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This chapter took longer than usual, but eventually here it is! I hope it was worth the wait.

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10 – It's called love

I heard the familiar sound of an incoming message of my cell phone. I reached the device and happily opened the message, already knowing who sent it.

'Can't wait 2 c u!' I read and an uncontrollable smile spread across my lips.

'Me 2. Bored?' I texted back.

'Never. Just miss u.' My smile widened a little.

"Is this who I think it is?" Jess pulled me from my thoughts back to reality.

"Huh?" I looked up at her as she sat next to me on my bed.

"It's that guy who was hitting on you when we were shopping the other day, right?" She moved her brows suggestively.

"Um… Yeah." I couldn't even remember that guy's name. But Jess didn't know anything about Adam and me, so I let her think what she wanted to.

"So how's this going?"

"Fine." I shrugged and wished she would drop it.

"It seems to go pretty well." But it was Jess; of course she didn't drop it. "You're practically glowing lately. Always this smile…I don't even know how to call this." Actually it was called love. But I didn't tell her that. "Are you going out with him?"

"No, Jess. Listen, tomorrow I have photo shoots whole day, but I'm free for the weekend. Do you want to do something?" Of course, I was trying to distract her. And I didn't have plans for the weekend because Adam was going to be away, visiting his family. At least we were going to see each other tonight, which was pretty comforting.

"Wow, it's the first free weekend in a while." She said. Well, what can I say? Adam was my first priority to spend my free time with. Only not many people knew about it. Not many at all… "We have to do something special."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Let's go clubbing or something."

"Jess, I'm still a minor, if you remember." And I wished I weren't so badly! It could've been so much easier. Why wasn't I born in November or something? This way I would've been already eighteen by now, which solved so many problems. But no, I had to be born in April, which left Adam and me almost four more months to hide and lie.

"But you're a celebrity; you can enter any club without an ID even." Jess insisted.

"It's even worse! Because everybody will know about it. Everything I do is under the supervision of the paparazzi." Ironic, wasn't it? They knew my every step, but missed the most juicy and scandalous secret.

"You're no fun!" I threw a pillow in her face and she laughed. "What point is it to be a rock star if you can't use the benefits?"

"You know what? You're right. But it's worth it." I smiled, thinking about all the upcoming events, where I was going to perform; about my new video clip and about the endless support from fans, who happened to like what I was bringing to the stage.

***

"Hey, baby." Adam kissed me as soon as the door to his apartment closed. He was renting a beautiful apartment in Los Angeles while his new house was being built. He made sure the house matched every dream and desire he's had about it, and not surprisingly, it was turning out amazing. Well, Adam had a great taste, that's for sure. "This day was way too long." He sighed against my lips.

"I thought it will never end!" I agreed. "And I had to take the longest way ever, because I thought some journalist was fallowing me, but it turned out to be just a tourist."

"Maybe you should dye your hair some color that draws less attention." Adam chuckled.

"No way!" I protested with a smile.

"I'm just kidding!" He picked me up in a short moment and walked to his living room with me in his arms. "I love your hair." He said in a 'by the way' manner. My heart fluttered. Yes, fluttered and yes, it still happened to me with him. Every time.

"I'm glad you feel this way, 'cause the red isn't going anywhere any soon."

"And the blue, purple and green aren't either, I hope." I threw my head back with laughter as he sat down on the couch with me in his lap.

"I didn't know I still had the green." I said, still laughing. He kissed my exposed neck and hugged me closer to himself.

"Ah, I've missed you." I felt his breath on my ear. "And I'm gonna miss you even more the next few days."

"I know. Me too."

"Next time you're going with me and I'm not taking no for an answer."

"To visit your family? Don't you think it's too…" I searched for the right word.

"What? Serious? Committed?" He offered. "Come on, Allie, I think we're pretty serious and committed. I mean, the world thinks I'm gay for this relationship, don't you think it's serious enough to meet my parents?"

"I've already met your parents." I said childishly.

"Well, not as my girlfriend." What a delighting word. 'Girlfriend'. Especially when it described who I was to him.

"We'll see." I leaned in to kiss him again.

"Good, I'll tell my parents. They will be ecstatic."

"Adam!" I hit his shoulder lightly. "You're crazy!"

"True. But you love me."

"True." We both laughed.

"Let's go eat some dinner." Adam offered.

"You cooked?" I asked, getting up on my feet.

"Sure. It's not like we can go out or something, right?" I heard him sigh.

"I love it when you cook." Adam smiled and put his arm around my shoulders.

"And I don't mind staying at home every night, if it's with you."

"Good. Now, what do I do?"

"You can set the table while I heat everything up."

