Every Pearl Has Its Oyster

by India Lee

  “I’m good on my own,” she said.

  “I can see that,” Damian nodded, impressed. He handed her the sandals and her clutch with a smile.

  “Thank you,” she took the shoes and slipped them on, grabbing her clutch in the other hand. “I should go now. Even if Andro and Mike are distracted, Tyler’s going to notice soon that I’m gone.”

  “Wait,” Damian said. He unbuttoned his shirt, slipping it from his arms and holding it up to Gemma. She looked down at him, standing in a wifebeater and slacks. “You’re going to be cold later.”

  “And you’re going to be underdressed,” Gemma replied, pushing the shirt back towards him.

  “You don’t have to take it,” Damian laughed. He tossed the shirt out the window and on the grass beside her. “But I’m going to leave it there. And if you realize it’s cold while waiting for the car, then it’s here for you.”

  ~

  Gemma wasn’t sure where to go. She hadn’t thought it through. She drove in circles, panicking every time she thought she saw Andro’s car until she finally decided to break the circles and drive out of Beverly Hills altogether. Clearly, she couldn’t just go home. She’d have to face Tyler and she wasn’t ready for that. Gemma wondered why she had given up her own home at all until she remembered that Elizabeth’s presence had tainted it. This has been quite the year, she thought bitterly. And yet, it wasn’t over. Gemma could still make a mark for herself so the year didn’t have to end only being about crazy stalkers and intrusive media, overbearing security and career ends, fierce arguments and failed proposals.

  In the glove compartment, Gemma found the paperwork for the car. Return to Our Location at Airport Boulevard. She would do just that.

  Chapter 13

  She wondered only for a moment where she would go as she rummaged through her clutch, looking for a credit card to pay for whatever ticket it was she was going to buy. Gemma was careful to use one that wasn’t connected to anyone else – she had learned her lesson the last time. But as she filed through the contents, she saw that she hadn’t put away her passport from her trip to Belize and at that moment, there was simply no question of where she’d be going.

  The decision was sudden and very much a commitment, at least for the next forty-eight hours. Between the layover and well, the distance, flying there alone would take nearly twenty. The thought finally hit Gemma as the flight attendant came around, making the announcement that phones had to be turned off soon. But Gemma’s phone had been off since she left The Vicente Oak and was about to be unreachable for another eleven hours. She quickly turned it on, finding a plethora of missed calls and texts. She ignored all of them, opening new messages to send out a couple quick texts.

  Zoe and Harper – Sorry I didn’t say bye, girls. Had to run, will explain later.

  Damian – I returned the car to the rental place, picked up the bill for you. Thank you and you’re welcome.

  And finally, to Tyler. I just really need some time to myself to think. Please don’t worry. I’ll be home soon.

  Now, off the plane with her feet on the ground, Gemma was facing another sudden decision. It was one that was just as much of a commitment as the flight itself. As Gemma leaned against the rocks, she looked down at her Thierry Marc gown. The once pristine, perfectly pressed white silk was now covered in grass and dirt. It was rumpled and ripped, still boasting the tear that Damian had put in it so she could move better. On the side without the tear, the lace pocket still sat intact though it was sagging quite a bit. It was then that Gemma realized she had left her phone in there. Oh well, Gemma thought. Can’t go back now. She looked over at the young tourists she had hitched a ride with to the cliff. Gemma had chosen them when she landed in Dubrovnik because they looked athletic and were carrying backpacking gear and speaking English. She introduced herself as Gemma, looking for any glint of recognition in the pair’s eyes. There was none. They introduced themselves as Rip and Kerri and without a thought, Gemma quickly explained exactly what she wanted to do. To her pleasure, the tourists were a duo of experienced thrill-seekers and were more than happy to join Gemma in her venture.

  Armed with a heavily bookmarked guidebook of Croatia, they drove her straight from the airport to a cliff Gemma chose from the book. The picture showed sparkling turquoise waters and varying cliff heights. Gemma figured she could decide how high she could handle when she got there.

