Disconnected (4 page)

              Before I get out of the car, I slip my sunglasses on and pull my hood up just in case there are any fans hanging around that I don't want to deal with right now.

             
I quickly jog up to the dorm I saw Katy go into the other day and ask a few people that are heading out the door if they know which room is hers, and they point me in the right direction. 

             
I hurry down the hall and knock on her door. When she opens the door, I smile at her until she tries to slam the door in my face. But she isn't getting rid of me that easy. I reach my arm up to block it from shutting and quickly step inside her room and take a look around.

             
Katy's leaning against the door with her arms crossed when I turn back towards her. "What the heck do you think you're doing here, Liam?" she asks me.

             
"Oh, you know, I had a break in filming and thought I'd come and visit these um...lovely dorms," I answer her with a smirk. I take a good look around and spot the flowers I sent her, but frown when I see where they're placed--sitting next to several pictures of her roommate and little pink accessories, not Katy's side of the room. 

             
"Those weren't for her, you know."

             
She just shrugs at me as she looks at her watch, like I'm wasting her time. Wow.

             
 "I know, I didn't want them, and Krista, who by the way will be back in like five minutes, is just so 'in love' with you and was just too happy to take the flowers out of my hands.” She puts her hands on her hips and smiles, and I get more frustrated with every word she says.

             
I stalk closer to her and throw my hands in the air. "You are impossible, Katy! What do I have to do to prove to you that I want you?”

             
She narrows her eyes and yells back at me. “For the thousandth time, I'm just Kate now. Not Katy, ok? And you don't have to prove anything, because I don't care!”

             
I can't take it anymore. I'm going to prove that she does, in fact, still care.  I grab her and kiss her. She melts against me just like she always did before, and I revel in it until I hear the door handle turn. 

             
 In walks a girl with very curly blonde hair. She has a towel wrapped around her shoulders and Katy's boyfriend is right behind her, all dressed for a night out. The girl's eyes get huge and boyfriend turns a glare on me and then looks at Katy with sad eyes. They saw the kiss.

             
 "OH MY GOD, ITS LIAM WARREN!" the girl screams. Katy takes a big step away from me, putting a lot of space between us and moving toward her boyfriend. 

             
"Lucas, I-”

 
              But he cuts her off with a shake of his head. "No, I get it, Kate. How can I stand a chance against a movie star?” He turns and walks out and I see that Katy's covering her face, in embarrassment? Shame? Does she really hate kissing me that much?

             
A minute later she composes herself and goes to stand next to the blonde girl.  "Krista Quinn, I believe you know who he is.” She points in my direction. "Liam Warren, this is my roommate and best friend, Krista Quinn."

             
I smile as I reach my hand out. "It’s very nice to meet you, Krista Quinn."

             
She squeals as she returns the shake and I have to resist covering my ears. "N-nice to meet you L-Liam,” she stutters out, and starts messing with her hair.

             
I give her a nod and look back over at Katy. "We really need to talk about this, Katy.”

             
Krista must take the hint because she says something about getting her hair stuff and quickly leaves the room, and then Katy and I are finally alone.

             
She sits on her bed and says, "Alright. Start talking."

             
I walk over and sit down next to her and take her hand in mine, shaking my head of the million thoughts running through my mind right now. "You have no idea how many times I've thought about this moment. Seeing you again, and being able to confront you about everything that happened...”

             
"Liam..." she tries to interrupt, but I hold my hand up. I need to get this out. 

             
"No, hear me out, ok? I thought when I saw you again I would be pissed and take it out on you. But I think that over the last four years I've kicked, punched, drunk and destroyed that anger. So I'm at a place now that I can just sit here, hold your hand, and ask you--Why? Why did you leave the way you did, Katy?” I turn to look her directly in the eye.

             
She bites her lip and I see tears building in her eyes. "I couldn't handle it. All those women flaunting their bodies and throwing themselves on you...barely dressed, I might add. And that night, at the party, you didn't seem to care where I was involved.  It was like I became invisible, and when I talked to you, you blew me off because it was business. It was then that I felt like I lost you.” She whispers the last part of the sentence and I squeeze the hand I'm holding. “That night, when I threatened to leave, I thought you would go out of your way to come talk to me, let me know we were ok and that Hollywood wasn’t getting the best of you.” She takes a deep breath and I hold mine. “But you didn’t.” She looks over at me. “And I didn’t want to wait around until you woke up and realized how far you pushed me away.”

             
 I have so many thoughts running through my head and I let my breath out as I try to clear them. "It nearly destroyed me when I found that note. I tried your cell, your mom's phone, and even your brother's. No one would tell me a word about where you went. I went home myself after a few weeks to beg for answers from your parents, had my mom peppering your mom with questions about you. You know she can't ever stop going on and on where you and Derek are concerned.” I smile and bump her shoulder. "Over the years, I've found out small details about your life, all but where the heck you wound up. So tell me, how did you end up in Georgia of all places?” I lean back on my arms and watch as she gets herself comfortable.

