chapter two: questions

The morning after the award show, the chaotic atmosphere melted away to leave a calm and serene mood in the air. Waking up beside Alex in my apartment, I don't think I've felt that relaxed in months. As we slowly woke up together, I felt grateful for finally getting one morning where I've not woke up alone or by a phone call.

Eventually making our way out of bed, I started making pancakes - my stomach rumbling in protest about my lack of food.

"You're so dramatic." Alex laughs, throwing her head to let out a giggle.

Sitting on a bar stool in the morning sun, she looks positively sleepy. Dressed in a white crop top and black shorts, she looks adorably innocent as she send me a small smile, recovering from her outburst of laughter. Gripping a glass of orange juice, she shakes her head in dismissal of my claim.

"It's true - that was the best pancake flip you've ever seen!" I exclaim, placing the frying pan back on the heat, letting the batter sizzle quietly.

The sweet smell fills the air as my body moves, collecting toppings for the pancakes. Loose shorts hang off my hips, but my chest remains daringly bare as the pan splutters in front of me. Careful to not get any hot batter onto me, I pull my body away slightly as I grab the pan to flip them for the second time.

"Look, look." I urge before flipping the pancake in a mediocre fashion. It's not as good as my claim, but seeing her light up makes me want to continue. "That was amazing."

"Sure, whatever you say." She finally agrees, rolling her eyes.

Standing up, she walks around the counter and wraps her arm round my torso. Her body is warm as she lays a quick kiss on my shoulder blade. Unraveling her arms, she come to stand beside me.

"These look great, can we eat yet? I feel like I'm decaying away over here with hunger." She whines, grabbing the syrup from beside me and then returning to her seat.

Cooking the last pancake, I take it off the pan. Grabbing our two plates that are now filled, I place one stack in front of Alex and take a seat beside her - my own plate in front of me and after we both place an inhuman amount of syrup on them, we dig in.

"I don't know why you attempt to make savory dishes. Just make me pancakes all the time and I'll be happy." Alex quips, turning round to smile at me.

"Sure, date me for the food then." I scoff jokingly, before reaching over the table to grab her hand and squeeze it in reassurance.

After our breakfast, we quickly get ready. Showers are taken, clothes are chosen and bags are packed. Eventually getting ready into my dark blue shirt and black jeans, (as instructed by management) I'm ready to go. Walking to my front door, I see Alex waiting there for me, a pout on her face.

Wrapping an arm round her waist, I ask, "What's wrong?"

"I hate press days." She frowns, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"I know, but we have to do them. Plus, it means we get to watch Noah get really pissed off over some reporters." I laugh, trying to brighten her mood.

It's true, though, Noah gets easily agitated with reporters. His temper is quick and as soon as they ask a rude question, Noah usually walks out of the room before they can utter a word of apology.

"You're right. Plus, we get a day off in two days." She sighs, leaning forward to rest her head on my shoulder.

Ducking my head down, I lay a kiss on the top of her head before squeezing her waist lightly with my arms - motioning to her that we should go.

Making our way downstairs, we head into the underground car park I have under my building. Alex usually leaves the back entrance as I leave the front - my exit usually distracts the paparazzi and means that we don't get caught.

Although, I still feel a sense of dread in my stomach whenever we do this - terrified of the day we get caught out.

"I'll see you later." Alex says, giving me one last peck before walking off to her car.

Keeping my eyes trained on the top of her head, and not any lower down for the sake of my concentration today, I watch until she gets into her car before I get into my own.

Mr Walden sits ready and I quickly motion for him to go. Taking off, the streets of Brooklyn surround me as we drive out of my street and start heading towards New York. The traffic only seem to get busier as we arrive at the building where all of our interviews are going to be held.

Quickly walking into the building, I'm dragged through for some last minute hair and make-up before being thrown onto a stage so they can get on with the next person.

Lights surround me, dangling above the set to light up the spotless oak table in the middle. A seat for the interviewer sits ready as well as eight additional ones - all for the cast of Queries which includes me. Some cast members are already there, so after a quick hello, I sit down and get ready for the interview.

