved one of his fingers inside me, making me moan, and I touched him back. The water fell as our desire grew until we could not wait any longer, and made love in the shower. It was the first time we did it in that place, and I had no idea an adverse event could lead to such fantastic sex.

Once we finished, we finally took a shower and cleaned ourselves. We laughed, feeling rejuvenated after that incredible moment.

When we exited the shower, I looked at myself again in the mirror. I still look tired, but not as much as before. Ben stood behind me and hugged me.

"I still cannot believe I am with such an amazing woman," he said, whispering in my ear.

I smiled, reminding myself I was terrific. I then got ready and put on the most amazing outfit I had. I wanted to fight that model the best way I could.

"Wow, you look amazing," Ben said. "I can really tell you want to fight hard for me."

"I'm not only fighting for you, my love. I'm also fighting for me," I replied. "No one's going to make me feel less or not worthy of being with you, or anyone else."

We exited our room feeling joyful and loved. We went to the lobby and asked where Michelle was, and someone told us she was at the gym. When we arrived, she was finishing her morning exercises. She looked at us in disbelief, but mostly surprised. Perhaps she did not expect to see both of us at that place, rather only Ben.

Ben held my hand, and we walked to Michelle.

"Good... morning," she said, not sure what to say after that.

"Did you post the picture?" Ben asked, being blunt about the issue.

"What pic..."

"You know what picture I'm talking about," said Ben, interrupting Michelle. He did not want to play any games.

Her eyes were wide open. She stared at Ben, and then me. She looked befuddled at the whole mess that she or whoever it was, created. Her jaw then dropped, trying unsuccessfully to say a word.

"I don't know if you or someone else posted that picture, but I am with Hannah. She's my girlfriend, my love, and I won't let anyone say otherwise," Ben said, very calm but serious. There was not a hint of doubt in his words.

So that's how things are handling Hollywood. Now I understand why Ben was so calm.

Michelle then explained that her publicist did it, and she said she was very sorry about it. Nevertheless, she still acted a bit flirtatious, making me uneasy. I did not believe her words much; neither did Ben.

"Leave us alone. I'll never be with you," said Ben. After that, we walked away.

I did not have the chance to say anything during that encounter, but it felt great that Ben defended me and our relationship. However, there was still the issue of the media. We just had the chance to clarify things to that model, but to the rest of the world, people thought he was with Michelle.

Ben and I talked a lot about it. If we wanted to take a different route this time, we certainly had to do things differently. After quite a while, we finally reached our decision.

"Are you sure about this?" Ben asked me.

"Not entirely, but I think is the only option we have," I said, nervous of taking this new and unknown path for me.

"I'll try my best to protect you this time. I won't let anything happen to you. I swear," he said, kissing me with profound love and care.

Ben called his manager and publicist and told them his plan. Half an hour later, we checked the Internet.

It was official: Michelle's news was refuted, and now the world knew Ben and I were a couple.

There was no turning back.