by Kailin Gow
“One group. Astor Fairway’s super fans. It’s funny how that works. They love him, but at the same time, they’re jealous of anyone who he gets romantic with, to the point of dangerous obsession.”
“What if they break up?” I ask. “How would the fans react to that, if Astor breaks up with a girl?”
“They will say they saw it coming or something like that or they will hate on her big time,” Peter says. “I mean ‘hey girlfriend – that hoe is a gettin’ what she deserves’ kind of hating.”
“Summer’s getting that a lot, if you see anywhere there’s a photo of hers on the internet,” I say. “Just by dating Astor Fairway, suddenly Summer’s the easy target for these women.”
“Plus she’s pretty, which makes her easy to hate on, too,” Timothy says. “My daughter went through bullying at her school. Not quite like this, but she was bullied right after she won a local pageant. She’s the sweetest kid in the world, and did nothing to deserve any of that. They just need someone they can blame for their miserable lives.”
Another reason why I didn’t want her to see Astor in the beginning of their relationship. I did try to warn her away, but she just thought I was jealous, which I admit I was. Still am. “Sorry to hear your daughter was bullied, too, Timothy. If we can use our resources here to help her, I’ll make sure my father agrees to it. Now getting back to this case…we’ve figured out one group. What are the other groups? Do you think that Everything’s Peachy woman…what’s her name?”
“April Marie Hayes,” Peter says. “She and a group of her followers have targeted Summer for some reason. She even has people posts lies and things about Summer and even Aunt Sookie, on forums.”
“Can you say ‘obsessed’?” Mandy Leigh, from public relations, says. “Who has that much time on their hands to spend so much time obsessing over someone to hate?”
“Sounds like someone who don’t have a life and lives vicariously through other people because they don’t, that’s who?” Peter says. “Back in the medieval days, this April Marie would have lived in an old hut in the woods, spending all day coming up with potions to turn princes into frogs. Probably talks to herself saying, “I be seeing some ho wanting to kiss ya frog, but ya now uglier than dirt, no one’s wanting to kiss you.’”
“Okay, thank you for that, Peter,” Timothy says. “I think we have a good profile of who these people are. You’d think they know better, being how old are they?”
“Old enough,” Peter says. “Heck, I think she’s a stay-at-home mommy, not that that’s bad, there’s plenty of stay-at-home moms who are ultra-cool (my wife for instance) and don’t hate on others, so at least she should know not to teach her kids to hate, because what if any one of them get hated on from bullies at school? How would that feel?”
“Do unto others as you would have done to you,” Mandy says. “Everything’s Peachy…you are going to get what you’ve always wanted…your fifteen minutes, but not in a good way.”
“What do you have in mind?” Timothy, Peter, and I turn to look at her.
“She wants to profit out of the misery of others, make victims out of people she’s jealous of or wants out of the way for her friends to move up, then how about she gets a taste of her own poison?”
“We’re not into that kind of tactics, Mandy,” Timothy says, “but I’m liking it. She thinks it’s alright to pick on Summer because she is an easy victim right now, since she’s going through a recent death in the family, she’s pretty, and she’s dating one of the hottest young stars in Hollywood, then she’s picked on the wrong person. Bullies are cowards, picking on people when they’re weak instead of helping them. Now with the internet, they can hide through anonymity and build a mob up just because they’re so-called social media friends of someone. I usually don’t get personally involved in these things, but when social media is used to hurt someone innocent like this, someone who is trying to do so much good in this world like Aunt Sookie was, then this is one case where I want to see this cyber bully hanged.”
I cough. “I personally feel the same way, Timothy. Believe me, I also want to see the cyber bully who started this mob lynching hanged. Now guys, we’ve figured out some leads, but that leaves the others who have been vandalizing the school, her car, and the ones who send her threatening emails, one disguised as a blogger under a fake name, and other stuff we’ve found.”
