Cross Me Off Your List (19 page)

“Marisol!” Noah shouts. The banging on my
door continues.

I groan as I push myself out of bed. What
could he possibly want at this hour? How is he even awake? I
thought he’d sleep much later than I would today. Everyone was so
exhausted last night.

Noah pushes my door open as soon as I click
it open. He doesn’t even ask to come in. He barges through the
doorway and pushes the door shut behind him.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he
demands. He doesn’t even flinch.

“Well, good morning to you too,” I say,
fighting back a yawn.

“This isn’t funny,” he says. His face twists
into this concoction of anger and offense. “One fucking interview
and you couldn’t even get it right? Do you know what you’ve done?
Do you have any idea at all what this has done?”

Whoever said coffee was the number one way to
wake up in the morning clearly never had a confrontation with Noah
Winters.

“Wait. What?” I ask. “I didn’t tell her
anything. I kept it as minimal as possible, just like you said. I
didn’t say we were dating or anything.”

He scoffs, and now I’m offended. Does he
think I ruined his status with the Saturnites by going with him?
Are they mourning the loss of his singlehood? I know what I said
last night, and it had nothing to do with dating Noah.

“I cannot believe this,” Noah says, shaking
his head. He paces the hotel room floor. “I don’t care what you
think of her. You don’t know Chloe or what she’s been through with
our fans. You had no right to say those things, especially when you
knew anything you said would be blasted across every social media
outlet in existence.”

Chloe? Oh God. What did I say about Chloe? I
defended her. I said she and Milo were strong and that rumors were
just rumors. I said that Isaac was just someone she collaborated
with for album art. What in the hell does he think I said?

“Whoa. I didn’t say anything that could hurt
Chloe,” I tell him. I’m mad that he even thinks I would do that. “I
completely defended her. Whoever this source is wasn’t me.”

Then he laughs. Condescendingly, at that. How
can he take the word of some journalist with an anonymous source
over mine? Has this week meant nothing? Has the mermaid tattoo
meant absolutely nothing? There had to be a level of trust for
that.

“You know, I wish I could believe that,” he
says. “But I saw the video, Marisol. I watched you say those words.
I heard them come from your mouth. Stay away from me, my band, my
brother, the Bransons, and anyone else connected to us, got it?
Spring break is over.”

He stomps out of my room before I can even
process what he’s just said. A cold feeling rushes over my skin,
that same nervous feeling I get before someone models a design I
created. I want to throw up.

I sit on the bed, wait until my breathing
steadies itself, and then open my laptop. I type in ‘Spaceships
Around Saturn’ in the search bar.

News articles instantly appear at the top of
the list.
Chloe Branson Attends Sebastian’s Shadow Album Release
– Sans Boyfriend.
What the hell? Milo was here. I know the
cameras got pictures of him. I keep scrolling.
Trouble in Saturn
Paradise? Sources Say Yes!
I click the link.

Say it isn’t so! Just as Saturnites were
beginning to believe that the rumors of a Branson-Grayson split
were indeed just rumors, it was proven that we got our hopes up way
too soon! The boys of Spaceships Around Saturn were in attendance
at last night’s album release party for rock band Sebastian’s
Shadow. All eyes were on Chloe Branson and Milo Grayson, the Saturn
power-couple said to be on the rocks due to cheating rumors that
state Branson has been seeing Sebastian’s Shadow guitarist Isaac
Torrey behind Grayson’s back, following Torrey’s divorce in prior
months.

I take a deep breath as I scroll through the
pictures taken last night. I can’t say Aralie’s date swap plan was
the smartest idea. Seeing Chloe posing with Jules makes me feel
incredibly sick, and I haven’t even finished reading this stupid
rumor mill.

In a bizarre date swap, Chloe arrived with
Jules Rossi, who has been dating Branson’s sister Aralie since last
summer’s SAS lockdown. Aralie arrived with Rossi’s band mate, Tate
Kingsley, and Grayson appeared on the red carpet with Kingsley’s
girlfriend, Saturnite queen and famed YouTuber Darby McMillon of
Darby’s Daily Dose of Drama.

When asked about the odd switch up, Aralie
Branson laughed and stated, “The media is always trying to make up
some crazy story, so we thought we’d just give them something to
talk about instead of starting more rumors.”

