Before you were famous

5: Back to reality

I can hear a faint buzz waking me up from my dream. It's my cell phone. Groggy I reach over to the bedside table grabbing it. “Hello...” I answer without looking at the screen. “Oh my god Claire I saw you with Damian at that event last night you looked gorgeous!” Lizzy excitedly screams through the speaker. I sit up in the bed looking at the handsome figure sleeping beside me. “where did you see me Lizzy?” I ask confused still half asleep. “you have been in every entertainment magazine since Damian introduced you to the world as his girlfriend two weeks ago! Are you at least enjoying your stay with your boyfriend?” She says boyfriend so strangely that I start to blush. “Yes, it's been a dream... Only we have been going to so many events I hardly get to be alone with Damian lately.” I feel guilty about saying that. I knew that I walked into his world and he has been more that accommodating to me. “Don't worry babe I know he is crazy about you and I'm sure his schedule will be clearing up soon.”

“I hope so! Anyway let me say goodbye I'll see you soon... I miss you Lizzy.”

“I miss you too Claire bear now be good and give that gorgeous man of yours a big fat kiss for me okay!” I can't help but laugh. Damian starts to stir beside me turning on to his back smiling warmly at me when he sees that I’m awake. “morning beautiful did you have a nice rest?” I lean in and give him a warm kiss. “Yes, thank you, but waking up to you next to me is the best feeling ever!” This excites Damian and he pulls me down giving me a deep kiss.

____________

“Claire come over here I have something to show!” Damian calls me from the kitchen. “I'm coming!” I quickly finish brushing my hair then head downstairs to him. “I know we have been really busy this last couple of weeks so I made a few calls. How would you like to go to my ranch this weekend, just you and me no work commitments?” I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Excited I wrapped my arms around Damian. “Oh, that sound wonderful Damian! I can't wait to see your ranch! Are there any horses?” He laughs giving me a kiss on the forehead. “Yes, there are horses. We can go riding, have a picnic by the river, basically anything you want to do we can do it. I am all yours.” I pull him in to a tighter hug. “yes, I can't wait! I'll go start packing immediately!” Damian shakes his head pulling me closer. He pulls my chin up to his and slowly starts kissing me. He deepens the kiss and my body begins to tremble. The world slowly begins to fade away around us. “I love...” Before Damian could finish his sentence his phone begins to ring. He reluctantly let's go of me and answers it. Disappointed I head to the fridge and retrieve the orange juice pouring us both a glass. “f**k! I completely forgot about the show! Jeff you need to cancel it!” I move closer to Damian curious about his conversation. “NO! I promised Claire we would go away for the weekend!” Damian looks defeated and ends the call. “We can't go away this weekend can we?” I ask disappointed. “No, I completely forgot about an interview I have tonight. I can't cancel it since it's live.”

“Is this how it's always going to be with us?” The words leave my mouth before I can even stop them. I can see Damian is hurt by my question. “I'm sorry Claire... This is my life. I can’t exactly leave on a whim and go away for the weekend I have a really tight schedule. If I had known we would reconnect I would have cancelled all my plans.” His words are laced with pain. “You asked me to come with you for the summer! You knew we only have these few weeks then I go back to school!” Damian slams his hand on the counter top hard and I jump with surprise. “Dammit Claire don't you understand that I love you! I did what I felt was right at that moment. I'm sorry I didn't think it through! These last few weeks have been everything to me! You make me feel normal again! Please can we just be together and we will sort out what happens when the summer is over then?” I hear the hope in his voice. “I don't know Damian what about when the summer is over? I go back to school and you stay here? We are never going to see each other with our schedules! What if we are only prolonging the inevitable?” Damian grabs me pulling me into his arms. 'Don't you say that! We are meant to be together and that is final I will make this work I promise you!” I nod trying very hard to believe him.

I did not go with him to his interview. I had, had enough of the paparazzi and all the reporters I just wanted to be home and relax for one night. Everything seemed to be falling apart and I couldn't help, but wonder if this was all just a mistake. No, I can't think like that he is and always has been my one and only love, but on the other side I’m only 21 do I really know what true love is?I’m so confused....

