Page 86 of The Final Rose

Two days of watching every car down the street, holding my breath each passing hour.

Forty-eight hours of hell.

I know she’ll come for me. I know her brothers are going to make her watch it and if they don’t… she’ll know what’s going on, eventually.

The Callie vigil is impossible to miss. The internet is on fire,#WhereIsShehas been trending since the finale aired. The street is lined with paparazzi night and day.

The whole damn town is holding its breath waiting for Callie to come and I'm terrified. I gambled big when I said yes to this. Vera was certain this was the way to go, she wanted the public to know that reality was better than fiction, but I wasn't so sure how Callie would feel.

When someone tipped off the press a producer was going out with me, this became more than just Callie’s job but about everyone else's too. Adam Cork got involved, and it was obvious that the network was pressuring him.

He arrived on the set with a file, apparently it wasn't hard to find out who sold the media the tip. It was just an intern who was promptly fired.

A sense of emptiness washed over me when that was resolved. It wasn't satisfying enough. I was hurting, Callie was hurting and I wanted to see that intern crumble under the weight of the consequences of his actions.

Vera steered me back to the right path, “This is not the story. It's not about revenge, it's about love”.

As each episode aired the whispers grew. Everyone in the world knew what was happening and they were watching the show for a chance to see a producer in the background.

Wanting or not, Callie was part of this season even if her face wasn't on screen.

Little by little Adam Cork and Anya were convinced of Vera’s plan. Telling the truth wasn't just good for the soul anymore, it was good television.

The casting director got involved and pulled footage of me and Callie. Apparently a cameraman liked to film the crew and give everyone a little end-of-the-season gift.

Once on the screen, there was no denying.

Callie and I are magic together.

Cork finally agreed it might be the smartest marketing strategy of the century.

I hated that he called it that, but saving the show was something important for Callie too. With one move, I could save us all.

I opened my heart during that episode. It wasn’t a perfect ending. It wasn’t pure and off-camera, but it was ours and it was true.

I fell in love onThe Final Roseand I was waiting for her to come for me. While torturous, I’d wait a thousand days for her.

I might as well get good at mini golf as I waited.

“You know, Sebastian,” Anya talks again. “I really thought you were going to be the end.”

“Of Callie or the show?”

She chuckles. “Both.”

“Now you’re going to tell me you were wrong? I’m a great bloke. You wished you had seen it before?” I arch an eyebrow.

She looks me right in the eyes, shaking her head. “She’s here.”

24.

Callie

“Fuck!”

Ben curses and I can only agree. We turn a corner and instead of looking at the spacious streets and gorgeous entryways, in front of us are people.

More specifically, paparazzi. They lounge in front of the mansion like it’s their new hangout place and Ben has to step on the break as the three of us gape at the crowd.

---