A Beautiful, Terrible Love by Lucky 97 (books for 9th graders txt) 📖

"Not now."
I realized that the dots, now huge, were helicopters. LANDING helicopters.
"The paparrazzi!" Dex yelled, grabbing me and running. I strode behind him, half dragged, half pulled, my face contorted in confusion. Then, as the doors to the magnificent helicopters opened and a flood of cameras, people, and microphones broke forth, I finally understood.
I started sprinting, and we together reached the doors of the rickety building, the reporters following close behind.
"Hurry!" I yelled, opening the door hurriedly. Dex glared at me.
"YOU go in first."
"WHAT?!"
"Go in." He grabbed the door.
"Since when did you decide to be the gentleman?" I muttered, finally giving up and walking in. Dex ran in and slammed the door, breathing hard. He then turned towards me, a smirk on his face.
"I've always been the gentleman." He leaned towards me. "I've told you from the beginning." My heart started to beat faster, heat rushing towards my face.
For the whole school was watching.
Everyone, standing in our lobby, was watching what was transpiring between us. I quickly stepped a bit away, feeling the harsh glares of all the female students-and some teachers-and the appraising ones from all the guys. Many girls had a pad of paper and pencil in hand, wearing their best makeup and clothes, clearly wishing to get close to Dex.
He raised an eyebrow at me, confused as to why I took a step away. Then, he saw the audience, and was immediately transformed from guy to... something a little bit more.
The fans crowded around him, wanting to see his brilliant smile, feel his bright red hair, and get a glimpse of his emerald eyes. That was not the thing that surprised me. What DID was that the guys flocked to me.
"Hey Eve." Florence, the school's player smirked at me. "Have you kissed Dex yet?"
"Hey beautiful." Louie laughed, a jock that had –seemingly- never shown interest in me before.
"Eve!"
"What was it like being on TV?"
"Hey EVE!"
"EVE!!"
I couldn't take this much longer.
"Guys, please." I said, exasperated. "Back away so I can answer y'alls questions." They surprisingly complied, letting me stand in front of them and talk. As I answered their numerous questions, I glanced over at Dex, still being mobbed by a plethora of willing fans. He was looking at them, but staring at me at the same time. He gave me a little wink, my heart fluttering, then returned his gaze to the crowd. Louie followed my gaze to Dex, and grinned. "Smart chick, huh? Going for the guy with the money?"
"No I'm not!" I protested, although my words were quickly drowned by the guys' jeers.
"You like him, don't you?"
"Ooh, Eve and Dex, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G..."
"Wow, you have high hopes."
"Good luck."
"Come on, why can't you like a guy like me instead?" I was beginning to feel frustrated. How did Dex deal with this... madness every second of his life?

There suddenly was a loud bang on the old door, the sound echoing around the room. Everyone fell silent, even Dex, who looked on in surprise.
I knew who it was going to be.
The door slowly and creakily opened, taking its sweet time to reveal what was behind it. A figure came into view, a man with tan skin almost as dark as peanut butter, big chestnut eyes, and luscious apple red lips a supermodel would be lucky to have. He also had gorgeous brown hair with hints of natural blond highlights, perfectly swished to one side, a set of straight, snow white teeth, and a swagger that screamed importance, all combining to make one beautiful guy.
Peter, my former best friend.
He stood in the tiny doorway, his form big, intimidating, and had an alluring way about it that seemed to attract all the girls in school. He even attracted me, his best friend, although I was somehow immune to it, like I noticed it, and I realized that it was there, but I never really paid attention until now. He was just as good looking as Dex, in a more rustic sort of way though, for Dex seemed exotic and exquisite, but I had somehow been able to withstand his charms and looks. I guess my love for Dex blinded and robbed me at the same time, yet fueling my hopes for the day that came in reality instead of in my dreams.
Peter's big chocolate eyes immediately turned to mine, then mysteriously became the tiniest bit vulnerable, resembling a puppy when they're begging you to do something. I felt my heart crumble a little, wondering just what had I done to Peter, and how badly I had hurt him. His eyes quickly regained its hardness, and he brushed past me, emotionless, seemingly having not a single care in the world. Peter... I felt a single tear form in the corner of my eyelid well up, ready to release a downpour of sadness, fury, and regret.
"Wipe it away." A voice whispered. I turned to face Dex, his voice tinged with concern, although his face was blank. I opened my mouth to speak, but he quickly cut me off, saying. "You never let the audience know how you're really feeling. Pretend you're a whiteboard. You may have feelings and emotions that are flowing through you like a tornado, so powerful that you believe you can't stop, but as soon as you see an audience, wipe the board clean and show no emotion, and just a single smile will do after that." He grinned. "Never forget that, and you'll be a good star."
"I'll never be a star." I mumbled, as the bell rang and the crowd dispersed.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Dex whispered, sending tingles through my brain like a wildfire, rushing to all the parts of my body at the speed of light. He affected me alright, making me feel special and loved, doing everything I dreamed he would.
Then where does Peter fit into all this?

