The photo that ultimately outs Luc Martín is, in a cruel irony, a truly beautiful photo. It’s a candid and intimate moment that most couples would die to have captured in time, a New Year’s Eve kiss shared between two people who have their entire lives ahead of them. There’s no mistaking the love between Jesse and Luc.
I expected Jesse to be going out of his mind with worry, but it’s much worse than that. He seems resigned to whatever narrative the PR department is trying to spin. I just don’t understand why they can’t just come out and say they love each other and don’t give a flying fuck what others think, but Jesse is terrified of how this is going to affect Luc’s career. The headlines are as bad as we thought they’d be, and some are even worse. The press’ obsession with their relationship has only gotten more intense, and a few days after the news breaks, something much worse happens.
Luc’s little sister is run off the road by some asshole paparazzi following her to school to get a statement about her big brother going gay for her favorite rockstar (some kid at her school with a big mouth apparently told some reporters that she had a poster of Jesse in her bedroom). It’s the last straw for Jesse. He’s convinced that he’s ruining Luc’s life, and that it’s his fault the little girl got hurt. She’s okay, thank goodness, but Jesse is obsessing over how much worse it could have been.
We’re on the plane to Miami to start working on the set for the halftime show, but Jesse is in Louisiana, trying to sneak into the hospital unnoticed. He went to check on the little girl, Talia, and to break things off with Luc in person.
I really hope that Luc is able to knock some sense into him. None of us can get Jesse to see reason.
We get a text update from Cory that Jesse arrived safely.
“He’s making a huge mistake,” Ari says, tossing his phone onto the seat next to him and crossing his arms.
Naz grunts in agreement.
“That’s a bit harsh,” I say, feeling the need to defend our friend since he isn’t here to do it himself.
“He’s being an idiot.”
“He’s trying to protect them,” I say. I don’t agree with what he’s doing, but I can understand the thought and feeling behind it.
Ari looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Protect them? That’s bullshit.”
“He’s taking all the blame for what’s happening to Luc, and now his family has been dragged into it. He’s doing what he thinks is right.” I argue.
“Doesn’t he realize that his little act of self-sacrifice is only going to hurt Luc more? That it makes everything he’s gone through and his life being turned upside down all for nothing?”
“Jesse just wants to fix it.”
“He can’tfixit,” Ari snaps. “There’s no fixing what’s already done. There’s only rolling with the punches and dealing with it. You don’t give up just because the world is ugly.”
“Give him a break.”
“I doubt this is what Luc wants after what he’s been through. It’s not right for Jesse to just go and decide things like this on his own. That’s not protection. It’s selfish. And controlling. And fucking stupid.”
“That’s not fair,” I say, feeling itchy in my own skin because this conversation feels a little too familiar.
“Is it fair that he’s deciding on both of their futures on his own terms? I’m sure he thinks he’s strong enough to handle it all, that he’ll be absorbing the impact. That he’s sparing Luc, but he’s not. He’s just taking away what control he has.”
“Let us know how you really feel about it,” Naz grumbles.
“Don’t you think Luc deserves to decide what parts of his own life are worth the risk?”
Naz concedes, but he agreed with Ari from the start. Not that I disagreed. I just wanted to play devil’s advocate when it really wasn’t necessary.
“You can’t love someone and make decisions for them because you think you’re smarter or stronger,” Ari says quietly. “You’re supposed to work through that shit together.”
“You’re right,” I say, and I mean it.
I spend the next half hour listening to the hum and rattle of the engines while thinking about Jesse and Luc, about what a huge deal this show is, and what’s coming next. I think a lot about Ari’s words,“You’re supposed to work through that shit together.”
“Hey, Ari–” I start, turning sideways in my seat, only to find Ari passed out. He’s got his seat fully extended, eyes closed and he’s making cute little snoring noises that can only just be heard over the hum of the engines.
“You alright?”
I look over to find Naz watching me, his expression both curious and concerned.
“Yeah, I’m good. I just thought of something, but it can wait.”
