I have no choice; I have to tell her.

I bit my lower lip and took a deep breath I then walked over and sat on the edge of my bed, close to Melissa. However once I sat, she stood and began to pace around my room. "Loren Elizabeth Tate, you need to start explaining yourself right now!" She exclaimed. I looked down at my clenched hands and took one more deep breath before I opened my mouth to begin to speak. My lips parted but before I could say anything Melissa began to rant.

"How in the world do you know Eddie Duran, why does he have your phone number and what does he mean by he hasn't seen you in a few days?" She asked loudly.

"I wanted to tell you but I knew you would freak out." I began.

"Freak out? You think that I would freak out? Well you are right about that. How can a person not freak out when you find out that a world famous rock star has been hanging out with your best friend and they didn't even tell you!"

I looked up from my hands and saw Mel glaring at me. I honestly can't remember a time when she looked so mad. "Okay I see where you're coming from..." I began.

"Oh you see where I'm coming from? Okay, well how would you feel if the roles were reversed and you knew I was hanging out with Eddie Duran and didn't tell you because I had some weird idea in my head that you weren't going to be able to handle it?" I looked and at Melissa and crossed my arms in front of my chest. "Can I please explain myself?" I blurted out. "Fine, go, explain." She stated as she angrily gestured with her right hand.

"I didn't plan on meeting him it was a rare fluke chance thing, which honestly I don't even understand." I looked back at my lap and ran my fingers through my hair. "Eddie is the man from the graveyard." I continued.

I felt the bed shift and I noticed that Melissa now sat next to me on my right. "Really?" She asked. "Yes really, I wouldn't make up something like this."

"I know you wouldn't." She admitted. "How long have you known?"

Yeah, the floor is a nice distraction.

I kept my eyes locked on my hardwood flooring before I spoke once more. "Three weeks."

"So that's where you've been? Hanging out with Eddie?" And I looked up, she didn't look mad she just looked curious. "Yes." I admitted. "So that's why we weren't hanging out because you with a rock star?" She asked. "Well you were with Adam." I countered. "You can't compare Eddie and Adam they're not even on the same field." She replied.

"Eddie's not that different from you and me." Melissa narrowed her eyes at me. "Oh yeah you know he's just millionaire with the thousand fans all around the world, But other than that he is just like you and me." I smiled to myself. "Okay so maybe his life is a little different, but he is still a normal person."

"I know that he is." She agreed. She pressed her lips together and then smirked slightly. "What?" I asked.

"He wants to hang out with you again, at the beach." She stated. "Yeah I think so, or at least that's what the message said." I said somewhat confused. "Hm." She added. "What?" I asked. "Oh, it's nothing." She stated. "Alright then, are we still going shopping?" I asked.

"But of course!" She exclaimed. I laughed slightly and stood up from the bed. "I'm driving, though." She declared as she walked out of my room after grabbing her purse and my keys off of my desk, and I just rolled my eyes at her action.

No matter how much I would try, I know that she wouldn't let me forget about Eddie. I haven't even heard the beginning of it yet. I know what to expect; the discrete side comments and references to me knowing him for as long as I can imagine. Great, just great.

She drove and during the ride she picked the music; it was Eddie's of course. Every moment she could she kept glancing at me through the corners of her eyes. To my relief after about the seventh time of her doing this, we arrived at the mall. I stepped out of the car and began walking to one of the four main entrances. I heard running footsteps behind me and looked over my shoulder. "Thanks for waiting." She stated. "Yep, no problem!" I added sarcastically. We walked in the mall and went into some of Melissa's favorite stores and I could tell the reasoning behind that; all of the clothes were colorful and bold, just like her.

We must have been shopping for two hours already; my feet had begun to ache and I'm pretty sure that Melissa was looking at the forty third shade of blue eye shadow at some cosmetic store. "What one do you like better?" She asked as she stared down at both of her hands analyzing the objects within them. "They look the same to me." I stated.