Also arriving with unfamiliar dates were
Benji Baccarini and Noah Winters. Brazilian model Alessandra Muniz
was photographed throughout the night with Baccarini while Winters
attended the party with a young brunette who spoke with our
reporter prior to the release party.

Oh my God. I can’t even click on the video
link. But damn it, that’s me in my sparkly silver dress that I wore
so I could ‘dress like a star’ for my stupid list. I take a deep
breath and hit play.

“Watch out, Saturnites! Milo Grayson may be
back on the market soon,” a girl says as a picture of Milo pops up
on the screen. “You’re all familiar with the cheating rumors that
have been circling around the power couple of Saturn, but our own
Chelsea Price caught up with Noah Winters’s date last night for an
exclusive report on what’s going on in Saturn paradise. Check it
out.”

The clip rolls back to the footage from last
night of all of us stepping out of the hotel and onto the sidewalk
and into the mass of camera flashes. There’s a shot of me with
Noah, all too close. I guess that’s to prove my credibility. The
video immediately jumps to me, frozen on the screen.

“What’s the status with Chloe and Milo? Is
there trouble in Saturn paradise?” the reporter asks into the mic,
just as she did last night.

“All couples go through things,” I say into
the camera. There’s a slight glitch. “They know the truth about
their relationship.”

Holy freaking hell. They edited my words! I
did not say that. Okay, I did actually say that, but that’s taken
totally out of context. They’re using my words to insinuate
something I didn’t even imply. Freaking hell.

“So you’re telling me there’s nothing going
on with Chloe Branson and Isaac Torrey?” the reporter prods.

God, I don’t even want to hear my answer.
What the fuck did I say last night? My face appears once again.

“I haven’t known Chloe that long, and I can’t
vouch for everything that happens in her life,” I say. Then the
footage of me ends. It freaking ends! What about the part where I
know I said Chloe wouldn’t do something to hurt someone? Or how I
said the only thing Chloe was doing with Isaac was working on
artwork? I said other things. Where are the other things?!

“Ouch!” the hostess says back into the
camera. “You heard the girl. It’s a bit cryptic, but I’m sure the
Saturnites are already on the mission to figure out the truth. All
I know is if Milo Grayson is back on the market, I want in!”

The clip fades to black immediately. I would
hyperventilate if I could, but my body hasn’t found its way out of
my state of shock. How can this be happening to me? I literally met
Noah a week ago in the hotel elevator because he was cute and made
me feel more secure about my ice bucket because he had strawberry
milk. I never asked for this fifteen minutes of fame bullshit. And
if I had asked for fifteen minutes of fame, I would’ve worn one of
my own designs – not someone else’s.

I scroll down to see if there is any text
beneath the video. And of course, because my life completely
freaking rocks right now, there is.

Check out photos from last night! Do you
think Chloe and Milo are over? Has Chloe moved on with Sebastian’s
Shadow rocker Isaac Torrey? Is heart-throb Benji Baccarini off the
market? And what about that date swap? React below!

I know better than to read the comments. I
know better than to check the results of the polls. But I need to
know what I’m up against. To do that, I have to vote.

Do you think Chloe and Milo are over?
I click no. The results load: 64% yes, 36% no. Wow, they really
don’t give Chloe any credit at all. Was last night the final nail
in their power couple coffin? Was
I
the one who sealed their
fate?

Has Chloe moved on with Sebastian’s Shadow
rocker Isaac Torrey?
I wish there was a ‘hell no’ option, but I
settle for ‘no’ instead. The results load: 43% yes, 57% no. At
least they’re not entirely crucifying her for cheating.

Is heart-throb Benji Baccarini off the
market?
Do I even have to vote for that one? I’m still shipping
Winterini over here, even if Benji isn’t into guys. 73% of voters
agree with me. Benji is definitely not off the market.

I take a deep breath before I dive into the
comment section. There are already 1,527 comments. I skim over them
because I can’t sit through reading all of it. By the time I
finished, there’d be another three thousand to go along with
it.

Please don’t let Chloe and Milo be over! I
love them. They’re my favorite couple. I want them to get
married.

