Catch My Breath (29 page)

DANNY and ELLIOT used to be inseparable, but our sources close to the Static boys tell us that poor ELLIOT feels bad taking time away from DANNY and his new love, songstress CHELSEA PRESTON from THE PIXIES.

“Danny and Elliot just aren’t as close as they used to be,” our source says. “They’re still friends, but Danny says he wants to focus on his new relationship. He doesn’t really have time for Elliot right now.”

Oh no!! Candy Scoop wants DANNY to be happy but we hate when romance gets in the way of a good bromance. Looks like our hopes for kissing pics might be in vain. RIP Delly. We miss you already!

—CS

“So we’re barely even friends now? What the hell is this?”

Elliot was pretty sure either Leslie or Rebecca were feeding stories to the tabloids and tips to the paparazzi, ’cause every time he so much as left the apartment with Chris or one of his old friends from high school the paps were all over him, but when he and Danny happened to be together? Nothing. He was shocked that anyone cared what some guy from a new pop group did. Honestly, they probably didn’t. It was all a game of buying the right kind of attention and burying the wrong kind, which Elliot was sure their management team also paid well for. He’d not known that at first, but it wasn’t hard to figure out. Especially when every article about him that surfaced was more of the same; Elliot as the fun-loving flirtatious party boy, a little
too
good with the girls, having a great time living it up. Couldn’t be further from the truth, but obviously that’s what Static’s management team and their busy publicity machine wanted everyone to believe about him.

He guessed that careless party boy was a more sellable image than the somewhat shy and dorky gay kid in love with another boy. None of it made any sense to him.

Danny sighed. “I don’t know why that’s necessary for them to think we don’t even see each other. And you know I didn’t say that, right?”

“Of course I know that.” Elliot rolled his eyes. “How can you be focusing on a relationship that doesn’t exist?” It didn’t mean he liked it. The whole world thought Danny was with Chelsea. Elliot wanted to scream “Mine!” at the top of his lungs. Danny was his.
His
. It wasn’t fair.

“You are with Chris a lot lately,” Danny said quietly. He looked like he didn’t even want to be saying it, but he couldn’t help it.

“Well, yeah. Chris is cool—and I went out with Sara last week, and all of a sudden half the tabloids said I was cheating on Savannah with her! I can’t even do anything with a female friend anymore without them making up crap about it.”

“So Chris is a safe person to hang out with?”

“At least for now.” Elliot rolled his eyes. “And I can talk to him about all this. He knows. That’s why I hang out with Reece too. I need someone to
talk
to.”

“You can talk to me.”

Elliot flopped onto the bed. He crawled up and curled around Danny. “I know I can talk to you. But they’ve got you out with Chelsea so much lately. It’s hard to talk to you when you’re not here.”

Danny sighed. “You know what? Fuck this shit.” Elliot snorted when Danny swore. “I’m serious. You and I are going out tomorrow night. Just the two of us. We’re getting dinner and fuck management. Fuck them all.”

Elliot liked rebel Danny, but he didn’t want him to get in too much trouble. Anything that even smelled like breach of contract would come down on them hard.

“Weren’t you supposed to go out with Chelsea?”

“I’ll call her and cancel. Sure to freaking God they can let me do it just this once. Tomorrow’s us. Just you and I.”

Elliot couldn’t help smiling. That sounded amazing. “You and I.”

Cara D @Dellyisreallove

Sqeeeaallll! @EPriceisRight and @DannyBoy94 are so cute! I saw them playing in the park last night. It was perf :) #Dellydate

Staticgrl4life @Ellysbaby

@Dellyisreallove Were they all lovey and sweet?!?! I miss their dates! #Dellydate! <3

Cara D @Dellyisreallove

@Ellysbaby Yessssss <3 They were kicking a soccer ball around and kept touching each other’s backs and stuff. They’re so in love :)

Staticgrl4life @Ellysbaby

@Dellyisreallove Awwwww <3 <3 <3 #Dellydate We want more of them! @DannyBoy94 @EPriceisRight

Elliot Price @EPriceisRight

@Dellyisreallove @Ellysbaby Sorry girls! We’ve just been busy :(

Staticgrl4life @Ellysbaby

Omgomgomg!! #Elliot Price just tweeted me! 100% dead omg!!

“W
E
THINK
it’s best if you and Danny aren’t seen together in public anymore.”

“What?” Elliot wanted to shout into his phone. He managed to keep his voice calm, but barely. The night before had felt so good, so normal and right—just the two of them eating dinner and going to a park where they messed around with a soccer ball. It wasn’t like they’d made out on a park bench or held hands on a long romantic walk. They hadn’t even been touching… much. To have even that much taken away from them was unthinkable.

“You’re too obvious. Every interaction you two have screams couple. Even if you think you’re not doing anything, just the way you stand says it all. Danny and Chelsea won’t be believable if you and he are out there looking the way you do.”

“So we’re not even allowed to be friends?”

“Not in public. Not alone,” Rebecca said quietly. She sounded sorry. Elliot hated that she’d been put in such an awkward place. Rebecca was a genuinely nice person. She just needed her job. Since their album had shot up the charts, Static had become one of White Star Management’s biggest clients. “The team thinks it’s better that way,” she added gently.

“The team can suck it!”

“Elliot….”

“Listen. The fans know we’re best friends, if nothing else. Some of them have already asked why I don’t go out with Danny and Chelsea if we’re all so close. This will look even weirder.” He hated that his life had turned so quickly into some conspiracy theory. What was the big deal if a few fans thought he and Danny were together? They didn’t have to say they were. Wouldn’t most of the fans believe what they wanted to believe anyway?