She looked up and narrowed her eyes at me. "What?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest and resting slightly on the shelf behind me. "You know I don't understand makeup." I added. "True, true." She agreed. "What do you even need that?" I asked and she looked down at the makeup. "Because I felt like it and I know that I look great in blue so why not wear it all the time?" She asked. "Really? You are going to wear blue eye shadow every day?" I asked. "Yep!" She exclaimed. "What will your mom say about this?" I asked and she scoffed as she placed the makeup in her right hand back in the spot where she had picked it up ten minutes ago. "She doesn't have to know, I'll just keep it a secret." I began to slowly walk to the checkout counter.

"Yeah because keeping secrets is always a good thing."

I felt a hand on my right shoulder and it pushed me forward slightly. "Yeah says the girl who has been keeping a secret herself." She retorted. "Does your mom know what you have been up to?" She asked.

"No." I added. "And she is not going to. It doesn't affect her, plus she already has so much to worry about."

"What happened between the two of you? Lo, you used to tell her everything, even if it wasn't important, but now you are keeping something this big from her?"

I took a deep breath. I knew that this was true and there was no point in denying it. My mother and I had become more distant, but it wasn't by choice. We had to, that was the only way.

"We stopped talking as much because she worked more then I got a job, then she lost one of hers, and now she is frantically doing anything to earn more money." I added. Melissa opened her mouth about to say something but she stopped. She proceeded to the checkout and bought the eye shadow along with some other accessories like rings and necklaces and such.

"Alright that was the last store." She stated as we walked out and made our way to the car in the parking lot on the opposite side of the mall. Thank the lord! I know that I offered to go shopping, but that was the only thing that I could think of that would make her less mad at me, and I needed that. After ten more minutes of walking we found our car and she opened to truck and began placing her bags in the back seat of my car.

"So are you going to call him back?" She asked as she shut the door and walked to the driver's side of the car.

"What?" I asked, confused. "Eddie." She started. Right I never did call him back. Crap. I should probably do that, but maybe not with Mel around. I don't know, I still don't know if he has told anyone or not. I'm guessing not, after all I don't think that I'm fascinating so why would Eddie want to talk about me; I don't even understand why he wants to take to me.

"Because if you don't take him up on his offer, you know I will!" She exclaimed. I laughed lightly and ran my fingers though my hair. "I will, later. I promise." I stated. She sighed slightly and we got into my car, then after a few moments she began to drive away and back to my place. "You better tell me everything that he says." She added and I just looked over my left shoulder at a very serious Melissa and laughed at her expression.

After Melissa dropped me off we hung out for a while and she kept asking me for more information about Eddie and what was happening in his life, but to her dislike I failed to give her anything that she already didn't know, and thankfully her mother called and ordered her home for some reason unknown to me.

I closed my front door after I watched Melissa's car back out of my drive way. I wandered around the kitchen for a few moments, decided on a snack and once I found an apple I made my way back to my room and plopped onto my bed. I should really text Eddie. I shifted my weight on the bed and grabbed my phone out of my back pocket.

Hey Eddie, I got your message. No I wasn't at work; I was hanging out with Melissa. I would love to go to the beach; you must have been reading my mind! So what time?

I read over the text a few times before I sent it. I placed my phone on my bed and walked over to my desk where I had threw my shopping bag; Melissa would have never let me leave that place if I didn't buy at least one thing. I opened the bag and examined my purchase. It was a mint colored swimsuit; the top part was a halter strap and the neck line is in a V shape with fringe dangling down with the longest pieces in the center and on both sides they became shorter. As for the bottoms they are the same color and on the hips there are two straps that connect the front to the back. It was the most covering swimsuit in the store, and its reveling to me but I didn't have any other suits from last summer because I grew plus I wasn't really in the mood to swim at all. I have to admit though, I think that it's really cute; and I don't think that about s lot of clothes.

Buzz. I heard my phone vibrate and I made my way over to the bed and looked at the screen.

Great! How about I pick you up in like an hour?

I looked at the top at my screen and checked the time. I honestly have no idea when my mom will be home, so why not?

Yeah, that sounds great! See you then!