  They clapped and cheered as she stood on the rock, the hem of her gown gathered in one hand. The water seemed much farther away as she looked down from the edge. Where she stood with Rip and Kerri just moments before, it seemed manageable and possibly even the safest choice since it was fairly clear of rocks below. She didn’t quite feel the same now that she was up there. A bit of a crowd had gathered. No one seemed to acknowledge that they knew who she was. Gemma assumed she had their attention because she was now the crazy girl jumping off a cliff in her already stained, expensive-looking gown when it wasn’t even warm out. She was a spectacle to them, something she was used to being but not quite to this degree. Like the media and the public, the crowd that had gathered was hoping to see something different and new. But just like with everything, Gemma had no doubt there was a percentage of them that were wondering if, maybe even rooting for her to fail.

  She wasn’t going to turn back now. It was probably more dangerous to make the walk back down than to just jump into the water and get it over with. The afternoon sun was enough to support her through the slight chill she felt while preparing herself, even though she knew the water below would be that much colder. Gemma’s noticed that her breathing was steadier than it had been in weeks and she let out a quick laugh at the ridiculous thought. Cheers came once again from Rip and Kerri and the rest of the crowd.

  Gemma looked out at the horizon. She allowed herself to wonder what everyone at home was thinking. Damian probably had no idea just how serious she was about the jump, but then again she didn’t have any idea either. Andro and Mike were probably pretty angry at being duped but probably still happy to have had such a long conversation with Aubrey. Zoe and Harper were probably waiting patiently for her to return and explain, dutifully ignoring calls from Tyler.

  Tyler.

  Gemma closed her eyes and inhaled. She cleared her mind of all her worries. She thought of nothing but the water beneath her and the flight she would take in between. With that, Gemma jumped, feeling the air rush around her as she descended. The time before she hit the water felt luxuriously drawn out. She felt her dress float around her like the silks she had hung from for the shoot. Except this time, they weren’t holding her back.

  Just as she felt ready to return to the real world, Gemma hit the water. The icy sensation woke her up, shooting her back to a full consciousness. With a ripping gasp, she rose to the surface where she was met in every direction with cheers and applause. Gemma pushed the wet hair from her eyes, gazing up at the strangers watching her. There was relief on their faces. They were impressed by her feat but they also just seemed happy to see she was okay. The cold water felt like needles as she swam to them but it was nothing compared to everything she felt right before the jump.

  Gemma smiled, feeling the once binding fabric of her gown float freely around her as she kicked through the water. She hadn’t known when she was up there, but the jump was everything she needed. For once, she wanted a little uncertainty in her life – to not know where she’d be next. Gemma wasn’t sure if she’d make the jump once she got to the cliff, but she knew she had to give herself the chance to see if she could. She had run away in a moment of weakness, but at that moment, she felt nothing but strength.

  QUEEN BEE’S ABSOLUTELY INSANE ADVENTURE!

  The Pop Source

  November 12th

  Sometimes, you just gotta take a break and jump off a 40-ft. cliff into the Mediterranean Sea – according to Queen Bee, that is!

  Just yesterday, Bee returned to Los Angeles from a two-day, solo trip to Croatia that reportedly no one knew ab
out – not even her handlers! Though there were reported sightings of a woman who looked like Bee roaming around LAX, the rumors were quickly squelched when contradicting reports placed her at Thierry Marc’s Wanderlust event. Unbelievably, no one even caught wind of Bee’s plans until video of her 40-ft. jump from a cliff hit the Internet!

  It seemed the jump was all Bee was interested in, as she promptly returned home afterwards. Having caught wind of her whereabouts, a wild crowd of fans rushed Bee when she touched down at LAX. Though the mob situation appeared chaotic, Bee casually weaved her way through it, even signing a few autographs before hopping into a cab back to the Hollywood Hills!

  Gemma got back to Los Angeles fully ready to talk about anything Tyler wanted to talk about. She could talk about her past for once, answer any questions he wanted to know. She could even talk about her future, her career, maybe meet with that music producer with that new record label. Gemma didn’t know the answers to many of those questions, but for once, she was fine with the idea of talking it all out, laying it all out there. She could and would talk about anything Tyler wanted to talk about, but much to her surprise, Tyler didn’t want to talk about anything at all. He was silent when she first stepped in, not even lifting his head to see that it was her walking in. He didn’t ask how she was, what had happened, why she had left in the first place.

