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But it still made my stomach knot up when I thought about him being with someone else.
Would he be bothered if I was with someone else?
Before I contemplated it too much, thinking back on the night with Mason, there was a knock on the classroom door. Sure enough, parents were already showing up to pick up the kids. During the summer program, parents were allowed to enter the school to pick them up versus having to wait in the car line.
I jumped to my feet and headed for the door, opening it and checking the tags for security. I knew most of the faces of the parents by now, but every now and then, someone different would pick up one of the students.
That didn’t happen today, however.
I told each student to have a nice evening as they left, and when I’d said my last goodbye, I let out a heavy sigh. I was over this day. Mondays were the worst.
And part of me missed seeing Jackson over the weekend.
We hadn’t even spoken, which I found to be odd—but it did make sense. I had the chance to spend the weekend at home, so maybe he thought I needed a break.
“You ready to go?” Frank asked as he stepped into the classroom, leaning against the doorframe. “Parking lot looks pretty clear.”
I eyed him. “I never trust that. They come out of the woodwork.”
He laughed, his deep tone carrying through the room. “They do. That’s for sure—and for some reason, they really have their eye on you.”
Gathering up my things, I nodded. “I don’t know why. I’m not all that interesting.”
“Yeah, you are. You’re normal. That makes you interesting to all the people in the world who follow Jackson. It gives some women hope somewhere that someone ordinary can land some rock star like Jackson. You don’t have to be a model or be famous yourself. Everyone loves a fan love story.”
Talk about a false narrative.
“Maybe so,” I said instead. After all, Frank didn’t know that it was all fake between us. I slung my bag over my shoulder and fixed my cardigan hanging on the back of the chair. There was no need to take it home. I’d be back tomorrow. “I’m ready.”
He nodded, letting me step out of the classroom before shutting the door behind us. “Should be a straight shot right to the Tahoe.”
I nodded but didn’t say anything. I just wanted to go home. My heels clicked down the hallway, and just like always, my heart began to pound in my chest. At home, I didn’t really have the anxiety of paparazzi showing up, but at school? Yeah, they all knew that I was there.
“Here we go,” Frank muttered as he pushed open the door leading to the staff parking lot. I stepped out into the evening air, breathing it in—even if it didn’t feel all that clean in the moment. It was still better than the stale air of the classroom.
“LENA! OVER HERE!” Someone shouted, startling me, and Frank cursed loudly, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
“Shit.”
I ducked my head and shielded my face as we headed for the Tahoe, parked in the middle of the large parking lot. After only a few steps forward, a freaking mob of paparazzi rounded the corner.
“What the hell is this?” Frank nearly shouted, shaking his head. “We’re going to be bombarded!”
“Lena, show us that smile!”
“Rock star wife-to-be, look over here!”
“You know you’re the most envied woman on the planet right now?”
“Come on, show us something!”
I fought to keep my head down as they surrounded us and Frank latched onto me, dragging me through the crowd. I tensed as one of them bumped into me.
“Get the hell back!” Frank shouted, nearly shoving a few of them. “These aren’t just press. These are fans.”
“Lena!” People kept yelling my name as we tried to weave between cars. A few others blocked our exit, and I felt myself beginning to panic.
Are they going to hurt me?
