Virgin's Sweet Rebellion

For leaving her? For ending their fling? For breaking her         heart?

‘For causing you to lose your film role.’

She blinked, taking that in, and then she shook her head as     relief poured through her. ‘Oh, Ben. I don’t care about that.’

‘You don’t care?’

‘I lost the film role before the story broke anyway. And I     admit I was angry about it for a few minutes, but then I realised I wasn’t as     disappointed as I expected to be. I was already tired of playing the game,     jumping through every hoop to secure a role.’ She took a deep breath, wanting to     share all she’d learned about herself to him, thanks to him. ‘I realised that no     film role will atone for the past. I don’t want to be someone else just because     I’m afraid to be myself.’

‘But you’re an amazing actress, Olivia.’

‘Then producers had better sit up and take notice,’ she     answered with a smile. ‘I want producers and directors to choose me because I’m     amazing. Not because I squeezed myself into their mould or played their silly     games.’ She took another deep breath. ‘I’m tired of proving myself. That’s     something else you helped me to realise. Ever since I let my mother down, I’ve     been trying to prove myself to everyone. My family. Hollywood. I wanted to     succeed at acting because I felt as if it would honour her memory and justify my     choice to pour myself into it after my mother died. But I’m done with all that.’     She met his gaze directly, smiling ruefully. ‘And if it means I never act again,     so be it.’

‘You will act again, Olivia. This will blow over.’ He grimaced     slightly. ‘And I know it’s my fault that the whole thing blew up.’

‘It was my fault for giving the press the story in the first     place.’

‘So now we’re both to blame.’ He reached for her hands, and a     thrill ran through Olivia, right down to her toes. ‘Olivia...’

‘Hold on,’ she said, and held up a hand. ‘I need to say     something first.’

Ben frowned, his hands tensing on hers. ‘What do you need to     say?’

Olivia took a deep breath. ‘That I love you. I don’t know how     you feel about me, but I know I need to tell you the truth. I kept myself from     telling my mother I loved her when she needed to hear it most, and I’m not going     to let anyone down like that ever again.’ It was impossible to read the     expression on Ben’s face, so Olivia just ploughed on. ‘I love you, Ben. I’ve     been falling in love with you since I first met you. And I know it’s only been a     handful of days and this whole thing is kind of crazy and I still have no clue     if you feel even a tenth of what I do...’

‘I do,’ Ben interjected, and a smile broke over his face like     sunlight. ‘I love you, and I was coming to find you and tell you. I spoke to     Spencer this morning. I’m...I’m trying to move past everything that happened.     Everything I did. I want to move on...with you.’

‘Oh, Ben.’ Olivia blinked back tears. ‘That’s the best thing     I’ve ever heard.’

‘I know it might be complicated,’ Ben told her. ‘We have to     figure out our families, and the long-distance thing, and it’s all happened so     fast.’

‘Well, as you know,’ Olivia teased, ‘I’m a leap-before-you-look     kind of girl.’

‘Then let’s leap,’ Ben said, and kissed her as everyone around     them began to cheer.

* * * * *