The hours seemed to drag by before Damian finally came home. He looked utterly exhausted. He joins me on the sofa. “Hi, I'm so sorry about the fight we had earlier...” I start, but he stops me. “Listen Claire, I think you should head back to College... My next few weeks are pretty filled up. I don't want you to be here all the time alone.” Damian doesn't look at me. I am mortified. “What do you mean Damian? You told me we could work this out! I don't understand!” I cry, but he still sits motionless looking out in front of him. “I'm sorry Claire it's better this way... I have booked you a flight back to Texas on Sunday. It's the earliest flight I could get,” He says matter of factly no emotion escaping from his voice. “Damian please don't do this...” I reach out and touch his shoulder, but he quickly yanks it away. “Damian look at me! What's going on?” My voice is shaking and I can barely breath the air completely sucked out of me. “I'm sorry Claire...” his voice is shaking. He gets up from the sofa and runs up to his room the door slamming hard. I sit still in total silence tears streaming down my face. I slowly take my phone typing a message to Lizzy barely being able to see through the tears. With in seconds of sending the message Lizzy phones me. “Claire what happened?” I hear her ask her voice laced with anger. “H-he just said I had to l-leave. No, explanation nothing.... Oh my god Lizzy it hurts so much! W-why did he have to find me and make me love him again! I-I hate the Fisher Family! I f*****g hate all of them!” I cry out. Lizzy stays silent listening to my cries. “Don't say you hate him Claire you're hurt now, but it will get better you will see. I know he loves you, but he's acting like a moron. Come home on Sunday and then we can spend the rest of the holiday making you feel better. This does not make you the bad person I promise. He is the worst this is the second time he is doing this s**t. f**k that he doesn't get to be forgiven a third time! Just because he is famous he does not get to treat you like s**t!” I had never heard Lizzy speak so foul mouthed before and this makes me laugh. She was right I needed to go home and lick my wounds. I wanted closure from Damian Fisher at the start of this journey and now I have gotten said closure. “What do I do until Sunday morning?” I ask Lizzy realizing that there was still the whole day ahead of me tomorrow before my flight. I wasn't really looking forward to being around him until then. “did he give you the flight information?”

I look around the room and see the ticket on a coffee table. “Yes, he left it on a coffee table.”

“Okay good go pack your things. Get a cab and go to a hotel near by. Do you still have money with you?” She asks and I quickly go through my purse luckily finding some cash still left from the holiday fund. “Yeah I think I should have enough...”

“Okay, good now go pack just leave him a note to say that you have left and then call me as soon as you get to the hotel.” I hang up the call and slowly head up to my room. I hesitate in front of Damian's room. The lights are off and there are no sounds coming from inside. He must be asleep. I say a silent good bye then head to my room.

I pack very hastily leaving all the clothing items he had bought me. I had already called the cab and it would be here any moment. I grab my stuff heading out the room pausing again in front of his room. “I'm sorry” I whisper before running down the steps. Once I'm downstairs I quickly grab a note pad and a pen:

Dear Damian,

I'm sorry that I left so suddenly. I did what I knew was right. These last few weeks have been the best days of my life. I guess we just aren't meant to be. Just know that I will miss you every day of my life and I will cherish your memory for ever. I don't blame you for sending me away. We both knew this couldn't last forever. I wish you all the happiness life can bring you.

Love

Claire

P.s I will always love you

The cab pulls in to the driveway as I finish the letter. I look up one more time to see if he would follow, but there is no sign of Damian.

I don't know how long the cab drove before we reach the hotel. I had been sobbing all the way the cab driver nervously looking back at me every now and then. Once we stop in front of the hotel he turns in his seat giving me a sympathetic smile. “I don't know why you are so heart broken young miss, but I do believe that whatever is meant to be will be. Don't dwell on the past and you will see that your heart will heal.” His words instantly warms my heart. Between sobs I thank him and head in to the hotel. A young woman at reception sees my expression and offers me a tissue. “Oh, dear take a tissue and then we can talk.” I nod and start to dry my face. “Sorry about that... Can I get a room for tonight and tomorrow night please?” I can hear my voice shake, but I try to compose myself. “Certainly let me see what we have available.” The receptionist starts to type on her computer. “Yes, here we go room 214 is available.” I pay her for the room and she hands me the key. I head to my room taking the stairs to the second floor. The hotel isn't exactly a 5 star resort, but it's all I could afford at this time. I unlock the room and walk into a small room. It has a double bed with a flower pattern duvet on it. In the corner is an old box TV. It has one window with matching flower pattern curtains. It has a small bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower. I place my luggage in the corner of the room, pulling my phone out I send Lizzy a text saying that I had arrived safely. I fall asleep with tears streaming down my face. My heart completely and utterly shattered.