GIANNA'S POV
The red carpet stretched out before me in all its dazzle, a glimmering path and all I could see was flashing lights, camera shutters and my eyes filled with the paparazzi screaming my name.
"Gianna, over here!"
"Giannaa!!"
"Gianna, you look stunning! Look over here!"
Everyone screamed orders at me from various points and all it did was to spark up my anxiety, giving me the urge to retract and crawl back inside my shell; the same shell that I had fought to escape all my life, and by shell I meant my home town Algreen Cove. A town where crime was active and day time and the people who restored order to it were the drug dealers and mafia men – it was my undoing that I fell hopelessly in love with one of them – Dante D'angelo.
I was at the premier of my new movie Another Chance at Love, it was a script that hit a little close to him, romanticizing a future I had imagined where I would be in his hands once again. I placed one hand on my waist and turning slightly to face the paparazzi, the sleek fabric of my dress clung to my curves, shimmering in the spotlight as I posed for the cameras.
My hair was perfectly styled, my makeup flawless, but beneath all that was something else-something I couldn't shake no matter how many red carpets I walked. It was the emptiness that crept in late at night, the loneliness that snuggled itself against me when I was finally alone. The glimmer of the cameras couldn't outshine the hollow ache in my chest.
It wouldn't have been so bad at that particular moment if my co-star Jeremy Costain wasn't leaning a little too close and trying to steal a kiss in front of the cameras to create a scandal.
The "golden boy" of Hollywood-at least, that's what the public saw. Behind the perfect smile and award-winning charisma was an absolute loser, and has a pea brain if I was being literal. He snagged me close by the waist, drawing me closer to his rock hard body and all that time I could think about was Dante's hand across my waist – how much I missed it and how close I was to dropping everything to be with him.
"How about we give these tabloids something to talk about for the next month" Jeremy leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered.
I pulled back slightly, my smile still plastered on my face for the cameras. "Don't be weird Jeremy"
"Come on," he said, that smug look settling on his face. "A kiss. Just a quick one for the cameras. You know it'll make headlines. What's the big deal? We kissed a lot on set, didn't we"
Truth is, I didn't want to create unnecessary buzz just in case Dante was paying attention to the tabloids, and of course I knew he was and I didn't want him to think that the scandals might be true.
"A dating scandal would be good for your career, don't you think? Might even bag that brand deal that you've been desperate for or better still I could make a few calls" he winked at me and it took every ounce of self control in me to not roll my eyes at him, and throw a drink in his face.
But I was going to walk away from him when he grabbed my hands lightly to pull me back into his chest, the same damn time one of the paparazzi decide to fuel the rumors.
"Gianna are you going out with Jeremy? Are the rumors true" and just then all the paparazzi joined in the charade.
"Are you guys dating?
"Did you fall in love with while filming Another chance at Love"
And of course, Jeremy being the attention loving bastard that he was beamed at the questions, even pulling me closer to him and saying to them "We are, and I've been begging all evening for a kiss but she's shy of the cameras"
My mouth fell instantly "What the hell" I mouthed secretly to him
"Just go with it" he was facing me now, his face inching closer to mine, and just then I heard the paparazzi begin to scream "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"
Jeremy's hand slid to my waist, pulling me a little closer, and I stiffened. "See? They want it. Give the people what they want."
"Or what you want?"
"Don't be such a prude Gianna, live a little"
Then he smashed his lips into mine and the only thing I could hear was the heightened shutter of the camera clicking all around me. I wanted to run away but Jeremy's hand was steady around my waist and moving his mouth against mine until he pulled away after what felt like eternity and I shot him a fierce look.
"Don't you ever do that again!"
"Now tell me you didn't enjoy that" I rolled my eyes and gracefully walked away but just because of the camera. But all I could think about was Dante, Jeremy's kiss had awoken something in me, but it wasn't for him, it awaken my sudden desperate need for Dante. Dante, with his dark eyes and even darker soul. No matter how much I tried to push him to the back of my mind, he always crawled his way out forcing me to think about him against my will. So many times, I wanted to run back to Algreen Cove because I had missed him so much, but I knew I needed to make something of myself before I returned.
"Are you coming in?" I felt Jeremy hand slink around my waist again and I looked at his face, a certain feeling I couldn't explain fall over me so I shook my head taking a step back.
"No" I said and Jeremy raised his brows.
"What?"
"No I'm not coming in" I said and then I shook his hands, trying to act like the clueless character I played in the movie and I said.
"Thank you"
I pulled away from him, I knew exactly what I had to do and it had everything to do with returning back to Algreen Cove