“Speaking of that, there’s that album launch party next week for Isaiah. All of Static have been invited as have The Pixies, so you will be photographed with Danny and Chelsea. It’s a good opportunity to show that everyone’s still friends—but not too close of friends, right?”

Elliot’s gut churned. He felt like he was going to puke. Just knowing that Danny was out there wandering around at night fake hand-holding and looking lovey with Chelsea was enough for him to heave. Standing right next to them and watching it in person was just too damn much. He couldn’t do it.

“Aren’t you worried about how Danny and I will look if we’re seen together in public?” Elliot asked sarcastically. A pretty huge part of him wanted to drape his arms around Danny right in front of the paps and make it as obvious as could be just who Danny really belonged to. But he wouldn’t. Pulling a stunt like that would screw with the other guys’ night—with their careers. Doing that to Tate, Webb, and Reece wouldn’t be cool, no matter how angry he was at the situation.

Rebecca spoke again with a soft voice. “It’s an event where the whole band will be there, sweetie. Obviously Static will have to make appearances together. You’ll just have to watch yourselves.”

More like I’m going to have to watch the guy I’m in love with pretend to be someone else’s boyfriend.
At one time, Elliot would’ve thought of Chelsea as his friend. It had gotten to the point where hearing her name alone made him want to punch things.

“Fine. Just give us Valentine’s Day. It’s Saturday. I want to be with Danny.”

“Yes, that’s fine. Just don’t go out.”

“This is ridiculous,” Elliot grumbled.

“What’s ridiculous?” Danny came up behind him and put his arms around Elliot’s waist. His voice was sleepy and scratchy, the way Elliot loved it best. He brushed a soft morning kiss into the back of Elliot’s neck.

“We can’t be seen out in public together anymore unless we’re on official Static business with the other guys.”

“What?” Danny’s voice went from soft and sleepy to angry. “That’s fucked. Why?”

“’Cause apparently we even play soccer like a couple.” Elliot rolled his eyes.

“Give me the phone.”

Elliot sank into the couch and listened to Danny argue with Rebecca. It was probably hard for him too, to fight with the messenger when it wasn’t just Rebecca but everyone in charge of them who agreed to the whole damn mess.

“I don’t like this, Becks. It’s causing problems for El and I. We don’t get to see each other unless we’re working or half asleep—” Danny stopped and listened. “Fine.” Another pause. “
Fine
.”

He hung up the cell and threw it rather violently—onto the couch so it wouldn’t break of course.

“This is bullshit.” He came over and wrapped his arms around Elliot, burying his face in Elliot’s neck. “At least they’re giving us Valentine’s Day.”

“I know.”

“Not much longer, okay? I’m going to talk to them about this. It can’t go on.”

“Okay. I’m really sorry all of this is on you.”

“It’s not. You’re getting screwed too, babe. I just….”

“I know. It’s hard to see a way out of it, especially back at the beginning when we didn’t know how to say no.”

“I should’ve said no. Screw the contract. You tried to say it.” Danny’s face sank. He looked like the weight of so many worlds had fallen onto his small shoulders. Elliot felt awful for him—for both of them.

Cara D @Dellyisreallove

No #Delly date for V-day?? Sad panda :( Why are they making Danny pretend he’s with Chelsea? It’s soooo obvious he’s not.

Staticgrl4life @Ellysbaby

@Dellyisreallove I know :( :( #Delly probably misses each other. Maybe they’ll celebrate later in private. <3 <3

StephSteph @IShipChelly

UGH! #Delly girls need to stop. Danny is happy with Chelsea! Can’t you see that? #Chelly

Staticgrl4life @Ellysbaby

@IShipChelly We leave you alone, you can leave us alone too. But seriously? R U blind? #Delly is real love. #Chelly is B.S.

StephSteph @IShipChelly

@Ellysbaby Danny and Elliot aren’t gay! Elliot’s like all over every chick and Danny has a girlfriend. #Delly is a BROMANCE not a romance. #deluded

StaticFan#1 @Rateisgreat

@Ellysbaby @IShipChelly Ladies! Let’s get along. Even if they’re just friends @EPriceisRight is probably hurting. I bet he misses his Danny :(

Elliot Price @EPriceisRight

@StaticFan#1 I do :(

StaticFan#1 @Rateisgreat

@EPriceisRight awwwwww :( <3 He loves you most!!

StephSteph @IShipChelly

@EPriceisRight Eww are you gay for Danny?!? Don’t try to steal him from Chelsea. He loves her! #Chelly #ElliotisDeluded

Elliot Price @EPriceisRight

@IShipChelly ummmm… good to know?? Happy Valentine’s Day!! xoxo

“I
DON
’
T
think your fans like me very much,” Chelsea muttered. “At least not some of them.”

“What do you mean?” Danny deposited their coffees on the table and scooted in closer. It was comfortable with Chelsea, and Danny still liked her. He’d have rather been at home watching football and hanging out with the boys, who were all at his and Elliot’s apartment. At least it was only coffee, and then he was free to do what he wanted.

“I’ve been getting a lot of really mean tweets, girls saying I’m ruining your friendship with Elliot and making things weird for Static. There’s even the ones who think I’m just a cover for you and Elliot’s secret relationship.” She giggled. “Although, they tend to be not so bad. To them, I barely matter.”