Chapter 9
Dex

As I walked down the badly mistreated hallway, I wondered why Eve didn't seem to want me in her life. Every movement I made to be by her side resulted in her moving away from me. What had I done to make her so... cold? Tossing me aside like a dishrag, glaring at me with her big, beautiful, piercing blue eyes. I really wanted to be close to her. Somehow, she was different from all the gorgeous Hollywood stars I dated and dumped. She was VERY different.
Would she lose that enticing quality when she became a star?
For she really will become a star. The media wouldn't ever let such good talent go to waste. I shuddered a little, imagining Eve as a materialistic, plastic-surgery enhanced actress, as the rest of them were. It didn't really fit.
Eve did show some signs of warmth towards me though, and I think that side of her was the part that made me fall headfirst into her trap. She would push me away, then pull me close. She was spinning a web around me, leading me on, making me believe she liked me also, then crashing my dream into a million tiny pieces. Then the cycle would start all over again. It was as if she was doing it unknowingly, though. She would be nice and sweet, then it was as if she suddenly realized she was being friendly, and freeze up like an iceberg. I've seen her eyes, sparkling with laughter at one of my jokes, suddenly widening with the realization that we were getting along, then shutting down like a computer, with no hopes for recovery.
What was Eve's true feelings? Did she love me or... HIM?
He was truly a handsome guy, as good looking as me, even, without all my special face treatments and hair styler. His body, rippled with muscles, just screamed strength, and although my body had plenty of muscle also, it just didn't compare with this beast. His voice seemed a bit gruff, like a bad boy's would, and his swagger was a bit more showy than mine. All in all, a completely different man, with a completely different kind of allure.
I could see some of the girls near me inching away, heading towards the mysterious guy, taking some of my enthusiasm with it. I don't really care about just a couple fans, but they symbolized something that could be big. Would I blend in here? Would I not stand out like I thought I definitely would, leaving that guy in the spotlight?
When he walked over to my clump of fans, he intentionally brushed past Eve, shoving her just a little. My eyes flared a little in anger, although I also noticed something strange with Eve also. Eve seemed to not have any reaction to Peter's arrival like the other girls did. Her eyes stayed exactly the same the whole time, not widening, or softening, or anything else. However, I spotted the smallest amount of tension rippling through her, her hand clenching a little.
It was then that I realized Peter and Eve must have something going on. It was so obvious to me once I thought about it. Of course the most beautiful girl and guy in school would notice each other. That's what happens with celebrities also. I dated all those materialistic superstars because they were pretty, not for their personality. It also boosted my fame, which was a definite plus. However, none of them really appealed to me like Eve did. I guess it was because I had never met a girl like Eve. A god-loving, beautiful, nice, and not to mention humble girl with miles more of common sense than all of my airhead girlfriends really seemed like a fantasy to me, not something that really existed. Until now.
That aside, they didn't look like they were on good terms with one another. For the briefest moment when they looked each other eye to eye, I caught Peter's eyes turn vulnerable. His whole being had frozen a little, his muscles tensing, his leg shaking a bit in barely seen anxiety. I could plainly tell he had been hurt by Eve. But how? How could Eve hurt anybody? I puzzled over the question laboriously. However, after a few minutes, I realized that there was no use in even trying. It seemed impossible to make sense of, even becoming rapidly MORE confusing as I dived deeper in the question's unforeseen depth.
The bell rang, a shrill blast of nearly unprecedented sound that pierced my ears, making me wince in unseen pain. What is wrong with their bell? The only sound I had heard in my life louder then this terrifying bell was when I was listening to my iPod and the volume accidentally got stuck on the maximum. I shook my head in sorrow at the sudden decrease in my hearing. Oh, how I hate school.
I felt a soft, comforting hand on my arm, and immediately relaxed. I, somehow, knew it was Eve. I had memorized her feather-light touch that always shook me to the core. I knew the texture of her long brown hair by heart, and could picture her soulful deep blue eyes in my mind. I had no idea what was coming over me. I felt like I was beginning to sink into Eve's pool of admirers, almost to the point where I could never escape. It excited me, but at the same time terrified me beyond anything else.
"Dex." The way she spoke my name was even mesmerizing, with the way she made it seem intimate, like my name was special and precious. She squeezed my arm a little, sending tingles to my brain. "This way to the office." She started pulling me to the tiny wooden door in front