"Okay." I got the plates and the glasses as he took the food out of the fridge.

"So, how's school?"

"It's okay. When I'm there. Usually I just have to do a lot of studying with the tutors. You know, same as it's been since the beginning of the year."

"Well, at least the hard work is paying off. You're going to graduate soon."

"Yeah." I smiled happily.

"Excited?"

"Umm… More about the free time I'll have than anything else." I gave him a playful look as I passed him to grab some napkins. "You should be excited, though."

"Me? Why?"

"Because you won't be dating a high-school student anymore." I said without turning to him.

"It's not like it'll change anything. No one will know anyway." I heard him answer.

"You will."

"And I don't care." I jumped a little at his suddenly very close voice. "As long as it's you." He planted a kiss on my cheek before setting the dish on the table. "Listen, I hate to spoil our time together, but there's something we should discuss." Adam said after we already finished diner, but kept sitting and talking at the table.

"What is it?" I asked seriously. It couldn't be good.

"Oh, don't worry it's nothing bad, just something we should talk about." He knew me well, that's for sure. "You know I'm going on my tour just after your birthday. So I thought that after I come back we can… be together publically."

"Oh, but it's more than four months to my birthday and your tour is gonna take about three months…" Honestly, I was already dreading the moment he would have to leave. I mean, I could barely survive a few days without him, let alone months!

"Yeah, I know, but it would be stupid to go out together like a day after your birthday. Don't you think?"

"You're right, of course. It's just that it looks like a long time right now." I sighed and Adam took my hand in his.

"I know, baby, but we're doing great and I wouldn't want everything to be for nothing. Look, I know people are going to suspect and there are gonna be a lot of gossiping and stuff. Our mission is to make that kind of guesses, which are the most close to the truth, sound ridiculously unrealistic and impossible."

"So what do you have in mind?" I narrowed my eyes and he grinned at me.

"The plan is to say we haven't seen each other for a while and when we met again, something different from friendship started, right?"

"Right." I said slowly.

"Now, to make it believable we have to do something more than just not be caught together for the next few months."

"What else can we do?"

"We need to be seen with other people." Adam said simply.

"What?!" I stared at him in shock. Was he really suggesting this? "So what are you saying? That we should date other people?"

"Not date, but be caught with, yeah." How could he be so calm about it?

"You want to start rumors about us with other people?"

"Yes. Well, especially you. Do you have someone in mind?"

"Adam, don't you think you're taking this way too far?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think you're exaggerating. Who cares if we date people or not? As soon as I'm eighteen it's nobody's business who I date and why."

"We have to make sure that no one even conceders the possibility that this –" He pointed at our laced fingers. "Started a long time before you turned eighteen. Which you haven't yet."

"Do you really think that somebody will go that deep and practically investigate our privet lives?" Adam chuckled at this.

"Allie, you're a celebrity, you know your life will never really be privet and it will always be everybody's interest. We have to keep them as far as possible."

"What's the worst thing they can do? Spread rumors? Write lies?"

"Allie, they can make our life impossibly difficult. Don't you think it's easier to just prevent it and stick to the plan instead of trying to prove something and deal with it later?"

"I guess." Adam smiled playfully at me.

"I promise not to fall for a guy." I couldn't help but laugh a little.

"You better keep this promise." I teased.

"I don't think there will be a problem with that. I'll just go out a couple of nights with my friends and it's gonna do the trick, I'm sure. What about you?"

"I don't know. I guess I'll call that guy from the mall." I shrugged. "I just need to remember what his name was."

"Mark?" Adam chuckled.

"Yeah… Wait, why do you remember his name?" I only mentioned that guy once, when I told Adam how he wouldn't leave Jess and me alone.

"I don't know. Why do you have his number?" Adam seemed amused and not one bit concerned. I hoped that he didn't use his incredible acting abilities though.

"Jess made me take it, because he wouldn't let us go otherwise. I never called him, though."

"Okay, then. Go out somewhere with a lot of people."

"Why? Are you jealous?" I moved my eyebrows suggestively.

"No." He laughed. "But you need to be seen. Otherwise it's pointless."

"Darn it." I pulled on a fake frown and Adam laughed again, leaning closer to me.

"Maybe I'm a little jealous." He grinned. "He's young. Definitely a competition." I laughed and closed the distance between our mouths. What wouldn't I do for him…

***

As soon as the door behind me closed, I fell on the bed, pulled out my cell phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Hey, sweetie." I heard his warm voice answer almost immediately.

"Hey. I just got in." It was Saturday night and I came back from my date with Mark. I felt awful for using him this way, but honestly, he didn't seem to care.

"So, how was it?"

