Chapter 83: Chapter Twenty-two

Demetri

I sang as I walked back to my house. I'm not even ashamed to admit it. Sure, I got a few weird looks, but I didn't care. Hell, they were getting a free concert as far as I was concerned.

I did a little dance move as I jogged up to my door and belted out the last part of the song before spinning around in a circle.

The door opened wide, revealing a very stoic-looking Bob. “You high?”

“On life.” I nodded and lifted my hand for a high five.

Bob shook his head and shoved past me. “I'm going to run to the store. Think you can stay out of trouble for a few hours?”

I nodded. “My virtue will stay intact, this I swear. If any women scream and throw their bras at me, I promise to keep my pants on. If they touch me, I'll scream rape.”

“Can't rape the willing…” Bob smirked. “But I wasn't talking about the women. Clearly, you've been seeing Miss Alyssa again, if that giant smile is any indicator.

“Stuff? As in, presents? Clothes? Food? What stuff?”

The vein in Bob's head twitched. “You don't know? Haven't you checked any of your messages on your cell?”

“No.” To be honest, I forgot all about my cell. I reached into my back pocket and pulled it out. “Shit. How do I have thirty missed calls?”

“Shoot.” I crossed my arms.

“Short version.” Bob cleared his throat. “You're everywhere.”

“Dude, I'm famous, kind of goes with the territory.”

“No, you misunderstand me, you're everywhere.”

“Care to explain?” My phone buzzed in my hand again. It was Alec. “Hold on. What's up, bro?”

“Finally!” he yelled, and then whispered. “I got ahold of him.”

“Can someone please tell me what's going on?”

“Turn on the TV,” Alec grumbled. I looked to Bob. He followed me back in the house. The same house I had left not twenty-four hours earlier looked transformed.

Bottles of champagne-filled baskets were everywhere. I ground my teeth and flipped on the entertainment channel.

“The big news today, Demetri Daniels! Singer turned reality star!”

“Am I getting punked?” I said into the phone.

Alec laughed. “I wish, man, I wish. Nope, it seems there were some ulterior motives with having us stay in Seaside for our break.”

“No shit.” I closed my eyes and counted to five as the woman on TV continued talking.

“It's finally confirmed that the new reality show Seaside is in the works for Demetri! Who knew the kid could be so entertaining! Cameras have been following him around for the past month.

“Apparently, the studio had been planning on doing a reality show for some time, but since AD2 took a hiatus for some much-needed emotional rest, it looked as if it would fall through.

“I didn't agree to this.” I sat on the couch and cursed again. “Alec, you know I didn't agree to this.”

“Neither did I. Doesn't mean it isn't gonna happen, bro. I've been on the phone with our publicist all day. Apparently it's been in the works for a while.

“Thus the champagne.” I groaned.

“You're drinking?” Alec yelled into the phone.

“No. But there's enough alcohol in this house to kill an elephant, that's for sure. I'll have Bob get rid of it.”

“Demetri…” Alec sounded worried.

“Bro, I can handle pressure okay? I've got taffy, and it's possible I slept with Alyssa last night.”

“In a bed?”

“No dude, in the ocean. Yes, in a bed, not that anything happened. We—” I shrugged as a shit-eating grin spread across my face. “It was nice.”

“Are you sure you're not drinking?”

“No, you ass, I'm not drinking.”

Alec laughed into the phone. “Sorry, but you have to understand that the day you choose cuddling over sex is the day I'm wearing a dress.”

“Better go shopping then…”

Alec laughed again and sighed. “Dude, I really am sorry about all this. Just keep doing what you're doing. We'll figure it out, okay? Until then, don't go outside.”

“Trapped, just like before.” I cursed. “I won't do it.”

“Come again?”

“Alec, dude, I can't do it. I can't just sit in my house all day. I really will go insane. I'll start making bad choices.

Alec cursed into the phone and then was silent for a bit. “Fine, just don't do anything stupid in public, and when the media asks you about the show, don't say a thing. Just… be normal.”

“Said the fish out of water,” I grumbled. “Fine, I'm guessing the local news won't be showing up for another hour or so. Takes them a while to get their local celebrity gossip.

“Dude, if it bothers you that much, just build one.”

“Now there's a thought… We've already established how sexy I look in a visor. Imagine me in the green apron.”

“You need taffy or something, you're losing your mind.”

“Agh.” I cursed and flipped off the TV. “Story of my life.”

