The Girl Behind the Camera

Chapter 6

Since I've been hanging out with Brittany for the past few weeks, I've been doing things I never thought I would do. Like working out. I've managed to stay somewhat fit just by eating relatively healthy and staying on my feet a lot while stalking celebrities. Since I'm no longer on the prowl for the next big scandal, I've resorted to stationary running.

Running on a treadmill is not my idea of fun, but it's starting to get a little addictive. I'm beginning to see small changes in my body and I have more energy throughout the day.

She's also got me eating things like kale salad. I didn't like it at first, but it's growing on me. I have a habit of drowning everything in Ranch dressing, but apparently, that's frowned upon in the health nut world. Ranch, which practically runs through my veins, was the first thing to go in wake of this new diet of mine. Then the chocolate went and eventually the iced coffee too. While I was miserable at first, I'm starting to find this change of lifestyle rewarding. My nails look healthier, my hair is shinier and my complexion is clearer.

"So where are you guys going tonight?" Brittany asks breathlessly, running on the treadmill next to mine.

"I don't know. I told him to surprise me."

She giggles. "He's not usually the romantic type. He must really like you."

"Really? You think?" I ask, sounding a little more star struck than I want to.

She smirks at me. "It sounds like you really like him too."

I smile bashfully and if my face weren't already pink from all of the running, I'd be showing my blushing cheeks too. I've been on a few dates with Brittany's brother, Ace, and she's absolutely right. I really like him. He's funny, charming and incredibly handsome.

I step off the treadmill and grab a towel, wiping the sweat from my face. "I'm getting out of here."

Brittany stops the treadmill and begins slowing down. She steps off grinning ear to ear. "Have fun and practice safe sex."

I give her a bored look. "Just because I have a three date rule doesn't mean tonight will be the night. But...in case tonight is this night, I really need to shave." I give her a wink as I back away and she gags.

I head back to my apartment to get dressed and just as I'm putting the finishing touches on my makeup, I hear a loud crash coming from the living room. I rush in to see what happened, but I freeze in my tracks when I see Harry lying on the floor. I kneel down next to him and check to make sure he's still breathing.

"Harry?" I gently shake him and he groans. I breathe a sigh of relief. "Harry, are you okay?"

His eyes flutter open. He sits up, putting his weight on his elbows. He looks around the room in confusion. "How did I get here?"

"You fell from the sky," I say seriously.

The i***t actually looks up. "No, I don't think it was that."

I stand up and shake my head. "Why don't you take a nap. You look like shit."

I help him to his feet and into his bedroom. He sits down on the edge of the bed and takes off his shoes. "Hey, Lex?"

"Yeah?"

"When did I paint my room purple?"

I look around at Harry's bright, royal purple walls before looking back at him in confusion. "I don't know. Maybe a year ago? Do you not remember that?"

"I hate purple. Purple is the color of the Royal Family of Perth. My family has been feuding with them for years."

It's hard not to laugh at Harry's insane imagination. Although sometimes it's quite sad watching the accelerated deterioration of his mental state. He's so talented and could go so far if only he hadn't spent an entire five years of his life on an acid trip.

I pull the covers over him and turn off his light before exiting the room.

There's a knock on the front door, but Ace isn't supposed to be here for another hour. I check my reflection really quick, just in case it is him. I'm wearing a fitted black top and ripped skinny jeans, so I'm hoping he's not planning anything too fancy.

I open the door and my jaw drops.

"Alexa..." Sloan says slowly, like he knows I'm either about to slam the door in his face or kick him where the sun don't shine. "We need to talk. Please."

"I didn't sell your photos, so you've got nothing to worry about," I say before closing the door in his face.

He knocks on the door and calls out my name, but I try to ignore him. I thought he'd finally given up since I haven't heard from him in a while. He's probably been watching for his photos to turn up in some tabloid or gossip column and since they haven't, he's wondering what I'm waiting for.

"I know who gave your mom the drugs that killed her," he finally says, grabbing my attention.

I open the door and stand there, dumbfounded for a few seconds, not able to find the words to speak.

"Can I come in?" he asks.

"No. I have a date in an hour and I don't want you making yourself comfortable."

"A date? With who?"

