Rise From The Ashes (EDITING IN PROGRESS)

Chapter 20

"Wh-what?" I ask in horror as I frantically look around me.

"Hey... relax, love." Zevander's replies, grabbing my face. "If you aren't comfortable we can leave."

"Paparazzi follows you around?" I question, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion. "Will they follow us into the restaurant? Will it always be like this? Can they see us right now? What does that mean? D-"

Before I can finish, Zevander places his index finger to my lips hushing me. "Yes, love paparazzi follows me around. No, the won't follow us into the restaurant and yes, sometimes it can feel like they're always around. I've managed to keep them away from the diner all this time, so its pretty easy to trick them, and to answer your fourth question, no, they cannot see us right now as the windows are tinted, but if you decided to step out this vehicle, they will most likely bombard us with questions because I haven't been spotted with a woman who wasn't my mother or sister in almost five years. It will be hard at first, but eventually they'll leave you alone and back off a little. The choice is yours."

"I have one last question." I say, in which Zevander nods. "How long has paparazzi followed you around?"

"All my life, but more so since I took over my fathers business and expanded."

"Okay, let me outweigh my options. On one hand if I want to be apart of Zevander and Lenaya's life I have to get used to paparazzi popping up like Michael Myers on a Friday the thirteenth movie" I express.

"What are you doing?" Zevander laughs as he continues to watch me move both open palms up and down as if they were scales.

"Weighing my options now hush and let me think," I say. "Now on the other hand I can have Zevander drop me off and forget I ever know him, b-"

"Hey..." He interrupts.

"I'm just kidding," I smile. " I can handle paparazzi, Zevander. Did you forget I work at a diner. I imagine it's a lot like that, without the cameras of course. I just need you to tell me what it is you need me to do."

"You're serious?" He adds.

"As a heartache," I reply. "Abandoning you and Lenaya was never an option. You're both stuck with me."

Smiling he pulls me in for a hug and whispers how amazing I am and kisses my head before explaining more or less how the precess will work.

I don't know how anyone can deal with them on a day to day basis. It hasn't even begun and I'm already tired of them. Maybe they'll get tired of how boring my life is and move on to their next victim.

"Ready?" Zevander asks and I nod.

The moment he opens his door the bright flashing lights from their camera's go off. I can hear the buzzing of questions asked as Zevander comes around to my side and opens the door.

The lights continue to flash blinding me, until Zevander steps in front of me, blocking their view of me. Ducking my head low I allow my hair to form a curtain around my face, shielding me from the cameras. With my free hand I shield my face, to the best of my abilities as Zevander guides us the short distance to the restaurant.

"Mr. Hendrix, is this your girlfriend?"

"Mr. Hendrix, has Lenaya met her yet?"

"Mr. Hendrix, how does your family feel about her."

"Mr. Hendrix, do we see wedding bells in the near future?"

"Mr. Hendrix, over here! How long have you two been seeing each other in secrecy?"