"It was great." I bit my lip to hold the laugh back. "Mark's such a nice guy. It was so fun!" I faked a giggle. "Awesome. I think we're gonna go out again next weekend." There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

"Oh," He finally replied and there was something very strange in his voice. I waited for a while, but he didn't say anything else. It was almost as if he believed me… Wait, he did believe me! Since when am I a good actress?

"Adam?" I could barely keep myself from laughing. Although it was also kind of flattering.

"M-mm?"

"I'm kidding." I decided it was enough torture for him.

"Oh," He repeated, but in a completely different manner. I could almost hear him smile.

"I couldn't wait for this to end so I can go home and call you." I admitted.

"Really?"

"Yeah." I laughed. "Did you really think I would enjoy tonight?"

"That horrible?"

"No, Mark is okay. He's nice, but he's not you." I heard him chuckle once. "And he was very excited about going out with Allison Iraheta from American Idol."

"I'm sorry."

"What for? Don't worry, it doesn't bother me anymore. Especially when it's someone I don't know and don't really want to."

"Well, I'm sorry you had such a bad time."

"It's okay. I can sacrifice one night for the greater good." He laughed.

"I promise to make it up to you when I get back."

"Yeah? And how will you do that?" I asked playfully, rolling to lie on my back.

"I'll take you on a good, enjoyable date."

"At your place?" I giggled, knowing it was the only possible place.

"Yeah. But it's not about where the date is. It's about with whom you spend it with. Right?"

"Totally." I hesitated for a second, but then decided he could bear some more teasing. "It doesn't matter how nice the place was, if the guy was a bad kisser." A pause.

"You're evil." I burst out laughing and he joined me soon.

"Don't worry, you're a better kisser." I joked again, imagining what he would do to me if he were next to me. He growled jokingly.

"Thanks."

"I'm not very objective, though. Maybe it's just because I love you."

"Yeah, probably." I enjoyed the sound of his magical laugh and wished I could be next to him now.

***

I knocked impatiently on the door of Adam's apartment next Saturday morning. We haven't seen each other in ten days and for me it was simply excruciating. I didn't want to think what I was going to do when he would leave for his tour. At that point even ten days were far too long without Adam.

"Hey!" I grinned at Adam as soon as he opened the door and stepped inside the apartment.

"Hi, baby!" Adam smiled at me, lifting me from the floor slightly and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he closed the door behind me. "So what's the plan for tonight?"

"I don't know, you promised to make it up to me for that horrible night last Saturday…" I said dramatically, exaggerating intentionally.

"Right, so what will make you happy, sweetie?" Adam moved a strand of my hair from my face and put it behind my ear with his free hand. His other hand was on my back, arm wrapped around me to hold my body close to his.

"I think I have an idea…" I grinned at him mischievously. I put my arms on each of his shoulders, not bothering to stand back on my feet. But honestly, who would? It was more than comfortable and Adam didn't show any objections, so I assumed he couldn't complain either.

"Mmm… sounds interesting." Adam's eyes widened playfully.

"Oh, it is!" I moved my eyebrows suggestively, still smiling. "Let's play some game… like cards, for example." Adam raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wait, it's not everything… We'll play for undressing."

"What?" He asked half-shocked and half-smiling. I guess he thought I was joking. Or at least he hoped I was… But of course, I wasn't.

"Yeah, every time you lose, you take something off… The first one who has nothing left to remove is the one who loses the entire game." Yeas, I know it was an insane idea, inspired by desperation. What was I supposed to do though? He refused to talk about it seriously, so I had to start the conversation somehow. Although I really hoped it wouldn't be just a conversation eventually…

"Oh, no, Allie… I know where you're going with this… It's not going to work." Adam sighed, as if I was just being stubbornly silly. Which I probably was, but still…

"Why not? Come on, Adam, it's just a game." Oh, really? Who I was trying to fool? I knew perfectly well it wasn't going to work, but I had to at least try.

"Allie…" He rolled his eyes, obviously not buying my attempts.

"Adam –" He cut me off.

"No, Allie." And it was a very definite 'no'. The one I was getting every time when it came to this… Well, I guess I had to be grateful for what I had. Oh, and don't get me wrong, I was. I so was…

"You're no fun." I frowned like a spoiled child who didn't get something she wanted in time, trying to lighten up the mood. I wasn't going to ruin my time with Adam because of another refusal. "But I still love you." I sighed and put my head on his shoulder.

"I love you too, Allie." Adam kissed the side of my head and let me down on my feet. I looked up at him, meeting his incredibly beautiful eyes. My heart skipped a beat. Yep, definitely love and it wasn't going away anytime soon. If ever.

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