I knew Benji would end up dating some model.
They always do. I’m disappointed that he’d do that to us.

Who is this girl? Does anyone know? She
better not be Noah’s girlfriend. He deserves better than that
hoebag!

I know, right? She hasn’t even been around
or we’d know about her. Noah hasn’t updated his Twitter either. She
doesn’t know anything about Chloe and Milo. I’m pissed that she’d
even try to talk to reporters. What a bitch.

Chloe and Milo forever! Isaac should have
just worked out his marriage and left them alone. Milo is a billion
times cuter!

YOU GUYSSSS. Zoe found this girl online!
MARISOL CRUZ. Is she famous or anything? We have to stop her! We
can’t let her date Noah. HE DESERVES BETTERRRR!!!

Ohhhh my God. These crazy girls have my name.
I want to call my parents and make sure they’re safe. I need to
check on our house to make sure it hasn’t been vandalized. I don’t
doubt the power of this fandom for a second. I grab my phone and
set all of my social media accounts to private, but my followers
have increased overnight. How in the hell am I supposed to clear my
name? There’s video proof out there, but I have no idea where to
find it.

After I’m dressed, I put on my biggest
sunglasses and a Hurley cap that I bought for my dad. It’s not the
best disguise, but I don’t want to step outside looking like me
today. In fact, I don’t even want to be me today. I want to rewind
to last night and be the girl who refused to talk to the cameras. I
grab my bag and slip out the door, but a familiar face meets me in
the middle of the hallway.

“Hey,” Nat says, approaching me much more
calmly than his brother. “You got a second? I need to talk to
you.”

I hesitate, but he’s not flipping out, so I
swipe my key again and open the door of room 322. Even if he does
flail like a pissed off drunken bird, I’d prefer he do it in my
hotel room and not in the hallway where a camera can pick it
up.

“What happened?” Nat asks, sitting on my bed.
“I want to know your side of the story.”

I sit on the other bed and spill my guts
about how my words were twisted and the questions were edited to
make it sound like I’d insinuated something I hadn’t. Nat remains
calm and listens.

Once I finish, he takes a deep breath. “I
believe you,” he says. “It happens all the time with gossip sites.
You’re not the first.”

I exhale with relief. “Thank God. Please tell
your brother that,” I plead.

“I mentioned it,” Nat says sheepishly. “But
the damage is done. Chloe’s being blasted on the internet. People
are threatening her on Twitter. Milo’s still pissed about the date
swap, and he’s too wrapped up in his jealousy to stand up for her.
And Noah blames himself because you were his date.”

“So he won’t even listen to you? He can’t
stop and think for two seconds that maybe I’m being misrepresented
and that the media is full of scumbags looking for a story?” I
ask.

Nat shrugs, and I realize that nothing I say
will matter. Noah’s made up his mind, and I’m pissed because he’s
not the guy I thought he was if he truly thinks I’d do such a thing
to his band and his friends.

“Fine then,” I say through my teeth. “I’ll
clear my name on my own.”

I have to cross my name off this suspect
list before Spaceships Around Saturn and its fandom cross me off
for good.

After Nat goes back up to the fourth floor, I
head back to the elevator, a bit braver than I was fifteen minutes
ago. I ignore everyone as I rush through the lobby. A few paparazzi
sit outside the hotel, but they keep a specific distance, and I’m
thankful that Crescent Inn forces them to maintain proper
boundaries.

A police car sits by the curb. A young guy
sits in the driver’s seat, but he has a serious grimace on his
face. I think he’d take down a cameraman or reporter. He’s probably
newer to the force and wants to prove himself. Maybe that means
he’ll have my back if one of those scumbag reporters comes after
me.

I walk over to Strings and Starlight. I’m
relieved to see Jace behind the counter.

“What’s up?” he asks casually, as if the
world isn’t crashing down around me. Then I realize, he probably
doesn’t know about my predicament. Nor will he care. But I need
help.

“I need a favor,” I tell him, trying to play
it cool. “This may sound terrible, and I don’t mean it that way,
but um, do any of your friends have, like, hacking skills? Or know
how to steal video footage or anything?”

He eyes me strangely and tries to fight a
smile. “Did you make an adult film with the boyband guy?” he
asks.