A poll? There’s a freakin’ poll now.
My disbelief and masochistic curiosity compels me to read Wendy Collins’ article from the top.
Poll: Which Brother Should Lily Calloway Choose? Loren Hale or Ryke Meadows? By Wendy Collins
With only a few days left before the premiere of “Princesses of Philly”, we have one huge question left to be answered. Does Lily have more chemistry with Loren or Ryke? While we have strong suspicions that she’s been dating both at the same time, one of these men is bound to have more fire on-screen than the other.
Let’s break it down:
Loren Hale is her “long time” boyfriend, now fiancé, and a recovering alcoholic. Just click through our photo reel of him and you’ll realize he has a panty-dropping body but it’s the face that seals the deal. “Gorgeous” just doesn’t even cut it. Oh, and he has a nicely-sized inheritance of a rumored $2 billion dollars, the direct heir to Hale Co. baby products.
Ryke Meadows is Loren’s half-brother, routinely spotted riding his Ducati and climbing at a local Philadelphia rock wall. He’s notorious for his fights with the paparazzi, shoving cameras away from Lily and his brother. Despite Lily’s “proposed” engagement to Loren, we believe Ryke brings a certain heat in bed that Lily craves.
Now remember, Lily is a “recovering” sex addict, so her needs have to be satiated by her man (or men). Since we don’t know their…ahem, full packages, we’re going to base their chemistry between each other from recent candid photos.
I quickly scroll through the photos, none of which make me seem too chummy with Ryke. I’m literally kissing Loren in most of them. The poll resides just below the pictures and before I click into the results, I read a disclaimer at the bottom.
Note: While it’s my firm belief that Lily may very well be sleeping with both men, we know, in the very end, that she can only be with one. And while she may choose Loren for publicity, this poll is for you to choose who she should be with despite whatever happens.
I hate her.
I click into the results and my heart drops.
22% Loren Hale
78% Ryke Meadows
…no.
I do not accept this. How could she even have a poll? It’s rude. No one is polling to see if Kate Middleton would be a better match with Prince Harry than Prince William. I realize that I may have just compared myself to royalty. Not my intention.
I’m just freaking out.
A lot.
A lot, a lot.
Fuck it. Wendy Collins can’t just write biased articles and not have consequences. I pop up my email and start pounding the keys in frustration. I’ve never written a nasty letter, but as long as it’s legible, I’m fine with it.
Dear Ms. Collins,
I don’t know you personally, and you don’t know me personally, which is why I’m writing to you today. This is your fifth or so article about me and the supposed Ryke/Loren rumors floating around the media. These rumors are NOT TRUE. I would gladly appreciate you focusing on another topic. Hell, I wouldn’t even care if you still have to write about me (though, I would prefer you not). But just stop claiming that I’m sleeping with my boyfriend’s brother.
Thank you,
Lily Calloway
I reread it a couple of times, checking for grammar. It sounds more professional than I thought it would. And then I hit send.
As soon as my finger touches the button, and the email dashes off into cyberspace, my anxiety rockets up about ten levels.
18
0 years : 05 months
January
LILY CALLOWAY
It’s been thirty minutes since I sent the email, and I haven’t heard a response. Not that I assumed Wendy Collins would reply. I just thought maybe she’d email back with an “okay, I understand, thanks for letting me know. I won’t post anything else.” Wishful thinking.
I sit on the couch, my mind reeling. I know exactly what would calm me down and clear my thoughts. My fingers inch towards my shorts.
No.
I can’t.
I stand up quickly and pace back and forth. When I catch myself biting my nails, I drop my hand. Food. I can distract myself with food. The kitchen has been stocked with necessities and junk food. Perfect.
I open a cabinet and find a tub of icing in the top of the shelf. Standing on my tiptoes, I have to reach up to grab it. All the while, my pelvis “accidentally” grinds against the edge of the counter. It was an accident.
I think.
I don’t know anything anymore.
I let out a strained breath and back away from the counter, taking the icing with me. After I open the lid, I dip a spoon into the container and let out a relaxed breath.
The chair looms close to me and a sudden image bursts into my head. Me. Rubbing up against it. Just like the counter. Only maybe this would be better. I step closer, changing my mind just as my crotch brushes against the wood. I suddenly back away, my face burning. I whip around. There aren’t any cameramen but there are still cameras in the rafters. Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
Maybe they won’t use that footage. I have to believe that.
And what’s worse, my anxiety is so high that I’m grinding on inanimate objects to relieve it. That’s a little extreme…and weird, even for me.
I walk into the middle of the kitchen, my icing in hand.
What do I do? Nowhere is safe. If there are bad days for sex addicts, this is a very bad one for me. Should I call Lo? No. I don’t want to burden him with this. He’ll be overly concerned, and I need to figure it out myself.
The front door opens before I have a chance to make a proper decision. And the townhouse’s living room and kitchen are all in one visible space, nowhere to hide.
“What the f**k did you do?” Ryke growls.
Uh-oh. Did he see me grind on the chair? No. That’s impossible. He doesn’t have X-ray vision, and the world isn’t so unjust that it’d grant him a superpower before Lo or me.
“I’m…I don’t…” I end up stuttering.
“You wrote to Celebrity Crush,” he tells me, storming further into the kitchen.
“How do you know that?” I pull out my phone as soon as I say the words. But I remember I don’t have internet on it, so I slide it back in my shorts.
“They posted your email online.” He hands me his smart phone and my stomach does handstands and acrobatics worthy of gold medals.
Lily Calloway Responds to Celebrity Crush and Refers to Loren Hale as Her Boyfriend, Not Her Fiancé. Is the Marriage a Hoax?
Oh….no.
They have my original email underneath the title with a few choice words from Wendy Collins. Mostly, her calling me dramatic and sensitive.
The sad thing: I am a little dramatic and a lot sensitive.
I look back up at Ryke and his eyes have darkened considerably. “I had to do something. They had a poll, Ryke, a poll! And you freaking won it over Lo. That’s not okay!”
His eyebrows knot in confusion. I guess I’m not explaining it very well. “How many times do I have to tell you to forget about the f**king rumors?” he snaps. “Not only have you given the media a reason to believe they’re true, but my dad is fuming.”
My heart stops. “What?” I whisper.
“Lo’s back in the car on the phone with him,” Ryke explains. That’s why he’s so upset. It’s not about the rumors, not really. It’s because I put Lo in a position where he had to confront their father, the man that pushes him to drink.