Fools in Love

25. Dramarama

I take that back. Tomorrow is another gray day.

Matt is shouting angrily on the phone, to who? Haven't a clue. I didn't know he could sound this angry. I'm learning something new about him everyday, although I admit I could have gone my whole life without seeing him go red faced from rage.

Tori sent me a text this morning telling me to stay away from the dorms, there's reporters all over the place, and not to panic. How the hell am I not meant to panic when the internet has basically exploded with the news that Matthew Jeneviere is dating some red-headed dork that spilled food on him months ago?!

Yep, some reporter has been tailing us like a total creep and has managed to snap enough pictures to at least imply what's going. Articles are popping up bit by bit. Drama videos are already being made. Bitch, we're trending on multiple platforms and the majority of it is horrendous.

I scroll through the evidence, wincing all the while. Matt could easily say we're just friends, it's not like we're kissing or anything in the pictures, but people know better. He's walking around with me everywhere. We're secretly eating lunch together in the school library. He's bringing me to his apartment, picking me up at work, things that he doesn't do for others. It's pretty incriminating.

Eventually, Matt meanders his way back to bed, slightly let flushed but equally as frustrated as I am. Frustrated and concerned because, as much as I tell myself not to, I can't help but to read the comments.

He's only dating him for his money.

Matt can do better.

Wow, so even actors can be desperate.

If that loser can date someone like Matt, I can land myself a rich hottie too!

Comments essentially along the lines of Matt is way out of my league and people ragging on me about being a gold digger, one after the other. There are a few of congratulations, people giving their good wishes, hoping that Matt has found his special someone, but they pale in comparison to the insults. Insults that I've worried about, that dig into my already practically non-existent ego.

"Don't read that." Matt gently takes my phone, setting it aside. "It's just a bunch of garbage."

"Yeah, I know."

"Dana." Matt takes my hand, slipping his fingers between mine. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"All this."

"All this being?"

"You know what," he sighs, lowering his head. "It's always just drama with me, whether it's with my mom or people at school or reporters."

"That's not your fault. People are just being nosy and mean because they have nothing better to do with their lives." I wish that made me feel better though. I can't deny that it hurts. Strangers on the internet can hide behind a mask and say the most horrendous things while continuing to let others believe they're good people.

"What do you want to do?" he asks.

"What can we do?"

"I can respond. I can accept another job. They'll ask me about this and I can say that it's a misunderstanding, that we're just friends."

He's giving me a way out. I hate that he has to think about it, that he has to offer. I've thought this a few times and I'm thinking it again; this isn't fair. But I don't know if I'm brave enough to stand against whatever may be thrown at me.

"We have the weekend to think about it," he says, dragging me back onto bed. I happily allow him to bury us beneath the covers. Like this, I can pretend it's just us and nobody knows and we're perfectly normal and ok.