I suddenly found myself in the middle of the guys as we moved forward as one, and it made me feel less panicky because I knew that they were protecting me. Soon, we were inside the car and my grip on Risk was vice-like because I couldn’t breathe. My wheezing was loud in the car. I was in the middle of an attack and I didn’t even know it.
“Fuck! Hold on, baby. I’ll make it better . . . Here, open.”
It was Risk who spoke, my vision had blurred so I couldn’t see his movements. I could only focus on trying to draw in a breath. I felt his hand on the back of my head then he forcefully pushed the head of an inhaler into my mouth. The second he pressed on it, I sucked down the medicine with eagerness. The familiar taste of it, as always, brought me great relief. Even before it began to work on my lungs, knowing I had my medicine allowed my brain to begin to calm down so I could get control of the attack. It felt like it took longer for me to be able to draw in a deep breath than usual, but eventually the pain faded and all that remained was the fear of what could have happened.
I was shaking like a leaf.
“I’m sorry,” Risk held me to him, moved his hand to my lower back and began patting. “I’m so sorry, Frank.”
He remembered . . . he remembered that patting my lower back comforted and calmed me. I couldn’t believe that he remembered.
I hugged him as I continued to breathe in and out. That was all that mattered. Big breath in and another one out. Over and over. We remained that way for a few minutes. I realised when I straightened in my seat that Hayes was driving the car. Angel was in the front seat, but he was turned around so he could see me. He looked worried as he stared at me with dark, unblinking eyes. I was between Risk and May, they were in the middle of working together to put my seat belt around me and click it in place.
“Are you okay, Frankie?”
“I’m okay,” I answered May. “I’m sorry.”
“You have asthma.” Risk clicked his tongue. “Having an attack is not your fault . . . tonight it was mine. Those motherfuckers wouldn’t have crowded you if you weren’t with me.”
“Bollocks,” May spit. “Don’t put the fault of those arseholes on your shoulders, they’re vultures. What they do is on them, not you.”
May was absolutely right. I leaned into Risk, finding immense comfort in his arms when they came around me.
“They’re not following us . . . yet.”
“Just drop me and Frankie off at her cottage,” Risk replied to Hayes. “I’ll walk back to May’s in a bit. They’ll just hang around her house if they spot the car there.”
“How would they know it’s yours? Two of my neighbours have the same model, the colour is just a little different.”
“They likely made a note of the number plate,” Risk explained. “They normally do that so they can tell if they’re following the right car.”
That shocked me.
“That’s insane,” I spluttered. “Like stalking.”
“We know.” Risk frowned. “We call them vultures for a reason.”
I tried to think of what all of this suddenly meant for my quiet, predictable life.
“Will my face be all over the internet soon?”
Risk was hesitant in replying, but eventually he said, “Probably.”
“Oh.”
“Look, so the stories don’t run wild,” he continued. “May will post that picture of you and him to his Instagram. He’ll put something in the caption about you being like a sister to him. People will still speculate, but once it’s clear that you aren’t a romantic interest, the frenzy will pass after a day or two. It always does.”
I was in disbelief.
“I had no idea you couldn’t be seen with a woman without this kind of hassle.”
“Where have you been?” May lightly teased. “It’s been this way for years.”
I didn’t let him know that I purposely didn’t keep up with information regarding the band. Not long later, Hayes dropped me and Risk off outside my home. We hurried inside in case we were followed. I didn’t feel safe until the door was shut behind us. I went straight into my kitchen and flipped on the light.
“Oath,” I called. “I’m home, baby boy.”
Risk laughed when Oath came strolling out of my bedroom, looking like he had just woken up from a long nap. I picked him up when he brushed against the back of my legs. I knew Risk was by the doorway watching me, but I said nothing. That whole situation was surreal. I thought I knew what celebrities went through with the paparazzi but my experience with it first-hand told me how little of a clue I really had.