Chapter 5: Paparazzi

Asha exited the club with Kinzie leaning drunkenly against her. Shaundi followed them with Ethan close behind resting his hand on her shoulder. Once outside, Kinzie let out a happy scream, throwing her hands in the air.

"Woo! Partay!" she said, her glasses hanging lopsided on her face. Asha helped her to the car as their escort opened the door for them. "Where are we going? The party's not over."

"You're totally smashed," said Asha, holding on to Kinzie's arm to keep her from falling down. "We're taking you home."

"I don't know what you're talking about, I feel fine."

Kinzie spewed vomit from her mouth as soon as she finished talking and showered the escort in front of her with luke-warm juices. Asha held her up and Shaundi rushed over to help, leaving Ethan by the club entrance. They helped Kinzie regain her balance and she giggled. She had vomit on her chin and wiped it off with the back of her sleeve.

"Okay, NOW I feel fine," she said with a smile.

"Is she going to be okay?" asked Ethan, hearing the commotion.

"She'll be fine," said Shaundi, helping Kinzie into the car. "Nothing a good night's rest and a little aspirin won't cure."

"Smile ladies!"

A white flash enveloped their eyes as a paparazzo snapped a picture. Kinzie threw her hands in the air to pose as Asha and Shaundi tried to shield their eyes from the light. The paparazzo ran away and Shaundi took off after him. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt before he got far and slammed him against a brick wall. She ripped his camera from his hands and searched through his pictures. She passed several images of The Boss fondling strippers and punching a biker before seeing the image of her, Asha, and happy-drunk Kinzie. Shaundi smiled and took out the camera's memory card. She dropped it on the ground and dug her high heel into it, twisting it into the pavement, breaking it.

"Hey, what the fuck, lady?" said the paparazzo. Shaundi pushed him harder against the wall, pinning him with her arm.

"Let me guess," said Shaundi. "You work for Monica Hughes?"

"Yeah and that's her property you just destroyed."

"Is this her property too?" she asked, holding the camera up.

"No, that's mine."

"This is a nice camera. How much did this set you back? A couple hundred bucks?"

"More like a thousand."

"Really?" asked Shaundi with her brow raised. She took the camera and slammed it against the wall, smashing it to pieces next to his head. "Now, it's not worth ten."

She smiled and let go of his shirt collar before tossing the broken camera toward him. She turned on her heel and proceeded toward the car, blowing a curl of bang from her eyes.

"Hey, you're going to pay for this you bitch!" he screamed. Shaundi stopped walking and clenched her jaw.

"I'm really getting tired of people calling me that," she said, gritting her teeth.

She turned to face him and gave him an angry stare, looking like she was ready to pounce. The paparazzo's eyes grew wide and he scurried away as Ethan put his foot out causing him to trip. He fell hard onto the sidewalk knocking himself unconscious. Ethan leaned down to scratch his ankle before straightening up and heard the clicks of Shaundi's heels coming toward him.

"How'd you know that was him?" she asked, staring at the camera man's limp body on the pavement.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ethan with a furrowed brow.

"You just-"

Shaundi didn't get a chance to finish before seeing Kinzie and Asha drive off. Asha shrugged her shoulders and smiled as she leaned out of the car window.

"Sorry! I gotta catch a flight to England! Have fun you two!" she said with a cheeky smile.

"Buh-bye, Buzz!" yelled Kinzie who was now sticking her head out of the sunroof. She screamed happily as she rode down the street.

"Did they just leave us?" asked Ethan, listening to Kinzie's screams in the distance. Shaundi sighed and nodded her head, forgetting once again that he couldn't see her. "Shaundi?"

"Let me call for another escort," she said, reaching for her phone.

"You know, I don't live far from here," said Ethan. "Do you feel up for a little walk?"

"Where do you live?"

He told her the address and she called for an escort to meet her there. He stepped over the unconscious paparazzo and placed his hand on her shoulder. Shaundi looked behind her as they walked away before staring at Ethan.

"How did you..?" she asked, curious as to how he knew where the body was lying.

"How did I what?" asked Ethan. Shaundi continued to curiously stare at him for a moment.