I sent it and grabbed my swimsuit, walked over to the bathroom and put it on. After that I looked in the mirror. My hair was frizzy from trying on so many clothes, so I brushed it and loosely curled the ends of it. After that I made my way over to my closet and put on jean shorts and a plain white V-neck. I looked at my phone after all of this; Eddie will be here any moment so I grabbed my purse and a beach towel and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed a water bottle and placed it in my bag. Once I finished doing so the doorbell rang, and I answered it while I slid my shoes on.

"Hey Eddie."

"Hey Loren!" He replied and then pulled me into a hug; once we parted I closed the door behind me. "So where are we going?" I asked as I made my way over to the passenger's side of his car. "It's a surprise." He stated. I looked over at him once we sat down in the car; he had a smirk on his features. "Of course it is." I stated rolling my eyes.

I honestly have no idea where we are going; we have been driving for almost an hour and Eddie has failed to give me any indication of our destination. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and rested my head against the seat. As soon as I did this Eddie signaled and pulled into the parking lot. I opened my eyes and still had no Idea as to where we are. I unbuckled and opened the door. I stepped out and I could feel the sun's rays hit me skin.

It felt wonderful.

I followed Eddie to a somewhat shady spot on the beach, though I didn't really have a choice considering that Eddie's right hand was around my waist; guiding me along. We placed our towels down on the warm sand and I kicked off my flip flops. I sat down on my towel and looked over to Eddie who was looking at me. I smiled and looked down at my lap and crossed my legs straight out in front of me. I looked up in to the clear blue sky and back down at the water. It glimmered when the sun hit it in the right direction. I watched to waves rise and fall in a way where it almost seemed elegant. I looked over to the left of me and notice Eddie admiring the water as well.

"Hey do you want to go in?" I asked and he glanced over at me and then focused his attention back on the water. "Not just yet." He stated and then he stayed looking out at the water for a few more minutes and soon I grew impatient and stood up. "Well I'm going in." I stated and turned around so I could take off my shirt and shorts. I placed then onto my towel and started to make my way to the edge of the water.

Relaxing.

That's the best feeling to describe when you stand in the water with your feet just in the water and then you feel a wave come up to your knees and back down again. I stood here for a while and closed my eyes; just enjoying this moment. I remember a few years ago I would come to the beach pretty much every day in the summer with Kaleigh, it was just our thing. We would lie on our towels and just talk about anything and everything. But then there were sometimes where we would race into the water and try to jump over the waved just like the younger kids like to do. That's one thing that I loved about her; no matter how old she was she never as afraid to give into her inner child. I smiled at this memory and opened my eyes squinting at the brightness and recalling where I was. I ran my fingers through my hair and turned around. I noticed Eddie still lying on his towel.

"Hey are you coming?" I yelled and once I did so he stood. I could see him take his shirt off and as he began to come closer and closer to me I could see he defended muscles more clearly. Once he caught up to me we began to walk further into the water. "Finally." I stated.

"Well I couldn't let you be out here by yourself."

"And why is that?" I asked.

"Because there is no one to do this." He stated. I looked at him with my eyebrows raised slightly and I saw a smile form on his lips. I then felt his hand on my left arm, and suddenly he yanked me down causing my whole body to submerge underwater.

I can't believe he just did that.

I popped us gasping for air. I used both of my hands and moved my hair out of my face. I noticed Eddie laughing loudly a few feet away from me, I walked over to him punched him in the arm. "Ow." He exclaimed. I just rolled my eyes, crossed my arms in front of my chest and sat into my right hip.

"Oh, you are so going to pay for that." I stated.


Author's note:

I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in so long! I know that you don't want excuses, but here they are: I have a serve concussion so I can't stay focused for that long, or look at screens for a long time which is sort of problematic, also I have to rest and I havent been to class for the past few weeks. Yeah, so I'm sorry if this sucks but it is as much was I can do with how I'm feeling and I'll edit and fix things later. Please let me know what you think anyways. Review, favorite and follow if you please! Thanks so much! :)

Dis clamor: I don't own hollywood heights, just this plot line!

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