Page 90 of Love Me Tomorrow

Stamos wasn’t wrong: the tabloids are goddamn vultures.

Even now, when the guy is apparently engaged, reporters continue to hound him online, dredging up everything from how “sources” claim that his fiancée, Mina Pappas, is still concerned that Stamos might leave her for Savannah, to an even more bizarre conspiracy theory that the only reason Stamos proposed to Mina at all is because he knocked her up, and their families are too conservative to allow a baby to be born out of wedlock.

It’s mind-boggling.

Completely bonkers.

And yet it reaffirms what I already knew: Savannah may think it’s better for me to be out and proud about my color-blindness, but if I did that now . . . Christ, it would be an absolute clusterfuck. The way these magazines could run with my story and somehow twist it around, either painting me as some genius prodigy or, on the other side of the coin, as a scammer who has lied to his clients for near-on a decade by pretending to be someone he’s not, is absolutely terrifying. The thought alone is like being submerged completely in ice.

But Gage needs to know.

As much as I’m dreading that conversation, I do agree with Savannah on that score. I can’t reverse time and tell my parents to make a different decision, but that doesn’t mean I can’t take control of my own relationship with my twin brother and give him the key to the biggest secret of my life.

He deserves that.

Our relationship deserves that.

Sliding my phone out of my jeans pocket, I type out a quick text to him:Booze & food this weekend? Double date?

His response is almost immediate.

Gage: Does double dating make us real twins now? I feel like we’ve been a sham all these years.

Me: Should we really do it up and wear matching outfits?

Gage: I don’t do flannel.

Me: That’s because you don’t have a soul.

Gage: I’m offended that you would think otherwise. Souls are overrated. I do just fine without.

Me: So is that a yes?

Gage: Is the flannel the stipulation to Booze & Food happening?

Me: 100%. No flannel, no adventure. What’s it gonna be?

Gage: Fine, you asshole. I’ll wear one. Gotta go. Heading to a call.

Laughing, I return to the email from Nick Stamos and give it a good, hard look. The guy did not have to reach out to me. That in and of itself speaks volumes about his character. Plus, one look online tells me that if I’ve had it rough in the last seven days sinceCelebrity Tea Presents’article went live, Stamos’ experience since wrapping up filming puts a lot into perspective.

Savannah sent me home, yeah, but it hasn’t been until recently that the world has suddenly given a shit about me. Nick and his girl Mina—I can’t even imagine putting myself in their shoes.

WhilePut A Ring On Ithas fucked up a lot of shit, that doesn’t mean we can’t take back the narrative and control it the way we see fit.

Fingers to the keyboard, I type out my reply:

Good to “meet” you, man. You’re right—I don’t remember you, but that’s on me. Two hours in that mansion didn’t give me a lot of time to put faces to names, or even learn names at all. Congrats on your engagement, by the way. I wish y’all all the best.

And thanks for reaching out. It’s appreciated—really. Nothing says Your Life is a Shit Show like stepping out your front door and being bombarded withPut A Ring On Itfans. Can’t regret it, though . . . the good stuff in life never happens until the crappy puts it all into perspective for you, scorched T-shirt and all.

Also, same offer goes for you. My number is below. Try not to wear it out—clearly, we have a lot in common and it’s a good thing we don’t live in the same city, or we’d be painting each other’s toenails every Friday night and sipping mimosas. Fair warning: I’d be the punk/emo friend. Hope you don’t mind being pretty in pink.

I hit SEND, then sit back.

Retrack to the internet tab and plug in a new search:Savannah Rose.

Heart lodged in my throat, I watch as the search loads and proceeds to spit out pages of results. For the last however long, I’ve been so focused on the fact that sherejected me that I rarely, if ever, stopped to think how this entire experience has impacted her.

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