The knock on Zack's apartment door came far earlier than he was ready to deal with the day.
Groggy and still in his pajamas, Zack shuffled to the door, expecting a package or maybe Sam stopping by unannounced.
Instead, when he opened it, he was greeted by the blinding flash of a camera.
"Zack! Over here! How long have you and Kieran been dating?"
"Did you spend the night with him after the premiere?"
"Are you moving in together?"
Zack froze, his heart pounding as three men with cameras yelled questions at him, their lenses practically shoved into his face.
"Uh, I… what—" Zack stammered, gripping the doorframe as he tried to process what was happening.
One of the paparazzi took a step closer, snapping another photo. "Are you planning to join Kieran on his next film set? Is this a long-term relationship?"
Zack slammed the door without answering, his chest heaving.
What the hell just happened? Are they seriously camped outside my apartment now? This can't be real.
I knew this whole fake-dating thing was going to be messy, but this? I'm not cut out for this.
Zack backed away from the door, his hands shaking. He fumbled for his phone and dialed Kieran's number, his thumb trembling as he hit the call button.
Kieran answered on the second ring, his voice groggy. "Zack? Everything okay?"
"No," Zack blurted out, pacing the small space of his apartment. "There are photographers outside my door. They were taking pictures and yelling questions, and—Kieran, what am I supposed to do?"
There was a pause on the other end of the line before Kieran spoke again, his voice sharper now. "Stay inside. Don't say anything to them. I'll handle it."
"You'll handle it? How?" Zack asked, his panic rising.
"Trust me," Kieran said, already sounding like he was in motion. "I'll be there soon."
Kieran arrived within the hour, dressed in sunglasses and a baseball cap to blend in as much as possible.
He knocked on Zack's door, and when Zack opened it, he looked visibly relieved to see Kieran standing there.
"Are they still out there?" Kieran asked, stepping inside and glancing toward the window.
Zack nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah. I don't know how they even found me."
Kieran sighed, pulling out his phone. "They've got ways. Once your name gets out there, it's only a matter of time before they track down your address. I'll call Alicia and see if we can get you some privacy."
Zack stared at him, the weight of Kieran's words sinking in. "So this is just… normal for you? People camping outside your house, yelling questions?"
"Pretty much," Kieran said, giving him a small, apologetic smile. "I've gotten used to it, but I know it's a lot. I'm sorry you're dealing with this because of me."
Zack shook his head. "It's not your fault. I agreed to this, remember? I just… didn't expect it to get this crazy."
Kieran put a hand on Zack's shoulder, his touch steadying. "You don't have to deal with this alone. We're in this together, okay?"
How does he do that? How does he make it sound so simple, like everything's going to be fine?
I want to believe him. I really do. But I don't know if I'm strong enough to handle this.
Kieran spent the rest of the afternoon at Zack's apartment, coordinating with Alicia and ensuring that Zack's building security was tightened.
By the time the paparazzi dispersed, Zack felt like he could finally breathe again, though the anxiety still lingered.
"You should stay somewhere else for a while," Kieran suggested as they sat on Zack's couch, the tension in the room finally starting to ease. "Just until things die down."
"Stay where?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow. "It's not like I have a ton of options."
Kieran hesitated, then gave Zack a small smile. "You could stay at my place."
Zack blinked, caught off guard. "Your place? You mean your mansion in the Hollywood Hills or wherever it is?"
"It's not a mansion," Kieran said, laughing. "And it's not as intimidating as you're imagining. It's quiet, private. The paparazzi can't get near it."
Zack hesitated, the idea of staying with Kieran both tempting and terrifying. "I don't know…"
"It's just a suggestion," Kieran said, his tone gentle. "Think about it. You don't have to decide right now."
Stay at his place? Like, actually live with him?
This is already complicated enough. How am I supposed to keep this fake relationship from feeling real if we're sharing the same space?
But… he's right. I can't stay here if the paparazzi keep showing up.
God, what am I supposed to do?
By the time Kieran left that evening, Zack was feeling more conflicted than ever. The idea of staying with Kieran felt like crossing a line he wasn't sure he was ready for, but the alternative—dealing with the paparazzi alone—was equally unappealing.
He spent the night tossing and turning, his mind racing with possibilities.
As much as he wanted to cling to the normalcy of his old life, he knew deep down that things would never be the same.
The next morning, when Kieran's name flashed across his phone screen, Zack took a deep breath and answered.
"Hey," Zack said, his voice still groggy from lack of sleep.
"Hey," Kieran said, his tone warm. "Have you thought about my offer?"
Zack hesitated, his heart pounding. "Yeah. I… I think I'll take you up on it. Just for a little while."
Kieran's smile was audible through the phone. "Great. Pack a bag. I'll come pick you up."
Zack hung up, staring at his phone for a moment before dragging himself out of bed.
He wasn't sure what staying with Kieran would mean for their already-complicated arrangement, but one thing was certain: his life was about to get even more tangled.