Chapter 69: The Desired Results

"Astrid? Really?" Regan asks, bumping into him outside the studio offices.

Of course, it would be more than just Tori who would learn of his very public and publicized affair.

"It's not--" he starts to explain, but she throws up her hands and walks away.

"Regan, wait," Gavin calls out, following her. "Let me explain..." He reaches a hand around her shoulder, trying to make her stop walking away from him.

It works, more or less, as she spins around to face him, her eyes brilliant with anger. "Explain what?" she hisses, "You know what Astrid is. How could you be so stupid?"

"I know," he says, "It was just the one time. Tori and I have been having problems, and..." at this point Gavin realizes his explanation isn't going to sound any better than she thinks is going on.

"So you figured fucking that cunt in public was the solution to your problem?" she asks, "You're pathetic!"

"I don't understand why you're so angry at me, Regan," Gavin says gently. He hasn't had a chance to talk to Tori since the pictures of him with Astrid came out, but he can't imagine his girlfriend being more upset about it than his friend apparently is. "It's not like I cheated on you..."

Her lower lip trembles, just a little, as she stares at him. "You're right," she says, dejected, "What you do is none of my business, right? I thought you were better than this, but I obviously just didn't know who you really were."

She turns and walks away again. He calls after her, weakly, and this time does not follow, stunned by her reaction to his infidelity to another woman.

He has to face Tori that afternoon. He doesn't really hear half of what she's saying, his mind is on Regan, her disappointment in him. It hurt more than any insult Tori can hurl at him.

"Look at me!" she screams at him, bringing him back into the present. "I asked you how you could do this to me."

"Things just haven't been right between us lately," Gavin says weakly.

"You're trying to blame me for your cheating?" she asks, her voice level and cold, "I'm sorry, Gavin, but you just aren't worth my time anymore. I'm done with you."

And there, the desired results of his behavior. But the feeling of freedom is overshadowed by what he lost to achieve it, a friend and his own self-respect.

"There's my darling boyfriend," Astrid coos, waiting for him when he returns to his house. He lets her in to avoid a scene in front of the paparazzi lurking around his gate.

"Look, Astrid, I'm not in the mood for your games," he says when she tries to caress his face, "It was just one night. We're done."

"Okay, listen up," she says, dropping the pretense of affection, "I don't know what you think was going on here, but understand this: you do not get to fuck me and dump me. Not after our pictures have been plastered on the tabloids. You may not like me, and  certainly don't like you, Gavin, but we are a couple."

"Astrid, that's--" he starts to protest, but she cuts him off.

"I'm not looking to be your wife," she says in disgust, "This relationship will end, don't doubt that. But it ends on my terms, when I've gotten what I want from it. I'm not going to be just some two bit actress you screwed once and dumped, got it? We're going to go out and be seen together, and you're going to be head over heels for me. After this film is wrapped up, we'll break up."

"Why would I agree to that?" Gavin asks.

Astrid rolls her eyes, "Because if you don't, I go to the papers and tell them how you drugged me to get me to go home with you, and I'll tell them all about the sick, perverted things you did to me, and what a monster you truly are."

"But I didn't--"

"Try telling that to the papers, Gavin," she says, "Neither one of us can prove our side, and my story will always be out there, hanging over your head like a cloud. Every time people see you or hear your name, they'll be wondering if it's true."

Gavin hangs his head, not seeing anyway out of this one. Astrid smiles, gloating. "Now, get ready," she says, "We're going out tonight, to be seen. I want you to look good."