Chapter 7

ALYANA'S POV

I don't even remember falling asleep last night, but when I start to wake up I find myself in my bed and Colby wrapped around the back of me. I turn myself around, trying not to get tangled in his arms. I face him and place a soft kiss on his lips.

"Good morning," I giggle as his eyes flutter open.

"Good morning," He rubs his eyes a bit before fully opening them.

He pulls me in closer to him, I put my head in the crook of his neck and he's gently palms the back of my head. We lay like that for a while, taking in the feel of one another pressed against each other. He places a gentle kiss on the top of my head before turning around and grabbing his phone. I do the same.

Going on my phone I go straight to Twitter and find hundreds of notifications waiting for me. They were all screenshots from Sam and Colby's new video. Most were of him holding me in the closet, others were him holding my hand going up the stairs and some were of him just looking at me. The pictures made me smile, seeing me and Colby from a third person point of view was cute, but some of the comments made me do the opposite.

"They just met, why is she all over him."

"Why is he even touching her, she probably has demons attached to her."

"Y'all see that scene from the closet, disgusting."

I shut my phone off and turn with my back facing Colby, so he wouldn't see the sorrow on my face.

"What's wrong, Lane?" He turns to face my back and wraps his arm around me.

"Nothing," I shrug it off. I don't want to make stupid fans hurting my feelings a big deal, it's not a big deal.

"You know, you're not the only one that can tell when people are upset. Tell me."

I turn around to face him, "It's just stupid things fans are saying on Twitter. They took screenshots from the video and are saying rude things about me, but I know I need to get use to it."

"Did you see the other comments?" He asked turning his phone on. He turns his screen toward me to reveal other posts of us.

"Look at the way he looks at her, that's so adorable."

"How he held her to protect her, omg."

"Alyana is so pretty wtf."

These posts make my smile come back. I know I can't let what the fans say get to me. They don't even know we're dating yet, and I know it'll get a lot worse then. I start to wonder when we will make it public. I don't have a problem with it, it's actually kind of nice keeping it from the internet for now. It's like our little secret, but eventually I would want him to tell the fans.

"Hey, is it cool if I take a shower here?" Colby asks sitting up in bed.

"Yeah go ahead," I smile as I watch him walk to the bathroom connected to my room.

As I hear the shower start running, I grab my phone and continue checking my social medias. Scrolling through Instagram I received a text message from a random number.

Unknown: Why hello Alyana

I furrow my eyebrow at the text. Could this be some crazy fan that somehow found my phone number?

Alyana: Who is this?

Unknown: Or should I say, Katherine? You know who this is, sweetheart.

My heart dropped reading that sentence. Theres only one person left in this world that knows me by 'Katherine' and that called me 'sweetheart'. 

Back in Michigan, when I was 16 I met Nick. Nick went to the high school in the neighboring city. I thought everything was perfect, I thought I was in love. I wasn't in love, I was brainwashed. He manipulated me, abused me mentally and physically, he raped me. My parents hated him, they knew he was bad for me and parts of me thinks they knew be hit me.

They always told me, 'leave that asshole and move back in with us," but I was too brainwashed by him. My parents were the bad guys in my book. After they passed when I was 19, I started to realize how bad he was for me. I started to fight back, I tried to fight back. That made everything worse.

At 20 I took control of my own life and left. One day when he was at work, I packed up the things I needed the most and left. I left my car at his house and took a taxi to the court house. I changed my name so he couldn't find me. From Katherine Alyana Thomas, I became Alyana Thomas. No middle name, no chance he would find me. I flew to LA and started my new life there. He had no clue where I was, until now.

Alyana: How did you find me? Why did you find me?

Unknown: You're all over the internet, sweetheart. How couldn't I find you?

Fuck.

Alyana: It's been 3 years, leave me alone

Unknow: No chance

Chills run down my spine reading that text, he's going to find me. Just then, Colby walks out of my bathroom with only a towel wrapped around just below the waist. That sent chills down my body, but in a different way. I couldn't keep my eye off of him.