People stream in quickly and before I know it, the cameras are rolling. Mindful of the fact that this is all being recorded, I sit up straighter as my heart thrums in anticipation for the interviewers questions.

Giving a quick intro and background to the show, she quickly jumps into the personal questions, aka the ones dedicated to getting a sliver of drama so that they can turn it into a headline. Like the world of showbiz, the the cycle is repetitive and I know what to expect. But when the interviewer suddenly faces Alex, who is three seats away, I tense up.

"So, Alex, I do believe the world are dying to know who has made your year!" She, the interviewer, exclaims in her high pitched voice.

My body goes rigid as adrenaline pumps through me, knowing that she'll hate that question. With no other option but to sit and wait it out, I'm immediately reminded of why I hate interviews so much. They're too personal, too close and too nosy. We live a character's life on screen with no questions asked, but apparently wanting a separate life away from cameras is just too much to ask for tabloids.

"Em,"Alex hums, her fingers fiddling as she comes up with an answer - she's unprepared for this question but so is everyone else, this was supposed to be an interview just about Queries. "The person knows who they are and that's all that matters. I don't think anyone else needs to know, as long as they do."

That's my girl.

"So, no chance you're going to say it?" The interviewer questions again, desperation dripping off of her every word as she digs for something to write about.

Noah, beside me, tenses up as if on command and I shoot him a glare in the attempts to calm him down. It clearly works as his body deflates beside my own, a mood of frustration encasing him.

"No, sorry." Alex smiles sweetly at the reporter, but her eyes scream in frustration.

"That's fine. Moving on, how about we ask the most eligible bachelor of America. Anyone special in your life?" The interviewer asks, swiveling around in her chair round to look at me.

Oh joy.

Taking the compliment with a quiet, small laugh, I shake my head in denial. But the words I need to utter next are the fakest I've ever said. Ripping me apart in a way that makes me want to go over and kiss Alex in front of these cameras, I say my next words in a strained tone. "Not at the moment."

Four words and they've eliminated my confidence for today. My confidence that I can get through today with our getting a question on my relationship status. The interviewer sends me a confused look, but I merely shrug in response. Letting my body slump in relief once the interviewer turns back around, I shut my eyes in frustration.

As if almost sensing a camera, I open them in time and sit up before the camera can catch any of it. Knowing I have to keep it together, I sit through the next four interviews with my patience on thin ice. Once we're finally allowed a break, I text Alex to meet me in a quiet room I spotted downstairs earlier.

Reaching it myself, I push down on the steel door handle that lets me into a dark room. Obviously used for storing props and other miscellaneous items, there's boxes against one wall with a few dotted around the place. The silence seems deafening after the noise from today, but I let out a sigh of relief - feeling blissful joy at being able to finally hear my own thoughts.

I'm beyond relieved that she's coming. Seeing her in front of everyone is hard, as it always is. The want to take her into my arms and kiss her in front of everyone is beyond frustrating and resisting it is almost impossible. Knowing that she's coming right now is like someone in pain waiting for morphine - I'm eager and selfish; she is the only thing I want and the only thing I need.

The silence is quickly broken by the sound of the door handle. My heart pound in fear of it being a crew member, but relief floods through me as I realise it's just Alex. Not wasting a second, I walk straight up to her and wrap my arm around her waist to get her as close to me as possible.

Not giving her a chance to speak, I crash my lips down onto hers, pouring my frustration and relief into the kiss. Heat pours through me as she automatically responds, bringing her arms to my biceps to stretch up higher. Eventually, running out of air, I break our lips apart to rest my forehead against her own - my breath labored as her eyes open to meet mine, which I can only imagine look stressed.

"That was awful. I nearly screamed at the first interviewer." I say, referring to the woman who obviously didn't know when to give up.

Alex lets out a quiet laugh, moving her face away but staying in my arms - not that I would give her an option to move away, anyway. "I know, what a bitch. I would've supported you if you started screaming at her."