             
"Well, I knew you would be in L.A. So I wanted to be far away from that madness. I did go home for a little bit, but made everyone swear to not let anyone connected to you know I was there. I think I cried for a week straight....” She bites her lip again and I continue watching her. "After I kind of mourned the end of everything as I knew it, I decided I needed to figure out who I was again. I decided to go back to school. Looked around online, found a reputable school in a small town, and so...here I am.” She looks around the room and I follow her gaze until she speaks again. "I left Katy Warren behind when I came here, became Kate Parker again.  No one had a clue what a crazy life quiet little Kate had before she landed here."

             
I smile and lean over to grab her hand. "Sounds like you could give me a run for my money; you must be one heck of an actress, Katy."

             
She laughs at that and it makes me smile again. I really missed her laugh, "Hardly, just very shy around a bunch of new people, a new state and city and everything else. The few times I do go home, it's almost like I'm living someone else's life.  Things there are all interconnected to our life together and I--just can't handle all the reminders," she whispers, looking down, and I frown. Memories of us should make her happy, not bring her down.

             
I reach over and tilt her head up to look at me. "I want there to be a life together again, Katy. No more of this nonsense." I wave my arm around the room. "You belong with me."

             
"Liam, part of me wants to give us a shot again and try to fix what went wrong…"

             
I raise an eyebrow, "But?" I ask before she gets it out.

             
"But, I don't know if I could live in the spotlight. Be the object of millions of photographers, in magazines and all that craziness. That's just not who I am." 

 
              She quickly lets go of my hand and hurries over to the window. "How the heck can you sneak around like this anyway? Don't you have millions of fan girls trailing you all day?"

             
I smirk as I stalk over to her and put my arms on each side to pin her to the spot. "You’re changing the subject, Katy," I lean down and whisper in her ear.

             
She shivers against me and I smile when she answers. "N-No, I'm not."

             
I laugh as I kiss just below her ear and go back and sit on the edge of her bed, "M-hm. So, what do I have to do? Whisk you away on a romantic weekend? Get on your best friend's good side? By the way she acted; I don't think that will take much doing." 

             
Katy turns towards me and crosses her arms as she leans back against the window. “No, you have to get on MY good side again, Liam. This isn’t like a movie where you just jump back in where we left off and everything’s “Happily Ever After”. You’re going to have to really make an effort at this. I’m not going to let Hollywood get the best of this again, if we can even make it work.”

             
Grinning like the movie star I am, I pop off the bed and go over and pull her into my arms and nuzzle her neck while I whisper in her ear, "Challenge accepted."

             
She gently pushes me back and mutters, "We'll see," before looking over at her roommate's side of the room. "You might want to head out before Krista comes back in here and attacks you."

             
I laugh at that and nod. "Ok, I'll go. Will you come see me on set?" I ask hopefully as I walk towards the door.

             
Katy takes a deep breath and opens the door for me. "I'll think about it."

             
I kiss her cheek one last time before I slip my glasses and hood back on and hurry back to my car waiting in the parking lot.

             
As soon as I get settled in, I grab my phone from where I left it on the console and see many missed calls and texts from Scott. Rolling my eyes I scroll down and call his number. 

             
"What did you need?" I ask as soon as he picks up.

             
"Where are you? The entertainment is here." He laughs at something and I shake my head.

             
"I told you I really don't want to be there, Scott. I have Katy to think about now, now more then ever."

             
"And I told you, I need you as my wing man. You owe me that at least."

             
"How exactly do I owe you anything?" I ask, confused, looking around the parking lot.

             
"Uh, I don't know. But come on, it's the one time I'm asking you for something."

             
I sigh and run a hand through my hair and take a last look at Katy's dorm building. "Fine, I'll be there in about 30 minutes."

             
"I'll be waiting," Scott replies and quickly hangs up.

Chapter 4

             
I pull into the parking lot of the swanky hotel Excite has all the fun set up at and sigh. It's so easy to get caught up in the highlights like this. Women at the tip of your fingers, all the drinks (or more...) you could dream of just by asking, and nights like this. Our management wants to keep its stars happy and out of trouble, so they make these special arrangements to keep us out of the bad papers. We can be naughty behind closed doors and the public has no idea what some of the so-called golden boys are like when no one else is watching. 

             
Stepping out of my car a valet immediately walks over and I hand him the keys. "Thanks." I smile at the nervous looking teenager and make my way inside.

             
In the lobby there is a crowd of people and before I even get to the line for the front desk I hear my name called and turn to see Scott waving me over.

             
"Over here!" he yells, and I follow him into an elevator.

             
"So what is it I have to do?" I ask him, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall as we're carried up.

             
He shrugs, looking at the number of floors rising. "Just be Liam Warren. You're like a girl magnet; they'll come for you and leave with me."

             
I roll my eyes. "Your ego is crazy, man. I hope you find the girl that changes your ways eventually. Otherwise you're going to be one to end up on the magazine covers as a play boy."