A million miles from home

I stared around in wonder, breathing softly,
"Wow."
I span slowly round, taking it all in. I squeaked like a mouse as I spotted the curving grand staircase that I always wanted, and I felt like a little girl again as I skipped up it.
My bedroom itself had three floors! A lounging area, a balcony floor for my clothes and a huge bathroom and - on the top floor (with a view to die for) is where I'll be sleeping. There was even the window seat that I've always wanted!
"Do you like it?" I heard a quiet voice ask from below. I leant over the edge, smiling in ecstasy.
"I love it!" I ran down the stairs and throw my arms around Damien.
"You are the best friend in the whole wide world! I can't believe you did this!"
"The perks of knowing the best in the biz, honey." Damien answered.1

Two weeks later....2

I was woken by the sound of my phone ringing,
"Hello?" I mumble into the phone.
"Hope? Have you seen the newspapers this morning?" *Damien* I sighed mentally.
"You just woke me up, what do you think?"
"I think you need to get your ass out of bed and look at them. You're not going to like what you see though."
I frowned and sat up, throwing the duvet off the bed.
"Why? What are they saying?"
I ran downstairs in just my shorts and top.
"Oh my god. Put the TV on."
"What? Why?" I froze as I realise what's on screen. "Oh. My. God. Is that me?"
"That's what your new friend Adam is saying."
"Adam?"
"Welcome to your first press leak. And as they go- this one's pretty bad."
For the next two weeks I could barely show my face outside. I couldn't even walk beyond my own front door without being accosted by paparrazi. Magazines, newspapers and gossip channels all wanted to know what was going on between me and Adam. I denied that anything was going on between us, but no one cared if it was true or not. I couldn't trust anyone except for Damien. 3

Want to know the really dreadful part? Henry, my boyfriend from back home, rang me up that first morning. I could tell he was distraught- hey, he thought I'd cheated on him, after all. He told me that he felt it was 'better for everyone' if we broke up. I cried for three days straight.4

By the time christmas came around I had learned from my mistakes. I didn't drink when I went out at night, I replied 'no comment' to any questions thrown at me on the street. My concerts were sold out and my latest single went straight to number one. My fans loved me. So why was I so unhappy? 5

I hadn't seen my family since before the summer so I invited everyone down to my new home for the christmas holiday. Even then, surrounded by family and friends, I knew something was missing. I looked around the room, saw Damien sat laughing with my mum and my two sisters Lucy and Phoebe, my brothers fighting over the last cracker. The rest of my family were standing around, enjoying the champagne and laughing over old stories. Henry. I hesitated before beckoning to Phoebe to come into the kitchen with me. 6

"How's Henry? Is he all right?" Phoebe smiled sympathetically,
"I'm impressed it took you that long to ask really. He's doing okay." I nodded and turned around to pour myself a drink. "You could ask him yourself, you know," Phoebe added.
"Yeah, 'cus it's that easy to say 'I'm sorry you got hurt- but nothing happened, I swear' to the guy who broke your heart."
"You just said it to me, why not him?"
I sigh and run a hand through my hair. "I just can't."
"You just did," I spin round, shocked. That wasn't Phoebe who replied. I gulp as I take in the person stood in the doorway.
"Henry? When did you get here?" I lean back against the counter for support.
"About two minutes ago. Phoebe invited me."
I ran my hand through my hair again. Henry smiled softly and stepped towards me, holding his hands up in a pacifying manner.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?" I asked, confused.
"For not believing you. I've missed you, Hope."
"I missed you too, Henry. But you were right- I live in a different world now. I don't want you to get hurt by vicious rumours again." Henry took another step forward, reaching out towards me. "I do everything I can to stay out of the gossip columns- and most of the time, it works-"
Henry took my hands and smiled at me.
"It doesn't matter. I believe you."
And all of a sudden, I didn't feel a million miles from home anymore. I knew what had been missing- and I'd got it back.7

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