I laugh with her, knowing she would. Shaking my head, I let out a quiet sigh in defeat. "At least we've only got one more to go."

"And then a radio interview." 

"Damn, why did you have to burst my bubble?" I ask, acting annoyed. But my facade is quickly broken when she beams at me, obviously seeing right through my cover.

"Sorry." She whispers, before leaning up to kiss me once more.

Making if a lot more gentle than the last time, I'm beyond frustrated when her phone chimes in her back pocket. Leaning down,I rest my forehead against her shoulder as she reaches to grab her phone out of her back pocket.

Frowning at the screen, her eyes flicker up to mine to explain. "That was Isadora, she says we're starting again in two minutes."

"Okay," I let out a sigh. "I'll text you later, yeah?"

"Of course." She says softly before flashing me a smile and making her way out of the room.

I let some time past before I leave after her, making sure our cover isn't suspicious. Although I kind of raise questions when I turn up thirty seconds before the cameras begin again, but as long as they don't suspect what actually happened, I don't care.

Thankfully, the interviewer this time is a lot more Queries focused and the rest of the day passes with less stress than the first four interviews. Saying a quick goodbye to the crew, I call Mr Walden and get a lift home.

"Good day, Sir?" He asks as we pull out of the parking lot.

"Stressful, but at least it's over." I say honestly.

"Exactly, Sir. You can only go up from here." He smiles.

I desperately pray he is right, my heart longing to reassure my brain that he is. But a sense of looming hangs over me and I know that the current peace isn't going to last for much longer.

~~~~~

The lights of Brooklyn shine bright as taxis below me beep at each other, the loud sound an indication of their sour moods that almost every single one has. My apartment is quiet behind me as I stand on my balcony, nursing a drink. The day was exhausting and after not even being able to say goodbye to Alex, I was more than relieved to get home.

A knock on my door interrupts my serene moment by myself and I go back through the apartment to answer it. When someone wants to come into my apartment, they have to go through reception which phones me in advance so I can refuse people for safety precautions. But there's an exception to this - people on the 'always list'. These are the people who can come straight up without reception phoning.

With no previous memories of a phone call, I know the person at my door has to be on the 'always' list. A glint of hope appears inside of me when I start thinking it might be Alex. But when I open the door to see Noah, looking proud of himself - the glint of hope disappears as quickly as it came.

"Damn, don't look too happy to see me." Noah scoffs, still beaming.

I hold my hands up in defence before muttering, "I know, I know. What's up."

Noah holds up two bottle of beer. "We've had a rough day."

"We? You flirted with a make-up artist all day." I laugh, letting him in as we move through to my living room.

"Okay, you've had a bad day. Doesn't mean I can't support you through these tough times." Theo smiles.

"That's very true." I point out, before taking a sip of the beer.

We lapse into a moment of silence but it's quickly broken, as usual, by Noah.

"You've really got it bad for her, don't you?" He asks, obviously referring to Alex and the longing looks I gave her all day.

Not even bothering to deny it, I shrug my shoulders. "It's scary, man. I'm legitimately whipped."

Noah lets out a laugh before admitting, "I know, I don't know how people haven't caught up on it yet."

"Don't know and don't care. They just have to stay in the dark until the contracts run out."

"Yeah, right. But anyway, I've got something planned soon - so you'll get a break from all of this."

"Really?" I ask, curious to what he's possibly planning now.

Noah nods before smiling. "Yep, don't worry about it. It'll be the break you guys deserve."

His words send a wave of gratitude through me, gratitude for him. He's stuck by me for years now and he's never faltered in supporting me. His words give me a sense of comfort. Like the sun beginning to rise, I grasp onto the sliver of light poking through the grayness of my current situation - praying it will be enough to get me through the next couple of weeks.

~~~~~
Author's Note:

Aww, I'm already liking Noah and Theo together :)

What do you guys think about them? How about this chapter? What about Alex and Theo's meet up?

But risky for them, to be honest!

The next chapter is in Alex's POV and from then on we'll alternate between her's and Theo's!

Much love,

Jade x