****Flashback****
Em and Andy stood waiting for an elevator so they could go do some shopping before the others woke up. They were talking and laughing about the previous night’s show and how Alex had slipped on a ramp on the stage and slid the whole rest of the way down…never missing a note. They were just about to get on the elevator when a voice boomed through the hallway.
“Oh no you don’t.” Jacks yelled.
“Hey Jacks!” Em chirped.
“What are you doin up so early?” Andy asked.
“Certainly not what the two of you’ve been doing.” Jacks replied crossing her arms over her chest.
“And what does that mean?” Andy asked, striking the same pose.
“There’s a rumor that you’re fucking Em.” Jacks said angrily.
“What?” Em laughed. “Come on Jacks, you know not to believe the tabloids.”
“And if it was just the tabloids I wouldn’t believe it. But it’s not in some trash paper.”
“Then where did you hear that?” Andy asked, just as angry.
“You know those people who work for you Mr. Popstar? I think they’re called crew? Well, they might be nameless and faceless to somebody like you, but they do have eyes.”
“Jacks, what the hell are you talking about?” Em asked as she put a hand on Andy’s arm to keep him from lunging at Jacks.
“Do you think you’re fooling anybody Em? Everybody knows how you and Andy sneak into each other’s rooms at night.”
“So?” Andy asked, trying to control his temper.
“Well, let’s see… people see you go in late at night, and you don’t come out until the morning.” Jacks paused. “What do you expect people to think Andrew?”
“So let them think what they want, who cares?” Em said.
“I care.” Jacks bit back.
“What does it matter to you?” Andy roared, no longer able to contain himself.
“I am SO not getting into that argument with you Andy. You, I could give a damn about. Everybody knows that you’ve had every pop slut out there and if Mike can tolerate that, then who am I to say different.”
“Like it’s ever stopped you before.” Andy mumbled. Jacks shot him a look, but turned her attention to Em.
“You on the other hand have a good reputation. Aside from the flirt thing, the fans think you’re a sweet little virgin who’s waiting for her dream man. Now,” Jacks held up her hands. “I could care less whether that’s true or not…but it’s what the fans buy into and so that’s what we’re going to sell.”
“So you aren’t doing this as a concerned friend who’s trying to save me from some superstar heartbreaker, you’re just scared to death that I’ll ruin an image…MY image? So that the profits won’t roll in like they have been? Thanks a whole fuckin lot Jacks. Did you ever think about just asking me what was going on? Somewhere, oh I don’t know, PRIVATE?” Em paused and Andy took over.
“Of course not. That’s not your style is it Jaclyn? You’ve got to come flying over to us, without thinking of how Emmy’s going to feel about you calling her a slut to her face, or how I’m going to feel having my private life broadcast in some hotel hallway where dozens of people can hear our every word, and just throw accusations in our face. Well fuck you Jacks. I don’t care what people think or what you have to say…Emmy and I aren’t ashamed of our relationship. But that doesn’t mean that what’s between us has to be told to the world.” Andy grabbed Em’s hand and pulled her into the still open doors of the elevator. “If I were you Jacks, I’d pray to God that we show up for sound check.” And with that, the doors shut. “I can’t believe her!” Andy yelled and punched one of the walls of the elevator. Em sat down on the floor.
“What are we gonna do?” She asked quietly. Her angry was already spent and now dread had set in. “Andy!” She cried tugging at his shirt. “What are we going to do? We can’t not go to sound check.”
“I know. But we aren’t staying here. We’ll go somewhere.”
“Without security?”
“Unless Jacks is having them run down thirty flights of stairs right now, then yes.” And reached down and took Em’s hand to help her up. “It’ll be ok Emmy. I won’t let them call you a slut.” Em squeezed Andy’s hand tighter.
“But they’re going to anyway Andy. Unless we… I wanted this to be our secret.”
“Me too.” The doors opened and Andy and Em both made a dash for the front doors of the hotel. They ran out onto the busy street and took off, still holding hands.
“Andy!” Em gasped finally. “My knees.” The two stopped and slipped between some buildings. Em slumped to the pavement and rubbed her left knee.
“Are you ok Emmy?” Andy asked quickly as he knelt down. Her breathing was still ragged, but not from running. A tear splashed against her jeans. “Jesus, Emmy, are you ok?”
“Yeah, yeah. I mean, my knees are ok. I’ll be fine for the show.”
“Then why are you crying Baby?” Andy asked.
“Who you callin Baby?” Em cracked. “You’re still a month younger than me.”
“You know what I meant.” Andy said. Em looked up at him.
“They’re always going to look at me differently now Andy. I can’t ever be their precious little virgin anymore. It’s all gone now.” She paused, as anger filled her heart. “And all it took was one damn argument in a hotel.” Em began to hoist herself up with Andy’s help; her knees still a little weak.
“We’ll tell them it’s all a lie Emmy.”
“Do you think they’re going to listen? Come on Andy. It doesn’t matter what’s truth and what’s fiction, they’ll believe what they want. And what they want to believe is that we’re sleeping together. God, even Jacks….”
“She had no right to do that to you.” Andy huffed.
“She did it to you too.”
“Yeah, but that’s different. It’s a double standard. It’s ok for me.”
“So now what?” Em sighed and rested her head on Andy’s shoulder as they moved back into the pedestrian traffic of Vienna.
“Now we have to decide what we tell them.” ****