Page 46 of Harrison's Wedding

Yes, the fans and the money are awesome, and getting paid to do what I love is a dream come true, but we’ve seen what it can do. The way that people speculate on every aspect of our lives, taking shreds of truth and weaving them into patchwork quilts of a fake narrative to suit themselves.

Being scrutinized everywhere we go by not just the paparazzi and fans, but by people in general who don't even fall into those categories. Having our photographs splashed across the internet, magazines, and newspapers.

All of that, on some level, we expected. We could never truly have understood the extent of it, and how it becomes your daily life. I certainly don’t think we could ever have fathomed the idea of someone doing something like what the reporter did to Ariana.

It’s a different kind of intrusion, and to see someone as sweet and trusting as Ariana being taken advantage of as a means to someone’s end is devastating. On some level, I hope that Heather and Sebastian can see that Ariana truly is with us now. I am sure after Tuesday night that she’s not going to leave again. If anything was going to make her leave, it would’ve been that.

We have a quiet dinner in the restaurant downstairs, but people keep looking at us, and I’m on edge all evening. My mind is full of the implications of what happened to Ariana, along with our recent media experiences, and I think the others are thinking about it too, because the mood in the group is a somber one.

We’re hanging out in Hayden’s suite after dinner when Heather stands all of a sudden. “I need to get to bed early. Tomorrow’s a big day.”

“Do you want me to come to bed with you?” I ask her.

“No, you don’t have to. I just need to get some sleep.”

I stand to give her a hug and a kiss before she leaves. She waves us goodbye and leaves the room.

“She seems stressed,” Sebastian notes, nodding toward the door Heather just left by.

“She definitely is. Hopefully tomorrow goes well and all of her hard work will have paid off,” I smile at him.

“I’m sure it’ll be great. God knows she won’t listen to any of us when we tell her that, though,” he laughs.

“It’s easier to imagine the negatives instead of the positives.” Hayden shrugs his shoulders.

“Not for me,” Sebastian grins at him. “IknowI’m awesome. Heather is too. She shouldn’t be stressing.”

I laugh. “I think that’s probably easier said than done.”

I stay in Hayden’s room for another couple of drinks, and we talk about my guitar, as well as the Brantiman’s Cola brand deal that’s just closed, before I get a call from Gabriel.

“Hey, Gabriel. What’s up?” I say when I answer the call.

“Not much. How was the flight to NYC?”

“Could’ve been worse. Usual paparazzi shit.”

“I’m fuckingoverthe paparazzi,” he says darkly.

I nod my head in agreement. “Yeah, me too, really. We were talking about it with Heather earlier. They were harassing her here as well.”

“Shit, that sucks. Anyway, that’s why I called. Ariana and I wanted to wish Heather good luck for tomorrow.”

I like that. It’s normal and nice, and I’m pleased that they’re thinking of her.

“Oh, bummer. She’s already gone to bed, but you could text her in the morning.”

“Do you think she’d like that?” Gabriel asks.

I’m aware that Sebastian, in particular, is listening in on my half of the conversation. I’m mildly uncomfortable with that, which is unusual for us. I remember his reaction to the news about Ariana earlier and pray to the heavens that he’s finally softening towards her.

“Of course. You’re still her friend, Gabriel.”

“Okay, I’ll do that. Thanks.”

“Not a problem. I’m with Hayden and Sebastian at the moment.”

We end our call, and as soon as I’m off the phone, Sebastian asks, “Gabriel too chicken shit to call Heather, too?”

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