Fools in Love

31. Will Dana Fight the Paparazzi?

Once again, there are articles galore about, "Matthew Jeneviere's Boyfriend Being Hospitalized!" Our campus exploded with chatter. Even Tori had some people running up to him since they thought the roommate of Matt's boyfriend would surely have answers. I kind of felt bad, until Tori reminded me how much he loves attention and he will happily become my spokesperson should I need one. He talked so much about dumb, pointless shit that people left him be, which is so Tori-like that it almost hurts. Glad to know someone can make the situation into something enjoyable.

Mom left after staying a week, which was more necessary than I thought. It was a pain to move around so I have needed some help now and again. And now I've got a bodyguard so she doesn't have to worry as much, a guy as intimidating as Joey, named Brandon. Mom approved as soon as he agreed to have a Disney movie marathon with us at the hotel and he cried during the Lion King. Ok, so I approved too. Doesn't matter how much I've seen it, I still cry.

Since I've got Brandon, I always have someone to escort me to and from class. In the afternoons I spent time with Mom and Matt, who both babied me. That definitely scored Matt more brownie points with my mom. When she left, she expressed that "her future son in law" had to come visit over summer break. Matt was very pleased with that title while I couldn't look at him without blushing for the next 48 hours. I guess that isn't much different than usual, though.

Unfortunately, the cops have searched and only come up with a few glimpses of the assailants. As expected, there were more than one. They managed to see a group of four hooded people rushing out of the alleyway caught on the security camera of the drug store. Other than that, there hasn't been any news, which has made Matt pretty irritable.

"If I can find a way to prove that it was my mom then they could at least do something," he mutters over dinner, nibbling on a piece of pizza. We're sitting together on the couch at his apartment. The TV is quietly playing in the background.

"If it really was your mom then I doubt she will make it easy to find out. I've got Brandon now so everything will be fine."

"You're too optimistic."

"You're too pessimistic."

Matt pouts. "Can you blame me? What would have happened if someone hadn't caught them hurting you?"

I've been trying not to think about that.

"But I guess since we don't have proof then we have to assume it may not have been my mom," Matt mutters, cleaning off his hands. "It could have actually just been some crazy stalkers."

"True. That'd be even harder to prove since we have no idea who they could be."

Matt scratches at his thumb nail, a nervous tick that I haven't seen in a while. He glances at me from the corner of his eye then averts his gaze.

"What?" I ask, sensing he wants to speak.

He hesitates to respond, gnawing at his bottom lip until he mutters, "If it was so-called fans that did it, maybe... maybe it'd be best if we weren't so public?"

"W-What do you mean?"

"Go back to eating alone at the library. Not seeing each other as much on campus, stuff like that."

"How w-would that help?" I ask, feeling an ache forming in my chest. Matt is quick to take my hand, as if he senses my discomfort. No, not as if, he has to. I'm not bothering to try and hide how that single suggestion hurt because I don't want that. I don't want that at all.

"I don't know if it'll help, but we have to try something," he says.

"But that's... it's not f-fair that we h-have to distance ourselves f-for the sake of others."