Stay

Kelsea

Stay. He didn’t know. He was never going to know. I was never planning on telling him. But, all he needed to do was say the words and I would have stayed. Lord help me I would have dropped everything. No questions asked.

I should have been elated. This was everything I had ever wanted, everything I had always been too afraid to ask for. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. A chance to finally talk about things that really mattered. Goodbye weather reports, and celebrity gossip segments. Hello real stories.

I should have been running the airport. I was always early, and today on the biggest day of my life I was running late and I didn’t care. I should have been rushing out of this city I always complained about. The city that decided from one look at me that I was too dumb to do anything other than read a teleprompter and smile at the camera.

I should have been smiling with that trademark Kelsea Blake smile my bosses had always told me boosted our ratings. My illogical completely non thought out spur of the moment plan had worked. For all intensive purposes I was a genius. So why didn’t I feel so smart right now? Why was I contemplating throwing it all away for a guy I wasn’t even dating? Well not actually dating? It was complicated.

Detective Scotty Akers. I wouldn’t be able to find the words to describe him if anyone ever asked. I would simply define our relationship as complicated for lack of better words. He went from a stranger, to a friendly face, to a fake boyfriend I never asked for all within the span of a couple weeks. To the public we were the picture of modern romance. An interview with a local hero, and America's sweetheart weather girl turned into a love story for the ages. A love story that could make everyone believe in love again, too bad it was all for the cameras.

It was all a lie. The original interview that went viral was acting. I wasn’t even supposed to do the interview. I didn’t want to. I was trying with everything in my power to avoid it, to avoid him. Clearly I was unsuccessful. The original news anchor that was supposed to do the interview introduced us, and when I said Detective Akers and I had already met he misunderstood my disdain for friendliness. So there I was getting ready to interview the detective that hated me for good reason.

He hated me. Sure he didn’t know the full story but I didn’t blame him for looking at me like he would have rather been talking to anyone else. Unfortunately at that moment neither of us had a choice. The interview was going to happen regardless and we had to sell it, or make it look good as my boss always said. “Pretend you don’t hate me.” I remembered telling him right before the interview that changed both our lives.

“Of course. I wouldn’t want to ruin your perfect image.” He responded with a smile seconds before we went on air. How romantic. The second the cameras started rolling we started pretending. I was a professional, it was my whole job. Read the questions the writers wrote for me because they figured I could never come up with them myself, smile at the camera, and flirt a little to keep the viewers engaged. It was simple, like I said it was just another day at the office for me.

What surprised me was how well he slipped into character. He was a police officer, and he was putting together the academy performance of a lifetime. He was a pro. Smiling at the camera, laughing at the stupid jokes I made that weren’t even funny, and staring at me so kindly I almost forgot he hated me. No wonder the public jumped to ridiculous conclusions.

Our “first date” was a complete scam. His romantic date proposal “Yeah I have a message for Kelsea Blake, will you go to dinner with me.” response to a street interviewer was only to get back at me for something I didn’t even do. He blamed me for the media circus after our interview, and accused me of leaking the pictures from our private meeting in the park to the press. For the record I did not leak the pictures.

Our national interview a couple weeks later was completely scripted. The way he told the world “Being a detective has become a little harder with everyone recognizing me in public. Definitely won’t be going undercover anytime soon, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Meeting the beautiful, kind, amazing girl sitting next to me, Miss Kelsea Blake was the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” was acting. He didn’t mean it. It was a line we rehearsed.

I was good. I did everything in my power to convince the world we were in love simply because my boss asked me to, and I didn’t want to lose everything I worked so hard for. He was better. He convinced me that maybe it was real.

Scotty

“They offered me a new job. I’ll have the opportunity to finally talk about something other than weather forecasts, and the latest update on the Kardashians.” Kelsea told me still pacing nervously around my apartment.

“That’s great! That’s everything you ever wanted.” I responded excitedly for her finally getting her big break. Lord knows she deserved it. Kelsea was one of the smartest people I ever met. Her talents were definitely not being utilized fully talking about the weather and whatever celebrity update of the day.

“That’s not it. The job is in Los Angeles.” She continued her voice barely above a whisper. Oh my god. I tried to keep smiling. This was great news for her. Our stupid let’s pretend to be in love for the camera's plan actually worked. Perhaps too well not that I would ever admit that out loud. Who would’ve thought.