"Like what you see?" He asks noticing my wondering eyes.

"I do," I giggle and blush from getting caught.

I walk over to him and place my hands on his bare, damp chest. I stare up into his eyes with his messy hair falling over them.

"How about a date night?" He suggests grabbing my waist.

"I would love it," I smile up at him, forgetting what just happened on my phone.

"I'll pick you up at 7," He said before leaning down to kiss me.

His lips meet mine and they dance together for awhile before parting.

"I'm gonna need my shirt back," He smiles while taking it off of me, exposing my chest.

"Oh no, no sex before date night," I tease him by playing with the towel wrapped around him.

"You're such a tease, I love it."

He slips his shirt back on along with the rest of his clothes that were spread out around my room.

"I'll see you at 7," He winks before showing himself out of my apartment.

I decide to leave my phone on my bed with all of the bad memories and get in the shower. After my shower I leave my phone upstairs and go downstairs to watch some Youtube on my tv. If I don't open my phone back up, then it's not there, right?

Around 5 I go back upstairs to start getting ready. I put on light make up, concealer, some eyeshadow and eyeliner, mascara and lipgloss. I decided to curl my hair a bit to get some natural looking waves. Looking through my closet for a while, I finally decided on the new pink dress that I got yesterday with the girls. I add fishnets underneath and slip on my new Demonias. By the time that was all done, it was almost time for Colby to pick me up. I throw my phone in my purse without looking at it and head downstairs. Before I know it, Colby's outside of my door.

"Hello beautiful," He smiles as I open the door, "I love that dress on you."

"Thank you," I reach up and kiss him on the cheek.

"Damn those shoes make you a shit ton taller," He laughs looking down at them.

"Oh shut up," I playfully hit him on the chest.

"Let's go," He takes my hand and leads me outside.

Of course he opens his car door for me like he always does. As he starts driving he grabs his phone and starts playing One Direction. I laugh at him, but can't help to sing along. After around 20 minutes of driving we pull into a nice sushi and steak house.

"Colby, this place is nice. Why are you taking me here?"

"Because, my girl only deserves the best," He smiles at me before getting out and opening the door for me once again.

My girl. Hearing him call me that gave me butterflies.

Sitting down at our table, I hear my phone go off in my purse. My heart immediately dropped. That can't be him again, can it? I reach in and turn my ringer off without checking to see what it was.

"What's wrong?" Colby asks, noticing the worry on my face.

"Nothing, nothing at all. This is perfect," I focus on Colby.

I thought about telling him, but I didn't want to ruin the night. I know I'll have to tell him eventually, especially if he tries to find me. I'm just scared of how he'll react. I quickly shake off the thoughts and focus back on dinner with Colby.

"Smile," He says holding up his phone.

"Colby!" I quickly cover my mouth and close my eyes, not ready for a picture.

"Look how good you look," He shows me his phone. The picture is blurry, but it is kind of cute.

"I'm posting that one for sure," I thought he meant on his private story, but he added it to his public story. For everyone to see.

The rest of dinner was so nice. Of course at the end when the waitress asked, "How are we doing the bills?" I said separate and Colby said together. I feel bad letting him pay for me, but I guess it is a date.

"Thank you Colby, that was amazing," I grab his hand as we walk out of the restaurant.

"Don't thank me," He reminded me, squeezing my hand.

"Do you wanna go back to my place and watch a movie," I smirk at him a bit, knowing what we'll end up doing.

"Of course I do."

Getting to my apartment, I go upstairs to change into some sweatpants and a tank top while Colby gets the TV ready for the movie. Getting down the stairs, I grab my purse off of the table and dig my phone from the bottom, forgetting what I could open it up to. My phone was flooded with texts from him.

Unknown: How was the sushi with your new punk rock boy?

Unknown: I must have showed up too late, I missed you.

Unknown: I'll get to you soon enough

Unknown: one image attached

A picture of the restaurant Colby took me to. It was taken an hour after we left, he's close.

"Hey, so do you wanna watch a comedy or a drama?" Colby asked flipping through Netflix.

