By this point I no longer took any sponsorships anymore. I had dropped the fast fashion brands once I learned more about how bad they treat their workers and the materials they produce being so bad for you and the environment. I always avoided the ultra fast fashion brands but I didn’t know that the brands we always buy from in malls were also fast fashion. I got Mathew to stop as well. He didn’t really care for it at all. The only thing he still buys for his sports wear. He was happy to do it if I was. I would need to look into brands for him in the future. Mathew was signed but we needed a place to live and we’re struggling to find one that wasn’t crazy expensive. He did get a nice salary so it’s not really an issue. Even after paying everyone and taxes it’s still a lot of money. We got an apartment a little out of the city but it wasn’t great. It looked “nice” but we kept having issues once we moved in. I guess making it cheap and getting as many renters even though no one will stay is what happens when these private equity companies keep buying up housing. 

Life with us was great, he started practicing with his team. He got another sponsorship deal with the same protein company and increased his deal. In college I was the one who handled his deals but now his management team deals with everything. They did want to change a lot of things like ask for more money and more sponsorships but Mathew didn’t care to have so many deals. I do think he should be compensated for the money and marketing value he has now but at what point is it just for making more money. They also were thinking of how they would handle our relationship, they asked if he wanted to keep it private, they were basically suggesting he would be more successful if he did. He would be more popular, get more brand deals, it could affect him getting recruited in the future. Mathew didn’t care and told them he’s going to continue living his life how he had been doing. Now they had to also talk with the sports team manager about everything from deals to PR. That’s why I gave up the reins on his “brand”. 

I still talked about clothing and would post my outfits but was less. I started focusing more on the back end of things. But it was also pretty good. All my socials had gone up 50k across everything. 

Mathew had to make one of those press conferences after he was signed. Before they asked him questions about his future role he gave a small speech. 

“Thank you all for being here today. I’m honored to be able to pursue a career that many dream of but don’t have the luxury of doing so. I look forward to working with the amazing coaches, teammates and staff here at the Warriors. I wouldn’t have ever been able to get here without the support of all of my coaches, teammates, my parents and loved ones. Babe I love you thank you for supporting me through tough times and I hope we have a good season.” 

For the rest of summer and fall Mathew was focused on his new career. Nina had a breakout role in a short film she did in college. It got nominated for several awards. It wasn’t a block buster but it jump started her career. I helped her with getting dresses and outfits for the film award season because she didn’t get any help. I realized I kinda liked doing that more. Thanks to that small film that she did with people she knew from school she was able to get a small role in a mini series. Even though she was a side character she would end up being one of the people most talked about in the show. Even more than the well known names. While she was filming it, Mathew was touring for his session. He had a game at a city close to her in Texas. After the game they decided to meet up while they were there.

We were moving out of our apartment at the time because they had multiple problems happening with the building that weren’t getting fixed. Mathew had wanted to buy a house with the money he had for college for us to live in while in California. Since he had a four year contract we might as well be in a house. We were waiting on the offer to be finalized and all the paperwork to come back in order to see if he had gotten the house. He would tell me we bought a house even though it was all his money. We would still need to pay it off over the years even after his down payment would be a big chunk of the money. The houses were way more expensive here than back home. I didn’t want him using his whole salary he was getting this year to try and pay it all off. Before he left we moved basically everything into storage and Troy offered me to stay with him since Mathew would be gone most of the season. 

Pictures came out of Nina and Mathew hanging out while he was there. It was just a picture of them walking and laughing together as they went to a restaurant in the town Nina’s show was being filmed in. A couple of them walking, talking, laughing, him holding the door for her and they sharing a drink back and forth as they left the place. The rumors picked it like wild fire. Rumors started being published about a new couple. “Rookie player and unknown actor love interest?”, “Mathew Conners  rookie NBA player seems to get the attention of a mysterious actress.” That came out a week before I moved in with Troy. He had a place in San Francisco as well. He was renting a house in a more residential area. Mathew and I had talked about me moving in with him so I wouldn’t be alone while I was home. He also didn’t think I should stay in a hotel while we hopefully got the house. Troy agreed and was the one who offered to stay with him. Worst case scenario we just rent another apartment downtown. 