  She couldn’t quite blame him. Gemma knew what she did was somewhat out of line and that Tyler was probably worried despite her request for him not to be. But she had felt backed up against a wall, repeating herself over and over with no desire for understanding on his end. He had become single-minded in his love for her, seeing only what he felt were his duties to her and not what Gemma truly needed. But her frustration had also been a source of guilt. If nothing else, Gemma understood that Tyler did everything he did out of love for her.

  “Hey,” Gemma said, not knowing what else to say. She was wearing a black sweatshirt and a pair of leggings that Kerri had given her after the jump. The Thierry Marc gown was balled up in the kangaroo pocket of her sweatshirt along with her clutch and now totally dead phone.

  “Had fun?” Tyler asked, finally glancing up at her. His face softened to a quick smile before dropping again.

  “Um, you know,” Gemma shook her head. She felt as if those two simple words were some kind of test. “I broke my phone. I’m going to need a new one.”

  “I’ll drive you,” Tyler said, standing up and grabbing the keys that had already been sitting beside him.

  “Where’s Mike?” Gemma said as she opened the front door. “And Andro?”

  “Mike got the day off. Andro’s been let go.”

  “Oh,” Gemma replied, simply as she followed Tyler into his car. She almost felt kind of bad about Andro but she wasn’t sure why. Gemma wasn’t sure what she was expecting but she knew that this wasn’t quite how she had envisioned her return home. Tyler didn’t seem angry at her, a scenario she was prepared for, nor did was he completely ignoring her. Not knowing what more to say, Gemma leaned back in the passenger seat, gazing out the window as they pulled onto the main streets.

  “So how’d you break your phone?” Tyler asked. Gemma took the phone out of her pocket, looking at the black screen.

  “I dropped it in the water,” Gemma said. Tyler nodded as he made a turn.

  “In the men’s restroom at The Vicente Oak? Or cliff-diving in Croatia?” Gemma looked over at Tyler who seemed emotionless behind his shades. She was wondering just how much Andro and Mike had put together and what information they had passed on.

  “Tyler, I just needed some air. I needed some space from those two.”

  “Those two?” Tyler scoffed. “Or me?” Gemma stayed silent for a moment, wondering what her answer was. It proved to be a mistake. Tyler bit his lip, his face reddening in anger.

  “Tyler, please,” Gemma begged. “I was so happy to see you just now and I’m really sad that I made you sad, that’s not what I meant to do. I just needed a moment to think and I couldn’t seem to get that so I just left and I know that was wrong. Please, Tyler. Please try to understand.”

  “Are you going to see Damian tonight?” Tyler asked. Gemma furrowed her brows, staring at him with confusion.

  “What?” Gemma shook her head. “Why would I do that? Why are you asking this?”

  “He’s still in town,” Tyler shrugged. “Playing The Clippers. So are you going to see him?”

  “Why would I go see him, Tyler?” Gemma yelled. “Why are you trying to start something when all I want is to talk? Like you’ve always wanted.”

  “Mike told me what he did,” Tyler continued, his voice eerily calm. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he waited at a red light. “Using his date to distract them while he helped you out through a window in the men’s bathroom. They said he came out of the bathroom by himself, without a shirt on.” Tyler laughed, bitterly.

  “Fine, yes,” Gemma said. “He helped me get out. But it wasn’t planned! I just ran into him in the vanity room.”

  “Oh, right,” Tyler sneered. “Every time you see him is totally unplanned. Right, that’s believable. And what the hell was he doing without a fucking shirt? What was he trying?”

  “Nothing.” Gemma glared at Tyler, her heart pounding in anger. Tyler continued to drive, not bothering to look over at Gemma. She sighed, looking forward again to see they were passing Staples Center. It was only then that she realized they were downtown. “What’re we doing?” she asked as Tyler pulled in front of a hotel entryway. Gemma knew it was where the away team stayed when playing a Los Angeles team. “Tyler, what are you doing?” Gemma panicked, wanting to text Damian a warning despite being unable to. The valet came around and opened Gemma’s door. She looked over at Tyler who was already getting out and handing over his keys.