Peter brings out a binder. “It’s all in here. Records, Imprints, everything. Plus, since we have connections to the police department and we’re one company who is contracted with the government, too, we can probably get their help on more information.”
I break out into a spontaneous smile then. “I think we’re on our way towards helping one girl regain her sense of self and confidence again, everyone. Knowing Summer and knowing how her positive outlook on life helped pulled me and my siblings out of some dark times, you’re not only helping one girl, but you’re helping everyone who she helped. Good job. Excellent progress, team. Thank you.”
“No need to thank us,” Timothy says. “Your dad gave us jobs when he doesn’t have to, and we’re happy to be working on something like this. Grateful for jobs, especially when so many people don’t have them,” he says.
Peter smiles, “Besides, if you can’t tell already…we dislike bullies and haters with a passion.”
“Amen,” Mandy says. “My slightly overweight diabetic teen nephew was bullied, locked in his high school bathroom stall, with a crowbar outside his door, for hours, and by the time they found him, he was sick and in shock from not having eaten, and they had to rush him to the hospital. I could have sworn if I’d seen one of those bullies who did that to him that day, I’d put a shotgun to their heads, I was so mad,” Mandy says. “And I’m not a violent person, but they have to know something like that is not funny and can be deadly.”
“My fifteen year old daughter Kate, recently was cyber-bullied for going to one of the school dances with some popular boy whom some girl in her high school clique liked. Kate found her photos all over the internet, that had been altered to make it look raunchy, and this girl spread gossip all over the school about Kate, saying how she cheats, how she sleeps around, and how she must have copy other people’s term papers to get an “A” on her own paper. As though Kate isn’t smart enough to get an “A” on a term paper when she’s has a 4.0 grade point average. I swear, the more the bullies and the haters talk, the more stupid and illogical they sound,” Timothy says. “Anyways, I digress. Nat, we should have some things ready for you in a few days.”
“You work that fast?” I ask.
“If you’ve got connections and this is your specialty, we do,” Timothy says. “Now go finish what you have to finish, and fly back out to Malibu to be with this girl. She’ll need her friends around her, giving her support right now, and looks to me, you’re a good friend of hers.”
I think of Summer, and my body warms up, especially around my stomach where I feel some fluttering. “Very good friends,” I say.
“I bet,” Timothy pats me on the shoulders. “Go out and enjoy your Winter Break. I swear, Philip works you hard, doesn’t he? But that’s just because he has such faith in you and your potential, Nat. Proud of you, always talking about his kids.”
Really? I’m a little surprised at hearing that, but I don’t want to pursue that right now, not especially since I’m in front of the rest of Dad’s employees.
“Thanks,” I say. “Happy Holidays, and I’ll see you when I get back.”
I head out the door, feeling much better than I’ve felt in months. I haven’t realized it before, but it seems that I have been in a slump. I have been just existing. Now, without her even knowing, Summer has given me a focus in life, once again. God, I love her.
Chapter 12
Summer
After the police takes my car as evidence, and we’re driven home, Rachel and I collapse into the large sofa in the living room. Suddenly everything I’ve experienced, the stress and the emotions culm
inate to the point where I’m physically worn down.
“I’m ordering pizza,” Rachel says, going to the kitchen to look at some of the magnets on the refrigerator. “Ah, here’s a pizza place,” she says, picking one out.
While she’s ordering pizza, I get a call. I’m so tired, but I manage to pick up, thinking it’s the police following up. It isn’t. It’s someone who I haven’t expected to get a call. Astor.
“Summer?” Astor’s voice is soft, gentle, but urgent at the same time. “It’s me, Astor.”
“Hi,” I say.
“Summer, I heard about what happened to you and the Academy.”
“How?” I ask. “I mean you must be so busy wrapping up for the break that you won’t have time…”
“It’s important enough for me to know,” Astor says. “Summer, I’m so sorry if whatever I did brought this onto you.”
“It’s not your fault,” I say. “It’s just all that stuff you have to deal with, and if I’m with you, that comes with the territory.”