Mathew left his truck back with his parents before we moved out here. We were more focused on finding a place and most of the time we didn’t buy another car. Mathew had told me to get any car I like and he would have his team handle the payments. But I really wanted to wait for him to choose. He would be the one driving it most of the time. I don’t ever drive when I’m with him. When I’m alone I prefer to order a car then to drive especially in this new city that I don’t know. 

I ordered a car and filled it up with suit cases of mine and Mathew’s clothes. I put most of his shoes in storage and packed a dunked bag of just shoes to bring to Troy’s. I had two full suitcases for me and one for him. If we needed anything else we could always get it out of storage at any time. I talked on the phone with Mathew about what was being said about him and Nina. We laughed about it, he asked if I wanted him to make a statement about it but I told him I didn’t care. It didn’t matter, it’s not like it would affect our relationship even if things were said. He told me how some of the teammates asked if she was who he’s dating. Mathew and I haven’t really hanged out with anyone on his team yet. He hasn’t really gotten close to anyone either. He tells me he likes a lot of them but they haven’t even spent half a year getting to know each other. When we talk on the phone when he’s going to practice or after a game he always calls me “babe”. I also think he’s just more weary of who he lets into our inner circle. 

I ordered a car to take me to Troy’s house. He doesn’t live in a gated area so his house is just on the street like any of the other town houses there. When I got there he hugged me and helped me with all the luggage. He had on baggy grey sweats and a white tank. He was still clean shaved at this time but you could see a shadow of where he would grow a beard now that he was older. He was also bigger now than he was when we were in high school. He gave me a guest room and I put the rest of the bags in another room. He was also going to be leaving soon because he had a game coming up. 

We went out for lunch that day at the spots he frequented. We would go there while I was here and he didn’t have anything to do in the morning. He owned a car and a motorcycle. Troy told me I could use his car and he would take his motorcycle to practice but I didn’t feel comfortable driving his expensive car. Troy told me it was no big deal. Of course Troy would care if soemthing happened but I would fell guity. When he would be done with his practice and studying games we would go out to eat or do something. Another day we went out for dinner.

Troy drove us downtown to this nice restaurant. The valet took his car and we sat close by the bar for our meal. Since we moved out here we’ve been seeing each other more often. We talked about how he would go to dealers to look at cars if I wanted. After many conversations and jokes Troy told, we finished our dinner and left. We waited outside for the car to be brought. He put his coat on my shoulders to stop the cool winds of autumn night. The car pulled up he opened the door for me and we headed to his house. 

It was Troy’s last weekend before he left so we decide to go out and have fun. We went to an arcade and played some games. It was getting packed because it was a weekend. There were too many high-schoolers so we left for the beach. We watched the sunset from his car. While we were there we decided to go to the club. It’s been a while since we’ve had fun like that together. We went to a random club that would have the best music we could find. Once we arrived there was a line of a decent size to get in. He playfully danced to the music coming from inside carelessly to others seeing him. Troy was 22. His birthday was before mine and Mathew. Mathew and I turned 22 in the summer. 

We head straight to the bar and order two shots for the both of us. We drink them both back to back. He keeps bobbing his head. He sings the song to me dramatically. He orders another round for us. One of the people in charge who works here must have recognized him because they asked him if he wanted a section. Troy declined the offer but they told us the drinks are on them. We take our third shot before ordering a fourth. We finish it off and he orders a beer before going to the dance floor. Now that the alcohol was kicking in a bit more I loosen up. We dance together to the music hyping each other up, he drinks his beer. He swaded as he had his arm around my shoulder moving to the beat. He finished his beer and we ordered two more shots.