“Later, bro. I'll text or call if I find out anything on my end. Just stay invisible, don't drink and drive, don't do drugs, make good choices, guard your virtue—”

“Screw off.” I hung up the phone laughing.

Bob moved to stand in front of me. “Know any restaurants interested in some free Cristal?”

Bob laughed. “I'll go make some donations, shall I?”

“That's the spirit.” I got up and slapped him on the back. I didn't want to watch any more TV. I mean, most of what people said was crap anyways.

I just wasn't sure how I was supposed to talk to Alyssa and the rest of the group about all of this. I mean, the stuff everyone was dealing with was super private.

I would rather die than have them think they couldn't trust me, or that I was just waiting to put them on TV. Then again, people got weird when opportunities for fame came up.

I just hoped they wouldn't flip tonight during the meeting like Mrs. Murray had when she came barreling through my door that morning. Threatened. She'd actually threatened me.

It had been a long time since an adult had done so much as point their finger in my face. I told her I would step down as group leader, which just made her more furious.

Apparently, it wasn't the whole reality show thing that had her ticked. It was her worry that all that extra attention would hurt the rest of the group.

After all, group therapy was counseling, which legally wasn't anyone's business but that person's. She said she'd notify the members that they no longer had to attend and shook her head.

I felt like I had let everyone down. Again. This time I knew it was my fault.

If I hadn't nearly killed myself last year, our publicists wouldn't be trying to find some lame ways to salvage my reputation.

Later that night I found out just how thrilled everyone was about the whole rumor of me doing a reality show.

Holly and Aaron glared when I opened the door. I cursed and ran my hands through my hair. “Not that I have to defend myself, but it's not true.”

“What's not true?” Sam pushed past them and hit me on the shoulder.

“This asshole is doing a reality show here in Seaside. Cameras have been following him for the past month. So was that whole speech just for TV then, Demetri?” Aaron was chest to chest with me.

“Okay, first off, you need to chill. Second, do you see any cameras in my house? I mean, seriously? Third, do you think I want all my own shit on live TV for people to see?

“Do you realize how messed up my life has been? It's not like I want to broadcast the fact that my brother got my girlfriend pregnant, or that I had a drug problem.”

“Your brother? A son?” Holly tilted her head.

Crap. I forgot I had only told Alyssa, and that it wasn't in group. “It's not important.” I glared at both of them and waited.

They slowly nodded their heads and walked into the living room. I exhaled and stole a glance at Sam. “You mad too?”

He shook his head. “Girls love celebrities, why would I be mad?”

I groaned. “Panty throwing isn't all it's cracked up to be.”

“Yeah, pretty sure that's a lie.” Sam laughed and walked into the living room. I waited near the door. How the hell was I going to explain this to Alyssa? She'd been working all day.

She sent me a text an hour ago saying she'd be at group, but it was ten minutes past six and she still wasn't here. I began to pace.

The doorbell rang. I nearly knocked myself out opening the door.

Alyssa stood there, her smile was so bright I found myself staring at her for a few minutes in complete silence.

“May I come in? Or are you just going to stare like an idiot all night?” She put her hand on her hips. She was wearing low-slung hip-hugger jeans with a cute hot pink tank top and flip flops.

I stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. “How about we go hang out alone… and leave everyone here?”

“Some group leader you are…” came a voice behind me. I turned to see Sam shaking his head in amusement. “Come on, Alyssa, you can sit by me.”

“No touching.” I eyed them both and shut the door.

Sam lifted an eyebrow as if to say no promises. I flipped him off as if to say I'd break every one of his fingers if he even thought about it, and made my way into the room.

Sure enough, the minute I sat down the doorbell rang again. I opened the door and was happy to see Connor standing there with his hands shoved in his pockets.

“You made it.” I reached out to shake his hand. He nodded and shook my hand and took a step into the house just as a flash went off.

“Shit.” I pushed Connor into the room and slammed the door behind me.

Everyone came into the entryway to see my freak-out, including Alyssa. “What's going on?” she asked.

I groaned and banged the back of my head against the door. “I swear I had no idea, you guys. I didn't even find out until I got home this afternoon. Nothing's bugged in here, like I said.

“But the minute you leave the house, your faces are going to be everywhere. I'll do my best to sneak you out the back. I guess we could call the cops and put hoods over your heads.”

Alyssa burst out laughing. “Seriously? Hoods over our heads? What's going on?”

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out except for air. I began to sweat.

Sam spoke for me. “The media seems to think Demetri is going to be doing a reality show about Seaside.

