"I don't want to do them," I said.
Michael placed a hand on my hip, smoothing the crinkle of my skirt.
"Let's try it once, it won't be bad, we have each other," he tried to convince me.
The fear bubbling up in me was getting louder than the calmness, and mentally I needed a time out. I was scared of everything now whenever I was out and even indoors I didn't feel secure, I kept checking the locks. I wasn't comfortable appearing in public and being interviewed by so many people in the first place.
"No, Michael. My head feels like it's going to explode," I pushed off the sofa and went inside my room. The door creaked, shutting behind me.
I hoped Michael would understand and give me the time I needed. With my fingers trembling, I pressed a shaky hand to my head as the thoughts pulsed through my brain.
By now, I wasn't sure what I was doing #RoomLife for. At first I needed the money, and then I wanted to spend time with Michael but now the fame cost me my sense of sanity and safety. I unlocked my phone and pressed the dial button, sliding to a heap on the floor.
"...Marie?"
"Hi ma," I said into the phone.
"It's so wonderful to hear your voice. How is my sweet biscuit?"
I heard shuffling sounds over the phone and a low voice shouted, "Who's that!"
"I'm okay, ma. I got a new job." I lied, twisting a strand of my hair between my fingers.
"That's good to hear! What kind of-" My mom got cut off and the line went silent for a second.
I waited for a few more seconds before disconnecting from the call, tears welling in my eyes.
Our calls were always brief nowadays, what with my mom living halfway across the world with her partner. I tried to blame the bad signal but in reality I knew that my mom's partner was abusive towards her. He never let us talk for long.
Looking at the ceiling, the tears ran down my face and plopped onto the floor.
A quiet knock sounded from outside my room.
"Hey, I just wanted to check in. I'm sorry if I pushed too far about doing the interviews. We shouldn't do things you're not comfortable with. But, I noticed you've been feeling a bit blue. Is there anything I can do?"
I got up and opened the door, launching into Michael's arms.
He wrapped his arms around me and held me as I cried my heart out.
Disentangling myself, I apologized, "I got snot on your cute sweater."
Michael laughed it off, "I'll take your snot any day."
That earned a smile from my lips, and I leaned in to put my head on his shoulder.
Running his hands through my hair, Michael asked, "What's going on in your thoughts?"
"I was just calling my mom...we never talk for too long now...also I'm just kind of insecure and scared about being so seen in public by others. It's just a huge jump from being able to shop in a supermarket to having to be in disguise. I should have thought about it before accepting the offer to do this show. I know it's probably in our contract to do the promotional items, and I think I can, just not this week. Anna told me there's been somebody posting mean and creepy things about me online."
Michael squished my cheeks and he said, "Ah, all this has been going on and I wasn't even sensitive to it this week. I'm sorry."
Letting go, he hugged me again.
"Well, how about I talk to Brad about the interviews. Let me handle that. And you know I would control the interwebs for you if I could, Marie." Michael greeted my forehead with his lips.
"Thank you. I don't deserve you," I whispered.
"Hey, you stole my line, and my heart," Michael smiled as he replied, pulling me closer. Our lips met as a single tear splashed down his sweater, laughter shaking my face.
--
That night as the cameras were turning back on, I received a text and signature selfie from Anna.
"Guess who's back in town!"
She posed in front of our favorite hangout bar in my university days.
"Michael, oh my god!" I poked him as we lay on my bed.
"Hm?" He lifted his dozing head from my chest.
"Anna's here!" I said like a little kid on Christmas.
"Where's she staying?" Michael looked at my screen.
"Not sure yet," I replied.
My lips turned into a frown when Anna told me she was staying at Jenny's. I remembered then that they had been talking more recently.
"Hey Michael, how long have you known Jenny?"
"Hm, since high school! That was when Brad came to my class. Why'd you ask?"
"Anna's staying with Jenny." I mentioned.
"Really?" He sat up, pulling me along with him with a sudden jerking movement.
Squealing, I placed my hands on his chest when he twisted my body around so I was straddling him.
"Well, hope they're having as much fun as us," Michael reached over, and I clutched onto him, giggling. He got a condom from his trouser pocket. Ripping the condom wrapper with his teeth, he made sure to keep his eyes locked onto mine. My thighs felt damp as I watched him, and I wiggled a bit which made him groan.
"Don't do that, baby," He grasped my waist, hands going to my thighs.
"Do, what?" I said as I grinded against his growing hardness.
"You're asking for it," Michael grunted, shifting so that we were the closest to each other.
"What if I am?" I placed my hands over his shoulders, wrapping my legs around him.
His lips claimed mine as his hands frisked over my body and mine did the same.
Outside, rain started falling as I closed my eyes, lost in Michael's embrace.
Afterwards, Michael went to the bathroom. The rain continued. The rain melded with the pavement, forming patches here and there. Fluffs sat by the window, watching the thunder and lightning, his eyes following the flashes. Fluffs reached a paw out to the transparent window, meowing as his paw touched the hard glass. Circling the window area, Fluffs meowed again.
I heard Fluffs making all the noises and I looked to where Fluffs sat.
"What's wrong Fluffs?" I asked, going to sit by Fluffs.
Fluffs nuzzled his head against me, and looked back outside.
I followed Fluff's eyesight and saw what Fluffs had been staring at.
A dark shadow hulking in the distance, an umbrella in one hand, and something sharp-looking in the other. I screamed, Michael came running, and Fluffs scrambled away, the three of us spooked for different reasons.