"Neil Patrick Harris. Just tell me what you know. And more importantly, why you didn't tell me before."

He sighs and leans up against the door frame. "I didn't know before. I just found out recently, but I wasn't sure how to tell you or if I could even get you to talk to me. Also, Neil Patrick Harris is gay."

I know Sloan knows something about what happened to my mom, but I can't help feeling like I can't trust anything he says. He's still out for himself and his precious career. Besides, I don't know that I even want to know who's responsible for her death. It would only cause bitterness and hatred to consume me again. I've come too far in the last couple of years to sink down into that hole I've fought so hard to climb out of.

"You need to leave. Now," I tell him firmly, pushing him away.

"But Alexa.."

"Now!" I shout, slamming the door in his face.

I turn around and lean against the door, fighting back the tears that I know are coming. I sink down to the floor and stare straight ahead, lost in a daze of painful memories. A tear spills out, followed by another. I quickly wipe them away. I've always convinced myself that my mom's choices got her killed. I tried to reason with her. I begged her to stop. I begged her to get help. There's nothing more I could've done to save her.

I stand up and shake off all the negative vibes. I'm determined to have fun tonight, no matter what. I decide to busy myself with my phone until Ace arrives to keep my mind clear of those destructive thoughts. I mindlessly scroll through for a while until I come across something that causes my heart to drop to the pit of my stomach.

It's pictures of me making out with Sloan in the VIP room at Pulse. And they were posted by none other than the LA Circle.

I feel numb at first, then sick, and finally, enraged. I let out a monstrous growl before storming out the door and down the hallway. I take a cab to the other side of town and get out in front of the LA Circle office building.

I stalk right past the receptionist and head for the elevators.

"Wait! You can't go back there!" the receptionist calls out.

I ignore her and press the button to go up.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" she asks, appearing beside me.

"I'm going to see Owen," I reply without looking at her.

"You can't, he's in a meeting until seven and then-"

The dinging of the elevator cuts her short and without heeding her protest, I step inside. She catches the door and holds it open, staring at me like I'm insane.

"I can't let you go up there," she says.

I push her away from the door and she stumbles backward. "That's it," she whines, "I'm calling security!"

The elevator doors close as she stomps away and I begin my ascent to the fifth floor where Owen's office is located. My heart is pounding and my palms are sweaty. I'm so mad. Infuriated. I can't believe he'd expose me like that after all I've done for him.

When the doors open, I quickly make my way to Owen's office before I get wrangled in by security. He's sitting behind his desk, talking on the phone and smiling like the arrogant son of a b***h he is.

He gives me a questioning look when I walk in and tells the person on the phone that he'll call them back. He hangs up and looks up at me with furrowed brows, as if he can't imagine why I'd be here looking so angry.

"Alexa, I-"

"You sorry piece of s**t!" I shout, slamming my phone down on his desk, revealing the photos that his company released of Sloan and me. "How dare you?!"

Owen looks at the photos before looking back up at me in confusion. "What's the problem here? I thought you would be thrilled!"

"Thrilled?! Why would I be thrilled that you exposed me for all of the world to see?!"

"It's Sloane Cole, Alexa. Who wouldn't want to be with him?"

"Me. I wouldn't. You have no idea who this guy really is! I want them taken down! Now!"

"I'm sorry, you know just as well as I do that I can't do that. These photos have been out there for twenty-four hours now. Even if I did take them down, the damage is already done. Although I still don't see the problem here. You know this is the nature of the beast. Don't do anything you don't want anyone else to know about, right?" he smirks.

While I know everything he's saying is true, I still can't help but feel betrayed. Letting my anger get the best of me, I leap over his desk and tackle him to the floor. I throw two punches right into his jaw before security guards rush the room like the SWAT team.

They apprehend me, handcuffing my hands behind my back. Owen sits up and wipes the blood from his lips. When he sees that his security team is taking me away, he winks at me.

I lunge at him, pulling away from the security guards with ease. I kick Owen in the face before they're able to get to me. Owen grabs his nose and cries out in pain.

"I want her arrested! Call the police, I'm pressing charges!" he whines.

"Fine with me, p***s breath! For your information, I look great in orange!" I shout as I'm being dragged away.