章 49: Fangirl
Evan and Rylee spent their morning in peace. Evan walked Bandit (who managed to turn a 5 minute walk into a 45 minute adventure when he forced Evan around the complex in circles). Then they spent a bit of time rearranging craft supplies and organizing products for FanQuest. By noon they had a list of supplies left to buy, and Evan went to the store while leaving Rylee home to work on painting.
It was hard not to smile as he drove, thinking of how comfortable their relationship was getting. After several years living in his own, he was becoming accustomed to Rylee's companionship. The only problem would be when Rylee finally went back to work. He was starting to realize how much he would miss her when that happened.
Entering the craft store, he felt his mind wander while he walked over to the paints, and it wasn't until he heard someone say his name that he snapped out of it.
"Evan Nichols?"
He looked over, but the woman facing him didn't look familiar. "Have we met?"
"It is you! Oh my gosh, Kimmie, get over here!"
Shit. It took too long for Evan to realize what was happening. After so many years of internet fame, he grew accustomed to how average he looked. If he didn't promise Rylee more supplies he would have high tailed it for the door by now.
"We love your comic! Twisted Tales was such a big hit at our work! How does it feel to be famous?" One of the girls, Kimmie, gushed.
"I'm not really that famous," Evan insisted. Compared to actors or singers, he was relatively normal.
"That's not true! Your fan group is getting really huge lately. They are so excited to see you at FanQuest, no one will believe we see you just shopping in a store!"
There were three girls facing him now. The first two were the loud ones, making him feel like a piece of meat up for grabs. But the last one was quiet, and that made him more nervous. It was the first time he looked at someone and felt a sinister intention from the start.
"Girls, give Mr. Nichols some space. I heard he has a girlfriend, after all."
"What?!!! Who is she?"
Evan took an automatic step backwards as one girl latched onto his arm. He almost dropped his paints, swallowing with discomfort. "That's a bit private. If all you fans are this energetic I don't want her life to be disrupted. You understand, right?"
"Is it that girl they took the photo of? It is her! We thought it was just a rumor!"
"What photo? Show me!"
All three huddled around a cell phone as Evan casually crept toward the edge of the aisle. He was about to make a break for it when one of them said a name, "That's Rylee Tang. Your actually dating that little runt!"
He froze, eyes narrowing. He faced the one who spoke, the increased feeling of discomfort building. "Who I date is none of your business. I don't even know you."
"Well, I know her, and I can promise she is not worth your protection. She's just a little nerd who never amounted to anything."
The other girls look intrigued. "Is it true? How do you know her, Shanna? You know all the best gossip!"
"I went to school with her. She was the one who caused that whole accident last week in the store, remember?"
"That girl who attacked you? Evan, how could you be dating someone like that! She must be a gold digger, you are way too good to be taken advantage of this way."
"Why do I need to explain myself to you?" Evan suddenly felt angry. For the first time, his career was overstepping the boundaries into his personal life. He did not appreciate the feeling. "I draw because I like it. Just because you read my comic doesn't mean you can pass judgement on my dating life."
The girls looked surprised by his rebuttal. One of them looked like she would burst into tears. "It's not like that, we just idolize you and want you to have the best! The fan club has supported you for so long!"
"Then you should support someone who I care about." He grabbed the remaining art supplies and hurried toward the front of the store. Even after checking out and driving back to Rylee's, his emotions were in turmoil.
Life had been easy for so long. He was relatively invisible, and he had a steady career. Why did some nosy fangirls have to ruin it? And what about Rylee? What if she encountered this next? Those girls knew her name. They knew where she worked!
He punched in Zane's phone number and scowled until his best friend answered.
"Hey! How's the honeymoon stage?"
"It's taken a sharp twist into reality," Evan growled. He quickly explained what happened, and turned off the car once he pulling into a parking spot. "Am I making a mistake here?"
The other line was quiet for so long Evan thought the call dropped. He eventually heard a sigh from the other end. "I think you two may have to talk this over on your own. The more popular you become, the less privacy you will have. If she chooses to be with you, that will be a risk she has to take. Tara and I will always look out for her with you, but I'm not dumb enough to make promises about the rest of the world."
"FanQuest is just around the corner, Zane. Once we go, there is no turning back."
"It's a choice every relationship comes to. Sorry man, I wish I could help more. I just got to my lawyers office. I need to finish some things up here. Just keep me up to date, okay?"
They hung up, leaving Evan feeling more conflicted than ever.
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