  She followed suit, not wanting to make a scene. Tyler strode into the lobby and past the front desk. Gemma continued to follow, looking anxiously around her for paparazzi. They stepped into the elevator. Tyler pressed a button without hesitation.

  “How do you know where he’s staying?” Gemma asked.

  “He knows I’m coming,” Tyler shrugged.

  “Why?” Gemma studied Tyler’s nonchalance with confusion. “You were already planning on meeting him? Before you knew when I was coming home?” When the elevator door opened, Tyler sprinted out to the end of the hall, pounding on the door he was looking for. Damian opened the door just in time to see Gemma coming up behind Tyler.

  “You’re back.” He narrowed his eyes at her, giving her a quick smile before turning back to Tyler. “I thought it was just going to be you and me?” he asked. Tyler shoved Damian into the room, pushing the door closed behind him. Gemma gasped, putting her hands up to stop the door from closing completely. She pushed it open, running in after them.

  “Tyler, stop!” Gemma yelled. Tyler shoved Damian again, backing him into the room.

  “C’mon,” Damian said, trying to hold his ground. “You said you wanted to talk, so let’s talk.”

  “No, I said I wanted to settle this.” Tyler gritted his teeth before pulling his arm back and throwing it into Damian’s jaw. Gemma screamed as Damian fell to the ground. Instinctively, she ran to see if he was okay. Tyler stepped in front of her, blocking her path. She could see the corner of his lip bleeding. Damian pushed himself back up to a sitting position, glaring up at Tyler.

  “Let’s not do this,” Damian said as he rubbed his jaw. Gemma watched, wide-eyed and in shock. Damian wasn’t the violent type but she knew what he was capable of. She had seen what he did to Matt in high school, when Matt had called Gemma a whore. She didn’t want to see what he could do to Tyler.

  “Tyler,” Gemma said, hugging him from behind. She ran a soothing hand down his chest. “Tyler, please. Let’s just go home.” Damian stayed on the ground. He looked as if he was using all his energy to suppress his anger and keep himself there. Gemma waited for any sign of Tyler to relent. She closed her eyes, pressing her li
ps into his shoulders. She was using everything she knew to calm him. “C’mon, babe. Take me home?” Her eyes fluttered open to see Tyler turned to her. She tilted her head, nuzzling her face into body. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Damian looking away.

  Tyler turned around, putting his hands on her waist and leading her out. Gemma sighed, relieved as she went to open the door. Just as her hand touched the doorknob, Tyler let go of her. She turned to see Damian back on his feet and Tyler running towards him again. This time, Damian was ready. He held up his forearms, blocking a blow to the stomach. Tyler drew his fists back, swinging again at Damian’s face. Damian dodged it, sending Tyler plummeting to the floor.

  “What are you trying to do?” Damian seethed, standing above Tyler.

  “You deserve to get the crap beaten out of you,” Tyler laughed, getting back on his feet. “For messing with my girl. I should have never trusted you.”

  “If you want an apology, I’ll give it to you,” Damian said, putting both hands up in front of him to show he didn’t want to fight. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have deceived Andro and Mike like that.”

  “And?” Tyler challenged. “Do you want to keep going?” Damian looked quickly at Gemma before returning his focus to Tyler.

  “No,” he replied. “I’m done.”

  Tyler balled his hands up, but instead of throwing a punch, he threw his entire body into Damian’s, pinning him to the ground. With Damian immobilized, Tyler smiled before letting his fist fly into Damian’s face.

  “No!” Gemma screamed, running to put her body on Tyler’s. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, using all her strength to pull him from Damian. She could hear knocks at the door and voices on the other side.

  “Damian!” someone yelled. “What’s goin’ on in there?” Gemma gasped. It had briefly slipped her mind. Damian had a game tonight. He had a team that was depending on him and if the fight went on for any longer, he might not be able to play.