Follow Me

Chapter 21

Noah

Waking up the following morning to find Chelsea with her head laid across my chest was possibly the sweetest thing I have ever woken up too. Her hair still smelt fresh from her shower last night, her arm and leg wrapped around my body making it almost impossible for me to move and I didn't want to disturb her but my need for the toilet was immense.

After carefully prizing her arm and leg away from me, it was now a case of trying to move her head without disturbing her which was a lot harder than I thought it would be.

"Good morning."

Clearly I wasn't as stealth like as I thought. I turn around as I'm stood naked in the middle of Chelsea's bedroom. "Good morning babe. Sorry for waking you."

She rubs her tired eyes. "I've been woken up to worse views than this babe, so it's perfectly fine."

I look down at my erection. "Sorry, really need the bathroom."

She giggles as I scuttle away.

Returning to the bedroom, I see her at her closet door wearing nothing but the bedsheets. "What's your plans for today, while I'm slaving away at work?"

"Oh, you're working today? Sorry, I didn't realise."

She huffs. "Unless you have something better planned for us? I can always phone in sick."

"I wouldn't expect you to phone in sick for me. How about I take you out for dinner tonight, after work?"

Chelsea smiles towards me. "You have yourself a date, Mr."

"I'll leave you to get ready for work." I say as I start to dress myself in the suit from the funeral.

"You can stay if you like? I don't start for another hour."

I shake my head. "No, it's fine. You need to shower and get ready. I'll only drag you back into bed again and make you late."

"And that's a bad thing?" She responds as she walks over to me and plants a soft kiss on my lips.

"Well, no. But I don't want you getting in trouble at work so I'm going to go. I have a few things I need to do anyway."

"The life of a celebrity. Non stop, isn't it?"

"Yeah, something like that." I reply as I kiss her on the lips once more. "I'll see myself out."

"Okay. Text me."

I hold my hand up in acknowledgement as I walk out of the bedroom and towards her front door to leave.

I needed to get out of there, my head was still all over the place. I felt guilty for leaving Alice so quickly last night. I don't want her to feel like I rejected her advances which in fairness, I had. But I couldn't jeopardise what I have with Chelsea so soon just for a bit of fun with Alice. Chelsea deserves better than that.

My phone vibrates as soon as I leave the apartment. I pull it out of my pocket to see a message from Chelsea. Not a bit too soon? I've only just left. I decide to turn my phone onto silent mode and put it away back into my pocket and not open it. We're not there just yet.

~~~

After a much needed shower, I sit down on my sofa with a coffee. Still unsure of what to do with my day. I pull my phone out from my trouser pocket which had been discarded to the floor as I stepped into the shower.

10 missed calls
7 messages

Chelsea, Emma and Alice. What was going on?

I opened up the messages from Emma.

What's going on? Have you seen the article?'

'Ethan, call me when you get this please.'

'Ethan!'

The messages were all pretty similar from Alice and Chelsea too. All mentioning this article. I pull up Emma's number and call her.

"Morning Em. What's all the panic?"

"You haven't seen it yet?"

"Seen what?" I ask, the tone in my voice becoming irritable.

"I'll send you the link."

My phone dings. "Hold on." I say as I click on the link she sent.

'Disrespectful influencer caught mingling with fans at friends funeral'

"What the fuck?!" I exclaim. "What's this all about?"

I can hear Emma sigh. "You tell me, Ethan. What the fuck were you playing at?"

"What do you mean what was I playing at? I was telling them to be respectful as they were all screaming my name. I wasn't mingling with them. Do you really think that low of me?"

"I don't know what I think, Ethan. Just get to my office and let's sort this out. We need to get a statement sent out ASAP. So get here quick. The longer we leave this, the worse it's going to get." With that she hangs up.

"What the fuck?" I mumble to myself as I continue to read the article which contains a photo taken of me from within the crowd, smiling.

There is also a link to a video which has been posted which again shows me smiling as I walk towards them with them shouting my name. I shake my head as I watch, the video cuts out before anyone can see me pleading with them to keep the noise down and show some respect.

My head is now spinning at a hundred miles per hour as I rewatch the video over and over. Why would someone do this to me?

Halfway through another play of the video my phone begins to ring once more.

"Hi Chelsea, sorry my phone has been on silent and I didn't realise."

"Don't worry. Are you okay? I've been worried about you. Have you..."

"Yes, I've seen it. I don't understand, I didn't go over there to mingle and please them. I went over to ask them to keep the noise down and show some respect. Why would someone portray me like this?"

"Did you see anyone with their phone out?"

"Everyone has their phone out, Chelsea. To be honest, even if just one person had their phone out, I wouldn't have taken any notice. It's normal."

"I guess. What are you going to do?"

"I'll have to go and see my agent and get a statement out as soon as I can. I need this bad press to stop before it rolls into something much bigger."

"Do what you have to do. I'm here if you need me."

"Thank you. I'll speak to you later." I hang up before she responds. I stand up and grab my coat, I need to go and see Emma now. Clear my name.

As I walk out to the street, I feel my phone vibrate once more. Alice had sent a message.

'So you're just going to completely ignore me now are you? Nice one Noah!'

My shoulders and arms fall limp as I look to the heavens. It feels like my world is crashing down around me and there's nothing I can do to stop it.

***

Oh dear! Is Noah's life beginning falling apart around him?