“I know,” Astor says, and there’s pain in his voice. Pain and longing. “Summer. I wish this isn’t happening, especially to you. I’d die if anything bad ever happens to you because of me. I mean it. You mean so much to me. You have no idea how much it hurt when you said it was over between us, on your birthday. I’m sorry I mentioned you on television. I wasn’t even thinking. It just came out because that’s all I’ve been thinking of. You. And wanting to be with you.” There’s silence for a while and I can hear Astor breathing hard.
I don’t know if he’s crying or hyperventilating, but it has me concerned. “Astor? Are you okay?”
“Summer,” he sounds like he’s crying now. “Please give me another chance. I want to see you so bad. I flew in as soon as I could. I have to see you.to make sure you’re okay. Please.”
I swallow hard. I want to say ‘yes’. I want to make him feel better again, to take away his pain, but I’m not so sure if it’s a good thing. “You’re here? In Malibu?”
“Yes, and the filming’s almost over. Just one more week after this break, and we’re done. I’ll be home for a while. I can be with you, hang with you, help out with the Academy, just to be with you. Please. Give me another chance.”
“I don’t know if I should, Astor, I’m going through a lot, and our relationship, your life complicates things.”
There’s a groan at the end of the phone. “Summer! I’m begging you. I won’t if I don’t think we can work this out. At least meet me, I have a present for you, and I want to see you to give you the present. I’ve kept it for so long.”
“Astor,” I say. “I don’t want presents from you if you have expectations…”
“I don’t, Summer. I give you stuff because I want to, and because I’m thinking of you when I bought it. It makes me happy, and making you happy makes me feel good.”
“Astor,” I say, “You’re so sweet and perfect.”
“No, I’m not, Summer. I’m not perfect. That’s why I need you. I want you. If you can see pass me as an actor, as some famous person, you’d see I have flaws just like everyone else. Maybe even bigger ones.”
I hesitate for a second. “Rachel’s ordering pizza. We don’t have a car, I can’t meet you until I can find a ride,” I say.
“I’ll come pick you up. I want to,” Astor says.
“Okay,” I smile into the phone. Astor’s so charming, and tries so hard to please me, I can’t not see him again.
Turns out he’s right around the corner, at his parents’. He had flown back immediately after that interview on television, and had gone to his parents’ house in Malibu first, before making that call to me.
“Hi,” he says, when I open the door. He’s standing there in a white t-shirt that’s thin enough to show off his muscles, and dark brown cargo pants and sneakers. He’s worked out and buffed up more since I last saw him that now he’s no longer that thin good-looking teen actor on the television show, but a hot hunk of a guy in that blockbuster movie franchise. Looks like after Aunt Sookie’s death, he’s grown up, too, taking on more mature roles.
Rachel sneaks a peek as she’s walking by with a pizza and a coke in hand. The pizza boy beat Astor first to our house. Rachel does a double take and says, “wow,” before she heads to the kitchen.
“Summer,” Astor says, looking me up and down. I’m glad I changed out of the sweater and jeans that I was wearing while I was with Rachel at the Academy. I’m wearing a soft black lace on nude lining blouse and wearing black skinny jeans that tapers into spiky boots. “Wow,” he says. My hair is down around my face in soft waves, and I have some makeup on. Bold black eyeliner with dramatic lashes, and soft pink lips. Astor leans in and kisses me softly on my lips. It’s unexpected, and I’m surprised at first. He pulls back and cups my jaw with his hand, his thumb caressing my cheeks. He leans in again and kisses me more passionately this time, and when I kiss back, instinctively remembering how his mouth melds with mine, his tongue touches the inner corner of my mouth ever so softly running along the edges opening my mouth wider, until I’m about to moan.
“I miss this,” he says, pulling back, and placing his hands on the curve of my back, around my hips. He peeks inside the house and sees Rachel eating at the kitchen table, her hands busy texting. “Can we go somewhere where we can talk privately? I mean I like Rachel and all, but I really want to be alone with you.”