"Nothing, never mind," she said, turning away from him, unaware of his smile. They continued down the sidewalk and Ethan leaned closer to her.

"So, what was all that about back there?" he asked. Shaundi took a deep breath and shook her head.

"Someone who worked for Monica Hughes."

"The Senator?"

"Yeah, she's still a little sore about losing her chance for presidency. She has her heart set on exposing my Boss, and everyone in his cabinet, as vandals who want nothing but to run this country into the ground."

"Sounds like she picked the wrong people to mess with," said Ethan, before gesturing for them to turn right.

"How do you know where you're going?" asked Shaundi.

"I've made this trip so many times, I've memorized it," he told her. "By the way, there's a hole about twenty steps ahead of us. Watch your step."

Shaundi nodded and glanced at his hand, "If you know where you're going, why do you still have your hand on my shoulder?"

"If I trip, I want something beautiful to grab onto."

"Beautiful? For all you know I'm a troll," she said, before blowing warm breath on her hands. She was beginning to get a chill from the cool night air. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"I'm just curious as to why you don't use a seeing eye dog, or a walking stick?"

"Well, I'm allergic to dogs," he told her. "I do have a walking stick, but I never use it. Many find them useful, but frankly, I find them to be clunky and more of a hindrance than helpful."

"And, it gives you an excuse to touch beautiful women?"

"That too," he said with a smile. Shaundi breathed on her hands again before crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Are you alright?" he asked, sensing her shoulder curl forward.

"I'm a little chilly," she said. "How far until we're at your place?"

"Not far," he said. "Just a few more steps."

"Good, 'cause I'm-"

Shaundi took a step and her foot sunk into a gaping hole in the sidewalk. Ethan caught her, pulling her back by her blazer, twirling her around until she fell into his arms. He caught her and she grabbed onto his jacket. She looked up at him, her face mere centimeters away from his, before regaining her balance. He took of his jacket and wrapped it around her, fumbling a little around her shoulders.

"I told you to watch your step. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, adjusting the jacket. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

He placed his hand on her shoulder again and they continued down the sidewalk. Shaundi watched him from the side of her eye as they walked until he stopped outside of a small apartment building.

"This is me," he said, tilting his head toward the building. Shaundi looked up the street and saw her escort arriving before turning to him.

"Perfect timing, my ride is here," she said, removing his jacket. "Thank you for the walk."

"Thanks for looking after me."

"Like you really needed looking after," she said, sarcastically. "I'm beginning to think there's more to you than you let on."

Ethan smiled as she handed him his jacket. He grazed her hand, momentarily feeling her soft skin under his fingers.

"He was wrong."

"Who?"

"The guy who worked for Monica Hughes," he told her. "What he called you, he was wrong."

"Yeah, well, that's not the first time I've been called that," she said, taking a deep breath. "You get called that enough, you kinda start thinking there might be some truth to it."

"There isn't."

Shaundi bowed her head and crossed her arms, "If you really knew me, you might think differently."

"I'd like to get to know you, if that's okay," he said, stepping closer to her, following the direction of her voice. He heard the car pull up beside them and the driver side door open.

Shaundi glanced at her driver before turning her attention to Ethan who was waiting patiently for her to say something. She smiled softly and found herself staring at him again. The streetlight overhead beamed down on him reflecting off the lenses of his shiny-dark sunglasses, making them look like circles of white light. The light reflected into Shaundi's eyes like star bursts as she gazed, continuing to quietly stare.

"You still there?" he asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes, I am."

"You free on Saturday?"

"Yes, I am."

"Come by around 7:00?"

"I'll be here."

Ethan smiled and turned to walk up the steps to his apartment building. Shaundi's escort opened the door for her and she started to get into the backseat before looking back at Ethan. She watched him walk up the steps, his footing never faltering. Once at the top he turned to face her direction, sensing she was still there.

"Goodbye, Shaundi."

"Goodbye." She watched him walk into his building before climbing into the backseat. Her escort shut the door behind her and proceeded to drive her home. She couldn't help smiling as she looked out of the car window. The feeling of his arms around her and the smell of his jacket still lingered. She gently wrapped her arms around her chest, mimicking his touch and wondered why she felt the need to do so.