We danced and jumped the rest of the night. Troy unbuttoned his shirt from the heat. We headed out around 3 am. I ordered us a car, we were both too drunk to drive. While we waited for the car to arrive I texted Mathew we were heading home. Troy hung his arm on my shoulder to hold himself up. I held his hand on my shoulder to keep him from falling. I saw a flash before getting in the car but didn’t think anything of it. 

The next morning I woke up hung over. I checked my phone saw I had text from my management. “We are being reached out to comment.” With the attachment of two articles. “Would you like us to say anything?” I clicked on the click bait titles. It had a picture of me arriving at Troy’s house with the luggage and a picture outside the club last night. “Is the new QB playing for the other team?”I didn’t bother reading it. The other said something along the same lines. But not as direct “Model/internet personality seen with rookie NFL player.” There were more pictures included here. The same picture of me getting here and hugging Troy, with another one, a blurry photo of us at the dinner, I’m assuming they got it from the background of someone’s picture, a few of us outside getting into his car, us dancing inside the club and standing outside waiting for the car. It wasn’t the picture of us going into the car but it was far away of him holding his shirt in one hand, his arm around my shoulder in his under shirt. 

I went down to have breakfast, Troy wasn’t there. I went out to see if his motorcycle was there and it was, I got his mail for him but noticed a guy across the street with a camera. I came inside and saw i was getting a face time. I walked over grabbed my phone and saw it was Mathew. I answer, “hey babe.”

“Hey did I wake you up?” He moved around. It looked like he was in his bed. 

“No, I was outside.” I sat and placed my phone up.

“Where’s your new boyfriend?” Mathew teased me. 

“I don’t know. I think he left. That’s why I went outside. But I noticed someone taking pictures of his house.”  

"Yeah be careful okay. I think people or paparazzi found his house.” Of the half year we have been in San Francisco Mathew and I have never been photographed or followed by paparazzi. We always go out together to eat or the store. I didn’t think they would care this early.

“The pictures look like different quality though. The ones here and earlier on in the timeline look like phone pictures. They must be circling online and papparizi finally showered up last yesterday.”

The door opened, “speaking of my new boyfriend he just got here.”

“New boyfriend?” Troy smiled and walked over.

“Easy.” Mathew joked. 

Troy came over and leaned over. “What’s this I hear of ‘new boyfriend’?” He looked at me and winked. 

“Did you see the articles? I was telling him how there is someone outside your house.” I told him.

“Yeah my team texted me them in the morning and called me. That’s why I woke up. I went to get my car but my phone died on the way there or I would have told you I thought I saw someone with a camera.”

“Do you think we can get them to leave?” I ask them both. 

“Probably not, since they’re not on the property technically they aren’t doing anything.” Mathew told me. “Just make sure no weirdos come around.” Mathew told Troy.

“What did your team say?” I asked Troy. 

“They wanted to know what ‘this’ was about. I told them not to say anything and it don’t matter because it doesn’t , right?”

“We don’t want to cause you trouble.” I told him.

“You’re not,” he hugged me with one arm. “When are you coming.” He asked Mathew. 

“Probably in two weeks maybe less but I’ll probably just stay here if Alexis is off working.” Mathew replied. 

“You don’t miss me?” Troy teased him. 

“Haha, it would just be less flying to another city.” 

I stayed tilll Troy left for one of his games and flew to a city Mathew was in. I arrived picked up the key Mathew left me and went to his room. This would be our life for the next few years, hotel room, planes and holding on to the bits of privacy we have. I felt bad for Troy because unlike Mathew and Nina. The story just grow more about how she was the person Mathew mentioned at his rookie speach. Troy dealt with homophobic sports commentators on live tv and online. Granted most of the live ones tended to trend more safely with their bigotry. The online ones didn’t hold back. Nor did some of the in person ones. It sucks that this was getting more attention sense he doesn’t really play that much because he’s not the starter. They put him in on ce they know they will win. I see why Mathew thought it was best to keep it private for as long as we could.