“Okay,” I say, feeling warm and fuzzy in his arms. “I’ll let Rachel know we’re heading out.”
Astor smiles into my face before kissing me again. “This is my real kiss, not my acting kiss, Summer,” he says. “I miss real kissing my girl. Miss being able to use my tongue on you to bring you pleasure.”
“Astor?” I blush into his kiss. “Why are you so sexy now?”
“Maybe I’ve always been, Summer, but you’re too much in love with Nat or Drew to see what I am,” he says that a little angrily.
“Astor…”
“Sorry,” he pulls back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. It just came out. I’m feeling so insecure around you, Summer. No one else makes me feel this way. I thought I was on top of the world when I got this lead in one of the biggest films this year, but when you broke up with me, I couldn’t care less that I was in this film. I just wanted to go home and be with you, to show you how much you mean to me.”
A car whizz by, and I realize we’re having this conversation on the doorway of my house. “Where did you want to go to talk?” I ask.
“I’d love to go to my place so we can be alone, completely, but I know you’re not expecting that right now.”
“Do you want to take a walk on the beach with me?” I ask.
Astor looks down at his clothes and says, “I’m not exactly dressed for that.” He touches the collar of my blouse and says, “Neither are you. You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I say. “You’re not looking so bad yourself.”
Astor smiles. “I don’t want to waste any more time on deciding where to go. I want to spend as much time with you as I can. You’re too dressed up to have that go to waste. Come out with me to one my favorite restaurants. Then afterwards, we can go anywhere you’d like.”
I grab my coat, and he puts it on me, touching me slightly as he does so, sending shivers through me. It’s one thing to break up with Astor over the phone, but seeing him in person is another thing, and having him kiss me like that or touch me like this, makes me forget the reasons why I had broken up with him.
We head to his silver Audi, and I get in, while he shuts the passenger door. He is perfect, I admit, and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s what we all want, isn’t it? He smiles over as he turns on the engine, taking his hand to run it seductively up and down my thigh. “Before we forget, I brought you your birthday present,” he says, a little sad. “I was going to give it to you in person, but…” he swallows. I can see that he really was heartbroken when we broke up. “I hope you like it. I bought it a while back when I saw i
t and it reminded me of you.”
I take the little box in my hands and begin unwrapping it. When the bow came off, and a jewelry box appeared, I got a little nervous. Whatever it will be, it will be too much.
I hesitate, and Astor sighs. “Not this again. Summer, please open this gift I have for you. No, it’s not too much, and no, I don’t expect anything back from you for it.”
“Okay,” I open the jewelry box, and inside is a ticket stub. “Admissions One” it says.
I look expectantly at Astor. “What is it?”
“This is an Admissions Ticket to a special theater,” Astor says. “I had to pull some strings for this, but I did it. It’s to the vault of one of the studios where they have old footages and archived films. Apparently, your Aunt Sookie had several films that weren’t released by the studios. They’re good, too. I’ve seen some of them, but because of timing, conflict with other films they had releasing or something political like that, her films didn’t get released, but sat in the vault for a long time. You know how I love old films and television shows. There are some real talent in them. I pushed for some of the films to be made available on dvd or at least digital. I’ve even managed to set aside some of my earnings from this film to become partner with a company archiving this. I want the public to be able to see some of the talents and films that never made it to the screen, Summer. There are so many of them, including Aunt Sookie’s. And this, this ticket stub, is for you to go view the first of these we’re digitizing, for the screen. It’s a way to see how talented your aunt really was. She told me about some of her films and how they never made it for release, and it made me curious enough to look for them. So here we are.”
I’m speechless. I don’t even know how to react. I feel so bad for breaking up with Astor and for resisting him, when here he is, doing so much for Aunt Sookie’s memory, and even starting a company to reflect that, that I’m torn with mixed feelings.
