Chapter 13 - Veronica
I picked up Lacie on the way to the airport. When we got there, I checked in to the flight, went through security and grabbed a coffee. Lacie was quiet, and I knew she felt exactly like I did: tired, but incredibly excited. We probably wouldn’t see the band until we were in New York, since they were flying first class and we were flying coach.
Lacie joined me at the coffee shop next to the gate, and we sat down in silence. Something caught my eye behind her, and I stiffened.
“What is it?”
I narrowed my eyes. “One sec,” I said, jumping out of my seat. A man had made eye contact with me and then immediately turned around and walked away.
Could it be him? Was that Seth?!
What would he be doing at the airport?! I rushed towards the man, pushing past a crowed of people in the airport as I tried to reach him. He shuffled ahead of me, keeping his chin tucked into his chest and a baseball cap pulled low over his head. He ducked down a hallway just as a large family came around the corner. By the time I’d woven between them, he was gone.
I sighed, slumping my shoulders and turning around. I shuffled back to the cafe, finding Lacie exactly where I’d left her. She frowned at me as I sat down.
“What was that about?”
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
How could I possibly explain it? How could I tell my best friend that I thought I was seeing my creepy stalker ex-boyfriend everywhere? I thought I’d seen him at the last interview we’d done with the band last night, but I’d shaken it off. Just as Carter had kissed me, I’d felt the hair on the back of my neck prickle and I’d made eye contact with someone for a split second.
And this morning?
I’d seen him again, but this time at the airport when I was about to fly to New York.
Unless he was following me, there was no way it was him. It had to be just two different people that happened to make eye contact with me. I was just paranoid, because maybe I wasn’t quite ready to have another relationship after what I went through with Seth. I knew this—thing—with Carter was probably a bad idea for both our careers.
Mostly mine, though. He was a rock star, after all. And it was always the woman’s reputation that was in danger.
Lacie raised her eyebrows at me over her coffee. “Vee,” she said in a stern voice. “Tell me.”
I sighed, staring at the black liquid in my cup. “I keep thinking I’m seeing Seth.” I shook my head. “It’s just my brain playing tricks on me, I know it is.”
“Seth? Your ex, Seth? What do you mean you keep seeing him?”
“It’s nothing,” I grumbled.
Lacie put her hand across the table. “Tell. Me. Now.”
I looked over at her, and finally sighed. “Last night, Carter was saying goodbye to me. We were talking in the hallway at the late night show’s studio and he kissed me, and, I don’t know… I just felt it. Like that slimy feeling down my spine. I looked over Carter’s shoulder and…”
I shook my head as Lacie stared at me, wide-eyed.
“And Seth was there?!”
“No! I mean, I don’t know. I can’t say for sure. I thought I saw someone disappear around the corner, but I’m not sure. I think I might just be paranoid.”
Lacie shook her head. “Have you read The Gift of Fear? This is exactly what it talks about. You need to trust your instincts, they could save your life. Did you see him again just now?”
“No, I haven’t read it,” I sighed. “I don’t know, Lacie. It just doesn’t make sense. Why would he be here?”
“Um, because he calls you forty-seven times a day and is completely obsessed with you? Because he wouldn’t want you to be with any other man even though he cheated on you repeatedly? Because he’s completely, totally fucking psycho?!”
My heart squeezed. Even though I told myself I was over it, the pain and heartbreak of Seth’s betrayal was still raw. It probably always would be. I shook my head.
“I thought I saw him just now. He was wearing a baseball cap, sort of hiding behind that plant,” I pointed. “But like, I think I’m going crazy! How the heck would he be here? We’re at the airport! We’re through security!”
“You thought you were going crazy when you suspected him of cheating,” Lacie reminded me. “Remember? But you were right.”
“This is different,” I sighed. “I’m at the fucking airport. We’re at the gate! Unless it’s some crazy coincidence and he’s taking a flight today, too, I don’t think it was him.”
Lacie pursed her lips, glancing around the airport. She shook her head.
“I don’t like this.”
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s just enjoy this. We’re going to New York! We have these—I don’t know, flings? Budding relationships?—With the biggest rock stars in the world. Let’s just live out these fantasies and forget about everything else.”
Lacie sighed, staring at me intently. Finally she nodded. “Fine. But if you see something again, you need to tell me.”
“And do what? Tell the police? What would I even say?”
Lacie shook her head. “I don’t know. But don’t ignore this.”
An announcement for boarding came on over the loud speaker, and I pointed to the ceiling. “Guess we’d better get on this plane.”
Lacie sighed, finishing her coffee. She looked at me again, narrowing her eyes, and finally got up and wrapped me in her arms.
“I love you, Vee,” she said. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
“I know,” I said, forcing a smile. “I’m just nervous. Maybe I’m not ready to sleep with another guy, and I’ve just jumped the gun and I’m freaking out.”
“Maybe, or maybe your crazy ex-boyfriend is still stalking you.”
I grimaced. “Maybe he is.”
Despite myself, I felt better. Lacie always knew what to say to help me feel better, and the two of us grabbed our bags and went to the gate. I caught a glimpse of The Mondays in the priority boarding line, and my heart fluttered. When I saw Carter, it didn’t feel like I was freaking out about sleeping with him. It felt like I was more excited and happy than I’d ever been.
Still, I glanced around at the people getting ready to board, looking for the man in the baseball cap. Maybe if I saw him, and saw that it wasn’t Seth, it would put my mind at ease.
He wasn’t there, though, and I got on the plane and found my seat. I settled in, put my headphones on, and tried to ignore the seed of fear that stayed in the pit of my stomach. Lacie squeezed my arm and smiled at me.
She was right. I should just enjoy this ride we were on, and forget about my ex-boyfriend.