“Oh. Well congratulations and I’m going to miss you.” I responded honestly. I should have been so happy. This was the end result both of us had always hoped for. She got her dream job, I finally got to go back to work without being a local celebrity, and we both could finally stop pretending we were in love. This was great news, so why couldn’t I ignore the pit in my chest and the burning instinct to beg her to stay.

“I’m going to miss you too, Akers. You actually aren’t half bad after really getting to know you.” She joked trying to lighten the mood. She wasn’t convincing, but it was her decision to leave and I didn’t want to hold her back. I had no claim to her. She wasn’t mine. Sure in the public eye we were together but behind closed doors that couldn’t have been farther from the case. Or at least that’s what I told myself so I could believe I made the right decision letting her walk out my door forever.

“Akers you ok man?” Nate Thomas, my partner, asked me at the precinct the next morning.

“Not really. Kelsea got offered a job in Los Angeles. Her flight leaves today.” I responded trying to keep it together, and keep details to a minimum.

“Oh damn man. I’m sorry. That must be really tough.” Thomas said genuinely.

“Yea. It’s tough. I'm happy for her it's the job she always wanted. They are finally going to let her talk about something other than weather and gossip, but I’m going to miss her.” I responded then took a moment to pause and decide if I should tell him the truth. “There’s something else I should probably tell you.” I finished deciding what’s the harm in telling him now. She’s already gone.

“Yea I’m really sorry man. What did you want to tell me?” Thomas continued.

“The whole thing between Kelsea and I was a lie.” I admitted.

“Huh?” Thomas questioned looking at me like I was completely insane. He was probably right.

“The whole thing was fake. After our first interview went viral her bosses told her to run with it. So we faked a relationship. The way I asked her out on the street in an interview, The way she accepted the date request on live TV, all the dates, and everything else it was completely scripted.” I answered believing he deserved the truth.

“Akers, what the hell are you talking about?” Thomas questioned again, still looking at me like I had completely lost it.

“Like I said, it was all a fake relationship. Ratings you know. I’m sorry I should’ve told you.” I clarified again.

“Akers. You text her everyday. You smile at your phone every time you see her name pop up. You talk about her all the time. You know every little thing about her. For christ’s sake you wear her pink scrunchie on your wrist every day in case you run into her and she needs a hair tie. You may have been lying to everyone in the beginning, but you are lying to yourself if you say you don’t have feelings for her now.” Thomas ranted, and it clicked. Oh. My. God. I am the dumbest man in the world.

“Oh my god. You’re right.” I started “I have to go.” I finished practically sprinting out of the station. I had a flight to catch.

Kelsea

I stood there on the steps of the private plane the network had gotten me contemplating everything. I wanted this. Right? This was the right decision. It had to be. Just get in the plane Kelsea, I told myself everything is going to be ok I promise. One more deep breath and I’ll be ready to leave, I remembered thinking before I all the sudden saw a black car. His black car approaching.

I was going completely insane. Right? Surely this was just my delusion. There was no possible way he could be here right now. Right? Wrong.

“Scotty?” I yelled, still unsure if I was seeing a ghost.

“Stay.” He said calmly. Shit. This was definitely real life. He was here begging me to stay. It was out of a damn rom com.

“What are you doing here Scotty?” I asked hating myself for it. Just be happy he’s here, Kelsea. Stop asking questions. Please.

“Kelsea. I knew from the very moment we met in that coffee shop that there was something there. I gave you hell for being a weather and celebrity gossip reporter because I thought you could do so much more. I pretended I didn’t feel the sparks that everyone else saw during our first interview because I was scared of what it meant. It’s not fake for me. It hasn’t been fake for me in a while Kelsea. I love you.” He said his voice cracking at the end. Oh my god. This was happening.

“Scotty, I don't even know what to say.” I responded still at a loss for words.

“You don’t have to say anything. Kelsea, we thought we were lying to everyone else. The only people we were really lying to were ourselves. I love you, and I’m asking you to make me the luckiest man in the world and give me a real chance to do this right this time. Stay. Please.” He continued pouring out his heart. How did I get this lucky.

“Yes.” Was all I could say before dropping my bags and running over to him. “I’ll stay.”