“Some pictures of you guys were leaked to the media as well as the information that a show had been in the works and, voila, you're caught up. Hey, where's the popcorn?”

Wordlessly, I pointed to the kitchen and put my head in my hands and groaned. “Guys, you have to believe me. I really didn't know.”

Alyssa shrugged. “Demetri, it's fine. Let's just get on with the session and then we can figure out how to get everyone out of here.”

She made it sound so easy. As if I could just snap my fingers and all the nightmares would disappear. I sighed and hung my head.

Instantly I felt her warm body pressed against mine and then her lips were pressed against my cheek. I missed everything about her — the way she smelled, the way her lips felt against my skin.

Hell, I would move heaven and earth for this girl. She had to know what I felt for her, what I would do for her.

“Thanks,” I mumbled as she pulled away.

She shrugged and blushed. Damn, it was hot when she blushed. “For what?”

“Making me feel better.”

“It's the least I can do.”

“And what's the most?” I pulled her back into my body and slowly walked backwards until we were against the wall and out of earshot of the rest of the crowd.

“T-the what?” she stuttered.

“The most.” I leaned in and smelt her hair, then trailed my nose against the outside of her jaw, as my lips nibbled down toward her mouth.

Alyssa closed her eyes and then tilted her head back. I kissed her exposed neck. She gasped. My fingers bunched her shirt as I started to lift it.

Someone cleared his throat.

She pushed me away.

I wanted to kill whoever just interrupted us. I turned slowly and came face to face with Bob. Yeah, I'd lose in a fight with him.

He lifted an eyebrow and peered at both of us while crossing his arms. Why did I suddenly feel like I just got caught doing something wrong?

Bob's chuckle followed us into the living room. It irritated the hell out of me. My body was hot and cold all at once.

“Look…” I took a deep breath and sat down. Everyone was drinking soda and munching on popcorn. “I had no idea about this whole reality show thing. Just so we're clear.

“We can meet at mine,” Alyssa piped up and winked.

Man, I loved her.

What the hell?

I felt my mouth drop open at the realization. No. No way. No way did I just say that in my head. I ran my fingers through my hair and cleared my throat. “Um, okay. Thanks, Alyssa.

“That's really cool of you.” Deep breaths, Demetri, deep breaths. “So today I want to talk about regret.”

Mrs. Murray had reminded me in our last counseling session that it was important for people to voice something they regretted not doing or saying to the person they lost.

It had taken me three months to finally go through with the process of writing my ex-girlfriend a letter. I bawled for days and ate more taffy than I cared to admit.

“What do you mean?” Aaron asked, grabbing a piece of paper and pencil.

I hated opening up, but it seemed like the only way to get them to understand things was to use myself as a guinea pig. Great. Hopefully, I don't cry like a girl. “I lost my dad when I was little.

“He had cancer. But we knew he was sick. I have to admit I suck around sick people. I think I'm traumatized from being around the hospital so much, but the point is we knew it was coming.

“We knew he was terminally ill. Therefore, my brother and I were able to say goodbye, we were able to have no regrets with him.” I blew out a shaky breath and continued.

“I mean, I still regret that he didn't get to see my brother and me grow up, but that was beyond my control. My dad didn't get stolen from me.

“I didn't wake up one day to find him missing from my life. When you go through the type of grief where a person is suddenly ripped away from you, it feels like a part of your soul is missing.

“You look back and wonder what you could have said or done, did they know how you felt? Were they aware that you cared for them? Did you just get into a fight?

“Those are the type of regrets I'm talking about. I know this sounds like a lot of psychological bullshit, but Mrs. Murray's awesome at this stuff, and I know it really helped me.”

“It helped you?” Aaron narrowed his eyes. I shifted in my seat.

Holly patted him on the hand and nodded. “I like it. Come on, Aaron. Let's go over and sit in the corner and decide what we're going to write.”

Soon everyone was dispersed around the room. Everyone, but Alyssa.

“Are you okay?” I tapped her on the leg with a pencil. I wanted to hold her, but she suddenly looked like the last thing she wanted was for anyone to touch her.

“I don't know if I can do this,” she whispered under her breath.

I shrugged. “Just try. I'm going to go over there.” I pointed to the kitchen. “Far, far away, so you can have your privacy, okay? Just write what's on your heart.”

She nodded and I walked off feeling like crap. I hated that bastard, and I hated myself for hating him. I hated her for loving him, but most of all I hated the connection I knew they still shared.