"Colby," I rush over to him, "We need to go to your place, right now."

"Umm okay, yeah we can watch the movie there," He stutters confused.

"No, I need to stay there. For a while, I don't know how long yet, but we need to go now," I run upstairs and start to throw clothes and essentials in a bag.

"Alyana, what is going on?" He runs up the stairs after me.

"I'll tell you when were at your house, safe. I'm sorry, but we have to go now," I push past him to my bathroom to grab my toothbrush. I shove it in my bag and run down the stairs.

When were out the door I made sure the door was locked, three times, and ran into his car.

"Why do we have to go to my place? Why are we not safe at yours?" He babbles in confusion as he backs out of my driveway.

"Your place has gates and you and Sam and Jake and Corey, it's safe," I babble back.

"Why do you have to be safe?" He speeds down the freeway.

"I'll explain when we're there, please just get me there."

He sped through almost every traffic light there was, thank god there wasn't any cops around. When we get to his house I jump out of his car before he could even think about opening the door for me.

"Alyana, please tell me what the fuck is going on," He shuts the door behind me and I make sure he locked it.

"Come upstairs," I say more calm, walking at a normal pace.

We get up to his room and sit down on his bed, I face him and start, "Colby, before I start I want to say that I am so sorry for all of this and if you think differently of me after, I don't blame you."

"Alyana, please just tell me what is going on," He looks at me with concern in his eyes.

"When I was in high school I started dating this boy named Nick. I though I was in love, but I was so wrong. He abused me, raped me, did the worst things possible to me," I start to cry and Colby grabs my hand to comfort me.

"When my parents passed away I finally started to realize how fucked up he was. One day I grew the balls to leave. I packed up and left. I changed my name and moved to LA," I start to break down even more.

"You changed your name?" He furrowed his eyebrows at me.

"My name was Katherine Alyana Thomas, I took away my first name and used my middle. That's why my dad called me Lane, he new I preferred it, but Nick didn't know. LA is so big, I never though he would be able to find me and he hasn't for three years. With the Youtube videos and all of the Twitter posts, he found me. Colby he found the restaurant we were at. He's here and I'm terrified."

I collapse in his chest and just cry, he gently rubs my back to comfort me while I cry.

"It's okay babe, let it out," He continues to hold me.

"I'm sorry," I sit up and wipe my tears away.

"Don't be sorry. I'm so sorry that you had to go through all of that," He starts to get choked up, "I can't imagine the pain you were in."

"Thank you for understanding, I though you were gonna be mad at me," I look up to him with tears at the edge of my eyes.

"Why would I be mad. I'm going to protect you, Alyana. You don't have to worry about him getting to you," He gently wipes my tears away and leaves a small kiss on my forehead.

"I'm gonna go tell the guys about this, if thats okay. Just so they can keep an eye out too," Colby gets up as I nod my head.

As he goes down stairs I grab my phone to see if he said anything else. Luckily there was nothing. I can hear Colby downstairs talking to everyone with a stern voice.

"Listen, if anyone comes to the door or anywhere near here, do not let them in, do not talk to them and do not fucking mention Alyana being here."

I feel so much better being here with him. Of course I'm still scared about him finding me, but I know Colby will protect me. Just then, Colby comes back upstairs with a glass of water in his hands.

"Here, drink some water, you need to calm down," He hands me the water and I take a big sip.

"Alyana," Colby grabs both of my hands and sits down on the bed with me, "I know you're scared, but I got you, we all got you. I would never let him get to you, I will do everything in my power to protect you. And I'm so sorry that I was the one that led him to find you again, but I will keep him away from you. I know he ruined the image of love for you, but I'm here to show you what love really is. I promise."

After hearing him say all of that I finally calmed down and Colby suggested that I should get some rest. He pulled back the blankets for me to crawl into bed and he climbed in right beside me.

"Come here baby," He held out his arm for me and I cuddled up to him right away.

"Thank you for saving me," I look up at him and he started to form tears in his eyes from thinking about what I went through.

"Remember what I said," He smiles through the tears, "You don't have to thank me."